This page lists 40 famous places that start with W, from “Wadi Rum” to “Würzburg Residence”. They include natural wonders, historic castles, sacred temples, national parks, sports venues and busy city landmarks from all over the world. You can use the list to plan a trip, find ideas for your next destination, or settle a geography quiz.
Famous places are locations that draw attention and visitors because of their beauty, history or cultural meaning. Walt Disney World, for example, welcomes about 48,000,000 people a year, making it the most visited vacation resort in the world.
Below you’ll find the table with the place, country, type, annual visitors and description for each entry.
Place: The name of each famous location, listed alphabetically so you can quickly find a specific spot or browse everything that starts with W.
Country: The country where each place is found, which helps you group sights by destination and plan a trip around a single region.
Type: The kind of place it is, such as a castle, national park, temple or stadium, so you can pick the sights that match your interests.
Annual visitors: An estimate of how many people visit each year, showing you which places are crowded and which are quieter. “Not tracked” means no reliable figure exists.
Description: A short summary of what makes each place special, including its history, main features and what you can do or see when you visit.
Famous places
| Place | Country | Type | Annual visitors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wadi Rum | Jordan | Desert valley | 500,000 |
| Waikiki Beach | United States | Beach | 4,000,000 |
| Waitangi Treaty Grounds | New Zealand | Historic site | 200,000 |
| Waitomo Caves | New Zealand | Cave system | 400,000 |
| Walden Pond | United States | Lake | 600,000 |
| Wall Drug | United States | Roadside attraction | 2,000,000 |
| Wall Street | United States | Financial district | Not tracked |
| Walt Disney World | United States | Theme park resort | 48,000,000 |
| Warsaw Old Town | Poland | Historic district | Not tracked |
| Wartburg Castle | Germany | Castle | 350,000 |
| Warwick Castle | United Kingdom | Castle | 700,000 |
| Washington Monument | United States | Monument | 600,000 |
| Washington, D.C. | United States | Capital city | 24,000,000 |
| Waterton Lakes National Park | Canada | National park | 500,000 |
| Wat Arun | Thailand | Buddhist temple | Not tracked |
| Wat Phra Kaew | Thailand | Buddhist temple | Not tracked |
| Wat Pho | Thailand | Buddhist temple | Not tracked |
| Wat Rong Khun | Thailand | Buddhist temple | Not tracked |
| Wave Rock | Australia | Rock formation | Not tracked |
| Wawel Castle | Poland | Castle | 1,500,000 |
| Wembley Stadium | United Kingdom | Stadium | Not tracked |
| Wenceslas Square | Czech Republic | Public square | Not tracked |
| Western Wall | Israel | Religious site | 10,000,000 |
| Westminster Abbey | United Kingdom | Church | 1,000,000 |
| Whistler | Canada | Ski resort | 3,000,000 |
| White Cliffs of Dover | United Kingdom | Cliffs | Not tracked |
| White Desert | Egypt | Desert | Not tracked |
| White House | United States | Government building | 500,000 |
| White Sands National Park | United States | National park | 700,000 |
| Wieliczka Salt Mine | Poland | Salt mine | 1,800,000 |
| Wieskirche | Germany | Church | 1,000,000 |
| Wimbledon | United Kingdom | Tennis venue | 500,000 |
| Wind Cave National Park | United States | National park | 600,000 |
| Windsor Castle | United Kingdom | Castle | 1,000,000 |
| World Trade Center | United States | Memorial and skyscraper complex | Not tracked |
| Wrangell-St. Elias National Park | United States | National park | 70,000 |
| Wrigley Field | United States | Baseball stadium | 3,000,000 |
| Wudang Mountains | China | Mountain range | Not tracked |
| Wulingyuan Scenic Area | China | Scenic area | Not tracked |
| Würzburg Residence | Germany | Palace | 330,000 |
Descriptions
Wadi Rum
A vast desert landscape of red sand, sandstone arches and granite cliffs, also called the Valley of the Moon. Lawrence of Arabia spent time here, and many films have been shot in it.
Waikiki Beach
A famous stretch of sand in Honolulu, Hawaii, known for gentle surf, Diamond Head views and a busy strip of hotels. It is one of the best places in the world to learn to surf.
Waitangi Treaty Grounds
The place where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed in 1840 between Maori chiefs and the British Crown. It is regarded as the birthplace of modern New Zealand.
Waitomo Caves
A cave system on the North Island, famous for the thousands of glowworms that light the ceilings like a starry sky. Visitors can tour it by boat or go black-water rafting.
Walden Pond
A small lake in Massachusetts where Henry David Thoreau lived in a cabin from 1845 to 1847. It inspired his book Walden and is still a popular spot for swimming and walks.
Wall Drug
A sprawling tourist store in Wall, South Dakota, made famous by billboards across the Midwest offering free ice water. It has grown into a large shopping and dining complex.
Wall Street
A short street in lower Manhattan that has long stood for American finance. It is home to the New York Stock Exchange and a lot of banking history.
