In the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal, an archipelago in the mid-Atlantic.

 "Where else can you be as free as by yourself in the middle of nowhere, or in the middle of the ocean, or on the peak of a mountain. Adventure is freedom."

-- Daniel Norris
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(in the Macaronesia region of the North Atlantic Ocean) The Portuguese islands called the Azores lie almost midway between North America and Europe. The Azores, an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands, is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal. The islands and several islets form a group that stretches for about 400 miles (640 km). Flores, the westernmost island, is only about 1,200 miles (1,930 km) from Newfoundland, Canada. São Miguel, one of the easternmost islands, is some 800 miles (1,300 km) from Portugal. (The capital is Ponta Delgada on São Miguel.)

+ The Azores are of volcanic origin. In 1522 the town of Vila Franca was buried under volcanic debris. The mild climate and fertile volcanic soil support fine vineyards, orchards, pastures, and gardens. The Azores remained virtually unknown until they were reputedly discovered by a Portuguese navigator in 1427. Faial Island was given to Flanders in 1466, but was then ceded to Portugal in 1480. Its Atlantic climate has given way to evergreen vegetation, resulting in landscapes that are ripe for exploration. In the Azores, you will find its islands dotted with miles-long calderas enshrouded in tropical foliage, filled with multi-colored lakes, and centuries-old Portuguese villages. In the water, you will find one-third of the world's cetacean species at any given time. Should you take a trip to Furnas Valley on São Miguel island, you can take a dip in thermal pools that contain minerals produced from a dormant volcano, which are believed to help with issues ranging from allergies to anemia.

+ During World War II, the Portuguese leased air and naval bases in the Azores to Great Britain. These facilities were occupied by the British in 1943 (which was a key turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic), enabling the Royal Air Force, the U.S. Army Air Forces, and the U.S. Navy to provide aerial coverage in the Mid-Atlantic gap. In 1944, the U.S. constructed an air base on the island of Santa Maria. In 1945, a new base was constructed on the island of Terceira, named Lajes Field. Lajes, a broad, flat sea terrace that had been a large farm, is a plateau rising out of the sea on the northeast corner of the island. This air base is a joint American and Portuguese venture.

+ Sometimes called the Hawaii of the mid-Atlantic, this remote archipelago abounds with adventures. It has whale watching, sailing, diving, hiking, canyoning, and surfing, plus other watersports.

+ The Azores contain two of Portugal’s 15 UNESCO World Heritage sites (the vineyards of Pico and the old town of Angra do Heroismo on Terceira) and three biospheres (Graciosa, Flores and Corvo). The regional government has bolstered this with a network of natural parks and marine reserves to safeguard the unspoiled environment.

In the capital and largest city of Vilnius, southeastern Lithuania

 "When it comes to attracting the modern tourist we’re dealing with a very high level of competition with other European cities and countries investing heavily in destination marketing. The young creatives who came up with 'Vilnius; the G-spot of Europe' presented an extremely engaging idea to drive interest in the city."

-- Inga Romanovskienė
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(in southeastern Lithuania) Vilnius, the capital and largest city of Lithuania (and the Baltic states). It is the seat of Lithuania's national government and the Vilnius District Municipality. Vilnius is known, among other things, for the architecture of its Old Town, one of the largest and best preserved such towns in Europe; it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. The city was noted for its multicultural population in the time of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, with sources comparing it to Babylon. Before World War II, Vilnius was one of the most important Jewish centers in Europe, which led to its nickname "the Jerusalem of Lithuania."

