Walking above the bustling streets gives you a completely different perspective on city life. These elevated paths let you escape the chaos below while offering stunning views that most people never get to see. From transformed railway lines to purpose-built skywalks, cities around the globe have created amazing ways to explore from above.
Here is a list of 20 rooftop walks that will take you high above some of the world’s most exciting urban landscapes.
High Line – New York City
The High Line stretches 1.45 miles through Manhattan’s West Side, built on an abandoned freight railway that stopped running in 1980. This elevated park opened in phases between 2009 and 2014, transforming a rusty old rail line into one of NYC’s most beloved attractions.
The design blends landscape architecture, urban design, and ecology to create a ‘living system’ that draws millions of visitors annually.
Minneapolis Skyway System – Minneapolis
Minneapolis boasts the world’s largest continuous system of enclosed bridges, spanning 9.5 miles and connecting 80 city blocks. These climate-controlled walkways were a lifesaver during brutal Midwestern winters, connecting everything from hotels and restaurants to sports facilities and government buildings.
The system is so comprehensive that many elevators have an ‘SK’ button instead of ‘2’ to indicate skyway level.
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+15 Walkway System – Calgary
Calgary’s Plus 15 system gets its name from the height of the walkways – 15 feet above street level. This network stretches for about 11 miles over a 50-block area and opened in 1970. The enclosed bridges provide much-needed relief from
Calgary’s frigid winters while creating an entirely separate pedestrian level throughout downtown.
Seoullo 7017 – Seoul
This 1-kilometer elevated park was built on a former highway overpass and opened in May 2017. The name ‘7017’ references both 1970 (when the original overpass was built) and 2017 (when it reopened as a pedestrian walkway).
Lined with 24,000 plants representing 228 species, it’s often compared to New York’s High Line.
Willis Tower Skydeck – Chicago
Located on the 103rd floor of this 108-story skyscraper, the observation deck features retractable glass balconies that extend 4 feet from the building. These transparent ‘ledges’ let you look straight down through the glass floor to the streets far below.
Over 1 million people visit this attraction annually, enjoying panoramic views of Illinois, Lake Michigan, and neighboring states.
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Grand Canyon Skywalk – Arizona
This horseshoe-shaped cantilever bridge extends 70 feet out over the canyon at Eagle Point, suspended 4,000 feet above the Colorado River. The glass-bottom walkway opened in 2007 and can reportedly hold the weight of 71 fully loaded Boeing 747 jets.
Owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe, it attracts around 370,000 visitors per year.
Tianmen Mountain Skywalks – Zhangjiajie
These glass skywalks cling to the peaks of Tianmen Mountain at 1,400 feet, including the famous ‘Walk of Faith’ that opened in 2011. The bridge is about 200 feet long and 2.5 inches thick, making it safe despite the terrifying views beneath your feet.
Cleaners require visitors to wear cloth shoes over their footwear to make their job less scary.
OCBC Skyway – Singapore
This 128-meter aerial walkway connects two of the towering Supertrees in Gardens by the Bay, suspended 72 feet above ground. The Supertrees themselves rise between 82 and 160 feet high, serving as massive vertical gardens hosting exotic plants, vines, and orchids.
At night, the trees transform into an entertainment light show while the skyway offers spectacular views of Marina Bay’s skyline.
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BTS Skywalk Network – Bangkok
Bangkok features more than 5.4 kilometers of covered elevated skywalks designed to help pedestrians avoid street pollution, dust, and chaotic traffic. Most skywalks connect to BTS stations and utilize space underneath the rail lines, with connector ramps seamlessly linking stations to shopping malls.
These walkways were built partly to support tourism and provide a safe passage through the busy city.
Central-Mid-Levels Walkway – Hong Kong
This network spans Admiralty, Central, and parts of the Sheung Wan district, linking over 40 major office buildings. The Central-Mid-Levels walkway system holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s longest outdoor covered escalator system.
The extensive footbridge networks help millions navigate between elevated MTR stations and connections to malls and housing estates.
Mumbai Skywalk Project – Mumbai
This discontinuous network covers over 50 kilometers throughout the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, with each skywalk measuring 1 to 2 kilometers in length. The first section is a 1.3-kilometer skywalk connecting the suburban regions of Bandra and Kurla.
