In the village of Ettal, southwest Bavaria, Germany

 “The king was not insane; he was just an eccentric personality living in a world of dreams." --  Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as Sissi, a friend of King Ludwig II

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(in southwest Bavaria, Germany) The village of Ettal is found in the Oberland area in the Graswangtal between the Loisachtal and Ammertal, about 10 km (~ 6 mi.) north of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and just four kilometers southwest of Oberammergau. Near the village of Ettal is Linderhof Palace, the smallest of three palaces built by King Ludwig II and the only castle that he actually lived to see completed. Nicknamed "little Versailles," the architecture of Linderhof Palace is said to have been heavily influenced by the French castles of the 19th century. Linderhof Palace, the "Royal Villa" of Ludwig II, originated as a hunting lodge belonging to his father Maximilian II -- the "Königshäuschen". It was enlarged by Georg Dollmann between 1870 and 1872 with a U-shaped complex centered on the King's Bedchamber. Like its predecessor, the new building was a wooden post-and-infill construction. It was not until 1874 that the exterior façade was clad in stone, and the old hunting lodge was taken down and rebuilt in what became a park. The palace was then completed with the Hall of Mirrors and Staircase and furnished in the style of the "second Rococo" period. Upon embarking on a tour of the palace you can enjoy the Rococo interiors, which feature numerous pieces of opulent furniture, furnishings, and embellishments. The Palace Park was completed from 1870 to 1880 from designs by Carl von Effner. Surrounding the palace are imitation baroque gardens and terraces and cascades in the Italian Renaissance style. The adjoining landscape garden continues into the forest of the Ammergau Mountains. Ludwig II introduced architectural features into the park based on the world of the Orient, such as the Moorish Kiosk and the Moroccan House, and on scenes from Wagner's musical dramas such as the Venus Grotto, Hunding's Hut and the Hermitage of Gurnemanz. (The linden tree, from which the palace takes its name, is now more than 300 years old.)

The St. Rumbold's Cathedral, in the city of Mechelen, Belgium

 "Traveling through Belgium is like reading a history book of Europe, the pages of which contain the record of man’s struggle for freedom. Because it has so often been wounded, oppressed and bruised Belgium has placed against the background of her landscape the memories of her past: the belfries recalling her struggles; the churches, the spirit of her faith; the castles, the sentinels of her splendor." – Dore Ogrizek

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(in the province of Antwerp in the Flemish Region of Belgium) A representative democracy since achieving independence in 1830, Belgium is headed by a hereditary constitutional monarch. Initially, it had a unitary form of government. In the 1980s and ’90s, however, steps were taken to turn Belgium into a federal state with powers shared among the regions of Flanders, Wallonia, and the Brussels-Capital Region. Flanders, the Flemish Region, constitutes the northern half of Belgium. Flanders includes the provinces of Antwerp, East Flanders, Limburg, Flemish Brabant, and West Flanders. The northernmost province of the Flemish Region, Antwerp borders on the North Brabant province of the Netherlands. Its capital is Antwerp, which includes the Port of Antwerp, the second-largest seaport in Europe. The province consists of three arrondissements (districts): Antwerp, Mechelen and Turnhout. The eastern part of the province comprises the main part of the Campine region. Featured here is the pretty town of Mechelen, a hidden Flemish gem, in the Mechelen district of Antwerp Province. Students of the world-renowned Carillon bell-ringing school provide an atmospheric soundtrack for sipping coffee at a sidewalk café in one of the town's charming squares. Many pedestrian areas make this a delightful town to stroll about, while admiring hundreds of historic buildings and monuments, many dating back to 16th century. Highlights include Gothic and Baroque churches and the famed St Rumbold's Tower. With Belgium’s foremost cathedral, a superb central square, and several intriguing museums, Mechelen is one of Flanders’ most underrated historic places. And, as the seat of Belgium's Catholic primate (the equivalent of an archbishop), it has many fine churches. Mechelen lies on the major urban and industrial axis Brussels–Antwerp, about 25 km (~18 mi.) from each city. Mechelen is also one of Flanders' prominent cities of historical art (along with Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels, Ghent, and Leuven). It was notably a center for artistic production during the Northern Renaissance, when painters, printmakers, illuminators and composers of polyphony were attracted by patrons such as Margaret of York, Margaret of Austria, and Hieronymus van Busleyden. (Most cities in Flanders have a nickname for their inhabitants. Since 1687, for their attempt to extinguish a fire high up in the Saint-Rumbold's Tower, where the gothic windows had shown the flaring of only the moon between clouds, locals have been called Maneblussers [moon extinguishers]).

