Running from east of Izmir to Turkey’s (officially the Republic of Türkiye) western Anatolian Plateau, the Boz Mountains (Bozdag) are one of the country’s most beautiful mountain ranges. Centered on the mountain town of Bozdag and capped with snow from December to March, the mountains are a year-round paradise for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Thanks to an extraordinary climate and fertile soil along the Rhône River, the vineyards of the Rhône Valley region produce some of the finest wines in the world. Stretching from the Camargue in the south to Lyon in the north, the Rhône Valley boasts over 1,000 vineyards intermingled with villages, lavender fields, and olive groves.
Housed in the medieval castle of William the Conquerer, the contemporary Musée des Beaux-Arts is home to one of the finest art collections in France covering five centuries. Spanning four centuries, the artworks show a remarkable range including an array of European painters starting in the 16th century, a cabinet of prints and an impressive sculpture park.
This family-friendly theme park dedicated to the history and science of volcanoes is set in the heart of Auvergne’s Chaîne des Puys, a UNESCO-listed chain of dormant volcanoes in central France. Visit Vulcania to learn how volcanoes are formed, erupt, and eventually go extinct via interactive and multimedia exhibits and activities.
Glenshane Pass is a prominent mountain pass that most people cross when traveling between the two cities. It cuts through the Sperrin Mountains on the A6 motorway, which links Londonderry and Belfast. It's also the gateway to the Glenshane Forest, a heather moorland spanning around 2,470 acres (1,000 hectares).
A must-see for fans of Jane Austen, this elegant public park—known as a “pleasure garden”—opened back in 1795 and encapsulates the Georgian style for which Bath is known. With tranquil paths and elegant views overlooking the Kennet and Avon Canal, it is easy to imagine Austen heroines like Anne Elliot or Catherine Morland having a stroll here.
Covering over 125 acres in the southwestern part of the city, the Berlin Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten Berlin) is the second largest in the world, with more than 22,000 species of plants including carnivorous plants, cacti, and orchids. The grounds also house greenhouses and the Berlin Botanical Museum (Botanisches Museum Berlin).
Not for the faint of heart, Prague’s Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments is filled with macabre displays. You’ll see more than 60 torture devices from all over Europe, from iron maidens to garrotes and hot pincers to head crushers.
Located in two 19th-century mansions on the northern European shore of Istanbul, the Sadberk Hanim Museum houses a wide collection of ceramics, coins, tiles, and art from different time periods. The museum also hosts rotating temporary exhibitions on subjects as diverse as early photography and archaeological digs.
Part of a well-known chain of British seaside resorts founded in the 1930s, Butlin’s Minehead offers all-inclusive family vacations and easy access to both the beach and to Exmoor National Park. The resort also provides an assortment of entertainment offerings—from a traditional fairground to live shows—and has ample dining facilities.
Protruding into the Gulf of Naples, Punta del Capo is a rocky promontory where travelers head to swim, sunbathe, and enjoy the coastal scenery away from the crowds of Sorrento town. At this peaceful perch, you’ll find a cliff-surrounded swimming cove separated from the sea by a rocky arch and the remains of a 1st-century Roman villa where Queen Joanna II of Naples is said to have bathed in secret with her lovers during the 15th century.
Founded in 1989, the Seaquarium offers visitors young and old the chance to get up close and personal with hundreds of rare marine species. Located in the coastal town of Le Grau-du-Roi, near Montpellier, the aquarium is divided into multiple exhibit spaces and is particularly well-known for its extensive shark display.
With a history dating back to the 12th century, Greifenstein Castle (Burg Greifenstein) is one of Germany’s oldest fortresses and is protected as a national landmark. Perched on a hilltop in the Dill Valley, the castle’s dark stone facade and twin towers can be seen for miles around, keeping watch over the forested slopes below.
Named after the Portuguese explorer who discovered an ocean trade route between Europe and India, this aquarium houses a wide variety of aquatic life. In addition to fish-filled tanks, the aquarium also exhibits preserved water-dwelling specimens collected by the marine enthusiast and former king of Portugal, Dom Carlos I.
The Salzburg Museum incorporates seven branches, including the Toy Museum (Spielzeug Museum) and Museum of Natural History (Haus der Natur), but its main branch is at the Neue Residenz and is connected by subterranean tunnel to the adjacent Panorama Museum. The underground passage itself features a section of Roman wall covered with murals and models of the city at important points in its development but the main attraction of the Panorama Museum is the cyclorama of the city. Painted in 1829 by Johann Michael Sattler, the masterpiece painting-in-the-round is supremely impressive for its fine architectural and topographical detail and is 26 meters (85 feet) in diameter. Visitors stand on a central platform, from here telescopes and computer screens highlight various areas of the city, providing detailed descriptions of 19th-century Salzburg.
