At the Castle Hill, in the city of Budapest, the capital of Hungary

 Budapest, like Prague, has enchanted writers, thinkers, creative souls, and philosophers for ages.

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(in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, and seat of Pest megye (county) The city is the political, administrative, industrial, and commercial center of Hungary. The site has been settled since prehistoric times and is now the home of about 20% of the country’s population.

+ Once called the “Queen of the Danube,” Budapest has long been the focal point of the nation and a lively cultural center. The city straddles the Danube River in the natural setting where the hills of western Hungary meet the plains, stretching to the east and south. It consists of two parts, Buda and Pest, which are situated on opposite sides of the river and connected by bridges.

+ Although the city’s roots date to Roman times and earlier, modern Budapest is an outgrowth of the 19th-century empire of Austria-Hungary, when Hungary was three times larger than the present country. Its reduction in size after WWI did not prevent Budapest from becoming, after Berlin, the second largest city in central Europe. The capital, as the seat of government and the center of Hungarian transport and industry, now dominates all aspects of national life. Tens of thousands of commuters converge on Budapest daily, more than half the country’s university students attend school in the city, and about half the country’s income from foreign tourism is earned here.

+ At the center of the Carpathian Basin, Budapest lies on an ancient route linking the hills of Transdanubia (Hungarian: Dunántúl) with the Great Alfold (Great Hungarian Plain). The Danube was always fordable at this point because of a few islands in the middle of the river. The city has distinct topographical contrasts: Buda is built on the higher river terraces and hills of the western side, while the considerably larger Pest spreads out on a flat and featureless sand plain on the river’s opposite bank.

+ Budapest stood apart from the relatively drab capitals of the other Soviet-bloc countries; it maintained an impression of plenty, with smart shops, good restaurants, and other amenities. The dissolution of the Soviet bloc and Hungary’s transition away from socialism brought Budapest new opportunities for prosperity and an influx of Western tourists (along with the stresses of transition to a more Western-style economy). The city, including the banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter, and Andrássy Avenue, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.

+ Depicted here is Castle Hill, a kilometer-long limestone plateau towering 170 meters above the Danube. It contains some of Budapest’s most important medieval monuments and museums. Below it is a long network of caves formed by thermal springs.The walled area consists of two distinct parts: the Old Town to the north, where commoners once lived, and the Royal Palace to the south, the original site of the castle built by Béla IV in the 13th century and reserved for the nobility.

At the mountain of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe

 From France’s largest city to its largest natural landscape, there is no question that the towering giant of Mont Blanc has to be seen to be believed.

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(In  the Alps, Mont Blanc, meaning "white mountain") lies along the French-Italian border and reaches into Switzerland) It is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe, and the highest mountain in Europe outside the Caucasus mountains. Located on the Franco-Italian border, It is the second-most prominent mountain in Europe, after Mount Elbrus -- and the 11th most prominent mountain in the world. It extends southwestward from Martigny, Switzerland, for about 25 miles (40 km). The summit is in French territory. Surrounding the massif are the Graian Alps (south), the Chamonix Valley and Savoy Alps (west), the Pennine Alps (northeast), and the Valley of Courmayeur (east).

+ Glaciers cover approximately 40 square miles (100 square km) of Mont Blanc Ice streams stretch from the central ice dome down to below 4,900 feet (1,490 meters). The Mer de Glace, the second longest glacier in the Alps, reached the elevation of 1,250 meters in 1930. At the beginning of the 17th century, glaciers advanced to the bottom of the Chamonix Valley, destroying or burying cultivated land and dwellings. (Since that time, the glaciers have periodically advanced and retreated.)

+ Jean A. Deluc in 1770, and, later, Horace Bénédict de Saussure first drew attention to Mont Blanc’s distinction as western Europe’s highest mountain. That designation stirred adventurers to climb the peak. The summit was conquered in 1786 by Michel-Gabriel Paccard, a doctor from Chamonix, together with Jacques Balmat. Paccard’s achievement, one of the most important in the history of mountaineering, was overshadowed by de Saussure’s ascent the year after.

+ If you’ve got one European long-distance hike on your bucket list, it may well be the Tour du Mont Blanc. Views over sparkling glaciers, Alpine prairies, and lots!) of cheese await anyone who embarks on this border-crossing trek. Circling the largest peak in the Alps, Mont Blanc, the trail covers 170km (105 mi.), climbs more than 10,000 meters (32,800 ft.) in cumulative altitude, and weaves through three Alpine countries Typically, the route begins and ends in Les Houches, France, and follows a counterclockwise loop around the mountain range. (Every dream feels far away -– until one starts to break down what needs to be done to do to achieve it. Here’s what it takes to hike or run the Tour du Mont Blanc.