The Channel Islands, off the French coast of Normandy, UK

 “The air is sharp, and I understand why years ago sea air was prescribed as a tonic for the body.” ― Anita Shreve, The Weight of Water

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(an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy) The Channel Islands lie to the west of the Cotentin peninsula of France, at the entrance to the Gulf of Saint-Malo, 80 miles (130 km) south of the English coast. The islands are dependencies of the British crown, having been so attached since the Norman Conquest of 1066, when they formed part of the duchy of Normandy. They comprise four main islands (Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark), with lesser islets and a labyrinth of rocks and reefs. They are administered according to local laws and customs, being grouped into two distinct bailiwicks (Guernsey and Jersey), with differing constitutions. The islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, Herm, and Alderney attract visitors with exquisite coastlines, shaded lanes, and old-world charm. Not quite Britain and not quite France, they are proudly independent, self-governing British Crown dependencies that straddle the gap between the two. Their citizens owe allegiance to Her Majesty, the Queen, but some still speak local dialects that stem from medieval Norman French. Famed for their quiet charm and old-fashioned courtesy, the Channel Islands offer a unique blend of Britishness with a taste of France. Fine scenery, flowering vegetation, and a mild maritime climate have made the Channel Islands popular resort areas. The islands are famous for their breeds of cattle and for the export of fruit, flowers, tomatoes, and early potatoes. The warm Gulf of St Malo supports subtropical plants and a fascinating array of birdlife. The Channel Islands enjoy sunnier days and milder winters than the UK, attracting walkers and outdoor-types for surfing, kayaking, and diving. Great local seafood graces the tables of local restaurants in the culture hubs of St Helier (Guernsey) and St Peter Port (Jersey) -- the islands’ main population centers. Numerous forts and castles dot the coastlines, while poignant museums – some housed in old war tunnels and bunkers – provide insight into the islanders' fortitude during WWII. Featured here is Jersey island, – where tourists will find hidden bays with golden sands, unspoiled countryside, and a pleasant, temperate climate. Guarded by Elizabeth Castle, the capital St Helier offers much to explore, including an art gallery, a maritime museum, and the unique Glass Church -- featuring designs by Rene Lalique. Consider taking a catamaran around the coastline to see the famous Corbiere Lighthouse, taste local produce on a visit to a wine estate, or tour the Jersey War Tunnels to hear the poignant story of the German Occupation during WWII.

The Ludwigskirche, in the federal state of Saarland, Germany

 "It seems to me that if you were to take almost any half-century in history, you'd find a grand societal tug-of-war between the community and the individual." -- Lauren Groff

