Europe Castles & palaces, Gardens & parks + Water sports pictures

• World

One of the world’s smallest countries lies within eastern Italy’s countryside. Visit the longstanding city-state for natural beauty, culture and food specialties.

Whether you’re catching a train or not, be sure to visit this “secular cathedral,” an early 20th-century icon that sits on a hill north of Old Town Limoges.

Alongside games of football and couples in pedalos, the art galleries, buskers and 17th-century palace give El Retiro a different flavour to your average park.

Come and take a walk around one of the largest palaces in Western Europe...and try not to get lost!

Come and take a walk around one of the largest palaces in Western Europe...and try not to get lost!

Embrace Padova’s rich cultural past at one of Europe’s largest city squares, a historic spot filled with nearly 80 beautiful statues. 

Escape the city and head to one of the world’s largest urban parks, which has lakes and meadows, as well as beer gardens and a variety of interesting relics.

Embrace Padova’s rich cultural past at one of Europe’s largest city squares, a historic spot filled with nearly 80 beautiful statues. 

Distinctive architecture, friendly people and interesting history are reasons to stay a while in this UNESCO World Heritage city on Germany’s Baltic coast.

Marvel at the wooden organ and work out the parables depicted in the stained glass in this blend of two separate religious buildings.

Visitors flock to the cultural and historic heart of Scotland to enjoy the city’s atmosphere and its many landmarks, parks and gardens.

This serene mountain town has rustic charm and natural beauty and is the site of one of Europe’s most famous divine encounters.

If you\'re looking for wellbeing and relaxation, a holiday in Merano is a great chance to discover the city, gardens and hot springs.

See the swans glide by under weeping willows and relax with a picnic in the park while taking in the pristine beauty of the source of the Clitunno River in Umbria.

Embrace Padova’s rich cultural past at one of Europe’s largest city squares, a historic spot filled with nearly 80 beautiful statues. 

Embrace Padova’s rich cultural past at one of Europe’s largest city squares, a historic spot filled with nearly 80 beautiful statues. 

Alongside games of football and couples in pedalos, the art galleries, buskers and 17th-century palace give El Retiro a different flavour to your average park.

Maze-like hedges, marble sculptures and colorful flower beds adorn this historic royal garden, where the palace’s stables and carriages once lay.

Discover themed gardens, artist pavilions, viewpoints and wildlife stations set around a natural amphitheater in the grounds of a medieval castle. 

Tour some of the country\'s oldest towns and cities, relax on beaches and hike up coastal hills in the region surrounding the capital city of Portugal.