+ The Mont Blanc massif is also popular for outdoor activities like hiking, climbing, trail running, and winter sports like skiing, and snowboarding. The most popular climbing route to the summit of Mont Blanc is the Goûter Route, which typically takes two days. The three towns and their communes that surround Mont Blanc are Courmayeur in Aosta Valley, Italy; and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and Chamonix in Haute-Savoie, France. The latter town was the site of the first Winter Olympics.

In the historical town of Bojnice, near the city of Prievidza, east Slovakia

 Slovakia is a hidden gem in the heart of Europe, where you can explore diverse and stunning landscapes, ancient castles, and authentic culture. Whether you are looking for adventure, history, or relaxation, you can hike through the rocky plateaus and streams of Slovenský Raj, one of the country's most scenic national parks. Slovakia is also green oasis of Europe, where you can discover the beauty and charm of this underrated destination.

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(on the Nitra river in east Slovakia, near the city of Prievidza) Bojnice is a historical town, situated just below the Bojnice Castle, .with a population of around 5,000. Bojnice is best known for its popular tourist attractions, among them being the largest zoo in Slovakia and the Bojnice castle (shown here), and generally for being one of the oldest spa towns in Slovakia.

+ Bojnice lies in the upper Nitra river valley, under the Strážov Mountains. It is located close to the city of Prievidza, with which it shares a common public transport system. Other major cities nearby include Žilina 60 kilometers (~37 miles) to the north and Trenčín 65 kilometers to the west.

+ Just gazing at fairy-tale Bojnice Castle stirs fantasies of knights and maidens in even the world-weariest travelers. Blushing sandstone towers and crenellated turrets make this romantic castle the most visited in Slovakia. Only foundations remain of the original 12th-century fortification, but an early-20th-century reconstruction by the Pálffy family took inspiration from the castles of France’s Loire Valley, lifting Bojnice to the neo-baroque splendor that stands today. {If you are hungry before or after a castle tour, Alej is a better choice than the food stalls around the castle.)

+ Prievidza, four kilometers (2.5 miles.) to the east of Bojnice Castle, has bus connections to Žilina and Bratislava. From the Prievidza bus station, regular local buses run to Bojnice.
(For additional atmosphere, book a few days ahead for a night tour and consider visiting during the International Festival of Ghosts & Spirits.)

+ The town of Bojnice is most known for its castle, first mentioned in 1113 and originally built as a wooden fort; it was over time built as a stone castle and in the 20th century in the Romantic style. Today, it is a popular tourist attraction. The castle has appeared in many international films and a well-known international festival of spectres takes place there every year. {It is built on travertine rock with a natural cave.)

+The Bojnice zoo was founded in 1955. In 2006 it had 355 different species and more than 1,800 animals. Bojnice is also known for its spa. The therapeutic springs were mentioned in 1549 for the first time. Today they treat patients with disorders of the locomotor system, with rheumatic diseases, post traumatic conditions, conditions after orthopaedic disturbances of the spine of adolescents, neurological diseases, and occupational diseases.

In the island of Hvar, a Croatian island located in the Adriatic Sea

 Hvar is vaguely shaped like the profile of a holidaymaker reclining on a sunlounger, which may be appropriate for the sunniest spot in the country -- and its most luxurious beach destination.

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(in the Southern Adriatic Sea, off the Dalmatian coast in southern Croatia) Hvar, a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, lying between the islands of Brač, Vis, and Korčula, is about 68 km (~42 mi.) long, with a high east–west ridge of Mesozoic limestone and dolomite. The island of Hvar is unusual in the area for having a large fertile coastal plain, and fresh-water springs. Its hillsides are covered in pine forests, with vineyards, olive groves, fruit orchards. and lavender fields in the agricultural areas. The climate is characterized by mild winters, and warm summers with many hours of sunshine.

