Living in a skyscraper might just be the ultimate, elevated escape. The online magazine luxurydefined of Christie’s International Real Estate, raises the bar on luxury living with a collection of sky-high homes in destination cities, close to, yet far enough away from the streetscape below.

Start at the top, in an aerie in downtown Dubai with a front-row view of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa; then to New York City, in a perfect pied-à-terre on the top floor of one of the world’s newest skyscrapers, The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad; to Bangkok, and a deluxe apartment above the Chao Phraya River; to Portland, Oregon, and a 31st-floor penthouse with a vista of Mount Hood; to Seattle, and a high-rise home overlooking Puget Sound; then to Toronto, and a sleek, urban retreat with a bird’s-eye view of the CN Tower.

These exclusive, gravity-defying homes all offer lavish living spaces, five-star amenities, and jetliner views, elevating the concept of 21st-century luxury living to dizzying new heights. This is, quite literally, the high life.

Read the full article with more details on the individual offers here.