Rome. Italy. View of the Egyptian like landmark Pyramid of Caius Cestius in the Rome neighbourhood of Testaccio. The Pyramid (Piramide di Caio Cestio) was built by Caius Cestius a senior 1st century BC Roman magistrate as a tomb or burial place for himself. Made of white marble the pyramid rises to a height of 36 metres, and took one year to build. Two hundred years later it was incorporated into the Aurelian fortification walls as part of the defence against barbarian attacks. It is located near the Porta San Paolo, a city gate named after Saint Paul.The otherworldly untamed coast and the colossal 70-metre-high limestone sea stack. Gibson Steps Beach. Port Campbell National Park, Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia.Rome. Italy. View of tourists around the Fountain of Neptune or Fontana del Nettuno (Calderari) located at the north end of the Piazza Navona. Designed by Giacomo della Porta it originally dates from 1576, however the famous statues of Neptune surrounded by sea nymphs were added in the 19th century. The Piazza Navona as seen today was laid out in the 17th century; however it occupies the site of the 86 AD Circus of Domitian, a former stadium used for games and sporting events that had the capacity to seat 35000 people. Today the Square is one of Rome’s liveliest, with many outdoor cafes, restaurants to relax at and people watch.Rome. Italy. Night view of the lit up Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain), Rome’s largest and most famous fountain. Located in the Quirinal quarter of Rome and built between 1732 and 1762, the fountain’s central niche features the Roman Sea God Neptune in shell shaped chariot being pulled by seahorses driven by Tritons. The side niches contain statues of Abundance (left) and Healing (right) by Filippo ValleAmalfi. Italy. Red hot chilli peppers being promoted and sold as natural Viagra along Via Genova the medieval heart of Amalfi.Masses of people swimming, sunbathing or resting under beach umbrellas at the town beach of Amalfi. Italy.View of the curved north end of the monumental mystical Canopus. Villa Adriana. Tivoli. Italy. The Canopus is a reflecting pool 228 metres long and lined and surrounded by columns and statues. It is believed to have been inspired by the canal that linked Alexandria in Egypt to ancient Canopus which was a sanctuary of the God Serapis. Another theory is that is actually representing the Mediterranean as it includes elements from the region including copies of the caryatids from the Erechtheion in Athens and two Amazons that adorned the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus sculpted by Phidias, the ancient Greek sculptor.Villa d Este. Tivoli. Italy. View along the avenue of the hundred fountains or Le Cento Fontane at the Villa d’Este at the hill town of Tivoli. The wooded walkway is flanked on one side by over one hundred hand carved waterspouts jetting out cooling water into three overlaying canals.Rhodes Greece. Arched pebbly alley bursting with bougainvillaea and colourful plants at the old walled medieval town of Rhodes. The old town is a UNESCO world heritage listed site and the best preserved, oldest and largest living medieval city in Europe. The 4km defensive walls were built by the Knights of St John during the 13th to 15th century to defend Western Europe against the expanding Ottoman Empire. Within the walls are a medieval warren of small alleyways and magnificent historical buildings. The island of Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese Island group and one of the most popular Greek Islands.Monemvasia. Peloponnese. Greece. View of a black and white cat sitting on a stone fence of a house with a brown gate and door in medieval narrow alleyway. Known as the Gibraltar of Greece, Monemvasia is a magical fortified medieval seaport town, encircled by ramparts, crowned by a fortress, with an Upper and delightful Lower town.Tripoli. Libya. View of a highly colourful and decorative entrance to a side room of Ahmed Pash Karamanli Mosque which is the largest Mosque in the Medina. Dating from the 1730’s, the Mosque is richly decorated and amid it forest of marble columns has beautifully crafted floral, geometrical patterns and Moorish designs on its doors, walls and ceilings.The Mexican Aster, also known as Cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus), exudes a graceful and harmonious beauty. The flower symbolises the intricate harmony and synchronicity that permeates the entire universe. As an example, the flower serves as a powerful metaphor, depicting the interconnectedness of all life forms.View of the colossal 70-metre-high limestone sea stacks, nicknamed Gog and Mago, found along the Gibson Steps Beach. Port Campbell National Park, Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia.View along the magnificent 240 kilometre long Great Ocean Road, which hugs the southwest coast of Victoria, Australia. Windswept by the wild Southern Ocean, WW1 returned soldiers constructed the road between 1919 and 1932 and is one of the world’s most dramatic drives.Victoria. Australia. The Beeches Rainforest Walk, 15km from Marysville along Lady Talbot Drive, is a stunning and surreal 4km circuit walk through ancient rainforests filled with moss covered 300-year-old myrtle beech trees, idyllic waterfalls and streams.Megalohori is a delightful sleepy traditional village and hidden gem on the hugely popular Greek island of Santorini.Megalochori. Santorini. Greece.Classical statues surround the Palazzo della Civilta Italiana, known as the white marble square colosseum (Colesseo Quadrato). EUR, Rome, Italy. Currently the headquarters of Fendi, the building was designed in 1937 to host the Mostra della Civilta Romana during the 1942 World Fair by Italian architects Giovanni Guerrini, Ernesto Bruno La Padula and Mario Romano. It lies in the district of Rome known as the Esposizione Universale Roma (also known as E.42 and EUR).View of the curved north end of the monumental mystical Canopus. Villa Adriana. Tivoli. Italy. The Canopus is a reflecting pool 228 metres long and lined and surrounded by columns and statues.View along street Vicolo di Mercurio with stepping stones to let pedestrians cross without getting their feet