Getting to travel anywhere is a great experience, as you get to immerse yourself in the culture, scenery, and history of your new destination. History plays a key part in why many travelers visit a new state or country, with 69% of travelers planning trips around specific experiences like visiting landmarks, according to Talker Research. Many landmarks around the world have millions of visitors each year, so finding the best time, and the best historic site to visit, comes with its own set of questions. But an eSIM can help you stay connected on your visit — making it easier to navigate, research, and learn about your favorite landmarks in real time, with confidence.

To find out which landmarks offer a stress-free experience in the U.S. and worldwide, the Holafly research team looked at the Google ratings, number of four and five star ratings, average word count per positive review, and other factors for the 200 most popular global landmarks and historic sites, ranking them by how much they are loved and complained-about worldwide and in America.

The Most Loved Landmarks Across the Globe

1. The Colosseum - Rome, Italy

As one of the most iconic landmarks in the world, the Colosseum ranks as the most loved landmark in the world. This ancient amphitheater, built 2,000 years ago, is the largest amphitheater ever built. Back in the day, the Colosseum used to host gladiator battles, animal hunts, and many other forms of entertainment. With over 458,000 total four- and five-star reviews out of 487,404 total reviews—the most out of any landmark listed—the Colosseum still remains one of the most desired and appreciated historical landmarks globally for people to visit and embrace to this day. Visitors clearly loved their experience at the Colosseum—spending a combined total of over 487,000 minutes writing positive reviews.

2. Eiffel Tower - Paris, France

The Eiffel Tower is the second most loved landmark worldwide. Originally built as a temporary structure for the World’s Fair in 1889, the Eiffel Tower has since become France’s most visited monument, drawing around seven million visitors a year. When people think of Paris, the first thing that comes to mind is the Eiffel Tower, and that adds up, as visitors have spent a combined total of nearly 422,000 minutes writing positive reviews about this historic landmark – the second most out of any international or U.S. landmark listed. Out of its 483,000 total reviews, 91% of them are four and five-star reviews, showcasing that many visitors leave with a positive experience rather than a negative one. Whether viewed from the ground or from the upper deck, during the day or at night, as a symbol of love or a symbol of joy, the tower offers a mesmerizing experience for visitors in one of the world’s best cities.

3. Rockefeller Center - New York, United States

The iconic Rockefeller Center is the third most loved landmark worldwide. With an average Google rating of 4.7, a lot of people seem to love visiting this historic site, as people have spent over 329,000 cumulative minutes writing positive reviews about it, alongside 94% of the reviews being four and five-star ratings. As the most notable landmark in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, Rockefeller Center is home to popular attractions like the famous ice-skating rink and the annual Christmas tree lighting. It is also a major hub for all things art, fashion, and fine dining within Midtown Manhattan, in which many of its nearly 500,000 daily visitors seem to enjoy all year-round.

4. Taj Mahal - Agra, India

The Taj Mahal is the fourth most loved landmark worldwide. Widely known as one of the greatest architectural achievements in human history, visitors fly in from every part of the globe to Agra, India, to appreciate the magnificent white marble structure, which took over 20 years and 20,000 workers to complete. Their appreciation doesn’t go unnoticed, as nearly 214,000 minutes have been spent by travelers writing positive reviews alongside 39 positive words in each review on average, regarding their experience and every aspect of the Taj Mahal.

5. Old City of Jerusalem and its walls - Jerusalem, Jerusalem

Rounding out the top five most loved landmarks worldwide is the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls. There are few places on this planet that carry a historical and spiritual significance like the Old City of Jerusalem, which is sacred to three of the world’s major religions. Over 11,000 people have shared their experience visiting the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls, with 94% (10,746) being four and five-star reviews. A total of 6,125 minutes all-time was also spent writing those positive reviews. Overall, walking the narrow stone streets of this historic site feels less like sightseeing for many and more like stepping directly into the pages of history.

The Most Complained-About Landmarks Across the Globe

1. Robben Island - Cape Town, South Africa

Robben Island comes in as the most complained-about landmark in the world. This historic site sits just off the coast of Cape Town and carries one of the saddest histories of any landmark in the world, having served as a political prison during South Africa’s apartheid era, which held one of the world’s most prominent social activists, Nelson Mandela. With a 4.2 average Google rating and 548 total reviews, visitors love and appreciate learning about the historical significance of the landmark. Many of the complaints, however, are regarding the lack of organization, communication, and refunds due to cancellation or unforeseen weather implications, with more time on average spent writing complaints (32 seconds) than positive reviews (30 seconds).