+ Hvar's location at the northeast center of the Adriatic sailing routes has long made this island an important base for commanding trade up and down the Adriatic, across to Italy and throughout the wider Mediterranean. It has been inhabited since prehistoric times, originally by a Neolithic people whose distinctive pottery gave rise to the term Hvar culture, and later by the Illyrians. The ancient Greeks founded the colony of Pharos in 384 BCE on the site of today's Stari Grad, making it one of the oldest towns in Europe. They were also responsible for setting out the agricultural field divisions of the Stari Grad Plain, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In medieval times, the town of Hvar rose to importance within the Venetian Empire as a major naval base. Prosperity brought culture and the arts, with one of the first public theaters in Europe, nobles' palaces, and many fine communal buildings.

+ The 16th century was an unsettled time, with the Hvar Rebellion, coastal raids by pirates, and the Ottoman army from the mainland, resulting in some unusual fortified buildings on the northern shore to protect the local population. After a brief time under Napoleonic rule, the island became part of the Austrian Empire, a more peaceful and prosperous time. On the coast, harbors were expanded, quays built, fishing and boat building businesses grew. At the same time, the island's wine exports increased, along with lavender and rosemary production for the French perfume industry.

+ The port town of Hvar on the island of Hvar, part of the Split-Dalmatia County, in Croatia. It is situated on a bay in the south coast of the island, opposite the other nearby towns of Stari Grad and Jelsa. By the 19th century, the port of Hvar was no longer a military base, and The Hygienic Society of Hvar, celebrating 150 years in 2018, took the economy of the town and the island in a new direction. As one of the earliest "tourist boards" in Europe, it was founded in 1868 with the purpose of providing "good care for visitors". Today, the town has a variety of hotels, galleries, museums, and exhibitions, including the Arsenal, Loggia, the Croatian Institute, and the Hvar Heritage Museum.

In the port city of Bastia, on the French island of Corsica

 Corsica, France

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(in the northeast of Corsica at the base of the Cap Corse, between the sea and the mountain) Bastìa, a community in the department of Haute-Corse, in Corsica, France, is located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It has the second-highest population of any community on the island, after Ajaccio -- and is the capital of the Bagnaja region (and of the department.)

+ The port city of Bastia is located 35 km (22 mi) from the northern tip of the Cap Corse, 50 km (31 mi.) west of Elba, an Italian island, and 90 km (56 mi.) away from continental Italy, which can be seen when visibility is excellent.

+ In terms of geography, Bastia is defined by its position between the sea and the mountain. The city is located on the Eastern side of the "Serra di Pignu", a 960 meter (3,150 ft.) mountain. This steep mountain and several hills in the city shape a relief typical of the Cap Corse. This pronounced landscape caused the city to develop mostly on a coastal band about 1.5 km (1 mi,) wide.Because Bastia is a port, the sea has a significant role in the spatial organization of the city. Bastia now possesses three different ports. The old port ("Vieux Port" in French and "Portu Vechju" in Corsican), located in a remarkable and narrow cove, offers good natural shelter against the climatic hazards of the sea. Thus, it was at the core of the initial development of the city. Today, many pleasure and fishing boats are still there, but it is not as economically vital than the other more modern ports (although its touristic and aesthetic charm almost makes the old port the official emblem of the city). Indeed, many cafés, bars and restaurants have moved to its docks, access to which is granted by the city for pedestrians only during summer evenings.

+ A bit more to the north is located the commercial and ferry port. As a major economic asset of the city, the "port de commerce" is the pulse of the city. It is even more so during the summer when ferry arrivals and departures of thousands of passengers and cars can sometimes cause long traffic jams along the north–south axis, the national road RN193. In front of the commercial port, the large Saint-Nicolas square represents the heart of the city. Just north of the commercial port, the Toga marina, named after a city neighborhood, is a harbor for leisure boating activities like sailing and yachting. There are also some bars, restaurants and night clubs on its docks.

+ Thus, Bastia is organized on a relatively narrow north–south axis which can make access to the city center difficult under some conditions. Nowadays, the city center is mainly composed of the "citadelle," the stronghold, also called Terra-Nova, with the Genoese Governors' Palace, the old port and port quarter and the market plaza, and finally the ensemble of buildings along the "Boulevard Paoli," the main commercial street of the city (which lies from the Justice Court to the Avenue Maréchal Sebastiani.)

In the Island of Maderia, the main island of the Madeira archipelago, an autonomous region of Portugal

 “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” — John Donne

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(on a Portuguese archipelago of volcanic origin in the North Atlantic Ocean) Beezy Madeira is an eponymous island in the Madeira Islands. The capital city of Funchal was settled in the 15th century and is a colorful collection of gardens, religious sites, and tourist attractions.
+ 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 alike feel for this volcanic island.

