City Snapshots: Must See Landmarks Around the World

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Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park, Los Angeles.

Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park, Los Angeles.

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Oct 4, 2012 —  The best landmarks in the world have become symbols for their cities, regions, and sometimes even entire countries. Take the Statue of Liberty for instance: to Americans, incoming immigrants, and the rest of the world, this French-made New York icon has come to represent not only the sprawling metropolis, but also the United States as a whole. And places like the Eiffel Tower have come to symbolize all of Paris and even France through its importance in movies, photographs, and music.

Iconic landmarks help to define their cities and represent their unique history and character. Can you imagine what Hollywood would be without its towering white sign? Or what about Florence without the beautiful and serene Ponte Vecchio? Landmarks not only help to capture the heart of their cities, but can also be a great place to get a snapshot of the local crowds and cultures.

Whether you’re working your way through a bucket list or just want to see the famous landmarks that so many songs are written about, a popular landmark is a great way to get a quick feel for the spirit of a city. For some of the most iconic symbols from around the world, check out this list of our favorite must see global spots.

  • Englischer Garten

    Beer Garden / Outdoor Activity / Park

    Englischer Garten - Beer Garden | Outdoor Activity | Park in Munich.
    One of Europe’s largest municipal parks, Englischer Garten is a beloved destination where Munich’s residents and visitors come to enjoy the greenery and soak up the blue Bavarian sky. Park-goers can spend some time wandering the vast grounds, jogging or biking on the sandy trails, or enjoying a traditional tea ceremony at the Japanese tea house
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    Munich

    Englischer Garten
    80538 Munich

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  • Times Square

    Culture / Landmark / Nightlife Area / Outdoor Activity / Shopping Area / Square

    Times Square - Culture | Landmark | Nightlife Area | Outdoor Activity | Shopping Area | Square in New York.
    One of the busiest, most frenetic, and most visually stimulating urban centers in the world, Times Square offers a vast assortment of dining, shopping, and entertainment options that go beyond its famous bright lights and giant flashing advertisements. Usually filled with hordes of tourists and people who work in the area, the square provides
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    New York

    42nd Street to 50th Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue
    New York, NY 10019

    212‑869‑1890

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  • The Eiffel Tower

    Culture / Landmark

    The Eiffel Tower - Culture | Landmark in Paris.
    Although it’s hard to imagine today given its immense popularity, public opinion about the Eiffel Tower – constructed as the entrance arch to the 1889 World’s Fair – was emphatically negative. Critics decried it as an eyesore, headlines screamed with quotes like “A BLACK PUDDLE OF IRON,” and everyone took heart that designer Gustave Eiffel had only
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    Paris

    5 Parc du Champ de Mars
    75007 Paris

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  • Griffith Park

    Concert Venue / Landmark / Outdoor Activity / Park

    Griffith Park - Concert Venue | Landmark | Outdoor Activity | Park in Los Angeles.
    The largest stretch of nature in Los Angeles, Griffith Park’s 4,000 acres boast a plethora of attractions and activities, from horseback riding and swimming to the study of the cosmos, that draws visitors of every stripe. Mornings often see tourists wandering through the zoo, as weekend warriors take to the tennis and basketball courts or to the
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    Los Angeles

    4730 Crystal Springs Drive
    Los Angeles, CA 90027

    323‑913‑4688

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  • Piazza di Spagna

    Landmark / Shopping Area / Square

    Piazza di Spagna - Landmark | Shopping Area | Square in Rome.
    Heralded and admired by the likes of John Keats, Mary Shelley, and Casanova himself, the Piazza di Spagna is a beautiful square noted for the famous Spanish Steps leading up to the Trinità dei Monti church. Nowadays, the steps are usually crowded with tourists and stylish young Italians who gather to mingle and flirt, while the piazza and its main
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    Rome

    Piazza di Spagna
    00187 Rome

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  • Magnificent Mile

    Landmark / Outdoor Activity / Shopping Area

    Magnificent Mile - Landmark | Outdoor Activity | Shopping Area in Chicago.
    Spanning from the Chicago River at the south end to Oak Street at the north, the Magnificent Mile (“Mag Mile”) is a popular stretch of North Michigan Avenue constantly abuzz with fashionistas, foreigners, families, and finance types out shopping, strolling, or snapping photographs of some of the city’s most famous architecture. Wealthy urbanites
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    Chicago

