Gifting Owl has hundreds of iconic attraction and landmark activity gifts. From the towering icons of the world - the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty and Christ the Redeemer, to the historic ruins of Angkor Wat and magnificent architecture of the Great Wall. Add to their trip of a lifetime with an experience gift they'll remember forever.
Iconic attractions and landmarks of the world stand the test of time. They hold a vice-type grip on our fascination for the extraordinary. Iconic landmarks captivate visitors from near and far, inspiring generation after generation of admirers, in some cases for an eon.
Landmarks are touchstones for societies both old and new. They can represent the mystical and mythical, the cultural and historical, patriotism, human ingenuity and the almost impossible to imagine. For most of us, they are ‘must-do before I die’ attractions either created by nature or built by a man from Australia’s Great Barrier Reef to the Grand Canyon in Nevada, USA or the great pyramids of Eygpt to the Great Wall of China, to name just a few.
These attractions are so famous, we have known of their existence since we were little kids. We learned about them at school, read about them in books and magazines, and saw them on ads or in movies. They have always been there and almost without fail make mandatory fodder for those 7 wonders of the world lists we’re all so familiar with. But with 115 countries among Gifting Owl’s listings, we’ll take you through our gift ideas across the 7 continents to find the best gifts for your loved ones and friends. Of our 12000-plus gifts, a healthy percentage of our experience tours include attractions or landmarks of a city or place in some way, shape or form.
So, get ready to be excited. Get ready to gift unforgettable adventures or to be inspired to buy a gift for yourself to the most amazing places and iconic landmarks on earth.
North America Landmarks
North America is loaded with attractions you simply won’t want to miss. Running through just a few from top to bottom, we have to start in Canada with the Northern Lights from Yellowknife. There are several tour options available with inclusions including dog sledding, caving, hiking and hunting but it’s the Aurora night skies that will truly blow your mind. In the USA you can take your pick of tours in the nation’s capital of Washington DC where you’ll find the iconic Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and of course, the White House. From Washington, it isn’t far to the big apple - New York - and its Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and Brooklyn Bridge. In fact, bridges often are iconic attractions with the Golden Gate Bridge on the other side of the country in San Fransico being just as famous.
In between these two landmark bridges lies a number and states that are home to incredible natural features such as Mount Rushmore in Dakota, the Grand Canyon in Nevada, Yellowstone Park in Montana and Yosemite National Park in California. And we can’t leave the USA without a visit to Niagra Falls. Check out some of the great tours available to explore these extraordinary natural wonders. Mexico’s Mayan Temple of Kukulcan or El Castillo located within the Chich'en Itza precinct attracts millions of visitors each year. This immaculately preserved archeological site including the stepped pyramid offers fascinating insights into the Mayan culture, the people of the day and the mythological deity Kukulcan (Feathered Serpent) that they worshipped. A modern-day take on the famous feathered serpent is the Marvel character of the same name. Once cut-off from the rest of the world, Cuba has been likened to a time capsule. The streets of its capital city Havana are lined with vintage American cars from the 1950s, while the colourful facades of terrace houses with their arched entrances give an inkling of the character of the people - warm and friendly. If you love everything old-school retro, great food, beaches and live music, you’ll love what we have to offer in Cuba.
You can give an experience gift or gift voucher to make the visit even more fun. Brazil takes up almost half of South America’s continent. It is home to both natural and man-made attractions. In its north-west region, you’ll find the vast Amazon Jungle - the so-called lungs of the planet - an astonishing natural region and resource. On the south-east coast, the seaside city of Rio de Janeiro grabs equal, if not more attention. The city is renowned for its wide sandy beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, the highly charged multi-million dollar Rio Carnival extravaganza with its exotic and elaborate costumes, music and floats, along with the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue that casts his loving open arms out for all the world to see from his Corcovado Mountain top in the midst of Tijuca Forest overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro. Africa is perhaps best known for its wild animal safari reserves such Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park with all kinds of wonderful creatures roaming across the wide-open plains in their seasonal quest for food and water. Aquila Big 5 Safaris have several tour offerings out of South African that not only include the wildlife encounters on land but also those in the sea. Aquila Big 5’s caged shark encounters bring you face to face to with great white sharks in the wild. As for iconic built attractions, Egypt takes its place as Africa’s jewel in the crown for ancient history and archeological sites of outstanding quality from the Giza Pyramids in Cairo to Luxor further south and its The Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple complex. Palaces, castles, cathedrals, mosques, ruins and monuments pepper the European continent whetting the appetite of travellers with a love of the majestic, romantic and opulent.
European Landmarks
Asia's Landmarks
Much like Europe, Asia accounts for numerous countries; each one is nothing short of special. But, as is the case for all continents, there are standout attractions and landmarks that simply can’t be ignored. We’ll start with the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall defies the imagination in almost every way. It is 2,700 years old, stretches 21,196.18 km (13,170.70 miles) and was built by more than 1.0 million labourers over several centuries.
On China’s south-west border lies Nepal, a tiny country by comparison with its neighbouring countries, but nevertheless the home of the Himalayas and the world’s highest mountain peak Mount Everest, which stands 8,850 metres or 29,035 feet above sea level. Remote and virtually unknown to most travellers until the later decades of the 20th century, adventurers and mountain climbers now flock to the Himalayas each year during summer to make the arduous journey to the peak. India is an extraordinary country with complex social structures and differing cultures, languages and religions. However, its number one attraction is the astonishing Taj Mahal in Agra. This gleaming white monument to love was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Queen Mumtaz while in the same vicinity, you’ll also find the Agra’s Red Fort also known as Lal Qila or Fort Rouge. The utopian Raja Ampat Islands form part of the Indonesian archipelago.
Oceania Landmarks
For anyone who loves diving on coral reefs, snorkelling or just the idea of lazing on a beach in paradise, Raja Ampat is a perfect holiday playground. The two man-made iconic attractions synonymous with Australia sit side by side - the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. As a harbour city, Sydney sparkles under the southern sun, illuminating its magic appeal across the globe and attracting millions of visitors to Down Under every year.
Australia’s natural attractions are too numerous to mention but apart from its famous marsupials - koalas and kangaroos, Australia boasts the world’s oldest rainforest - the Daintree in Tropical North Queensland, which shares its coastline with part of the Great Barrier Reef the largest living structure on earth. In close proximity is Fraser Island the world’s largest sand island, while in central Australia you’ll find Uluru (known by locals simply as The Rock), the world’s largest monolith. Australia’s vast continent is also part of Oceania, which includes some 14 countries that lie in the Pacific region. These include New Zealand and its iconic Milford Sound and the Marovo Lagoon another slice of paradise in the Solomon’s New Georgia Islands group.
Our big and beautiful world offers us so many extraordinary natural and man-made places and structures to admire, fall in love with and be blown away by that it is almost impossible to fathom how fortunate we are to be alive today. We shouldn’t waste a minute and take every opportunity to explore, discover and enjoy the fantastic and iconic attractions that present themselves as we holiday and travel to destinations close by or far from home. Gifting Owl gift vouchers are a perfect gift for that very reason.
