20 Sports Stadiums with the Most Beautiful Views

The view from Switzerland's Ottmar Hitzfeld Stadium is stunning.

The world is home to many incredible sports venues, but not all are immediately surrounded by such breathtaking and picturesque settings (sorry, Yankee Stadium).

Of course, the most important view at a sporting event is the game or match itself. But that doesn't mean fans can't appreciate gorgeous scenery when it's available. The following 20 stadiums provide that majesty. From a towering mountain range to a vast ocean or even a sleek cityscape, the scenic eye candy at these stadiums is alone worth the trip.

Fenway Park, Wembley Stadium and others like them are terrific venues, but what about their settings? What kind of view is a fan going to get from his or her seat, other than the game? A volcano, chain of Caribbean islands or a downtown skyline within a stone's throw? Not likely. 

For those in need of a little wanderlust, it's time for a stadium tour around the world. Buckle up.   

Honorable Mention: Red Square, Russia

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The Red Square in Moscow doesn't hold a hockey arena—hence the honorable mention—but it does hold a rink. In 2009, the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) hosted its first All-Star Game in the city square with 2,400 spectators looking on and a view of Saint Basil's Cathedral in the background.

CenturyLink Field, Seattle

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The Pacific Northwest is a gorgeous part of the United States. The Seattle Seahawks (and Sounders) are fortunate to play their home games at CenturyLink Field, a facility designed to highlight all the right views.

Per the venue website, "Wide concourses offer outstanding views of the Seattle skyline, Safeco Field, the Cascades and Mt. Rainier, Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains."

Not bad.

Queenstown Event Centre, New Zealand

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The Queenstown Event Centre in New Zealand is home to some of the world's most beautiful cricket grounds.

Located at the foot of the Remarkables mountain range, the facility boasts breathtaking views. It has hosted international cricket matches, but in 2015, John Edens of the Southland Times reported much-needed upgrades could cost "a prohibitive $350,000."

Stadium Kantrida, Croatia

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The Stadium Kantrida, in Rijeka, Croatia, is located on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. The home of HNK Rijeka football club features unique placement with steep cliffs on one side and water on the other. Vilijam Zufic of Total Croatia News wrote, "This sports arena is special thanks to its surroundings—the beauty and atmosphere created by the old stone quarry ('kave')."

Honorable mention to the Stadion Gospin Dolac, another unique Croatian stadium surrounded by steep rock formations.

Folsom Field, Colorado

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Of course Colorado needed some love in all this. The Colorado Buffaloes play their football at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado. At more than a mile above sea level, the stadium poses a challenge for players, similar to Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver. Still, fans and players alike should be able to agree on the majesty of those Rocky Mountain views.  

Asgiriya Stadium, Sri Lanka

Asgiriya Stadium is located in Kandy, Sri Lanka, and owned by Trinity College. It hasn't hosted international cricket matches since 2007, but school games still take place there, according to BBC News. The facility hasn't been maintained to perfection, but the lovely surrounding hills still provide beautiful views. 

Roy Emerson Arena, Switzerland

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Roy Emerson Arena in Gstaad, Switzerland, hosts the Swiss Open Gstaad each year. It is named for the Australian tennis great Roy Emerson, who won the event five times.

The ATP World Tour website describes the scenery—complete with spectacular mountain views—as, "one of the most spectacular backdrops of any ATP World Tour tournaments."

Busch Stadium, St. Louis

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Man-made landmarks are pretty too. Therefore, thank you to the folks in St. Louis for building Busch Stadium III with such a perfect view of the 630-foot Gateway Arch in center field. Its predecessor, Busch Memorial Stadium (aka Busch Stadium II), didn't boast the same view.

Stadium designer Earl Santee told Tim Newcomb of SI.com, "The Arch is such a powerful symbol for America. … It was the obvious choice."

Estadi Comunal D'Andorra La Vella, Andorra

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Estadi Comunal d'Andorra la Vella is home to the Andorran national football team.

