The 20 must-visit ‘alternative’ travel destinations, according to a new poll

Three UK sites make the list

Germany's Burg Eltz castle makes the list (Getty)

Travellers have revealed the “alternative” must-visit landmarks including a castle in Germany which inspired Disney movies, a Japanese temple built to honour a goddess and houses carved into a UK cliff face.

Research among 1,000 UK travellers identified the “off the beaten track” sights they most wanted to see.

Among them was Germany’s Burg Eltz, a medieval castle nestled in the hills and forest above the Moselle River.

The Rock Houses – homes carved straight into the rock amid a wildlife haven in Stourbridge, UK – were also a popular choice.

While the Kiyomizu-dera Temple located in the hillside of Kyoto, Japan – built to honour Kannon, the goddess of mercy – also made the top 20.

The Travelzoo poll also found that one-fifth of the 1,000 adults polled actively preferred to visit lesser-known areas because they can experience them without any preconceived ideas of their own.

James Clarke, general manager of Travelzoo UK, said: “We’re all familiar with those must-visit places – the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and so on.

“They are all truly amazing landmarks but there are a growing number of travellers who want to see sights that aren’t quite so well-known.

“Thankfully we are blessed with fantastic landmarks across the globe which are also well worth a visit.”

In addition to the Rock Houses, the UK is also represented by the Minack Theatre, an open-air theatre located on the Cornish shore not far from Land’s End.

Wilton’s Music Hall in London, which is one of the few surviving musical halls, was also among the British locations to make the list.

Other destinations include Australia’s Ningaloo Reef, a world heritage site home to turtles, tropical fish, manta rays, humpback whales and whale sharks.

The Baths of Caracalla in Rome, considered to be some of the best-preserved ancient buildings from Roman times, and Canada’s CN Tower are other locations travellers are eager to see.​

Eight in 10 believe visiting a country’s landmarks and other areas of significance gives a person a better understanding of that place’s culture.

Despite the rise of social media and the internet, the poll, carried out through OnePoll, found that word of mouth is still the biggest inspiration for where those surveyed choose to visit.

Four in 10 said they relied on recommendations from friends and family, however one-third would depend on Google and one-quarter would use guidebooks.

Social media also has an influence too albeit not among quite so many travellers – Twitter (11 per cent), Facebook (18 per cent) and Instagram (16 per cent).

James Clarke added: “Travelzoo exists to provide its members with the inspiration to travel to new and interesting places.

“Visiting the alternative destinations listed in this survey provides a way for travellers to explore unfamiliar cultures and off-the-beaten track landmarks to really gain a deeper understanding of the world.”

SWNS