+ Vilnius lies at the confluence of the Neris and Vilnia rivers. In 1323 the town became capital of Lithuania under Grand Duke Gediminas; it was destroyed in 1377 by the Teutonic Knights. Subsequently rebuilt, Vilnius achieved self-government in 1387, and a Roman Catholic bishopric was established here. The town and its trade flourished; in 1525 a printing press was set up, and in 1579 a Jesuit academy was opened. The city underwent many calamities: Russian occupation (from 1655–60), Swedish capture in 1702 (and 1706), French occupation in 1812, and recurrent fires and plagues. In 1795 Vilnius passed to Russia in the Third Partition of Poland. It was occupied by the Germans in World Wars I and II and suffered heavy damage. From 1920 to 1939 it was included in Poland; it was taken by Soviet troops in 1939 and restored to Lithuania. The Soviets annexed Lithuania, including Vilnius, in June 1940. Soviet rule brought mass deportations (in the 1940s) of ethnic Lithuanians from Vilnius, and many Russians moved into the city. In 1970 Vilnius' population was 43 percent ethnically Lithuanian (up from 34 percent in 1959) and 18 percent Polish. (In 1991 Vilnius again became the capital of independent Lithuania.)

+ There is a dreamy quality to Vilnius these days (especially in the golden glow of a midsummer evening). Lithuania's capital does have an Old Town of rare authenticity: marvelously intact, its pebbly streets are lined with weather-worn buildings that hide cafes, boutiques, and dainty guesthouses.

+ Vilnius still has plenty of "battle scars;" its Jewish community was largely destroyed in WWII. Reminders of loss are seen everywhere: museums dedicated to the Holocaust, former ghettos, preserved KGB torture chambers, and cemeteries filled with the war dead. Though a capital city it feels more like an overgrown village. It is carpeted with green spaces (which cover about 40% of its area), and studded with venerable Catholic and Orthodox church spires.

In Galicia, an autonomous community in northwestern Spain

 “There is of course a deep spiritual need, which the pilgrimage seems to satisfy, particularly for those hardy enough to tackle the journey on foot.”

― Edwin Mullins, The Pilgrimage to Santiago
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(in northwestern Spain) Covering 11,419 square miles (29,575 square kilometers), Galicia is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal, and its capital is Santiago de Compostela. Its name is derived from the Celtic Gallaeci, who lived here when the region was conquered by the Romans around 137 BCE. It lost much of its political autonomy after the unification of Castile and Aragon in 1479. (The region was made an autonomous community in 1981.) Galicia has more than 1,660 kilometers (1,030 miles) of coastline, including its offshore islands and islets, among them Cíes Islands, Ons, Sálvora, and Cortegada Island (which together form the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park), and the largest and most populated, A Illa de Arousa (the only island municipality in Galicia).

+ Galicia’s culture and language developed in relative isolation, showing greater affinity for the Portuguese culture and language than for the culture and language of Spain until the final separation of the two countries in 1668. Other noteworthy literary periods include the Rexurdimento (“Resurgence” or “Revival”) of the late 19th century, as well as the 1920s and ’30s. In the 19th century. Rosalía de Castro was a leading figure of the Resurgence. Her Cantares gallegos ("Galician Songs”) was the first major work to be written in the Galician language in centuries. It represented the revival of Galician as a literary language and inspired a growing regional consciousness. In the years just before Franco came to power, a group of Galician writers born in the 1880s formed the core of the Galician cultural movement. Known as the Xeración Nós (“The We Generation”), these writers promoted their objectives in the literary and artistic journal Nós (1920; “We”), dedicated to consolidating Galician culture.

+ Galicia, which is still a unique region with its own language and distinctive culture, is home to Santiago de Compostela, the destination of more than quarter of a million souls who travel each year along the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trails. Santiago is one of Spain's most beautiful and magical cities, a good reason for any traveler to make their way to Spain's northwestern corner. Yet, Galicia is much more than Santiago. The wild coastline is frayed up and down its length by majestic rías (coastal inlets), and strung with cliffs, beaches, islands, and fishing ports (which bring in arguably the best seafood in Europe). Inland is a labyrinth of deep-green valleys, speckled with stone villages, medieval monasteries and age-old vineyards. And, as you travel you will repeatedly run into reminders of Galicia's unique cultural identity: the sound of bagpipes and the wayside cruceiros (carved-stone crosses), and the castro fort-villages of Galicians' Celtic ancestors.

