Stunning Aerial Views of 50 Cities around the world

Aerial Views: There is so much we can tell about cities by looking at them from the top. To fly over landscapes and cities and capture it all, how mesmerizing would that be?

Taking aerial views of cities is not an easy job. Imagine having to take a shot while you’re on a moving aircraft. Now think of the limited time you have to plan shots and settings, as well as the expenses of such a trip. It seems like it’s easier to enjoy the features on Google Earth, right?

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However, there are numerous images all over the internet showing us amazing aerial views of cities. In fact, the blog “Jot Down” has released a spectacular collection of photographs from around the world taken from a hot-air balloon. Those photographs give us a new and deeper understanding of the urban fabric of different cities across the world.

Since we loved the idea of Jot Down’s collection, we have put together a collection of impressive aerial view shots of cities worldwide. We are sure that these will give you a new outlook to places you may have only read about before!

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Aerial Views of 50 Cities around the world:

Vatican City. Aerial View.

The Vatican City State is an enclave in Rome holding the Roman Catholic Church. The independent and self-sufficient city is located on the west bank of the Timber River. It is not only home to the pope, but it is also packed with iconic art and architecture. It houses, for example, the second largest religious buildings in Christendom; St. Peter’s Basilica.

Although surrounded by amazing architecture, St. Peter’s Basilica is the most imposing. It was erected in the 4^th century over St. Peter the Apostle’s tomb. Over time, the basilica had fallen to despair but was rebuilt again during the 16^th century.

The city also features; the Vatican Museum, home to ancient Roman Sculptures, and the Sistine Chapel, featuring the famous Michelangelo ceiling.
Venice, Italy. Aerial View.

While Venice is known for its Grand Canal, gondolas, and romantic ambiance, it is actually the capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region. In a marshy lagoon in the Adriatic Sea, Venice is built on 100 small islands. That being said, the famous Italian city gives a sense that its architecture rises out of the water. With a Grand Canal penetrating the city, there is no room for cars or roadways altogether. In effect, the city is packed with innumerable narrow, maze-like alleys and small squares, the most famous being Piazza San Marco.
Nördlingen, Germany. Aerial View.

Nördlinge—a historic town in Germany, was first mentioned in recorded history in 898 C.E. It was the location of two battles during the Thirty Years’ War which took place between 1618 and 1648. What is significant about Nördlingen today is that it is one of the three remaining walled medieval towns in Germany. Furthermore, the town is located in the crater of a meteorite impact, where a tower was built out of rock formed from the impact. With a geological attraction and a smaller population (approximately 24,000) than Rothenburg and Dinkelsbühl—the other two medieval towns, Nördlingen has become an attractive tourist destination.
Bern, Switzerland . Aerial View.

Referred to by the Swiss as the “federal city”, Bern is the “de facto” capital of Switzerland. The city is the fifth most populous city in Switzerland, with a population of 140,924 as of February 2016. Moreover, city’s agglomeration includes 36 municipalities, and its center holds a historic old town which was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1983. It should also be noted that Bern is the capital of the Canton of Bern, Switzerland’s second most populous canton.
New York City, USA. Aerial View.

Big billboards, Times Square, and Central Park probably are what comes in mind when thinking of New York. Densely packed with soaring real-estate values, New York City is the center of the New York metropolitan area, located at the southern tip of the state of New York. The “Big Apple” is the most populated mega-city in the United States, having (by urban landmass) the largest metropolitan area in the world.

New York is recognized as a “Global Power City”, and is often described as the cultural, financial, international diplomacy, and media capital of the world. In addition to that, the city’s influence over matters like commerce, entertainment, research, technology, education, politics, tourism, art, fashion, and sports is undeniable. In fact, the term “New York minute” was inspired by the city’s fast pace.
Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Aerial View.

Famed for its Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, Rio de Janeiro is Brazil’s second-most populous municipality and the sixth-most populous in the Americas. In July 2012, part of the city has been declared a World Heritage Site as a cultural landscape. The UNESCO named it “Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea”.

Other attractions in the city include the ‘Christ the Redeemer’. The gigantic 38-meter-high structure is located atop of Corcovado Mountain and was described as one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World”. The city includes other attractions, such as the Sugarloaf Mountain—a granite monolith mountain with cable cars leading to its summit, and the Maracanã Stadium—one of the world’s largest football stadiums, which held the final games of the 1950 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. The city also hosted the 2016 summer Olympics, making it the first South American and Portuguese-speaking city to ever host the event.
Dubrovnik, Croatia. Aerial View.

Located on the Adriatic Sea, Dubrovnik has become a prominent tourist destination on the Mediterranean Sea. The seaport city is the center of the center of Dubrovnik-Neretva County, with a population of 42,615 as of 2011.

The city’s prosperity was historically based on maritime trade. In fact, by achieving a high level of development during the 15^th and 16^th centuries, Dubrovnik became notable for its wealth and skilled diplomacy. Moreover, the city became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1979.