+ Should you be looking for a subtropical paradise with stunning natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, Madeira Island may be the perfect destination for you. This island offers a variety of attractions, from lush forests and volcanic peaks to charming towns and sandy beaches. You can explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Laurisilva, the largest surviving laurel forest in the world, or admire the colorful flowers and exotic fruits at the art deco Mercado dos Lavradores. You can also visit the Quinta das Cruzes, a historic manor house with a museum and a chapel, or stroll along the Old Zone, a revitalized area with street art and traditional restaurants. Whether you are looking for adventure, relaxation, or culture, Madeira Island has something for virtually everyone.

+ The Madeira Islands are comprised of two inhabited islands, Madeira and Porto Santo, and two uninhabited groups, the Desertas and the Selvagens. . Administratively, they form the autonomous region of Madeira. The regional capital, Funchal, (shown here) is located on Madeira Island,

+ Madeira Island, the largest of the group, has a coastline of about 90 miles (144 km), and 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 metres) 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.

+ Porto Santo Island is about 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Madeira. Its main town, Vila de Porto Santo, is locally called the Vila. At each end of the island are hills, of which Facho Peak, the highest, reaches 1,696 feet (515 meters).

+ The Desertas lie about 11 miles (18 km) southeast of Madeira and consist of three islets: Chão, Bugio, and Deserta Grande, along with the Prego do Mor off the north end of Chão Island. . The Selvagens, or Salvage Islands, are three uninhabited rocks located 156 miles (251 km) south of Madeira, between the latter and the Canary Islands. The largest has a circumference of about 3 miles (5 km).

+ Agriculture has long been the dominant activity of Madeira and Porto Santo islands.Banana plantations and vineyards now predominate. (By the early 21st century, tourism had made major inroads.)

In the city of Biarritz, on southwestern France’s Basque coast

 “The French air cleans up the brain and does good – a world of good.”

— Vincent Van Gogh
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(In the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of the  Nouvelle-Aquitaine région, in southwestern France) Swimming in turquoise waters, sipping rosé at sunset, breathing in scents of lavender: The South of France is the embodiment of French glamour and sophistication. The area includes idyllic locations such as Biarritz (featured here), which is a resort town whose wild beaches are hugely popular with surfers, royals, and celebrities (you might also recognize it from Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises).

+ The region’s mild climate, the variety of beaches and scenery, and the town’s luxurious tourist accommodations continue to draw an international clientele, but the exclusive upmarket image of Biarritz has changed in recent times. Tourism is more diversified, with the organization of festivals, conference facilities, and a center for thalassotherapy (the use of seawater, algae, mud, and other marine items as therapeutic treatment). A promenade runs between the sandy beaches of the Grand Plage, facing northwest, and the Côte des Basques. The beaches are split by a rocky promontory, and the town is a popular resort for windsurfers and surfers, who descend on Biarritz in July when it conducts a surfing festival and hosts the European longboard championships. The folklore and traditions of the Basques of the district are an added attraction.

+ Featured here is Biarritz, a beautiful town by by the sea where guests love feeling the cool sea breeze as they stroll around. (It lies along the Bay of Biscay, adjacent to Bayonne and Anglet and 11 miles [18 km] from the Spanish border.) They can also visit the Biarritz Aquarium, which features an Art Deco architecture while housing several engaging exhibits. Aside from this, the town also has an iconic rock formation called Rocher de La Vierge.

+ Once a small fishing village, Biarritz was made fashionable after 1854 by Napoleon III and his Spanish empress, Eugénie. The British are largely responsible for its growth as a winter residence. Visited by Queen Victoria, Edward VII, and Alfonso XIII of Spain, Biarritz began to call itself “the queen of resorts and the resort of kings.”

In the island of Ibiza, one of the Balearic islands, an archipelago of Spain in the Mediterranean Sea

 “Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink in the wild air.”

-– Ralph Waldo Emerson
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(on one of the Balearic Islands, in the western Mediterranean Sea off the east coast of Spain) Ibiza (Catalan: Eivissa,) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea off the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. It is 150 km (93 mi.) from the city of Valencia. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands in area. Its largest settlements are Ibiza Town (Catalan: Vila d'Eivissa, or simply Vila), Santa Eulària des Riu, and Sant Antoni de Portmany.

