Pinterest’s top pins show contrast between travelers’ fantasies and realities

Dec. 20, 2013, 11:42 PM UTC

By Samantha Shankman

A rock in Scotland, a lagoon in Iceland, and a field of bluebonnets in Texas are among the most frequently shared travel photos on Pinterest in 2013.

As part of a year-end review, Pinterest released a list of the 20 top trending pins based on repins from Pinterest users around the world. The pins are not listed in any particular order.

The most popular region was Europe, where eight of the 20 top pins listed are located. Two are located in the United States, two in South America, and three in Asia.

It’s been a big week for social media sites sharing information about user behavior. Earlier, Facebook shared the most checked-in travel sights in the U.S. and abroad, Twitter shared its most popular photo posts, and Foursquare shares its most checked into places.

Pinterest’s list is far more diverse, likely because the photos represent places that users would like to visit instead of where they’ve actually been, checked into, and taken photos of. It highlights the vast differences between where people travel in reality and where they dream of going in their Pinterest fantasies.

Photos and the full list of destinations are below:

1. Portknockie, Scotland

2. Blue Lagoon, Iceland

3. Ennis Bluebonnet Festival, Texas

4. The Caves Resort, Jamaica

5. Abraham Lake in Alberta, Canada

6. Boulders Beach in Cape Town, South Africa

7. The Crags in Port Fairy, Victoria, Australia

8. Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria in Sorrento, Italy

9. Eiffel Tower in Paris

10. Canal de la Garonne, France

11. Putra Mosque in Putrajaya, Malaysia