In the city of Lausanne, capital of Vaud canton, Switzerland

 "I love Switzerland. It’s so clean and cool. We don’t get much snow where I live so I get real excited in Lausanne and Geneva ... It’s all so cute that it looks like a movie set." -– Michael Jackson

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(in Switzerland) Lausanne, capital of Vaud canton, is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, about halfway between the Jura Mountains and the Alps; it faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains across the lake. Lausanne is the fourth largest city in the country, after Basel, Geneva, and Zurich. The metropolitan area of Lausanne-Geneva (including Vevey-Montreux, Yverdon-les-Bains, Valais, and foreign parts), commonly designated as Arc lémanique, is the fastest growing one in Switzerland.

+ Initially a Celtic and Roman settlement on the shores of the lake, Lausanne became a town at the foot of Notre Dame, a cathedral built in the 12th century. In the 20th century, Lausanne became a focus of international sport, hosting the International Olympic Committee (which has recognized the city as the "Olympic Capital" since 1994): the Court of Arbitration for Sport and some 55 international sport associations. It lies in a noted wine-growing region. The city has a 28-station metro system, making it the smallest city in the world to have a rapid transit system.

+The most important geographical feature of the area surrounding Lausanne is Lake Geneva (Lac Léman in French). Lausanne is built on the southern slope of the Swiss plateau, with a difference in elevation of about 500 meters between the shore at Ouchy (its lake port), and its northern edge bordering Le Mont-sur-Lausanne and Épalinges. (Lausanne offers its visitors a dramatic panorama over the lake and the Swiss and Savoyan Alps.) In addition to its southward-sloping layout, the center of the city is the site of an ancient river, the Flon, which has been covered since the 19th century. The former river forms a gorge running through the middle of the city south of the old city center, following the course of the present Rue Centrale, with several bridges crossing the depression to connect the adjacent neighborhoods. Due to the considerable differences in elevation, tourists should take particular note of which plane of elevation they are on and where they want to go, otherwise they will find themselves tens of meters below or above the street that they are aiming to reachgo. (The name Flon is also used for the metro station located in the gorge.)

+ Historic buildings include the early Gothic Cathedral of Notre-Dame (consecrated in 1275 by Pope Gregory X in the presence of the Holy Roman emperor Rudolf I of Habsburg), the Saint-François Church (erected during the same period but partly rebuilt in the late 14th century), and the city hall (rebuilt in 1674). The castle, now housing the Historical Museum of the Ancient Bishopric, is the only vestige of the 13th-century residences of the bishops. The Château Saint-Maire (1397–1431), the former bishop’s castle, is now the seat of the cantonal government.

In the city of Nîmes, located between the Mediterranean Sea and Cévennes, in southern France

 "Make scented geranium cream-Leaves steamed in cream, cream cheese and sugar. When cool-Eat with berries or poached peaches.”

― Sara Midda, South of France: A Sketchbook
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(in southern France) Located between the Mediterranean Sea and Cévennes, the city of Nîmes is heralded as the "Rome of France." Two millennia ago it was one of the most important cities of Roman Gaul, as evidenced by its collection of Roman buildings, including an amphitheater and a 2000-year-old temple. There is much to explore in Nîmes' palm-lined streets today, not to mention a host of high-profile festivals throughout the year. Nîmes is also proud of the futuristic Musée de la Romanité, which opened in mid-2018 and is one of the best archaeological museums in the region.

+ In the 10th century the city passed to the counts of Toulouse, and it was joined to the French crown in 1229. At the time of the Reformation, it became largely Protestant and suffered from persecution after the revocation in 1685 of the Edict of Nantes, which had accorded a measure of religious liberty to Protestants in 1598. Damaged in 1815 during the fighting between royalists and Bonapartists, Nîmes became prosperous again with the coming of the railways later in the 19th century.