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(in Germany) Saarland, also called Saar, is a state that is bounded by the state of Rhineland-Palatinate to the north and east and by France to the south and southwest, and Luxembourg to the northwest. The heart of Saarland is an area of thickly forested hills that is crossed from southeast to northwest by the Saar River valley. This lowland is framed to the north by the edge of the Hunsrück highland and to the south by the French region of Lorraine. Saarland derives its name from the Saar River, whose banks are lined with sights to see, from its capital city of Saarbrücken (featured here) to the phenomenon of the sharp hairpin turn in the river known as the Saarschleife, or Saar Loop. The cultural influences of France and Luxembourg are reflected not only in Saarland's history but also in its cuisine. It is easy for visitors to relax in this area, far from mass tourism. Michelin-starred cuisine, a Franco-German way of life, and the world's first industrial UNESCO World Heritage site are the pride of this small, Francophile state. The first place to visit here is the Old Town center. In the 18th century, the prince of Nassau-Saarbrücken had the town expanded as a Baroque royal seat. The Baroque church known as the Ludwigskirche (depicted below) is a particular gem, and it's the state capital's main landmark. The territory around Saarbrücken, though inhabited by German-speaking people, was much influenced by France in the 150 years following the Peace of Westphalia (in 1648). Saar became a French province in 1684 under the Truce of Regensburg, but in 1697 France was forced to surrender most of Saar under the Treaty of Rijswijk. From 1792 to 1815 France again occupied Saar, together with the west bank of the Rhine. With the final defeat of Napoleon I in 1815, France was forced to cede most of Saar to Prussia. When Alsace-Lorraine was added to the German Empire in 1871, Saar experienced rapid industrial development based on its own coal deposits and the iron-ore deposits of Lorraine. After World War I, Saar’s coal mines were awarded to France, and Saarland was placed under the administration of the League of Nations for 15 years, at the end of which time a plebiscite resulted in its return to Germany. In 1945, French military forces occupied Saarland, and two years later the first Saar state parliament adopted a constitution that called for an autonomous Saar in an economic union with France. By 1954, however, France and the Federal Republic of Germany agreed to a statute that provided for Saar’s autonomy under a European commissioner. In a referendum that soon followed, Saar’s voters rejected that statute, and the French agreed to the return of Saar to West Germany, and on January 1, 1957, Saarland achieved its present status as a federal state of Germany.

On the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the French Basque Country

 “I have a very nice garden and extraordinary markets, where there are products from the earth and the sea, in the French Basque country.” — Alain Ducasse

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(on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the French Basque Country). Nested in the Pyrenees Mountains and along the Atlantic Ocean, the Basque country covers seven provinces in southwestern France and northeastern Spain. Featured here is the French Basque Country (Pays Basque), a cultural region within the département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques in southwestern France, bordering the western Pyrenees Mountains, along the Bay of Biscay. The region extends from the Anie Peak of the Pyrenees to the magnificent rock-bound coast around Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz on the Bay of Biscay. Several rivers divide the landscape into many verdant valleys that support both agriculture and forestry. The Basque, who speak a language that is among the oldest in Europe, are ethnically distinct from the people who surround them in France and Spain, having preserved their identity among the waves of migrants who have passed through the region since prehistoric times. Along the coastal fringe, known for its pleasant climate, tourism is the economic mainstay with resorts such as Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Ciboure, and Hendaye. Featured here is Biarritz, a stylish beach town, which was once the vacation spot for nobility and is now Europe’s surfing capital. It has experienced a tourist renaissance -- summers are quite busy. but you’ll see affluent vacationers in designer gear and surfers in flip-flops, and hear them speaking French, Spanish, or Basque. The Grande Plage (the central beach of Biarritz with shopping, cafes and nearby restaurants) is the center of the action. Behind the beach, check out the restored, Art Deco casino and wander the streets down to the old port to the west.  During your stay in one of the area's top palaces, visit world-class vineyards, cascading waterfalls, emerald valleys, high-mountain passes, and the long stretches of fine sand beaches. Stop in quaint villages, rich in French architecture; taste internationally-renowned Basque cuisine; visit the Guggenheim Museum and archeological treasures; enjoy traditional Basque games (like Pelote); and, see historical monuments and join some of the local festivities. The seaside resort of Biarritz, one of the southwest's gems, has been a favorite beach getaway since Napoléon III and his Spanish-born wife Eugénie arrived during the mid-19th century. Its elegant villas and heritage-listed residences, which glitter with belle époque and art deco details, still retain their enduring glamour.

