Icewind Dale has the most beautiful locations hands down, sorry. :P
In BG1: Difficult. I really like the Lion's Way crossing and the first screen (where you start). I just love to follow that nicely painted, somewhat disrepaired road down along the trees, toward adventure.
In BG2: Please don't crucify me, but I like Irenicus' Dungeon. Yeah, that one that everyone mods out. I think it has a great atmosphere, and is very varied. Then again, I've never played through BG2, so I wouldn't know what else to expect.
Seriously, the cities (Baldur's Gate in 1, Athkatla in 2) are the best parts of the game. They feel actually proper city size, and they contain a LOT of content, unlike cities in the vast majority of other games which are functionally (and often spatially) identical to towns and villages.
I'd have to say Durlag's Tower, it's the point in the series where the tactical options start to open up, the fights get really interesting and to top it all off it has a cool backstory and atmosphere!
In BG1: Gullykin, the Swordcoast's own Shire: nice and cosy, a place where people are friendly and nothing much happens (except in tunnels of course),
In BG2: The Harper Hold, for the overwhelming beauty of it's hall. Each time I get in there i'm surprised how they managed to make something so beautiful with 2000's graphics.
Athkatla, hands down, although admittedly that comprises a huge chunk of locations in BG2! ^^ Other favourites are; Candlekeep, Trademeet, Baldur's Gate, Beregost, the penultimate level of Watcher's Keep
Tough question, I liked the underdark in BG2 a lot, and the Drow city; I've always liked deep underground dungeons. And now I'll cheat a little bit and say my favorite place in a game using the infinity engine is in Icewind Dale, Upper Dorns Deep. The whole chapter was awesome, Wyrms Tooth glacier, lower Dorns Deep... absolutely marvelous! I really hope that we'll get an enhanced Icewind Dale sometime in the -hopefully not so distant- future...
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In BG1: Difficult. I really like the Lion's Way crossing and the first screen (where you start). I just love to follow that nicely painted, somewhat disrepaired road down along the trees, toward adventure.
In BG2: Please don't crucify me, but I like Irenicus' Dungeon. Yeah, that one that everyone mods out. I think it has a great atmosphere, and is very varied. Then again, I've never played through BG2, so I wouldn't know what else to expect.
After reading all the posts in this thread I'm trying to hold back doing a new playthrough.
BG2: the exit from the underdark
BG2: Athkatla
In BG2: The Harper Hold, for the overwhelming beauty of it's hall. Each time I get in there i'm surprised how they managed to make something so beautiful with 2000's graphics.
Other favourites are; Candlekeep, Trademeet, Baldur's Gate, Beregost, the penultimate level of Watcher's Keep
In the cities : The museum in Baldur's Gate at night, Ramazith tower.
Baldurs Gate 2 - hmmm... no idea on that one...
Icewind Dale 1 - The Aquatic Museum - Amazing!
Icewind Dale 2 - Slaughtering Fields
I
Icewind dale 2: Targos, Raven monastery and that small village near the ?Haunted forest?
BG2 - Planar Sphere, a true masterpiece. Minimal outside and maximal inside.
And let's all hope that in BGEE I & II, BGIII, something can change our minds.
And now I'll cheat a little bit and say my favorite place in a game using the infinity engine is in Icewind Dale, Upper Dorns Deep. The whole chapter was awesome, Wyrms Tooth glacier, lower Dorns Deep... absolutely marvelous!
I really hope that we'll get an enhanced Icewind Dale sometime in the -hopefully not so distant- future...