Wow, I can honestly say that I've never seen a "jaw-dropping" site in my life, however after reading all of your messages, I cannot wait to see some of these places and hopefully my jaw will drop! =)

I remember two sights among many outstanding sights. #1 in my book was having lunch on the veranda of the Palazzo Sasso in Ravello, overlooking Amalfi.,
#2. The sight of the Jungfrau from balcony room on the front side of the Grand Hotel Victoria in Interlaken. (The sheer natural beauty of Switzerland is unsurpassed anywhere in the world, in my opinion.) New Zealand second choice for natural beauty.

So many great sights cited here.

Here are my two jaw droppers:

The crypts in the Convento dei Cappuccini in Palermo.

Peasant women doing their laundry in a cold mountain stream in the Molise.

The view from the Villa Cimbrone in Ravello - suffused with beauty, and timeless.

We have all been so fortunate to have had the opportunity to see these wonders of the world. My personal favourites are:

1. Grand Canyon - nothing prepares you
2. Taj Mahal - brought tears to my eyes
3. The view of the Sierra Nevada mountains as I came around the corner from my hotel in Lone Pine, CA whilst on a touring holiday from the UK. It was a beautiful morning and the sun was on them. I Literally took a step back I was so overwhelmed.
4. The Grand Canal - an Old Master come to life.

First post here :-)

I was blown away when I first set eyes on the Taj Mahal. I never ever expected it to be so breathtaking!

The Grand Canal was another experience that will never be forgtten.

Walking down the hall in the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam, entering the final gallery, turning right and there was Rembrandt's NightWatch.

Also thought Tower Bridge was cool the first time I saw it.

Bigger than expected and fantastic.

Lonesome

Rocamadour in sw France is one of my all time greats, especially if you walk out on a walk way overlooking the valley below. Sagrada Familia is also beautiful. Michaelangelo's David just left me unable to move for what seemed hours.

Great thread!
For me, the first views of...
-Grand Canal (like others)
-the Akropolis/Parthenon (from a cab, coming over the hill from the old airport)
-the Nike of Samothrace in the Louvre
-Delphi (from a bus rounding a corner)
-the Sistine ceiling

Enjoyable to read this old one again.

Although I have seen far more beautiful sights (Jungfrau, Lake Louise, Grand Canyon etc.), there were only two or three times in my entire life where I think I really experienced the "jaw drop" thing. And it is more emotionally based than because of beauty or size, IMHO.

The only one where I could really not talk for at least 10 minutes and was crying pretty hard was the Colosseum. AND I don't know why. I think it is the history plus it came "on" like a mountain, it was just THERE all at once.

Another one was when I was a little girl and on top of a skyscraper construction project (downtown Chicago) with my Dad- out in the open. The view of the city and the Lake, beyond description.

And the last was the first time I saw the sun go into my lake in MI backed by the orange/yellow/scarlet forest and Michigan wetlands. I was mesmerized and knew I'd found home.

For me it was a concert in the Villa Rufolo Ravello, with the orchestra on a cliff overlooking the bay of Salerno.

Magic

Yosemite Valley
Michaelangelo's David
Grand Canyon
Notre Dame at Night
Yankee Stadium World Series 1999 Game 4
Sunset Firenza behind the Ponte Vecchio

It took awhile, but I read all of the posts to "Jaw Dropping Site" and I am fortunate enough to have enjoyed most of the sites that the members have mentioned, and reflecting on the sites mentioned, I have to admit that their remarks rekindled the feelings that I had when I saw the sites. Certainly, I have my favorites, but upon reflection, the "jaw dropping experience" took place when I saw the sites for the first time. So, in retrospect, my "jaw dropping site" took place mostly everytime I saw something that I was motivated to visit.
They are all "jaw dropping" in their own right.
Thanks to everyone for reminding me how blessed I am to have seen most of them.
Alberto

Cambe - I must agree with yours! I merely visited that concert setting the morning before a concert and imagined what it would be like, sitting cliffside, watching the orchestra perform suspended over the cliff! Bravo - Claire

Venice, San Marco
Zermatt, St Moritz, St Gotthard's Pass
Barcelona, View from Parc Guell
Cadillac Mtn, Bar Harbor, Maine
Rome, San Pietro, inside
Place de la Concorde, Paris
Mountain plateaux near Orinoco, Venezuela

It's interesting that so many of us get the same reactions to the same spots, in spite of there being countless, wonderful places on earth.

#1 Hands down for me was first sight of Venice and the Grand Canal. I'm not sure if my jaw dropped before or after the tears came to my eyes.

#2 The Almafi coast and Positano. My jaw dropped--and didn't go back up--while I drove that entire coastline.

#3 The Taj Mahal. The brilliance of the shimmering white marble kept my eyes squinting while my jaw gaped open.

Plus seeing the Collesium, Eiffel Tower, Sistine Chapel and Pyramids for the first time, in additon to so many more I can't mention them all.

Almafi is spectacular- I can smell the lemons just thinking about it.

And when the birds fly right into the outdoor "set" of the Passion Play at Oberamagau (sp?)plus the scenery and production etc.- just outstanding. Another jaw-dropper.

What fun to read all these, I'm drooling over Prague and Venice and Santorini reviews. My own favorites are seeing Bora Bora from the air - it's true what James Michener said, "It looks like an emerald in a turquoise necklace surrounded by pearls", also Glacier Bay and driving through the redwoods and coming upon Lake Tahoe for the first time sparkling like a sapphire!! Oh and Michaelangelos' Pieta in Rome, even though it is smaller than I thought and protected behind glass, it is still very moving.

The view from the basking pool at the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur at sunset and on a clear full moon night.
The drive along the coast in Big Sur from the Bixby bridge to San Simeon.
Swimming off of the most incredible beach in Lizard Island Australia.
Flying in a helicopter from Moyo island{Amanwana resort} to the Amankila resort in Bali. Flying so close where you could touch the volcano's and the green lush multi level rice fields below.

Looking out across San Francisco Bay at on a clear October night towards the sky line of San Fran. from our corner room terrace at the Inn Above the Tide in Sausalito,CA.
Most of all, right now when I look over at my bride to be sleeping ever so soundly. She is my greatest gift from God.

Iguazu Falls(on the Brazilian side) in Sth America, the temples in Japan, the size of food servings in the US

and i think the most jaw dropping moment I've ever had was experiencing New Years Eve when the clock struck 12 for the New Millenium on Sydney Harbour, that is a spectacle i will never forget.