The Wawel cathedral, in the city of Kraków, Poland

 "You are in a country that comes and goes, where the people have been mistreated but rarely oppose. Borders have changed by rulers from afar, although sometimes closer than neighborhoods are. Their religion is sacred and the heavens smile down, but the history they keep will lead you to frown." ― Sean F. Hogan, Painting Angels

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(in one of the oldest cities in Poland) Found on the upper Vistula River in the Lesser Poland Province in southern Poland, the city of Kraków dates back to the 7th century. Its marketplace, Rynek Główny (Main Square), has existed since the 13th century, and a modern landscaped area is laid out on the site of past fortifications. The official capital of Poland until the late 16th-century, this city has traditionally been one of the leading centers of Polish academic, economic, cultural, and artistic life. Cited as one of Europe's most beautiful cities, its Old Town was declared one of the world's first UNESCO World Heritage Sites (all of which were named to the list in September, 1978). Between 1795 and 1918 the city was controlled by Austria, except from 1809 to 1815, when it existed as part of the Duchy of Warsaw, and from 1815 to 1846, when, with its surrounding territory, it formed an independent republic. During the latter half of the 19th century, the city redeveloped under relaxed Austrian control, until it regained its former stature. In 1918 Kraków was returned to Poland, only to be taken by the Germans at the beginning of World War II. The German governor, who made his headquarters in Wawel Castle, executed the university’s teaching staff and sent some 55,000 Jews from the city to the Auschwitz II (Birkenau) death camp. In 1945 Kraków was liberated by rapidly advancing Soviet forces, and it suffered far less damage than other cities in the region. Thousands of historic buildings and sites are found in the city today. Most prominent are the many churches, including St. Mary’s Church, the main section of which dates from 1497. Wawel Cathedral houses several ornate chapels and burial chambers, along with a collection of ecclesiastical art. Originally constructed in the early 11th century, the cathedral was rebuilt in 1142 and 1364, and it was renovated in 1712 in its current Gothic style. Two defensive fortifications remain from medieval times, a legacy of the city’s perpetual struggle against invaders. The Barbican, a circular bastion with brick walls that are three meters thick, was built in the 15th century adjacent to the other remaining structure, the 13th-century Florian Gate. The city’s Jewish quarter, in the district of Kazimierz, contains Remu’h Cemetery, which includes numerous well-preserved tombstones from the 16th century. A city for centuries appreciated for its cultural heritage has also become a European center of gastronomic heritage. (In 2019, the city of Kraków was granted the title of European Capital of Gastronomic Culture by the European Academy of Gastronomy.)

In the capital city of Helsinki, southern Finland

 " Joka vanhoja muistelee, sitä tikulla silmään." ("A poke in the eye for the one, who dwells on the past.") -- a Finnish saying

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(in southern Finland) Helsinki, the capital of the country, is found on the shore of the Gulf of Finland. Often considered to be Finland's only metropolis, it is the world's northernmost metropolitan area with more than a million people; it is also the northernmost capital of an EU member state. Sitting on the edge of the Baltic Sea, the modern, cosmopolitan city of Helsinki offers the beauty of its natural surroundings, which blends quite nicely with its high-tech achievements and contemporary trends. An eyes-wide-open walk through the city's center reveals layers of history, while modern architecture and cutting-edge style suggest a city that's looking far into the future. Visit Helsinki during its endless summer days or wait a bit, and enjoy some adventure here -- on snowy winter nights. While it is a culture-packed urban center, Helsinki is indeed surrounded by sublime natural environment that's easily reached from every part of the city. Opportunities for activity abound here, from boating to the islands of its archipelago, strolling along its beaches (or through its extensive parks and gardens), and hiking in surrounding forests. When snow blankets this city in the Winter, and Helsinki freezes over, snowshoeing, cross-country and downhill skiing, ice skating, and ice fishing on the bays are quite invigorating ways to keep warm while remaining in touch with Luontoäiti (Mother Nature). Although Finland is known for its streamlined, functional, stylish design, pioneers such as Alvar and Aino Aalto cemented its reputation in the 20th century, and the capital continues to be the country's creative hub. Helsinki's modern design scene is now one of the most stimulating in the world today, and a major influence across the globe. Boutiques, workshops, and galleries filled with glassware, lighting, textiles, and innovative homewares proliferate in the Design District just south of the city center, in Punavuori, which is home to Helsinki's superb Design Museum -- and throughout the city, from thoroughfares to repurposed industrial spaces. Besides the design scene, architecture in Helsinki is also flourishing. Contemporary highlights include the Kiasma museum of contemporary art and the concert hall (Musiikkitalo). Modernism is exemplified by Alvar Aalto's Akateeminen Kirjakauppa and Finlandia Talo concert hall, along with Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen's awesome rock-carved church, the Temppeliaukio. Finland's art-nouveau movement, National Romanticism, has also left a glorious legacy of buildings, as exemplified by the city's beautiful train station. Functionalism, wooden architecture, and Byzantine-Russian, neo-Renaissance, and neoclassical styles are all now woven into the fabric of today's Helsinki.