It's not a big stadium—the facility holds around 1,000 people, according to John Drayton of Mail Online—but the view is mammoth. Surrounded by the Pyrenees mountains, the field is located in an impossibly picturesque setting.

Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles

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California is a beautiful state, a fact former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley took advantage of when conceiving Dodger Stadium in 1959. The venue sits on the hillside of Chavez Ravine—downtown L.A. is located to the south, and the San Gabriel Mountains are visible to the north.

HPCA Stadium, India

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The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamsala, India, is both colorful inside and full of mountainous beauty outside. 

At 4,110 feet, it is the highest international cricket ground in the world, according to Andy Wilson of the Guardian. The snow-capped Himalayas in the distance provide visual splendor for athletes and fans alike.

LaVell Edwards Stadium, Utah

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LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, is home to the Brigham Young University football team. It has a north-south configuration, with Utah Lake to the west and the Rocky Mountains to the east.

According to the official stadium website, ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit once said, "You guys will agree that [LaVell Edwards] stadium is one of the prettiest settings of college football. This stadium is just unbelievable."

PNC Park, Pittsburgh

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Hey look—an American stadium located east of the Mississippi River! PNC Park and Heinz Field in Pittsburgh both feature lovely riverside views. It's hard to beat that shot from home plate at the Pittsburgh Pirates' home, though. 

PNC Park is located on the shore of the Allegheny River, and its outfield provides a picture-perfect view of downtown Pittsburgh and the Roberto Clemente Bridge.

Hasteinsvollur, Iceland

Hasteinsvollur, located in Iceland, is home to IB Vestmannaeyjar of the Icelandic Premier League. The mountainous views are even more amazing when one learns a volcano is part of them. According to the English football magazine When Saturday Comes, the small stadium sits near Eldfell, a volcano last active in 1973.

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium

The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is generally regarded as one of the most beautiful Formula One racing circuits in the world. The Belgian Grand Prix is held there annually, taking drivers through the gorgeous Belgian countryside.

According to Formula One's official website, three-time champion driver Niki Lauda said, "The track is an old-style circuit and is still a great challenge to the drivers, and the surrounding area hasn't been built all over and is still very beautiful. I enjoy coming here."

AT&T Park, San Francisco

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AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, sits right next to the beautiful San Francisco Bay. It's so close, in fact, fans famously kayaked in the affectionately named McCovey Cove behind right field to snag home run balls during the Barry Bonds years. Fans can also enjoy views of the spectacular Bay Bridge from inside the park.

Arnos Vale Ground, Saint Vincent

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The Arnos Vale Ground is located in the West Indies, in Kingstown, Saint Vincent. The facility is home to the Windward Islands cricket team. It also holds international cricket matches and provides stunning coastal views of the Grenadine islands.

Monte-Carlo Country Club, Monaco

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Monte Carlo, located in Monaco along the French Riviera, is supposedly just hideous. Kidding. Given the beauty of the area itself, it's no wonder the clay tennis courts at the Monte-Carlo Country Club provide such stunning seaside views. The Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, an ATP Masters tournament, is played there annually.

Eidi Stadium, Faroe Islands

Eidi Stadium is home to a semiprofessional football club in the Faroe Islands, according to John Drayton of Mail Online. There is only a small amount of standing room for spectators, so calling it a stadium might be a stretch, but the proximity to the Atlantic Ocean makes this facility breathtaking. 

Honorable mention to Torsvollur, where the Faroe Islands national team plays.

Newlands Cricket Ground, South Africa

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Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town, South Africa, is settled beneath the majestic Table Mountain and Devil's Peak. The stadium is home to the Cape Cobras, and also hosts Test matches, ODIs and Twenty20s. The South African Rugby team, the Springboks, plays at nearby DHL Newlands.

Ottmar Hitzfeld Stadium, Switzerland

Switzerland's Ottmar Hitzfeld Stadium, home to FC Gspon, is the highest pitch in Europe.  

The facility sits nestled at 2,000 feet above sea level, overlooking the Alps. According to Jeremy Hart of Wired, the playing surface is turf because grass won't grow at the high altitude, and footballers must access the stadium by cable car.