National Geographic has chosen the top ten world destinations where the picnic is guaranteed to be the best. From Peru to New Zealand and Ireland, here are National Geographic's top ten picnic destinations.
Huayna Picchu, Peru
At an altitude of almost 9,000 meters above sea level, the view from the top, revealing the ruins of Machu Picchu from the 15th century, is breathtaking. The steep and slippery climb to this rocky peak is a strain on the body as well as the nerves, but the panoramic view of the Urubamba River valley and the famous Inca city makes it worth it. And what to eat? Butifarras, a Peruvian ham, onion, chili and lime sandwich.
![Huayna Picchu, Peru](https://e7852c3a.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/wayna_picchu_peru-27oct2009-660x438.jpg)
Milford Sound, South Island, New Zealand
Rainforest and dramatic cliffs, waterfalls flowing into rivers and rocky peaks over a thousand meters high above the depths of fjords - all this is Milford Sound, one of the most famous destinations in New Zealand. It's true that it's a tourist destination, but remote Milford Sound within World Heritage Site Te Wahipounamu retains a grandeur that neither visitors nor rain (as many as 182 days a year) can destroy. A two-hour boat or kayak ride around the coast conjures up a truly inspirational picnic. Mandatory equipment? Traditional kiwi, Aznac biscuits, roast lamb and a bottle of Marlborough Sauvignon.
![Milford Sound, South Island, New Zealand](https://e7852c3a.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/amazing-milford-sound-660x404.jpg)
Villa Borghese Gardens, Rome, Italy
olives, pizza bianca, marinated artichokes, salami and of course a bottle of wine is all we need to go on a picnic among the ancient ruins of the Renaissance beauties of Rome. In the gardens of Villa Borghese, near the Piazza del Popolo, it is the perfect destination for a romantic getaway. The Spanish steps lead us to the architecturally quite English gardens, but sculptures by Bernini, paintings by Tziano, Raphael and Caravaggio let us know that we are in romantic Italy.
![Villa Borghese Gardens, Rome, Italy](https://e7852c3a.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/rome-villa-borghese-gardens-660x495.jpg)
Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore
A tropical rainforest in the heart of one of the fastest growing cities in the world? It's true. This horticultural haven offers much more than just a lush tropical rainforest. The National Orchid Garden maintains a collection of over a thousand plant species and around 2,000 hybrids (including Singapore's national flower – the pink Vanda orchid), while the three lakes, botanical center and ginger garden offer opportunities for eco-education and an urban escape, the perfect location for a picnic. and it represents the botanical garden, especially when it is the season of open-air concerts.
![Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore](https://e7852c3a.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/singapore-botanical-gardens-edited-8-660x495.jpg)
Point Reyes National Seashore, Reyes Station Point, California, USA
Here we can enjoy wines from Napa and delicious snacks from Berkeley. This spectacular natural environment is located on 283 square kilometers on a peninsula north of San Francisco. It is rich in wildlife, from raptors to California moose and miroung. Hikers, travelers and those looking for the precious treasures of the beach and the surrounding area, especially alpine flowers, can go to Chimney Rock, and more casual excursionists can go to the nearby lighthouse at Point Reyes, where they can watch whales in January and March and the beauty of the coast all year round.
![Point Reyes National Seashore, Reyes Station Point, California, USA](https://e7852c3a.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/48439986-660x412.jpg)
READ MORE: Mandatory equipment, without which there is no good picnic
Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, Western Cape, South Africa
For a quick and green escape from Cape Town, we can take a picnic to a spectacular and sophisticated place on the slopes of Table Mountain. With a bottle of wine from Stellenbosch and some ti biltong (dried beef or ostrich meat), we can walk through natural forests and fynbos ("fine bush" - fine bush). This expansive botanic garden is home to more than 7,000 species of plants and native plants, as well as exhibit areas dedicated to medicinal and fragrant plants, as well as South Africa's national flower, the royal proteus.
![Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, Western Cape, South Africa](https://e7852c3a.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/kirstenbosch_-_view_from_the_botanical_gardens-660x282.jpg)
Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, France
Fountains, statues, two museums (Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume and Musée de l'Orangerie, in which, among other things, we can find the famous painting with water lilies by the French painter Monet) and countless comfortable chairs, it gives a surprisingly calm and relaxed atmosphere, where you can worry-free let's take care of ours déjeauner dur l'herbe. With the Seine on one side and the Rue de Ravioli on the other, the park is the perfect resting place for the weary traveller. We can also stop at the Angelina patisserie and buy a Mont Blanc cake (cream, meringue and chestnut cream), and then relax under the tree for those few blissful minutes or hours. The Eiffel Tower can wait.
![Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, France](https://e7852c3a.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/panoramics_of_jardin_des_tuileries_paris_from_musee_des_arts_decoratifs-660x334.jpg)
Haleakala National Park, Hawaii
How many picnics can we fit into one day? We beat the sunrise and head to the top of the Pu'u 'Ula'ula volcano, where we can enjoy a picnic breakfast and watch the sun slowly drive away the gray. We can go around the currently inactive volcano and forget about the layers of clothing - the temperatures range from freezing to pleasant temperatures, depending of course on the altitude and weather conditions. The descent from the top is about 27 kilometers long, so we will also provide a picnic lunch. And if we want a third picnic, we can prepare a picnic dinner: Haleakala offers a stunningly clear view of the surroundings and the starry sky.
![Haleakala National Park, Hawaii](https://e7852c3a.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/140082211_orig-660x439.jpg)
Aran Islands, Ireland
The group of three islands at the mouth of Galway Bay has long been on the picnickers' map. Some smoked salmon and black bread and whiskey before boarding the picturesque ferry and we can already drive through the karst limestone landscapes and observe the rough green terrain of the island of Inishmore. You can explore some of Ireland's oldest archaeological remains and visit an Iron Age fort, where you can have a summer picnic while looking out over the Atlantic Ocean.
![Aran Islands, Ireland](https://e7852c3a.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/aran_21-660x495.jpg)
National Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC, USA
Jazz music can be enjoyed in the National Sculpture Garden throughout the summer. The elegant oasis adjoins the National Mall Garden Houses, home to 17 three-dimensional works of art created by luminaries such as Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder and Roy Lichtenstein. A large circular fountain pleasantly cools the crowd in the summer months, and becomes an ice rink in the winter.
![National Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC, USA](https://e7852c3a.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/img_0753-660x439.jpg)
More information:
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com