Human beings have become increasingly mobile in recent years. Marco Polo needed more than a year to reach the court of the Chinese emperor. Jules Verne gave the world an unforgettable story of an 80-day race around the world. Today, modern airplanes start and land every second carrying people from one continent to another in only hours. Modern travel makes it possible for more of us than ever to cross the inhospitable landscapes of Antarctica, explore the exotic attractions of Bali, make new friends in distant cities, jet to Singapore or Dubai for a business meeting, or discover the beauty of Cape Town and Bora Bora. Since the beginning of civilization, people have searched the globe in hopes of finding an undiscovered paradise the ancient Greeks had their dreams of Utopia, the Spanish conquistadors searched in vain for El Dorado, and modern tourists travel far and wide in hopes of a perfect holiday. People travel for a wide variety of reasons: in pursuit of relaxation or heart-pounding thrills, in search of unspoiled natural landscapes or ancient monuments. THE WORLD S GREATEST PLACES is a wonderful journey from the volcanic mountains of Iceland to the natural wonders of Africa, from the rapidly expanding cities of East Asia to the ancient capitals of Europe, from the homeland of indigenous people in the Amazon rainforest to the mighty monuments of the Middle East. So how do we find our personal paradise? The WORLD S GREATEST PLACES, on 672 pages with breathtaking pictures, shows all the paradises and wonders we have to see in our lifetime!