The Baroque Schloss Belvedere, in the city of Weimar, Germany

 "Consider a resident of Berlin, born in 1900 and living to the ripe age of one hundred. She spent her childhood in the Hohenzollern Empire of William II; her adult years in the Weimar Republic, the Nazi Third Reich and Communist East Germany; and she died a citizen of a democratic and reunified Germany. She had managed to be a part of five very different sociopolitical systems, though her DNA remained exactly the same. — Yuval Noah Harari

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(in the federal state of Thuringia, Germany) The city of Weimar is found in Central Germany between Erfurt in the west and Jena in the east. Weimar was a focal point of the German Enlightenment and home of the leading figures of the literary genre of Weimar Classicism, writers Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller. In the 19th century, noted composers such as Franz Liszt made Weimar a music center. Later, artists and architects such as Henry van de Velde, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Lyonel Feininger, and Walter Gropius came to the city and founded the Bauhaus movement, the most important German design school of the interwar period. You’ll see them memorialized on the streets, in museums and in reverently preserved houses across town. The political history of 20th-century Weimar, however, was quite volatile. It was the place where Germany's first democratic constitution was signed after the First World War, giving its name to the Weimar Republic period of German politics (between 1918 and 1933) Weimar is also the place where, post-WWI, the constitution of the German Reich, known by historians as the Weimar Republic (was drafted, though there are strangely few reminders of this historical moment. (Nearby, the unadorned, unaltered remains of the Buchenwald concentration camp provide sobering testament to the crimes of the subsequent Nazi regime.) In summer, Weimar’s many parks and gardens lend themselves to quiet contemplation of all this intellectual and cultural gravity (or alternatively, allow you to take a break from it). Featured here is Schloss Belvedere, a Palace in Weimar that is set amid Belvedere Park's lovely 43 hectares (~106 acres), this early-18th-century gem was once the hunting lodge of Duke Ernst August of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. Outside, the formal gardens and orangery have been carefully restored; inside there's an 18th-century craft museum displaying glass, porcelain, faience (glazed ceramic ware) and furniture in gorgeously decorated apartments. on the outskirts of Weimar, it was really a pleasure-house (Lustschloss) built for house-parties, between 1724-and 1732, to designs of Johann August Richter and Gottfried Heinrich Krohne for Ernst August ("the Duke").

In the city of Sazburg, Austria

 "A man of ordinary talent will always be ordinary, whether he travels or not; but a man of superior talent will go to pieces if he remains forever in the same place." -- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

