There are so many attractions come at a hefty price point that you may wonder if there’s any point in traveling at all anymore. Not so, really –the real stuff, the real beauty and flavor of any place is actually still free – if you know where to look for it. Never mind, we’ve done your homework for you.
1. Smithsonian, Washington Dc
If you’re looking for the rarest object or painting, you’ll find it at the Smithsonian. After all, on last count, this grand museum has a collection of 136 million items, apart from several historical and architectural monuments.
2. St. Peter's Basilica
The famous Basilica of St. Peter is dominated by its huge dome, the inside of which has been forever immortalized by the famous Michelangelo. The huge church is fronted by a large bisected courtyard manned by huge colonnades. You’ll find outstanding works by Bernini, Michelangelo and other greats here.
3. National Gallery (London)
.jpg)
This grand museum houses more than 2,300 paintings, painted by great artists from the 1200s till the 1900s. The national gallery purchased the first 38 paintings and kept adding to them over time. Some of the notable paintings here are the Raising Of Lazarus, the Baptism of Christ and others.
4. Grand Bazaar Istanbul
One of the oldest and the largest covered markets, the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul stretches across 61 streets and has more than 3,000 shops. Large domes cover the bays which are supported by huge pillars. There are 44 large, dome-ceilinged cellars for storage as well. In this bazaar, you can find everything from spices, to jewelry, to rare skins.
5. Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
The Royal Botanic Gardens is a large area of 30 hectares full of ponds, a pyramid glasshouse, rare plants, herbs,
rare birds and flowering gardens. The gardens were initially developed to acclimatize seeds from other climes. There’s the Rose Garden, Herb Garden, Oriental Garden and the Rare and Threatened Species Garden as well.
6. Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri
This zoo is a leader in animal management, conservation, animal education and research. The Zooline Railroad passenger train encircles the zoo, taking visitors to see popular attractions. There’s also the Caribbean Cove, a shallow touch-pool where you can see Southern stingrays, Bamboo Sharks, Horseshoe Crabs on a summer’s day. There are many rare and exotic animal and bird exhibits here. A trip to this zoo has to span several days for a full experience.
7. Outdoor Art, Buenos Aires
Grab a self-tour map from the city’s official tourism site and browse the Caminito, Calle LanÃn and La Boca neighborhoods. There are replications of major art works along with fabulously executed miniatures of monuments, statues, drawings, paintings and much more to delight you.
8. Royal Armories, Leeds
Visit Britain’s national museum of arms and armor to get a feel of how things used to be in the days of knights and their jousting. View over 8,500 items that fall into five distinct groups, namely, Oriental, War, Battle, Hunting and Self Defense.
9. Malbork Castle
The Malbork Castle is the largest castle and also the largest brick building in the world. Originally built in Prussia in 1406 by the Teutonic Knights, the castle was known as the Marienburg (Mary's Castle) till the name was changed by UNESCO in 1997. Today it is a world heritage site, popularized as a medieval museum.
10. Symphony Of Lights, Victoria Harbor
44 buildings of Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor flash a marvelous display of laser lights accompanied by music every night for 10 minutes. It’s a spectacular sight which attracts 1000s of visitors every year to Hong Kong. This spectacle has been recorded as the largest permanent light and sound show by the Guinness World Records
11. Rome, Italy: The Pantheon
The pantheon is a round building surrounded by eight huge granite Corinthian columns, capped by the world’s largest unreinforced dome. Apparently, the height to the dome’s oculus is the same as the diameter of the interior circle: 142 feet. The Pantheon pays homage to multiple ancient gods, in keeping with the meaning of its name, ‘all the gods’.
12. Notre Dame De Paris
The Our Lady of Paris cathedral is the official chair of the Archbishop of Paris, and one of the best examples of French Gothic architecture in Europe. The cathedral has many beautiful stained glass windows and natural-looking sculptures that were built over 1000 years ago.
13. The Old City Of Phoenix
Phoenix was occupied for 1000 years by the Hohokam people. They dug 135 miles of irrigation canals to make the desert land arable. They also created a petroglyph to commemorate the 1006 CE Supernova on the White Tank Mountain Regional Park. You can see much of what the Hohokam left behind in ‘old Phoenix’.
14. Museum Island
Museum Island is a complex of five large museums in Berlin, Germany. They are the Altes (old) Museum, Neues (new) Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery), Bode Museum and the Pergamon Museum. You’ll find everything from ancient history, byzantine artifacts and restored historical buildings in these museums.