Nestled just north of the English border in Scotland, the Gretna Green Famous Blacksmiths Shop is known for hosting the marriages of couples who had fled England’s restrictive marriage laws during the 1700s and 1800s. The quaint shop remains a wedding venue and draws visitors with its marriage rooms, museum, shop, and restaurant.
A short drive from Valletta, Splash & Fun Water Park is a great place to cool off in summer, particularly if you have kids in tow. Highlights include swimming and wading pools, a lazy river, a wave pool, plus plenty of water slides.
Opened in 1987 in the now-fashionable Zuid neighborhood, the Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp (M HKA)contributed to the rejuvenation of the formerly dilapidated district. Transformed into a cutting-edge gallery by architect Michel Grandsard, the museum exhibits more than 4,750 multimedia works by some of Flanders’ foremost contemporary artists.
Overlooking Madrid’s Retiro Park, the National Museum of Decorative Arts (Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas) displays furniture, ceramics, and decorative works from Spain and worldwide, mainly from the 15th to 19th centuries. Wander the rooms to admire its Far Eastern art and rich baroque room settings, and choose to explore the temporary exhibitions or join one of its artistic workshops.
The Hellisheidi Geothermal Power Plant is the largest geothermal power plant in Iceland. It’s located on the Hengill volcanic ridge in Southwest Iceland, though volcanic activity hasn’t sparked an eruption in 2,000 years. Along with the Nesjavellir geothermal power plant, Hellisheidi produces a significant amount of hot water in the Reykjavik area.
Tenerife’s unique landscapes—sculpted over centuries of volcanic activity—and anthropological history—inhabited by the Guanche people since the 6th century BC—are the focal points of the Museum of Nature and Archaeology (MUNA). Located in Santa Cruz, it’s a fascinating deep-dive into the history and cultural heritage of the Canary Islands.
Spanning roughly 38 square miles (98 square kilometers), the Llobregat Delta (Delta del Llobregat) is one of Catalonia’s most important wetland zones and the region’s second-largest delta. Located just southwest of Barcelona, the delta is a designated conservation area known for its rich biodiversity. It’s a popular place for bird-watching and a habitat for rare plants, including more than 22 orchid species.
Knoblauchhaus Museum is a museum in Berlin’s Nikolaiviertel district dedicated to the unique architecture, culture, and social life of the progressive Biedermeier era. Built in 1760, the 3-story baroque townhouse was home to the prominent Knoblauch family, and today its living quarters are true to the original house.
Built to mark the 50th anniversary of the Normandy D-Day landings, this 42-acre (17-hectare park is an inviting place to explore close to downtown Caen. The free-to-access park has spots for all ages, including a rose garden, small petting zoo, labyrinth, garden map of Normandy, mini-golf, and a café.
In the heart of Catania’s Piazza Carlo Alberto di Savoia lies one of Sicily’s oldest outdoor public markets, which pulses with activity daily—rain or shine (or the punishing Sicilian heat)—into the early afternoon. A feast for the senses, Fera ‘O Luni is where Catanians hunt for fresh produce, fish, and cheap clothing and housewares—and where tourists seek out local color.
Founded by a New Zealander in Paris with a passion for languages, this niche museum showcases everything you could want to know about communication and the structure of languages. Well-curated quizzes, interactive exhibitions, and historical finds, such as a replica of the Rosetta Stone and an early version of an Enigma coding machine, await to intrigue culture-curious kids and adults alike.
Situated in old Bruges— a city renowned for its lace—the Lace Center (Kantcentrum is a small museum dedicated to the history and techniques of lacemaking. True to its theme, the center is housed in a 19th-century building that was one of Bruges’ original lace schools.
In a pastel-colored wooden villa on Iso Mustasaari, part of Helsinki’s Suomenlinna island group, the Suomenlinna Toy Museum (Suomenlinnan Lelumuseo is Instagram heaven. Vintage toys, including a myriad of teddy bears, deck the shelves; the café dishes up colorful cakes, ice cream, and candy; and the gift shop sells bears, cards, and more.
Describing itself as Porto’s “biggest and greenest zoo,” Santo Inácio Zoo is home to around 600 animals representing some 200 species, including lions, snow leopards, cheetahs, camels, Humboldt penguins, and more. Close to Porto’s city center, it makes an easy and entertaining day out for the whole family.
The largest water park on the southern coast of the Aquitaine, Aquatic Landes—located in Labenne, just a quick trip from Bayonne and Biarritz—offers thrills and refreshment for visitors of all ages. Home to pools, waterslides, play areas, and lawns perfect for sunbathing, this park is an ideal place to relax and beat the heat.