2. United States Supreme Court Building - Washington, D.C., United States

The United States Supreme Court Building is the second most complained-about landmark in the world. Located directly across from the Capitol, the Supreme Court Building draws hundreds and thousands of visitors each year, eager to witness and learn about the home of the highest court in America. With a 4.2 overall rating on Google and 819 total reviews, the historic building is generally well regarded by visitors. However, many of the criticisms of the U.S. Supreme Court Building focus on poor communication from staff or personal frustrations during visits, with negative reviews averaging nearly 19 words each.

3. Island of Gorée, Dakar, Senegal

The Island of Gorée is the third most complained-about landmark in the world. Located just off the coast of Dakar, the Island of Gorée is one of Africa’s most historically significant and emotionally charged landmarks. For over three centuries, it was a major hub in the transatlantic slave trade, and the House of Slaves. The historical site has a solid number of positive reviews and total reviews at 1,489, but many who left negative reviews were somewhat lengthy, with an average word count of around 23 words, complaining about the lack of organization, long wait times to see the island, and the varying price ranges for locals and tourists.

4. Great Barrier Reef - Queensland, Australia

The Great Barrier Reef is the fourth most complained-about landmark in the world. Stretching over 2,300 kilometers along the northeastern coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system and one of the most diverse marine environments on the planet. It draws over two million visitors annually who come to snorkel, dive, and explore the water and its creatures. It is, however, one of the five lowest rated landmarks at a 4.3 average Google rating, with visitors spending on average of 33 seconds per negative review and 22 words per negative review, complaining about

5. Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory - Los Alamos, New Mexico

The Los Alamos National Laboratory is the fifth most complained-about landmark in the world. Known as one of the most controversial scientific sites in American history and the birthplace of the atomic bomb, the Los Alamos National Laboratory continues to operate as a leading center for national security science and nuclear research. Visitors to the area can’t explore the laboratory itself but can explore the Bradbury Science Museum near the laboratory to learn more about it. The laboratory has a respectable average Google rating of 4.6, but complaints about it tended to be more detailed than praised, with negative reviews averaging around 17 words each compared to 16 words each for positive ones.

The Most Loved U.S. Landmarks

1. Rockefeller Center - New York, New York

Rockefeller Center ranks as the most loved U.S. landmark. It’s more than just a building, as it’s a cultural landmark in the center of Midtown Manhattan. Out of 200,000 total Google reviews, more than half of them (188,203) are four and five-star ratings, as millions of people within the city and all over the world love visiting Rockefeller Center for its many iconic attractions, including the Top of the Rock observation deck, the famous ice-skating rink, and the annual Christmas tree lighting.

2. Niagara Falls (Niagara Reservation) - Niagara Falls, New York

Niagara Falls is the second most loved U.S. landmark in the U.S. As the oldest state park in the United States, millions of people each year travel to Niagara Falls to witness one of the world’s most iconic natural wonders. With over 66,000 five-star reviews, many travelers seem to always enjoy the full range of experiences it has to offer, from the Maid of the Mist boat tour to the hiking trails along the gorge, and much more. Outside of its high number of five-star ratings, the national park is continuously raved about by visitors as they’ve spent approximately over 156,000 minutes writing positive reviews about Niagara Falls, the second most of any U.S. landmark listed

3. Brooklyn Bridge - New York, New York

As another one of New York City’s most recognizable landmarks, the Brooklyn Bridge is a mesmerizing historic landmark. Built in 1869 and completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was one of the longest suspension bridges in the world at the time. The bridge spans 1.3 miles across the East River, drawing thousands of walkers, runners, and cyclists from Manhattan and Brooklyn every day and every season. The bridge has iconic views during the day, and lights up at night, as you can see cars passing by and boats passing below. People seem to love the iconic bridge as it has the most TikTok search volume out of any landmark listed, at nearly 7 million searches on average.

