The world’s 17 greatest views (and five famous ones you can skip)

A great view in our travels can make us feel like gods surveying creation or army generals mapping out the land we’re about to conquer. From above, mountains are reduced to molehills, buildings to Lego blocks, and we feel all-powerful.

Views can make us feel small and humble, and sometimes mere curiosity is all that motivates us. Views can be voyeuristic gazes into places where we don’t belong, beckoning us into landscapes or cities as yet undiscovered.

Who can pass a window with a view without pausing and looking out? Who isn’t tempted to crane their neck to peer from an aircraft, or hoof up a hill, or pay extra for a hotel room with an outlook?

Views help us understand the destinations we visit and often provide some of the best memories afterwards.

You can get great views from many different perspectives: street and water level, atop mountains, monuments and skyscrapers, or from ships and planes. Here are some of the greatest views in the world from all kinds of platforms.

From a road

Loop Road, Monument Valley, US

Exhilarating scenery without the effort in Monument Valley.Credit: iStock

Position yourself If you want exhilarating scenery without effort, you needn’t leave your car along this 27-kilometre tourist drive. You can even take in the classic panorama of Merrick and Mitten buttes without leaving the visitor centre.

The view This desert valley in Navajo Tribal Park soars with red sandstone buttes, some 300 metres high. If they look familiar, then you must be a fan of old Hollywood westerns such as The Magnificent Seven. The road provides an ever-shifting panorama; stop at designated locations such as Elephant Butte, Totem Pole and John Ford’s Point for the best outlooks.

Essentials Monument Valley’s scenic drive is open 8am-5pm daily with the last vehicle entry at 2.30pm. Entry is $US8 ($12.30). Budget at least two hours. Avoid peak season and, if you can’t, book early. See navajonationparks.org

From a city ramparts

Passeggiata delle Mura, Lucca, Italy

Get a close-up view of Lucca’s old town from its city walls.Credit: Alamy

Position yourself Six gates give you access to ramps onto Lucca’s 12-metre-high, park-like bastions, which are wide enough to incorporate paths, lawns and trees. Walk the whole circumference for ever-changing outlooks.

The view Some town walls offer sweeping panoramas. Not so Lucca’s, although you can see the Apuan Alps. What makes this view wonderful is its inward look at the old town, crammed with architectural beauty from Lucca’s time as an independent city-state between 1369 and 1815. Layers of terracotta roofs are punctuated by defensive towers, bell towers, ornate palazzi, cathedral and churches. You can peer down into gardens and cafe terraces.

Essentials Lucca is 90 kilometres from Florence. The bastions and walls are free and open 24 hours. The promenades run for four kilometres and are suitable for cycling. See turismo.lucca.it

From a promenade

West Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

West Kowloon Cultural District provides a new perch from which to soak up Victoria Harbour views.Credit: iStock

Position yourself The nearest MTR station is Kowloon, a 10-minute walk away. Promenades are expansive. Hungry? The restaurants at the FAM dining precinct also dish up glittering urban vistas.

The view If you haven’t been to Hong Kong for a while, then the West Kowloon Cultural District provides fine museums, dazzling architecture and a new perch from which to soak up Victoria Harbour views. From Art Park, the jostling skyscrapers and background hills of Central are stunning, especially at sunset or night. The roof garden of M+ contemporary art museum also gives you a bird’s-eye view of the leafy, redeveloped waterfront and an even greater sweep of the harbour.

Essentials Promenades are free and open 24 hours. The Symphony of Lights multimedia light show that illuminates harbour buildings runs at 8pm daily. See westkowloon.hk

From a train

Indian Pacific, Australia

A train journey brings you a forever-scrolling panorama of landscapes, like this one of Lake Hart in South Australia.

Position yourself You won’t have to leave your cabin: prop yourself by the window and marvel. You’ll also get great views from the Outback Explorer Lounge and the train’s art deco dining carriage.

The view A single-point view only holds your attention for so long, no matter how grand, but a train journey brings you a forever-scrolling panorama of landscapes, none more varied than on the 4352-kilometre, four-day haul between Sydney and Perth. It’s a summary of Australia: city suburbia, the Blue Mountains, bony red outback and its rusting gold-rush settlements, the purple Flinders Ranges and endless Nullarbor plain, and the extravagant wheat and rapeseed fields of Western Australia.

Essentials Journey Beyond’s four-day Indian Pacific journey between Sydney and Perth departs on Wednesdays. Perth-Sydney departures are on Sundays. See journeybeyondrail.com.au

From a resort

Burgenstock Resort, Lake Lucerne, Switzerland

Float like an angel in the spa’s infinity pool.

Position yourself The most scenic arrival is by lake steamer from Lucerne, followed by a short funicular ride up the hill. Already in the hotel lobby you have a parachutist’s view through six-metre windows.

The view This ultra-chic and pricey resort in Switzerland’s most scenic region is slung between sky and water on the edge of the Alps, with views to make your soul sing from many guestrooms. But the staggering outlooks don’t end there: the glass box of Spices Kitchen restaurant projects over the cliff edge, and so does the spa’s infinity pool, where you can float like an angel, sometimes enveloped in clouds.

