Aerial Shots of the World’s Greatest Destinations

It can be hard to understand the sheer scope of a destination when bound to the ground. That’s why some of the most striking travel photos are snapped from above, often with the help of ascendent drones.

From the vantage point of the sky, fog settling in over the Golden Gate Bridge appears like an eerie gathering storm. The staggering skyscrapers of Manhattan, Shanghai and Hong Kong look smaller, yet somehow even more impressive. And the vibrantly colored architecture of Kathmandu and Vienna seem like they’re from a painting.

We scouted out some of the most breathtaking aerial shots of destinations, to help the earthbound see the world anew.

Venice, Italy

The Grand Canal in Venice looks even more grand from this angle.

Prague, Czech Republic

Beer gardens draw the masses to Old Town Square in Prague.

Vancouver, Canada

Stanley Park and the Pacific Ocean are divided by seawall in Vancouver.

Tokyo, Japan
A highway junction in Japan looks particularly impressive at night from the sky.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Costa Esmeralda beach in Buenos Aires is lined with sun umbrellas on a summer day.
Moscow, Russia
Zhivopisny suspension bridge spans Moskva River in Moscow.
Paris, France
The iconic Arc de Triomphe is the center of activity in Paris.
Bangkok, Thailand
From on high, the vehicles in a Bangkok roundabout look like toy cars.
San Francisco, USA
The Golden Gate Bridge is shrouded in a blanket of fog.
Guangzhou, China
A parking structure, seen from a drone in Guangzhou, reveals the power of circular design.
London, UK
The famous tower bridge in London is used to transport vehicles across the Thames.
Shanghai, China
The curving Shanghai Tower, the tallest building in China, soars.
Vienna, Austria
Vienna's bold, patterned architectural designs are breathtaking when viewed from an aerial perspective.
Sydney, Australia
In Sydney, sailing boats appear as specks on the sea.
Kathmandu, Nepal
Kathmandu's bold colors appear especially vibrant from above.
Mordogan, Turkey
A lone ship traverses the harbor in Mordogan, a seaside township in Turkey's Izmir Province.
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Sea meets white sand meets river meets land in Sao Paulo.
Icmeler, Turkey
The beach from above in the holiday resort of Icmeler pops with color.
Trang Province, Thailand
A lush mangrove forest is captured from the sky in Thailand.
Rzeszow, Poland
You can feel the chill when looking at this image from frozen Rzeszow.
Singapore
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Above the clouds.
Downtown, Los Angeles
When in L.A., expect traffic...
 Barcelona, Spain

Symmetry in Barcelona, Spain.
Seattle, Washington
Haller Lake in Seattle.
Palermo, Italy
Palermo, Sicily.
Hong Kong at Night
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
'Christ the Redeemer' statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Barcelona, Spain