Top 10 Tourist Attractions in the World for 2024: The world is home to a plethora of incredibly fascinating destinations that attract millions of travelers every year in search of unique experiences that allow them to experience diverse cultures, gain new perspectives, and create unforgettable memories.
As the global tourism industry continues to recover in the wake of the pandemic, 2024 is shaping up to be an exciting year for travelers looking to explore the world. From the skyscrapers of New York City to the ancient ruins of Rome to the holy sites of Abu Dhabi, these destinations continue to captivate travelers from all over the world with their unique history, beauty and cultural significance.
TripAdvisor’s latest Travelers’ Choice Awards have revealed the world’s top attractions for 2024, spanning a diverse range of cultural and historical aspects from man-made to natural wonders. Notably, the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, ranked 22nd. Known for its extraordinary beauty and cultural importance, the Taj Mahal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an iconic ivory-white marble mausoleum located on the right bank of River Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Taj Mahal
It was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1631 as a tomb for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex that also includes a mosque and guest house, all set within formal walled gardens.
Check out the top 10 attractions in the world, chosen by the TripAdvisor community over a 12-month period based on countless reviews and opinions. Fewer than 1% of 8 million properties listed have achieved this rating.
Here are the top 10 tourist attractions in the world for 2024:
1. Empire State Building, New York City, USA:
Empire State Building
One of the tallest buildings until 1971, the Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper and New York City’s most iconic structure. With two observation decks and spectacular skyline views, the building was designed by Shreve, Lamb and Harmon between 1930 and 1931. Its name is a play on the nickname for New York state, “The Empire State.”
2. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France:
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower, or the Iron Lady, colloquially known as the “Iron Lady”, is a wrought-iron lattice tower built in 1889 as the centerpiece of the Paris Universal Exhibition and to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. At 1,063 feet tall, it is one of the tallest towers in Paris and offers panoramic views of the city from three observation decks. Notably, it is one of the most visited paid monuments in the world, with around six million visitors per year, according to various reports. It has become a global symbol of France.
3. Anne Frank House (Amsterdam, Netherlands):
Anne Frank House
The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, Netherlands, is the birthplace and biographical museum of Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank. Visitors can learn more about her life and legacy, as well as the impact of World War II on Jewish people. It contains the preserved hiding place where Anne, her family, and four others hid from Nazi persecution from 1942 to 1944.
4. Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Barcelona, Spain:
Sagrada Familia
One of the largest unfinished Catholic churches, Antoni Gaudi’s unfinished masterpiece, Sagrada Família, is a large Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Construction began in 1882 and it features a unique blend of Art Nouveau style with intricate façades and towers. It is Barcelona’s most popular tourist attraction.
5. Cayman Crystal Caves, Grand Cayman, Caribbean:
Cayman Crystal Caves
An incredible natural attraction on the Caribbean island of Grand Cayman, Cayman Crystal Caves is an underground cave system discovered in 2015. It features spectacular crystalline formations, stalagmites, stalactites and underground lakes that took a million years to form.
6. Colosseum, Rome, Italy:
Colosseum
One of the main symbols of the Roman Empire, the Colosseum is an iconic amphitheatre in the center of Rome, Italy, with a capacity of 80,000 spectators. Built in the 1st century AD, it was used for gladiatorial games and public shows. Today, it is one of Rome’s most popular tourist attractions, a symbol of the city, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
7. Louvre Museum (Paris, France):
Louvre Museum
The Louvre is the most-visited art museum in Paris, France. Originally built between the late 12th and 13th centuries under the rule of Philip II, the museum is housed within the Louvre Palace. It houses famous Western art and features pieces from ancient civilizations to the mid-19th century, including the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
8. Gardens by the Bay, Singapore:
Gardens by the Bay
Gardens by the Bay is a 101-hectare nature park in Singapore’s central region, featuring more than 500,000 plants from around the world. The iconic Supertree Grove features a 16-storey vertical garden. The Flower Dome and Cloud Forest conservatory showcase Mediterranean and tropical alpine plants. Unveiled in 2005, the park is part of Singapore’s “City in a Garden” initiative to enhance urban greenery. Spanning three waterfront gardens, the park was intended to be Singapore’s premier outdoor recreational space and a national symbol.
9. Milan Cathedral (Milan, Italy):
Milan Cathedral
Milan Cathedral is a cathedral in Milan, Italy, dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Milan (currently Archbishop Mario Delpini). The third largest cathedral in the world and the second largest in Europe, construction began in 1386 and took nearly six centuries (600 years) to complete, with the final details completed in 1965. The cathedral is decorated in the Gothic style with over 3,400 statues and 135 gargoyles. It is one of Milan’s most iconic landmarks.
10. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, Abu Dhabi, UAE:
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre is a mosque in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It is the largest mosque in the UAE and the eighth largest in the world, featuring 82 domes, over 1,000 columns, 24-karat gold-plated chandeliers and the world’s largest hand-woven carpet. It can accommodate more than 40,000 worshippers. Built between 1994 and 2007, the mosque is Abu Dhabi’s main tourist attraction.
