This year, instead of traveling to the same old park or beach, explore the best human civilization has to offer and visit one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Visiting the New Seven Wonders of the World adds to your knowledge and history of the world and spices up your travels. The list of the New Seven Wonders of the World makes a perfect springboard from which to start your discoveries.

Each monument has solid tourism infrastructure, making these places easily accessible even if some remain off the beaten track.

The New Seven World Wonders

• The Great Wall of China – Originally built to keep out foreigners, especially those from Mongolia, this masterpiece now draws most people to China. Famous the world over, this colossal construction took years to complete and many thousands of hands to build. Walking on the Great Wall of China fills the soul with wonder and astonishment and the experience stays with you for years to come.

• Petra – Once a shining capital city in the Arabian Desert, the Nabataean people mastered water technology during the empire of King Aretas IV (9 B.C. to 40 A.D.) and constructed massive water tunnels and chambers for their city. Today, the 42-meter-high facade of the Palace Tombs of Petra, in southwest Jordan, represents an impressive example of Middle Eastern culture.

• Statue of Christ the Redeemer - Standing 38 meters tall, atop the Corcovado Mountain watching over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this statue of Jesus is one of the best known monuments in the world. Brazilian Heitor da Silva Costa designed the statue that French sculptor Paul Landowski took five years to create. The Statue of Christ the Redeemer was inaugurated on October 12, 1931 and has since become a symbol of the Brazilian people who welcome the world with arms wide open.

• Machu Picchu – Lost until only a few short years ago this ancient Incan city in Peru was built in the clouds some time around the 15th century. Rediscovered in 1911, Machu Picchu has become a place of pilgrimage deep in the Amazon jungle, halfway up the Andes Plateau.

• Chichen Itza – The last and possibly the greatest of the Mayan Temple Cities, Chichen Itza served as the economic and political center of ancient Mayan civilization. The structures, built in various styles, stand as a testament to architectural commitment in Mexico’s ancient Mayan civilization.

• The Roman Colosseum – Built in the centre of Rome during the height of the Roman Empire, this 2000 year old arena has inspired coliseum construction ever since. Once a place of brutal battle and bloodshed, the Colosseum now draws hordes of crowds every day to view the place where the gladiators once fought.

• Taj Mahal – Built under the order of Shah Jahan to commemorate the passing of his beloved wife, the Taj Mahal has become not only the most recognizable symbol of India but of love in general. Constructed exclusively from white marble, the Taj is not only a building of extreme beauty but also a marvel in architecture and symmetry.

The New Seven World Wonders list made history as voters the world over decided which monuments to include. The old list of Seven World Wonders is believed to have been made by ancient Greek writer Antipater of Sidon.

Chosen by a poll of 100 million online voters the new list was the brainchild of Swiss-Canadian Bernard Weber who established the New 7 Wonders Organization, which donates half its proceeds to rebuild Bamiyan Buddha statue in Afghanistan.