Europe Castles & palaces, Historic buildings + Winter pictures

• World

Cruise along canals, tour architectural masterpieces and enjoy festivals under a midnight sun in Russia’s second-largest city.

Take a cruise on this wide river, as it meanders between the leafy parks and historic bridges and buildings of the Pink City.

Explore the crumbling remains and towering gatehouse of this once mighty 14th-century castle, which was an integral part of the English Civil War. 

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

Explore this photogenic riverside square, which is bordered by two grand neoclassical palaces and features a spectacular fountain at its center.

Famed for the panoramic views from its soaring clock tower, this ancient religious landmark is also home to a series of striking medieval graves. 

Walk the streets of this charming town and soak up its history, architecture and culture before heading out into the nearby countryside.

Take a cruise on this wide river, as it meanders between the leafy parks and historic bridges and buildings of the Pink City.

One of the oldest museums in France, this institution is a fantastic place to see paintings, sculptures and architecture spanning centuries, back to the Middle Ages.

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.

Go to the highest railway station in Europe, visit an ice palace and view a colossal glacier when you take a picturesque train ride to this mountain pass.

Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, nestled between extinct volcanoes and hills, is almost fairytale in appearance, with its medieval buildings in the Old Town and the wide streets and spacious homes Georgian New Town, and the spectacular castle looking down from its cliff. Edinburgh was declared a World Heritage Site in 1995, which only begs the question: why did it take so long?

Take a cruise on this wide river, as it meanders between the leafy parks and historic bridges and buildings of the Pink City.

The smaller basilica in the Sanctuary of Notre Dame de Lourdes is an artistic marvel, famed for its colorful mosaics and themed chapels.

Enjoy the spicy Spanish influence on the cuisine, visit a pilgrimage site and ski in the snowy Pyrénées mountains.

Enjoy the spicy Spanish influence on the cuisine, visit a pilgrimage site and ski in the snowy Pyrénées mountains.

One of the most eye-catching monuments in Lourdes is the basilica that sits above the grotto, part of a wider sanctuary of impressive churches.

Go to the highest railway station in Europe, visit an ice palace and view a colossal glacier when you take a picturesque train ride to this mountain pass.

Enjoy the spicy Spanish influence on the cuisine, visit a pilgrimage site and ski in the snowy Pyrénées mountains.

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

Study the intriguing pointed pillars on the river and relax on the grassy knoll of the park beside this iconic bridge. 

Serious skiers come from near and far for the challenging pistes and stay for the crackling vacation atmosphere of this Tyrolean resort.