r/geography • u/SeattleThot • Jul 27 '24
Cities with breathtaking geographic features? Discussion
I’ve only been around the United States, Canada, Mexico, and a few European countries, so my experiences are pretty limited, and maybe I’m a little bias, but seeing Mt. Rainier on a clear day in the backdrop of the Seattle skyline takes my breath away every time.
I know there’s so many beautiful cities around the world (I don’t wanna sound like a typical American who thinks the world is just the states lol).
Interested to hear of some examples of picturesque features from across the world.
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u/Nabaseito Geography Enthusiast Jul 27 '24 edited Jul 27 '24
Living in front of a volcano is one thing,, a very active one another. Welcome to Kagoshima Japan.
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u/SeattleThot Jul 27 '24
Oh hellll no 😂
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u/Nabaseito Geography Enthusiast Jul 27 '24 edited Jul 27 '24
Imagine seeing this out your window lol
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u/freeciggies Jul 27 '24 edited Jul 27 '24
This is Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala, I climbed it in December. (Edited)
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u/Nabaseito Geography Enthusiast Jul 27 '24
They do look similar,, however Volcán de Fuego has a very pointed top whereas the picture has a notable crater at its top. You can also reverse-image search and it'll come up as Sakurajima.
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u/TheQuestionMaster8 Jul 27 '24
I would actually love to live within sight of an active volcano, but like 40km away on a high elevation where I can admire the explosive beauty at a safe distance on a safe elevation.
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u/timurizer Jul 27 '24
I live within 12km away from a very active volcano in Indonesia it (Mt.Merapi) and at my distance it is overall safe. The superheated cloud and toxic fume in the worst explosion only reach 7km from the peak, the direct threat is the volcanic ashes that can bury your roof and if your structure is not good it will crush it. The indirect threat of being cutout logistically is more concerning tho because living around mountain usually comes with a lot of river and during eruption, some of those bridges can be cut of or the river overflow with lahar.
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u/summersnowcloud Jul 27 '24
Fun fact, there is a town in Italy called Naples that looks a lot like Kagoshima, because it sits upon the volcano mt. Vesuvius (the one that destroyed Pompeii in Roman times) which has a similar shape to Sakurajima. They also have a similar climate and lifestyle.
Kagoshima is sometimes called "Naples of the Orient" (or the other way around, can't remember), and they are twin cities. In Naples there is a "Kagoshima street" and in Kagoshima there is "Napori doori", every year they also send a delegation of citizens to the other town to celebrate their kinship.
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u/alikander99 Jul 27 '24
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u/zoomeyzoey Jul 27 '24
Now that looks like a fantasy land. Amazing
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Jul 27 '24
Guilin is gorgeous, but Yangshuo (very close to Guilin City) is the real place the visit. Easily a top destination in the world in my book.
A buddy of mine does creative engineering there that merged art projects with the natural surroundings. Coolest one was a rock band that played suspended from the ceiling of a massive cave inside of one of those mountains.
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u/agen_kolar Jul 27 '24
I was lucky enough to visit Guilin about 15 years ago and it’s one of the most unique places I’ve been.
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u/alikander99 Jul 27 '24
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u/Papadropolos Jul 27 '24
I visited Salzburg a few weeks ago! A staggeringly beautiful city. The beer I drank in the castle restaurant was the most picturesque of my life.
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u/DelDoesReddit Jul 27 '24
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u/ViperMaassluis Jul 27 '24
Came here to say this, hands down the best. Arriving in Cape Town by ship in the early morning while Table Mountain is covered with her tablecloth and Lions Head is sticking out, magnifique!
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u/Snap-Crackle-Pot Jul 27 '24
IMO this should be number one. Many cities have views of breathtaking features on the horizon whereas Cape Town is weaved amongst them. There’s such variety of climate and vegetation too due to the different elevations around the city
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u/bigboyjak Jul 27 '24
I think Bristol being on the side of the Avon gorge Is pretty interesting
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u/No_Shine_4707 Jul 27 '24
No, only mountains here please. Need to throw a pic of Barmouth in there
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u/bigboyjak Jul 27 '24
It does seem like mountains are the only thing people think is interesting
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u/No_Astronaut3059 Jul 27 '24
Yes me babber!
Shame you couldn't find a photo with Turbo Island in the foreground, mind....
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u/Short_Classy_Name Jul 27 '24
View of Mt Taranaki from New Plymouth, New Zealand.
