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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Alghero
Overlooking Piazza Duomo, Alghero’s oversized Cattedrale di Santa Maria appears out of place with its pompous neoclassical facade and fat Doric columns…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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 …
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
St Paul's Church & the Grotto of St Paul
Malta
St Paul's Church was built in 1675. Beside it, stairs lead down into the mystical Grotto of St Paul, a cave where the saint is said to have preached…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Lanzarote
Within the historical walls of the graceful 18th-century Palacio Spínola, this entertaining museum is dedicated to the timple, a traditional Canarian…
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…