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(in Austria) The city of Salzburg, capital of the Salzburg Bundesland (federal state), is found in a level basin on both sides of the Salzach River near the northern foothills of the Alps and the Bavarian (German) border. The historic center of the city, with its great mixture of art and architecture, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996. A unique combination of scenic Alpine landscape and architectural richness has led to Salzburg’s reputation as one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Because of the building activities of its later archbishops, however, little remains of its medieval architecture, and several buildings were damaged or destroyed by fire in 1818. Its main attributes are the episcopal buildings and the burghers’ houses, displaying an Italian Renaissance and Baroque influence that earned Salzburg the designation of the “German Rome.” In the center of town, on the left bank of the Salzach, is the Residenzplatz with the archbishop’s residence, a gallery of 16th–19th century European paintings, and a large Baroque fountain. Opposite is the Residenz Neugebäude (Residence New Building; its tower contains clockwork and carillon (Glockenspiel) that was imported from Antwerp, Belgium. The 35 bells that make up the carillon range in size from 35 pounds (16 kg) to 838 pounds (380 kg) and play many pieces specially composed by Michael Haydn and by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It’s been more than 250 years since he lived here, but Mozart is still very much Salzburg’s favorite son. Visit the composer’s residence and birthplace, then explore the Altstadt (Old Town), while taking in the baroque architecture. The cathedral, or Dom, was the first church built in the Italian style on German soil, according to plans elaborated in the early 17th century. It was constructed on the site of a previous Romanesque cathedral (damaged by fire in 1598) and an earlier, 8th-century basilica. Near the Mönchsberg (Monks’ Hill), a wooded ridge overlooking the Old Town, is the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter; most of its buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries, and its church was remodeled in the Rococo style. North of the abbey is the Franciscan Church, with a Romanesque nave, a 15th-century Gothic choir, and Baroque chapels. Crowning Monks’ Hill is the great fortress of Hohensalzburg, which served as the archbishops’ residence during the wars of the 15th and 16th centuries. Also on the hill are St. George’s Church and the Nonnberg Nunnery. Salzburg's most visible icon is its mighty, 900-year-old fortress, one of the biggest and best preserved in Europe. It is easy to spend half a day up here, roaming the ramparts for far-reaching views over the city's spires, the Salzach River, and the mountains.

In the capital city of Bern, Switzerland

 "Switzerland is a small, steep country, much more up and down than sideways, and is all stuck over with large brown hotels built on the cuckoo style of architecture." -- Ernest Hemingway

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(in the de facto capital of Switzerland, referred to by the Swiss as their "federal city") In the west-central part of the country, the city of Bern is found along a narrow loop of the Aare River. The existence of the ancient castle of Nydegg, guarding a crossing over the Aare, is said to have led Berthold V, duke of Zähringen, to establish Bern in 1191 as a military post on the frontier between the German-speaking "Alemanni" and the French-speaking inhabitants of Burgundy. After the extinction of the Zähringen dynasty (in 1218), Bern became a free imperial city. Gradually it extended its power by acquiring surrounding territory, becoming an independent state that in 1353 entered the Swiss Confederation, which it soon began to lead. After a devastating fire ravaged the predominantly wood-built town in 1405, Bern was rebuilt with sandstone. Although much of the surrounding metropolis has since been modernized, the city center (Old Bern) remains intact from that period. Bern’s flag-festooned, cobbled center, rebuilt in distinctive grey-green sandstone after the 1405 fire, is an aesthetic delight, with six kilometers (~4 mi.) of covered arcades, cellar shops and bars, and fantastical folk figures frolicking on 16th-century fountains. From the surrounding hills, visitors are presented with an equally captivating picture of red roofs arrayed on a spit of land on the Aare River bend. A powerful force since medieval times, the thriving Swiss "capital" is now an appealing city of museums and collections. The Historical Museum and the Collection of the Bern Museum of Fine Arts house the art and architecture of millennia. The Einstein House and the Paul Klee Center showcase the work of two of Bern's famous former inhabitants. In short, Bern seduces and surprises at every turn. Its museums are excellent, its drinking scene dynamic, and its locals happy to switch from their famously lilting dialect to textbook French, High German, or English – which all tends to suggest that there’s far more to Bern than government bureaucracy.