+ Once one of the richest towns of Gaul, Nîmes is famous for its many Roman remains, most in a great state of preservation. The vast amphitheater (built in the 1st century CE to seat 24,000) presents the aspect of a double row of 60 arches surmounted by an attic. Though originally intended for gladiatorial shows, chariot races, and naval spectacles, it was used as a fortress in the 5th century by the Visigoths. In the Middle Ages, houses and even a church were built inside of it. Cleared of buildings in 1809, it remains one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters. The famous Maison-Carrée, a rectangular temple dedicated to Gaius and Lucius Caesar, adopted sons of the first Roman emperor Augustus, is one of the most beautiful monuments built by the Romans in Gaul (and the best preserved). Like the amphitheater, the building has had varied uses (town hall, private house, stable, and church) through the ages. It now houses a collection of Roman sculptures. The Tour Magne, atop a hill just outside the city, is the oldest Roman building; its original function is not known, but it was incorporated into the Roman wall in 16 BCE. Near the Tour Magne is a reservoir from which the water carried by the great Roman aqueduct, the Pont du Gard, was distributed throughout the town.

+ The pleasant Jardin de la Fontaine, situated on the edge of the city, was designed in 1745. The fountain and the canals that flow through it are partly Roman. The Archaeological Museum, housed in a former Jesuit college, has a fine collection of Roman objects, as well as some Iron Age artifacts.

+ Nîmes has expanded considerably since the 1960s; it is now a center for tourism. Refurbishment of the city center has further enhanced its tourist appeal.

In the Lake District, a region in Cumbria, in the northwest of England.

 “Knowing that nature never did betray the heart that loved her, 'Tis her privilege, through all the years of this our life, to lead from joy to joy."

-- William Wordsworth
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(in northwest England) The Lake District is a region of spectacular countryside in Cumbria, in the northwest of England. It covers 885 square miles (2,292 square kilometers) and contains many lakes and more than 100 mountain peaks. The Lake District is a national park, which means it is protected for future generations. (The area is also known as the Lakes and Lakeland.)

+ The Lake District is a popular holiday destination, famous for its lakes, forests, and mountains, and its associations with William Wordsworth (and other Lake Poets) and also with Beatrix Potter and John Ruskin. The Lake District National Park was established in 1951 and covers an area of 2,362 square kilometres (912 square miles). It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. This treasured national park is filled with wonders: Lake Windemere (the largest body of water in the park, Stock Ghyll Force (one of the country’s most spectacular waterfalls), and Scafell Pike (the highest peak in England).

+ The Lake District is today completely within Cumbria county (on the border with Scotland) and its mountains (or 'fells') are sometimes called the Cumbrian Mountains. Historically, it was divided between three English counties (Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire), sometimes referred to as the Lakes Counties. The three counties met at the Three Shire Stone on Wrynose Pass in the southern fells west of Ambleside. (All the land in England higher than 914 meters above sea level lies within the National Park, including Scafell Pike.)

+ The Lake District is the UK's most popular national park. Every year, millions of people arrive to explore the region's fells and countryside. Ever since the Romantic poets arrived in the 19th century, its panorama of craggy hilltops, mountain tarns, and glittering lakes has been attracting visitors. Although the park offers many outdoor opportunities, from lake cruises to mountain walks, some people visit just for the region's literary connections. Besides William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Arthur Ransome, and Beatrix Potter (a lifelong lover of the Lakes) are also among the noted "Lake Poets."

+ The Lake District is home to England’s longest lake, Windermere, which is 10.5 miles (17 kilometers) long, and its deepest lake, Wastwater, which is 74 meters deep. Several species of endangered fish live in the lakes, including the vendace.

+ People have been living in the Lake District for thousands of years. Standing stone circles built in ancient times can still be seen in many areas. More recently, mining of minerals such as copper and lead have been important industries for the local people and economy. In the 1900s tourism became the area’s most significant industry. (Some 12 million people visit the Lake District National Park every year.)

In the city of Magdeburg, lies along the Elbe, southwest of Berlin, in east-central Germany

 At 1,200+ years old, Magdeburg is one of the oldest cities in Germany's eastern federal states. Its moving past, as well as its present, are reflected in the many attractions this city on the Elbe River has to offer.

