World's greatest places in 2018, according to TIME magazine

0 0 dearJulius.com August 25, 2018 Edit this post

By Maureen O'Hare, CNN

Sometimes the world can seem like a giant Netflix watch list: Your to-do list gets longer and longer, and there's still new stuff to check out.

And now TIME magazine has added to your cultural anxiety by revealing its first list of the World's Greatest Places, which showcases 100 destinations it says are "breaking new ground, leading industry trends and offering visitors an extraordinary experience."

Oh no, back to the drawing board, right?

Not so fast. You might not have to refill your bucket list just yet.

If you've been paying close attention to CNN Travel and CNN Style over the past couple of years, you'll already have most of the destinations earmarked. Clever you.

[post_ads]Here's our pick of TIME's Greatest Places, with links to our original stories and videos. And if you're still ravenous for zeitgeist, you can check out the full 2018 list on TIME.

To visit:

-- Tianjin Binhai Library, Tianjin, China

We said: "Featuring an all-white futuristic design and a luminous spherical auditorium, the new 33,700-square-meter structure has been attracting bumper crowds since it opened in October [2017]".

-- Morgan's Inspiration Island, San Antonio, Texas

We said: "Inspired by daughter, dad builds water park for people with disabilities."

-- Golden Bridge, Ba Na Hills, Vietnam

We said: "A pair of giant hands lift the ribbon-like Golden Bridge up in the air above Vietnam's Trường Sơn Mountains. Set more than 1,400m above sea level, the bridge incorporates eight spans and extends 150m long."

-- Pandora, The World of Avatar, Bay Lake, Florida

We said: "The 12-acre Orlando park -- six years in the making -- is set in an area of Pandora not seen in the film. But thanks to [James] Cameron's obsessive attention to detail -- truly, Tolkien would have been jealous -- the entire planet has been extensively charted."

-- Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg, Germany

We said: "The Elbphilharmonie is Hamburg's new world-class concert hall, a collaboration between acoustician and architect."

-- Museum MACAN, Jakarta, Indonesia

We said: "The modern art museum hoping to send Indonesian art global."

-- Underwater Museum of Art, South Walton, Florida

We said: "Exploring the watery depths of the ocean is already an unforgettable experience, but now swimmers off the coast of northwest Florida can view incredible art while they're submerged below seas."

-- Mariposa Grove, Yosemite, California

We said: "Giant sequoias on view at Yosemite after three-year project."

-- Tai Kwun, Hong Kong

We said: "Formerly the Central Police Station compound, Tai Kwun has reopened as a cultural hotspot."

-- Al-Qarawiyyan Library, Fez, Morocco

We said: "Al-Qarawiyyin -- world's oldest library -- gets facelift in Fez, Morocco."

-- Design Society, Shenzhen, China

We said: "The Victoria and Albert Museum in China signals a new design for Shenzhen."

-- Löyly, Helsinki, Finland

We said: "New public saunas like Löyly and Allas are bringing this age-old tradition to the masses."

-- The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, Montgomery, Alabama

We said: "This new lynching memorial rewrites American history."

-- Temple of Mithras, London

We said: "Temple to ancient Roman cult resurrected beneath London."

-- Louvre Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE

We said: "When the Louvre Abu Dhabi opened its doors [in November 2017], it was the culmination of 10 years of work and fulfillment of the United Arab Emirates' lofty cultural ambitions."
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-- Oriental Science Fiction Valley, Guangzhou, China

We said: "Located outside of Guiyang, the Oriental Science Fiction Valley features 35 virtual reality attractions ranging from roller coasters to sci-fi simulators and interactive shooting rides."

-- Governors Island, New York City, New York

We said: "Governors Island is a maritime park unlike any other in the city. [...] On any given Sunday in summer, the island has the feel of an urban day camp."

-- Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE

We said: "Does the UAE need another theme park? Abu Dhabi thinks it does. [It's opened] the doors to its new billion-dollar Warner Bros. World, one of the largest indoor theme parks ever built."

-- Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town, South Africa

We said: "Thomas Heatherwick's studio transforms a South African grain silo into a striking new museum."

To stay

-- Alila Fort Bishangarh, Rajasthan, India

We said: "Luxury meets history in an India hotel."

-- Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, Rangali Island, Maldives

We said: "Maldives to open 'world's first' underwater hotel residence."

-- Hôtel de Crillon, Paris

We said: "This hotel in a 17th-century building on the Place de la Concorde is about as central as it gets."

-- Icehotel 365, Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

We said: "After 27 years of being built and rebuilt each winter, northern Sweden's ICEHOTEL 365 will be the first frozen accommodation to stay open year-round."

-- Retreat at Blue Lagoon, Reykjavik, Iceland

We said: "For many people visiting Iceland, a trip to the steamy waters of the Blue Lagoon is the highlight. Now that highlight could be about to get even better."

-- Symphony of the Seas, cruise ship

We said: "The ship's record-breaking size isn't its only claim to fame. The Symphony of the Seas is home to the tallest waterslide at sea, the ocean's fastest Internet and more works of art than the Louvre has paintings."

To eat and drink:

-- Ultraviolet, Shanghai, China

We said: "Serving only 10 diners at a time, Ultraviolet offers high-concept Western cuisine in a high-tech private dining room."

-- Tsuta, Tokyo

We said: "Abrooklyntraveler says Tsuta, in Toshima, serves the best ramen she's ever had. No surprise there though, given [in 2015] it became the world's first Michelin-starred ramen shop."

-- Central, Lima, Peru
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We said: "While [Chef Virgilo Martinez] says it would be easy to use products from other countries, Central's very existence is based on the diversity of Peru's extensive larder, which spans the Pacific ocean, the Amazon and the Andes."

-- The Grey, Savannah, Georgia

We said: "[The Grey] has been the talk of the town and lauded by national press for its role in putting Savannah on the foodie map. This praise is the result of [Mashama] Bailey's distinctive approach to Southern cuisine as well as the thoughtful, visceral design of its space."

-- Hiša Franko, Kobarid, Slovenia

We said: "Five years ago, few people would have put trying Slovenian food on their bucket list. But [Chef Ana Roš] has thrust the Central European nation into the global limelight with her visionary gastronomy."

-- Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark

We said: "Noma's greatest contribution was perhaps through the creation of New Nordic cuisine."