New research has revealed the world’s top 10 favourite staircases, with Machu Picchu taking first position in the ranking, followed by Angkor Wat and the Tokyo Tower.
The analysis, compiled by bespoke furniture specialist Neville Johnson, used a variety of metrics such as volume of Instagram hashtags, annual Google searches, number of steps and number of visitors per year, to reveal the most popular and iconic staircases across the globe.
The findings come following ABTA predictions of the growing trend for ‘bucket list’ trips this year – with millions of tourists looking to indulge their post-pandemic wanderlust and experience some of the planet’s most unusual and adventurous holiday hotspots.
According to the results, the top 10 staircases in the world are as follows:
| Staircase | Location | IG Hashtags | Search Volume | Steps |
| 1. Machu Picchu | Peru | 2,187,480 | 718,500 | 1,600 |
| 2. Angkor Wat | Cambodia | 1,691,329 | 249,400 | 377 |
| 3. Tokyo Tower | Tokyo, Japan | 1,130,367 | 135,000 | 600 |
| 4. Chichen Itza | Mexico | 1,090,841 | 331,000 | 365 |
| 5. Batu Caves | Malaysia | 961,778 | 24,700 | 272 |
| 6. Sigiriya (Lion Rock) | Sri Lanka | 378,856 | 67,110 | 1,200 |
| 7. Durdle Door Steps | Dorset | 278,776 | 2,840 | 88 |
| 8. Spanish Steps | Rome, Italy | 268,696 | 94,100 | 135 |
| 9. San Juan de Gaztelugatxe | Spain | 82,686 | 8,740 | 241 |
| 10. Tianmen Mountain Stairway to Heaven | Zhangjiajie City, China | 31,331 | 36,060 | 999 |
The stairs to Machu Picchu, the ancient Incan city, ranked top overall. This historical staircase racks up more than two million hashtags on Instagram, with an annual Google search volume of 718,500 and more than one million visitors every year.
Coming in second, with 1.7 million Instagram hashtags and an expected 700,000 visitors in 2022 alone, is Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The Hindu structure is surrounded by a 3-kilometre moat and lush scenery, and even features on the country’s flag.
In third place is the modern Tokyo Tower in Tokyo, Japan. This structure is based on the Eiffel Tower and comprises of 600 steps to reach its observation deck, allowing visitors to enjoy the views of Tokyo’s metropolis. It counts more than 1.1 million Instagram hashtags and 10,000 visitors a day.
Dorset’s Durdle Door Steps came seventh in the global ranking, boasting 278,776 Instagram hashtags along with an annual search volume of 2,840.
Roberta Jarvis at Neville Johnson commented: “When travelling, visiting a staircase may not feature at the top of your bucket list. But staircases offer a multitude of soaring vantage points and incredible glimpses into the past, not to mention that some are amongst the planet’s most celebrated architectural marvels. Far more than just taking you from A to B. So, if you thought staircases were nothing to write home about, we hope this research has changed your mind!”
