Eiffel Tower, Northern Lights, Lake Titicaca… 15 amazing street views to explore

Anyone could attest to the therapeutic effect of natural landscapes, yet, some man-made structures are so bewildering that the sight of them leaves tourists in awe.

Google Maps turned 15 in February and consequently put out a listicle encompassing views from 15 favourite sites around the world that adults and children should celebrate and learn about.

The Google tool offers satellite imagery, aerial photography, street maps, 360 degrees interactive panoramic views of streets, real-time traffic conditions, and route planning for travelling.

Through its numerous products and subsidiaries, the US-based multinational tech company said it looks to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.

Scale Yosemite’s El Capitan with a famous climber

You could go mountaineering in Yosemite without taking a 3,000-foot climb up El Capitan. Some people did incur risk to bring tourists up the wall but one could be sure they’re professionals.

Float through the International Space Station

All but one of Google’s street view images have gravity in common. But, with NASA collaboration, obstacles to bring everyone a taste of what it’s like to be an astronaut are now out of the picture.

Horse around with us at Mongolia’s Lake Khövsgöl Ice Festival

One can only experience a bone-chilling Mongolia winter by going out for a festival on an ancient frozen lake. Google’s street views would take you on a horse-drawn sleigh for a luxury ride.

Climb the monarch of mountains: Mont Blanc in the Alps

If you’re ready for dramatic views of snow-tipped mountain tops, take a journey 16,000 feet up Mont Blanc. Google partnered with world-renowned alpine photographers and mountaineers.

It engaged skiers, climbers, and runners to collect street views of Western Europe’s highest peak so viewers can run on a summit, ice-climb up a serac and ski knee-deep in Earth’s best ‘powders’.

Take in Tokyo’s cherry blossom season

Japan’s sakura or cherry blossom season is world-famous. You could take a stroll with a street view during Tokyo’s springtime and be sure to look left to catch a glimpse of the famous Zōjō-Ji Temple.

Bathe in La Sagrada Familia’s lights without the crowds

Let your jaw drop as you enter the main chamber of La Sagrada Familia. This might be your only chance to witness the church’s famous tree-like columns, shimmering lights, and vertigo-inspiring views without joining a herd of gawking visitors.

Scuttle with a crabby company on Christmas Island

Head over to Christmas Island, a remote tropical territory of Australia, to celebrate the island’s annual red crab migration and see millions of crabs march from the forest right into the sea.

Stroll through the majestic Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi

See architectural styles from Muslim civilisations in one of the world’s largest mosques, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

Able to accommodate 40,000 worshippers, the mosque has an open-door policy, inviting visitors from around the world to see its intricate domes, reflective pools, and mesmerising prayer hall.

Drift with the Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland

Feel the chill as you peer at Greenland’s Ilulissat Icefjord, where a glacial ice cap meets the ocean.

Named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004, it’s imagery like this that reminds us both of our planet’s beauty and of how climate change is impacting the natural world.

Meet the world’s only flightless parrot: the endangered

Virtually step into the home of the kākāpō and explore prehistoric New Zealand just as it was millions of years before the first boat ever landed on its shores.

You can join the street view on an exclusive tour of windswept sanctuaries and pristine reserves that are off-limits to visitors.

Cruise through the Amazon on the Rio Negro River

With Street View, you can ferry down the Rio Negro River and see images that were taken across more than 30 miles of remote and diverse shore, forest and village.

Visit the floating homes of the Uros in Lake Titicaca

Cultures and climates differ. But there’s always a place to call home. With Google’s street view you can see the Uros people of Lake Titicaca in Peru make their homes on floating reed islands.

Take in the Eiffel Tower

Whether you suffer from crippling vertigo or just haven’t had the chance to see the iconic Eiffel Tower, Google Maps’ Street View just catered to you.

You can take a tour of the top of Paris right from home, catching a glimpse of attractions like the Arc de Triomphe, Montmartre and the River Seine.

Gaze up at the Northern Lights

You don’t have to travel to the most northern corners of the world to see the natural phenomenon that is the Northern Lights.

Google Maps’ team confirmed that it took them six nights in the snow before finally being able to capture the elusive Aurora Borealis on the frozen Pitkäjärvi Lake in Finland.

Meander through Machu Picchu

After years of trying to secure permission to collect imagery from it, Google zig-zagged through the ancient site’s terraces and temples with Google Arts & Culture over seven days to make the site accessible to all.