25 Beautiful Places Off the Beaten Path

Many dream of visiting the Taj Mahal, walking across the Peace Bridge, or taking in the breathtaking alpine views atop Mount Everest. While some people dedicate their lives to making a pilgrimage to one of these iconic locations, venturing off the path exposes some of Earth’s most delicate and intriguing scenes that often go unnoticed.

Stray from the heavily trafficked tourist routes, and you may uncover hidden stories in Calcutta’s maze of bustling street markets. Travel back in time to fifth-century Ethiopia, where an Egyptian priest climbed up steep rocks to quarry a church in the desert. Wander off the main street in Venice, Italy, and navigate its concealed, cobblestone streets that are peppered with splashes of color.

These members of our Your Shot photography community ventured off the beaten path and found hidden gems and alternative perspectives. Through the lens of these talented photographers, explore a hidden nook for book lovers in Morocco, a quiet stretch of woods in Finland, an amber-lit cave in Vietnam, an old merchant building along the Silk Road in Iran, and a trove of other treasures around the globe.

Join the Your Shot community and share a photo of somewhere that’s meaningful to you.