Glendalough, located in County Wicklow, is one of Ireland’s most historically significant and visually striking valleys. It’s best known for its early medieval monastic site, founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century. The round tower, cathedral ruins, and stone churches that remain today are surrounded by forests, lakes, and mountain trails, creating a setting that feels both ancient and untouched.

Thingvellir, a captivating site in Iceland, seamlessly combines natural beauty and historical significance. Located in the Thingvellir National Park, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a geological wonder where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. The dramatic landscape features rift valleys and stunning volcanic formations, making it a paradise for hikers and nature enthusiasts.

Gotland, Sweden’s largest island, sits in the Baltic Sea and feels like a world of its own. Its main town, Visby, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Northern Europe. Surrounded by a 3.5-kilometer stone wall with original towers still intact, Visby once served as a key Hanseatic trading hub. Visitors can walk along cobbled streets lined with rose-covered cottages, explore Gothic church ruins, and climb up the city wall for views over the harbor.

Stretching over 4,200 kilometers along the southwestern coast of South America, Chile is a country of dramatic contrasts and hidden surprises. From the world’s driest desert in the north to the icy fjords of Patagonia in the south, Chile offers a landscape that constantly reinvents itself. Visitors can walk through the Atacama Desert, where NASA tests Mars rovers, or gaze at the clearest night skies on Earth from the high-altitude observatories near San Pedro de Atacama.

Ilha Grande, an island off the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, is a place where tropical forest and coastline meet in striking harmony. Once a pirate hideout and later the site of a penal colony, it has evolved into one of Brazil’s most remarkable island destinations. With no cars allowed and no large resorts, the island moves at a different pace, where footpaths and boats are the main ways to get around.