+ Ibiza is a Mediterranean island that offers a unique blend of culture, nature, and nightlife. You can explore its historic sites, such as the fortified Old Town of Dalt Vila, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or its charming villages and churches. You can also enjoy its stunning beaches, where you can relax, swim, or practice water sports. And of course, you can experience its legendary nightlife, with clubs, bars, and music festivals that attract visitors from all over the world. All-night raver, boho-cool hippy, blissed-out beach love -- Ibiza is all this and more to the many fans who have a soft spot for the Balearics' party-hard sister. In summer the cream of the world's DJs (David Guetta, Sven Väth, Armin van Buuren et al) descend on the island, making it the ultimate destination for clubbers. Ibiza's modest population is overwhelmed by the seven-million-odd tourists that arrive en masse each year, and nowhere does sunset chilling or boho-glam style quite like the White Isle.

+ A province of the Balearic Islands (and autonomous community of Spain), Ibiza (Catalan: Eivissa,) is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea off the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. It is 150 km (93 mi.) from the city of Valencia. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands in area, but the second-largest by population. Its largest settlements are Ibiza Town (Catalan: Vila d'Eivissa, or simply Vila), Santa Eulària des Riu, and Sant Antoni de Portmany is the third largest of the Balearic Islands. It lies in the western Mediterranean 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Majorca. It has some notable archaeological sites, relics from which are housed in the Archaeological Museum at Ibiza city, also called La Vila. The island’s hilly relief, culminating in La Atalaya, is truncated in the central northern coast to form a rugged coast with cliffs and penetrated by small coves. There are several irrigated lowlands, and the hillsides are intensively terraced.

+ Shown here. is the heart and soul of the island, Ibiza Town (Eivissa) which is a vivacious, stylish, and elegant capital with a magical, fortified World Heritage–listed old quarter topped by a castle and cathedral, set against a spectacular natural harbor. It is also a shopaholic's dream, a hedonist's paradise and a world-famous party destination. Also here are some of the world's glitziest megaclubs and, perhaps less prominently, a clutch of fascinating museums.

In the city of Bamberg, in the federal state of Baveria, Germany

 😊 "People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war, or before an election."

-- Otto von Bismarck
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(in Bavaria a federal state in south-central Germany) Bamberg is a town in Bavaria, where history and culture blend harmoniously. The Old Town is a delight to explore, with its medieval and baroque buildings, bridges, and alleys. Don't miss the Altes Rathaus (Town Hall, shown here), that sits on an island in the river -- or the Bamberg Cathedral, a majestic Gothic-Romanesque edifice with a mysterious equestrian statue. Bamberg is also famous for its beer, brewed in nine local breweries, and its smoked Rauchbier, a specialty with a distinctive flavor.

+ The city of Bamberg lies along the Regnitz River, 2 miles (3 km) above its confluence with the Main River (north of Nürnberg). First mentioned in 902 as the seat of the ancestral castle of the Babenberg family, Bamberg became the seat of a bishopric founded here in 1007 by the Holy Roman emperor Henry II; the bishops became princes of the empire in the mid-13th century. In 1459 the first book printed in the German language was published in Bamberg. The city passed to Bavaria in 1802 after the secularization of the see. An archbishopric was established in 1817.

+ Like Rome, Bamberg sits on seven hills, though these are lush, green Bavarian ones. You’ll find all sorts of architecture here, so enjoy exploring the cobbled streets. Lots of shopping and museums await you, as do nine different breweries. The city loves markets and festivals, especially around Christmas,

contains many notable statues, the tombs of Henry II, his wife, Cunegund, and Pope Clement II (and a wooden altar carved by Veit Stoss). There are two bishops’ palaces: the Alte (old) Residenz, or old palace, which houses a local history museum, and the Neue (new) Residenz, containing several notable art collections. Other historic buildings include the former Benedictine abbey and St. Michael’s Churchecrated 1015), the 12th-century St. Jacob’s Church, St. Martin’s, the Old Town Hall, the chapel of the ancient fortress, Altenburg, and several Baroque patricians’ houses. In 1993 the town of Bamberg was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site for its cultural influence, particularly as the center of the Enlightenment in southern Germany during the 18th century.