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(in the capital of the Saxony-Anhalt state in east-central Germany) The city of Magdeburg, lies along the Elbe, southwest of Berlin. First mentioned in 805 as a small trading settlement on the frontier of the Slavic lands, it became important under the first Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I (the Great), who founded the Benedictine abbey here. In 962 it became the seat of an archbishopric, which played a major part in the German colonization of the Slavic lands east of the Elbe. Magdeburg's version of German municipal law, known as Magdeburg Rights, spread throughout Central and Eastern Europe. In the Late Middle Ages, Magdeburg was one of the most prosperous German cities (and a leading member of the Hanseatic League.)

+ Magdeburg has been destroyed twice in its history. The Catholic League sacked Magdeburg in 1631, resulting in the largest loss of the Thirty Years' War. During World War II the Allies bombed the city, destroying much of it. After the war, the city belonged to the German Democratic Republic from 1949 to 1990 (when German reunification was achieved).
+ Magdeburg is situated on Autobahn 2 and Autobahn 14, the connection point of the East (Berlin and beyond) with the West of Europe, as well as the North and South of Germany. There are many important cultural institutions in the city, including the Theater Magdeburg and the Museum of Cultural History.

+ Magdeburg embraced the Reformation in 1524 and was afterwards governed by Protestant titular archbishops. By the Peace of Westphalia (in 1648) the archbishopric became a secular duchy, passing to the electorate of Brandenburg (in1680). In 1806 the fortress of Magdeburg surrendered to Napoleon -- and was included in the kingdom of Westphalia until 1813. In 1815 the city became the capital of the newly constituted Prussian province of Saxony. Today Magdeburg is a center of food processing, particularly sugar refining and flour milling, and of metalworking and heavy engineering. (A chemical industry and textile milling are also significant.).

+ The Romanesque and Gothic Cathedral (1209–1520) dedicated to Saints Maurice and Catherine has survived, and the Monastery of Our Lady (begun around 1070, the oldest church in the city) has been restored. The Magdeburg Rider, the oldest German equestrian statue showing Otto the Great, can be seen in Magdeburg’s Cultural History Museum. The physicist Otto von Guericke, the composer Georg Telemann, and the soldier Frederick William, Freiherr (baron) von Steuben, were born in Magdeburg.

+ Known for being the historic city of Emperor Otto, Magdeburg is also a hub of science and research; a similar striking difference can also be seen in its architecture, where ancient structures sit alongside imaginative futuristic buildings.

In the city of Bergamo, in the alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy

 “When life gives you twists and turns, Chique Yourself Up in Italy!”

― Barbara Conelli
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(in the alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy) The city of Bergamo lies in the southern foothills of the Alps between the Brembo and Serio rivers, northeast of Milan. Originally the center of the Orobi tribe, it became a Roman town ("Bergomum)" in 196 BCE. Rebuilt after destruction by Attila the Hun, it was later the seat of a Lombard duchy and became an independent community in the 12th century. Ruled by the Milanese Visconti family after 1329 CE, it passed in 1428 to Venice until 1797, when the French took control and then included it in the Cisalpine Republic (established by Napoleon). In 1815 it became Austrian and, in 1859, part of the Italian kingdom. The city is divided into the upper (alta) and lower (bassa, or piana) towns, linked by a cable railway. Notable landmarks in the older upper town include the Romanesque cathedral, the 15th-century Cappella (chapel) Colleoni, the12th-century Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the 14th-century baptistery, and the Palazzo della Ragione. The Rocca, a 14th-century castle, houses the Roman and Risorgimento museums, and the old citadel has a museum of geology and natural history. The birthplace of the composer Gaetano Donizetti is preserved as a museum. The modern lower town, the community center since the 19th century, has a fine collection of paintings in the Carrara Academy.

+ Bergamo is located about 40 km (25 mi.) northeast of Milan, and around 30 km (19 mi.) from Switzerland (and the alpine lakes Como and Iseo), and some 70 km (43 mi.) from Garda and Maggiore. (The Bergamo Alps begin immediately north of the city.) It is the seat of the Province of Bergamo. (The Bergamo metropolitan area is also part of the broader Milan metropolitan area.)

