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Most often bridges make us wonder how technology made possible their construction. They are a means of getting from one point to another but although we walk or drive on them (almost) daily, we don’t always stop to admire them.

Many bridges made history because of their uses, locations and popularity. Some of the most famous bridges in the world can be either walked across or climbed and some are open for the pedestrians for special occasions only.

1. Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney, Australia

The most recognizable landmark in Sydney is, without a doubt, the vista of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. The bridge connects the central business district with the North Shore and offers dramatic views of the harbor. It is the place where crowds gather to watch the New Year’s Fireworks and climbing the bridge is one of the most appealing attractions for those visiting Sydney. The bridge opened in 1932.

Pedestrian access is possible on both sides and the bridge can be access from several places on either side. The southeast pylon has always served as a looked out point. Guided tours are available for those who want to climb the southern half of the bridge. Both daylight and night climbs are available. It is also possible to climb the upper arches of the bridge and it is possible to view the bridge’s internal structure.

2. Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, USA

It is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Finished in 1883, the bridge connects Manhattan to Brooklyn and is a landmark featured in many movies. Miranda and Steve (Sex and the City: The Movie) chose to meet on the bridge to reunite and continue their marriage. Romantic, yet with a possible tragic end and one if them wouldn’t show up.

The bridge has a wide pedestrian walkway available for walkers and cyclists, located in the center of the bridge. Its role of allowing pedestrians to cross gained significant importance during times of trouble when the usual means of crossing the river weren’t available (after the 911 attacks is one of the most recent moments).

3. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, USA

The Golden Gate Bridge spans over the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean connecting San Francisco to Marin County. The construction began in 1933 and the bridge was completed in April 1937.

The bridge is open for pedestrians during the daylight hours. However, pedestrians are allowed only on the east sidewalk (city side). It takes about an hour to walk on it and you can also visit one of the vista points. If possible, plan to walk on the bridge on a clear day. Guided tours also include the bridge (and of course, you’ll also learn about the bridge during the tour).

4. Kintai Bridge, Iwakuni, Japan

It is a historical wooden arch bridge, located in Iwakuni. Built in 1673, it spans Nishiki River, in a scenic location (at the foot of Mt. Yokoyama, offering great views of the castle above). Destroyed by a flood the next year, it was reconstructed and periodical maintenance included reconstruction of the bridge. It was destroyed again by floods in 1950 and the bridge which stands today was reconstructed in 1953.

The bridge is a very popular tourist destination in Japan, especially during the Cherry Blossom Festival in spring.

5. Galata Bridge, Istanbul, Turkey

Galata Bridge spans the Golden Horn in Istanbul. The first plans to construct a bridge at the location where Galata Bridge stands now were laid in 1502, but Leonardo da Vinci’s ambitious plans were not put into practice. Michelangelo was asked to design a bridge as well but he refused, so the idea of building a bridge in the located was postponed. It was only in 1845 that Galata Bridge was built. In 1863, the first bridge was replaced by a wooden one. A third bridge was completed in 1875 and by 1912 the forth bridge was completed in the same location. Unfortunately it was badly damaged in a fire and it was only in 1994 that a new bridge was reconstructed just few meters from the old one. All city tours in Istanbul include the bridge and the passageway to the Old City of Constantinople.

6. Bosphorus Bridge, Istanbul, Turkey

Bosphorus Bridge is one of the bridges in Istanbul which spans the Bosphorus straight, connecting two continents (Europe and Asia).

The bridge has a total of eight lanes. Each direction has three lanes, a sidewalk and an emergency lane. During the first four years of service pedestrians were allowed on the bridge. Today, the only possibility to cross it by foot is in October when anyone can sign up for a “fun run” (at the same time when the Intercontinental Istanbul Eurasia Marathon takes place in the city).

7. Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic

Charles Bridge is a pedestrian bridge crossing the river Vltava in Prague. At the time it was built, the bridge provided the only link between the Old Town and the adjacent areas. It is protected by three towers. It is decorated with 30 statues (replicas of the original ones) and during the tourist season, it is filled with vendors, artists, musicians and tourists.