4. USS Midway - San Diego, California

As one of the most visited naval museums in the world, the USS Midway Museum is the fourth most loved landmark in the U.S. The museum offers visitors a look at life aboard one of America’s longest-serving aircraft carriers. Placed permanently in downtown San Diego’s harbor, the ship houses over 30 restored aircraft and helicopters spanning from the Battle of Midway in 1942, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, up to today’s modern aircraft. The museum is highly loved by visitors as they spent a total of over 64,700 minutes all time writing positive reviews at an average of around 90 positive words per review – making it a top-tier historical site for military history and aviation fanatics, alongside anyone else alike to enjoy.

5. Yellowstone National Park - Wyoming/Montana/Idaho

Rounding out the top five most loved U.S landmarks is Yellowstone National Park. This historic site is massive, as it spans over two million acres and across three different states. It is home to more than half of the world’s geysers, including the famous Old Faithful, alongside a vast range of wildlife, including bison, wolves, and grizzly bears. Many people love visiting this national park as 96% (42,958) of its Google reviews contain four and five-star ratings, while many people via TikTok are interested in visiting, with an average search volume of over 4.5 million regarding Yellowstone National Park.

The Most Complained-About U.S. Landmarks

1. Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park - Tombstone, Arizona

The Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park is the most complained-about U.S. landmark. The historic site, built in 1882, served as the center of law and order during Tombstone’s silver boom era, and currently houses artifacts, photographs, and exhibits showcasing events from that time period. Around 40,000 people visit the site annually, but for wild west fanatics, many complaints and negative reviews are quite lengthy, with an average of nearly 63 words per negative review.

2. Kennedy Space Center (Launch Complex 39) - Merritt Island, Florida The Kennedy Space Center is the second most complained about landmark in the U.S. Located on Merritt Island off Florida’s Atlantic coast, this space center served as the launch site for every Apollo moon mission as well as the Space Shuttle program. It continues to operate today as an active launch facility used by NASA, for which many reviews praise it for being able to witness their first in-person rocket launch. The negative reviews, although limited, are lengthy as they average around 47 words per negative review, regarding the rudeness and unprofessionalism of staff.

3. John F. Kennedy Birthplace - Brookline, Massachusetts

John F. Kennedy National Historic Site in Brookline, Massachusetts, is the third most complained-about U.S. landmark. The historic site preserves the Victorian home where the 35th President of the United States was born, and although temporarily closed, it is still maintained by the National Park Service and was restored by Kennedy’s mother, Rose, to reflect its original appearance. At an average Google rating of 4.5, the historic site is one of the 10 lowest rated within the U.S. landmarks listed, and also averages 29 words per negative review, with some citing the wait times and limited capacity as an issue during the tours.

4. Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - Cape Canaveral, Florida

Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is the fourth most complained-about U.S. landmark. The air force station historically has played a central role in American space and defense history, serving as the launch site for the first U.S. satellite and the first American astronauts. This station brings in many space, aviation, and history enthusiasts every year at around 1.5 million on average, who can’t say enough about how cool this historic site is, but negative review word counts for this site exceed 25 words on average, with complaints regarding the expensive tour prices.

5. Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory - Los Alamos, New Mexico

Ranking fifth among the most complained-about landmarks in the U.S. is the Los Alamos National Laboratory. As mentioned previously, the laboratory carries a very complex legacy. Being the home of the atomic bomb, it remains active for national security and science research — meaning visitors can’t walk the grounds freely. Instead, the nearby Bradbury Science Museum serves as the inside scoop into the laboratory’s history. Despite a strong average Google rating of 4.6, those who took issue with the site and the museum had plenty to say about it, with negative reviews running slightly longer than positive ones—17 words on average versus 16—consisting of complaints regarding unprofessional and rude staff.

The Most Loved International Landmarks

1. The Colosseum - Rome, Italy

The Colosseum comes in as the #1 most loved international landmark in the world. As mentioned previously, this historic amphitheater was home to many great historic and entertaining events, which many people around the world seek to witness in its current form each year. Over 2.6 million TikTok searches on average are made by aspiring travelers who want to learn about and embrace one of the largest and most renowned ancient artifacts of the Roman Empire, while those who’ve already visited had many good things to say, with an average of 38 words per positive review.

2. Eiffel Tower - Paris, France

The Eiffel Tower is the #2 most loved international landmark in the world. Located in the “City of Love”, many visitors have made sure to show love in their reviews, with each positive review averaging around 38 words. Reviewers spent a decent amount of time raving about their experience at the Eiffel Tower as well, taking an average of around 58 seconds of their day to write a positive review.

