Article by Ted Brumby

The five most beautiful places described here were chosen for their soul and substance as well as their physical attributes. If you’re looking for an overseas holiday destination that offers something truly special, you can’t go past:

1. The Swiss Alps, frozen sentinels guarding Europe’s borders2. Bali, home of rice paddies, beaches, high culture and so much more3. Vienna, an irresistible pedestrian city at any time of year4. San Francisco, the lovely lady by the Bay5. Laurel Highlands, Pennsylvania, home of Fallingwater

The Swiss AlpsMore than half of Switzerland’s terrain is mountainous. Its magnificent Jungfrau region contains Eurasia’s largest glacier. It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the plethora of ecosystems contained in a small area.

The rest of Switzerland is exquisitely alluring: quaint, picturesque, and historical. You can ride the Glacier Express through the foothills, and see neat, cosy chalets dotting the hillsides, tunnels (you’ll lose count) and glaciers. Take your time, though, it’s a seven-plus hour trip.

Plan to stretch your legs with a mountain walk sometime as well – you’ll love the wildflowers. You can also enjoy a hearty meal of traditional Swiss foods (which must include both chocolate and cheese!).

Bali, IndonesiaMuch of the land in lovely Bali is put to use for food production: the terraced landscape is home to field after field of rice paddies, a truly beautiful sight. Lush and green, the rice fields provide a stunning contrast to the mountains made of volcanic rock, resplendent rivers, and ancient temples.

The lush tropical vegetation and vivid colours of the flowers – and people’s clothes! – make Bali a photographer’s dream.

Though stunning to look at, Bali’s beauty is not just skin deep: her warm and welcoming people, and their accomplishments as artisans, are also inspiring. Batik fabric designs and artworks, dancers, wood, stone and mask carving, jewellery and painting are all integrated into everyday life. Bali is both a beautiful and fascinating holiday destination.

Vienna, AustriaA visual smorgasbord for the discerning, Vienna is much more than the sum of its parts. To say that this gorgeous city contains marvels for those who look closely is an understatement.

For an architectural history lesson, the only way to see Vienna is on foot. Take in the baroque State Opera House, the Art Deco Secession building and the modern KunstHaus.

Music, art, architecture, the beautiful blue Danube, Europe’s second longest river, gorgeous palace gardens, and surrounding countryside make Vienna a profoundly satisfying holiday destination.

San Francisco, CaliforniaOkay, so it’s not the skyscraper-free, unspoiled city it was 40 years ago, but the 1989 earthquake led to some aesthetic improvements, notably the removal of the Embarcadero Freeway. Now you have a lovely, unobstructed view of the 1898 Ferry Building and its seven original hills as you approach from the east.

It is those hills that provide the breathtaking views from every angle and help San Francisco earn its reputation as one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Stand on Nob Hill and revolve 180 degrees for the full effect. First, look east toward the bay, then south or west to see the city sprawled out beneath you. Lastly, look north to see Alcatraz and Treasure Island. What a stunner!

Laurel Highlands, PennsylvaniaAre you ready to discover some lesser known parts of America? You don’t have to drive all the way to New England to see a riotously colourful landscape. Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Mountains offers frenzied natural beauty, especially in autumn. Hike the Great Allegheny Passage, raft the Youghiogheny River or visit the Revolutionary War battlefields.

The Ferncliff Peninsula contains plants so rare you can’t see them anywhere else on Earth. Laurel Highlands has it all!

Built over a creek in scenic Kentuck Knob, a masterpiece home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater, celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2011. It’s now a museum and café, and reservations should be booked two weeks in advance.

Whether it’s Bali, Switzerland or the USA, if you’re keen to holiday somewhere truly beautiful, these five holiday spots are sure to touch you. You’ll struggle to visit any of these places and return unchanged. They will become a part of you, haunting you with gorgeous memories until you return.

Significance of American Holidays