For the most spectacular views of the Old Town, make sure to walk on the bridge at sunset. The beautiful lit Prague Castle creates interesting views against the evening sky and the setting sun.

8. Tower Bridge, London, England

Often wrongly referred to as London Bridge, Tower bridge spans over the Themes and has become an iconic symbol of the British capital. The bridge’s two towers are connected by two horizontal walkways. Construction started in 1886 and two five years to be completed. The bridge was needed because of the rapid development of commercial ties between East End and London.

The high level walkways, once having a bad reputation of being a haunt for pickpockets and prostitutes, are now open as part of the Tower Bridge Exhibition. The views from above are absolutely magnificent and contribute to the tower’s high popularity among tourists.

9. Pont des Arts, Paris, France

It is a pedestrian bridge in Paris, which crosses the river Seine, connecting Institut de France and the central square of the Louvre. In 1804 a steel bridge was completed on the location where Ponts des Arts stands today. But in 1976 several deficiencies were reported on the bridge because of the damage sustained during the two world wars and because of the collisions caused by boats. By 1984, the present bridge was constructed.

Today it is a live studio for painters, photographers and artists who are drawn to the unique location and scenery. It is a popular (and romantic) location for picnics, during the summer, both among tourists and locals.

10. Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy

Rialto Bridge is one oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal (Venice). The first crossing over the Canal was a pontoon bridge built in 1181. Thanks to the development of the Rialto Market the traffic on the bridge increased and by 1255 it was replaced by a wooden bridge. During the early 15th century, shops were built along the sides of the bridge which insured the money for maintenance (because of the taxes paid by shop owners). It partially caught fire in 1310, while in 1444 it collapsed under the weight of the crowd watching a boat parade. It collapsed again in 1524. The present stone bridge was completed in 1591. On either side of the bridge there are rows of shops.

11. Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy

It is a Medieval bridge which spans over the Arno River, in Florence. It is believed that a bridge was first built by Romans. It first appeared in a document in 996 and had quite a troubled history. It was destroyed by a flood in 1117, reconstructed in stone and swept away in 1333 again. In 1345 it was reconstructed again. During the World War II the Germans didn’t destroy the bridge (unlike destroying all other bridges in Florence

It is said that the term “bankruptcy” originated here. When a merchant couldn’t pay his debts, the table on which he sold his goods (banco) was broken (rotto) by soldiers and the process was called “bancorotto” (broken table).

Even today the bridge has shops over the bridge making it a major tourist attraction in Florence. Initially, butchers occupied the shops but today most shops offer jewelry and souvenirs for sale.

12. Jacques Cartier Bridge, Montreal, Canada

The bridge crosses Île Sainte-Hélène in the centre of the Saint Lawrence River in Montreal. It is the second busiest bridge in Canada. Construction started in 1925 and the bridge, originally named Montreal Harbour Bridge, was finished in 1940. In 1934 it was renamed to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Jacques Cartier’s first voyage up the river.

During the summer the bridge is closed to vehicular traffic for the firework competition held at la Ronde. It becomes passenger only during the event (mid June to mid August annually, during the day). It is also closed for traffic for the Oasis Montreal Marathon, each year in September.

13. Chain Bridge, Budapest, Hungary

Spanning over the Danube and connecting Buda to Pest, Chain Bridge is one of the most beautiful bridges in Europe. It opened in 1849 and it was the first bridge over the Danube. Anecdotes and urban legends have always been linked to the bridge. It’s a famous urban legend that the lions at both ends of the bridge don’t have tongues, while the tunnel built under the Buda Castle is said to be there only to offer rain protection to the bridge (as both have the same length so the bridge can easily fit into the tunnel).

It is possible to walk on the bridge. At night, the views are magnificent regardless of which direction you are looking to. For a spectacular view, climb on the top of the Citadel and look down. You’ll see the square at the Buda end and the entire bridge.

