In this age of budget airlines and remote working, plenty of us are well travelled.
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But there’s a growing group of people who are the most travelled, having visited every single country in the world – and there’s even a dedicated community for them.
Founded by Charles Veley in 2005, Most Traveled People is a platform that allows people to track where they’ve been.
There are different lists, from capital cities and regions to restaurants and dive sites, and those who have been to every country in the world can apply to become a “UN Grandmaster”.
To join this elite group, you have to go through a verification process. Applicants will be asked to provide evidence of visits to 25 of the most challenging countries to visit, like Syria, Kiribati, and North Korea, as well as 25 countries selected at random by the system.
Proof of visits primarily means passport stamps showing entry/exit from a country, but you can also submit photographic evidence such as selfies with a recognisable landmark or sign, provided the photos are geotagged.
For those who visited countries before the advent of the smartphone or digital photography, alternative evidence can be accepted, but you may be asked to attend an interview about the trip. A layover at the airport is not considered a visit.
So far, 122 UN Grandmasters have been verified, many of whom attended a recent meet-up in Portugal.
Following that meet-up, Euronews Travel quizzed some of Most Traveled People’s UN Grandmasters about their favourite destinations – and these are their recommendations.
Where to travel in Europe, according to the world’s most travelled people
The overwhelming winner for favourite country in Europe was Italy, with more than half of those surveyed naming it as their number one overall.
Italy’s capital Rome also performed well in the favourite cities category, coming in fourth place, while Florence came 10th.
Italy was also named as the country with the best food in the world (not just in Europe), while Naples was highlighted as one of the top foodie cities.
Speaking why they love Italy, one respondent said: “Italy has an amazing culture and cuisine that is decidedly different in each region.
“Outside of the big cities there are endless places to discover, each with its own unique wine, cheese, pasta dish and more.”
Other favourites are hardly surprising either – with France in second place, Spain in third, Portugal in fourth and Greece in fifth.
For something a little off-the-beaten-track, Albania was named the most underrated country in Europe, closely followed by Romania.
The Balkans overall had a strong showing, with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Montenegro all in conversation for most underrated.
So too did the region in the underrated cities category, with Belgrade and Sarajevo both mentioned. The most underrated city in Europe overall went to Slovenia’s Ljubljana.
Where else to travel around the globe
While it might seem like everyone has been travelling to Japan over the last few years, the Asian country only came second among the most travelled people’s favourite countries list.
Topping the chart? Iran.
“Iran is one of those countries that is so often viewed only through the prism of politics that much of its extraordinary civilisation becomes invisible to the outside world,” one respondent said.
“Yet behind decades of headlines lies a nation with one of the oldest continuous cultures on earth – a land of poets, philosophers, empires, gardens, mosques, bazaars and some of the warmest hospitality a traveller can experience.
“To travel through Iran is to walk through layers of history stretching back thousands of years: the grandeur of the Achaemenid Empire and Persepolis, the sophistication of Persian literature and science, the beauty of Isfahan’s mosques and bridges, the desert caravanserais of the Silk Road, and the deep traditions of Persian cuisine, music and family life.”
Third place went to Italy, followed by China and Brazil.
Iran was also named as the most underrated country, followed by Yemen, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Papua New Guinea.
Euronews also surveyed the most travelled people about their favourite UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and while plenty were ones you’d expect (think Angkor Wat, Petra and the Great Wall of China), there were some lesser-known gems.
The rock-hewn churches of Lalibela in Ethiopia made it into the top five, while the stone palaces and temples of Nan Madol in Micronesia made the top 10.
As for the most unique attractions or places you can’t miss, Venezuela’s Canaima National Park (which is home to the world’s tallest uninterrupted waterfall), Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni (the largest salt flat in the world, which turns into a giant mirror come rainy season) and Antarctica were all mentioned repeatedly.
