Europe Castles & palaces, Historic buildings, People + Winter pictures

• World

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

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

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

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

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

Visit this centerpiece of a program of new construction in Stuttgart for the architecture as well as the books contained inside.

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 sightseeing trip of Tuscany\'s renowned wine region and visit its vineyards, wineries, ancient churches, castles and hilltop villages.

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.

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.

A lake and a majestic fountain are among the highlights in this urban park that stands on the site of the city’s former fortress.

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