Photo credits: 1 – brewbooks on Flickr ; 2 – silentsnake09; 3 & 9- wallyg ; 4 – d’n'c; 5 – ipohkia ; 6 – Serdar Gurbuz Photography; 7 – laura Padgett ; 8 – erney123 ; 10 – boggie33ad ; 11 – ‘redranch’ ; 12 – nessguide ; 13 – Cristina Dima and may not be used without permission

Source: bootsnall.com

A city with a distinct architectural style has a certain draw to travelers. Great architecture is both artistic and scientific, both beautiful and practical. Even more, architecture gives us cultural clues about a city’s past, present and future.

Important architectural advancements such as the invention of the dome, of concrete, and of the skyscraper itself not only advanced the technology of construction, but also challenged architects to compete amongst themselves to produce more efficient and creative structures.

We’ve selected a handful of cities that have developed a reputation for notable architecture styles and histories, but it’s impossible to give enough attention to all architectural masterpieces. Here are seven great cities for architecture buffs, and a few highlights not to miss in each one.

Barcelona, Spain

Any visitor to Barcelona cannot miss the spectacular work and influence of architect Antoni Gaudi. With its bright colors, tiled mosaic patterns, and nature-inspired forms, Gaudi’s architecture was dramatically different than that of his contemporaries.

Gaudi not only designed breathtaking work, but also is the architect who best captured Modernisme, or the Catalan modernism movement in Barcelona. This movement sought to elevate the status of Catalan thought, art, literature and philosophy to the same level of European ideas and art.

In Gaudi’s work, this meant predominance of curves over straight lines, heavy decoration and detail, shapes and asymmetry, and experimentation with new materials like iron, stained glass, and stone. Other influential Modernist architects include Lluís Domènech i Montaner, who designed buildings later designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and Josep Puig i Cadafalch, who designed Els Quatre Gats, a center for Modernisme in Barcelona.

La Sagrada Família

Gaudi’s masterpiece is still under construction today, and won’t be completed for some time. Gaudi frequently altered his plans as the church was first being constructed, and his final vision for it is not known.

Different architects have provided their insight, but often their opinions differ. Even amidst a sea of cranes and the din of construction, La Sagrada Família is the most visited monument in Barcelona.

Park Güell

This park stands above the city and contains a series of curving walkways and paths. At the top, curved stone benches adorned with colorful mosaics offer a perfect resting place to sit and take in a view of the city.

Park Güell is a perfect example of Gaudi’s ordered chaos. Every aspect of the park over-stimulates, but it still exudes calm.

Casa Batlló

Gaudi remodeled this private home from the inside out.

From the arched roof to curved windows that gave the structure its nickname “House of Bones,” this building contains almost no straight lines. Every room boasts magnificent coloring and tiling.

Beijing, China

In Beijing, the slew of construction for the 2008 Summer Olympics gave shape to an emerging national identity. China wanted to prove it had more to offer the world than its ancient culture and architecture. And so the world watched as Bejing built Western-inspired buildings that went above and beyond the limitations of Chinese architecture.

Now, Beijing is home to a collection of both traditional and contemporary buildings.

The traditional style reflects Chinese beliefs and ethics of symmetry. These buildings give attention to decorative details, are built outward (not upward), and major construction materials include timber columns, beams and brackets.

The buildings Beijing built for the Olympics completely challenge the city’s own style of architecture. Beijing’s new construction is tall and asymmetric. Instead of creating an image of calm and focusing attention inward, both the exteriors and interiors of Beijing’s new construction aim to grab attention and awe viewers.

Great Wall of China

The expansive wall is more than 2,000 years old and extends almost 9,000 kilometers (5,500 miles).

Over centuries, different dynasties reinforced and extended the wall that protected the country from multiple invasions. The wall is a symbol of China’s rich history, and is a must-see for visitors to Beijing.

Forbidden City

Although Beijing’s Forbidden City is now overrun with tourists and vendors selling kitschy souvenirs, it is still an important monument to traditional Chinese architecture and culture. For centuries, this was the home of Chinese emperors and their governments.

Almost every aspect of the Forbidden City’s construction – from the colors to the number of statues to the symmetry – was intentional, which represents how important symbolism was to Chinese architecture.

CCTV Headquarters

To complete construction on the new headquarters of China Central Television, architects had two engineering hurdles to jump.

The skyscraper stands in a seismic region. And two L-shaped towers leaning at 90-degree angles form the top and bottom of the building.

