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The Parlance Of The 8 Most Photographed Places In The World

How do you speak ‘most Insta-famous landmarks around the globe?’
The Parlance Of The 8 Most Photographed Places In The World

Some places attract camera clicks for a reason. And some places attract more camera clicks by virtue of having already attracted many camera clicks. While it may be impossible to separate their innate charm from all the additional hype that’s been created around it, the most photographed places in the world occupy a storied place in the mythos of our cultural imagination, and that’s probably not going to change anytime soon.

We took a look at the lists of the most photographed places in the world compiled by Expedia, InfoTrends, Dreamstime and Sony Mobile to zero in on a handful of spots that appear to have fully earned their photogenic stripes.

And of course, we know that seeing is only part of the experience. If you’re like us, you’ll want to hear, speak and understand, too. Here are a few of the most photographed places in the world and the languages you can expect to encounter when you visit them — as well as links to a few additional resources to help you study up before you go.

Most Photographed Places In The World

central park

New York City

Across the various lists we researched, New York City appeared to consistently rank as the most photographed city in the world. Within the Big Apple, Central Park and the Guggenheim Museum both vied for most photographed landmarks, and of course, the Empire State Building and Times Square were also popular places to take a camera.

The languages of New York City
Well, how should we say this — more or less all of them? The borough of Queens is the most linguistically diverse place in the world, and there are as many as 800 languages spoken across the city. But of course, the one you’re most likely to encounter is American English.

Further reading:
Multilingual Manhattan: New York’s Multitude Of Language Communities
How Not To Be A Tourist In New York City
The United States Of Accents: Dialects Of The East Coast Cities
The Languages Of Queens: Diversity Capital Of The World
10 Things Americans Say That Might Sound Weird In Other Countries
How To Flirt With An American
How American English Grew Its Wings
21 American English Phrases That Are, Like, Totally Useful To Know
What Are The Differences Between American And British English?

big ben

London

Across the pond, the city of London also receives its fair share of photographic attention. The most widely snapped landmarks include Big Ben, the London Eye and Buckingham Palace, but there are certainly other brilliant snaps to be taken around the city.

The languages of the United Kingdom
British English is, of course, a given, but there are other languages spoken in the United Kingdom. These include indigenous languages like Scots and Welsh, as well as immigrant languages like Polish and Punjabi.

Further reading:
Which Are The Most Spoken Languages In The United Kingdom?
7 Phrases You’ll Only Hear In The UK (And How To Use Them Like A Boss)
Quiz: Do You Know The Proper Names For These British Food Items?
11 Bloody Brilliant British English Phrases
The Royal Family Of British Accents — The Amazing Variety Of Accents Across The British Isles
How To Spend Your Weekend Like A Born-And-Bred Londoner

eiffel tower

Paris

Is it any surprise that the city of lurve (Louvre?) would also top global lists of cinematic exposure? If there’s one iconic landmark to steal the show, it would be the Eiffel Tower. But the Louvre, Moulin Rouge and Notre Dame Cathedral are all popular picture spots too.

The languages of France
The official language of France is, well, French. And you’ll probably need to brush up on your bonjours before you go. But you may also encounter other languages, including regional ones like Occitan and immigrant languages like English, German, Italian and Arabic.

Further reading:
How To Talk About Food And Drink In French
How To Talk About The Weather In French
The 12 Most Common Adjectives In French
How To Start Speaking French Before Your Vacation
How To Count To 100 In French
5 Very Good, Very Specific Tips To Learn French
The 20 Most Common French Verbs (And How To Use Them)
The 10 Most Useful French Expressions For Everyday Life
5 Tips From A Parisian To Pass As A Local In Paris
How To Date A Parisian
5 Unconventional Places To Discover In Paris

And The Rest Of The Top Runners-Up Are…

dubai

Dubai, most notably the Burj Khalifa.
Official language: Arabic

Further reading:
How Many People Speak Arabic Around The World, And Where?
The Influence Of Arabic On The Spanish Language

singapore

Singapore, especially the Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands and Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.
Official languages: Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, English

Further reading:
What Language Is Spoken In Singapore?

rome

Rome, especially the Trinità dei Monti, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Colosseum.
Official language: Italian

Further reading:
The 21 Most Common Adjectives In Italian
How To Name And Pronounce Colors In Italian
How To Count To 100 In Italian
6 Of The Best Podcasts For Italian Language Learners
The 20 Most Common Italian Verbs (And How To Use Them)
Vacation Cheat Sheet: 22 Italian Phrases To Know
5 Very Good, Very Specific Tips To Learn Italian
8 Italian Expressions You Won’t Learn In School — Real Slang To Make You Sound Like A Native
7 Italian Gestures That Could Come In Handy
How To Eat Like An Italian
All The Ways To Drink Coffee In Italy

barcelona

Barcelona, especially Park Güell and La Sagrada Familia.
Official languages: Catalan and Spanish

Further reading:
How To Do Barcelona In Only One Day
How To Start Speaking Spanish Before Your Vacation
The Nuances Of Spanish Dialects Around The Globe
How To Talk About Food And Drink In Spanish
How To Talk About The Time In Spanish
The 9 Most Common Adjectives In Spanish
How To Express Your Emotions In Spanish
5 Very Specific, Very Useful Tips To Learn Spanish
The 20 Most Common Spanish Verbs (And How To Use Them)
The Art Of Swearing In Spanish

istanbul

Istanbul, especially Kiz Kulesi
Official language: Turkish

Further reading:
How To Count To 100 In Turkish
How To Name And Pronounce Colors In Turkish
5 Tips To Learn Turkish (From A Turkish Linguist)
The 20 Most Common Verbs In Turkish (And How To Use Them)
The Most Romantic Language? Turkish For Lovers
An Introduction To The Turkish Language
The Modest Arsenal: 24 Hours In Istanbul With Only A Few Turkish Words

Take a proper lesson before you go.
Steph Koyfman
Steph is a writer, lindy hopper, and astrologer. She’s also a language enthusiast who grew up bilingual and had an early love affair with books. She has mostly proved herself as a New Yorker, and she can introduce herself in Swedish thanks to Babbel. She also speaks Russian and Spanish, but she’s a little rusty on those fronts.
Steph is a writer, lindy hopper, and astrologer. She’s also a language enthusiast who grew up bilingual and had an early love affair with books. She has mostly proved herself as a New Yorker, and she can introduce herself in Swedish thanks to Babbel. She also speaks Russian and Spanish, but she’s a little rusty on those fronts.

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