Get High: The Best Views in Europe
1. Florence from the Duomo, Italy
It kind of looks like a mess. Just buildings stretched for miles and miles, rooftops and windows and tiles. These photos do not do it justice as no photos ever really do. You literally have a 360 degree view of Florence and it really does stretch out in front of you. There are lots of rooftops but they look beautiful and ancient, as if they all have their own stories to tell. The mountains that border the city are like giant protective walls and even they look as if they stretch on and on in the distance. You can stand up there for hours making out different discoveries every few minutes. The hike up to the top is a bit of a strenuous one and definitely not for the claustrophobic type, but it is definitely worth it.
2. Athen from the rooftops by nights, Greece
Athen isn't the prettiest of cities. It reminded me a little of a third world country and in a way, it's kind of heading that way. From above it looks poor and littered and there are literally houses stacked basically on top of each other as far as the eye can see (in a non "beautiful" way). The Acropolis even looks like someone just dumped it there but somehow, by night, the city transforms from above into this beautiful ocean of light. From the rooftop of our hotel, we appreciated the view. The houses didn't look like clutter by night, they looked like stars and the further they stretched the more magical it seemed. The Acropolis lit up in the distance was a sight to "ooh" over and the darkness really transformed this otherwise unflattering city, into a breathtaking experience.
3. Santorini (the higher the better), Greece
Santorini is famous for it's incredible views and it really does not disappoint. The higher you get, the better the views get. The ocean looks bluer, the buildings get smaller, the mountains look more picturesque and the cruise ships look tiny. The climbs usually involve a lot of steep cobblestone slopes and steps but you can also enjoy it via a ski-lift type thing, a donkey ride or through a various number of tours available. The sunsets in Santorini are also incredible- there is something about watching the sun disappear behind the ocean that really is magical. Watch as the light fades from the iconic white and blue buildings and how the sky illuminates in various shades of colour as it waves goodbye to the sun.
4. The Sky Garden- London, England
The "Walkie Talkie Building" in London (it's literally shaped like a walkie talkie) is home to a Sky Garden/Lounge. Entry is free, the lift takes you up to the top floor and you step out into a cavernous glass room. There is a bar that serves fancy cocktails and Tapa type finger food, live bands or singers, beautiful gardens with flowers and trees and plants of all different varieties and a huge balcony/view point. Huge glass windows run the perimeter of the garden/lounge giving you a full 360 view of London and the views are incredible, both by day and night.
5. Fisherman's Bastion- Budapest, Hungary
Budapest was one of my favourite cities, and a surprising one at that. I hadn't heard anything about it as such and so I had no expectations and was thus, blown away. The Fisherman's Bastion overlooks the Danube river and most of the Paris-like city. The views aren't just incredible, but the architecture up there is unique and has a very quaint feeling to it. It has a lot of history as it was built in the 19th century, lots of look out towers (some charge a fee), a church/chapel, a bar and a cafe. It offers some of the best panoramic views I've experienced and the whole experience was incredible!
6. Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh was another one of my favourite places. Not only is it home to the idea of Harry Potter, along with numerous sites that inspired the stories, it was also this ancient city full of history and its own stories. The whole area seems to be green and vibrant just like Ireland (probably due to the heavy and constant rain fall it receives). It also has lots of mountains which are perfect for beautiful views of the city. I couldn't narrow my favourite view in Edinburgh down to one because there were so many different places that offered amazing views. If you climb any of the mountain-esque hills, Edinburgh Castle, any old ruins (like a greek/pantheon resembling structure on Calton hill) or just GET HIGH in Edinburgh, the views will blow you away.
7. Causeway Head (overlooking the Giants Causeway)- Antrim, Ireland
The Giants Causeway has always been high on my travel bucket list. I think it's easy to look at pictures of amazing places around the world and aim to visit them. What you don't expect is how difficult it can be to actually get to these places, and sometimes, it's really just not worth it. The Giants Causeway, though intriguing to look at, was quite a let down. What wasn't a let down, however, were the incredible views from above it and all around it. From above it looked amazing but I was also kind of like... "is that it...?". To get there is a long coach drive and it's very windy and cold and often rainy. The views really are amazing though and the hike up to the Causeway Head is definitely worth all the exertion. The green hills and fields stretch for miles and miles and there's something about the Irish ocean that is eerily beautiful. It feels like you've stepped into a history book or are in some alternative fairytale world.