+ The city of Bergamo is composed of an old walled core, known as Città Alta ("Upper Town"), nestled within a system of hills, and the modern expansion in the plains below. The Upper Town is encircled by huge Venetian defensive systems that were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. Bergamo is well connected to several cities in Italy, by the motorway (A4) on the axis between Milan, Verona, and Venice.

+ In summary, Bergamo is a northern Italy treasure. Its two centers: the Alta (upper) city and the Bassa (lower) city, are connected by a funicular and walking trails. For historic sites, go to Alta for the Piazza Vecchia,the Cattedrale di Bergamo e Battistero, and the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore Baptistry. (Bassa is more modern and residential, and boasts Via 20 Settembre -- the shopping district.) Be sure to also make time for a stroll down the Sentierone, a Bergamasque rendezvous since the 17th century with porticos, tree-lined piazzas, and the Gaetano Donizetti Theater, a grand opera house dedicated to the composer and Bergamo native. Stop by the magnificent Piazza Vecchia, once the city’s civil hub, and marvel at the Palazzo della Ragion.

In the city of Ohrid in the Republic of North Macedonia, a country in southeast Europe

 One of the most beloved native daughters of North Macedonia was Mother Teresa, who was born in Skopje. In the first-ever papal visit to North Macedonia, in May of 2019, Pope Francis lauded the lasting legacy of Mother Teresa, a saint unafraid to offer her life for love.

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(in the Republic of North Macedonia, a country in southeast Europe) The city of Ohrid in North Macedonia, the seat of the Ohrid Municipality, is known for once having 365 churches, one for each day of the year, and has been referred to as a "Jerusalem of the Balkans." The fascinating city of Ohrid has all the cobbled streets and quaint churches that one would expect from a European town, with the added advantage of being right on the shores of Lake Ohrid. The city, which is rich in attractive houses and monuments and tourism, is located southwest of Skopje, west of Resen and Bitola. In 1979 and in 1980 respectively, Ohrid and Lake Ohrid were accepted as Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. (Ohrid is one of only 28 sites that are part of UNESCO's World Heritage that are Cultural as well as Natural sites.)

+ Ohrid, on the northeastern shore of Lake Ohrid (Ohridsko Jezero), is the main resort of North Macedonia; it is linked by road and air to Skopje (this country's capital city). Agriculture, fishing, and tourism provide a livelihood for the local population.

+ In Classical antiquity Ohrid was a Greek colony called Lykhnidos. Standing on a crag, it became (by the 2nd century BCE) a post on the Via Egnatia to Bitola and Greece. It was rebuilt by the Romans after a devastating earthquake in 518 CE. At the summit is a ruined fortress dating from the late 10th and early 11th centuries, when Ohrid was the capital of a Bulgarian tsar.

+ Among the churches in the town are St. Sophia’s, with 11th–14th-century frescoes, and St. Clement’s, also with medieval frescoes uncovered in the 1950s. On a nearby hilltop is a quadrangular building, the Imaret, a Turkish mosque and inn, built on the foundations of the monastery of St. Panteleimon, associated with St. Clement, the first Slav bishop of Ohrid. Clement opened the first Slavic school of higher learning, wrote the earliest works of Slavic literature, and, with St. Naum, translated the Scriptures from Greek into Slavonic. The 10th-century monastery of Sveti Naum (St. Naum), about 19 miles (~31 km) south, crowns a prominent crag on the North Macedonia–Albania frontier and overlooks Lake Ohrid. 

+ Ohrid sits on the edge of serene Lake Ohrid, with an atmospheric old quarter that cascades down steep streets, dotted with beautiful churches and topped by the remains of a medieval castle. Traditional restaurants and lakeside cafes liven up the cobblestone streets, which in high summer can be busy indeed. (Outside of July and August, the tourist crowd subsides, and the town becomes easier to explore. (Ohrid's busiest time of the year is from mid-July to mid-August, during the popular summer festival.)