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u/Nabaseito Geography Enthusiast Jul 27 '24
Mt. Taranaki actually cosplayed as Mt. Fuji in the Last Samurai movie lol
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u/No_Window8199 Jul 27 '24
so many different shades of green! i can smell the fresh air just looking at this picture😍
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u/Interesting-Grape197 Jul 27 '24
Mount Rainier is absolutely gorgeous.
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u/Ok_Minimum6419 Jul 27 '24 edited Jul 27 '24
Even more gorgeous on it too. The grassy meadows were truly something else.
Took this picture on my trip there in late September. The red on the ground is all berries, which numerous
brownblack bears comb through and eat396
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u/Nekikins Jul 27 '24
You should get that printed and framed. That's an absolutely jaw dropping photo.
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u/Poissonss Jul 27 '24
Growing up in the area, and seeing that view on a regular basis, you really take it for granted. Every time I go back to visit, I’m in awe.
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u/misterrandom1 Jul 27 '24
"The mountain is out today!" is one of my favorite things heard regularly in the winter.
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u/uselessZZwaste Jul 27 '24
How far is that mountain from those buildings?
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u/Sugar__Momma Jul 27 '24 edited Jul 27 '24
Like 60ish miles (100km) away
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u/Peace-Disastrous Jul 27 '24
It's honestly crazy how much it dominates the landscape. Like it's in a mountain range surrounded by other not small mountains and absolutely dwarfs them all.
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u/bearnaut Jul 27 '24
It has more prominence than the surrounding area, which really enhances the visual pop. Same goes for Mt. Hood, Baker, Fuji, etc. The Pacific Rim strato volcanoes are really special, even if they aren't the tallest mountains.
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u/Rude_Lavishness_7004 Jul 27 '24
Rio de Janeiro is quite unique also
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u/SeattleThot Jul 27 '24
I think its harbor is one of the 7 wonders of the natural world even. Truly stunning
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u/Zenislav Jul 27 '24
Dubrovnik, Croatia. Or just pick any place along Croatia coast.
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u/cucumberblueprint Jul 27 '24
Almaty, Kazakhstan. My wife grew up about 200m from the mosque in the picture and every time I’m staying there and staring at the mountains I just keep thinking „I can’t see them, but there are damn snow leopards (!) roaming these mountains!“
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u/TOP_EHT_FO_MOTTOB Jul 27 '24
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u/Alpha-Lemur Jul 27 '24
I went there a month ago. Mt Etna is stunning. It actually spew lava and ash while we were there and I can tell you it is a humbling experience. Kind of puts in perspective how insignificant you are versus mother nature
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u/nowwinaditya Jul 27 '24
Not sure if anyone has already mentioned but Arequipa, Peru, has one of the most stunning natural backdrop that i have seen. The history, the architecture, and the food scene of this place makes it a must visit place.
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u/Radiant-Fly9738 Jul 27 '24
Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina with its stunning waterfalls in the city and stunning river with cascades.
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u/throway3451 Jul 27 '24
Nothing like that pic, but Hong Kong. I loved the juxtaposition of the ocean, mountains and the urban centre. The natural views on its hiking trails were pretty damn amazing.
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u/ready_gi Jul 27 '24
I lived in Hong Kong for couple of months and agree, it's such a cool city. My favourite was taking the double decker tram and the vertical graveyards.
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u/alikander99 Jul 27 '24
San Vicente de la barquera, Spain. (it's more of a town than a city)
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u/LeurakGuayaba Jul 27 '24
Quito, Ecuador is surrounded by 5 volcanoes and you can rotate yourself to see the snowy peaks on a clear day
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u/umuzioren Jul 27 '24
I currently live in Riobamba, Chimborazo and from here on a clear day you can see the Chimborazo, Tungurahua and Altar, all very beautiful snowy peaks
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u/Nabaseito Geography Enthusiast Jul 27 '24
Chimborazo is the farthest point from the Earth's core. Fascinating you can see that every day.
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u/damet307 Jul 27 '24
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u/invol713 Jul 27 '24
Hopefully one day they can throw off their theocracy and become the wonderful country of Persia again. It would be cool to see all of the history in the area, and natural beauty.
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u/damet307 Jul 27 '24
Even though they have a crazy theocracy, your average Iranian is incredible friendly and open to tourists. In 2019 I rode through Iran on a bicycle and it was really great. I spent more nights in strangers houses than in my tent and I even gained weight.
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u/invol713 Jul 27 '24
This is my point. The people there are wonderful. It’s their government that sucks.
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u/opisica Jul 27 '24
Based on your experience, I have to assume you’re male?
