Over Europe: 17 Sights From an Airplane

Fly over Europe and there’s a good chance you’ll see some of these notable landmarks, including soaring mountain ranges, deadly volcanoes, historical sites and even signs of the last ice age.

Sights From an Airplane: Venice, Italy

How appropriate that Venice looks like a fish from the air. Rising sea levels and compacting soils are causing Italy’s most unusual city to sink slowly into the water that surrounds it on all sides. Episodes of high water are increasingly flooding popular low-lying areas like Piazza San Marco. Venetians continue to debate the efficacy of massive engineering solutions, such as a $4.5 billion floodgate system to keep the waters out, as well as a controversial proposal that would pump seawater into the ground to raise the entire island by nearly a foot.

Sights From an Airplane: Eyjafjallajökull Volcano

The Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland erupted in April, disrupting international air travel for weeks. Its ash cloud also created psychedelic, screaming orange sunsets over Europe. Volcanic activity decreased significantly in May, and the volcano has been quiet since, although the eruption has yet to officially be declared over.

Sights From an Airplane: The English Channel

Jet passengers flying between Great Britain and France have a great opportunity to spot The English Channel. Intrepid swimmers have been crossing it since 1875. During WWII’s Battle of Britain, the British and the German fought each other here with submarines and naval warships. The English Channel is now one of the world’s busiest seaways, carrying more than 400 ships per day.

Sights From an Airplane: The Brandenburg Gate

Berlin's Brandenburg Gate was built from 1788 to 1791. After World War II, Germany was divided, and, in 1961, the Berlin Wall was constructed just west of the Brandenburg Gate. Travel between East and West Germany was severely restricted until the fall of the wall in 1989. On Dec. 22, 1989, the Brandenburg Gate crossing was reopened when Helmut Kohl, the West German chancellor, walked through to be greeted by Hans Modrow, the East German prime minister. The gate now stands as a symbol of freedom and a reunited Germany.

Sights From an Airplane: The Bosporus Strait

The Bosporus Strait slices through Turkey and is part of the boundary between Europe and Asia. Along its shores, you’ll see the city of Istanbul, population 11 million, which straddles both sides of the waterway. Sightseers can explore the waters of the Bosporus Strait by ferryboat.

Sights From an Airplane: The Alps

The Alps are easy to spot from a jet soaring over Europe. Their white, lofty peaks can be seen if you’re flying over Slovenia, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria or Liechtenstein. The Alps arose as a result of the collision of the African and European tectonic plates. The highest peak, Mont Blanc, reaches 15,782 feet in elevation. The mountain straddles France and Italy, and ownership of its summit is controversial. Both France and Italy claim it as their very own.

Sights From an Airplane: Mount Vesuvius

Mount Vesuvius is a stratovolcano that towers over the Bay of Naples, Italy. When it erupted in the year 79, it buried Pompeii, Italy, under ash and pumice. The city was lost for more than 1,500 years before it was rediscovered in 1592. Mount Vesuvius had its last major eruption in 1944. The volcano is now part of a national park.

Sights From an Airplane: Eiffel Tower

The second-tallest structure in France is easy to spot on an inbound or outbound flight from Paris. The Eiffel Tower is 1,063 feet tall and therefore only slightly shorter than the Millau Viaduct (1,125 feet). The tower was named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, and was built as the entrance arch for the 1889 World's

Sights From an Airplane: Vatican City

Technically, Vatican City is a sovereign city-state within Rome. At just 0.2 square miles — only 70 percent of the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. — Vatican City is the world’s smallest independent state. Located on a low hill and entirely surrounded by the city of Rome, the Vatican has the smallest population: just 826 in 2009. Find Vatican City from the air by looking for St. Peter's Basilica, whose dome dominates the skyline.

Sights From an Airplane: Loch Ness

Loch Ness may or may not contain a serpentine sea monster, but if you’re flying over Scotland, you’ll have no trouble identifying this long-necked freshwater lake. It’s cobalt blue and stretches for 23 miles across the Scottish Highlands. It contains more fresh water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined.

 

Sights From an Airplane: London Eye

The London Eye, a 443-foot Ferris wheel, sits on the banks of the River Thames. It was constructed from 1998-1999 and is now the tallest Ferris wheel in the world. It contains 32 air-conditioned passenger capsules that provide a spectacular view of the Palace of Westminster, Big Ben, Waterloo station and other city landmarks. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Windsor Castle.

Sights From an Airplane: The Autobahn

The German autobahn stretches across the entire country like a lattice for thrill seekers. This network of federal motorways has no general speed limit, although the recommendation is 130 kilometers per hour (81 mph).

Sights From an Airplane: Norwegian Fjords

Norway's extensive coastline, facing the North Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea, is home to its famous fjords. From the air, you can easily see these long, crinkly, narrow inlets that were carved by glaciers during the last ice age. According to National Geographic magazine, Norwegian fjords are the world’s top tourist

 

Sights From an Airplane: The Danube River

The Danube River originates in Germany’s Black Forest and snakes east through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine and Romania. It empties into the Black Sea. Various cruise lines offer scenic trips along this waterway.

Sights From an Airplane: Greek Islands

Greece has more than 6,000 islands. Whether you’re flying over Greece’s Ionian Sea to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south or the Aegean Sea to the east, you can delight in seeing islands down below. The islands can also be explored close up by cruise ship, ferryboat or sailboat.

Spain

Sights From an Airplane: Big Ben

If you’re flying low over London, look for Big Ben and Parliament Square. “Big Ben” actually refers to the bell of the clock rather than the clock tower itself. At 314 feet tall, it is the third-tallest free-standing clock tower in the world. The bells play a tune called “Cambridge Chimes.” During World War II, the bells were sometimes silenced and the clock face darkened to prevent German attack.

Sights From an Airplane: Seville, Spain

Large bullfighting rings will help you spot Seville from the sky. This Andalusian city
delights the senses on many levels, tickling the skin with its pleasant Mediterranean climate, the taste buds with its gustatory delights and the eyes and ears with its joyous flamenco dance and music. History buffs will enjoy exploring its huge cathedral and seeing the tomb of Christopher Columbus (although some historians argue that he’s not really buried here).