These skywalks primarily connect Mumbai Suburban Railway stations to important junctions throughout the sprawling metropolis.
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Skywalk System – Des Moines
Des Moines’ downtown skywalks connect office buildings, hotels, and banks across four miles of elevated walkways. This impressive network joins 55 buildings in total and provides relief from both summer heat and bitter winter conditions.
Multiple access points with escalators and staircases make it easy to reach the skywalks from street level throughout downtown.
Edmonton Pedway – Edmonton
This eight-mile complex of tunnels and second-story walkways was built primarily in the 1970s and 1980s during Edmonton’s downtown development boom. The system connects over 40 buildings throughout downtown as well as hubs for the city’s light rail transit system.
Like other Canadian systems, it provides essential protection from harsh winter weather.
RÉSO Underground City – Montreal
Montreal’s RÉSO network spans 20 miles and contains 120 exterior access points throughout the underground metropolis. While technically underground rather than elevated, this vast network weaves together shops, restaurants, and rapid transit so people can navigate the city without facing harsh winter elements.
The subterranean system allows complete navigation through downtown Montreal regardless of weather conditions.
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Glacier Skywalk – Alberta
Located in Jasper National Park, this glass-floored observation deck is suspended 900 feet above glacier-carved gorges and waterfalls. The bridge projects about 115 feet out from the cliff base and looks out over the Sunwapta Valley.
Designed by Sturgess Architecture, it opened in 2014 after three years of construction at a cost of $21 million Canadian dollars.
CN Tower EdgeWalk – Toronto
Visitors walk around the outside of the CN Tower at 1,168 feet above ground while attached to a safety harness and rail system. This outdoor experience has no protective barriers other than the harness, letting people lean out and enjoy unobstructed views of Toronto and Lake Ontario.
Since you’re attached to a railing above your head, visitors are free to walk around and take in magnificent city views.
Macau Tower Skywalk – Macau
The walkway around this 764-foot tower is only 1.8 meters wide with no handrails, supported only by a harness system attached to a beam above. Visitors experience the thrill of wind and weather while walking completely exposed around the tower’s exterior.
For those seeking extra thrills, guests can sit on the edge or lean over, with nighttime providing an even more breathtaking experience.
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Sydney Harbour BridgeClimb – Sydney
Established in 1998, BridgeClimb Sydney allows visitors to actually scale one of the city’s most striking structures rather than just walk across the pedestrian pathway. Participants climb the famous arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge with spectacular views of the harbor, the Opera House, and the city skyline.
The guided climbs take visitors to the top of the bridge’s arch, providing a truly unique perspective on this iconic landmark.
Petronas Twin Towers Skybridge – Kuala Lumpur
The world’s highest 2-story skybridge sits 170 meters above ground and stretches 58 meters between the twin towers’ 41st and 42nd floors. This architectural marvel connects the iconic Petronas Towers while offering visitors incredible views over Kuala Lumpur’s skyline.
The area also features an elevated, air-conditioned walkway connecting the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre to the Bukit Bintang shopping district.
Langkawi Sky Bridge – Langkawi
This glass-bottom pedestrian bridge in Kedah, Malaysia, offers spectacular mountain views from its curved, suspended design. The Sky Bridge provides a dramatic way to experience Langkawi’s tropical landscape from high above the rainforest canopy.
Visitors can see through the glass sections to the jungle far below while enjoying panoramic views of the surrounding islands and the Andaman Sea.
Connecting Past and Present
These elevated walkways represent more than just tourist attractions – they’re examples of cities adapting old infrastructure for new purposes. The High Line’s success has inspired cities throughout the United States to redevelop obsolete infrastructure as public space, while projects like Seoul’s Seoullo 7017 show how urban regeneration can preserve history while creating something entirely new. Instead of demolition, cities are choosing regeneration to provide citizens with the right to walk above their urban environments.
Whether built for practical weather protection or pure adventure, these skywalks prove that sometimes the best way to see a city is from above, where you can appreciate both its architectural achievements and the human creativity that makes urban life more enjoyable.
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