Passerelle Saint Georges

Let’s start with probably the most well know view from this city. The Passerelle Saint Georges is a pedestrian bridge right next to the center. It’s bright red, so it stands out quite a lot from the surrounding. You will get a great view with the Église Saint Georges church right behind it.

It looks great at night, but be ready to deal with very strong white lights on and under the bridge.

La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière

You will see this basilica from far away, as it’s on the hill above the city. I wold not suggest walking up to it. I did, it’s not a short walk. Instead you can take an underground cable car, which is a part of the metro there.

The Basilica looks really great, and you can take some wonderful photos around it. The view to the city is not that great, as there are quite a lot of three in front of it. But still you can get some photos there.

On top of the La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière

When you already get to the basilica, don’t forget to take the guided tour. The entrance is to the right side of the basilica. You will be taken to some interesting sites in the basilica, but don’t be surprised if the guide speaks only french. But that not why you took the tour.

The goal is the last spot on the tour, the top of one of the towers of the basilica. From there you will get the best view of the city, with this beautiful statue in the foreground. No tripods allowed though.

Passerelle du Palais de Justice

Another pedestrian bridge. This one is quite busy, so if you would like a people free photo, go there in the morning. It has this nice bend in the middle so if you set you camera low, you can nicely create a lead in to the Palace right behind it. There is also something like a “fountain” next to it and you could try a reflection in there. I got none, as there was not much water when I was there.

Passerelle du Collège

And one more pedestrian bridge. The river crosses the city a lot, so there are many beautiful bridge there. For this one, you can walk down under it, and get a view of it in its fullest. There are not many ships going up and down the river, so you will also get a great reflection there.

Place des Jacobins

I just love how beautiful this fountain is and I think you will too. It’s just a short walk from the city center, and it’s not as busy of an area as the main square.

Euronews

This is maybe not the typical spot I would recommend, but the architecture is just too unique to pass on. The Euronew building (the green one) and the Lizeo Online Media Group building close to it (the orange one) booth look crazy like something from a scifi movie. Worth a look :)

They are both a bit further away from the center, in a more port area. To get here, I would suggest going to the Hôtel de Région – Montrochet tram stop or Musée des Confluences stop and walk from either one.

Statue Flower Tree

This is a really cool tree looking flower statue right in the center. It’s a bit hard to use in composition as there is a fence around it, but if you have a wide enough lens, you can go close and get over the fence with your camera.

That’s all for this list from Lyon. I hope you enjoy your visit to this wonderful city, and get many nice photos there.

1. At the canals (spot 1)

This is probably the most popular spot for photographers. Each time I was there I seen at least few with tripods around. Still as it’s not easy to find (I got questions about it :) ), check out the exact location from GPS. It’s also one of the few spots, where all the lights on the bridge work, so you will get a nice reflection in the water. This spot looks great from both sides of the bridge, so don’t forget to look at both :)

2. At the canals (spot 2)

One more, different spot at the canals (there are many). This one is different, as you can get down onto this small docking platform, to get a view from closer to the water. It just creates the best reflections in the water, either way you look.

3. Near Nemo

The Nemo science museum on it’s own looks great, but in this area I mostly take different photos. There are two things here. First if you have a longer lens, you can get a nice view of the center, with the Church of Saint Nicholas. Secondly, the two pedestrian bridges are great for shots. And when you done here, you can just walk towards the train station from here, to get even more great locations. Or you can walk to the Montelbaans tower, which is also very close.

4. In the center

There are many places to take photos in the center, but this one you should visit. There are two views here, one is right in the middle (see GPS location), from where you get this great reflection (but only in the evenings and in the morning, at other times the boats come by too often). The second one is from the nearby bridge where you see the reflection from a bit different angle.

5. I Amsterdam sign / Rijksmuseum

This spot is just so busy all the time. You always see people getting photos with the sign, climbing on it and just being in the way :) So for best photos, go here for the sunrise. You should have it for your self for a few minutes then. I prefer to use a long lens, 100mm or more and just stand at the end of the pool here, to get a nice reflection of the Rijksmuseum in the background. Btw. the pool changes over the year, sometimes it’s empty, sometimes there are tulips in it, sometimes a statue.

Also, don’t forget to check out the Rijksmuseum, and also the great looking passage through it, as it open all the time.

6. Zaanse Schans

While one is in Netherlands, one of course should get some photos of the windmills. And the best spot for that is the Zaanse Schans. This is a small, very beautiful village not far away, with quite a few windmills and nice spots to view them from. You will have to take a train from the Amsterdam Central station to get here. There is one every few minutes and you have to get out at the Koog-Zaandijk stop and then walk few minutes to get to the Zaanse Schans area. There you can just explore as much as you want :)

7. Inntel Hotel Zaandam

If you like strange architecture, as I do, you should definitively also check out the Inntel Hotel in Zaandam. It’s quite easy to get there, just take a train from Amsterdam Central, and get out at the Zaandam stop. There is a train going there every few minutes, and it’s only a few stops. The hotel is right next to the train station, and the area is quite empty in the evening. Only each time a train arrives, you have people passing by, but you can take photos in between :)

8. Skylounge

The Skylounge is not a typical spot that I would recommend. But as Amsterdam is quite flat, there is quite a lack of higher up spots with a nice view. The Skylounge is a bar on top of the Hilton Hotel in the city center. It has an outdoor terrace, where you can sit down, have a drink and take few shots :). The entrance is free, you just have to walk into the hotel, and take the elevator to the 11th floor. Not really a place for tripods, but you should be able to take a few nice shots handheld. I did not get the best shot while I was there, so I will have to return. So here is one, just to show you the view :)

9. A’DAM Lookout

The A’DAM Lookout is a recently opened lookout/restaurant tower in the Amsterdam. It’s probably the highest point you can get to in the city. The view is nice, but there are a few problems. You will need a very long lens as the tower if further away from the center, and secondly, the lookout area uses fences to prevent you from falling, with only a few holes to put a camera through. I was not even able to place a tripod so, that I could use a wider lens. You just can’t place it close enough. Still, if you have a long lens, or you just want a nice view of the city, it’s worth the visit. Also, when you are in the elevator, have your phone or camera ready, look up and record :)

To get here, you have to go to the main train station, walk through it to the pier, and take the free ferry to Buiksloterweg (there is one every few minutes).

