The coronavirus pandemic has well and truly stifled travellers and the travel industry, and that means that some of our beloved attractions, from London's Buckingham Palace to the Grand Canyon, have languished unvisited for the last few months. With lockdowns all over the world being lifted or relaxed, though, there are some signs of hope for the historic marvels and beautiful national parks across the world. Here, we take a look at what the world's tourist attractions looked like before the pandemic and what they look like now. 

In addition to being around 4,000 years old, the Sphinx of Giza – located at the Pyramids of Giza complex to the southwest of Cairo – is among the largest statues in the world at 240-feet (73m) long and 66-feet (20m) high. It's no surprise that this ancient treasure, with its lion's body and human head, regularly sees visitors queuing to get as close as is allowed. 

But right now, with lockdowns only just easing, the Canadian side is incredibly quiet. This photo, taken on 27 April, shows just one visitor to the site – a far cry from the hordes that would ordinarily be jostling for photographs of the impressive falls. See more of the world's most beautiful waterfalls here. 

This year, though, is likely to be a little different. Some areas of New York State are now easing their lockdowns, despite the devastatingly high death count, and so here the beach is open for visitors. This photo shows social distancing on Coney Island's big sandy beach, taken on 24 May. The amusement parks and arcades, however, remain closed until further notice. Take a step back in time with these vintage photos of American summer vacations.

Roman sights are ten-a-penny in the Italian capital, and they're the main draw for most visitors to the city. The Pantheon is a former Roman temple, now a Catholic church, and it was built just short of 2,000 years ago. The square it sits on is often buzzing with visitors snapping photos or enjoying alfresco coffees in the nearby cafés.

But today, Rome's streets look a little different. The Pantheon is among hundreds of other attractions in the city that are no longer seeing the level of tourism they're used to, all thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. Italy was one of the first countries in Europe to be badly affected by the virus, and so lockdowns were imposed in early March. Now, restrictions are indeed easing, but foreign visitors are few and far between. These women were photographed snapping the Pantheon on 20 May, after restaurants and bars were allowed to reopen. See more amazing photos of Roman ruins here.

Another Italian marvel, Pompeii is a window into an historic world. Founded in the 6th century BC, Pompeii was a thriving city on the coast near the Bay of Naples. A volcanic eruption in AD 79 wiped much of the city out and essentially froze the entire settlement in time. Millions of people come from all over the world to see its remains – from household objects to entire bodies. 

Rollercoasters like this one at Efteling, the Netherlands' answer to Disneyland, have been empty for months. On any given weekend before the pandemic you could expect to see queues for all the main attractions and rides at this fairy-tale park, and you'd hear the screams of willing riders all around. 

The park had been closed during lockdown in the state, but has now seen a phased reopening of some of its highlights. Rather than the ample queues you'd usually find here, this photo (taken on 15 May) shows just a couple of vehicles heading towards the gates. Some areas of the park are still closed off, camping is banned and cross-country travel or off-trail travel is prohibited. Utah on your wish list? Here are some other brilliant places to visit in the Beehive State.

The stay-at-home orders were lifted throughout Florida in early May, and today this widely loved beach is finally filling up again. This photograph, taken on 20 May, shows visitors enjoying the sands amid the new signage depicting the social distancing rules. 

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This year, though, the complex will see far fewer visitors. The attraction was closed during lockdown in China, and now, as things are returning to some sort of normal in the country, it's still incredibly quiet. On the day this photo was taken (26 May), just a couple hundred people could be seen wandering around the attraction. Discover more about the 50 wonders of the world

The Acropolis is on the wish list of everyone who visits the Greek capital, not least because the complex, thought to be around 2,500 years old, dominates the city's skyline from its position on a high hill above the old town centre of Plaka. It's usually advisable to start early to dodge the masses and avoid the stark midday sun. 

After shutting all its museums and its borders during coronavirus, Greece is now beginning to open up. It looks like tourists from some countries will be welcomed back as the summer progresses with hotels around the country open from 15 June. Already local tourists have been enjoying the re-opened museums, taking a hike around the much quieter than usual Acropolis. 

Fast-forward 12 months and the bridge is all but empty save a few locals. As flights to Prague have resumed and the Czech Republic has reopened its borders for EU citizens who can stay for three days, it's likely the city will see an uptick in visitor numbers. Discover more of the world's beautiful bridges connecting humanity. 

Venice is without a doubt one of those once-in-a-lifetime destinations that stays with you forever. With world-famous sights from the Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal to St Mark's Square and the Doge's Palace (pictured) it's impossible to pack in all of the historic marvels the city offers in just a few days

Understandably the city, and other badly-affected areas of Northern Italy, are keen to get back to normal and European tourists are returning. As this picture from 29 May demonstrates, even the need to wear face masks isn't stopping visitors enjoying the romance of a gondola ride past the Doge's Palace. 

The world's cities before, during and after lockdown

But there are no tourists today, and very few are likely to peer through these gates this summer, too. Instead, the only people on London's streets are a smattering of locals returning to work or taking daily exercise, snapped by a photographer on 13 May. Despite its high population, the city remains quiet as people eschew the tourist attractions for wide-open spaces such as parks where social distancing is easy.

Can you guess these world-famous landmarks from their close-ups?