+ A disarmingly beautiful architectural masterpiece with an almost complete absence of modern eyesores, Bamberg's entire Altstadt (Old Town) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Bavaria's finest. Generally regarded as one of Germany's most attractive settlements, the town is bisected by rivers and canals and was built by archbishops on its hills, earning it the sobriquet of ‘Franconian Rome,’ Students inject some liveliness into its streets, pavement cafes, pubs and no fewer than 10 breweries cooking up Bamberg's famous smoked beer, but it's usually wide-eyed tourists who can be seen filing through its narrow medieval streets.

At the Palace of Versailles, city of Versailles, France

 "A king should always place the interest of his country above his personal desires." -- Louis XIV

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(in the capital of the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France région of north-central France) Versailles is a city of history, culture, and nature,famous for its magnificent palace and gardens, where the kings of France lived and ruled for more than a century. Visitors can explore the lavish rooms, admire the artworks, and stroll through the fountains and sculptures of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
+ Louis XIV transformed his father’s hunting lodge into the monumental Château de Versailles (shown here) in the mid-17th century, and it remains France’s most famous and grand palace. Situated in the leafy, bourgeois suburb of Versailles, 22km (~14 mi.) southwest of central Paris, the baroque château was the kingdom’s political capital and the seat of the royal court from 1682 up until the fateful events of 1789 when revolutionaries massacred the palace guard. (Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were ultimately dragged back to Paris, where they were ingloriously guillotined.)

+The city of Versailles developed around the 17th-century Palace of Versailles, The first scenes of the French Revolution were enacted at the palace, whose garden have become part of the national heritage of France and one of the most-visited historical sites in Europe. Although it was a place of entertainment, the grandiose palace was also well equipped as a center of government. Of about 20,000 persons attached to the court, some 1,000 courtiers with 4,000 attendants lived in the palace itself. About 14,000 soldiers and servants were quartered in annexes and in the town, which was founded in 1671 and had 30,000 inhabitants when Louis XIV died in 1715.

+ Dignitaries gathered in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, to sign the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I, on 26 June 1919.) Louis XV, throughout his reign, continued the building program begun by his predecessor, and the palace became a symbol of royal extravagance. In 1837 Louis-Philippe restored the palace and turned it into a museum consecrated to “all the glories of France.” The German army besieging Paris in 1870 used Versailles as its headquarters, and in 1871 the German emperor was crowned there. For eight years after the peace with Germany, the palace was the seat of the French Parliament, and the constitution of the Third Republic was proclaimed here in 1875. The presidents of the Third and Fourth republics were elected in Versailles.

+ Versailles is now a local administrative center and residential suburb of Paris. The palace serves as a tourist attraction and as a residence for visiting heads of state. The oldest quarter of the town, Satory, contains the cathedral of Saint-Louis, while the new quarter, Le Chesnay, in the north, is the site of the church of Notre-Dame. Versailles is an important garrison town, with a military hospital and a school of military engineering and artillery.

In the port city of Porto, located along the Douro River estuary in northern Portugal

 "My affection hath an unknown bottom, like the Bay of Portugal."

-- William Shakespeare
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(in northern Portugal) The port city of Porto, also known as Oporto, is the second largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon. It is the capital of the Porto District and one of the Iberian Peninsula's urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropolitan area, with an estimated population of about 250,000 people (while its metropolitan area has around 1.8 million.).
+ Located along the Douro River estuary, Porto is one of the oldest European centers and its core was proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996, as the "Historic Centre of Porto, Luiz I Bridge and Monastery of Serra do Pilar". The historic area is also a National Monument of Portugal. The western part of its urban area extends to the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean.

+ Its settlement dates back many centuries, when it was an outpost of the Roman Empire. Porto was called Portus Cale in Roman times and was earlier a flourishing settlement on the Douro’s south bank; the nomadic Alani tribe later founded the city of Castrum Novum on the north bank. The Visigoths took possession of the site about 540 CE but yielded in 716 to the Moors. In 997 Christian forces recaptured Porto, which for a time became the capital of the counts of Portucalense (northern Portugal) during Moorish rule in the southern part of the kingdom. The Moors again held the city briefly, but in 1092 it was brought under Christian domination. In the 14th century the city became an important port, and Prince Henry the Navigator was born here in 1394. During the Peninsular War, British forces under Arthur Wellesley (later the duke of Wellington) there crossed the Douro, routed the French, and captured the city on May 12, 1809.

