Europe Art, Castles & palaces, Historic buildings + Island & reefs pictures

• World

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?

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

Its grandiose colonnade and refurbished 19th-century interior make up an exquisite setting, with excellent acoustics for operatic shows and music concerts.

Admire the greatest works of Michelangelo and da Vinci, see the center of Catholicism and pose with the Leaning Tower of Pisa on this Mediterranean peninsula.

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

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.

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

See the majestic gate that was once Madrid’s eastern entrance but is today a symbol of the Spanish metropolis.

Stop by a 16th-century meeting room inside the Cathedral of Seville that is stunningly decorated with religious paintings, sculptures and reliefs.

A canal filled with boats laps around the scenic gardens at the front of this neo-Renaissance palace known as the Venice of Seville.

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