With 51 floors, it’s short for a skyscraper, but impressive because of its precarious-looking construction and asymmetry.

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul is located on both the continents of Europe and Asia. Most citizens practice Islam, but the city also claims strong Christian and Jewish communities. Istanbul is thus known as a cultural melting pot, and the city’s architecture certainly lives up to that reputation.

Visitors to Istanbul will find more than 2,000 mosques, 100 churches and 20 synagogues. Over time, Istanbul has served as a capital for Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman Empires, and is now Turkey’s capital. Each period built a new architectural layer on top of the old, and many of these monuments remain intact.

The Ancient Romans and Greeks left their aqueducts and the Walls of Constantine. The Byzantines and Genoese left their domed churched with arches. The Ottoman Empire left its castles, palaces and mosques. And the European Baroque styles and Art Nouveau palaces and mansions that followed add more to the eclectic landscape of Istanbul.

Hagia Sophia

This museum was once a church and then a mosque. Hagia Sophia, also known as the Church of the Holy Wisdom, is most known for its unique dome.

Thanks to the dome’s umbrella shape, its weight rests on the pendentives between the 40 windows along its base. Light shines through the windows from all directions, which gives the impression that the dome is hovering. This pendentive dome was a Byzantine invention.

Blue Mosque

Six minarets towering over the skyline of Istanbul make it easy to locate the Blue Mosque. On closer inspection, visitors can also observe a series of cascading domes on the building’s exterior.

Inside, the walls and ceiling are lined with more than 20,000 handmade blue ceramic tiles, which give the mosque its name. The massive mosque can hold up to 10,000 people, and was built to out-do Istanbul’s most famous church at the time, Hagia Sophia.

Column of Constantine

When Constantine the Great declared the city the capital of the Roman Empire in 330, he built this commemorative column.

The original was 50 meters tall, had a statue of Constantine dressed as Apollo at top, and was said to contain several Christian relics.

Natural disasters have weathered the column and a fire in 1779 left black scorch marks on its sides. Today the column stands 35 meters tall and is a symbol of the Roman empire in Istanbul.

Chicago, USA

Unlike many cities on this list, Chicago is not a city with a long-established architectural history. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed most of the city’s buildings, and the Chicago that stands today was built afterward. This city makes the list because the skyscraper was born here.

Architect William Le Baron Jenney is generally credited with the first skyscraper, a ten-story building that stood in downtown Chicago. Unlike the brick and stone buildings of the time, this one was built with cast iron, wrought iron and steel. The so-called skeleton construction was a system of beams and columns that allowed for a multi-story framework and invited the development of safer elevators, central heating systems, and further developments in steel construction.

With these advancements, competition between Chicago architects led to taller and taller skyscrapers. In addition, Louis Sullivan’s Chicago School of Architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie School of Architecture were born here – just two styles that have given Chicago an even bigger name in the world of architecture.

One of the most convenient ways to learn and see the most about the city’s architecture is to take a Chicago boat and architecture tour. Several companies operate these tours along the Chicago river.

Willis Tower, formerly Sears Tower

Willis Tower dominates the Chicago skyline as the tallest and most iconic building in the city. Sears, Roebuck & Co., financed the skyscraper’s construction and built it to house their employees.

The renamed Willis Tower now houses various offices and businesses and its skydeck ledge on the 103rd floor is a popular tourist destination. The ledge is actually an enclosed glass box that extend 4.3 feet from the building so that visitors can see 1,353 feet straight down.

Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio

Frank Lloyd Wright revolutionized the art and architecture of the 20th century, and it’s worth the short trip to the suburbs to see where he lived and worked for the first 20 years of his career.

It was in his Prairie-style studio that he designed 125 structures, including such famous buildings as the Robie House, the Larkin Building and Unity Temple.

Cloud Gate

One of the most popular attractions for both locals and tourists in Chicago is the Cloud Gate, which reflects 80% of the city’s skyline on its surface. This interactive sculpture is essentially a giant stainless steal bean that acts as a mirror.

