The world’s most beautiful countries

Anyone who believes the old adage that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” should look away now. For Telegraph Travel has conducted an extensive research study to ascertain which country is, officially – and objectively – the most beautiful on Earth.

To find the answer, we selected criteria to reward countries for the scale, depth and variety of their beauty. This meant considering everything from landscape (mountains, deserts, national parks) and biodiversity (birds, mammals, coral reefs), to sightseeing behemoths and natural wonders including geysers and the northern lights.

It was a closely fought contest. But after crunching the data (see ‘methodology’, below), one country emerged which – according to our research – is by far the most beautiful of them all. Out of a possible 2,000 points, the winner received 1,288 points (67 per cent), a whole 139 points ahead of second place and 925 points above the lowest-ranking country.

We were unsurprised that this country – spanning arctic tundra to steamy swamplands, towering mountains to surf-perfect coasts – emerged as the champion. And whether or not you agree with our selection, it can certainly lay claim to being the most beautiful on Earth. Because beautiful it is.

Yes, it has Machu Picchu, but Peru is so much more than its (undeniably excellent) headline act. It has lots of much older, much less-visited ruins, Amazon jungle and Andean peaks brimming with wildlife and a rich indigenous culture – a visit is simply thrilling at every turn

The only South American country to feature in our top 10, Peru is rewarded for its vast tract of Amazon rainforest, mountainous terrain, dazzling flora and fauna and abundance of Inca relics. The closest neighbours in the rankings were Chile in 15th, Brazil in 16th and Colombia in 18th.

Considered a “mega diverse” country, Peru is up there with the best countries on Earth for wildlife watching, particularly for its birdlife: there are 120 species endemic to Peru. Along with its natural attractions, such as Lake Titicaca and the Colca Canyon, Peru rewards visitors with its historical wonders, including the lost city of Machu Picchu, the Nazca Lines (best-viewed from the air) and the striking colonial architecture of Unesco-listed Cusco.

Aim for the quieter, dry-season months of May or October for sunny days, bright blue skies and chilly, clear nights.  

Jules Verne (020 3553 6058; vjv.com) offers an 11-night Lost World of the Incas holiday, taking in Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. Departures in late August and October 2024, from £3,495 per person (flights included).

The art of enjoying life is alive and well in Italy, and it’s this – in addition to the dreamy landscapes, the layers of history, the balmy climate, the pasta – that makes the country such a delight. No matter what time of year, to visit is to tune into a heady mix of style, passion… and rugged, unwavering beauty

Pipping France (16th) and Spain (18th) to the top 10 is Italy. The country ranks high for its vineyard-covered terrain, lengthy coastline (all 4,722 miles of it), national parks and ancient relics.

While other Mediterranean countries might have longer, sandier beaches, Italy’s rugged coast features the idiosyncratic Cinque Terre, the romantic Amalfi Coast and the Venice lagoon. If it’s mountains you’re after, the jagged Dolomites range is as dramatic as they come (with hiking in summer and skiing in winter), while the Italian Lakes have been a popular holidaying spot since the Roman era. And on that note, Rome offers unrivalled sightseeing by day and fresh, traditional cooking come evening.

Visit in September to October to soak in the autumnal colours, with fewer crowds and still-pleasant temperatures.

InnTravel (01653 617001; inntravel.co.uk) has a four-night hiking trip taking in all five villages of the Cinque Terre. Departures in September and October from £790 per person based on two sharing (flights not included).

India’s luminous colour and exquisite artistry astonish visitors most, from jewel-bright saris to flamboyant Rajasthani palaces woven around hilltops. Even small villages are cultural treasure houses, notably Maheshwar, where pilgrims bathe in the holy river and silk is woven by hand

Many people planning a holiday will head straight for its famous “golden triangle” of attractions in Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. But away from that primary tourist circuit you will find the tree-lined boulevards of Pondicherry, ornate Hindu temples across the land, winding waterways in Kerala and glorious white-sand beaches in the Andamans.

India performed well in the biodiversity category, with its tiger safaris and birdlife making it a fine destination for wildlife watchers. Vast forest coverage and expansive national parks bumped it further up the list. In all, India was let down only by its environment ranking, due to the poor urban air quality and its low ranking in the Environmental Performance Index. With a higher performance in these categories, it would have comfortably made the top three.

If heading to southern India, book your trip during November or December, once the monsoon season has ended and the milder winter weather approaches.

Explore (01252 240838; explore.co.uk) has a 10-day Family Indian Golden Triangle Adventure holiday taking in Delhi, Jaipur, and a rickshaw ride around  Keoladeo Ghana National Park. Departures in July, August, October and December 2024 and through 2025 from £985 per person (flights not included).

