The 10 Most Stunning Locations in Elden Ring

The First Step

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Though you’ll soon put this location to the back of your mind when faced with the grandeur of everything else the Lands Between has to offer, your first time stepping into Limgrave is going to stick with you. You’ve spent some time during the cave tutorial and are ready to leave, lifting the door and revealing this huge vista. It’s even more notable if you didn’t play the Closed Network Test, as you won’t have seen or explored this location before. There’s a Site of Lost Grace right there, and this is an invaluable spawn and fast travel location for heading out into the other regions of Limgrave. Much like stepping out into the Great Plateau for the first time in “Breath of the Wild”, you won’t forget taking that first step.

Far in the south of the entire map, maybe you’ll miss Castle Morne if you’re not digging into absolutely every corner of “Elden Ring’s” huge map. Though, most players probably are doing that, and so will eventually come to Castle Morne. It’s creepy and claustrophobic, but that doesn’t mean it’s not graphically impressive or as exciting to explore as the more magical areas. Its tight corridors, corners, and exposed rooftops are reminiscent of “Dark Souls 1’s” Undead Burg, but with vastly superior lighting. It’s also going to give you a great bird’s eye view of the Lands Between even in bad weather, so long as you ignore the many hanging corpses.

Though this location is small and easily missed, you’ll still be struck by its quiet beauty as you explore the Liurnia of the Lakes region. While riding through the sunken marshland you’ll come across these modest ruins, but you’ll be making a mistake if you decide to ignore them. This small church is filled with bushes of bloodroses, which you can harvest if you’re running low on boluses and blood pots. But it’s also got plenty of grisly, scarlet rot. You won’t encounter more than a handful of enemies while here, but you’ll still want to take a moment to look around at the blood-red water and your gruesome surroundings.

You’ll have to beat Margit or Godrick to unlock Roundtable Hold, though if you want to see this unique area as soon as possible there IS a shortcut you can take. Shortcut or not, upon arriving, you’ll see an enormous round table much like the famous one of Arthurian legend. It’s a hub area where you can go from any Site of Grace after you unlock it, and is where you can do various upgrades without trailing around to visit various NPCs. It’s got a grand fireplace, grand statues, and an undeniable air of majesty. You’ll enjoy every visit here.

It’s the site of the first non-optional story boss and is generally the location the game nudges you towards from the beginning. Even if you conquer the entirety of the southern map before heading through the gate to siege the castle, you’re going to go there sooner or later, and you’ll certainly be impressed when you do. It’s clear that with every new game, FromSoftware gets better and better at designing these intricate, European castles, and Stormveil showcases this talent superbly.

All the Divine Towers will offer you a pretty phenomenal view of the Lands Between, but the one in Stormhill guarded by a trio of formidable giants is our favorite. Though you may struggle to see the majesty of this enormous bridge and its flame-filled towers while dodging the giants, one of which has a bow and arrow, you’ll have a moment to look around once you kill them. The map stretches out underneath as you slowly but surely cross the bridge. Then, at the top of the tower, you’re not only treated to one of the best views in the game but a pair of giant, gnarled fingers. They’re gross, but still impressive.

We’re cheating a little by putting the entirety of Caelid here, but can you blame us? Though it’s a hostile, barren swamp, the vivid red color that persists across the landscape is enough to make it a truly remarkable place to explore. Not only is the land itself red, but so is the sky, further adding to how oppressive this place feels. There are fields full of gnarled trees and barnacle-like growths, and Caelid gets more and more corrupted the deeper you explore. This doesn’t make it ugly, however. Though it’s unnatural and potentially disturbing, it’s still one of the most memorable and unique locations we’ve seen in any FromSoftware game. That alone will make you want to keep exploring despite the many, tough enemies you’ll encounter.

Located right in the heart of Liurnia of the Lakes, this is a towering structure you’ll be able to see from quite a distance. Upon arrival, you’ll be greeted by the face of a vast, cathedral-like building with a Gothic passageway leading to the ominous entrance. The lights are all on inside but you’re probably not prepared for who’s waiting at home. The whole area is classic FromSoftware through-and-through, and will be a good refresher for anybody missing the more linear structure of previous “Soulsborne” games. It’s that view from outside, as you look up at the windows, which makes this a truly memorable location.

Much like taking the elevator up to the Iron Keep in “Dark Souls II”, you’ll never expect that something so fantastical will be lying beneath this relatively nondescript stone door. You pass through, begin to descend, and are greeted with the most magical area of the whole game. You’re deep underground in a cave system, but the entire thing has a beautiful, purple hue. The roof of the cave looks like the sky at midnight, and against all odds, trees and other plants have been growing down there. The boss you fight at the end is also strangely beautiful. This enchanted region and its protective, Ancestor Spirit will be one of your favorite spots to explore in “Elden Ring”.

The World Tree

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Unlike other locations in the game, this is one you’ll be introduced to immediately. Upon starting gameplay at the very beginning, you’ll be on a series of stone walkways all leading towards this enormous, golden tree. Though you almost certainly won’t make it there on your first attempt, the World Tree is visible from the rest of the overworld. It looks particularly stunning at night, when its golden boughs and leaves illuminate the entirety of the Lands Between. Many fans who spent months digging into the lore of “Elden Ring” ahead of its release believed this golden tree was inspired by the World Tree of Norse mythology, the eternal tree that connects the “nine realms”.