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19 tourist destinations that defined 2019

2019-12-20T03:17:01.642Z


Here are 19 destinations worth looking at as 2019 comes to an end.


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(CNN) - A burning cathedral is a shocking image. A son who follows in his mother's footsteps is touching.

Places evoke all kinds of emotions as they experience growth, improvement, renewal and sometimes devastating setbacks.


Tenacity stands out as a defining characteristic for many of the places that spoke to us this year on trips. And there is always room to dream big and embrace fantasy.

Here are 19 destinations worth looking at as 2019 comes to an end:

Rural italy

Daydreaming about what it would be like to live in this or that place is one of the main delicacies of travel, and a handful of cities in Italy have driven those dreams in a big way.

Rural cities from the snowy Alps to sunny Sicily and Sardinia have been offering dilapidated houses for the bargain price of around US $ 1.

That is the initial outlay, of course. Taxes, fees and large renovations are not included.

The beautiful Sicilian city of Sambuca won worldwide headlines in 2019 with its € 1 offer, generating so much demand that the city ended up auctioning properties for sums close to US $ 25,000.

Even so, the real estate trend can be a win-win: small cities with declining populations get new residents and reforms and foreign visitors fulfill their fantasies of living in the Italian countryside.

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Florida and California

Disney has fulfilled a different kind of fantasy with Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

The new and immersive attractions at Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California, attract Star Wars fans with the kind of nuanced details and narrations commensurate with the beloved franchise.

Specific case: The Rise of the Resistance trip (which opened at Disney World this month and will debut at Disneyland in January) is an approximately 18-minute epic mission that consists of escaping from a Star Destroyer.

Or you can fly the fastest scrap piece of the galaxy on the other key ride: Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.

Or build your own lightsaber to have a lasting memory of your role in the Resistance.

Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore

Across the world, Singapore's main airport is the closest to a fantasy land of air travel.

The tallest indoor waterfall in the world, surrounded by terraced gardens, is located in the center of Jewel Changi Airport, a new multipurpose complex designed to connect three of the four terminals of Changi Airport.

An IMAX theater, more than 280 retail and food / beverage outlets, walking trails and more, have turned this airport into an oasis of aviation.

Changi, the "best airport in the world," has dominated the Skytrax airport ranking for the past seven years. The addition of the new and striking installation is likely to ensure that distinction in the foreseeable future.

LaGuardia Airport, New York

The most improved airport in the world? That could be the case at the LaGuardia airport in New York.

The old-fashioned New York space, which President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden have referred to as a “third world” facility, took a big step forward in October when a new area of ​​Delta Air Lines was unveiled .

It is a piece of an airport reform planned at US $ 8,000 million.

The area is the first phase of Delta's new $ 3.9 billion terminal in LaGuardia. It offers views of the Citi Field, home of the Mets, as well as new practical amenities such as a nursing room and a dog relief room.

Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris

Glowing glass and steel structures can offer modern comforts, but they are not a replacement for hand-carved art icons and religious devotion.

So the world saw with horror on April 15, 2019, when the flames pierced the wooden ceiling of the beloved Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral, knocking down its elaborate needle.

The ravages of the building, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, seemed to go straight to the bone, causing a global gasp in an increasingly insensitive world to the daily headlines of excessive human violence.

France has promised to rebuild it, with a passionate debate about the best way forward.

It took more than 180 years to complete the cathedral, so patience will probably be essential to carry out the restoration.

Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

The church of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona knows one or two things about patience and tenacity. In 2019, this ambitious project finally received a construction permit, 137 years after the laying of the cornerstone in 1882.

The architect Antoni Gaudí, a master of Catalan modernism, was hired in 1883 and was buried in the crypt after his death in 1926.

But his vision of the Roman Catholic basilica continues despite everything. Construction is expected to be complete by 2026.

The curious towers of the Sagrada Familia are a symbol of Barcelona and a magnet for millions of tourists around the world.

Washington Monument, Washington, DC

The Washington Monument is no exception when it comes to the appeal of imposing monuments.

The 169-meter obelisk in the U.S. capital it reopened in September 2019 after almost three years of renovation and repair of the 1884 structure.

The improved installation of the monument features a new explosion-proof glass and steel safety building and a new elevator. The renovations were made after another long period of repair after an earthquake of magnitude 5.8 in 2011 caused extensive damage to the structure.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

The man-made monuments are impressive, but they really are no match for Mother Nature.

A magnificent cut in the natural landscape, the Grand Canyon is so large (445 kilometers long of the river, up to 28 kilometers wide and more than one kilometer deep), that it is difficult to imagine that it is under some kind of threat.

However, the land now known as Grand Canyon National Park, which celebrated its centenary in 2019, faces the possibility of development along its borders, hundreds of daily tourist helicopter trips, uranium drilling and more.

Cameraman Pete McBride, who toured the entire canyon, encourages visitors to cultivate a deeper appreciation of the fragile landscape, deep silence, the night starry sky and the sounds of nature.

Indiana Dunes National Park

Not all national parks are as massive or recognized as the Grand Canyon National Park, so the new parks are good news.

Located 24 miles off the south shore of Lake Michigan, Indiana Dunes became the first Indiana national park in February 2019.

The park of more than 6,000 hectares, which is already the most visited site in the state, offers beaches along Lake Michigan, bird watching, sand dunes and marshes to explore.

It is an hour's drive from South Bend, Indiana, and two hours from the Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

Australia

Flights to Australia, which are quite long for almost everyone, can be a bit less strenuous thanks to direct flights that could reduce travel time by several hours.

