Web Analytics

Top 5 Best Of The World Destinations For Culture By National Geographic Traveller

Via Appia/Appian Way, Italy
National Geographic Traveller No. 1 for Culture, the Appian Way [Image by Erik Törner/Flickr]

National Geographic Traveller has released its Best of the World list of 35 destinations that people should visit in 2023. The choices are based on five categories – namely culture, nature, adventure, family and community. Meanwhile, the list highlights some of the most exceptional and exciting experiences in the world. Here we look at the top five destinations to celebrate culture in this big wide world.

National Geographic Traveller: Best of the World list for Culture

Among the remarkable destinations included in National Geographic Traveller’s choices are a wide range, including destinations in Italy, South Korea, China, Egypt and South Carolina, USA. Read on to find out why these five destinations came up tops for Culture.

1. Appian Way, Italy

Via Appia (Appian Way), Italy no. 1 for Culture by National Geographic Traveller
Via Appia (Appian Way) [Image Wikimedia Commons]

The Appian Way (Via Appia) is Europe’s ancient “superhighway” which takes people on a pilgrimage route through history. Moreover, the ancient highway was built 2,300 years ago and stretches for 360 miles from the heart of Rome to the port of Brindisi on the Adriatic Sea. The Via Appia was nicknamed Regina Viarum (Queen of the Roads) and was followed by ordinary folk, marching soldiers, emperors, and more.

After the fall of Rome, the Appian Way fell into a state of neglect. However, it is now undergoing renewal as the Italian government works to retrace the way and restore the ancient cobblestones. It is hoped to transform this historic road into a walkable route for modern travelers. Once complete, a pilgrimage will take visitors through history, stopping at scenic villages and archaeological sites. Meanwhile, plans are being made for overnight accommodation at the end of each day of walking through history.

2. Busan, Korea

Busan, South Korea - No. 3 on National Geographic Traveller's list for culture
Busan, South Korea [Image by Nabin Mewahang from Pixabay]

Next in line for National Geographic Traveller’s top five destinations for culture is Busan in South Korea. The country’s second-largest city is going through a cultural transformation. Here, visitors can experience the Busan International Film Festival, which in 2022 featured screenings in 14 neighborhood venues across the city.

It turns out Busan is famous for its artisan brewers of both beer and coffee, either of which makes the perfect drink between movies. Alternatively, a visit to Citizens Park is a fascinating experience. This redeveloped US military base played a significant role during the Korean War. The park was opened in 2014 and is a 133-acre retreat in the heart of downtown Busan. Here more than one million trees and shrubs can be seen from 97 different species.

3. Longmen Grottoes, Henan Province, China

Longmen Grottoes, Henan Province, China
Longmen Grottoes, Henan Province, China [Image by 沙 七 from Pixabay]

Here in China, visitors can experience artistry dating back to the Tang Dynasty in the Longmen Grottoes in Henan Province. This iconic artistry consists of more than 100,000 figures related to Buddhism. The sculptures were created between the fifth and eighth centuries AD and are tucked inside the endless caves in the limestone cliffs above the Yi River.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site has been used as a setting for Henan TV’s acrobatic dance program, Longmen King Kong. It is important to note that this doesn’t relate to the fictional huge gorilla. Meanwhile, the special effects combined with the iconic sculptures were a sensation in China.

However, the use of technology at the grottoes isn’t only for entertainment. Nowadays, archaeologists are using 3D printing to reconstruct damaged statues. Meanwhile, scientists are using digital scanning to create a 3D map of the historic site.

4. Egypt

Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
Pyramids of Giza [Image by Peace,love, happiness from Pixabay]

Naturally, Egypt with its iconic pyramids is close to the top of cultural choices in National Geographic Traveller’s choices. In Giza, at the edge of the famous Pyramids, Cairo’s Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) will be “the perfect museum in the perfect setting,” according to Fredrik Hiebert, National Geographic Society’s “archaeologist in residence. In fact, Hiebert began his career in Egypt and is supervising the virtual, multimedia exhibition Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience. Set to open in 2023, he said of the project:

It’s like the Egyptians built another pyramid to display all the golden treasures of Tutankhamun, many of which were hidden in the basement of the [old] Cairo Museum.

It’s going to become a destination museum and will change the way people visit Egypt.

5. Charleston, South Carolina

International African American Museum, Charleston, South Carolina
Artistic rendition of International African American Museum, Charleston, South Carolina [Image @iaamuseum/Instagram]

Heading across the seas to the USA, the fifth choice under the heading of culture is Charleston, South Carolina. An old wrong is being put to right here with the International African American Museum which opens on January 21. Located on Gadsden’s Wharf, and facing Charleston Harbor, this is where ships brought 100,000 African slaves in chains during the 18th and 19th centuries.

The museum will feature nine galleries, revealing the harrowing stories of the Middle Passage, as well as the horrors of plantation life. However, the museum will also reveal stories of the triumph of the slaves and their enduring cultural contributions. Moreover, this includes a section dedicated to the Gullah Geechee people, who live along the Atlantic coast from the Carolinas to Florida. It will also reveal some of the African traditions of their ancestors that continue to this day.

Find out more about National Geographic Traveller and its choices for Best in the World Destinations for 2023 on the official website here.