Recently updated on October 4th, 2022 at 10:29 am
You travel for the architecture, the food, the local culture and the little surprises, but sometimes it’s the streets of a town or village that have the biggest impact. Whether small and winding or grand and imposing, a city’s streets are where the real action happens. They hum and buzz with every day life, change colour with the seasons, and are the perfect place to stroll aimlessly, soaking in the style and diversity of a destination. Want to know where the most beautiful streets in the world are located? Thankfully, the team at CNN have already done the research for you…
Convent Avenue, Harlem, New York City
NYC isn’t short of beautiful architecture and blockbuster icons. Sleek high rises, urban warehouses and beautiful brownstones ensure the Big Apple is a never ending picture book of cool exteriors. But the best of them all? Convent Avenue. Stretching between 140th and 145th street, the grand buildings and impeccably tidy tree lined sidewalks of Convent Avenue have ensured this particular street the impressive accolade.
Lombard St, San Francisco
Iconic for the eight hairpin bends which twist between a single block, Lombard Street is one of San Fran’s star attractions, and for good reason. Surrounded by beautiful buildings and framed by leafy foliage, this crooked street may be a logistical nightmare, but it sure does look pretty.
Caminito, La Boca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Caminito literally hums with all the best bits of Buenos Aires. Located in the La Boca neighbourhood, itself famed for being the birthplace of the Argentine tango, Caminito is a buzz with performers, artists, tourists and locals alike. The brightly coloured corrugated iron buildings are covered with murals from local artists, whilst the nods to Argentina’s most famous faces, namely Evita and Maradona, are about as subtle as a slap in the face.
The Philosopher’s Walk, Kyoto, Japan
A curious name for a sublimely beautiful place, The Philosopher’s Walk firmly deserves a place on any most beautiful streets list. Located along the canal that runs between Ginkaku-Ji and Nanzen-Ji in Kyoto, the street is named after the philosopher Nishida Kitaro, who meditated daily on this path. It’s also best seen doing sakura (cherry blossom) season, when heavy bunches of blossom frame the walkway to spectacular effect.
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Cockburn Street, Edinburgh, Scotland
One of the most beautiful streets in Edinburgh, Cockburn Street is all Victorian architecture and traditional British design. First developed in the 1850s as a means of cutting through the medieval neighbourhoods for easier access to the new train station, today it is one of Edinburgh’s star attractions.
Blue City, Jodhpur, India
The perfect place to get purposefully lost, the Blue City’s streets are a photographers dream. Originally painted blue to signify the presence of the Brahmin Caste, the historic alleyways of this fascinating city sprawl out from the shadow of the mighty Mehrangarh Fort.
The Dark Hedges, Bregagh Road, Northern Ireland
Game of Thrones fans won’t have any trouble recognising this particular location. In fiction The Dark Hedges are best known as the ‘Kingsroad’, but in reality they have been famous for far longer that either GOT or Instagram have been around. The imposing trees that line the approach to Gracehill House were planted in the eighteenth century, and have only grown more impressive over time.
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The Royal Crescent, Bath, England
A sweep of 30 almost identical Georgian houses have helped ensure The Royal Crescent earns its stripes as one of the most beautiful streets in the world. Built between 1767 and 1775 and overlooking Royal Victoria Park, The Royal Crescent also boasts impressive views over the city and has a distinctly Jane Austen esque feel to it.
Mykonos Old Town, Greece
Iconic for its white washed walls and painted shutters, Mykonos has long established itself as one of the best loved destinations on the planet. True it can get pretty crowded here in the summer when the cruise ship crowd flood in, but there are still pockets of Hora (the name of Mykonos Old Town), that emit that authentically Grecian vibe.
Where are some of the most beautiful streets you’ve visited around the world? Let us know in the comments…