Europe Gardens & parks, Peaceful, Religious + Water sports pictures

• World

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

Although it’s not the Auvergne region’s highest summit, this dormant lava dome is its most iconic. Join the thousands of hikers who visit every year.

Make your way along elegant promenades to find medieval churches, thermal spas and stunning gardens in the shadow of the Italian Alps. 

Containing parts of Limousin history from Roman times to the present, this magnificent Gothic house of worship is an important part of the skyline of Limoges.

Find out why literary masters, such as Goethe and Victor Hugo, heaped praise on this remarkable, pink-hued cathedral.

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

Explore a charming Italian town with an impressive Romanesque Gothic cathedral, elegant palaces, underground Roman pools and delicious local food.

Relax by the pond, walk through landscaped gardens, and admire the elegant statues and buildings in one of Madrid’s biggest and most popular parks.

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

With an opulence worthy of the former monarchs buried inside, this 15th-century chapel is the go-to spot for royal ceremonies and weddings.

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.

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

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.

Make your way along elegant promenades to find medieval churches, thermal spas and stunning gardens in the shadow of the Italian Alps. 

Relax by the pond, walk through landscaped gardens, and admire the elegant statues and buildings in one of Madrid’s biggest and most popular parks.

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.

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.

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

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.

Be spellbound by the scale and splendor of the Spanish Royal Family’s former official residence.