Essentials Burgenstock Resort has several accommodation options but Burgenstock Hotel & Alpine Spa is the most spectacular for views. See buergenstock.ch

From a hotel room

Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing, China

Gaze onto the serried, upturned yellow roofs and pinkish walls of the Forbidden City from this hotel.

Position yourself This hotel sits just northeast of Tiananmen Square and south-east of the Forbidden City. The nearest metro station is Wangfujing.

The view Innumerable hotels have more sweeping outlooks, but this Beijing hotel wins for romance: you gaze onto the serried, upturned yellow roofs and pinkish walls of the Forbidden City. Building height is restricted around the palace complex and adjacent Zhongnanhai compound, home to China’s leaders, so you won’t get better. If you aren’t staying, have cocktails on MO Bar’s huge terrace as a sunset fireball bounces across palace ridgelines against the blue ridges of the city’s background Fragrant Hills.

Essentials Mandarin Rooms at the Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing have Forbidden City views, as do various suites. See mandarinoriental.com

From a monument

Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

On top of the world … Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro.Credit: iStock

Position yourself A steep, narrow-gauge railway hauls you up Corcovado mountain in 20 minutes, with a pair of escalators propelling you further to the base of the iconic statue of Christ.

The view All Rio and its sumptuous coastal and mountain setting is revealed. Beautiful bays and humped mountains spread below, lined by stretches of famous beaches such as Ipanema and Copacabana. Most striking is Sugar Mountain rising from a harbour peninsula. At your back is the jungle-like Tijuca National Park. Go in the early morning, just as the mist lifts and before the heat and smog haze set in.

Essentials Tremo do Corcovado train runs every 20 minutes during daylight. Entrance fees are included in fares. See visitbrasil.com

From a tower

Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo’s Skytree, Japan’s tallest structure.Credit: iStock

Position yourself Take the lift up 350 metres to Tembo Deck, which runs around the building and is encased in five-metre-high windows. Then continue to Tembo Galleria, where a spiral ramp circles the tower and takes you to 451 metres.

The view Japan’s tallest structure has a mind-boggling outlook over one of the world’s megacities which, from this height, looks like a circuit board of intersections and skyscrapers. On clear days, you can gaze 90 kilometres to Mount Fuji’s perfect snow-covered cone. Although you see more in daylight, the night view of glittering lights is magical.

Essentials Tokyo Skytree or Oshiage train stations are nearest. The observation deck is open 10am to 9pm daily with the last entry at 8pm. See tokyo-skytree.jp

From an ocean ship

Vaitape Bya, Bora Bora, French Polynesia

For unobstructed, 360-degree views of Vaitape, jump on board Oceania Regatta.Credit: Alamy

Position yourself Get out on the highest deck of Oceania Regatta for the sail into Vaitape: the running track has unobstructed 360-degree views. For the sail-away, settle in at Horizons lounge and gaze out the window over cocktails.

The view Bora Bora’s vertical volcanic peak rears from the ocean, often wrapped in a scarf of clouds. As you get closer you’ll see confetti of low-lying small islands and atolls embedded in a velvety lagoon of electric blue water that turns vivid orange and pink for sunset sail-aways. Beaches are white as washing powder, and palm trees nod in the background. Fabulous.

Essentials Oceania Cruises has four 10-day French Polynesia cruises round trip from Papeete in January and February 2025 that visit Bora Bora, some with overnights there. See oceaniacruises.com

From a river ship

Aswan, Nile River, Egypt

The riverbanks are best in Aswan.Credit: Alamy

Position yourself Find your preferred spot on the top deck of Viking Ra, which runs the ship’s length and has a swimming pool, loungers and tables from which to soak up the views. The riverbanks are marvellous everywhere, but best at Aswan.

The view The Nile slides between sandbanks, giant boulders and islands and is lined by desert. On the West Bank, sculpted dunes are topped by the domed mausoleum of Aga Khan III and the ruins of the Monastery of St Simeon. Feluccas come and go as golden light lengthens, and the sun descends into the desert. The mighty rocks turn to pink, the waters red: stunning.

Essentials Viking River Cruises’ 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary has multiple departures all year, round-trip from Cairo with a river cruise between Luxor and Aswan. See vikingrivercruises.com.au; smartraveller.gov.au

From a mountain

Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix, France

See the snow peaks of the French, Italian and Swiss Alps from Aiguille du Midi,Credit: iStock

Position yourself The world’s highest vertical cable car ascent whisks you up over two vertical kilometres in 20 minutes. From the summit station at 3778 metres, a lift takes you to outdoor platforms at 3842 metres.

The view From atop a needle of rock, views plunge past Les Pelerins glacier to forest and meadow, then alpine resort Chamonix, over which paragliders drift small as butterflies. For an added thrill, the glass-floored Step into the Void is cantilevered over a one-kilometre drop. Meanwhile, snow peaks of the French, Italian and Swiss Alps rear and right beside you looms Mont Blanc (4810 metres).

