The 19 most beautiful bridges in the world

Bosnia and Herzegovina

When was it built? 1557-1566 (and 2001-2004)

This Balkan beauty tells another tale of strength and struggle through architecture. The surrounding city of Mostar is named for Stari Most (meaning ‘old bridge’), whose pale stone arch curved nearly 25 metres above the Neretva River from 1566-1993. Tragically, the bridge was targeted and destroyed as part of the Bosnian War in 1993. But local pride and international funding helped rebuild the beloved structure between 2001-2004, including stone salvaged from the river below. Today, UNESCO describes Stari Most as ‘a symbol of reconciliation, international co-operation and of the coexistence of diverse cultural, ethnic and religious communities.’

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India

When was it built? unknown

Necessity inspired the living tree bridges that are created from Ficus roots in India’s northeastern state of Meghalaya, near Bangladesh. The indigenous Khasi people needed structures strong enough to withstand monsoon seasons, and took to planting and shaping the roots of rubber fig trees using ropes and tree trunks – a decades-long (and possibly disappearing) process. The double-decker version in the village of Nongriat is particularly gorgeous, attracting tourists willing to trek down 3,500 stairs for the experience of crossing a living structure.

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Zimbabwe 

When was it built? 1904-1905

Unobstructed views are a significant perk of traversing valleys and waterways, especially when they include one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Zimbabwe’s 198-metre, steel arch bridge curves over the Zambezi River gorge along the border with Zambia, just south of the majestic Victoria Falls. Tourist options for interacting with the bridge vary depending on your penchant for thrill seeking – you can bungee jump, zip-line, tour the lower catwalk, or wander across the top for views of the falls and surrounding jungle landscape (note: bring your passport for border control).

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Vietnam

When was it built? 2017-2018

The weathered stone hands holding Vietnam’s Golden Bridge may hint at historical significance, but this tourist attraction was made for the social media age. The 150-metre walkway (known locally as ‘Cau Vang’) opened in 2018 and floats around the mountainous Ba Na Hills resort overlooking the city of Da Nang. A cable-car ride transports visitors to the bridge-as-tourist-attraction, located roughly 1,000 metres above sea level, alongside kitschy attractions like a roller coaster and French-inspired villas. Bonus: this coastal destination just got easier to visit with new flight connections launched in 2025.

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New York, USA

When was it built? 1869-1883

If landmarks had IMDB pages for their onscreen appearances, New York City’s Brooklyn Bridge would rival Hollywood’s biggest stars. The roughly 1,800-metre suspension bridge that connects the Brooklyn borough to lower Manhattan recently got its own plotline on The Gilded Age – not to mention the iconic photo angle of its Gothic stone arches framed by DUMBO’s red-brick buildings. A stroll over the East River along the bridge’s pedestrian walkway offers skyline perspectives day and night. 

Time Out tip: You get incredible views from both Brooklyn Bridge Park and the rooftop of Time Out Market.

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Iran

When was it built? 1599-1603

Officially named for its patron investor, the Allahverdi Khan Bridge in the city of Isfahan is more commonly known as ‘Se-o-si-Pol’ in Persian. The nickname comes from the bridge’s thirty-three arches (or ‘spans’) stretching across the Zayanderud River. The upper walkway offers views over the river while the lower level functions as more of a social space to hang out. This nearly 300-metre, multi-level, stone arch bridge is particularly gorgeous when lit up at night, glowing gold beneath the pointed cutouts. Spring and autumn are the best times to catch a reflection of the bridge on the water, since the Zayanderud River is known to dry out in the summer months.

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Switzerland

When was it built? Around 1333 (and 1993-94)

The fact that Lucerne’s wooden Chapel Bridge (a.k.a. Kapellbrücke) remains standing at all is an impressive feat. The 205-metre footbridge, stretching diagonally across the River Reuss, has survived floods, shortenings, and calls for demolition across its 650+ years – and that’s before a 1993 fire destroyed many of its painted ceilings. But this is a story of resilience. The remaining overhead artwork, the timber beams lined with flower boxes, and the fourteenth-century water tower remain peaceful symbols of the city’s endurance. The bridge’s centre was rebuilt, the edges remain intact, and the lost ceiling paintings were captured in photographs. This Swiss landmark draws millions of visitors a year.

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Norway

When was it built? 2019

Historical charm isn’t the only path to beauty. Twentieth-century innovation created this twisted bridge-and-gallery inside Kistefos Sculpture Park in Jevnaker, Norway (roughly an hour north of Oslo). The sixty-metre sculpture turns straight lines made from aluminum and wood into the illusion of curves that resemble a fanned-out deck of cards across the Randselva River. Much like Lucerne’s historical Chapel Bridge, The Twist incorporates art into its walls, with three galleries housed inside and floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase the natural beauty of its forest surroundings. The Twist, being a functioning museum as well as a bridge, also made our list of the world’s most beautiful buildings. 

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Canada

When was it built? 1889 (and 1903, and 1953)

Crossing the Capilano Suspension Bridge inside Vancouver, BC’s popular national park is not for the faint of heart (or fear of heights), but the views are worth every step. The 137-metre suspension bridge swaying over the Capilano River was based on indigenous engineering insights from August Jack and Willie Jack Khahtsahlano paired with Scottish designer George Grant Mackay in 1889. The original hemp-and-cedar structure was upgraded to sturdier wire cables and secured with concrete at either end in 1953 to help visitors to safely admire the surrounding temperate rainforest.

