A major pilgrimage center for Hindus, the holy city of Varanasi has long been associated with the mighty Ganges River, one of the faith's most important religious symbols. Dating back to the 8th century BC, Varanasi is one of the oldest still inhabited cities in the world. It offers many reasons to visit, not least of them the chance to explore the Old Quarter adjacent to the Ganges where you'll find the Kashi Vishwanath Temple , built in 1780 (the New Vishwanath Temple with its seven separate temples is also of interest). Bathing in the Ganges is of great importance to Hindus, and numerous locations known as "ghats" feature stairways leading to the water where the faithful bathe before prayers. All told, Varanasi boasts more than 100 ghats, the largest being Dasashvamedh Ghat and Assi Ghat (the latter, at the confluence of the Ganges and Asi rivers, is considered particularly holy). Also worth seeing is Banaras Hindu University , established in 1917 and not
Our world is filled with indescribable beauty and places to go, both human-made and natural, and it’s hard to say whether a single lifetime would indeed be enough to experience all of it. Most of us will probably never see everything that the world has to offer us, places to see around the world that are definitely worth adding to your bucket list of best vacation spots. Some consider travel to be a luxury or even an unnecessary burden, while others believe it to be vitally important to living a fulfilled life. Still, others don’t even have the opportunity to make that decision. But if you are afflicted with a case of wanderlust, you know that seeing the most beautiful places to visit can be a profoundly moving and valuable experience. My personal favorite is ecological tourism – climbing mountains, exploring deserts or in merely drinking in the sights of the countryside. However, you can’t deny the appeal of some of the human-made structures as well – from the epic, ancient grandeur