Spectators can see their images distort as they walk all around the sculpture or underneath its 9-foot arch. The best viewing time is at night, when the lights from Chicago skyscrapers illuminate the bean’s surface.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Although Chicago gave birth to the skyscraper, in recent years Dubai has been the city to master constructing these tall and extravagant buildings.

Dubai’s economy was initially built on oil, but its oil reserves have already been significantly depleted and only account for a small percentage of the economy. So the government recently decided to reinvent its image as a major international hub of commerce.

A wide-scale real estate boom followed, which completely changed the city’s landscape in a short period of time. Dubai now houses some of the tallest and most contemporary and ambitious architecture in the world.

More construction is in the works despite rumors that it lacks sufficient financing. New construction is so prevalent in Dubai that reports claim the city houses between 15 and 25 percent of all the world’s cranes.

Burj Al Arab

This luxury hotel is the only self-proclaimed seven-star hotel in the world. The building exterior is meant to represent Dubai’s transformation and resembles a sail.

The hotel actually rests on an artificial island 280 meters from the shore and is connected to the mainland by a bridge. As you would guess, rooms here aren’t cheap. Suites start at $2,000 per night and can cost as much as $28,000.

Burj Khalifa

As of 2010, this skyscraper is the tallest man-made building ever built. The $150 billion building has 160 floors and stands at 828 meters (2,717 feet) high.

That’s 52 floors more than Chicago’s Willis Tower and 320 meters taller than Tawain’s Taipei 101, which was formerly the world’s tallest building.

The Burj Khalifa also boasts the world’s highest mosque, the world’s highest swimming pool, and it is the tallest free-standing structure in the world.

The World

This archipelago of 300 man-made islands was constructed with sand dredged from the sea. Fresh water, utilities and power are routed underwater to the islands.

The islands are meant to look like a map of the Earth and can be seen from space. Private buyers can purchase individual islands for $15 – $50 million.

Athens, Greece

Athens is a city for travelers who are drawn to architecture with clues about the culture and lifestyle of people of the past. The Ancient Greeks were political, religious, and proud. They built many monuments to celebrate victories, to give honor to the deities, and to stroke their own egos.

Greek architecture is often associated with temples and columns. The Doric, Ionic and Corinthian orders designed by Ancient Greek architects have proved to be timeless and are apparent in many of the buildings that still stand in Athens today. The friezes and sculptures housed in Athens temples provide insight into the lives and worship practices of the Athenians of yesteryear. They depict battles, processions, important statesmen, and deities.

Parthenon

This temple to the Greek goddess Athena was finished in 432 BC and is the most important surviving structure remaining from Ancient Greece. It still stands even after 2,500 years of weathering, war, and vandalism.

The Parthenon is an art history teacher’s dream, complete with columns of both the Doric and Ionic order, metopes depicting various battles, pedimental sculptures, and a frieze.

Temple of Athena Nike

Although this temple is the smallest on the hill, it is the first to greet visitors to the Acropolis of Athens. The height-to-diameter ratio of its columns is unusual; it is 7:1, whereas most Ionic buildings are 9:1 or 10:1.

The Temple of Athena Nike was built with marble and was a place to worship gods and goddesses of war. Fragments of the original frieze are housed in the Acropolis Museum and copies rest in their place inside the temple.

Temple of Olympian Zeus

Only the ruins of this once grandiose temple remain, but it still represents the power and pride of past Athenian rulers. Various rulers sought to finish the temple to their own governments and themselves, but death and war prevented its completion.

The temple was finally dedicated in 132 AD, several centuries after constructions first began. But it was badly damaged and pillaged shortly after, and was never fully restored.

Rome, Italy

The Romans made alterations to Greek and Etruscan architecture to create a new style that was practical and creative. You can still see much of this style in the Italian capital of Rome.

For example, the Romans used arches, concrete and bricks to build the aqueducts that supplied water to their densely populated city. Visitors to Rome can also observe numerous domes, which the city’s architects used to fortify ceilings and expand the interior space of buildings, as best seen in the Pantheon.

The Romans revolutionized construction with the introduction of concrete as a primary building material. They found it was cheaper and stronger than the previously popular marble. And of course, it was the Romans who perfected the amphitheater.

