Inspiration Overload: Birds-Eye Photos of Breathtaking Destinations

It’s rare that one gets to appreciate the world in which we live in its entirety, even the most avid traveler will admit there is always more to see.

However, there is one group of people who can say they’ve truly seen the entire earth: astronauts. There’s a special term to describe the sensation these special few feel when looking down at the beauty of our planet, called the “Overview Effect.”

This effect is the driving force behind The Daily Overview, a mesmerizing website and Instagram account that uses drones to photograph places around the globe from (very high!) above. So, take the time to zoom out and explore popular destinations like you’ve never seen them before.

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Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach is one of Sydney’s most popular destinations. The beach gets its name from the Aboriginal word “Bondi” that means waves breaking over rocks.

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Arc de Triomphe

This Overview captures the Arc de Triomphe. The structure, which was commissioned in 1806 after Napoleon's victory at Austerlitz during the peak of his fortunes, is located at the center of twelve radiating avenues in Paris, France. Because of numerous delays, including the abdication of Napoleon, construction of the monument took nearly 30 years to complete.

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Netherlands Tulip Fields

Blooming tulip fields in Lisse, Netherlands create a colorful rows from above.

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Central Park

Central Park in New York City spans 843 acres. That’s 6% of the island of Manhattan.

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Eixample, Barcelona

The Example District in Barcelona, Spain is characterized by its strict grid pattern, octagonal intersections, and apartments with communal courtyards.

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Brasilia

The Example District in Barcelona, Spain is characterized by its strict grid pattern, octagonal intersections, and apartments with communal courtyards.

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Bora Bora

The overwater bungalows of the Intercontinental Bora Bora Resort in French Polynesia.

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Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is the collective name for three waterfalls that straddle the border between Ontario, Canada and the United States. Horseshoe Falls is shown here. The falls have the highest flow rate of any waterfall in the world, with a vertical drop of more than 165 feet (50 m). The Maid of the Mist boat, visible here, has carried passengers into the rapids immediately below the falls since 1846.

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Venice

Venice, Italy is situated upon 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by bridges. With tide waters expected to rise to perilous levels in the coming decades, the city has constructed 78 giant steel gates across the three inlets through which water from the Adriatic could surge into Venice’s lagoon. The panels – which weigh 300-tons and are 92ft wide and 65ft high - are fixed to massive concrete bases dug into the seabed.

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Great Pyramids of Giza

The Great Pyramids of Giza are located on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. Dating back to 2580 BC, the Great Pyramid, the largest structure at the site, is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world and the only one to remain largely intact. With an estimated 2,300,000 stone blocks weighing from 2 to 30 tons each, the 481 foot pyramid was the tallest structure in the world for more than 3,800 years.

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Granada Olive Plantation

An olive tree plantation covers the hills of Córdoba, Spain. Approximately 90% of all harvested olives are turned in to oil, while the 10% are eaten as table olives.

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Plaza Del Ejecutivo, Mexico City

Radiating streets surround the Plaza Del Ejecutivo in the Venustiano Carranza district of Mexico City, Mexico.

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Spiral Jetty

Spiral Jetty is an earthwork sculpture by Robert Smithson, consisting of a 1,500-foot-long (460 m), 15-foot-wide (4.6 m) counterclockwise coil jutting from the northeastern shore of the Great Salt Lake in Utah, USA. Smithson reportedly chose this site because of the vibrant colors of the water (salt-tolerant bacteria and algae thrive here in 27% salinity) and its connection with the primordial sea.

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Inspiration Overload: Birds-Eye Photos of Breathtaking Destinations

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Bondi Beach

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Arc de Triomphe

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Netherlands Tulip Fields

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Central Park

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Eixample, Barcelona

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Brasilia

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Bora Bora

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Niagara Falls

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Venice

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Great Pyramids of Giza

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Granada Olive Plantation

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Plaza Del Ejecutivo, Mexico City

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Spiral Jetty

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