“In our seven wonders of the world, shall we include feminine beauty?” asked the documentarian Lowell Thomas in 1956 in the trailer to the Seven Wonders Of The World movie—perhaps the most bizarre contribution among the myriad attempts to update the original list from classical antiquity. It’s a film worth seeking out on YouTube, if only for its sense of self-importance. With his saturnine looks and a voice straight out of Central Casting, Thomas invites viewers to climb into the “Cinerama Clipper” as it zooms over Iguazu Falls, the Ganges, and, as per his gnomic quote regarding femininity, the women-only Japanese Takarazuka Dance Troupe. We know where we stand by the end of the trailer; to the strains of This Is My Country, we’re hurtling across the Grand Canyon while a choir sings America the Bold.
Here at Condé Nast Traveler, we’re going to be a little more diplomatic in our quest to name seven wonders of the world for 2025. So here are our picks for the manmade and natural wonders of the world, some world-renowned, some lesser known, that need to be on your travel wish list for 2025. Just don’t expect the “Cinerama Clipper” to assist you…