These multi-purpose structures display the complexity of Roman architecture because they combine many of their advances at once. And, like much of Roman construction, the amphitheaters were not only functional, but also aesthetically pleasing.

Pantheon

The Pantheon that stands today is not the original, but it is still an architectural marvel of its time and is the best-preserved building in Rome. This was the first temple to combine concrete construction with the classical Greek columns.

In addition, the giant 142-foot dome was the largest in existence until 1960. The dome is still impressive. The distance from the top of the dome to the floor is equal to its diameter.

Colosseum

The Colosseum is a remarkable monument because of its practical and efficient architecture. It could seat up to 50,000 people and had about 80 entrances so many people could enter and leave at once. The Colosseum was equipped for a variety of performances such as battle reenactments, theater, executions and mock sea battles.

The structure has been damaged by earthquakes and robbers, but its remains still represent the architectural prowess of the Romans.

Aqueducts

The Romans built 11 aqueducts to bring bathing and drinking water to their densely populated city. Tunnels and several tiers of arches helped direct the flow of water for long distances and over rocky terrain.

Roman architects dedicated an enormous amount of planning to the construction of each aqueduct to determine the length, size and grade needed.

What’s your favorite architecture-rich city? What great building did we leave off the list? Share your thoughts in the comments section at the end of this article.

Once you’ve seen one walking trail you’ve seen ‘em all? Not in these eight cases, where you’ll tramp on unusual surfaces and wander through some curious lands.

1. Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

Once a battle site in the Croatian War of Independence, Plitvice Lakes National Park is an enchanting forestland sprinkled with cascading waterfalls and a placid string of 16 luminescent lakes. (It’s dissolved limestone that helped create this UNESCO World Heritage site over some 10,000 years.)

A network of trails, mostly on wooden boardwalks, traverses the tumbling waters. Spending five hours walking the “H” itinerary — one of several that the tourist office at the Ulaz 2 entrance suggests — captures all of the park’s key features.

The Upper Lakes, including the highest, Jezero Kozjak, are nestled in woods dense with beech and fir, while the Lower Lakes sit within a limestone canyon hollowed by caves that you can explore. The waterfall that perhaps attracts the most attention in the Lower Lakes region is the thundering Veliki Slap where the water tumbles some 230 feet.

2. Cappadocia, Turkey

You don’t have to close your eyes and daydream to be transported to a fantastical land. Just hike the myriad paths that weave through the valleys slicing through the Cappadocia region and you’ll feel like you just dropped into a Salvador Dali painting.

Standing sentinel all about are curious monoliths — appropriatly termed “fairy chimneys.” Many are undeniably sexually charged — phallus-shaped, to be exact. Centuries of erosive forces have also sculpted the soft volcanically-derived tufa into more PG-rated shapes, including mushrooms and cones seemingly wearing top hats.

Penetrating these spectacular columns are hand-carved portals into cave churches, houses, pigeon coops — the droppings were prized as a fertilizer — and even bee hives. Some of the richest array of fairy chimneys in this land that’s deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site can be found in the Love and Honey valleys. Mehmet Gungor is a one-man operation guiding authentic hikes in this region.

3. Great Wall, China

China’s Great Wall no longer stretches along its 4,200-mile-length that dated to the Ming Dynasty — some 30% has almost vanished. But the remaining sections — some within day trip access of Beijing — present walkers with varying states of preservation, from the overdeveloped Badaling portion with its museum, shops, and bathrooms to those wilder, dilapidated portions with no facilities.

One of the more authentic paths atop this serpentine wall wanders from Jinshanling to Simatai, a five-hour hike along mostly derelict ribbons encrusted with storied watchtowers and crenellated ramparts. Meandering over undulating peaks, the route often requires scrambling, sometimes on all fours, up and down tall decrepit stone steps and around gaping holes. But the sweeping vistas of the mostly forested hills, lush valleys and snake-like wall make the effort worth every step.

William Lindesay, an ardent Wall activist in terms of its preservation, organizes day and multi-day hikes on the crumbled sections.

4. Madeira, Portugal

Set some 600 miles from Lisbon, the leafy island of Madeira has a reputation among acrophobes as having some of the most vertiginous trails around.