It is true that Dubrovnik suffered significant damages from shelling in 1991 after the break-up of Yugoslavia. However, it underwent repair and restoration works, making a come-back as a top tourist destination. This was to an extent that the city had to take measures to control the number of visitors coming by 2018.

While the excessive number of tourists was mostly a problem in the Old Town, a method to moderate overcrowding was applied. This was by staggering the travel times of cruise ships and spreading out the number of visitors throughout the week.
Barcelona, Spain. Aerial View.

The cosmopolitan capital of Spain’s Catalonia region, Barcelona is known for its incredible architecture and art, vibrant streets, and imaginative food. In terms of architecture, the city has so much to offer. Its medieval roots are represented in the “maze-like” urban fabric of the Gothic Quarter, yet its modernist personality is undeniable. Of course, the work of the Spanish Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí has much to do with the city’s unique character. Not only is the city home to Gaudí’s fascinating “Sagrada Família” church, but it also has an exciting restaurant scene anchored by the central “Boqueria” market.
Paris, France. Aerial View.

The French capital city is not only a major European city but also a Global center for arts and culture. It is known as one of the most romantic cities in the world. Furthermore, it is packed with many famous attractions, including the river Seine, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triumph, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the Louvre Museum. The city is also home to esteemed fashion designers, giving it names like the “City of Light” (la Ville Lumière) and “Capital of Fashion”. With shopping outlets and several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the city is a very popular tourist destination, with 45 million tourists visiting annually.
Mónaco (Principado de Mónaco)

Officially known as the Principality of Monaco, Mónaco is a sovereign city-state, country, and microstate in Western Europe. The microstate is located on the French Riviera, and it is bordered by France from three sides and the Mediterranean Sea from the fourth side. Mónaco is the second-smallest state in the world after the Vatican, with an area of 2.020 Km²

Dogon Village (Mali)
The Dogon village is home to the Dogon ethnic group, located in the central plateau region of Mali in West Africa. The village is best known for its religious traditions, mask dances, wooden sculptures, and architecture. Also, the Dongon people have a very specific social organization, language, and beliefs. However, the society has witnessed significant changes in the past century as the village has become one of Mali’s major tourist attractions.
Norfolk, Virginia, USA

As an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Norfolk was historically a strategic military and transportation point. It is home to Naval Station Norfolk which is the largest Navy base in the world, and one of NATO’s two Strategic Command headquarters. The city also houses the corporate headquarters of Southern Railway, one of North America’s principal Class I railroads, as well as the Maersk Line, Limited, which manages the world’s largest fleet of US-flag vessels.

Bordered by several water bodies, the city is connected to its surroundings by an extensive network of Interstate highways, bridges, tunnels, and three bridge-tunnel complexes (the only bridge-tunnels in the U.S.).
Atlanta Georgia, USA

The city of Atlanta is the most populous in the state of Georgia. It is also a cultural and economic capital to the Atlanta metropolitan area—the ninth-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. Originally founded in 1837 as a transportation hub, the city was burned to the ground during the American Civil War. However, it later rose from its ashes and became a national center of commerce and the unofficial capital of the “New South”.

Being home to Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph David Abernathy, Atlanta was a major organizing center of the civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s. However, the city was later labeled as “too busy to hate”, for becoming slightly progressive compared to other nearby cities.

The city still remains acknowledged as a transportation hub, housing the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Having the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic, the city has attained international prominence since 1998.
Dubai, UAE

Dubai has become known globally for its luxurious hotels, fascinating skyscrapers, shopping, and recreational facilities. In fact, Dubai has become a global city and business hub for the Middle East, as well as a major transportation node for passengers and cargo alike.

The city’s revenue initially depended on oil, which has in return accelerated its development. However, with limited reserves and low production levels, less than 5% of the city’s revenue comes from oil today. However, this is made up for by revenues from tourism, aviation, real estate, and financial services.

Moreover, Dubai is famous for its ever-changing skyline, defined by its multiple soaring skyscrapers. It is also home to the world’s current tallest building—Burj Khalifa, reaching a total height of 829.8 meters.
Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong lies on the eastern side of the Pearl River estuary in southern China. The city is known as a special administrative region that accommodates over 7.4 million people of various nationalities, all in 1,104 square kilometers. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the city is the world’s fourth-most-densely-populated region.

Once known as an area of low population with farming and fishing villages, Hong Kong has now become one of the world’s most significant financial centers and commercial ports. In fact, it is the world’s seventh-largest trading entity.

The city is a showcase of contemporary architecture, ranging in styles between modern, post-modern, and High-Tech. Its most famous district is the historical Kowloon City, which used to be a fort, surrounded entirely by stone walls until they were demolished in 1993. The district may have been almost entirely replaced, but it remains known for its very high population and dense urban fabric.