+ The contemporary city lies mainly on the Douro’s right (north) bank, sprawling outward from the older riverside district known as the Ribeira. The red-tiled warehouses of the town of Vila Nova de Gaia, where vast quantities of port wine are blended and stored, are on the south bank of the Douro; other suburbs include Matosinhos, Leça da Palmeira, and Aguas Santas to the north and Gondomar and Oliveira do Douro to the southeast. The region’s narrow coastal plain quickly rises eastward to an inland undulating plateau. A mild, moist climate and generally fertile soils have encouraged intensive farming in the region, including winter and summer cereals, vegetables, and tree crops (cork oak and olive). Timber and its associated industries and the production of vinho verde (an effervescent wine) are also important.

+ The Douro River is spanned in central Porto by several bridges, notably the Dom Luís I Bridge, which was built in the 1880s from a design by a disciple of the French civil engineer Gustave Eiffel, and the Maria Pia Bridge (1870s), designed by Eiffel himself. Porto has an airport and is connected with Lisbon by highway and high-speed rail.

In the city of Regensburg, in eastern Bavaria, on the Danube River in southeast Germany

 Nicknamed the “northernmost Italy,” Regensburg is an authentic Bavarian town that is bursting with charm.

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(in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the Danube, Naab, and Regen rivers)
Regensburg: A UNESCO-Listed Medieval Marvel, escaped unscathed from wartime bombing; historically known in English as Ratisbo, (historically known in English as Ratisbon, Regensburg is a city at the Danube's northernmost point. It is the capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of Bavaria, with more than 150,000 inhabitants. The 4th-largest city in the federal state of Bavaria after Munich, Nuremberg, and Augsburg; it is also the 8th largest of all cities on the Danube river.

+ From its foundation as an imperial Roman river fort, the city has been the political, economic, and cultural center of the surrounding region. Later, under the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, it housed the Perpetual Diet of Regensburg.

+ The medieval center of the city was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006 because of its well-preserved architecture, being the biggest medieval city site north of the Alps, and the city's historical importance for assemblies during the Holy Roman Empire. Founded by the Romans, it was once the capital of Bavaria and a flourishing trade hub on the Danube. Today, it boasts the best-preserved medieval city center in northern Europe You can admire the Gothic splendor of the Dom St Peter, the oldest cathedral in Bavaria, or explore the wooden clubs and ivory tees at the Golf Museum, the finest in Europe. Regensburg also offers a lively street life, with cafes, pubs, and festivals. Regensburg is filled with pointy towers, cobblestone streets, beer gardens, and pure unadulterated charm. Towering over it all is Regensburg’s 13th century Gothic cathedral. The best thing to do here is just to amble through the warren of lanes in the historic Old Town. The atmospheric streets are filled with lovely churches, hidden nooks, pastel facades, and many cafes.

+ The city is the seat of the University of Regensburg (founded in1962). Regensburg also features museums of shipping and natural history. The astronomer Johannes Kepler died there (in1630), and the painter Albrecht Altdorfer (1480–1538) was both a city architect and counselor. Manufactures in the area include electronics and motor vehicles. {Regensburg is also a tourist base for excursions into the Bavarian Forest.)

+ Depicted here is Regensburg's Old Town, where there are hundreds of years of grand buildings and fascinating history in the maze of alleys. Yet, there are also some really interesting museums, reflecting the tale of this World Heritage city and its place in the region throughout history.Explore the maze of Regensburg’s small streets and you will become lost in perpetual time travel.
The narrow (sometimes dark) alleyways are a legacy of the medieval city on this site. But there is evidence of much more before and after.

At the Drachenburg Castle (German: Schloss Drachenburg) located in the town of Königswinter, Germany

 The Architectural Dream

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(in a German town on the east bank of the Rhine River, south of the city of Bonn) Drachenburg, Castle is a private villa styled as a palace and constructed in the late 19th century. It was completed in only two years on the Drachenfels hill in Königswinter.

+Stephan Sarter was born the youngest son of a Bonn innkeeper in 1833. After his apprenticeship at a bank and several stays abroad, he made his fortune by speculating on the stock exchange and, helping to finance the Suez Canal. In 1882, he was ennobled by Duke Georg von Sachsen-Meiningen and, by 1882, Baron Stephan von Sarter had already laid the foundation stone for an imposing residence, Schloss Drachenburg – a mixture of villa, mansion and castle. Two Düsseldorf-based architects, Leo von Abbema and Bernhard Tüshaus, drew up the original plans which were later revised by Wilhelm Hoffmann, an architect resident in Paris and a former pupil of Ernst Friedrich Zwirner, a Cologne Cathedral architect. The historical architecture and fine furnishings of Schloss Drachenburg were to find much admiration among contemporaries. Yet Sarter was never to live there. His chosen place of domicile was Paris where he died in 1902, still a bachelor, without having regulated his inheritance. Jakob Biesenbach, one of his nephews, bought the castle from the state.

