National Geographic Travel's Best Travel Photos of 2013

National Geographic Travel selects the top 50 best travel photos of 2013. To see more travel photos, go to National Geographic Travel's daily photo feature, Travel 365.

 

Pomerania, Poland --- Photograph by Kacper Kowalski, Panos Pictures --- Fall colors blaze out in concentric rings from a lake in eastern Pomerania, Poland. The region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea is largely covered with farmlandâand vast swaths of forest.

 

Blue Lagoon, Iceland --- Photograph by Agnieszka Rayss, Anzenberger/Redux --- Drinks blend with the landscape during a summer solstice midnight party in Iceland's Blue Lagoon. Marking the beginning of the season, the summer solstice is the longest day of the year, falling on June 20 or 21.

 

Colosseum, Rome --- Photograph by Gabriele Forzano, Reuters --- A rare snow shower falls on Rome's Colosseum, built 2,000 years ago to host gladiator duels, battle reenactments, and other public spectacles. Today the 50,000-seat amphitheater serves Rome in another capacity: as a major tourist attraction.

 

Fisherman, Bangladesh --- Photograph by Pronob Ghosh, National Geographic Your Shot --- A Bangladeshi fisherman flings open a traditional blue net to catch tiny shrimp. His village, Gabura, is in southwestern Bangladesh and has been studied for the effects of climate change.

 

Burj Khalifa, Dubai --- Photograph by LOOK/Alamy --- The observation deck at the Burj Khalifaâthe tallest building in the world at 2,716.5 feetâoffers a panoramic view of the flat desert shores of sea-level Dubai. The building took seven years to build and holds a number of other records, including most number of stories, highest outdoor observation deck, and tallest service elevator. 8BIM

 

Cherry Blossoms, Japan ---
Photograph by Diane Cook and Len Jenshel, National Geographic ---
In Japan the nighttime viewing of cherry blossoms in spring, like these at Kyoto’s Hirano Shrine, is a special event. “The cherries’ only fault: the crowds that gather when they bloom,” wrote Saigyo, a 12th-century poet.

 

Lake Mývatn, Iceland ---
Photograph by Jonas Bendiksen, National Geographic ---
"Pseudo craters" mark the land surrounding Lake Mývatn in Iceland. The southern part of the lake rests on a lava flow that was emitted 2,000 years ago. The pseudo craters are continually formed as water trapped beneath the Earth's surface turns to steam and explodes through the layer above.

 

Deer Creek Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park ---
Photograph by Corey Rich, Aurora ---
Most of the nearly five million people who visit Grand Canyon National Park each year simply take in the stunning views from the rim. The more adventurous descend the canyon and get up close to rock that dates back 1.8 billion years. Here, hikers traverse Deer Creek Trail, an overnight trip that’s one of the most popular routes in the park.

 

Arctic Fox, Canada --- Photograph by Norbert Rosing, National Geographic --- Before dawn, a brilliant full moon illuminates the snowy landscape of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, home to an arctic fox. The fox's coat changes color with the seasons; as the snow melts it begins to turn grayish brown.