South & Central America viewpoints As for the rest of the Americas, natural viewpoints were more common than their UK and US counterparts. The Sugarloaf Mountain topped the list for the best viewpoint in South America and
Brazil, with over 8,300 mentions of its views on TripAdvisor. At a height of almost 1,300ft, the popular spot in Rio De Janeiro provides sprawling views over the Guanabara Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, not to mention the Christ the Redeemer statue amongst the other spectacular views of the city. Due to a two-stage cable car system, the views are also accessible to everyone – not just those able to climb the challenging ascent!
In second place was Mount Monserrate in Bogota,
Colombia with over 4,000 view mentions, which affords those brave enough to climb to its 10,000-foot peak panoramic views of the city from the church at the top. Cerro San Cristobal in Santiago, Chile, the third highest point in the city, rounded off the top three for South America with over 2,200 mentions of its magnificent views.
The Best Viewpoints in Europe Europe has no shortage of beautiful landscapes and viewpoints to admire them from. Europe was highlighted to have the most popular viewpoints overall, with over 10 of its most popular spots featuring in the world rankings.
The London Eye topped the list for Europe, with its high number of visitors talking about the view on offer landing it the second spot globally. In second place for Europe was Paris’ romantic icon, the Eiffel Tower, which bagged the third spot globally.
One of Scotland’s most renowned landmarks, Edinburgh Castle, took the third spot for the most popular viewpoint in Europe with almost 16,900 reviews mentioning its scenic views over the city, which secured its ranking as the sixth best globally too. In a city with so many viewpoints, such as Arthur’s Seat, the Nelson Monument and the Camera Obscura, residents of the Scottish capital are spoilt for choice when it comes to admiring the landscape.
Further afield, the Charles Bridge in Prague landed the Czech city the fifth spot in Europe with over 13,600 visitors taking to TripAdvisor to gush over the sights on offer.
Other viewpoints such as Gaudí’s Parc Guell in Barcelona,
Spain also feature highly in Europe (sixth) and the world alike (10th).
The Best Viewpoints in Asia Standing at 830m tall, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa cements itself as the most popular viewpoint in the whole of Asia, and fourth globally, with over 28,500 mentions of its view from visitors. The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world and, with a height almost three times of Paris’s Eiffel Tower, it’s no wonder this vantage point is perfect for spying views of the city and beyond.
The Singapore Flyer takes the second spot in Asia with over 10,000 mentions over the view from the observation wheel. Malaysia’s Petronas Twin Towers round off the top three for the best views in Asia with over 9,300 ‘view’ mentions. Shanghai’s The Bund (Wai Tan), and Beijing's Mutianyu Great Wall also make the top ten in Asia. Elsewhere, Qatar’s Museum of Islamic Art stood out as providing the best view in the country, while in a country brimming with viewpoints, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observation Decks topped the list in
Japan.
The Best Viewpoints in Oceania Oceania’s top viewpoints provide completely different views to that of their European counterparts, with a mix of city and natural views. Topping the list is Kings Park and Botanic Garden in Perth,
Australia with over 7,800 mentions of its stunning views. Visitors to the gardens are treated to views of the Swan and Canning Rivers, Perth’s cityscape and the Darling Range regional park.
Following closely behind is the Sky Tower; a recognisable landmark in Auckland's skyline, where visitors have multiple observation decks to choose from to see the city from different perspectives, all providing 360-degree views.
In third position for Oceania is the classic Sydney Harbour, which receives over four million visitors each year. Sydney is instantly recognised for its Harbour which provides views across the water and of the Sydney Opera House, known to grace many-a social media post and holiday snap.
Other viewpoints such as the Eureka Skydeck in Melbourne, Mount Coot-Tha Summit Lookout in Brisbane and Wellington’s Cable Car, all made the top 10 for Oceania’s best views, according to its visitors.
The Best Viewpoints in Africa Mountains feature heavily in the rankings for the top viewpoints in African cities, as visitors flock to the picturesque beauty spots to see the city from high up. Table Mountain in
South Africa’s Cape Town tops the rankings as the best viewpoint in Africa with over 9,800 view-related mentions from the mountain route. With views stretching to Robben Island and the harbour as well as over the city on a clear day, a hike across one of the various Table Mountain routes is a great way to get your bearings whether you have just moved to Cape Town or if you’ve lived there for years and want to take in the sights.
Aerial Cableway Hartbeespoort in Johannesburg is the second of three viewpoints in South Africa that make the continent's top ten and comes in second with 600 mentions of its aerial views. Following closely behind is Cairo Tower in
Egypt rounding off the top three with 528 mentions.
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Methodology: We analysed TripAdvisor data from every country in the world, in addition to each US state and 253 cities around the globe. Using the ‘Things to Do’ section of the TripAdvisor website, the attractions in each location that had the highest number of mentions of ‘view’ (English language only) in their reviews were ranked as providing the best view for the specific location (country, state or city).
Results where the term ‘view’ was used negatively or for another context (a sports stadium offering a good view of the pitch) were omitted from the final results.
Data as of May 2022.