Method for generating a panoramic image of an area, comprising the steps of: providing a 3D point model of the area, wherein the 3D point model comprises points with position information, the points corresponding to one or more elements at a position corresponding to the position information; acquiring multiple digital photos of the area, each digital photo acquired from a known position and with a known orientation, wherein the digital photos comprise colour information about at least a part of the one or more elements; projecting the acquired digital photos onto the 3D point model in order to obtain a 3D point model with colour information per point; and generating the panoramic image associated with a given virtual viewpoint, given orientation, and given field of view using the thus obtained 3D point model of the area, the panoramic image corresponding to an image that would be acquired if an optical camera were to be used that would record said given field of view at said given virtual viewpoint using said given orientation; wherein said providing a 3D point model comprises scanning the area with a distance determining unit from one or more known positions for the purpose of determining a distance between the one or more known positions and the one or more elements, wherein providing the 3D point model comprises of moving a vehicle on which the distance determining unit (122, 124) is mounted along a path, wherein the vehicle moves during the distance determination; wherein said acquiring multiple digital photos of the area comprises of taking digital photos, each from a known position, with a known orientation, and each with a known field of view, the multiple digital photos of the area being recorded using one or more optical cameras (112, 114) that are mounted on a vehicle that moves during acquisition of the multiple digital photos. providing a 3D point model of the area, wherein the 3D point model comprises points with position information, the points corresponding to one or more elements at a position corresponding to the position information; acquiring multiple digital photos of the area, each digital photo acquired from a known position and with a known orientation, wherein the digital photos comprise colour information about at least a part of the one or more elements; projecting the acquired digital photos onto the 3D point model in order to obtain a 3D point model with colour information per point; and generating the panoramic image associated with a given virtual viewpoint, given orientation, and given field of view using the thus obtained 3D point model of the area, the panoramic image corresponding to an image that would be acquired if an optical camera were to be used that would record said given field of view at said given virtual viewpoint using said given orientation; wherein said providing a 3D point model comprises scanning the area with a distance determining unit from one or more known positions for the purpose of determining a distance between the one or more known positions and the one or more elements, wherein providing the 3D point model comprises of moving a vehicle on which the distance determining unit (122, 124) is mounted along a path, wherein the vehicle moves during the distance determination; wherein said acquiring multiple digital photos of the area comprises of taking digital photos, each from a known position, with a known orientation, and each with a known field of view, the multiple digital photos of the area being recorded using one or more optical cameras (112, 114) that are mounted on a vehicle that moves during acquisition of the multiple digital photos.