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Denmark

When was it built? 2015

It’s a bridge! It a shipyard! It’s… not actually a circle? Copenhagen’s Cirkelbroen, known as the ‘Circle Bridge,’ is made up of five round, wooden platforms with slender masts that hint at the silhouettes of ships docked on the harbour. Designed by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, the structure rotates to allow actual boats to pass through Christianshavn Canal. It also breaks with bridge conventions of connecting two banks efficiently, instead requiring pedestrians and cyclists to swerve across, which Eliasson intended to encourage people to slow down and enjoy the view (advice we can get behind).

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Brazil

When was it built? 2000-2002

Depending on your imagination, the Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge in the city of Brasilia may resemble the curves of a sea monster or the intended image of a rock skipping across Lake Paranoá. The 1,200-metre structure of steel-and-concrete arches, also referred to as JK Bridge, was named for President Juscelino Kubitschek. He helped move the Brazilian capital from coastal Rio de Janeiro to inland Brasilia in 1960, where all three branches of government are based. The structure takes a familiar silhouette and disconnects the base of the arches from the platform, giving it a distinctly modern feel.

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Hungary

When was it built? 1839-1849 (and 1949, and 2023)

The massive stone arches and cast-iron chains of Budapest’s iconic suspension bridge connect hillside Buda (with its Fisherman’s Bastion and city views) and the lively downtown Pest (known for its ruin bars). In familiar fashion, this historical structure fell casualty to WWII in 1945, but was rebuilt from 1947-49 and refurbished again from 2021-23. LED lights give the bridge a warm glow after dark, and pairs of sculpted stone lions guard the entrances on either side. As of 2023, the bridge isn’t quite car-free but quieter since restricted to public transport, taxis, pedestrians, and cyclists crossing the Danube.

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Costa Rica

When were they built? 2000-2002

Is it cheating to include six bridges in one entry? Sorry, the views inside Costa Rica’s dense nature reserve defy the rules of gravity and listicles alike. Mistico Park’s hanging suspension bridges, stretching up to 97 metres long and 55 metres above ground, put visitors at eye-level with birds, butterflies, monkeys, and sloths while remaining safely above the (rarely spotted) jaguars and ocelots. On top of wildlife, the park scenery includes waterfalls, Lake Arenal, and the dormant (but domineering) Arenal Volcano peeking through the surrounding rainforests.

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Australia

When was it built? 1924-1932

It’s nearly impossible to picture Australia’s largest city without its arch bridge stretching across the harbour to the northern suburbs. The 500-metre semi-circle of steel beams behind the gentle ivory curves of the Sydney Opera House are a postcard-worthy staple. And the 360-degree views looking from the BridgeClimb over Sydney’s Central Business District (CBD) are just as gorgeous – just ask the 5,000+ couples who have proposed at the top. In January 2026, this local beauty increased accessibility to its architectural charms with the opening of a new cycling ramp, allowing scooters, bikes, and pedestrians to admire the scenery alongside car and train commuters.

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Czech Republic

When was it built? 1872 (and 1901)

Sure, Prague’s Charles Bridge may be the obvious choice, but locals are particularly attached to another structure spanning the Vltava River. The ambiguously named Railway Bridge (or Vyšehrad Railway Bridge, or Výton Railway Bridge) stretches from below the church spires of Vyšehrad to the up-and-coming Smichov neighbourhood. When the city threatened to relocate and replace the steel arch bridge, part of the city centre’s UNESCO-protected status, local conservation groups put up a multi-year fight. This resulted in a September 2025 decision to refurbish and preserve the beloved structure instead. Train passengers and pedestrians will be admiring the swans below and the Prague Castle in the distance for years to come.

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Singapore

When was it built? 2007-2010

Both science fans and left-handed travellers may feel a special affinity for Singapore’s Helix Bridge. The 280-metre, stainless steel walkway resembles the distinctive DNA structure of lefties, with the letters c, g, a, and t (the four nucleotide bases of DNA) glowing from the double-helix structure at night. Five viewing platforms off the sides of the bridge hover above Marina Bay to admire skyline views and fireworks on special occasions.

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West Virginia, USA

When was it built? 1974-77

West Virginia’s New River Gorge Bridge just outside the town of Fayetteville is the longest single-arch bridge in the entire Western Hemisphere. It stretches more than 900 metres across and nearly 275 metres above kayakers on the New River below. Every third Saturday of October, the structure closes for Bridge Day, when pedestrians can walk across, and BASE jumpers gather for adrenaline-filled competitions. Birdwatchers should keep their eyes peeled for peregrine falcons, a previously endangered species that often nests within the beams thanks to local conservation efforts.

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Peru

When was it built? annually since the fifteenth or sixteenth century

Beauty is rarely permanent, and that includes some of the oldest (or technically newest) bridges in the Peruvian Andes. Four communities gather annually around the Apurimac River to keep an Incan bridge-building technique alive. They gather a type of straw called coya, which is woven over the course of three days into a 30-metre suspension bridge to replace the old one cut down each June. Music, dancing, and community celebrations mark its completion every year. The tradition has been passed down through Victoriano Arizapana’s family for generations, and the sixty-something man still balances on ropes over the rapids to lead the annual rebuilding efforts.

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China

When was it built? unknown

Nature sometimes builds its own bridges, including the whimsically named Fairy Bridge in southern China’s Guanxi region, northwest of Macau and Hong Kong. The 120-metre limestone curve over the Buliu River was weathered into the world’s longest natural arch, and is only accessible via multi-hour rafting excursions from nearby towns. The structure was largely unknown outside of China until 2009, when members of the Natural Arch and Bridge Society spotted it on Google Earth and confirmed that Utah’s previously believed largest natural arches had significant competition.

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