In the egion of Lazio, northwest of Rome, Italy

 "When life gives you twists and turns, chique yourself up in Italy!" --

Barbara Conelli
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(in the Italian region of Lazio, northwest of Rome) Although Rome is the undisputed heart of this central Italian region, venture a stroll into its wider surroundings and you'll discover fascinating historical cities and pristine coastal areas. The beating heart of both western civilization and Christianity, of legends and history, of ancient roads and resplendent green hills, Lazio is one of central Italy's most popular regions. Sat on the Tyrrhenian sea, it is home to the gently flowing Tiber River, the waters of which run through mountains and hills until they reach the coastline. For beach lovers, the region's coast is awash with pearls from Gaeta, Sperlonga, and San Felice Circeo (to the south) and Sabaudia (a bit further north). Make it out to sea and explore the wonderful Pontine Islands, with Ponza, Ventotene and Palmarola, to discover more of the calm waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Further inland is Lake Bracciano, just a few kilometers northwest of Rome and surrounded by luscious green countryside -- offering great opportunities for walking. The highlight of the area is the Castello Orsini-Odescalchi (featured here), an imposing castle that overlooks the near-perfectly circular lake. Even the shortest of walks through Bracciano town's medieval streets will reveal how very much this place yet reflects its Imperial Roman roots, and the many centuries since that era.

In the town of Menton, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the French Riviera

 "The easy glamour of the French Riviera in the late 1960s - inspired by Romy Schneider's character in La Piscine - mixed with garden elements. Blueprint, botanical, lattice, Queen Anne's lace and folly prints are paired with cleaner silhouettes and proportions in a fresh palette of green, white and coral. — Tory Burch

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(in the Alpes-Maritimes department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the French Riviera, near the Italian border) The town of Menton is found below a rocky amphitheater, along a wide crescent-shaped bay that is divided by a spur and bounded to the southwest by Cape Martin. Along the shore lies the tourists’ quarter, with tropical gardens, luxurious hotels, wide promenades, and the municipal casino. An artificial sand beach lies between the old harbor and the newer yacht marina in Garavan Bay. The narrow vaulted streets of the old 17th-century section of Menton are on a narrow promontory above Garavan Bay. The town, which belonged to the counts of Ventimiglia, a noble Genoese family, was purchased in the 14th century by the Grimaldis, lords of Monaco. (In 1860 Menton was purchased by France.) Relaxed beaches flank the seaside resort town, widely known as "the pearl of France," and its most temperate locale. Nearly a dozen private beaches offer bar service and lounge chairs. The public beaches are family-friendly with lots of aquatic sports to inspire a plunge into the deep blue sea. Last stop on the Côte d’Azur before Italy, Menton offers a glimpse of what the high life on the Riviera must have been like before developers started to move in. With its sunny climate, shady streets, and pastel mansions (not to mention a lovely old port), it is one of the most attractive towns on the entire coast. Menton’s Old Town is quite a lovely cascade of pastel-colored buildings. Add a fantastic museum dedicated to the great artist and French film director Jean Cocteau, as well as several excellent restaurants, and Menton proves to be rather more than just a popular beach town.

In the capital city of Lisbon, Portugal

 Afonso I, o Conquistador, rei de Portugal (Afonso I "the Conqueror" Henriques, [the first] King of Portugal) captured Lisbon from the Muslims and secured Portuguese independence from Leon, one of the early kingdoms of medieval Spain, in 1139.

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(in Portugal) Lisbon, the capital and the largest city of the country, is one of the oldest cities in the world, and the second-oldest European capital city (after Athens, Greece), predating other modern European capitals by centuries. Julius Caesar made Lisbon a municipium called Felicitas Julia, adding to the name Olissipo. After the fall of the Roman Empire it was ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century; later it was captured by the Moors (in the 8th century). In 1147 Afonso Henriques conquered the city and since then it has been the political, economic and cultural center of Portugal. Today, nestled among seven hills, the very walkable city of Lisbon offers a Fascinating alternative to Europe’s more popular capitals. With a lively nightlife scene, festive markets, and vibrant museums, it provides lots of options to savor a few ("mandatory") glasses of Porto, a generous serving of bacalhau, and countless pastéis de nata. A captivating scene crafted over centuries, the seven cinematic hillsides overlooking the Rio Tejo cradle Lisbon's marvelous panorama of cobbled alleyways, ancient ruins, and white-domed cathedrals. Lisbon's trademark hills are spread across the cityscape like lofty guardians of color and history. Capped by a collection of terraces known as miradouros (viewpoints), an intricate web of unfiltered views over Lisbon, the Tejo, and beyond is conveniently formed. The most frequented miradouros – Portas do Sol, São Pedro de Alcântara, da Graça, da Senhora do Monte, Santa Luzia, and Castelo de São Jorge – all offer stopover points for self-orientation while enjoying an afternoon over bica (espresso), elegant glasses of Touriga Nacional, or refreshing pitchers of sangria -- while taking in this city's breathtaking horizons.

