- Mont Blanc
First view of Mont Blanc when arriving from Aosta Valley. - Beaune
Usually one would not want to connect driving school and vineyards. Usually. - Vézelay Abbey
Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine was under repair, so we only saw a part of it. - Château de Chenonceau
Every room had its own fireplace, making the castle rather cosy. This is a detail on the fireplace in Chambre de François Ier. - Château de Chambord
The residences of François Ier include a large wardrobe and closet. They surely dressed ... royally. - Château de Chambord
Wallpaper in the 18th century apartments. - Puy de Pariou
Plenty of butterflies around here. - Puy de Pariou
A crowded thistle. - Mont Blanc
No, don't look at this rock in the front, look in the back, way back. There is Mont Blanc, above the clouds, almost 100 km away. - Fountain
A relief on an early Renaissance water basin with the coat-of-arms of the monastery. - Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça
The interior of the church is empty, corresponding to the Cistercian order, but huge! The main nave is 106 m long. - Room of the Kings
Room of the kings is full of statues of kings. The tiles depict the monastery history. - Claustro Real
The royal cloister was built by architect Fernão de Évora in 1448-1477. - Jeju
- Traditional Korea
- Jeju United, Jeju world cup stadium
- Windmills and fishing boats
- Windmills and fishing boats
- Windmills and fishing boats
- Fishing boats on the horison
- Lotte Hotel in fog
- Jeju
- Water lily
- Water lily
- Korean design
- A peacock
- Porto Azzurro
Via Nardelli Vincenzo - Chiessi
- Via del Volterraio at night
And Scorpius underneath the Moon. - Elba aquarium
- Elba aquarium
A sawfish bone - Mosaic
Venice is full of old mosaics. Although some are not as old as the others ... - Palazzo Ducale
Palazzo Ducale, built in 1340 (and extended later). - Basilica di San Marco
Another detail from the Basilica's facade. - Detail on Palazzo Ducale
Palazzo Ducale: a detail on one of the columns (the same column as the Judgment of Solomon). - Palazzo Ducale
Unfortunately, the palace was closed. Not enough tourists? - Porta della Carta
Built in 1438–43, probably by Giovanni and Bartolomeo Bon. Doge Francisco Foscari is kneeling before the Lion. - Piazzetta di San Marco
The Piazzetta between the Doge's Palace and Jacopo Sansovino's Biblioteca with the two columns with Saint Theodore and the winged lion. - Palazzo Ducale
- Ponte dei Sospiri
Prisoners were taken through this bridge to the prison. - Piazza San Marco
Piazza in the times of Covid, wonderfully empty. - Basilica di San Marco
From the 11th century, inspired by Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. - Scuola Grande di San Marco
Originally one of the Scuole Grandi of Venice, now the city's hospital. Finished around 1500 by Pietro Lombardo. - Scuola Grande di San Marco
A trompe-l'oeil archway detail on the facade. - Scuola Grande di San Marco
More great optical illusions on the facade. - Ponte dei Sospiri
The view from this bridge was the last view of Venice that convicts saw before their imprisonment. Even the window bars are made of stone. - Ponte dei Sospiri
The Bridge of Sighs connects the Doge's Palace with the New Prison. - Procuratie Vecchie
The facade is made of Istrian limestone. - Procuratie Vecchie
Built in the beginning of the 16th century. - Ponte di Rialto
The oldest of the main four bridges in Venice. Finished in 1591. - Santi Giovanni e Paolo
Tomb of Jacopo e Lorenzo Tiepolo, two doges, who dies in 1249 and 1275, respectively. - Punk Mona Buda?
I can totally imagine Jared Leto owning this. - Ca d'oro
Ca d'oro or the Golden house. One of the best examples of Venetian Gothic architecture. It used to be gilded, therefore its name. - Chiessi
- Caparica beach
Fishing boats on the Caparica beach. Still a very active fishing port. - Miradouro de Santa Luzia
An angry fish at the Miradouro de Santa Luzia - History of Lisbon
A complete Lisbon history in one passage. Mural by Nuno Saraiva. Every city should have a mural like this one. - Tiles in Alfama
Finding little treasures while getting lost in Alfama. - Padrão dos Descobrimentos
Statue built in 1940/1960 to mark the 500-year anniversary of Henry the Navigator's death. - Rosa dos Ventos
View from the Monument of the Discoveries. A wind rose and a world map. - Quinta Pézinhos no Tejo
Fado singers at the dinner - Quinta Pézinhos no Tejo
- Óbidos
13th century castle, and one can walk on the walls. - Óbidos
View of the town from the castle walls. - Óbidos
Calcada da Misericordia - Ilha do Baleal
There are some oddly specific signs in Baleal... - Ilha do Baleal
Northern tip of Ilha do Baleal and Ilha de Fora. - Fountain Hall
Gothic fountain hall in the cloister. - Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça
Refectory, where the monks had their daily meals. - The kitchen
What a kitchen! Built and covered with tiles in the 18th century. A channel carried water from Alcoa river directly through the kitchen (!) to get fresh water and fish. - Cloister of Silence
This cloister was built under King Dinis I (1261-1325). The Manueline top floor is from early 16th century. - Gargoyle in the cloister
A rather interesting gargoyle. - Chapter House
Statue of S. Gregorivs Magn in the Chapter House. - Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça
Some old inscriptions on the cloister walls. - Cloister of Silence
- Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça
This is the oldest gothic building in Portugal, and still the largest church in the country. - Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça
Founded in 1153 by Afonso Henriques and built in 1178-1252. The facade was added later, of course. - Monastery of Saint Mary of the Victory
The monastery was built to celebrate the 1385 victory over the Castilians. The church was built between 1386 and 1517. - Founder's Chapel
The chapel was built in 1426-1434 by Huguet to become the first royal pantheon in Portugal. - Monastery of Saint Mary of the Victory
What an insane attention to detail! - Claustro Real
- Monastery of Saint Mary of the Victory
What a magnificent cathedral! - Capelas Imperfeitas
Insanely beautiful detail. - Capelas Imperfeitas
Ah, the famous Unfinished Chapels, commissioned in 1437 by Dom Duarte. - Capelas Imperfeitas
The portal was originally Gothic and transformed by Mateus Fernandes into Manueline style (1509). - Capelas Imperfeitas
- Capelas Imperfeitas
King Manuel I dedicated this portal to King Edward and the motto "Leauté faray tam yaserei" means "I will always be loyal". - Convento de Cristo in Tomar
The Romanesque round church was built in the second half of the 12th century by the Knights Templar. - Convento de Cristo in Tomar
São Cristóvão - Saint Christopher (1484-1500) - Claustro Principal
A very 16th century Renaissance cloister. - Janela do Capítulo
The famous Manueline Window of the Chapter House (1510-1513). - Refectory
Pulpit in the Refectory, which was build in 1535-1536. Royal coat of arms... and some strange faces. - Cistern
One of the many cisterns in the Monastery. - Claustro de Santa Bárbara
And one of the many cloisters in the Monastery, this one was built in the 16th century. - Ilha de Fora
Another sunset in Baleal. Just beautiful. - Sunset in Baleal
- Ilhéu da Papôa
- Ilhéu da Papôa
If you look closely, you will see a catamaran in the fog. Well, the hull is hidden in the fog, but the sail peeks out. - Cabo Carvoeiro
- Room of discoveries
Ceiling in the Room of Discoveries by Bernardo António de Oliveira Góis (c. 1770-c. 1820) and Cyrillo Volkmar Machado (1748-1823).