Things to Do in Europe

The much-rebuilt Mondragón Palace perches on top of the El Tajo Gorge and looks north towards the Sierra de las Nieves. Although little remains of the original Moorish palace, it may once have been the home of the 14th-century Moorish King Abomelic, who built the underground Water Mine at the Casa del Rey Moro. What is more certain is that Ronda’s last Moorish governor did live there.

Following the Reconquest in the 1480s, the palace was presented to Isabella and Ferdinand, and today its appearance is largely a hybrid of architectural styles. However, in places there are original Moorish mosaics and beautifully carved wooden ceilings plus a well-restored Mudéjar courtyard, complete with tiled, tinkling fountains and views of the gorge. Other courtyards were less lucky and were clumsily restored under Franco’s regime with lashings of concrete. The palace entrance is flanked by two squat reconstructed Mudéjar towers but is now primarily ornately Baroque.

The small Museum of Ronda and the Serrania on the second floor showcases local history and archaeology – going right back to prehistory – alongside a display dedicated to Megalithic and Moorish tombstones and burial traditions.

Rising above the port in Nice is Mont Boron, a green wilderness with great views over Nice and beyond.

From Mont Boron you can see over the port of Nice, Nice town and to Villefranche and Cap Ferrat. From this height you it’s easy to understand why this coastline is called the Cote d’Azur - the blue of the sea is simply amazing.

Since 1860, Mont Boron has been preserved as a nature retreat with trees native to the Mediterranean, including Holm Oak and Aleppo Pine. With 6 miles (11 km) of sign-posted trails, this has become a popular place for both locals and visitors to escape the narrow streets of the city and take in the fresh air. It's also good for mountain biking.  You can catch the bus (number 14) to the top of Mont Boron and then walk back down.

Nearby Mont Albon has a 16th century military fort perched 720 feet (220m) above the sea. From here you get 360-degree views of the surrounding coastline and the Alpes-Maritimes.

When you arrive in Monchique, you may get the idea that you’ve fallen into the picture on a postcard, as this rustic little town of 10,000 people has remained relatively unchanged despite the ever-growing influx of tourists looking for fun in the sun. Monchique’s chief businesses revolve around agricultural products such as grains, oranges, olive oil and a liqueur called medronho, distilled from the berries of the strawberry tree.

The town itself is settled between to large hills, Foia and Picota. And fitting with the postcard-perfect, European-seaside surroundings, Monchique is essentially a maze of rolling cobblestone streets, whitewashed houses and colorful shops where local artisans peddle their wares. Overlooking the town is a 17th century Franciscan monastery, and from this vantage point, visitors can get panoramic views of the entire countryside and the Atlantic coast (possibly for their own postcard pictures).

Vasco da Gama's discovery of a sea route to India inspired the glorious Monastery of St. Jerome or Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, a UNESCO World Heritage site with an architectural exuberance that trumpets 'navigational triumph.' Work began around 1501, following a Gothic design by architect Diogo de Boitaca, considered a Manueline originator. After his death in 1517, building resumed with a Renaissance flavor under Spaniard João de Castilho and, later, with classical overtones under Diogo de Torralva and Jérome de Rouen (Jerónimo de Ruão). The monastery was completed in 1541, a riverside masterpiece - the waters have since receded. 

The monastery was populated with monks of the Order of St. Jerome, whose spiritual job for about four centuries was to give comfort and guidance to sailors - and to pray for the king's soul. When the order was dissolved in 1833 the monastery was used as a school and orphanage until about 1940. The simple tomb of renowned poet and writer Fernando Pessoa is here.

The Casino de Monte-Carlo is a legendary gambling facility, known for the sublime location and Beaux Arts style architecture; it also contains an opera and ballet house, and was built in1893 by Charles Garnier, the architect of the Paris Opera House. The paved marble 'atrium' is flanked by 28 onyx columns in the Ionic style, opening into the red and gold Opera Hall, in use for over 100 years for opera, concerts and ballets.

The series of "Gaming Rooms" each have their own unique atmosphere and decorations, while the casino itself is known for the exceptional diversity of its table games. Citizens of Monaco are forbidden to enter the gaming rooms, which are a model for the setting of the first James Bond novel, Casino Royale,

Salon Renaissance is one of the Casino's oldest rooms, a large vestibule at the entrance to the Salon de l'Europe, the first gaming room opened in 1865 with Moorish style decorations produced in Paris. Designed and built in 1903, the Salon Rose was intended for male and female gamblers who couldn’t refrain from smoking.

The Salle Blanche is designed as a conversation parlour, with chandeliers atop huge caryatids and "Belle Epoque" paintings. The Salons Prives are lined with natural leather and mahogany paneling; the Cabaret was built in 1910 as a chamber music room; and finally the Opera Hall, Salle Garnier designed and built by Charles Garnier in 1878, was hung with five paintings, including "L'Allegorie de la Danse."

The oldest building in the city’s grand Pedralbes quarter, dating back to 1326, the church and monastery of Monestir de Pedralbes is now a museum and remains one of the city’s most stunning examples of religious architecture. Named for its characteristic white stones (pedres albes), the complex is acclaimed for its Catalan Gothic style, featuring a central courtyard garden, herb garden and fountain. The monastery, which once housed the nuns of the Franciscan Order of Saint Clare, was commissioned by the wife of James II of Aragon, Queen Elisenda, who famously took up residence in the monastery after her husband’s death.

Those interested in uncovering some of Barcelona’s rich religious history will find wandering the museum of the Monestir de Pedralbes an enlightening experience, devoted to showcasing the lives of the nuns who served in the building during the 14th century. The large 3-storey cloister is centered around an arcaded courtyard and the dormitories, refectory, kitchen, stables and an infirmary have been beautifully reconstructed to depict daily life within the convent. A selection of original furnishings and artwork, gold and silverware and a number of religious and personal artifacts are dotted throughout. Most exquisite is the small chapel, home to the Capella de Sant Miquel, with its 14th-century murals created by Catalan artist Ferrer Bassa, and the exceptional ornamental grave of Queen Elisenda herself.