45 Amazing Places You Never Knew Existed

These seven glacial lakes in Bulgaria’s Rila National Park are surrounded by mountains with jagged peaks. They sit at elevations between 6,800 and 8,200 feet and are connected to one another by small streams. In order to visit them all, hikers should plan on at least a six-hour round trip.

About half an hour from the urban center of Kyoto is the enchanting Sagano Bamboo Forest. The sound of the bamboo stalks creaking and leaves rustling has been governmentally declared one of the “100 Soundscapes of Japan.” Unfortunately, the area has become so often inundated with tourists and photographers that visitors rarely experience the meditative peace that the forest used to offer.

First inhabited by the Celts, various Germanic tribes, and then the Slavs, Moravia was once the administrative center of a medieval kingdom. It is now a tourist destination that boasts multiple historic cities, featuring intact medieval architecture, town squares, and castles.

The Nazca lines are a series of huge geoglyphs created by the Nazca people around 2,000 years ago. Best visible from the air, the patterns depict over 70 animals and plants, as well as other various geometric shapes. Some glyphs are 1,200 feet long, and new lines are continuously being discovered.

Also known as Lac Rose, Lake Retba is a saline lake with a vivid pink hue caused by a bacteria that thrives in the saline waters. Other lifeforms are rare in the lake, but its salt is harvested by locals and used to preserve fish. The color is most vivid from November to June, which is the area’s dry season.