8. Swiss Alps- Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Even if you've seen snow before, and see it often, the Swiss Alps are hard to beat. This particular location, we took a little train up the snowy mountains to play in the snow and enjoy the mountain views and air. Where we stayed below, there were huge waterfalls cascading off the highest peaks down towards us and evaporating before they reached us at the ground. The higher you went up, the more beautiful it got. Snowy pine trees, flowing icy streams and then the snowy mountains that surrounded us from every angle like protective walls. They were truly beautiful.
9. Venice from the Bell Tower (St Mark's Campanile), Italy
Venice was a city that I had very high expectations for but unfortunately it didn't meet them. There wasn't a lot to do and after about an hour of wandering the streets and canals, I felt like I'd seen the extent of what Venice had to offer. My friends and I decided to queue for the Bell Tower, known as St Mark's Campanile, and it was so worth it. From the Bell Tower, the city looked a lot more like we all imagined it to. The water looked bluer and prettier, the buildings looked more ancient, like they had a history to tell. You also can really admire the city, the fact that it's literally floating is amazing and from above it's that much more admirable. Although Venice wasn't the most entertaining city, I still think if it's not out of your way, it's worth a visit just to see the city and experience it.
10. Ios, Greece
Whilst Santorini is the Greek island most famous for it's views and sunsets, Ios was my favourite island and the views were on par with Santorini. My group spent our time at Ios in the off-peak season so instead of being a crowded party paradise, it was a deserted treasure, waiting to be explored and explore it we did! On hired quad bikes we spent the day discovering hidden beaches, zooming past incredible views of the ocean and drove along side the cliffs, high above the shoreline.
11. Cliffs of Moher- Clare, Ireland
Home to the cave that Harry Potter & Dumbledore ventured into to find Voldemorts locket/horcrux, in the sixth book and movie, the Cliffs of Moher were another site I couldn't wait to see. I'd heard amazing things about Ireland and it all looked beautiful in pictures but nothing compares to the real life things. In this post I think I have quite an equal mixture of natural and manmade view points, but this one was amongst the most inspiring and really did feel like something out of a movie. Whilst the Giant's Causeway was disappointing, these cliffs were something I could gaze at for hours on end. They are very windy, and tend to be rainy and sometimes even foggy, but they are well worth the walk up and down (although I didn't get very far considering I'd just done 3 months eating my way through Europe). It seems insane how high the cliffs are and looking down over the edge makes them feel even higher as you watch the rough sea slam into the rocks below, again and again. There's a quaint little castle structure on one side that gives you a really good view of the cliffs, and from the cliffs themselves is equally as pretty. This was possibly my favourite Irish trip.
12. The Austrian Alps- Paragliding
Many people have sky diving on their bucket lists and its something everyone seems to consider an achievement. I've always thought it would be amazing, but if you're unsure, definitely start with paragliding. When they told me I was going to be running off a cliff I felt a bit nervous about it, but it was one of the most amazing things I've ever done and I would 100% do it again any day! You don't so much jump of a cliff as you walk/run towards the edge and then are suddenly weightless to the world, like a bird. You feel like you're a part of the clouds and the Austria Alps are definitely a beautiful place to fly in. The air feels so fresh and although the wind up there is a bit brisk, the views and the experience are life changing.
13. San Sebastian from Mount Igeludo, Spain
After going back to work for a month or so after my amazing travels, I not only felt a bit down but I also missed my lovely boyfriend, Steve, who was still travelling the continent with the savings he clearly saved more carefully than me. I'd heard about San Sebastian from a friend who had done some Europe travelling and sure enough, Steve's bus tour stopped off there. We arranged to meet for a week or so in this beautiful beach town and although we didn't get the most agreeable weather, we loved it! During my research, I happened across a popular lookout called Mount Igeludo and one day that was much sunnier than we had been used to, we trekked ALLLLLLLLL the way up to... the tram/lift that took us up the mountain (I'm sure if I'd lied and said we walked up there it would have seemed more spiritually fulfilling). I'm sure this is one of those times when the pictures can say a thousand words and maybe I should leave it at that. See (above) for yourself how amazing and pretty the beach was from above.
And so they are my favourite views from my travels so far. I tried to be as descriptive as possible but really sometimes its better to just let the pictures talk. I sadly didn't get the greatest pictures of everything I talked about and some of these pictures, in fact ALL, do not do the places justice. Feel free to google them all or actually go there and experience them for yourself. I'm sorry for saying AMAZING and INCREDIBLE and BEAUTIFUL so many times, there are only so many appropriate adjectives in my vocabulary. I hope you enjoyed this blog post and stay tuned for more to come soon.
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General Travel
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