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u/damet307 Jul 27 '24
Yes, I am. I can't tell you, how the experience would be for women, also I was alone. So really no clue.
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u/BamaBuffSeattle Jul 27 '24
Eh, Persia is an exonym for them. They've always called themselves Iran or Iranians dating back to ancient times (or an older varient of Iran/Iranian)
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u/Then_Deer_9581 Jul 27 '24
Man when people gonna stop this weird line of thinking? Civilized Persian vs Muslim Iran. That just never happened, it was always Iran. Before Islam and after.
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u/AlpineBuilds Jul 27 '24 edited Jul 27 '24
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u/blackandwhite1987 Jul 27 '24
Don't forget Mt Baker to the south! North shore mountains get all the hype.
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u/LordWeaselton Jul 27 '24
I love how much this looks like Republic City from Legend of Korra
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u/metalhydra273 Jul 27 '24
I’ve gotta say. Vancouver is gorgeous. As a New Yorker, seeing it in person felt very trippy. It’s like taking the mountain ranges we have upstate and surrounding NYC with them. I spotted several other smaller skylines around, and you would see something different in every direction. I’m hoping to return in the relatively near future for a real visit because I wasn’t there very long.
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u/suicide_aunties Jul 27 '24
I was waiting for this. Whenever I drive north on the bridge to North Van a decade or more ago and see the mountains, knowing the sea to sky highway awaits…that’s some feeling.
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u/DankyKongJr Jul 27 '24
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u/sirgawain2 Jul 27 '24
I never get tired of looking at Diamondhead. Watching the sun set on Diamondhead is breathtaking.
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u/240plutonium Jul 27 '24
I've lived in Shizuoka, Japan and I think it has a decent chance thanks to tea and Mt. Fuji
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u/DuckMitch Jul 27 '24
Turin, Italy. But the photo doesn't show that he mountains are all around it, and they're beautiful.
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u/lexuanhai2401 Jul 27 '24 edited Jul 27 '24
Hạ Long Bay limestone karst, visible from Hạ Long city and Cẩm Phả city (not shown)
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u/No_Window8199 Jul 27 '24
Little Ararat (left) and Greater Ararat (right); view from Yerevan, Armenia 🇦🇲
( Mount Ararat is located in Turkey and forms a near quadripoint between Turkey, Iran, Armenia, and the Nakhchivan exclave of Azerbaijan )
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u/SeattleThot Jul 27 '24
I’m Armenian so this one especially hits close to home ❤️🇦🇲 the pictures don’t do it justice when you see Mt. Ararat from the city it really is massive lol.
Even more so when you go towards Khor Virap it’s truly breathtaking.
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u/TheQuestionMaster8 Jul 27 '24
Mt Ararat is actually an Active volcano and has last erupted in the 1800’s.
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u/cthorngate Jul 27 '24
I’m originally from Seattle but am living in Armenia right now. Seeing Ararat on a clear day reminds me of Rainier and makes me feel so at home 💙.
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u/milosqzx Jul 27 '24
Everyone is posting beautiful cities with mountains, but a harbour counts as a geographical feature too right?
I’m also biased lol
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u/SeattleThot Jul 27 '24
Thank you I was waiting for something other than a mountain pic 😂 Sydney’s harbor is like no other
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u/tHe_jAcKaL68 Jul 27 '24
Edinburgh overlooked by Arthur's Seat is quite the sight. Equally spectacular if you're up the peak looking back down at the city and castle.
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u/LansingBoy Jul 27 '24
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u/FuckTheStateofOhio Jul 27 '24
Driving around Salt Lake City I almost got into several minor accidents staring at mountains. They looked so close to the downtown and would always look so stunning.
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u/LansingBoy Jul 27 '24
The canyons in the image are what, like 10-15 min drive away from downtown, its pretty close
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u/Nabaseito Geography Enthusiast Jul 27 '24
Really close. I live in LA but even here it takes a while to drive to the mountains/canyons depending on where you are with traffic and all. In SLC you could literally go from a suburb to pure mountain canyon in a few minutes. Was absolutely stunned.
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u/mainwasser Jul 27 '24
The other end of the list: Astana, surrounded by 100s of km of nonexistent geographic features, aka steppe
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u/shrug_addict Jul 27 '24
Portland, OR has some good spots, here's Mt. St. Helen's from Portland
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u/bellatrixxen Jul 27 '24
Mt Hood has to be one of the most beautiful mountains imo. I never get used to randomly looking east and seeing what looks like Olympus itself rising from the earth
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Jul 27 '24
The cool thing about Portland is you can see 3 at least if not 4 Volcanoes depending on your elevation. Hood, Adam's and st helens show themselves but I think Jefferson may be visible at certain heights. Not confirmed myself tho.
