The Best Ways to See the World’s Most Iconic Monuments

Remember the scene in National Lampoon’s European Vacation when Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) repeatedly shouts, “Hey, look kids! There’s Big Ben!”, while locked in loops of a roundabout right near the famous London clock tower? Well, even if his driving skills were better, Clark wouldn’t have been able to get much closer to the monument. Before it closed for refurbishment in 2017, Big Ben was only accessible to British residents. Now, following its reopening last July, all people (aged 11 and over) are welcome inside. Snagging tickets takes a little know-how: they’re released on the second Wednesday of every month. But once inside the Elizabeth Tower (formerly known as St Stephen’s Tower), you’ll climb a 334-step spiral staircase right up to the bell – Big Ben itself. Hear it strike but be sure to make use of the earplugs provided on the 90-minute tour. Horologists will also love the chance to see the four dials up close, each seven metres in diameter.

“I am moved by buildings that are capable of speaking about the time in which they were made,” says Miguel Angel Borrás, owner of Barcelona Architecture Walks. The company leads tours of the Spanish city guided by architects, to help visitors decipher exactly that. One such structure is the Sagrada Familia, famous for still being under construction despite its beginnings reaching back more than 140 years. (The basilica is predicted to be completed in 2026, 100 years since the death of its architect, Antoni Gaudí.) For Borrás, arriving at the monument two hours before sunset and “enjoying the symphony of colours and shadows generated by the stained glass windows” is the thing to do. “There’s a feeling you have when inhabiting an instrument of light. Like a forest of stone that filters the presence of divinity through its branches.”

Whether commuting over it, under it by ferry or flicking your head around to catch sight of it from the Luna Park Ferris wheel, there’s no shortage of spots around Sydney Harbour from which to see its bridge, though not all vantage points are created equal. Graze & Gaze sets up private picnics, including at Observatory Hill, with food, pillows and fairy lights at night-time. “Observatory Hill’s elevation offers panoramic views of Sydney’s landmarks – the Harbour Bridge, Luna Park, the historic Rocks precinct,” says the company’s owner, Ali Farid. And seeing it as the sun sets? “It’s unforgettable, with the sky ablaze in shades of orange, pink and purple. The Harbour Bridge glimmers, the water glitters and the lights of the city switch on.”

Crowds are the Colosseum’s thing – not just today but right back to the 1st century CE, when it was built. So there’s an argument to be made about seeing it with Italy’s throngs of travellers. However, there’s a better argument to be made for seeing it with a side of, say, eggplant parmigiana. Aroma restaurant sits on the rooftop of luxury hotel Palazzo Manfredi and a seat on the sunny terrace offers incredible views of the amphitheatre, the Roman Forum, the Victor Emmanuel II monument and the dome of St Peter’s.

“Being under the night sky at an ahu platform, where the moai stand, is unique,” says Marc Shields, co-owner of Green Island Tours – Easter Island. “Some of the stars are aligned with the statues and you get to see what the ancient people would have seen at night.” Witnessing these megalithic bodies, carved from volcanic tuff by the ancient people of Rapa Nui (Easter Island), on a three-hour stargazing tour – which also offers insight into how the island’s ancestors used the stars in their navigation – is an other-worldly experience.

It’s impossible not to feel small standing next to the statue of Christ built 30 metres high, with arms reaching out 28 metres, on a pedestal atop the summit of Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. And while that’s part of the allure, Helisight runs helicopter tours that allow you to gaze upon it from on high – just as the statue watches over the city. The tour can also weave in other key sights, including Sugarloaf Mountain and Ipanema. And for the truly adventurous there’s a “doorless” option, during which you can swing your legs out over the side of the chopper while circling the 92-year-old monument.

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