In the Tuscany region, west-central Italy

 “Life offers you a thousand chances ... all you have to do is take one.”

― Frances Mayes, Under the Tuscan Sun
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(in west-central Italy) The Tuscany region, which covers 8,877 square miles (~22,992 sq km), was originally settled by Etruscans around 1000 BCE, Tuscany came under Roman rule in the 3rd century BCE. It was a Lombard duchy by the 6th century CE. It comprised several independent city-states in the 12th–13th centuries, which were later united under the Medici family of Florence. Tuscany passed to the house of Lorraine in 1737 and to Sardinia and the Kingdom of Italy in the 1860s. The region was severely damaged in World War II, and by floods in 1966. Its mineral resources include the world-famous Carrara marble. Its agricultural products include olives, olive oil, wines, and livestock. Tourism is important at its historical centers, including Florence and Pisa.

+ Tuscany was the driving force of the Italian Renaissance, a time when Tuscan cities were rivals, until Florence prevailed. Most of the area now known as Tuscany was in ancient times the region inhabited by the Etruscans, which was at the heart of the Etruscan civilization, a great pre-Roman civilization. Towns like Volterra and Arezzo, south of Pisa, still contain Etruscan remains. Later it was called Tuscia, and now it is Tuscany. With a temperate climate, Tuscany is the most wooded Italian region, with poplars, cypress trees, and pinewoods. The capital of Tuscany is Florence, or Firenze in Italian, one of the world’s great cities of art.

+ Besides Florence, other historical places in the region include Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Arezzo, and San Gimignano. Tuscany'’s main seaport city is Leghorn. In the northwest of the region, near the Ligurian Riviera and Cinque Terre, is Versilia, comprising a riviera with renowned and fashionable seaside resorts, the most important of which is Viareggio, and a pleasant rolling hinterland. Versilia is close to the majestic peaks of the Apuan Alps. Next to Versilia and sorrounded by mountains is Garfagnana, the valley of the upper Serchio River, which flows through Lucca. Further north is Lunigiana, with important Roman remains in the town of Luni.

+ The Mugello, the valley of the upper Sieve River, is between Florence and the Appennines, while the Valdarno is the valley of the upper Arno River which, flowing entirely in Tuscany, has its source in the Mount Falterona and flows first through Florence, and then Pisa. The Arno’s mouth marks the boundary between the Ligurian Sea, north, and the Tyrrhenian Sea, south -- the two arms of the Mediterranean along the west coast of Italy. In southern Tuscany, Maremma is a vast rural region which stretches along the coast. The southern Tuscan coastline is especially beautiful, rich with cliffs, rocks, and promontories. Punta Ala and the peninsula of Monte Argentario are the most upmarket: main resorts on the latter are Porto Santo Stefano, facing north of the promontory, and Porto Ercole, facing south.

In the Seaside town of Calella de Palafrugell, in the Costa Brava region of Spain

 "A true artist is not one who is inspired, but one who inspires others."

-- Salvador Dali
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(in northeastern Spain) Costa Brava, the coastal region of the autonomous community of Catalonia, extends along the Mediterranean Sea from the French border at Portbou to the Spanish beach resort of Blanes, thus coinciding with the coast of Girona province. This part of the Spanish coast was almost unknown to tourists until the 1920s, when the rugged grandeur of its rocky shores, deeply indented by small sandy bays bathed in warm seas, and its temperate climate began to win recognition. Pretty villages, now busy resorts, include Lloret de Mar, San Felíu de Guixols, Palamós, and Port-Bou. Tourism and construction are the main economic activities. Agriculturally, it is the most important cork-growing region, supplying the wine producers of the world.

+ The Costa Brava ('rugged coast') is considered to be the most beautiful of Spain's three main holiday coasts. Though there is plenty of tourism development, this wonderfully scenic region of Catalonia also unveils unspoiled coves, spectacular seascapes, wind-battered headlands, coast-hugging hiking paths, charming seaside towns with outstanding restaurants, and some of Spain's finest diving around the protected Illes Medes.