New Zealand’s landscapes are hyper-real – snow-capped mountains, moss-carpeted forests, aquamarine lakes, white-sand beaches, volcanoes and huge starry skies, condensed into a country not much bigger than the UK

We knew our algorithm would have been programmed wrong if New Zealand didn’t feature in the top 10. The remote island nation came third in the overall landscape category, with bonus points for its geysers, glaciers and active volcanoes. It also scored high in the coastal category, for the miles of untouched waters and off-shore islands (including the aquatic playground of Bay of Islands), and ranked well for its environmental credentials and clean air.

For a relatively compact country (the smallest in our top 10), New Zealand certainly packs in the superlatives, from the dramatic fjords of Milford Sound to the epic lava flows at Tongariro Alpine Crossing and idyllic beaches at Cathedral Cove. Take your time to truly soak in the beauty of the place.

Visit during New Zealand’s summer between December and February, when the days are long and the sun shines bright.

Intrepid Travel (0330 808 7326; intrepidtravel.com) sells a 12-day South Island Adventure Holiday taking in kayaking, spas, the glacier-carved Fiordland National Park and a cruise on Milford Sound. Departures between September and December 2024, from £3,330 per person (flights not included).

From the peaks of soaring mountains to the depths of sparkling fjords, every view in Norway deserves a drum roll. Whether cloaked in snow or bathed in midnight sun, landscapes are consistently dramatic. Colours are crisper, light is purer, and the air feels fresher than anywhere on earth’

Europe’s highest-ranking country in the list might come as a surprise, beating its fellow northern European compatriots of Iceland (12th), the UK (19th) and Sweden (21st) to top spot. But it truly is as aesthetically delightful as anywhere else on the continent. Norway dazzles with its high mountains, 47 national parks, deep fjords (including the Unesco-listed Geirangerfjord) and its endless conifer forests. When it comes to photogenic credentials, Trolltunga and the Lofoten Islands must be seen to be believed.

Norway gets bonus points for the high visibility of the northern lights, its low population density, and also ranked high in the categories celebrating citizen freedoms and population happiness (beautiful things, you will surely agree). With an 52,000 mile-long coast and hundreds of thousands of islands, Norway’s rugged fringe bumps it up the rankings to sit among the greats.

Go in January for the northern lights, or late June to catch the warmest temperatures and witness the midnight sun (but bring midge repellent).

Hurtigruten (020 3603 7112; hurtigruten.co.uk) sells a 12-day trip beginning and ending in Bergen, taking in fjords, the Arctic north, market towns and isolated hamlets, from £2,226 per person (flights not included).

Some people still think of Mexico in the limited terms of tacos, tequila and all-inclusive hotels, but this is one of the most colourful and geographically diverse countries on Earth, a place of wildlife-filled jungles and oceans, beautiful beaches, cactus-covered hills and deserts, and exciting cities

Mexico makes it into the top five, first and foremost for its extraordinary flora and fauna. With 523 mammal species, 1,104 bird species and 23,000 different plant species, Mexico has a biodiversity ranking higher than any other country in the top 10 (and is trumped only in this category by Indonesia, Brazil and China).

But Mexico performs well across the board. Its Unesco World Heritage Sites (such as the modern world wonder, Chichén Itzá) bump it up the list, as do its long balmy white-sand beaches, expansive coral reef area (the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System is the third biggest in the world), and the cenotes throughout the Yucatan Peninsula – perfect for cooling off on a sunny afternoon.

Book your trip for November, when the weather is balmy and the crowds haven’t yet descended.

Trailfinders (020 7084 6500; trailfinders.com) has an unforgettable 13-night Magical Mexico tour, taking in the sights of Mexico City, the Mayan ruins of Palenque and Chichén Itzá, a boat ride through the Sumidero Canyon and a tour of the Teotihuacan archaeological site. From £4,585 per person (international flights excluded).

Japan’s timeless beauty is all about harmony, or ‘wa’. It underpins a plethora of contrasting aspects – be it subtropical islands or world-class powder snow. Add to the mix reverential respect for nature and it is clear there is no other place like it on the planet

Japan is the highest-ranking Asian country in the list, celebrated for its mountainous interior, swathes of forest, and stunning 19,000-mile coastline. Social life is orientated around the onsen, or hot springs, a phenomenon brought about by the country’s volcanic terrain, while there might be no better-recognised pinnacle on Earth than the picture-perfect cone of Mount Fuji.

While many go to Japan for the cultural offerings of Kyoto and Tokyo, the natural delights include floating through Takachiho Gorge, swimming with manta rays off Ishigaki, or ice fishing in the snowscape of Hokkaido.

Plan your visit for early spring to coincide with the eruption of cherry blossoms in all their pink splendour.

Inside Japan Tours (0117 224 3380; insidejapantours.com) sells a Classic Japan small group tour. The 13-night trip takes in a hot-spring bath at the foot of Mount Fuji, stepping inside samurai-era history at Osaka Castle, meeting an apprentice geisha in Kyoto and seeing Tokyo from the water on a Sumida River Cruise. Departures from May to November 2024 with varying availability, starting from £4,840 per person (flights not included).