+Schloss Drachenburg as a Summer Resort: As a child, Jakob Biesenbach had experienced the lived in the nearby Hirschburg Castle for some time. A lawyer by profession, he decided that Schloss Drachenburg should be developed as a tourist attraction and had the medieval Burghof (a castle farm that was then part of the overall property) demolished, replacing it in 1904 with a hotel built in the "Swiss style." Biesenbach also built some Nordic Summer Houses in the park for use as exclusive holiday apartments. Schloss Drachenburg was changed into a sort of community center for the better-off: there was a restaurant in the basement; art objects were sold in the art gallery; and further rooms in the castle could be inspected.

+The Planned Amusement Park: In 1910 Biesenbach sold the property to Egbert von Simon, a retired cavalry captain, whose plans soon surpassed the touristic ambitions of his predecessor. The idea was that Schloss Drachenburg become a leisure park, pull in lots of visitors and turn into an attractive proposition. Von Simon planned a huge festival Theater, a hotel building, and a hangar for an airship. Being unable to finance these features, he arranged only garden and art exhibitions and ran a nature theater.

+In 1921 – An industrialist, Hermann Flohr, bought the Burghof by auction (and Schloss Drachenburg in 1923). The Cologne-based merchant placed several of the block houses at the disposal of the Women's Association of the German Red Cross. In 1930 he left the property to a Catholic order, and the interior furnishings were auctioned off and the Brothers of the Christian Schools, moved in a year later.

In the region of Piedmont, known as Piemonte in Italian, located in northwestern Italy

 From the snow-covered alpine peaks to the heavily forested foothills, the Piedmont region of Italy, a Region of Wonders, offers breathtaking natural beauty and a wealth of cultural experiences.

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(in northwest Italy) Dominated by the Alps and riven by deep valleys, Piedmont -- meaning "at the foot of the mountains" -- is renowned for its fine wines and as a champion of the Slow Food movement. located in northwest Italy, is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It borders the Liguria region to the south, the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions to the east, and the Aosta Valley region to the northwest. Piedmont also borders Switzerland to the north and France to the west. The second-largest region of Italy (after Sicily), the capital of Piedmont is Turin, which was also the capital of the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 to 1865.

+ To the south, west, and north Piedmont is surrounded by the vast arc of the Ligurian Apennines and the Maritime, Cottian, Graian, and Pennine Alps. The core of Piedmont is the Po River valley, which lies open to the east and consists of some of the best farmlands in Italy. South of the Po River are the low and intensively cultivated hills of Monferrato and of Langhe. In the foothills of the Alps are Lakes Maggiore and Orta. The Po and its tributaries, the Dora Baltea, Dora Riparia, Sesia, Tanaro, and Scrivia, provide the area with ample water for agriculture.

+ In Roman times Piedmont was important because its passes connected Italy with the transalpine provinces of Gaul. After periods of Lombard and Frankish rule,the house of Savoy emerged as the most important feudatory of northwestern Italy. This dynasty first became powerful as successor to the marquesses of Ivrea and of Turin, but after 1400 Savoy’s control of both slopes of the Alps, ruling over what is now French Savoie and over Piedmont, gave it undisputed sovereignty over much of the region. After 1700 most of Piedmont passed under Savoyard domination, and the addition of Sardinia and its territories provided still wider interests. During the Risorgimento (movement for Italian independence), Piedmont led the attempts of 1848, 1859, and 1866 to unite all of Italy, and Victor Emmanuel II, originally king of Piedmont and Sardinia, became modern Italy’s first king in 1861.

+ The Alpine arc of Piedmont plays a vital part in the power production of the region and of northern Italy as a whole; the region’s hydroelectric plants supply energy for industry, transportation, and domestic use. The forests provide lumber, and the Alpine and sub-Alpine meadows afford excellent pasture for cattle as the base of a prosperous dairy industry. The lowlands produce wheat and rice, vegetables and fruit, and milk and cheese. The hills south of the Po River are noted for the production of some of Italy’s highest-quality wines, both of the sparkling and Barbera varieties. (The historic vineyard landscape of Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014.)