+ Delightful stone villages and the majestic Romanesque monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes nestle in the hilly backcountry, cloaked in the south in brilliant-green umbrella pine. Inland, wander northern Catalonia's biggest city, Girona, home to a moodily atmospheric, strikingly well-preserved medieval center and one of the world's top restaurants. Neighboring Figueres is famed for its bizarre Teatre-Museu Dalí, foremost of a series of sites associated with eccentric surrealist artist Salvador Dalí, who fell, like many others, for the wild natural beauty of seaside Cadaqués.

+ Whether you are looking for sandy beaches, rocky coves, tranquil villages, or mountain scenery, Spain's Costa Brava has something to offer you. Situated in the northeast of the country overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the Costa Brava region enjoys hot summers and mild winters, making it an all-year-round holiday destination. There are plenty of opportunities in the Costa Brava to play golf, tennis, or football, as well as to take part in water sports. The Sant Daniel Valley on the western side of the Gavarres hills has mountain biking and trekking paths with stunning views. If you are looking for cultural activity, the Archaeological Museum in Banyoles is housed in a Gothic palace and has displays of paleontology and pottery as well as archaeology. Modern art lovers must not miss the Theatre Museum in Figueres which has a collection of Salvador Dali's paintings. At the end of the day, if you still have some energy, there is no shortage of nightlife in towns such as Lloret de Mar.

+ Pictured here, is the Seaside town of Calella de Palafrugell, in the Costa Brava region of Spain:

In the beautiful town of Kaysersberg, on the Alsace Wine Route, eastern France

 In what country on earth would you rather live? "Certainly in my own, where are all my friends, my relations, and the earliest and sweetest affections and recollections of my life." Which would be your second choice? "France."

-- Thomas Jefferson
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(in eastern France) Alsace, a region on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland, has a culture that is characterized by a blend of Germanic and French influences. Until 1871, Alsace included the area now known as the Territoire de Belfort, which formed its southernmost part. From 1982 to 2016, Alsace was the smallest administrative region in France, consisting of the Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin departments. On 1 January 2021, the departments of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin merged into the new European Collectivity of Alsace but remained part of the Grand Est region.

+ Alsatian is an Alemannic dialect closely related to Swabian, though since World War II most Alsatians speak French. Internal and international migration since 1945 has also changed the ethnolinguistic composition of Alsace. For more than 300 years, from the Thirty Years' War to World War II, the political status of Alsace was heavily contested between France and various German states in wars and diplomatic conferences. The economic and cultural capital of Alsace, as well as its largest city, is Strasbourg, which sits right on the contemporary German international border. The city is the seat of several international organizations.

+ Ask the French what they think of Alsace and watch them grow misty-eyed with nostalgia and affection for this most idiosyncratic of regions. So hard to describe in terms of its character, it proudly guards its own distinct identity, language, cuisine, history, and architecture -– part French, part German, 100% Alsatian. Here the candy-colored towns and villages look as though they have popped up from a child's bedtime story, the gently rolling countryside, striped with vines, is nothing short of idyllic, and everywhere locals swear by their centuries-old traditions.

+ Starting with historical towns, cozy villages, and medieval castles to a charming rural area and wine tastings, it has everything one might expect and even more. The Alsatian rolling hills of vineyards are known world-wide and you can hop from one wine-cellar to another on the touristic Alsace Wine Route. The towns and villages along the way will charm you instantly with their colorful houses, winding alleys, and fresh flowers at the windows.

+ Pictured here is Kaysersberg, a beautiful town on the Alsace Wine Route. Considered one of the most charming cities in Alsace, with its paved streets and half-timbered houses, it is the native town of Albert Schweitzer. Situated on the road of Santiago de Compostela, Kaysersberg surprises by the charm of the medieval sites around the Ste Croix church and the fortified bridge (once a strategic position on the old Roman road that linked the Alsace to the Lorraine).

