Views from the Top

I kept putting this off during my trip thinking it was too touristy, but I'm glad I finally did it. The view really is breathtaking and the museum in the Imperial Fortress just behind it is a must.

The Peak 2 Peak Gondola that connects Whistler and Blackcomb mountains was considered a glitzy and expensive PR move when it opened in 2007. Today the 1.9-mile span, the longest unsupported span in the world, ferries hikers, bikers, and...

One of the must visit tour location in Rio - cable cart took you to the top of the hill of the Sugar Loaf. The fun things are that at the edges of the hill where pictures are taken most frequently, they placed different shapes of picture frames....

The citadel in Namur has an interesting history. As a matter of fact there was always some type of structure on the cliff tops overlooking the Meuse River and Dinant. You can walk up as there are stairs, but the best option would be to take the...

Some things are touristy for good reason. The Duquesne Incline can be a great way to familiarize yourself with Pittsburgh and its environs when you first arrive, offering an amazing river and cityscape view. A good option any time of year. Not far...

Since 1901 (minus a few years here and there), Angel's Flight funicular railway has transported people up and down steep Bunker Hill in downtown L.A. At the top you'll find the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the...

I love the funicular trains of Genoa, built at an angle to take you up the steep mountains. Take the Zecca-Righi line to the top for an incredible panorama of the city, and walk down into the center through narrow alleys, passing tiny gardens and...

Valparaíso, Chile’s main port city, rises from the water into steep hills laced with staircases and winding streets. Generations of poets, mariners, and adventurers have passed through. While the city has some of Chile’s best dining, the streets...

High up above the roofs of Innsbruck, you will find this futuristic looking landmark. The ski jump, which overlooks the whole region, has already seen two Olympic Games and hosted many international competitions. As an attraction for visitors it...

For spectacular views of sprawling Quito, take a ride in the TelefériQo. This aerial lift, one of the highest in the world, takes you up the east side of Pichincha volcano, but don't worry, its active caldera is on the western side of the...

Everyone loves the San Francisco cable cars. The classic trolley are cute relic of a time before buses and cars – and they give a great retro-style tour of the city's hills, and neighbourhoods: Union Square, Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf and...

The funicular is the easiest way to get up to Zagreb's old town, also known as Gornji Grad or Grič—to see St. Mark's Church, the Museum of Broken Relationships, the Naive Art Museum, and quite a few nice restaurants. Not to mention the views—from...

Snaking, cracking, shimmering a brilliant blue in places and revealing mystical frosts in others, the Mer de Glace displays nature in all its force. France’s longest glacier stretches 4.3 miles and is over 650 feet deep. Quite literally...

On our second day in Donostia-San Sebastian, we rode the funicular railway up Mount Igeldo to take in the view back on the city. As high season had just ended, the beach around La Concha Bay was deserted and the little carnival attraction on top...

Golf and sunshine are the main magnets that draw visitors to Palm Springs, but a 10-minute ride will take you up into a snowy evergreen forest. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway climbs up to a mountain wilderness at 8,500 feet (2,590 meters). The...

There are two ways to arrive at this exclusive Deer Valley perch—ski in from the slopes, or hop on the Swiss-crafted funicular and climb the 250-vertical-foot ridge. The 12-acre, 181-room St. Regis is literally and figuratively in rarefied...

These guys are a new tourism company in town, offering Tours in and around Porto, to see the other side of tourism. The "Hidden Porto Tour" is amazing, in 3 hours we get to see so much about the city, taste the best custard tart ever and get on...

For the cost of a metro ride in Medellin you can transfer at Acevedo station to the Metrocable line, a gondola system that will whisk you up the side of a mountain to Santo Domingo. The ride is comfortable, and the views are stunning. Traveling...