A test flight in November from London to Sydney made by the Australian airline Qantas, became the longest passenger flight in the world by a commercial airline both by distance, 17,800 kilometers and by air duration, 19 hours and 19 minutes

Qantas expects the ultra long distance trip to be part of its regular schedule for 2022 or 2023, if regulators agree.

Australia is currently experiencing unprecedented high temperatures and large forest fires, underlining the worldwide tension between seeing the world and saving it.

Area 51, Nevada

Is the place mysterious and unattainable? People are probably anxious to see it.

Such is the case of Area 51, a highly classified facility of the United States Air Force located in Groom Lake in southern Nevada.

The site has long captured the imagination of conspirators and paranormal enthusiasts. They think the US government Store and hide foreign bodies and UFOs there.

During the summer, a Facebook event entitled “Storm Area 51, they can't stop us all” (“Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us”) caught the world's attention, with more than 2 million people saying who would attend a raid in Area 51 to "see aliens."

The authorities were not amused and resisted the "raid." That worked in general. Around 3,000 people showed up on the designated date in September, but there was no transfer and only a handful of arrests.

Angola

Following in the footsteps of someone we have lost is a particularly moving way to experience the world.

And the world was certainly watching when Prince Harry put on a protective gear in September and walked through a partially cleared minefield in Dirico, Angola, echoing his late mother's visit 22 years earlier.

Princess Diana walked in a minefield in Huambo, Angola, in 1997 to raise awareness about the dangers of mines around the world.

Prince Harry was "moved to be visiting a place and a community that was so special to his mother, and to recognize his tireless mission as an advocate for all who needed his voice most," according to an official Instagram account.

The Bahamas

Places, like people, suffer an unforeseen tragedy, and sometimes the best thing you can do is support them with your presence.

Hurricane Dorian devastated the Abaco and Grand Bahama islands with category 5 intensity in September, but most of the 700 islands and keys of the Bahamas were not damaged.

"Most of our country is still beautiful and surrounded by palm trees, with virgin beaches in various shades of white and pink," said Joy Jibrilu, general director of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.

Grand Bahama has started receiving cruise and hotel visitors again, and the international airport reopened in November.

Do you want to help the Bahamas right now? Visit her

Chernobyl, Ukraine

Curiosity is a natural byproduct of the tragedy, and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is no exception. The site of the horrific nuclear explosion of 1986 has become increasingly popular among tourists as global interest in dark tourism has grown (also known as tanatotourism).

While parts of the site have been open to visitors since 2011, Ukraine designated the plant as an official tourist attraction in July.

“Until now, Chernobyl was a negative part of the Ukrainian brand. It's time to change it, ”said President Volodymyr Zelensky at that time.

The launch of the HBO series “Chernobyl” in May also intensified interest in the disaster area, which is being updated to better accommodate visitors.

United Kingdom

Whether the population or the government is constantly changing, local uncertainty can mean an unexpected gain for visitors.

The chaos surrounding the imminent exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union raises questions for travelers, but one thing that seems to be lower are prices.

Air fares from international destinations to the United Kingdom decreased up to 49% year-on-year in November, according to data commissioned by CNN to the Hopper travel application.

No one knows exactly what will happen if Britain meets its current goal of leaving the EU at the end of January. Before uncertainty is established, now may be just the time for a last-minute visit.

Japan

Being a host is nice. Win while you host, the better.

Japan had an impressive winning streak as host of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, recording surprises against Ireland and Scotland before losing to the South African champion in the quarterfinals.

The nation known for its impeccable hospitality will undoubtedly want to lead that winning streak, and more, during the 2020 Summer Olympics.

The tourism sector in Japan will surely be a winner and preparations are underway for the games.

The “Olympic Games effect” is expected to bring approximately 10 million additional visitors to the country in 2020, the government estimates.

Hong Kong

It has been a tumultuous year in the most visited city in the world.

Anti-government protests have been going on in Hong Kong for more than six months.

What began in June as a peaceful opposition to a bill that would have allowed Hong Kong to extradite alleged criminals to mainland China has become increasingly violent and unpredictable.

The outbreaks have baffled tourists and have sometimes made traffic difficult.

Despite the riots, Hong Kong was the most visited destination in the world in 2019 with 26 million international tourist visits, according to UK-based market research company Euromonitor International.

Amsterdam

Another incredibly popular international travel destination, Amsterdam, actually hopes to stop the wave of visitors that locals complain about having invaded the city.

To combat over-tourism, an increasingly pressing concern in many corners of the world, officials from the Netherlands have decided to change gears to focus on "destiny management" instead of "destination promotion."

Some of the less known areas of the country can still be promoted, hopefully diverting some interest from the overpopulated Amsterdam.

However, word spread about Amsterdam's charming canals, its cycling culture, its world-class museums and attractions.

Turquoise Coast, Turkey

Few travelers outside Europe know the spectacular turquoise coast of Turkey, 965 kilometers of coastline that extend from the province of Antalya in the south to the Cesme Peninsula in the north.

But that is changing rapidly, because global travelers look for less known places with a fascinating local culture and all the usual tranquility that comes with sand and surf.

After a roller coaster like 2019, we could all use a little rest and relaxation dotted with sun.

Katia Hetter, Silvia Marchetti, David Allan, Karla Cripps, Stacey Lastoe, Shivani Vora, Lilit Marcus, Richard Quest, Barry Neild, Doug Criss, Christina Maxouris, Nick Watt, Jack Guy, Julia Buckley, Tamara Hardingham-Gill and Melanie Haiken contributed to this story

AmsterdamAngolaAustraliaArea 51BahamasChernobylGreat CanyonHong KongItalyJapanLaGuardiaNotre DameUnited KingdomSagrada FamiliaSingaporeStar WarsTurkeyWashington DC

Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2019-12-20

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