A window, at first glance, might seem like a solely practical physical object that lets in light and air into our buildings and allows us to see what is happening outside. However, due to its ability to connect inside to the outside, it has acquired a deeper meaning, especially in art and literature where an opening in the wall symbolizes communication, liberation, hope, opportunity, and even escapism.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when everyone was confined between four walls, a view from a window could suddenly provide people with all of this and more. Seeing an opportunity to connect people during trying times, Barbara Duriau created the Facebook group ‘View From My Window,' encouraging its members to capture scenes from the comfort of their homes and share them with others so they could vicariously travel through them and break out of their isolation. Now there are more than 3.8 million people who continue to share the most incredible views through their windows, which you can find in the list below!

While you’re taking in their beauty, make sure to check out a conversation with founders of WindowSwap, Sonali Ranjit and Vaishnav Balasubramaniam, who kindly agreed to tell us about the inspiration behind their project, where people are also invited to share their views from their windows.

#1 Ravensdale – Ireland. Sunset, Our First Neighbours, Literally Our Window View!

Image credits: Lily Walker

#2 Sydney, Australia

Image credits: Dianne Markus

#3 West Cork – Ireland

Image credits: Alexandra Keane

WindowSwap, similar to the Facebook group ‘View From My Window,” is a project created by two founders, Sonali Ranjit and Vaishnav Balasubramaniam, that allows people from around the world to share the views from their windows and help someone else relax, focus, meditate and travel without moving.

The co-founders told Bored Panda that it started in May 2020, during the strictest period of the Singapore lockdown.

#4 Good Afternoon. This Is My Backyard Scenery Today. +3c And 60cm Snow. Believe It Or Not, Summer Is Soon. Selkie, Finland

Image credits: Ari Savolainen

#5 Easter. Ombo. Norway

Image credits: Kjetil Grøtte

#6 Today’s Sunset @ Xlendi Gozo Malta

Image credits: Monica Farrugia

“We were feeling a little cooped up and antsy in our little one-bedroom apartment in Singapore. It had a nice but bland view overlooking a reflective glass building—not the most interesting of views. And like us, our friends in lockdown around the world, were tired of their views.

One of them in Barcelona posted an IG story of his gorgeous view, talking about how tired he was of it. We were joking about how we wished we could just swap places with him. And that’s when we came up with the idea—if we couldn’t swap places, perhaps we could swap window views and pretend we were somewhere else for a while. The website launched on June 5th, 2020,” recalls Sonali and Vaishnav.

#7 Look At My Fantastic View Outside The Kitchen Window. This Is My Cat Akira

Image credits: Ellen Sørensen

#8 Backyard View Murree, Pakistan

Image credits: Hassan Shafi

#9 Sunset, From The Balcony Of My House. Gandosso, Italia

Image credits: Cinzia Manenti

Now, 4 years and one pandemic later, they keep the WindowSwap alive so it could continue to be a tranquil oasis of calm on the internet. “There are those who visit WindowSwap to get rid of anxiety, teachers who use it to help students focus and learn, and those who come just to relax,” they tell us.

#10 View From My Livingroom Window This Morning. I’m Not So Good At Taking Pictures, So I Didn’t Manage To Capture The Total Beauty Of The Colours. Sunnmøre, Norway!

Image credits: Hilde Solibakke

#11 My Current View, Loen , Vestlandet Norway

Image credits: Anja Vie

#12 Beautiful Morning From Wicklow, Ireland

Image credits: Anita Gibney Ryan

“It’s the opposite of TikTok and the rest of the manic internet, which is just one constant stream of dopamine hits. We have created a place on the internet that’s making people around the world calmer, stiller, inspired, and relaxed. What started out as a way to travel without moving has changed. Our users come to WindowSwap for various reasons—to fight anxiety, unwind, travel virtually, get inspired to travel, focus, and learn about different places and cultures,” share the creators.

#13 View From The Windows At The Back Of My House In The Villages, Florida, USA

Image credits: Lori Heithoff

#14 My Window View Rituvík Faroe Islands

Image credits: Elna Johannesen

#15 Taken On A Visit To Caernarfon, Wales

Image credits: Barbara Truman

WindowSwap differs from Facebook groups like “View from My Window” by showing 5 to 10 minute videos of window views of people from around the world, along with ambient sounds of their lives. “We don’t just showcase views. We showcase slices of people’s lives,” say Sonali and Vaishnav.

#16 View Of Perth Australia From My Bedroom Window

Image credits: Yasmin Zara

#17 A View From My Window Last Night. Northern Norway

Image credits: Grunnfoss

#18 View From My Window, Slovenia

Image credits: Vesna Babič

Anyone who wants to submit their own window view can do so by recording a 5- to 10-minute, clear, high-quality video of their window view, preferably with a bit of their window frame visible. Then, find the ‘submit’ button on the WindowSwap page on the bottom left, fill in the details, choose the file, hit upload and it’s done.

#19 View From My B&b Window In Bluff, Durban, South Africa

Image credits: Heyns van der Merwe

#20 First Thing I See When I Open My Eyes In The Morning. New Jersey

Image credits: Laura DeCroce

#21 This Was The View From My Room At Ponte Winery Inn In Temecula, California

Image credits: Kim Gonzales

“We hope WindowSwap gives our visitors a sense of connection and a fresh perspective on the world,” say Sonali and Vaishnav. “Our goal is to provide a moment of calm and escape while fostering empathy and understanding across cultures. We want people to experience the beauty and diversity of global views, reminding them that despite our differences, we share a common human experience. Ultimately, we aim to inspire joy, curiosity, and appreciation for both the familiar and the unknown.”

#22 The Day Will Be What You Make It, So Rise, Like The Sun, And Burn. Phuket, Thailand

Image credits: Mirasol Mosura Ranario

#23 This Is My View Of My Back Garden In Tiverton, Devon U.k

Image credits: Gwynnie Horwood

#24 From My Front Window. March 30, Reno, Nevada, U.s.a., Where We Can Have 4 Seasons..in 1 Day! I Guess No Yard Work Today

Image credits: Karen Short-Steinacker

In the last four years, they’ve built a vibrant community of people from all over the world who return regularly to their site, and they couldn’t be more proud of it. “We’ve created a simple yet powerful platform that allows people to connect and share their window views, fostering a sense of global community. Our goal has always been to provide a moment of calm and escape, while also nurturing empathy and understanding across cultures. It’s heartening to see how WindowSwap has evolved from a ‘quarantine project’ into a meaningful space for people worldwide to experience the beauty and diversity of humanity,” say Sonali and Vaishnav, signing off.