3. Taj Mahal - Agra, India

The Taj Mahal is the third most loved international landmark in the world. People fly in from around the world to a, to show love to the beautiful white marble structure, which truly represents it. Completed in 1658, the Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to immortalize his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The love and appreciation that the Taj Mahal represents trickled down to visitors as they’ve spent more time praising their experience (57.6 seconds) at the landmark than writing complaints about it (52.2 seconds).

4. Old City of Jerusalem and its walls - Jerusalem, Jerusalem

The Old City of Jerusalem and its walls finish as the fourth most loved international landmark. The historical and spiritual significance of the historic site has made many people relive and reflect on their grand experience via Google reviews regarding the walls. Around 25% of the reviews pertaining to the historic site contained positive keywords, with each positive review having an average length of 23 words.

5. Christ the Redeemer - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Christ the Redeemer rounds out the top five most loved international landmarks. The notable statue overlooking Rio de Janeiro continues to have visitors put their feelings and gratitude into words, with an average of 41 positive words per review. Out of the nearly 130,000 total reviews, over 124,000 total minutes were spent writing positive reviews by visitors.

The Most Complained-About International Landmarks

1. Robben Island - Cape Town, South Africa

Robben Island comes in as the most complained-about landmark in the world. With a 4.2 average Google rating and 548 total reviews, visitors love and appreciate learning about the historical significance of the landmark. Many of the complaints, however, are regarding the lack of organization, communication, and refunds due to cancellation or unforeseen weather implications, with more time on average spent writing complaints (32 seconds) than positive reviews (30 seconds).

2. Island of Gorée, Dakar, Senegal

The Island of Gorée is the third most complained-about landmark in the world. The historical site has a solid number of positive reviews and a total of 1,489 reviews, but many who left negative reviews were somewhat lengthy, with an average word count of around 23 words, complaining about the lack of organization, long wait times to see the island, and the varying price ranges for locals and tourists.

3. Kilimanjaro National Park – Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Kilimanjaro National Park is the third most complained-about international landmark. The national park boasts the largest mountain within the African continent, which travelers from all over the world look forward to climbing. Although holding a 4.6 average Google review across nearly 3,400 total reviews, travelers use more negative words on average than positive ones, at around 36 words per negative review, compared to an average of 16 words per positive review.

4. Sagarmatha National Park - Solukhumbu, Nepal

Sagarmatha National Park is the fourth most complained-about international landmark. Home to the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest, people from every part of the planet come to hike the mountain while witnessing the breathtaking views and rare wildlife. Although the national park has an average Google rating of 4.6, people who wrote negative reviews about their experience had lengthier reviews than those who wrote about their experience positively, at 24 words on average compared to 19 words on average.

5. Archaeological Site of Carthage – Tunis, Tunisia

The Archaeological Site of Carthage is the fifth most complained-about landmark. This historic site offers a deep look into ancient Mediterranean history, in which 1,600 individuals rated it. positively within their Google reviews. However, those who didn’t enjoy their experience wrote an average of around 20 words per negative view for an average of 29 seconds, with most negative reviews citing the lack of organization, cleanliness, and the general upkeep of the historic site.

Overall, looking at both the global and U.S. rankings, the difference between the most loved and most complained about landmarks reveals how much a visitor’s experience can change from one historic site to the next. The landmarks that are the most beloved share something in common — rich history combined with great experiences that stay with you for a long time, while the landmarks that are the most complained about often struggle with poor staff communication and professionalism.

Since you know which landmarks are getting the most love and hype within the U.S. and around the world, the next step is making sure you’re ready to explore and enjoy them. Whether researching facts mid-tour, finding your way between sites, or discovering the best nearby spots, reliable and fast internet access makes a huge difference between a good trip and the best trip ever. Consider installing your travel eSIM before you reach your destination, so everything from maps, reviews, and landmark information is all at your disposal from the moment you arrive.

Methodology

To determine the most loved and most complained about national landmarks in the U.S. and around the world, we analyzed 100 U.S. and 100 international landmarks using three measures such as the average Google ratings and review counts, the frequency of strong positive or negative language in reviews, and the estimated time reviewers spent writing them (based on a 40 words-per-minute typing speed). The U.S. list was sourced from the National Park Service and the National Register of Historic Places while the international list was from the UNESCO World Heritage List. Data is current as of April 14, 2026.