Must-see attractions in Europe

Visible within a 30km radius, this tremendous Soviet-era monument was opened in 1981 to commemorate the First Bulgarian Empire’s 1300th anniversary…

Established in 1996, Parco Nazionale dell’Arcipelago di La Maddalena consists of seven main islands and several smaller granite islets off Sardinia's…

This great museum is a highlight of central Portugal. Housed in a 12th-century bishop's palace, it stands over the city's ancient Roman forum, remains of…

A 1km walk along the (partially wooded) lake shore from Lenno's main square, Villa Balbianello has cinematic pedigree: this was where scenes from Star…

While the walls surrounding Il-Kastell date from the 15th century, there have been fortifications atop this flat-topped hill since the Bronze Age: it…

Capo Caccia's principal crowd-puller is the Grotta di Nettuno, a haunting fairyland of stalactites and stalagmites. The easiest way to get to the caves is…

Nearing the end of a nine-year renovation, these sprawling galleries in Dijon's monumental Palais des Ducs are works of art in themselves and constitute…

This 1337-room palace, originally built for Louis XV, hosted Napoléon III's dazzling hunting parties, which drew aristocrats from all around Europe. A…

Three miles south of Totnes off the A381, this renowned vineyard is chiefly known for its crisp, sparkling white wines, as well as its delicious cheeses…

Tentatively listed for World Heritage status, this remarkable monastery perches on a terraced slope high above the Göksu Valley, northwest of Silifke…

This beautifully melancholic art-nouveau villa is set on a clifftop on Capri’s northeast tip and was the one-time retreat of French poet Jacques d…

Spread across the Faltaïts family's 19th-century mansion, this not-to-be-missed gem unravels the island's mythology and folklore in a multilevel labyrinth…

Between Aveiro and Coimbra, in the village of Sangalhos in the Bairrada wine-producing region, this magnificent place is part adega (winery), part art…

One of the most stunning of Visby's medieval churches, it's often used for performances. In winter, local children skate on an artificial ice rink within…

Encircled by a moat fringed with willow trees, Făgăraş Citadel is an impressively intact fortification from medieval Transylvania. The oldest part of this…

The star of the show on a lake shore not bereft of elegant touches, the Villa Carlotta is a fabulous fusion of neoclassical architecture and harmonious…

Directly below Panarea's prehistoric village, about 45 minutes south of San Pietro, steps lead down to this gorgeous little cove with a rock-strewn beach…

The Blå Jungfrun (Blue Maiden) National Park encompasses a 1km-long granite island also known as ‘Witches’ Mountain’ because, according to ancient…

Not far from Seljalandsfoss, on the road to Þórsmörk (4WD required), hides one of the most thrilling and adventurous scrambles to a waterfall along a…

Cuenca’s cutting-edge palaeontology museum is a must for anyone interested in Spain's fascinating prehistorical record. Though anchored by its…