    400–1000 North Michigan Avenue
    Chicago IL 60611

    312‑409‑5560

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  • Ponte Vecchio

    Landmark / Outdoor Activity / Shopping Area

    The beautiful Ponte Vecchio at sunset in Florence.
    One of Florence’s most famous landmarks, Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) is a structural masterpiece that has been home to merchants and traders since at least 1345 – though the medieval butcher shops have since been replaced by jewelers, art dealers, and souvenir sellers. While hordes of tourists pack Ponte Vecchio during the day to shop and take
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    Florence

    Ponte Vecchio
    50123 Florence

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  • El Parque del Buen Retiro

    Landmark / Outdoor Activity / Park

    El Parque del Buen Retiro - Landmark | Outdoor Activity | Park in Madrid.
    Stretching from the Atocha area in the center of the city to the affluent Salamanca neighborhood in the northwest, Madrid’s five-hundred-year-old El Parque del Buen Retiro is a lush and bustling urban playground, a veritable feast for the senses that has something to offer everyone. Visitors will find an animated crowd of all types and ages working
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    Madrid

    C/ Alfonso XII, 14
    28014 Madrid

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  • The National Mall

    Culture / Landmark / Outdoor Activity / Park

    The National Mall - Culture | Landmark | Outdoor Activity | Park in Washington, DC.
    “Let’s go to the Mall” has a different meaning in DC, where the National Mall brings in more than twenty-four million visitors a year – all without the help of an Apple Store. Stretching from the Capitol Building on the east side to the towering Lincoln Memorial on the west, this historic two-mile stretch of grass, fountains, and sculptures is also
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    Washington, DC

    Between Independence Avenue and
    Constitution Avenue from the Capitol
    to the Lincoln Memorial
    Washington, DC 20560

    Visitor Information: 202–426–6841; Park Headquarters: 202–485–9880

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  • Piccadilly Circus

    Landmark / Outdoor Activity / Shopping Area / Square

    Piccadilly Circus - Landmark | Outdoor Activity | Shopping Area | Square in London.
    A world famous traffic circle built in 1819 to connect Regent Street to Piccadilly, Piccadilly Circus is a commercial thoroughfare that was once home to some of London’s most fashionable stores. Although its namesake street has become quieter in the years since, the area remains an international draw, attracting wide-eyed tourists by the thousands
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    London

    At the intersection of Piccadilly and Regent Street
    London W1J 0TR

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  • Boston Common

    Landmark / Outdoor Activity / Park

    Boston Common - Landmark | Outdoor Activity | Park in Boston.
    The oldest public park in the country, Boston Common is a year-round gathering point for Bostonians of every stripe. Founded in 1634, the fifty-acre expanse of green is a favorite hangout in warm weather, when students, young professionals, and lovers show up to stroll through the picturesque Public Gardens, picnic on the grass, or laze on a swan
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    Boston

    151 Tremont Street
    Boston, MA 02108

    617‑426‑3115

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Author
Daniel Baker
Links

Landmarks in NYC   Landmarks in Paris   Landmarks in Los Angeles

Tags
Travel, Culture, Landmark, Historic
4 User Comments

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What are your favorite landmarks around the world?

Samantha L.
Samantha L. Oct 8, 2012
The Eiffel Tower - Anything in Paris is super romantic and worth seeing over and over...
Jimmy D.
Jimmy D. Oct 6, 2012
As an East Coast guy, the National Mall is top my list! When you think landmarks, you think monuments in DC. The National Mall is about as great a collection of landmarks as you can get in the world.
Paul F.
Paul F. Oct 4, 2012
Favorites: Sacre Coeur, Table Mountain (South Africa), Pyramids, Petra, Emperor's Palace (Beijing), Leaning Buddha (Bangkok), Walt Disney Hall (LA).
Chris M.
Chris M. Oct 4, 2012
In Chicago I would consider the Hancock Building and Willis (née Sears) Tower as more landmarks than the Mag Mile, but also throw in Wrigley Field. And on that note, there are several stadiums that really are landmarks around the world: Fenway, Dodger Stadium, Nou Camp, Old Trafford, San Siro, Azteca, and probably a lot more. Plus some newer replacements like Wembley, Yankee Stadium, and some others. Here are some favorites: Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, Sacre Couer in Paris, Seattle's Space Needle, St. Louis arch, Golden Gate Bridge in SF. Okay this could go on forever.

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