Top 9 Must-Visit Mazes Around the Globe

One of cinema's most unforgettable moments features Jack Nicholson, armed with an axe, pursuing his son through a hedge maze near the Overlook Hotel in the 1980 classic The Shining. Interestingly, the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, which inspired the Overlook and the Shining story, didn’t have a hedge maze until 2015. That year, the hotel finally added one to meet public demand. However, fans of the film might be let down—the Stanley’s maze stands just three feet tall, designed to keep children safe from getting lost or encountering any fictional horrors.

For centuries, hedge mazes have adorned grand estates, and in recent years, they’ve been complemented by corn mazes, straw mazes, and other creative twists on vegetative labyrinths. Here’s a curated list of the most fascinating and visually stunning mazes worldwide.

1. Longleat Maze, Warminster, Wiltshire, England

Built from over 16,000 English yew trees, the Longleat maze holds the title of the world’s longest hedge maze, spanning nearly 1.7 miles. It sits within an 8,000-acre estate owned by the Marquesses of Bath since the 1500s, with 900 acres landscaped by the renowned designer Lancelot “Capability” Brown, known for his vision of landscapes with “great capabilities.” The estate also features a Safari Park, the first of its kind outside Africa, and three additional smaller garden mazes.

2. Masone Labyrinth, Parma, Italy

The Masone Labyrinth | Labirinto della Masone

The Masone Labyrinth

, the largest maze in the world, is found in an Italian town famous for its Parmesan cheese. Its creation stemmed from a friendly wager between Italian publisher Franco Maria Ricci and author Jorge Luis Borges, after Ricci claimed he could build the world’s largest maze and Borges doubted it was possible.

The star-shaped labyrinth, unveiled in May 2015, was crafted using 200,000 bamboo plants and spans 20 acres. Ricci, in his seventies, opted for fast-growing bamboo instead of traditional trees and shrubs to ensure he could witness the maze’s completion in his lifetime.

3. Andrássy Castle, Tiszadob, Hungary

Situated near the Tisza River close to the Hungarian-Slovakian border, the hedge maze at Andrássy Castle is designed to mimic the shape of a squid. The castle, built in the 1800s for Count Gyula Andrássy, features a boxwood maze adorned with yew trees.

4. Dole Pineapple Maze, Wahiawa, Hawaii

Aerial view of Dole Plantation's Pineapple Garden Maze | slobo/iStock via Getty Images

Before the Masone Labyrinth claimed the title, the Pineapple Maze at Dole Plantation was the world’s largest permanent maze. Featuring 14,000 types of Hawaiian plants, many with delightful fragrances, it offers two-and-a-half miles of winding paths. At its heart lies a pineapple, along with eight hidden stations and prizes for those who navigate it the quickest.

5. Villa Pisani Labyrinth, Stra, Italy

The labyrinth at Villa Pisani | Patrick Denker, Wikimedia // CC BY 2.0

Frequently regarded as the world’s most challenging maze, the Villa Pisani labyrinth is not only picturesque but also steeped in history, having been built in 1720. Napoleon himself attempted to conquer it after taking over the estate in 1807, though legend says he was baffled by its intricate paths and numerous dead ends, eventually giving up. Hitler and Mussolini held their first official meeting here, though mazes were far from their agenda. Those who conquer the maze are treated to stunning views from an 18th-century tower.

6. Richardson Corn Maze, Spring Grove, Illinois

The world’s largest corn maze features four interconnected mazes spread across 28 acres of cornfields. Redesigned annually, the 2018 version honored Illinois’ 200th anniversary. The maze is part of a larger adventure farm offering rides, snacks, and a gift shop.

7. Peace Maze, Castlewellan, Ireland

Spanning 2.7 acres, Northern Ireland’s Peace Maze ranks among the world’s largest permanent mazes. Its creation in 2000 commemorated the Good Friday Agreement and the end of the Troubles. With lower hedges to foster interaction, the maze is divided into two sections, both of which must be navigated to complete it. Successful explorers are invited to ring the central “Peace Bell.”

8. Ashcombe Maze, Victoria, Australia

The distinctive, soft textures of Ashcombe Maze in Australia come from over 1,000 Monterey cypress trees, meticulously trimmed multiple times a year, with each session lasting a full month. The maze is divided into two sections, each with a unique design and no straight paths. Additionally, the site features a lavender labyrinth made from more than 4,000 lavender plants, creating one of the most serene places to lose yourself.

9. Hampton Court Palace Maze, Surrey, U

Commissioned by William III around 1700, the Hampton Court Palace Maze is the UK’s oldest surviving hedge maze. Though its original hornbeam has been replaced with holly and yew, it remains notoriously challenging, earning its reputation as a puzzle maze. A popular strategy is to turn left upon entering and consistently follow the left path, even through apparent dead ends.

This list first ran in 2016 and was republished in 2019.