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u/shrug_addict Jul 27 '24
Yeah, the St. Johns Bridge is a treat! As is council crest. So many scenic views around Portland! Mt Tabor is an old cinder cone. Rocky Butte, the West Hills, I could go on, gorgeous city and landscape!
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Jul 27 '24
Oh dang! I didn't know Tabor was a cinder cone! Very cool to know thank you. I moved to Vancouver 3 years ago from the Puget Sound and the Portland/Vancouver area is really fun to discover new things I didn't know about the PNW
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u/shrug_addict Jul 27 '24
Oh rad! I've lived near the Columbia my whole life! If you're into geology, take the trip from Vancouver on HWY 14 to Stephenson, WA and then cross over to Oregon on the Bridge if the Gods and drive back to 205 on Hwy 30 or I84. Such a beautiful loop and you can see so much cool stuff on the gorge, like Cape Horn, Beacon Rock, Bridge of the Gods, Cascade Locks, Eagle Creek and TONS of other hikes, Multnomah Falls, Vista House. If you have any questions lemme know!
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u/Nabaseito Geography Enthusiast Jul 27 '24
Visited Portland for the first time this month. I randomly looked to the side on some random freeway during sunset and saw Mt. Hood in a pinkish hue. Was absolutely not prepared to see something so beautiful.
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u/shrug_addict Jul 27 '24
View at my folks place. I've seen this thing nearly every day of my 40 years on this planet and it still takes my breath away
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u/Nabaseito Geography Enthusiast Jul 27 '24
Genuinely contemplated moving to Oregon just to see this thing everyday lol. Potentially unpopular but I prefer Mt. Hood's appearance to Mt. Rainier.
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u/Westafricangrey Jul 27 '24
Queenstown, New Zealand. Pretty, but kind of awful. My personal favourite is Port Chalmers. But it’s doesn’t photograph as well
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u/Revolutionary-Scot94 Jul 27 '24
Tehran, Iran
Have always wanted to visit this place, perhaps when the world is in a better place.
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u/Carlos_Tellier Jul 27 '24
I just want to comment how great this sub is. This thread feels like old Reddit.
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u/ShintoIceCream Jul 27 '24
Ålesund, Norway. Not Mt. Rainier kind of breathtaking, but a personal favourite nontheless.
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u/Don_Mattez Jul 27 '24
Cholula (Puebla)
Not only does it have one active volcano (Popocatépetl, left) and two inactive ones (Iztaccihuatl, right and El Malinche, not in the picture), but also the biggest pyramid in the world (by volume).
It's really astonishing here.
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u/jonathan__az Jul 27 '24 edited Jul 27 '24
The Santa Catalina mountains provide a pretty impressive backdrop for Tucson, Arizona. They’re essentially a 9000’ dome of granite exposed by plate tectonics. The altitude allows for a pine forest ecosystem at the top, which is a nice escape from the desert in the valley.
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u/latespresso Jul 27 '24
Istanbul-Turkey, taking a ferry or boat tour in Bosphorus can be an absolutely breathtaking experience and it's definitely something I highly recommend for visitors.
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u/AC1114 Jul 27 '24
There’s no feature like Mt. Rainier, but walking around Vancouver in the summer is absolutely gorgeous along the water. The coast, greenery everywhere, and light breeze coming in makes it absolutely amazing. One of my favorite places.
To be fair - I have only been in the summer
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u/mista_r0boto Jul 27 '24
San Francisco with the Bay and Golden Gate into the Bay plus San Pablo Bay and the Sausalito and Tiburon Coast.
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u/dublecheekedup Jul 27 '24
Random but the suburbs in the Inland Empire of Southern California are pretty interesting since they are deserts with snow capped mountains
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u/Ganymede2400 Jul 27 '24
Hong Kong - an incredible combination of skyscrapers, mountains and the ocean.
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u/zvdyy Urban Geography Jul 27 '24
Auckland, New Zealand. Not very well-known yet has two harbours with a conical island (top right). Multiple dormant volcanoes peppered throughout the city.
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u/[deleted] Jul 27 '24
https://preview.redd.it/rnzm352gqzed1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=63f4e0853ed6128c51726f2f86766889b1cb44ce
Santiago, Chile