For the keen traveler, popular tourist attractions can become quite mundane. So, to spice up your adventures, let’s take a look at some secret attractions around the world for your bucket list.
Tour Saint-Jacques, France
Paris is full of exciting attractions, so much so that the Gothic tower of Saint-Jacques is often overlooked. However, this secret architectural wonder is worth a spot on any bucket list, especially with its rich history and famous connections to scientists like Blaise Pascal.
Pascal is widely credited with inventing an early version of the roulette wheel in search of a perpetual motion machine. Since then, roulette has continued to evolve with technology, with things like Paddy Power Live Roulette staying on the cutting edge of technological developments in live streaming and optical character recognition. Pascal’s game continues to increase in popularity and functionality.
A statue at the base of the tower commemorates Pascal and his experiments. The French physicist, mathematician, and inventor was known for disrupting previous understandings of pressure and gravitational phenomena, pioneering applied sciences.
It is thought that his experiments into atmospheric pressure were undertaken on this site when the tower was part of the larger church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie. The rest of the structure was destroyed in the French Revolution, leaving only this fascinating tower and historic landmark standing.
Penshaw Monument Staircase, England
The North East of England is perhaps the last place you’d expect to find a replica of a Greek temple, but Penshaw Monument just outside of Sunderland defies all odds.
The structure was built in 1844 to commemorate John George Lambton, the 1st Earl of Durham, and is based on the Temple of Hephaestus north west of the Agora in Athens. Though the folly itself is perhaps a hidden gem of its own, the Greek-inspired temple has a very well kept secret.
Inside one of the pillars, visitors to Penshaw Monument can find a hidden spiral staircase that leads right to the top of the structure. Although the staircase was closed to the public for some time, the National Trust reopened the staircase and the walkway for guided tours in 2011.
From the top of the 70-foot monument, it is said that you can see panoramic views of 50 miles on a clear day. In addition to climbing to the summit of Penshaw Hill and to the top of the structure, there is also much scenery to admire around the area by hiking the Lambton Worm.
Playa del Amor, Mexico
Otherwise known as the Hidden Beach, Playa del Amor is rooted in mystery. Located on the uninhabited Marieta Islands, this mysterious beach was uncovered by military testing in the 1900s.
The beach itself is hidden from the outside world, and is only accessible through an underground tunnel. With around 6 feet of clearance above the water, you can reach the tunnel by swimming or kayaking, or as part of a guided boat tour of the area.
To protect the wider park which is labeled as a UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve, visitors must get a wristband before heading to the beach. As the numbers are very limited, it is worth sorting this out well in advance.
And there you have it – just a few hidden gems that are rife with history and sprinkled with mystery. By going off the tourist track, this can breathe new life into trips to your favorite countries.
