5 of the world’s most stunning staircases

As impressive as we know your own home staircase will look once you’ve installed one of our fabulous stair runners, even we’ll admit that it would be overwhelmed by one of the staircases on this list.

Here are just a few of our favourites among the most astonishing staircases from around the world.

1. Tulip Stairs at the Queen’s House, Greenwich

We’re start in good old Blighty, with a set of stairs that made history as Britain’s first geometric self-supporting spiral stairs. They’re every bit as elegant as you’d expect, although the flowers in the wrought-iron balustrade are actually said to be fleurs-de-lis rather than tulips. D’oh!

2. Chand Baori, Abhaneri

Head to the Indian village of Abhaneri in Rajasthan, and you will find a true architectural wonder in the form of this instantly recognisable step well. Some numbers for you: ninth century. 3,500 steps. 13 stories. 100ft deep. Built to solve local water shortages, this isn’t a staircase to be messed with.

3. Red staircase at Livrario Lello, Porto

As one of Portugal’s oldest bookshops, the majestic Art Nouveau and Gothic Revival Livrario Lello gives you enough reasons to visit before you even look to the lavish staircase, with its glossy red steps and carved wooden banisters. A bookworm and staircase enthusiast’s paradise.

4. Musical piano stairs at Wulin Plaza, Zhejiang Province

Yes, there really is such thing as a staircase that doubles up as a jumbo piano – it could only be China. These 54 steps make the corresponding musical notes when walked on, although we reckon they must get noisy when the foot traffic reaches its peak!

5. Selaron’s Stairs, Rio de Janeiro

Described as “a personal tribute to the Brazilian people” by Jorge Selaron, the Chilean-born artist behind it, this vibrant yellow, green and blue mosaic tile staircase is nothing if not a real masterpiece. It  measures 125m long and consists of 250 steps.

Talk about a list of staircases that will reactivate your ‘travel bug’!