Top 10 Far & Wide Stories of 2019
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Unfortunately, it's difficult and costly to pack up and travel the world. So here at "Far & Wide," we offer the next best thing: stories about packing up and traveling the world.
From inspiring destination guides to educational round-ups to discussion-provoking rankings, we spent the year sharing everything that makes this little blue planet we inhabit so full of intrigue. By year's end, our stories published in 2019 had garnered more than 32.5 million views from readers all across the globe, and been shared and commented on countless times.
The following 10 stories in particular got people reading (and talking!). Let the vacation-planning begin.
"100 Amazing World Maps"
Who doesn't love a good map? Very few people, it would seem, based on the millions of readers who perused this story's fascinating, surprising, enlightening maps (many readers even looked through all 100!). The lesson: Maps are really, really cool.
"World Maps of the 25 Most Spoken Languages"
More proof that "Far & Wide" readers dig maps? They came in droves to read this educational lesson on the most spoken languages in the world, complete with detailed maps made in-house by our talented art-production team. Learning is fun!
"Best Sandwich in Every U.S. State"
Ok, so there's maybe one thing people like more than maps: sandwiches. This list of the best paninis, lobster rolls, subs, et. al. stirred up debate and made readers hungry. (Frankly, it made us hungry too.) Do you agree with our picks?
"100 Geography Facts You Probably Never Knew"
Readers nerded out on this info-packed story full of "who knew?!" facts. Like, did you know Los Angeles is actually east of Reno, Nevada? Or that Africa spans all four hemispheres? Now you do!
"Best U.S. Towns with 10,000 Residents of Fewer"
This lovingly written homage to America's charmed small towns will make you want to book a getaway asap. Tell us if we missed any awesome towns that belong on the list.
"20 Works of Art to See Before You Die"
Museums around the world house spectacular pieces of work by masters like Manet, Vermeer and Picasso. This list, curated by an art professor from NYU, shares which ones you should move to the top of your bucket list.
"The Most Boring Tourist Trap in Every U.S. State"
All of these tourist attractions have their fans, but we stand by the choices in this takedown of America's most overrated, overpriced, boring and/or tacky tourist traps. But hey: To each their own.
"The World's Smallest Countries And Why They're Worth Visiting"
Proving that bigger isn't always better, the tiny countries highlighted in this piece pack plenty of charm. The story not only details what to do in the destinations, but reveals via maps and stats just how minuscule they are. (The smallest country of all could fit inside the U.S. 22.3 million times!)
"Disney Rides, Ranked from Worst to Best"
There aren't any truly terrible Disney rides, but there are definitely some that are better than others. In this conversation-starting piece, our ace staff writer Lissa Poirot used her extensive knowledge of Disney parks to rank the classics alongside the hidden gems. You might not agree with every choice, but surely we can all agree that the Carousel of Progress is basically a waste of time.
"The 25 Best Destinations in the World"
Gorgeous photos and evocative prose bring the best destinations on Earth — as selected by TripAdvisor readers — to life. Not every amazing destination made the cut, of course, but it's hard to argue with the incredible destinations featured here.