Only for the Fearless: The Most Spectacular Observation Platforms in the World

High above, on the observation platforms and skywalks of the world. For an adrenaline rush, vacationers are drawn to dizzying heights of up to 1,400 meters. They are rewarded with breathtaking views. Many vacation destinations are following the thrill-seeking trend, creating ever higher and more spectacular skywalks that attract increasing numbers of visitors. In the Alps alone, there are currently about 20 of these panoramic platforms. Moreover, adventurous spirits worldwide are being drawn upward. We provide an overview of the five most spectacular skywalks and observation platforms around the globe.

The name of this spectacular observation platform in the Austrian Dachstein mountains is no coincidence. In fact, the protrusions of the platform extend like five fingers over the 400-meter deep abyss. Each of the protrusions varies in length and has different features. Adventurous visitors can enjoy the mountain scenery from the up to eight-meter-long fingers, take a memorable photo on a walkway installed within a Baroque-style photo frame, or gaze through a glass floor on another walkway directly at Lake Hallstatt and the village of Krippenbrunn. Austria boasts numerous other observation platforms, including the Skywalk at the Kölnbreinsperre in Upper Carinthia.

Chinese tourists love the thrill that a high-altitude walk provides. Rarely does another country host as many skywalks as the People's Republic of China. The glass suspension platforms have particularly captivated the Chinese. Each year, new skywalks are inaugurated with direct views of the abyss that lies 1,400 meters below. Strong nerves are also needed by visitors of the longest skywalk in the world, which measures 60 meters around Tianmen Mountain. The glass platform, aptly named Walk of Faith, requires a great deal of trust from those who dare to step onto it. From here, they have a unique view of the Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park.

Another one of the most spectacular observation platforms rises high above the Bavarian Alps. Two free-floating steel lookout forms create the named X almost 1,000 meters above the depths. From up here, vacationers can see the Zugspitze, Waxenstein, and the northern wall of Alpspitz. Especially at the glass-enclosed ends of the 25-meter-long observation platforms of AlpspiX, peak climbers and adventure seekers will find much to enjoy. The skywalk between heaven and the Höllental can be reached via one of the many cable cars and a lengthy hiking tour.

One of the most famous observation platforms in the world is 'The Ledge' in Chicago. Located on the 103rd floor of the former Sears Tower, the observation boxes feature glass floors and direct views of the city by Lake Michigan. The current Willis Tower was considered the tallest building in the world for a long time. While it has now been surpassed by impressive structures in Dubai, the view from The Ledge is still spectacular. Since 2009, visitors from around the globe have been able to enjoy it.

Only for the bold: The skywalk around the CN Tower in Toronto lives up to its name. At a dizzying height, thrill-seekers can walk along the only 1.50-meter-wide platform and enjoy views of the Canadian metropolis. Secured by cables and special wires, they walk around the tower at a height of 356 meters for 30 minutes. This building was the tallest freestanding building in the world until 2007 and remains one of Canada's most well-known landmarks. Equally daunting is the attraction The Edge in the Eureka Tower skyscraper in Melbourne. After taking the fastest elevator in the Southern Hemisphere to the 88th floor, the experience becomes even more spectacular. The Edge extends three meters out from the facade. It is a glass cube that offers a breathtaking 360-degree view.

One of the most impressive observation platforms that has naturally formed is the Trolltunga ('Troll's Tongue'), which juts dramatically into the air amid Norway's mountains. The rock ledge gets its name from its approximately ten-meter-long tongue-shaped tip. Learn more about this popular attraction surrounded by Norway's natural landscape and the similarly sought-after Preikestolen here.