10. Keukenhof

If you are in Amsterdam between the end of March and the end of May, and you catch good weather, you should definitively visit also the Keukenhof gardens. This is a very unique garden full of tulips. It quite busy but also very beautiful. The easiest way to get there, is to go to the Shiphol airport and take a designated bus that goes from there. It take around an hour to get from the city here, so plan accordingly. You can check out Keukenhof website for specifics.

Thats all for this list, don’t forget to check out all the other ones :)

1. Viewing platform near the castle

This platform gives you just the best view of the city center. It’s especially great for when you are trying to take a panorama shot. There is one problem with this location though, that it is closed at night. So you can get there from around 7 in the morning to sometime in the afternoon (I don’t remember there being opening times written on the door). The entry is free, and of course, you can use your tripod there.

2. Viewing platform in the city

This spot will be probably the first you visit as is right at the entrance to the center of the city. It gives a very nice view of the castle, and from what I have seen, they don’t close the gate to this place even at night. Be ready for it to be quite filled with tourists.

3. Over the staircase (Nad Schody) street

A really adequately named street, as to get there you have to go up the stairs from the city center. The view of the city, and especially of the cathedral in the middle is nice from here, just have a higher tripod, as there are bushes here and there in the way.

4. Parking area

Right when you are entering the center of the city, you will see a small parking area on the right side, that looks like its private and off limits. But it isn’t. Just go there, and you will even find benches under the trees. It gives another very nice view of the castle and the rivers bend.

5. Cloak bridge

Another very nice view of the city center, with one big problem. The problem are the very strong flood lights that you get right in your face. So if you want to get a photo from here, either do it during the day, or do as I did, include more of the bridge. Like this you will hide from the lights.

All these spots are very close to each other, and you can actually create a path between them, going from the 4th, through the 2nd, 5th, 1st and end on the 3rd.

The whole path is only around 2km.

Thats all for this list, don’t forget to check out all the other ones :)

At the top / Burj Khalifa

Of course, I have to include this one. It’s so unique to be able to be so high up. The view is just great. But there are few things one has to prepare for.

First of all, buy your ticket at least two weeks before online. Without it you either won’t get up at all, or you will have to pay for the much pricier ticket on the spot. They also sell only specific number of tickets for a certain time, so they can get sold out very quickly. I would suggest doing a sunrise instead of sunset. You get up much quicker, and it’s cheaper. The number of people is smaller, but they will stay around more, so grab a window, and wait for the sun by it.

Secondly, be prepared for an airport-style security check. They have no problems with camera gear or tripods, but they suggest you don’t take a big bag with you. I had a camera, 5 lenses, and a tripod with me, and they only wanted to look inside the bag. There were no issues.

Thirdly, get a Lenskirt or something to cover your camera. The slits in the wall, that were available before, are still there, but not there is a metal railing in the middle of them. None of my lenses would fit through. The only solution was to take photos through the glass. Also, the flooring is not the best there, and every time someone walks by, your tripod will shake. So get ready for that.

Dubai Marina

Of course, the second place has to be the Dubai marina. If one likes photos of skyscrapers, it a must. It’s the best late at night and early in the morning, where you meet almost no one there. The security guards here are really annoying, and they will stop you randomly around the marina. You can see them riding around with small golf carts. They will not bother you on the bridges in the area or if you use a clamp (strangely).

Also get yourself an ND filter. The daytime photos looks so much better from there as long exposures.

Palm Jumeirah

They should have something like this in every city. A great place to get a nice photo of the cityscape. From one side you get a great view of Dubai Marina, from the other of the Burj Al Arab. Just take a longer lens with you, as it’s a little further away. There is also a new walkway around the perimeter of the marina, so while you can’t get easily to the rocks anymore, you get a nice stable platform to shot from, quite close to the water.

Business bay

The original spot I shared here is still accessible, but not longer worth it. The new constructed building now block the view of the Burj Khalifa, so it does not looks so nice. But the whole business bay changed a lot in the last years, and you can get some great skyline views in the area anyway.

Jumeira Public beach

The original spot I shared here does not even exist anymore. The progress in Dubai is just so fast. Instead, I would suggest a different spot (the name of the beach is the same, as it’s all called the same :)), one next to the Burj Al Arab. You can get a really nice sunset here.

Under Burj Khalifa

You will need a wider lens to get a nice shot here, as the tower is just so high, but it’s worth it. If you go too close to the tower, be ready for security guards. I was stopped even a bit further (close to the opera) but there I was only informed that video is not permitted, but no problem with photos. Who knows why. I don’t.

Btw. if you see those dandelions still there, check out the authors, Mirek Struzik, website here: https://struzik-art.com/en.

There of course are many, many, many more spots, and I hope I revisit Dubai as soon as possible, to get many more shots.