Walt Disney World
A huge resort near Orlando, Florida, with four theme parks, water parks and dozens of hotels. It is the most visited vacation resort in the world.
Warsaw Old Town
The historic heart of Poland’s capital, almost completely rebuilt after being destroyed in World War II. Its colorful market square and narrow streets are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wartburg Castle
A medieval hilltop castle in Thuringia where Martin Luther hid in 1521 and translated the New Testament into German. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Warwick Castle
A well-preserved medieval castle on the River Avon in England, dating back to William the Conqueror. Today it hosts jousting shows, a dungeon tour and other family attractions.
Washington Monument
A tall white marble obelisk on the National Mall that honors George Washington. Visitors can ride an elevator to the top for views over the capital.
Washington, D.C.
The capital of the United States, home to the White House, the Capitol and the Smithsonian museums. Millions come each year to see its monuments and national landmarks.
Waterton Lakes National Park
A mountain park in southern Alberta that meets Glacier National Park in Montana to form an international peace park. It is known for jagged peaks, wildflowers and wildlife.
Wat Arun
The Temple of Dawn, a riverside temple in Bangkok with a tall spire covered in porcelain and seashells. It looks especially striking at sunset.
Wat Phra Kaew
The Temple of the Emerald Buddha, inside Bangkok’s Grand Palace grounds. It holds Thailand’s most sacred Buddha image, carved from a single piece of green jade.
Wat Pho
A large Bangkok temple best known for its huge reclining Buddha, which is covered in gold leaf. It is also considered the birthplace of traditional Thai massage.
Wat Rong Khun
Also called the White Temple, this strikingly modern temple near Chiang Rai is covered in white plaster and mirrored glass. Artist Chalermchai Kositpipat designed it and keeps adding to it.
Wave Rock
A granite cliff in Western Australia shaped like a giant ocean wave about 15 meters high and 110 meters long. Its colored stripes come from minerals washed down by rain.
Wawel Castle
A royal castle and cathedral complex on a hill in Krakow. For centuries it was the home of Polish kings and still holds major collections of art and tapestries.
Wembley Stadium
England’s national football stadium in London, topped by a large steel arch. It hosts the FA Cup Final, major concerts and international matches.
Wenceslas Square
A long boulevard in the center of Prague lined with shops, hotels and a statue of Saint Wenceslas. It has been a gathering place for major historic events, including the 1989 Velvet Revolution.
Western Wall
A remaining section of the ancient wall that surrounded the Second Temple in Jerusalem. It is one of the holiest places in Judaism, and people tuck written prayers into its cracks.
Westminster Abbey
A Gothic church in London where British monarchs have been crowned for nearly a thousand years. Many kings, queens, poets and scientists are buried or remembered here.
Whistler
A mountain resort town in British Columbia that hosted skiing events at the 2010 Winter Olympics. It has some of the largest ski terrain in North America and many summer activities.
White Cliffs of Dover
Tall chalk cliffs on England’s southeast coast that face France across the English Channel. They have long been a symbol of Britain and of home.
White Desert
A part of the Sahara near Farafra with chalk rock formations carved by wind into shapes like mushrooms and ice cream cones. Travelers often camp here to see the stars.
White House
The official residence and workplace of the U.S. president in Washington, D.C. Its address is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and it has been home to every president since John Adams.
White Sands National Park
A park in New Mexico with the largest gypsum dunefield in the world. The bright white sand stays cool to the touch and is popular for sledding.
Wieliczka Salt Mine
A salt mine near Krakow that has been in operation since the Middle Ages. Underground chambers feature chapels, statues and a cathedral carved entirely from salt.
Wieskirche
A small pilgrimage church in Bavaria, Germany, famous for its bright rococo interior. Its painted ceiling and gilded details make it one of the finest examples of the style.
Wimbledon
Home of the All England Club in London and the oldest tennis tournament in the world. It is played on grass courts and known for strawberries and cream and its all-white dress code.
Wind Cave National Park
A South Dakota park known for one of the longest caves in the world and its rare boxwork formations. Above ground, it protects prairie where bison and elk roam.
Windsor Castle
A royal residence west of London and the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. It has been home to British monarchs for almost a thousand years.
World Trade Center
The site in lower Manhattan where the Twin Towers stood until the September 11 attacks. It now holds One World Trade Center and the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
The largest national park in the United States, in Alaska, with huge glaciers and some of the continent’s tallest peaks. It is remote and mostly reached by small plane.
Wrigley Field
The home of the Chicago Cubs, opened in 1914 and known for its ivy-covered outfield walls and hand-turned scoreboard. It is the second oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball.
Wudang Mountains
A mountain range in Hubei province famous for Taoist temples and as a center of Wudang martial arts. Its ancient building complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wulingyuan Scenic Area
A scenic area in Hunan with thousands of tall sandstone pillars rising from forested valleys. It helped inspire the floating mountains in the film Avatar.
Würzburg Residence
A grand baroque palace in Bavaria built in the 18th century for the prince-bishops of Würzburg. It is known for its sweeping staircase and ceiling fresco by Tiepolo.