Tiger’s Nest:
Why It’s Amazing: The Tiger’s Nest (or Paro Taktsang Monastery) clings like lichen to rocky cliffs in Bhutan’s Paro Valley and creates an awed silence among visitors, broken only by the sound of rustling prayer flags and chanting monks.
Secret Viewing Spot: The best vistas are from the gardens of Sangtopelri and hermitages atop the mountain above Tiger’s Nest, accessed by the winding trail used by monks.
When to Go: April and May, for the spring flowers and Paro Festival.
Cliffs of Moher:
Why It’s Amazing: Stand on the blustery edge of Ireland’s steep, rocky Atlantic-battered cliffs and you’ll feel as though you’ve arrived at the true end of the world, with nothing but 2,000 miles of briny Atlantic swells between you and Newfoundland.
Secret Viewing Spot: The view of the ocean from atop Moher is breathtaking, but experiencing it on the water is sublime. Hop on a surfboard at the nearby Lahinch Surf School and try to conquer Aill na Searrach, also known as the giant wave of Moher.
When to Go: Crowds dissipate in October, when you’ll also find the best swells.
Manhattan Skyline:
Why It’s Amazing: Vintage skyscrapers like the Chrysler, Flatiron, and Woolworth are gawk-worthy, but nothing beats the iconic Empire State Building, which still holds the number-one spot on the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) list of favorite architecture.
Secret Viewing Spot: The year-round rooftop deck at Alma, in Brooklyn’s emerging Columbia Street Waterfront District, is an ideal place to study the lower Manhattan skyline over a margarita.
When to Go: The best weather’s in spring and fall.
Paris Skyline:
Why It’s Amazing: Napoleon is credited for transforming the City of Light during the Second Empire, but it was engineer Gustave Eiffel who helped define the cityscape with a colossal iron lattice tower, which has become a symbol of romance that can be seen sparkling from even the remotest corners of Paris’s 20th Arrondissement.
Secret Viewing Spot: From our list of the World’s Hottest Rooftop Restaurants, try Restaurant Les Ombres atop Le Musée du Quai Branly. Once the sun goes down, sit back in the shadows of the Eiffel Tower while nibbling on creative sweat breads and sipping a glass of French wine.
When to Go: Winter. Yes, it’s chilly, but the twinkling lights and cold Seine breeze create a tableau that is pure Paris.
The Great Wall of China:
Why It’s Amazing: Millions of people over the course of 21 centuries helped construct, rebuild, and maintain the Great Wall of China, which dips, rises, and bends across the country for some 6,000 miles. The theory that it’s visible from space is now debated, but its immense engineering achievement and man-made beauty are unquestionable.
Secret Viewing Spot: You’ll find the otherworldly ruins of unrestored wall segments in Gubeikou, a less-visited part of the Yanshan Mountain range in the northeast of Miyun County.
When to Go: October’s brisk temperatures and lighter foot traffic make for ideal wall hiking.
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