France: Rocamadour

The view of Rocamadour is truly breathtaking – seemingly suspended in midair on an absolutely vertical cliff. There are three levels here – the town is located at the bottom, several churches and cathedrals with sacred treasures are midway on the cliff, while the fortress on top is meant to guard the approaches from the high above. In the ancient times, Rocamadour was considered the third most holy Christian place in the world after Jerusalem and Rome. Pilgrims still flock here to see the sacred Black Virgin of the Notre Dame de Rocamadour. The three levels are connected by funicular which are fun to ride while exploring this wonder of the world. It’s most certainly touristy and crowded and has a fair share of religious nuts but the views and the location and the architecture and the history are unparalleled.