Armenia
Marmashen’s location deep in a river valley 10km northwest of Gyumri is unusual – medieval monasteries in Armenia were almost always constructed in…
Must-see attractions in Europe
Vienna
The Habsburgs stashed away the furniture not displayed in the Hofburg, Schönbrunn, Schloss Belvedere and their other palaces at the Hofmobiliendepot. A…
Madeira
Once a minor exhibition housed in small seafront building, Caniçal's Whale Museum was moved to a large multi-million-euro, ultra-modern complex in 2012,…
The Midlands & the Marches
One of the most complete Elizabethan mansions in the country, Hardwick Hall was designed by eminent architect Robert Smythson. The hall featured all the…
Ohrid
Saluting the lake from Ohrid's hilltop, Plaošnik is home to the multidomed medieval Church of Sveti Kliment i Pantelejmon, the foundations of a 5th…
Graz
Graz' Schloss Eggenberg and park grounds are home to an ensemble of excellent museums, including the Alte Galerie (Old Gallery), with its outstanding…
Lake Garda
The long mountain ridge that towers above the northeast shores of Lake Garda is known as Monte Baldo. Ironically, the name doesn’t refer to its baldness …
Burgas
Four lakes surrounding Burgas (Pomoriysko, Atanasovsko, Mandrensko and Burgasko) comprise 9500 hectares and represent the largest wetland system in…
Northern Armenia
Occupying a commanding position overlooking the gorge, this monastery has atmosphere and architectural splendour in spades. Founded around 976 by Queen…
Naples
When Ferdinand Acton, a minister at the court of King Ferdinand IV (1759–1825), asked Pietro Valente to design Villa Pignatelli in 1826, Valente whipped…
Ephesus
One of Ephesus' star attractions and second only to the Library of Celsus, this ornate, Corinthian-style temple honours Trajan's successor and originally…
Passau
There's been a church on this spot since the late 5th century, but what you see today is much younger thanks to the fire of 1662, which ravaged much of…
Mercati di Traiano Museo dei Fori Imperiali
Ancient Rome
This striking museum showcases the Mercati di Traiano (Trajan's Markets), the emperor Trajan's towering 2nd-century complex, while also providing a…
Emilia-Romagna
Located in the village of Sant’Agata Bolognese (20km east of Modena and 35km northwest of Bologna), the museum formerly known as the Lamborghini Museum…
Tivoli
In the hilltop centre, the steeply terraced grounds of Villa d'Este are a superlative example of a Renaissance garden, complete with monumental fountains,…
The Beiras
Perched atop a rugged hilltop, this medieval castle dominates the surrounding landscape. Originally dating to the 10th century, it was the scene of much…
Zealand
This new centre provides access to the world's richest Viking gold-find site, at what was an important ritual centre a millennium ago. Of course the…
Paris
Built to house the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne (royal furnishings), the Hôtel de la Marine is one of two grand-scale palaces (along with the Hôtel de…
Gallipoli Campaign Historic Site
Gallipoli Peninsula
Set within the 33,500 hectares of the Gallipoli Peninsula, this historic site protects the cemeteries and battlefields of the Anzac campaign. There are…
Stuttgart
Domed Schloss Solitude, perched above Stuttgart, was built in 1763 for Duke Karl Eugen of Württemberg as a hunting palace and summer residence. Blending…
Peloponnese
This pair of monasteries is perched on the west side of the Lousios Gorge. The 'new' monastery dates from the 17th century and its atmospheric, incense…
Beyoğlu
Housed in a building attached to the Neve Shalom synagogue near the Galata Tower, this museum was established in 2001 to commemorate the 500th anniversary…
St Petersburg
Fyodor Dostoevsky lived in flats all over the city (mostly in Sennaya), but his final residence is this ‘memorial flat’ where he lived from 1878 until he…
Braşov
Romania’s largest Gothic church rises triumphantly over Braşov’s old town. Built between 1385 and 1477, this German Lutheran church was named for its…
Azerbaijan
On top of utterly unpromising little Daşgil Hill is a weird collection of baby mud volcanoes, a whole family of ‘geologically flatulent’ little conical…
Wallonia
Nestled in a pretty wooded dell are these extensive, ivy-clad ruins. Once one of Belgium’s biggest monastic complexes, Villers was never rebuilt after the…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
During the construction of Amsterdam's 2018-opened Noord/Zuidlijn (North–South metro line), more than 134,000 archaeological finds were unearthed from…
Castilla-La Mancha
Opening onto the plaza is the oldest theatre in Spain. The 17th-century Corral de Comedias is an evocative tribute to the golden age of Spanish theatre,…
Palermo
This 17th-century chapel showcases the breathtaking stuccowork of Giacomo Serpotta, who famously introduced rococo to Sicilian churches. Note the…
The Beiras
From its striking hilltop position, Marialva's castle is visible from miles around. The 12th-century castelo is far from intact but it's still an…
Turku & Finland's South Coast
Örö was long a military island, first containing a defensive fortress built under Russian rule and later serving as training grounds for the Finnish…
Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios
The Douro
One of the country’s most important pilgrimage sites, this twin-towered, 18th-century church has a trim blue-and-white stucco interior with a sky-blue…
Slovakia
Folded into a bend in the Strečno River, this medieval castle offers stupendous views over the surrounding valleys. Written mentions of Strečno Castle…
İzmir & the North Aegean
Boasting a small but impressive collection of artefacts, Bergama's museum is well worth a visit. On exhibit are reliefs from the Acropolis, including a…
Kraków
Three permanent exhibitions – the Gallery of 20th-Century Polish Painting, the Gallery of Decorative Art, and Polish Arms and National Colours – are…
Bulgaria
Just outside the village of Cherven, about 30km south of Ruse, are the remains of a remarkably intact 6th-century hilltop citadel. Several streets, towers…
Sintra
Nearly topped by King Ferdinand II's whimsical Palácio Nacional da Pena (only Cruz Alta, at 529m, is higher), these romantic gardens are filled with…
Ronda
In existence for more than 200 years, this is one of Spain's oldest bullrings and the site of some of the most important events in bullfighting history. A…
Paestum
Facing the east side of the ruins, the Museo di Paestum houses a collection of much-weathered metopes (bas-relief friezes). Among these are originals from…
Basilica di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria
Salento
Most people come to Galatina to see the incredible 14th-century Basilica di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria. Its interior is a kaleidoscope of frescoes and…