Essentials Aiguille du Midi cable car runs year-round except in November and December, with regular departures every 10–30 minutes. See montblancnaturalresort.com

From a plane seat

Ronald Reagan National Airport, Washington DC, US

Watch as iconic Washington DC spreads beneath like a political thriller movie’s opening scenes from Ronald Reagan National Airport.Credit: iStock

Position yourself It has to be DCA: Washington’s two other airports, Dulles (IAD) and Baltimore-Washington (BWI) don’t supply the same thrill. Bag a window seat on the left-hand side if landing, forward of the wing.

The view Flights descend steeply, then bank sharply over the Potomac River to avoid Pentagon airspace. Iconic Washington DC spreads beneath like a political thriller movie’s opening scenes. You’ll see the whole National Mall between the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument obelisk and Capitol Hill, as well as the city’s grid layout. Off to the side is the domed Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

Essentials American Airlines flies from Sydney to Washington DC via Dallas Fort Worth and United Airlines via San Francisco or Houston. Most Melbourne flights go via Sydney. See flyreagan.com

Five more amazing views

The Siq, Petra, Jordan

The view is restricted, but the anticipation will make your spine tingle. Credit: iStock

The sense of anticipation builds as you walk down this narrow red-rock canyon that barely lets you see the sky. Then – bang – at the end of the cleft, you see the facade of the Treasury, perfectly illuminated in the early morning by an orange sun. It’s a restrictive view but one to make your neck tingle, and feel as if you’re Harrison Ford undertaking a last crusade. See visitpetra.jo

Campanile, Venice, Italy

See Venice’s lagoon and outlying islands from St Mark’s. Credit: iStock

While most people admire Venice from canal level, head up this bell tower on St Mark’s Square, and you’ll get a wonderful aerial view of the city’s island layout and snaking waterways with their endless processions of boats and ferries. Church domes pop above red-tiled Renaissance roofs. In one direction, you can see Venice’s lagoon and outlying islands, and in the other, the snow-capped Dolomite Alps. See basilicasanmarco.it

Canton Tower, Guangzhou, China

The views are stupendous from Canton Tower. Credit: iStock

At 600 metres this skyscraper is nowhere near the world’s tallest, but it does have one of the world’s highest outdoor observation decks at a windy 488 metres above Haizhu district. It is no surprise that the views are stupendous. The evening is the time to go, when LED lights set the structure’s exterior aglow in changing colours, and the city is a sprawl of twinkling lights. See cantontower.com

Oia, Santorini, Greece

You may recognise this view, but it doesn’t make it any less awesome.Credit: iStock

It’s one of the great cliches of the travel world, seen over and over again in photos. But despite that – and the jostle of Instagrammers – views from this village clinging to the clifftops of an ancient caldera are awesome. Banded rock plunges to a silvery sea, and Oia tumbles in ziggurat steps of blue-dome churches and whitewashed cottages. Every terrace provides another outlook. Sunsets are explosive. See visitgreece.gr

Six Senses Ya Noi, Koh Yao Noi, Thailand

This resort has views over Phang Nga Bay you don’t have to get out of bed for.

This resort in Phang Nga Bay, a location for the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun, gazes over islands that rise in a series of karst humps, like stone camels trekking across a Silk Road sea. Infinity ponds and swimming pools help propel you into the scene. Rent the one-bedroom villa aptly named The View, and you won’t even need to get out of bed to enjoy the extravagant outlook. See sixsenses.com

Dim views: Five missable vistas from around the world

Rock of Gibraltar

Pesky macaques make this viewpoint all the more unappealing.Credit: MarkGillow

The town resembles a rundown British seaside resort, and the view, when not obscured by fog, overlooks a runway, ugly apartment blocks and an unattractive splinter of Spain. Squint across the strait and Morocco is a mere smudge. Meanwhile, you have to keep half an eye on the annoying and sometimes vicious macaques.

Empire State Building

Views from the Empire State Building unfortunately do not include the Empire State Building. Credit: iStock

The Midtown location of New York’s most iconic tower doesn’t provide the best outlook, least of all because surrounding buildings are rather dull. Views are being edged out by a new luxury skyscraper under construction a few blocks away. Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller Centre is much better placed.

Pyramids of Giza

Only from certain spots can you admire the three pyramids without background clutter.Credit: Alamy

Clever photos never show Giza’s unedifying suburbs that crowd up close to the pyramids in a distraction of shabby apartment blocks. Only from certain spots can you admire the three pyramids without background clutter – or foreground tourists clinging to camels. Prepare for a hot hike into the sands for any feeling of romance.

Burj Khalifa

The view from the Burj Khalifa impresses only through sheer height.

The world’s tallest building rears over Dubai, but between shimmering heat, smog and windblown sand, you seldom get a clear view – and what you see has little colour or contour. Only sheer height impresses. The outdoor observation platform is small and often crowded, and metal bars frustrate photography efforts.

Angkor Wat

Join the crush for a disappointing sunrise at Angkor Wat.Credit: iStock

If you’re lucky enough to be there on the perfect day, sunrise at Cambodia’s most famous temple is splendid. But how often is the day perfect? You get up at an ungodly hour, join the crush at the reflecting pond and find the sun barely struggles through clouds. Brilliant if you like changing shades of grey.