In the historic seaport city of Bristol, southwest of England

 “This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.” – Richard III, Shakespeare

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(in the southwest of England) The historic seaport city of Bristol is located about 120 miles (192 km) west of London at the confluence of the Avon and Frome rivers. Just west of the city, the Avon flows into the estuary of the Severn River, which empties into Bristol Channel of the Atlantic Ocean, about eight miles to the northwest. From Clifton's iconic suspension bridge to Brunel's groundbreaking SS Great Britain (via steam boats and trains), Bristol is a city that proudly reflects its past -- one that is quite engagingly exhibited. Clamber up the rigging of a mighty ship, venture a trip in a massive crane, don a hard hat to scramble beneath the Clifton Suspension Bridge, or chug all about in a local tug. Then there's the M Shed museum's innovative approach to learning, which cleverly juxtaposes past with near-present and prompts one to consider the links between the two. Bristol is known for its offbeat, alternative character, due to the counterculture vibe of some neighborhoods and a vivid street art scene. In communities like Stokes Croft, visitors find a wealth of art collectives and community-run cafes, while a range of festivals and the city's music venues, first-class theater, and an art-house cinema help to keep the culture churning. Perhaps surprisingly for one of England's largest cities, Bristol offers lots of ways to explore the outdoors. Although the docks aren't used so much these days, the waterways remain -- here you can learn to SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) and/or paddle kayaks and canoes. In Bristol, which also sits on hot springs, one can soak in naturally heated waters here, perhaps before heading over to the neighboring city of Bath. The nearby Avon Gorge offers excellent climbing, on one of the southwest's best bouldering walls, and the Bristol & Bath Railway Path offers 13 miles of cycle trails.

In the city of Bolanzo, in the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy

 Ötzi, also called the Iceman, refers to the ancient mummified human body that was found by German tourists (Helmut Simon and his wife Erika), on the Similaun Glacier in the Tirolean Ötztal Alps -- on the Italian-Austrian border, on September 19, 1991. 

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(in the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy) Bolzano, in the Trentino–Alto Adige regione, is found at the juncture of the Talvera and Isarco rivers just northeast of their confluence with the Adige, north of Trento. It is surrounded on three sides by mountains and opens to the south onto a floodplain that is thoroughly cultivated with vineyards, fruits, and vegetables. Bolzano, sheltered from cold north winds by the surrounding mountains, has become both an agricultural and a tourist center. The capital of Italy’s region of South Tyrol, Bolzano has been Italian, only since World War I -- and its character remains distinctly Germanic. At the center of the town, Piazza Walther (featured here) is named for a 13th-century German minstrel. The town’s most famous "resident," Ötzi the Iceman, dates from about 3300 BCE and now rests at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology (drawing some 300,000 visitors each year). Yet, Bolzano should not be considered provincial. Once a stop on the coach route between Italy and the flourishing Austro-Hungarian Empire, this town-like city is worldly and engaged, a long-time conduit between cultures that has more recently become home to Europe's first trilingual university. Its quality of life – one of Italy's highest – is reflected in its openness, youthful energy, and quite a pervasive greenness. A pretty backdrop of grassy, rotund hills sets off rows of pastel-painted townhouses, while bicycles ply riverside paths and wooden market stalls offer Alpine cheese, speck (cured ham) and dark, seeded loaves aplenty. German may be the first language of 95% of the region, but Bolzano is an anomaly. Today its Italian-speaking majority – a legacy of Mussolini's Italianization program of the 1920s, and the more recent growth of education and employment opportunities – looks to both the north and south for inspiration.