At the Zvíkov castle, the South Bohemian Region, Czech Republic

 "Instead of a dull, uninteresting country, as I expected, [Bohemia] is a land full of the most lovely scenery. There is every thing which can gratify the eye -- high blue mountains, valleys of the sweetest pastoral look and romantic old ruins."

-- Bayard Taylor
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(in the Czech Republic, also known as Czechia) The South Bohemian Region is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located mostly in the southern part of its historical land of Bohemia, with a small part in southwestern Moravia. The western part of the South Bohemian Region is the former Prachens, a huge archaic region with distinctive features; its capital is Písek. 

+ The region is divided into the following districts: České Budějovice, Český Krumlov, Jindřichův Hradec, Písek, Prachatice, Strakonice and Tábor. The town of Český Krumlov is one of the highlights of the region and one of Czechia’s most frequently visited places outside of Prague.

+ The central part of the South Bohemian Region consists of the České Budějovice Basin and Třeboň Basin. The southwest consists of the Bohemian Forest mountain range and its foothills, the Gratzen Mountains and its foothills are located to the south. The northern part of the region extends to the Central Bohemian Hills. The eastern part lies in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. The region is located in the drainage basin of Vltava river. Other significant rivers are Malše, Lužnice, Otava, Nežárka and Lomnice.

+ South Bohemia is known for its many ponds. In the past, more than seven thousand ponds were established across the region. With its 489 hectares (~1,208 acres), Rožmberk is the largest one, followed by Bezdrev (450 ha) and Horusice pond (415 ha).

+ A big part of the Šumava National Park is situated in South Bohemia. Many natural and cultural sights are connected with more than 500 km (~312 mi.) of summer marked trails in the park. The region is famous for its small villages with a pond in the middle. These are generally built in the style of the South Bohemian Baroque, or "Rustic Baroque," a term for the unique architecture of South Bohemia. The local folk bricklayer masters Martin Paták and František Šoch created a new type of South Bohemian farmhouse with an ornate frontispiece in the middle of the 19th century. A typical structure of this style is a massive rustic farmhouse with two richly decorated frontispieces, which are joined by an arched gate with small doors. The marshland frontispieces are beautifully decorated, they have lavish contours, the surface is usually divided by allusive decorative columns, completed by arches, stylised hearts, four-leafed clovers, meadow flowers.

+ Pictured here is Zvíkov, often called "the king of Czech castles," which is in the Zvíkovské Podhradí municipality, about 15 kilometers (~8 mi.) north of Písek. It stands on a steep promontory above the confluence of the Vltava and Otava rivers. (The castle is one of the most important early-Gothic castles in Czech lands.).

In the Midlands, Central England

 "Baldwin thought Europe was a bore, and Chamberlain thought it was only a greater Birmingham." -- Winston Churchill

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(in Central England) The Midlands are commonly subdivided into the East and the West Midlands. The East Midlands include the historic and geographic counties of Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, and Rutland. The West Midlands comprise Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire. The West Midlands contains a heavy concentration of large industrial cities, including Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Dudley, Stoke-on-Trent, Walsall, and Wolverhampton. (Parts of the region are rural, and agriculture remains economically important.)

+ Should you be looking for quintessentially English countryside -- green valleys, chocolate-box villages of black-and-white timbered houses, woodlands steeped in legend such as Nottinghamshire's Sherwood Forest, and stately homes that look like the last lord of the manor just clip-clopped out of the stables -- you will find it here in the heart of England.

+ You will also discover find some relics of centuries of industrial history, exemplified by the World Heritage–listed mills of Ironbridge and the Derwent Valley, and by today's dynamic cities, including Britain's second-largest, Birmingham (shown here) -- a canal-woven industrial crucible reinvented as a cultural and creative hub, with striking 21st-century architecture and vibrant nightlife. Beyond them are tumbling hills where the air is so clean you can taste it. Walkers and cyclists flock to these pristine areas, particularly the Peak District National Park and the Shropshire Hills in the Marches, along the English–Welsh border, to vanish into the vastness of the landscape.

