Our beautiful world – Europe

There are a lot of beautiful places. Nature and humans have created a fantastic landscape. In this article, we’ll take a look at some examples of this from Europe. These are ten of the most special places on the continent.

1. Neuschwanstein Castle | Germany

Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany, is filled with towers, twisted staircases and beautiful glass windows. It has been the inspiration for Walt Disney’s castle. But this is real, and you can come for a visit.

Neuschwanstein was built in the late 19th century as a castle for King Ludwig of Bavaria. He was an unhappy man with a strange taste. The castle lies by the Alps, a beautiful location.

The king wasn’t able to see the finished castle because he died before it was finished. Some think it was suicide, others murder. Somehow, he died in the lake. Neuschwanstein was opened to the public to raise money to finish it.

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2. Giant’s Causeway | Northern Irland

Northern Ireland’s biggest attraction is mysterious, with a fabulous view of Scotland. It is beautiful to stand on volcanic rocks at the same time as the sun shines on the Atlantic Ocean.

Legend has it that Causeway was created by the giant Finn McCool. He threw rocks into the water so he could cross over the water to Scotland. His goal was to give another giant, Benandonner, a lesson. But in reality, lava has hardened into these fantastic pillars.

It is clear why the Giant’s Causeway is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is Northern Ireland’s only attraction on the list and is valued highly both in science and art.

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3. Alhambra | Spain

The Alhambra lies in the Andalusian city of Granada. It has beautiful Islamic art and really Instagram-friendly gardens and blue fountains. Also, the Alhambra has three castles.

At first, the Alhambra was a Roman fort. Later it was rebuilt by the Moorish Nasrid dynasty. It was Muhammad I of Granada who rebuilt it, with a view over the city.

Spain became Christianised again in 1492. After this, Catholic kings and queens built their own castles in the same place. They didn’t want the former Muslim buildings to be seen anymore. The new style was the classic Renaissance style.

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4. Lake Bled | Slovenia

Lake Bled is a travel photographer’s dream, with its beautiful blue water and wonderful views. The lake is in northwestern Slovenia, close to the small town of Bled. It has mountains and a castle which make it even more beautiful.

In the middle of the lake, there is an island. There are a few buildings and the main building is the church. The church was built in the 17th century and has a 52-meter-high tower and 99 steps that lead up from the edge of the water.

You get an amazing view over the lake from Bled Castle. The castle, from the 12th century, has an impressive architecture and museum collection. You can learn about the art of printing in the castle’s very own printing works.

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5. Meteora | Greece

Greece is famous for its many convents, churches and other religious places. Many of them are hard to reach because they are on a mountain top. But the hardest to reach is probably the convent of Meteora, where six convents cling to the cliff’s edge.

Religious people have lived in isolated parts of Greece since the early days of Christianity. They were forced to move up into the mountains, and they built buildings up there so no one could get to them.

There were 24 different religious places in the Meteora Mountains earlier. Today there are six left, all open to the public. Inside, you can have a look at the beautiful paintings, gardens and technology.

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6. Quinta da Regaleira | Portugal

Quinta da Regaleira is a special World Heritage Site that must be seen. It was ordered by the Brazilian millionaire Antonio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro in the late 1800s. He combined his interest in nature, mythology and philosophy in the design.

Everyone can visit. It has been open since 1998. Visitors can explore fascinating buildings, mysterious monuments and fairytale gardens while searching for hidden symbols in the surroundings.

The design of Quinta da Regaleira is supposed to be a link between the physical and the spiritual worlds. It should give you insight. The best way to experience this is to look up from the bottom of the well, a 27-meter-deep underground tower. You go through the tunnels, up some stairs, ten floors, to reach the sky.

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7. Tsarskoje Selo | Russia

Tsarskoye Selo is a castle and a popular tourist attraction in Russia, 24 kilometers from St Petersburg in the town of Pushkin. It is named after the famous Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin. There is also a park with magnificent architecture.

The castle was built as a summer place for the rule of Catherine I of Russia. Catherine’s daughter renovated the castle in the rococo style, but when Catherine the Great took the throne, she switched to a neoclassical style.

Around the palace, there is an idyllic park of 5.6 square kilometers. It is called Catherine Park. There are two parks. One was created for Tsarina Elizabeth, and the other for Catherine the Great. In the second one, there are several examples of Chinese architecture.

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8. Plitviče Lakes | Croatia

These 16 lakes are linked by spectacular waterfalls. You can walk in different directions on wooden bridges over the Plitviče Lakes in Croatia. You see beautiful green water along the way.

The lakes are part of the river that flows between the mountains Mala Kapela and Plješivica. Over time it has split because of natural phenomena. Stones are washed up by organisms in the water and this creates small ponds. Some were formed 200 million years ago, but because of nature, there is constant change.

Plitviče Lakes came on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 because of the beautiful land. It is Croatia’s most popular tourist attraction. The lake is only a small part of the much bigger park, 300 square kilometers of forests with many threatened animals.

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9. Stonehenge | Great Britain

Stonehenge is a well-known attraction in Britain. But it is a mystery because no one really knows how the stones got there. They have been there for 3,500 years. The mystery is probably why there are so many visits every year.

10. The Greek Islands | Greece

Greece has more than 200 islands where people live. They have more than sun, sea and sand to offer. Each Island is a mix of history and culture.

Crete is the largest of the Greek islands. It is a beautiful island with mountains, small towns and beaches. There are a lot of things to do, so it is popular with tourists. This is where the first people settled down in Europe, the Minoans. So there is a lot of history to explore.

Rhodes is another historic island. Throughout history, the island has been formed by Romans, the Byzantine, the Geonese, Ottomans and Italians. You can see traces of the history in the old town in the north.

Santorini is a beautiful island with villages and famous sunsets. It is one of the most visited Greek Islands. It is shaped by a sleeping volcano that had a huge outburst 3,600 years ago. The explosion shaped the island to how it is today.

Perhaps the most famous attraction in all of the Greek islands is the isolated Navagio Bay in Zakynthos. It is also known as Shipwreck beach. You can see this beach on many postcards and in 2017, it was voted one of the best beaches in the world. The rusty shipwreck is in the center and around it, beautiful white sand and crystal clear turquoise water.

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Sources:

101 steder du må oppleve (før du dør) (2020)
Orage Forlag AS

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