Whether basking on a beach in Barbados or living it up in Ibiza, we’re partial to a cheeky upload during or after a trip. After all, it’s a way to stay in touch with mates and make new friends. Plus, we can share our unique styles in a way that makes our online personas more visually appealing. So, naturally, people tend to visit places that are as pretty on their profiles as they are in person. Which got us thinking: what are the world’s most picturesque destinations?

Related blog: Envirofones Top 10 Rated Camera Smartphones

To find out, we scanned picturesque destinations taken from Trip Advisor, Travel + Leisure, CN Traveller and more respected travel news sites about picturesque destinations. We then determined the most picturesque destination based on 11 index factors, including:

• Amount of TikTok views
• No. of Instagram searches
• No. of Pinterest searches
• Percentage of sunny days per year
• Internet speed
• Positive social mentions of the destination

Each metric was scored out of 100. These scores were then averaged and weighted to determine a final ranking, where higher scores represent more picture potential.

Sound good? Let’s get into it.

The most picturesque destinations around the world

So, we’ve dug into the details, but which destination is the most picturesque overall? Our research tells us it’s New York. Tourists can snap the perfect holiday picture in front of iconic tourist spots like Central Park or Times Square. To show off New York’s variety of scenic landscapes on social media, we recommend heading to City Hall Station, High Line or Dumbo. The research found that New York has 1.1 million monthly searches on Pinterest, 57.2 billion TikTok video views, and 9.6 million Instagram monthly searches, we can see why it took first place among the most picturesque destinations worldwide.

Madrid takes second place. The sun-kissed Spanish capital has 34.4 billion TikTok video views and 47.1% sunny days throughout the year. Madrid’s lively and vibrant scenery makes it the ultimate picturesque destination to brag about on your social media feed. The gorgeous city also has five UNESCO sites, including the Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de El Escorial—the spectacular former home of Spain’s monarchy, just north of Madrid.

London arrives in third with 72.2 billion TikTok videos, 171.11 positive mentions per 100,000 tourists, and four UNESCO sites, such as Westminster Abbey. London’s variety of landscape from historical buildings to sprawling gardens and parks makes it the ultimate picturesque destination filled with history, diverse culture and stunning architecture.

Paris comes fourth, scoring 7.8 million monthly Instagram search volumes, 67.5 billion TikTok video views, and 81.17 positive mentions per 100,000 visitors, thanks to its charming back streets and iconic landmarks. Make your followers jealous by taking shots of the French capital at Pont d’léna and Rue de l’Université or famous tourist spots like The Louvre, The Eiffel Tower and Palais Royale.

Rounding off the top five is Lisbon—Portugal’s increasingly popular capital. The colourful city has amassed 1.2 billion TikTok video views and has 36.2% sunny days throughout the year, perfect for taking sun-lit snaps from its incredible viewpoints. We recommended visiting some of Lisbon’s elevated viewpoints to get a panoramic picture of Lisbon’s skyline or wandering around the city to photograph the city's historical architecture like Jeronimo's Monastery or the famous trams and azulejos tiles.

Chasing the sun

Sunnier climes aren't just for tanning; they're also a haven for taking photos. The sun enhances colours, illuminates textures, and helps highlight details in your shots. When hanging low in the sky, its rays create sweeping long shots with dramatic shadows, adding depth and intrigue to your frames. You can also position your subject against the sun for beautiful backlit pictures. 

But here’s the burning question: which holiday destinations offer the most sun for your snaps? Our research shows it’s the popular city of Dubai. A whopping 72.6% of its days are sunny—ideal for taking incredible shots of the dazzling Burj Khalifa and Dubai’s magnificent mosques. Jaipur, India’s vibrant Pink City, clinches second place with 57.3%, while China’s buzzing capital Beijing takes the bronze with 48%.

Full speed ahead

You're on public transport and can't get signal. Ah, we've all been there—and it’s a bit annoying. Thankfully, the signal curse doesn’t strike often these days, especially when you’re in Singapore. The bustling megacity promises rapid uploads with internet speeds of 102 megabits per second (on average). It’s a similar story in San Diego, with the uber-cool city boasting lightning-fast speeds of 92mbps, closely followed by another Californian hotspot, San Francisco (88mbps).

The talk of the town

 

We’re social creatures. That’s why we share pics of the places worth shouting about. We do it to keep our pals in the loop, to provide a digital snapshot of our time somewhere, or to get a thumbs-up from our followers. And let’s be honest, sometimes we want to make people at home a tad jealous .

 

Whatever the reason, some locations get more love than others. And our research shows London is very much in right now, scoring 171.11 positive mentions per 100,000 tourists. It comes as no surprise either, with floods of tourists enjoying the Big Smoke’s thriving food scene and snappable landmarks and venues.

 

Next up is NYC, with 111.03 positive mentions. The Big Apple is home to an array of Insta-famous spots, like the Empire State Building, Central Park, and Times Square.

Vancouver scoops third. The Canadian city is surrounded by natural beauty, with verdant forests, majestic mountains, and the Pacific Ocean on its doorstep.

 

How best to take photos on holiday

Come on, get in everyone! Pretend you like each other. Sound familiar? But when a perfect moment presents itself, how do you ensure your picture recreates it perfectly? Firstly, pay attention to composition. Don't just aimlessly point and shoot. Take a second to frame your shot, think about what you want to include, and find the right angle. Lighting is crucial too. So, take advantage of the golden hour. It adds a beautiful glow to landscapes and cityscapes, making colours pop.

Watch out for harsh shadows and midday sun. Look for shaded areas or use natural diffusers like clouds or tree canopies to soften the light. And don’t forget to include people in your shots. It adds that human touch and brings your holiday memories to life. Capture candid moments and interactions with locals, or take a selfie of yourself in the heart of the action.

Once you're done snapping, take some time to review and edit your photos. Pick the best shots that capture the essence of your trip. Enhance the colours, adjust the exposure if needed, and be bold and crop to improve composition.

You’ll also need a camera that’s up to the job. Fortunately, at Envirofone, we’ve got a host of refurbished smartphones loaded with high-grade lenses. Like what, we hear you ask? The iPhone 14 Pro Max, Samsung S23 Plus, and Google Pixel Pro 5G, to name just a few. All of which promise superb shots from dusk till dawn.

Up your picture game with Envirofone

 

So, there we have it. Hopefully, your go-to list has grown, and you’re booking flights to one of the picture-perfect places above. To help you take top-notch snaps while you’re there, get acquainted with Envirofone’s range of refurbished smartphones. Our expertly restored handsets feature the best cameras and lenses out there and are guaranteed to be cheaper than buying first-hand.

 

They’ll also work like new, thanks to a rigorous 100-point testing process that checks everything from buttons and batteries to zoom functionality. To top it off, buying second-hand is better for the planet as your refurbished smartphone won’t end up in a landfill. Lovely stuff.  

 

Take a look at our full range of refurbished smartphones today and save yourself a small fortune.

 

Methodology

To determine the most picturesque destinations, a seed list of destinations was taken from a variety of articles about picturesque destinations from respected travel publications. The cities were ranked on the following 11 metrics:

• Overall city score
• Ave. monthly Pinterest SV
• Ave. monthly Instagram SV
• TikTok video views
• % sunny days throughout the year
• % overcast days throughout the year
• Internet speed (Mbps)
• Air quality of the city (2022 average PM2.5 concentration (μg/m³)
• No. mentions
• No. mentions per 100,000 tourists
• No. positive mentions per 100,000 tourists