Secret World Hidden places, real stories
Since 2014 · London

The world is full of secrets.We've been telling them since 2014.

Secret World gathers the places guidebooks forget: a hidden chapel, a secret garden, the street where locals eat. Real stories and real photos — now in an AI trip planner in your pocket.

500,000+places to discover
62languages
12years of stories
1 billion+travellers in 12 years
Every light is a real place in our catalogue

From our catalogue

Places you won't find in a guidebook

Every photo belongs to a real story on Secret World. Tap one and start exploring.

Kyoto, Japan KyotoJapan Ausangate, Peru AusangatePeru Le Jardin Secret, Marrakech Le Jardin SecretMarrakech Biblioteca Salaborsa, Bologna Biblioteca SalaborsaBologna Ginkakuji, Kyoto GinkakujiKyoto Grace Church, New York Grace ChurchNew York Andes, Peru AndesPeru Bahia Palace, Marrakech Bahia PalaceMarrakech
Ginkakuji, Kyoto
#1Trip Planner
2026

Our Story

Born from a simple frustration.

Antonio and Markus were tired of travel apps that felt cold, corporate and disconnected from real experience. They believed the best guide to any place wasn't a five-star hotel review — it was a local's story, told with heart.

In 2014, they launched Secret World with one goal: make the world's travel knowledge freely accessible to everyone. Not behind a paywall. Not buried under ads. Just honest, human storytelling about the places we love.

In the years when Alexa ranked the web, Secret World rose among the top three travel platforms in the world — more visited than Trivago and National Geographic. In 12 years, over 1 billion travellers have used our guides.

Today that same knowledge lives in the Secret World AI Trip Planner: 500,000+ places, in your pocket, in your language.

Our Journey

How we got here

2014
Secret World launches

Founded in London with a simple mission: make travel knowledge free and human.

2017
1 million users reached

The community grew organically — travellers sharing stories, locals contributing hidden gems.

2020
180M+ visitors a year

In Alexa's global rankings, Secret World was among the top three travel platforms — ahead of Trivago and National Geographic.

2024
AI Trip Planner launched

Ten years of hidden places become an AI trip planner: 500,000+ places, 62 languages, real stories.

The People Behind It

Meet the founders

A
Antonio Kim Ciccarelli
Co-founder & CEO

A traveller at heart, Antonio has visited over 80 countries and believes that every place has a story worth telling.

M
Markus Hofmeier
Co-founder & CTO

Markus combines engineering precision with a traveller's curiosity.

What We Stand For

Our values

🌍
Free for everyone

🫂
Human first

🔍
Radically honest

🤖
AI with a human soul

♻️
Travel responsibly

🗺️
Every place matters

A world without language barriers

Secret World speaks your language — literally. Every story is available in 62 languages, so every traveller can explore the world in their own words.

🇬🇧 English🇮🇹 Italiano🇩🇪 Deutsch🇫🇷 Français🇪🇸 Español🇵🇹 Português🇳🇱 Nederlands🇵🇱 Polski🇷🇺 Русский🇯🇵 日本語🇨🇳 中文🇰🇷 한국어🇸🇦 العربية🇹🇷 Türkçe🇸🇪 Svenska🇬🇷 Ελληνικά🇮🇱 עברית🇮🇩 Bahasa🇹🇭 ภาษาไทย🇻🇳 Tiếng Việt🇮🇳 हिन्दी + 41 more
🏆 AI Trip Planner 2026

Download free.
500,000+ places in your pocket.

Personalised itineraries, hidden gems and honest local tips — powered by AI, grounded in real stories.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play
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Secret World is published by Sworld Tech Ltd, United Kingdom.