Europe Art, Castles & palaces + Gardens & parks pictures

• World

One of the world’s smallest countries lies within eastern Italy’s countryside. Visit the longstanding city-state for natural beauty, culture and food specialties.

Alongside games of football and couples in pedalos, the art galleries, buskers and 17th-century palace give El Retiro a different flavour to your average park.

One of the oldest museums in France, this institution is a fantastic place to see paintings, sculptures and architecture spanning centuries, back to the Middle Ages.

Marvel at the wooden organ and work out the parables depicted in the stained glass in this blend of two separate religious buildings.

Attend a theatrical or orchestral performance and admire the artworks on the alleged spot where St. Saturnin of Toulouse was martyred.

Come and take a walk around one of the largest palaces in Western Europe...and try not to get lost!

From its architecture to its industry and sporting events, this is a city of fascinating contrasts just an hour by train from London. 

Maze-like hedges, marble sculptures and colorful flower beds adorn this historic royal garden, where the palace’s stables and carriages once lay.

Visitors flock to the cultural and historic heart of Scotland to enjoy the city’s atmosphere and its many landmarks, parks and gardens.

Alongside games of football and couples in pedalos, the art galleries, buskers and 17th-century palace give El Retiro a different flavour to your average park.

This serene mountain town has rustic charm and natural beauty and is the site of one of Europe’s most famous divine encounters.

See the swans glide by under weeping willows and relax with a picnic in the park while taking in the pristine beauty of the source of the Clitunno River in Umbria.

Discover themed gardens, artist pavilions, viewpoints and wildlife stations set around a natural amphitheater in the grounds of a medieval castle. 

Journey by means of modern art through the key political and social moments of recent times.

Whether you’re catching a train or not, be sure to visit this “secular cathedral,” an early 20th-century icon that sits on a hill north of Old Town Limoges.

If you\'re looking for wellbeing and relaxation, a holiday in Merano is a great chance to discover the city, gardens and hot springs.

Come and take a walk around one of the largest palaces in Western Europe...and try not to get lost!

Distinctive architecture, friendly people and interesting history are reasons to stay a while in this UNESCO World Heritage city on Germany’s Baltic coast.