+ The Midlands are a part of England that broadly correspond to the Kingdom of Mercia of the Early Middle Ages, bordered by the England–Wales border, Northern England, and Southern England. The Midlands were important in the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries. The area is predominantly low-lying and flat apart from isolated hills such as Turners Hill within the Black Country conurbation (at 271 meters) with extensive views. Upland areas lie in the west and north of the region with the Shropshire Hills to the west, close to the England–Wales border and the Peak District area of the southern Pennines in the north of the region. The Shropshire Hills reach a height of 540 meters at Brown Clee Hill and include the Long Mynd, Clee Hills, and Stiperstones ridge. Wenlock Edge, running through the middle of the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), is a long, low ridge, which extends for more than 15 miles (24 km). The Peak District reaches heights of between 300 meters and 600 meters; Kinder Scout is the highest point at 636 meters. Further south, the Welsh border reaches more than 700 meters high, at Black Mountain -- which is the highest point in Herefordshire.

In the capital city of Funchal, the Madeira islands, Portugal

 Henry the Navigator* was neither a sailor nor a navigator. He did, however, sponsor many exploratory sea voyages. In 1415, his ships reached the Canary Islands, which had already been claimed by Spain. In 1418, the Portuguese came upon the Madeira Islands and established a colony at Porto Santo.

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(in the North Atlantic Ocean) The Madeira Islands, an archipelago of volcanic origin, belonging to Portugal, comprises two inhabited islands, Madeira and Porto Santo, and two uninhabited groups, the Desertas and the Selvagens. In a region known as Macaronesia, the islands are the summits of mountains that have their bases on an abyssal ocean floor. The regional capital, Funchal, is located on Madeira Island.
+ Madeira Island, the largest of the group, is 34 miles (~55 km) long, has a maximum width of 14 miles (~22 km), and a coastline of about 90 miles (~144 km); it rises in the center to Ruivo Peak (6,106 feet [1,861 meters] above sea level). The greater part of the interior -- above 3,000 feet (900 meters) -- is uninhabited and uncultivated; communities of scattered huts are usually built either at the mouths of ravines or upon slopes that descend from the mountains to the coast.

+ Officially the Autonomous Region of Madeira, this is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal (the other being the Azores). Geologically dramatic, bursting with exotic color and warmed all-year-round by the Atlantic sun, Portugal’s most enchanting island is a place that keeps all its subtropical holiday promises. Pearl of the Atlantic, island of eternal spring … Madeira well deserves its fanciful nicknames and the affection visitors and locals feel for this volcanic island that offers so much. Repeatedly voted Europe's (and even the world's) top island destination, Madeira is a diverse place when it comes to vacationing. Black sand beaches, the frothing Atlantic, towering rock walls, and gushing streams and irrigation channels make this an outdoor nirvana. Yet, it is also a place of gentler pleasures such as wine tasting, visiting botanical gardens, and watching embroiderers (and wicker weavers) at work. Hiking the levada irrigation channels seems to be the top activity, with tens of thousands pulling on hiking boots to discover Madeira's secret interior.

+ The capital city of Funchal (shown here) was settled in the 15th century and is a colorful collection of gardens, religious sites, and quirky tourist attractions like the thatched-roof Madeira Story Center. Hike to the summit of Pico Ruivo and you’ll feel like you have climbed through the clouds. (Unwind over a glass of Madeira wine, an historic fortified beverage that is musky and subtly sweet.)
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*Henry the Navigator, the Portuguese byname for Henrique, infante (prince) de Portugal, duque (duke) de Viseu, senhor (lord) da Covilhã, was the Portuguese prince noted for his patronage of voyages of discovery among the Madeira Islands and along the western coast of Africa.

In the Dalmatian region of Croatia

 “If you want to see paradise on Earth, come to Dubrovnik.”