Canada has natural beauty at every turn, from the mountains, forests, lakes and glaciers of the Canadian Rockies and the rippling grasslands of the Prairies to the unimaginably wild margins of the Arctic tundra and the fjords, cliffs and windswept beaches of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts

Sometimes, big does mean beautiful. The world’s second-largest country (after Russia), Canada performed well in all categories, scoring bonus points for its wealth of great lakes over 2,000 square kilometres – it has 17 – and refreshingly low-population density. Canada emerges triumphant for its seemingly endless coast (125,567 miles), its 50,000-odd islands, and the visibility of the northern lights.

If the great outdoors is your thing, Canada will not disappoint. From Banff National Park, in the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, to the gentle rolling landscape of Cypress Hills, to the majesty of Niagara Falls and the powdery slopes of Whistler Blackcomb, Canada has it all.

A destination to enjoy the great outdoors, Canada is best enjoyed between June and August, when the days are long, warm and sunny.

Exodus (020 3553 2930; exodus.co.uk) sells a 12-day Canadian Rockies Wilderness Walks holiday, taking in virgin forests, the breathtaking Icefields Parkway and a three-night escape in Jasper National Park. Departure in August and September 2024 with availability from £4,255 (excluding flights), plus options throughout 2025.

In Australia, the clarity of light saturates colours with a richness like nowhere else – just look at the rusty red of Uluru. Cruise the archipelagos of the Kimberley, see Aboriginal art in Kakadu or snap sunbathing kangaroos on Esperance’s blindingly white beaches

When it comes to beauty, Australia delivers on all counts. It is up there with the most biodiverse countries, with 349 mammals and 723 bird species making it a “mega diverse” nation, with almost 20,000 different plant species. Australia also ranks high as one of the least polluted and most environmentally friendly countries in the world.

Australia has among the biggest coverage of vineyards in the world, and has a variety of national parks to explore: 685, no less. With the second largest coral reef area in our study (including the Great Barrier Reef), thousands of islands including the splendid Whitsundays, Aboriginal culture in the Red Centre, plus what is one of the finest road trips on the planet in the Great Ocean Road, Australia is well deserving of its runners-up spot.

Avoid the stifling summer – go between September and early November when temperatures are still warm and underwater visibility is high at the Great Barrier Reef, if that’s your thing.

Journey Beyond (+61 8 8213 4401; journeybeyondrail.com.au) offers the Ghan Expedition rail adventure, between Darwin and Adelaide. The all-inclusive journey takes in some of the most remote parts of Australia, with off-trail experiences in Katherine, Alice Springs and Coober Pedy. Departures between April and October, starting from £2,602 per person (flights not included).

With 50 pieces slotting together to make one closely interlinked yet wildly disparate picture, the US is the most glorious of all geographical jigsaws. Mountains, islands, lakes, deserts, glaciers, prairies and canyons. Everything different, everything in its right place

A continent masquerading as a country, the United States was always going to be a front-runner for the most beautiful country on Earth. When you dissect each of our 36 criteria, it scores high in just about every category.

In the Landscape category, the US ranked top for its towering mountains (including Denali: 20,310ft), 63 extraordinary national parks, six desert regions, five great lakes, vast vineyard coverage, a string of active volcanoes, geysers, cenotes and glaciers. From Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, the US has an uniquely varied landscape like no other.

When it comes to the Experience category, the US came out top again, rewarded for the visibility of the northern lights in its Arctic north, its 12 natural Unesco World Heritage Sites and 12 cultural heritage sites, low population density (34 people per square kilometre), and civil engineering wonders in the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge. The US also scored high in both the happiness and freedom indices. 

For Coast, the US came out top once more, with a west-facing edge, ideal for those beautiful sunsets), 18,617 islands and 12,427 miles of shoreline. With beaches as iconic as Venice Beach, Maui and Clearwater, it was only ever going to finish in the number one spot in this category.

For Environment, the US scored upper-mid table, with a similar pollution ranking to Spain and an environmentally friendly ranking equivalent to Greece. And for flora and fauna, the mega diverse country finished third, with 15,500 different plant species, 860 bird species and 440 mammals. With bison and alligators, eagles, wild cats and grizzlies, there is great variety to the wildlife of the US.

From Hawaii to Alaska, Florida to the Pacific Northwest, the great Midwest plains to the peaks of the Rocky Mountains, the cultural behemoth of New York City to vibrant San Francisco. The United States of America is, in a word, quite beautiful. And, as of today, that’s no longer just an opinion. It’s official.

The USA is so big, to give a single answer is rather tricky. Shoot for autumn in New England, the sweltering southern states in the cooler winter months, Yosemite and Yellowstone in spring, and make the most of the long summer days when undertaking Route 66.

Bon Voyage (0800 316 3012; bon-voyage.co.uk) sells a Best of the West: Canyons, Cities and Coast holiday taking in the wonders of California, Arizona and Nevada. Various dates through the year, from £3,475 per person (flights included).