This rugged isle is networked with some 1,000 miles of irrigation channels (or levadas) that are bordered by a narrow level-walking path. These aqueducts have been hewn into cliffs and solid rock producing claustrophobic tunnels and paths clinging at times to the edge of sheer chasms.

However, there are also plenty of more gentle levadas, including those coursing through Madeira’s native laurisilva forest. Even families can walk Levada dos Balcoes that starts in the mountain hamlet of Ribeiro Frio and terminates at a dizzying overlook of jagged high peaks and deep verdant valleys. Another levada starting from the same hamlet takes slightly more adventurous walkers to Portello, a four-hour trek past heather, lily of the valley trees and wild orchids. Madeira Explorers leads myriad levada walks.

5. Negev, Israel

In the Negev, a vast triangular-shaped swath of land where Abraham and other Old Testament notables once wandered, a network of walking wadis or dry streambeds veins this arid scape. After a rain, desert flowers bloom in these beds, but this innocent landscape can turn deadly in an instant should there be a flash flood.

Many wadis are aptly named: Along Wadi of the Tree, the broad canopy of a lone acacia provides welcome shade. The radiant shades of sandstone are conveyed by the name Wadi of the Gevanim or Shades of Color. The eponymous spring along the Ardon Wadi — another wadi laden with views of brilliant-hued sandstone walls — is an oasis for ibex and other animals.

One of the most interesting findings: the stone ruins of a caravansary or ancient motel of sorts for traders and their camels along the old Nabatean-run Spice Route. Adam Sela arranges hikes for all skill levels in the Negev.

6. Westmann Islands, Iceland

Heimaey, the only inhabited isle among Iceland’s Westmann Islands, shows off its volcanic origins wherever possible.

A four-mile path threads atop the towering cliffs on the island’s west side, starting at the 18-hole golf course where the lava fields are out of bounds. Flanked by the crashing sea and a conglomerate of black lava and verdant farmland, the trail provides plenty of close-ups of puffins, the island’s signature birds, as well as guillemot, oystercatchers and others.

The trail wanders near some curious features, including wooden racks hung with dried fish heads, and a 1940s ship’s motor beached on a stretch of black sand that also harbors plant fossils. Once the trail climbs to the island’s southern tip, you’ll be standing near an old weather station that’s recorded winds as high as 110 knots. Ruth Barbara Zohlen takes hikers along this and other trails on Heimaey.

7. Pico Island, Azores, Portugal

In the Azores archipelago, Pico Island’s most famous commodity is wine. But the island’s vineyards are hardly ordinary. On this volcanic isle, a maze of black lava stone walls shields the grapes from salt and wine.

The five-mile Vinhas da Criacao Velha trail slices through this landscape where waves tumble against coastal jagged rocks and natural pools, while small sandy beaches break up the desolate volcanic scape. The grapes responsible for Pico’s notable aperitif wine, Verdelho, grow along the latter part of the trail providing views of a seemingly endless expanse of vineyards that are a patchwork of lava stone walls. This landscape, where the grapes are cultivated on mineral-rich volcanic soil, is so unique, it’s designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Also visible along the path are the rocky profiles of the Islets of Madalena, stately old manor houses, and curious tracks, evidence of where wagons once transported grapes and wine barrels. Organized hikes can be arranged through Turispico.

8. Dubrovnik, Croatia

The defining feature of the medieval city of Dubrovnik is its defensive walls. And walking atop these slightly more than one-mile battlements that surround the city provides a commanding perspective of the city’s key historic details.

Beginning your walk when the wall first opens may help you avoid the prerequisite crowds. But come armed with the audio guide that can be rented at the beginning near the Pile Gate. (It provides a wealth of historical and architectural details).

With some sections not even two-feet wide and others towering some 80 feet high, the wall walk may cause some acrophobes to break out in a sweat.The series of towers, bastions and fortresses are surely an impressive testament as to why the ramparts were never breached. Protecting the southeast side of the old port, crenellated Fort St. John was considered the most powerful fortification. (This is where the city’s residents sought shelter during the Croatian War of Independence.)