-- George Bernard Shaw
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(in Croatia) The Dalmatian region of Croatia comprises a central coastal strip and a fringe of islands along the Adriatic Sea. Its greatest breadth, on the mainland, is about 28 miles (~ 45 km), and its total length, from the Kvarner gulf to the narrows of Kotor, is about 233 miles (~375 km). A rugged and barren range of mountains, the Dinaric Alps, divides Dalmatia from the interior. The Dinaric Alps offer two main passes: the Krka River canyon and the Neretva River valley. The Dalmatian coastline has many bays and harbors and is noted for its scenic beauty. (Dalmatia’s main cities are Zadar, Split, Šibenik, Dubrovnik, Trogir, and Korčula.) 
+ Serving the classic Dalmatian cocktail of historic towns, jewel-like waters, rugged limestone mountains, sun-kissed islands, gorgeous climate, and Mediterranean cuisine, Northern Dalmatia is a vacationer's dream. Yet it is the cities and islands further south that get most of the limelight, leaving Northern Dalmatia, less overrun. Yachties can sail between unpopulated islands without any development, lost in dreams of the Mediterranean of old, while hikers can wander lonely trails where bears and wolves still dwell, and explore three of Croatia's most impressive national parks in the hinterland. By contrast, Zadar is a cultured city rich in museums, Roman ruins, restaurants and bars.

+ Central Dalmatia is the most action-packed and diverse part of Croatia, with pretty islands, quiet ports, rugged mountains, many castles and an emerging culinary scene, as well as three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Diocletian’s Palace in Split, the medieval walled town of Trogir, and the ancient strip fields of the Stari Grad plain on the island of Hvar. Through all of it, the rugged Dinaric Range provides a dramatic background. Hot spots include the busy Mediterranean-flavored city of Split and lovely little Hvar Town, which is known as the Adriatic's most glamorous party island. Yet, if it's relaxation you're after, there are seductive sandy beaches and pebbly coves scattered about islands near and far. Best of all, Dalmatia is usually warmer than Istria or the Kvarner Gulf. You can plunge into the crystalline Adriatic from the middle of May up until the end of September.

+ From the island of Korčula in the northwest to the dreamy plains of Konavle in the southeast, Southern Dalmatia is a region to be savoured by beach seekers, wine lovers, and history buffs alike. Yet one location eclipses any discussion of Southern Dalmatia: the remarkable old town of Dubrovnik (depicterd here). Ringed by defensive walls, the city encapsulates the very essence of a medieval Mediterranean fantasy. When Dubrovnik's tourist crowds threaten to overwhelm, a reinvigorating balm is but a quick boat or bus ride away. Refresh yourself on the shady paths of Trsteno Arboretum or, the wine and oysters of the sparsely populated Pelješac Peninsula.

In the historic region of Transylvania, Romania

 “How good and thoughtful he is; the world seems full of good men, even if there are monsters in it.” -- Bram Stoker, Dracula

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(in the historic Romanian region of Transylvania) After forming part of Hungary in the 11th–16th centuries, Transylvania was a principality within the Ottoman Empire by the end of the 17th century. It was incorporated into Romania in the first half of the 20th century. In addition to its Hungarian and Romanian heritage, Transylvania retains traces of a Saxon (German) cultural tradition dating back to the arrival in the Middle Ages of a population of German speakers. Seven historically Saxon villages that feature well-preserved fortified churches were inscribed on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites between 1993 and 1999. The historic center of Sighișoara, also a Saxon settlement, was inscribed in 1999 as well.
+ When Austria-Hungary was defeated in WWI, the Romanians reclaimed Transylvania, reunited with Romania. In 1920 the Allies confirmed the union in the Treaty of Trianon. Hungary regained much of Transylvania during World War II, until the whole region was ceded to Romania in 1947.

