Must-see attractions in Mediterranean Europe

  • Kasımiye Medresesi

    Mardin

    Built in 1469, two domes stand over the tombs of Kasım Paşa and his sister at this old medrese (seminary) complex, but the highlights are the courtyard…

  • Ünye Müze Evi

    Black Sea Coast

    This ambitious little museum occupies a handsome, breezy, 250-year-old Ottoman house, with displays bringing to life the history, lifestyles and folklore…

  • Museo Archeologico

    Southwestern Sardinia

    Housed in a yellow 19th-century palazzo in the village centre, the Museo Archeologico provides a good overview of the area's prehistoric past with finds…

  • Salina Nature Reserve

    Northern Malta

    The newest of the nature reserves managed by Birdlife Malta is a haven for gulls and terns and migrating herons and egrets. Very occasionally, flamingos…

  • Chiesa Madre

    Tyrrhenian Coast

    Nestled in the shadow of the castle, picturesque Piazza Duomo is home to this 11th-century cathedral dedicated to St George. Remodelled twice (in 1477 and…

  • Cattedrale di Santa Maria

    Alghero

    Overlooking Piazza Duomo, Alghero’s oversized Cattedrale di Santa Maria appears out of place with its pompous neoclassical facade and fat Doric columns…

  • Monastery of Agios Georgios

    Skyros

    Founded in 962, the working Byzantine Monastery of St George (whose bells might wake you early if you're staying in town) crowns Skyros Town, within the…

  • Museum of History & Art

    Central Greece

    The ground floor of this neoclassical mansion on the central square holds a fine collection of Byron memorabilia. Treasures range from statues and…

  • Castell de Begur

    Palafrugell & Around

    There is little to explore aside from the ragged ruins of this medieval castle, still in much the same state as when it was wrecked by Spanish troops to…

  • Icarus & Daedalus Statues

    Rethymno Province

    Agia Gallini has its place in the annals of Greek mythology as the site where Icarus and Daedalus are believed to have taken their ill-fated flight from…

  • Ermita de San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

    The Central Basque Coast

    A few kilometres beyond Bermeo, this historic chapel is perched high atop the islet of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, which is connected to the mainland by a…

  • Museo del Vino

    Umbria

    Housed in an aristocratic 17th-century mansion, this is one of Italy's premier wine museums. Greek, Etruscan and Roman ceramics, jugs and vessels,…

  • Zeytinli

    Thrace & Marmara

    Zeytinli is surrounded by green-grey scree-covered hills, with spectacular views over the countryside. It's an idyllic base for an island stay. Once in…

  • Fontana delle Tette

    Treviso

    Treviso's best-known piece of statuary is the 16th-century naked female torso called the Fontana delle Tette, a snigger-worthy translation coming in as …

  • Theophilos Museum

    Lesvos

    On the same site as the Teriade Museum, this humble structure contains 86 paintings by the primitive painter Theophilos, who remains a folk hero among…

  • Archaeological Museum of Melos

    Milos

    This handsome neoclassical building contains some riveting exhibits, including a plaster cast of local lass, the Venus de Milo, who now resides in the…

  • Cemetery

    Comillas

    Comillas' cemetery, around the ruined medieval parish church, was remodelled by Catalan Modernista Lluís Domènech i Montaner in 1893. It’s overlooked by a…

  • Cuevas de Oñati-Arrikrutz

    Basque Country

    Located 5.5km southwest of Oñati, this cavern system has numerous slow-growing stalagmites and stalactites. Visits are by guided tour and take you through…

  • Kalepark

    Black Sea Coast

    Named for the remains of the castle (kale) that historically dominated the hill, this pleasant green space benefits from its perch above Giresun,…

  • Museo Agrícola El Patio

    Lanzarote

    Inhabited until the mid-20th century, this open-air museum recreates a 19th-century farmer’s house (complete with wine cellar), providing good insight…

  • Taşbaşı Kilesisi

    Black Sea Coast

    Standing in a hilltop garden overlooking the sea, this hefty former stone building was built as a Greek church (1853) and is undergoing extensive long…

  • Averoff Gallery

    Epiros

    Founded by Evangelos Averoff to fulfil a long-held wish to crown his family's town with a quality gallery, this three-storey space exhibits works of Greek…

  • Şemsi Ahmed Paşa Mosque

    Istanbul

    This charming mosque complex on the waterfront was designed by Mimar Sinan and built in 1580 for one of Süleyman the Magnificent's grand viziers, Şemsi…

  • Museo delle Navi Romane

    Castelli Romani

    This museum on the shores of Lago di Nemi was built by Mussolini to house two Roman boats salvaged from the lake in 1932. These dated from Caligula’s time…

  • Chiesa di San Salvatore

    Pistoia

    Just steps from Piazza del Duomo is this beautiful gem of a Romanesque church, thought to date from the 8th to 10th centuries within the ancient city…

  • Oltu Kalesi

    Far Northeast

    Originally built by Urartians around 1000 BC, this impregnable, extensively preserved fortress rises above the bus stand in the centre of Oltu town. The…

  • Daħlet Qorrot

    Gozo

    Attractive Daħlet Qorrot is popular with local weekenders. There's a tiny gravel beach, but most of the swimming is off the rocks beside the rows of…

  • Museo del Costume

    Southeastern Sicily

    Housed in a former monastery, Scicli's Museo del Costume mainly explores the costumes and fashions of the region. The collection spans several centuries…

  • Museo del Ferrocarril de Asturias

    Gijón

    Trains have played a big part in Asturias' story and Gijón’s excellent railway museum, housed in a 19th-century former station, has a fascinating…

  • Parco Aymerich

    Eastern Sardinia

    Turn left off Via Sant’Ignazio to reach this smashing 22-hectare park, noted for sheltering Sardinia's widest variety of native orchid species. Among the…

  • Museo Civico

    Pistoia

    Pistoia's Gothic Palazzo Communale is strung with works by Tuscan artists from the 13th to 20th centuries. Don't miss Bernardino di Antonio Detti's…

  • Chapel of Zoodochos Pigi

    Limnos

    This hilltop late-Byzantine church built next to a holy-water spring wouldn't be such an outstanding attraction if not for its scenic observation point…

  • Roncesvalles Monastery Complex

    Navarra

    Roncesvalles' monastery complex contains a number of different buildings of interest, including the 13th-century Gothic-style Real Colegiata de Santa…

  • Bodega Uwe Urbach

    El Hierro

    With its origins in the 19th century, the well-established Uwe Urbach vineyard specialises in organic wines, produced with a mix of traditional and…

  • Castillo de Javier

    Navarra

    This 10th-century castle, strategically located on the border between the kingdoms of Navarra and Aragón, is Javier's main attraction. Inside, there's a…

  • Aynalı Kilise

    Göreme

    From the Open-Air Museum entrance, a 1km walk uphill along Müze Caddesi brings you to the signposted trail leading down to the Aynalı Kilise. The main…

  • Castello di Bornato

    Central Lombardy

    Five kilometres south of Provaglio, in the hamlet of Bornato, stands a 13th-century castle, with imposing crenellated walls, and a Renaissance villa set…

  • Casa del Timple

    Lanzarote

    Within the historical walls of the graceful 18th-century Palacio Spínola, this entertaining museum is dedicated to the timple, a traditional Canarian…

  • Fortress of Trikala

    Meteora & Thessaly

    Trikala’s castle crowns a hilltop just back from the northern side of the river, 400m west of the central squares. Although it stands on the site of…