Daydreaming about that round-the-world trip you've been planning for years? Covering over fifty countries and seven continents, Google Street View allows you to embark on the journey from the comfort of your own desk, no passport necessary.
Learn more and view our must-see destinations for a Street View "World Tour" after the break.
Since its US Launch in 2007, Google Street View has captured photographs and imaginations aplenty, offering users 360 degree panoramas of global sites both renowned and remote. A dedicated Street View engineering team have used vehicle-mounted cameras to collect the individual images, which are then "stitched" together using specialized image processing algorithms to result in virtually seamless images. Highly detailed, the interactive panoramas convey remarkable senses of place and space.
Travelling by car, bike, and on foot, the team have covered over 5 million miles thus far, and created an astounding inventory of images that spans the entire globe. Below, we compile a list of our favourite sites.
Campidoglio, Italy
Burj Khalifa, United Arab Emirates
The Banaue Rice Terraces, Philippines
Parc Güell, Spain
Church of Saint George (Lalibela/Biete Giyorgis), Ethiopia
Tōdai-ji Temple, Japan
Hadrian's Wall, United Kingdom
Habitat 67, Canada
Centre Georges Pompidou, France
Red Square, Russia
Discover more, here.