+ Transylvania’s forested valleys and Gothic castles have long been embedded in the popular imagination. Most visitors can picture this land of dark fairy-tales, where fog drapes like cobwebs over the Carpathians. Explore these stirring landscapes on hikes through Piatra Craiului National Park, or the Bucegi and the Apuseni Mountains. Then, indulge your medieval fantasies among the watchtowers and cobbled lanes of Brasov and Sighişoara or venture to Transylvania’s castles: world-famous Bran, ornate Peles, and Hunedoara’s Gothic apparition. Rural Transylvania's tapestry of cultures awaits: vibrant Roma communities, Székely Land hamlets where only Hungarian is spoken, and Saxon villages with their citadels. Here, standstill traffic means horses and carts waiting patiently for herds of goats to scatter. Transylvania still satisfies vampire tourists -- and enthrals them with its edgy cities and villages that time has forgot.

+ Rising above the town of Bran in Brașov County on a rocky promontory, Bran Castle (shown here) holds its visitors in thrall. An entire industry has sprouted, describing it as "Dracula’s Castle," though connections to either the historical Vlad Ţepeş or Bram Stoker’s fictional vampire are rather thin. The liberties taken with Bran’s reputation, however, are soon forgotten during a visit: people climb up its conical towers, admiring views over thick forest, and stroll through creaky-floored rooms furnished with bearskin rugs and 19th-century antiques.

+ The town of Bran was offered to Queen Maria of Romania in 1920, as thanks for her efforts in uniting the country. As a result, tourists learn more about Queen Maria than Dracula. Just one room exhibits an account of Romanian vampire lore, and displays on Vlad Ţepeş ("the Impaler") and author Bram Stoker, while several are devoted to Maria.

In the city of Cologne, the fourth largest city in Germany.

 "The River Rhine, it is well known, doth wash your city of Cologne; But tell me, nymphs: what power divine shall henceforth wash the River Rhine?"

-- Samuel Taylor Coleridge
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(in western Germany) The federal state of North Rhine–Westphalia is bordered by the states of Lower Saxony to the north and northeast, Hessen to the east, and Rhineland-Palatinate to the south, and by the countries of Belgium to the southwest and the Netherlands to the west. The state was created in 1946 through the amalgamation of the former Prussian province of Westphalia and the northern portion of the Prussian Rhine province. The principalities that existed until about 1800 in the area are recalled by regional names: Münsterland in the north, Sauerland in the southeast, and Berg in the vicinity of the cities of Düsseldorf and Cologne.

+ The most populous and westernmost of Germany's federal states, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is one of Europe's most highly industrialized areas, with 30 cities of more than 100,000 people. Cologne is the state's biggest city, and the capital is Dusseldorf. Bonn, the former capital of West Germany, is also here. All three are part of the Rhine-Ruhr region of nearly 12 million people -- one of Europe's biggest metropolitan areas.

+ Pictured here is Cologne, the fourth largest city in Germany. The historic, cultural, and economic capital of the Rhineland. Cologne's commercial importance grew out of its position at the point where the traffic artery of the Rhine River intersected one of the major land routes for trade between western and eastern Europe. In the Middle Ages it also became an ecclesiastical center of significance and an important center of art and learning. This rich and varied heritage is still much in evidence in present-day Cologne, despite the almost complete destruction of its Inner City during World War II. Cologne is the seat of a university and the see of a Roman Catholic archbishop. Its cathedral, the largest Gothic church in northern Europe, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996; it is the city’s major landmark and unofficial symbol.

+ Cologne is located about 21 miles (~34 km) northwest of Bonn and 25 miles southeast of Düsseldorf. It lies 65 meters above sea level, just below where the Rhine enters the fertile North German Plain. (The river at this point is navigable to seagoing vessels). The immediate surroundings of Cologne are varied. The attracive hills of the Bergisches Land lie to the east, while on the west is another group of hills forming a chain called the Ville. The North German Plain stretches away to the north and northwest, and the Rhine Valley winds to the southeast toward Bonn.

+ Cologne offers a mother lode of attractions, led by its cathedral with filigree twin spires that dominate the skyline. The city’s museum landscape is especially strong when it comes to art, but also has something in store for fans of chocolate, sports, and even Roman history.