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Riu Negril

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Pravčická brána arch in the Czech Republic

We're looking at an extraordinary landscape in the far north of the Czech Republic, very close to the German border. One of the area's most renowned features is Pravčická brána, the largest sandstone arch in Europe. Standing more than 50 feet high, and spanning nearly 90 feet, it's an impressive—and impressively photogenic—formation. (Adding to the spectacle is something not seen in our image: The Falcon's Nest, a 19th-century holiday chateau built snugly against the arch's cliffs.) Where once visitors were allowed to walk across the stone bridge, overuse and continuing erosion has put an end to that part of the experience. Still, this towering arch is a breathtaking sight in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains

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Oh, to sleep under the northern lights

Perhaps there's no better place to watch the northern lights dance above you than curled up in bed under the glass dome of a heated igloo here in Lapland, the northernmost region of Finland. There are other glass-domed hotels to choose from in Lapland, but the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, shown here, is the most famous. Visitors come to view the aurora borealis, or northern lights, and for various outdoor sports. There's cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, downhill skiing, dog sledding, and even reindeer-drawn sleigh rides to keep you entertained during the short winter days. Evenings are spent dining, warming up in the sauna, and for some, sleeping under the stars and the swirling, hypnotic northern lights.

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Bridge over the Aveyron river in Belcastel, France

An act of careful conservation sometimes inspires more of the same. Such is the case with Belcastel, a small village built into the steep hills above the Aveyron river in southern France. In the 1970s architect Fernand Pouillon restored the Château de Belcastel, a hulking medieval relic abandoned since the 17th century. Inspired by the château's rebirth, the people of Belcastel then revamped much of the medieval village, including cobblestone streets, lauze-roofed homes, a 15th-century church, and the bridge from that same period that we see here. The restoration hasn't gone unnoticed: Belcastel is officially named as one of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France—the Most Beautiful Villages of France.

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Sanxiantai Dragon Bridge in Taitung, Taiwan

This unique footbridge on the east coast of Taiwan connects visitors to the Island of the Three Immortals, a small uninhabited island known for dramatic rock formations and ocean views. According to legend, the rocks were left behind by immortal saints who took a reprieve here centuries ago. The bridge itself was built in 1987 and was designed to resemble the mythical dragons of Chinese folklore.

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Walking trail in the mountains of São Miguel Island, Azores💛 Hiking trails crisscross much of the landscape on the nine islands in the Azores archipelago, a far-flung autonomous region of Portugal in the Atlantic Ocean. Because the Azores are the peaks of vast mountains straddling active tectonic plates, the topography here is a dazzling mix of volcanic forms. On São Miguel Island, caldera lakes gleam below the jagged green cones of ancient volcanoes. Hot springs and mud pots hiss and bubble in the island’s Furnas Valley. The trail around the Sete Cidades caldera reveals jaw-dropping vistas like the one we see in our image.

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Aerial view of oak trees and a dehesa range in Badajoz, Spain

While we hear much about the clearing of forests for farms, there is another agricultural practice that maintains the trees as an integral part of the acreage. The ancient silvopasture method incorporates pastures for grazing livestock within woodlands, and this carefully managed combination benefits both the ecology and the economy. In Spain, this kind of rangeland is called a dehesa, and in our image we see oak trees dotting a pasture in the province of Badajoz. Here, domesticated black Iberian pigs may wander under the oaks, foraging for acorns. Other renowned Spanish products produced within dehesas include cork, honey, and mushrooms. These biodiverse landscapes are also home to much wildlife, including rare species like the Spanish imperial eagle.

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Portugal

Set between the Atlantic Ocean and the Estrela Mountains, Portugal is a beautiful blend of romantic seascapes, vibrant port cities, intoxicating cultural mix, rich maritime history, and rustic cuisine that specializes in seafood such as salt cod and grilled sardines. The country's mild weather makes it an excellent winter season destination. Looking for more off-the-beaten-path experiences? Venture away from the seaside cities and their near-perfect beaches and head into the countryside. You'll be rewarded with mountain top villages, terraced hilltops engulfed in vineyards, and eclectic medieval castles that conjure visions of the Old World.

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The Old Port in Dubrovnik, Croatia

The Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, not known for being loose with his praise, said of this seaport city on the Mediterranean: ‘If you want to see heaven on earth, come to Dubrovnik.’ Here, brawny medieval walls and forts surround Renaissance architecture tucked into hilly landscapes, with much of the Old Town perched over the waters of the Adriatic. Our image shows the Old Port with 14th-century St. John Fortress (or Mulo Tower) at its entrance. The whole of Dubrovnik, Croatia is indeed a glorious vision. And its historical pedigree just keeps getting longer: Recent theories credit the city’s founding to sailors arriving from Ancient Greece.

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View from my office

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Ice bubbles in Lago Bianco, Switzerland 

When lake water freezes quickly it can trap bubbles below the surface. These bubbles in Switzerland's Lago Bianco were likely formed from methane. Decaying organic matter at the bottom of the lake is eaten by bacteria, which in turn pump out methane gas. If conditions are right, the methane bubbles are captured as the water freezes around them. When the water ices over and the surrounding mountains are blanketed with snow, the name of this lake is particularly fitting: Lago Bianco translates to ‘White Lake.’ A reservoir formed by a pair of hydroelectric dams, it lies high in the Swiss Alps at the Bernina Pass.

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Tahkuna Lighthouse on Hiiumaa island, Estonia

Humans have inhabited Estonia’s second-largest island for a very long time indeed. The earliest settlers arrived at least 7,500 years ago, shortly after the island emerged from the Baltic Sea. Eventually, Hiiumaa fell under the influence of such diverse powers as the medieval Brothers of the Sword, the kingdom of Sweden, and the Soviet Union. Hiiumaa may be a politically strategic spot in the Baltic Sea, but it’s also a simply stunning natural locale, rich in yew forests, wild orchids, peat moors, and a coastline brimming with dune fields. Rocky shores abound, and helpful lighthouses too, including the pictured Tahkuna Lighthouse. It keeps mariners on track—and adds another scenic flourish to the island’s landscape.

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There’s more to do in Amsterdam than its notorious coffee shops and Red Light District. Spend your day exploring the city’s cobblestone streets by bike popping into noteworthy museums like the Van Gogh Museum, Verzetsmuseum or the Anne Frank House. Plan a picnic for lunch in Vondelpark, or take a boat tour along the city’s many canals, taking in the sites.

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Fisherman's Bastion in Budapest, Hungary

 Walking among the elaborate stone terraces of the Halászbástya, or Fisherman's Bastion, you may feel you've stepped back into medieval Hungarian history. But what appears to be the old stomping grounds of knights and kings is in fact newer than it looks. Built between 1895 and 1902 in the neo-Romanesque and neo-Gothic styles, the structure is a relative newcomer in the area. The three towns that came together to form the modern city of Budapest—Buda, Óbuda, and Pest—were officially joined in 1873, some two decades before these turrets and walkways were built. No matter its relative youth, there's plenty of magnificent mood here and an incredible view of the city to boot.

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Iguazu Falls, on the border of Brazil and Argentina

The Iguazu River winds through national parks of two different countries—upriver in Brazil, park officials speak Portuguese; downriver in Argentina, Spanish. An incredible sight divides the upper stretch of river from the lower and marks the border between the two South American countries: Iguazu Falls plummets over the edge of the Paraná Plateau in some 275 distinct drops, the longest a 269-foot torrent. The falls have been named one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, and it’s not hard to see why.