15. The Staten Island Ferry
The New York City Department of Transportation operates a passenger ferry that takes people from Manhattan to Staten Island. This ferry is a great way to see 18 miles of Manhattan’s coast, the distant buildings, and a great view of the Lady for free.
1. Smithsonian, Washington Dc
If you’re looking for the rarest object or painting, you’ll find it at the Smithsonian. After all, on last count, this grand museum has a collection of 136 million items, apart from several historical and architectural monuments.
2. St. Peter's Basilica
3. National Gallery (London)
.jpg)
This grand museum houses more than 2,300 paintings, painted by great artists from the 1200s till the 1900s. The national gallery purchased the first 38 paintings and kept adding to them over time. Some of the notable paintings here are the Raising Of Lazarus, the Baptism of Christ and others.
4. Grand Bazaar Istanbul
One of the oldest and the largest covered markets, the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul stretches across 61 streets and has more than 3,000 shops. Large domes cover the bays which are supported by huge pillars. There are 44 large, dome-ceilinged cellars for storage as well. In this bazaar, you can find everything from spices, to jewelry, to rare skins.
5. Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
The Royal Botanic Gardens is a large area of 30 hectares full of ponds, a pyramid glasshouse, rare plants, herbs,
rare birds and flowering gardens. The gardens were initially developed to acclimatize seeds from other climes. There’s the Rose Garden, Herb Garden, Oriental Garden and the Rare and Threatened Species Garden as well.
6. Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri
This zoo is a leader in animal management, conservation, animal education and research. The Zooline Railroad passenger train encircles the zoo, taking visitors to see popular attractions. There’s also the Caribbean Cove, a shallow touch-pool where you can see Southern stingrays, Bamboo Sharks, Horseshoe Crabs on a summer’s day. There are many rare and exotic animal and bird exhibits here. A trip to this zoo has to span several days for a full experience.
7. Outdoor Art, Buenos Aires
Grab a self-tour map from the city’s official tourism site and browse the Caminito, Calle LanÃn and La Boca neighborhoods. There are replications of major art works along with fabulously executed miniatures of monuments, statues, drawings, paintings and much more to delight you.
8. Royal Armories, Leeds
Visit Britain’s national museum of arms and armor to get a feel of how things used to be in the days of knights and their jousting. View over 8,500 items that fall into five distinct groups, namely, Oriental, War, Battle, Hunting and Self Defense.
9. Malbork Castle
The Malbork Castle is the largest castle and also the largest brick building in the world. Originally built in Prussia in 1406 by the Teutonic Knights, the castle was known as the Marienburg (Mary's Castle) till the name was changed by UNESCO in 1997. Today it is a world heritage site, popularized as a medieval museum.
10. Symphony Of Lights, Victoria Harbor
Yes, that's me :)
11. Rome, Italy: The Pantheon
The pantheon is a round building surrounded by eight huge granite Corinthian columns, capped by the world’s largest unreinforced dome. Apparently, the height to the dome’s oculus is the same as the diameter of the interior circle: 142 feet. The Pantheon pays homage to multiple ancient gods, in keeping with the meaning of its name, ‘all the gods’.
12. Notre Dame De Paris
The Our Lady of Paris cathedral is the official chair of the Archbishop of Paris, and one of the best examples of French Gothic architecture in Europe. The cathedral has many beautiful stained glass windows and natural-looking sculptures that were built over 1000 years ago.
13. The Old City Of Phoenix
Phoenix was occupied for 1000 years by the Hohokam people. They dug 135 miles of irrigation canals to make the desert land arable. They also created a petroglyph to commemorate the 1006 CE Supernova on the White Tank Mountain Regional Park. You can see much of what the Hohokam left behind in ‘old Phoenix’.
14. Museum Island
Museum Island is a complex of five large museums in Berlin, Germany. They are the Altes (old) Museum, Neues (new) Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery), Bode Museum and the Pergamon Museum. You’ll find everything from ancient history, byzantine artifacts and restored historical buildings in these museums.
15. The Staten Island Ferry
The New York City Department of Transportation operates a passenger ferry that takes people from Manhattan to Staten Island. This ferry is a great way to see 18 miles of Manhattan’s coast, the distant buildings, and a great view of the Lady for free.