7 Highest Cities In The World
1. The Bolivian city of Potosí is reportedly the highest city in the
world, sitting at 4,090 m (13,420 ft) above sea level. The peak of Cerro
de Potosí, or Cerro Rico – Rich Mountain, dominates the city’s skyline,
and towers a further 800 m above the rooftops.
2.
Sitting at 2,850 m above sea level and around 22 km from the equator is
the Ecuadorian city of Quito. It is flanked either side by the Andes,
and on a clear day it’s possible to see the snowcapped volcano, Cotopaxi
in the distance.
3.
Close to the Tibetan border, 12,630 ft high above sea level is the
small secluded town of Laya. It is one of the most remote towns in
Bhutan, so remote that routes to the area are often closed or impassable
over the winter months.
4.
It’s hard to believe the area around the towering peaks of the Atakor
Mountains are populated; the area is so dry and desolate. But even here
life goes on, in a city located around 2,728 m above sea level, called
Assekrem. The city lies on one of the oldest trade routes through the
Sahara.
5.
La Paz, also in Bolivia, is a sprawling city 3,500 m above sea level
and home to just under one million people. It’s in a great position for
those who want to spend some time visiting a number of sights at
altitude – the old ruins of Tiahuanacu are nearby (much older than Machu
Picchu), as is Lake Titicaca.
6.
The tiny Principality of Andorra is a small landlocked country nestled
in the Pyrenees mountain range, between Spain and France. The whole
country is no bigger than 470 sq km (181 sq m) and the highest of the
peaks – Coma Pedrosa – is 2,946 m (9,665 ft) above sea level. It’s also
one of Europe’s most popular ski destinations.
7.
No list about cities in the clouds could be complete without the
ancient city of Machu Picchu, high in the Andes. Thought to be built
between 1460 and 1470 AD, the city sits at 2,430 m above sea-level and
is often covered in cloud. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is popular
with trekkers, some would say almost too popular.
2.
Sitting at 2,850 m above sea level and around 22 km from the equator is
the Ecuadorian city of Quito. It is flanked either side by the Andes,
and on a clear day it’s possible to see the snowcapped volcano, Cotopaxi
in the distance.
3.
Close to the Tibetan border, 12,630 ft high above sea level is the
small secluded town of Laya. It is one of the most remote towns in
Bhutan, so remote that routes to the area are often closed or impassable
over the winter months.
4.
It’s hard to believe the area around the towering peaks of the Atakor
Mountains are populated; the area is so dry and desolate. But even here
life goes on, in a city located around 2,728 m above sea level, called
Assekrem. The city lies on one of the oldest trade routes through the
Sahara.
5.
La Paz, also in Bolivia, is a sprawling city 3,500 m above sea level
and home to just under one million people. It’s in a great position for
those who want to spend some time visiting a number of sights at
altitude – the old ruins of Tiahuanacu are nearby (much older than Machu
Picchu), as is Lake Titicaca.
6.
The tiny Principality of Andorra is a small landlocked country nestled
in the Pyrenees mountain range, between Spain and France. The whole
country is no bigger than 470 sq km (181 sq m) and the highest of the
peaks – Coma Pedrosa – is 2,946 m (9,665 ft) above sea level. It’s also
one of Europe’s most popular ski destinations.
7.
No list about cities in the clouds could be complete without the
ancient city of Machu Picchu, high in the Andes. Thought to be built
between 1460 and 1470 AD, the city sits at 2,430 m above sea-level and
is often covered in cloud. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is popular
with trekkers, some would say almost too popular.
