Updated June 10, 2026 by europeexplored
The Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial rises from the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama, a colossal granite complex that Philip II of Spain built as a royal palace, monastery, library, and mausoleum all in one. Completed in 1584 after just 21 years of construction, the Escorial is one of the most impressive […]
Tags: augustinian-monastery, de-silva, el-greco, final-resting-place, juan-bautista-de-toledo, juan-de-herrera, king-philip-ii, king-philip-ii-of-spain, monastery, monumentality, philip-ii-of-spain, rare-paintings, religious-power, san-lorenzo-de-el-escorial, sierra-de-guadarrama, sight, spain, spanish-aristocracy, tiziano-vecelli, unesco-world-heritage, unesco-world-heritage-list, world-architecture, world-heritage-list
Categories: Sights, Spain, Wellness, Relax & Sports
Updated June 10, 2026 by europeexplored
The Hautes Fagnes, or High Fens, is a landscape unlike any other in Belgium. Stretching across the eastern border with Germany, this vast peat bog plateau sits at an altitude of over 600 metres, creating a unique ecosystem of raised bogs, heathland, and stunted birch forests that feel more like Scandinavia than the Low Countries. […]
Tags: animal-species, belgian-province, belgium, cross-country-skiers, easter-eggs, german-lander, heaths, highest-mountain, hohes-venn, humid-climate, kempe, marked-trails, national-park, nature, nature-lovers, north-rhine-westphalia, plant-species, rare-animal, rhineland-palatinate, roe-deer, wild-boars, wild-cats, yellow-daffodil
Categories: Belgium, Nature
Updated June 10, 2026 by europeexplored
Booking the right accommodation can make or break a city break, and Barcelona offers more options than almost any other European city. From Gothic Quarter apartments with balcony views of the cathedral to sleek modern lofts in the Eixample district, the Catalan capital is a city of distinct neighbourhoods, each with its own character and […]
Tags: accommodation, accommodation-facilities, accommodation-options, apartments, balearic-islands, barcelona, campsites, casa-rurales, costa-del-sol, five-stars, holidays-in-spain, hotel-restaurants, hotels, medieval-castles, national-economy, parador, paradores-nacionales, quality-hotel, short-stay-apartments, spain, spaniards, spanish-phrases, term-lease, tourist-resorts, western-european-countries
Categories: Travelling Tips
Updated June 10, 2026 by europeexplored
The red-tiled dome of Florence Cathedral dominates the skyline of the Tuscan capital, a masterpiece of Renaissance engineering that has inspired architects and artists for over 500 years. The cathedral, formally named the basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, was begun in 1296 by Arnolfo di Cambio and completed structurally in 1436 with the topping […]
Tags: architectural-work, arnolfo-di-cambio, art-treasures, beautiful-view, cathedral, city-of-florence, divine-comedy, filippo-brunelleschi, florence, florence-cathedral, florence-in-florence, gothic-facade, heart-of-the-city, italian-city, italy, john-hawkwood, medieval-architecture, michelozzo, outdoor-decor, paolo-uccello, religious-heart, sacristy, sight
Categories: Cities, Italy, Religious Monuments, Sights, Sights
Updated June 10, 2026 by europeexplored
The longest Gothic cathedral in Europe stretches over 170 metres from its west front to the eastern Lady Chapel, a testament to the ambition and faith of its medieval builders. Winchester Cathedral is one of the greatest churches in the world, a repository of over a thousand years of English history. It was here that […]
Tags: ancient-heart, baroque-style, britons, canterbury, cathedral, christianity, christians, church, churches-in-the-world, city-of-winchester, doubt, english-countryside, evidences, magnificent-cathedral, narrow-valleys, present-day, several-times, st-swithin, two-millennia, united-kingdom, winchester-cathedral, worship-place
Categories: Religious Monuments, Sights, Sights, United Kingdom
Updated June 10, 2026 by europeexplored
The Akamas Peninsula juts into the Mediterranean from the northwest coast of Cyprus, a rugged wilderness of limestone gorges, sea caves, and sandy coves that has escaped the development that has reshaped much of the island’s coastline. This is one of the last truly wild landscapes in Cyprus, a protected national park covering 230 square […]
Tags: 5km, akamas, aphrodite, beautiful-walk, byzantine-monastery, canyons, cyprus, greek-mythology, hiking-trails, holidays-in-cyprus, island-of-cyprus, magnificent-views, mountains, national-park, nature, plant-species, sea-turtles, several-species, species-of-orchids, trojan-war, vultures, water-reservoir
Categories: Cyprus, Nature
Updated June 10, 2026 by europeexplored
For those looking to earn some extra money during uncertain economic times, renting out that spare room or the private apartment you have sitting empty to holiday makers could be an interesting way to go about it. Private holiday lettings are an increasingly popular way to see the world, and now is the time to […]
Tags: bed-and-breakfast, carpets, cleaning-products, cleanliness, cookery-utensils, embarrassment, extra-money, hm-revenue-and-customs, holiday-lettings, holiday-makers, local-restaurants, places-of-interest, private-apartment, private-holiday, spare-room, strong-first-impression, wooden-floors
Categories: Travelling Tips