Poenari Fortress Named One of Most Physically Demanding Landmarks
Just in time for the summer holiday season, PureGym conducted a study analyzing the number of steps required to experience over 70 tourist attractions, along with the total elevation change and average daytime temperature, to determine which has the highest overall ‘exertion score.’
The Flørli Stairs in Norway emerged as the most physically demanding attraction, scoring 76 out of 100 due to the 4,444 steps needed to complete the 740m climb. The Manitou Incline in the USA came in second with a score of 63, while Poenari Fortress (or Poenari Castle, also known as the home of Count Dracula) in Romania placed third.
Therefore, Flørli Stairs, which can be found in Norway, is the world’s most physically demanding landmark to visit, with an exertion score of 76/100. Requiring visitors to climb a dizzying 4,444 steps, it’s the world’s longest wooden staircase and climbs a huge 740m (about 2,427 ft) above sea level, to give visitors dramatic views of the glistening Lysefjord and its surrounding mountains.
Following behind with a score of 63/100, is the Manitou Incline, a popular hiking trail in Colorado, America. With visitors to the destination climbing over 600 metres in just under a mile, this steep and challenging ascent is popular with fitness enthusiasts looking to push themselves for a spectacular view.
Completing the world’s top three most challenging landmarks to visit is Poenari Castle in Romania, with an overall score of 58/100. Famously associated with both Vlad the Impaler and Count Dracula, the castle is perched high on a cliff roughly 800 metres above sea level. Tourists wanting to access the castle must climb a monstrous 1,480 concrete steps, before being rewarded with jaw dropping panoramic views of the surrounding Carpathian Mountains.
The 20 Most Physically Demanding Tourist Attractions in the World
Rank |
Tourist Attraction |
Location |
“Exertion” Score /100 |
1 |
Flørli Stairs |
Norway |
76 |
2 |
Manitou Incline |
United States of America |
63 |
3 |
Poenari Castle |
Romania |
58 |
4 |
Konpira-san Shrine |
Japan |
50 |
5 |
Arthur’s Seat |
Scotland |
48 |
6 |
Sigiriya |
Sri Lanka |
46 |
7 |
Park Guell |
Spain |
43 |
8 |
Petra Monastery |
Jordan |
41 |
9 |
Castle of the Moors |
Portugal |
41 |
10 |
Batu Caves |
Malaysia |
40 |
11 |
Vindhyagiri Steps |
India |
39 |
12 |
Sydney Harbour Bridge |
Australia |
39 |
13 |
Guatapé Rock |
Colombia |
38 |
14 |
Seville Cathedral |
Spain |
35 |
15 |
Heaven’s Gate |
China |
34 |
16 |
Monolithos Castle |
Greece |
34 |
17 |
Christ the Redeemer |
Brazil |
31 |
18 |
St. Augustine Lighthouse |
United States of America |
30 |
19 |
Dubrovnik City Walls |
Croatia |
30 |
20 |
Florence Cathedral |
Italy |
28 |
European attractions dominate the top 20, with nine different tourist landmarks ranking among the most demanding worldwide. From Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh which takes around an hour to reach, but requires a strenuous uphill climb, to the Monolithos Castle in Greece, situated on a 240m (about 787 ft) high rock on the west coast of Rhodes, that asks tourists to climb around 120 steps to reach.
Other notable attractions that made the top 20 span across the globe, from the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, a demanding bridge climb that gives tourists epic views over Sydney Harbour, to Heaven’s Gate in China, a beautiful natural arch found at the top of 999 steep steps.
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