wet, Pompeii ItalyMykonos. Cyclades. Grecce. Charming view along a narrow whitewashed cobbled lane in Chora. Chora, capital of the Greek island of Mykonos offers countless echoes of traditional Cycladic Greece and is a dazzling labyrinthine of twisting narrow whitewashed cobbled streets bursting with bougainvillea, cubist white houses and vaulted passageways.Panoramic views over Tidal River, the coast and offshore islands from the summit of Mount Oberon, Wilsons Promontory National Park, Victoria, Australia.Civita di Bagnoregio. Lazio. Italy. This image was captured at the awe-inspiring hill town of Civita di Bagnoregio in the province of Viterbo within the region of Lazio, central Italy.Rome. Italy. View of the exterior of the epic Colosseum exterior which is one of ancient Rome’s greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering. Completed in A.D. 80, the monumental four storey building is the largest amphitheatre ever built by the Romans and endures as an emblem of past glories. The Colosseum at its peak accommodated 70,000 spectators to watch gladiatorial contests, animal hunts and the arena could be flooded for mock sea battles. The Colosseum is a UNESCO world Heritage Site as part of the Historical centre of Rome listing.Acropolis. Athens. Greece. View of the south west corner of the icon, landmark and world famous Parthenon Temple which crowns the Acropolis summit. The Parthenon, a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena (Athena Parthenos), was constructed and decorated between 447 and 432 BC. The Parthenon is a Doric style peristyle temple with 17 fluted columns along each side and eight at the ends, which lean slightly inward and bulge out in the centre to cunningly offset the natural optical distortion. The entire Temple, apart from the roof, were of white Pentelic marble with the sculptures that once decorated the pediments, friezes and metopes all being painted in vivid colours. The Parthenon was the centrepiece and jewel of the monumental rebuilding and transformation of the Acropolis during the time of Perikles. The Acropolis of Athens and its monuments are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Santorini. Cyclades. Greece. View of a lone boat sailing the shimmering golden sun lit water of the caldera.Santorini. Cyclades. Greece. View of the picture postcard village of Oia which is a romantic mix of blue domed churches and whitewashed and pastel colour dwellings clinging to the northern end of the caldera rim. Located at the southern limits of the Cyclades, Santorini is the Mediterranean’s and one of world’s most spectacular islands.Santorini. Cyclades. Greece. View of the blue domed Anastasis Church which overlooks the azure blue waters of the caldera. The church is located in the northern picture postcard village of Oia.Santorini. Cyclades. Greece. View of a white and black cat sitting beside a wooded blue picket gate. Located at the southern limits of the Cyclades, Santorini is the Mediterranean’s and one of world’s most spectacular and uniquely beautiful islands.Cappadocia. Turkey. Aerial view from a hot air balloon of the spectacular rock formations and eroded volcanic rock tuff landscape.Villa d’Este. Tivoli. Italy. View through spurting water from the fountain of Neptune of the magnificent landscaped and lush level gardens and fishponds at the Villa d Este in Tivoli. Villa d’Este, renowned for its spectacular use of water, represents the quintessence of the Italian garden of the High Renaissance. It is a designated UNESCO world heritage site.Pienza. Tuscany. Italy. Panoramic of the charming Renaissance and medieval hilltop town of Pienza in southern Tuscany. Set amid rolling dreamy and romantic Tuscan landscapes of the Val d’orcia, the pedestrian only town was transformed by Pope Pius II in the 15th century into a model for Renaissance town planning. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Pienza. Tuscany. Italy. View of the rolling dreamy and romantic Tuscan landscapes of the Val d’orcia that surround the charming Renaissance and medieval hilltop town of Pienza in southern Tuscany.Petra. Jordan. Sweeping view of the legendary Monastery which is the most awe inspiring monument at ancient rose red city of Petra. Dating from the third century BC, the Monastery is hidden above the hills and at least 60 minutes climb from the ancient city’s centre.Palmyra. Syria. View during sun set of the front of the Monumental Arch which was erected in the early third century AD under Septimius Severus in order to disguise the thirty degree a change of direction of the first and second sections of the Great Colonnade. The arch is richly decorated with motifs of acorns and oak leaves, palm trunks and acanthus shoots. Palmyra is one the world’s great archaeological sites with architecture that fused Greek-Roman techniques with local traditions and Persian influences. The ruins seen today on its vast 50 hectares date from around the 2nd century AD. Palmyra is a UNSECO World Heritage Site.idi Bou Said. Tunisia. View of typical quite peaceful cobbled alleyway lined with whitewashed walls and blue doors and blue window grills in the cliff top village of Sidi Bou Said.Rome. Italy. View at dusk of masses of tourists at the 17th century Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna). At the top of the elegant staircase is the 16th century Church of Trinita dei Monti with its twin bell towers and the small scale copy of the Pharaoh Rameses II obelisk found in Piazza del Popolo. In the piazza at the bottom of the Spanish Steps is the 17th century Fountain of the Old Boat (Fontana della Barcaccia) designed by either Gian Lorenzo Bernini or his father Pietro.Caserta. Campania. Italy. View from behind the fountain of Venus and Adonis along the promenade that extends for 3 kilometres across the park in a straight line to the Royal Palace. Designed so as to rival to rival and even overshadow Versailles, the avenue is lined by narrow lawns and punctuated by cascades, ponds, groups of statues and fountains with mythological themes.Naxos. Cyclades. Greece. Cycladic Aegean architecture, with the stunning backdrop of the blue sky and waters of the Mediterranean sea. This was taken near the pretty northern coastal village of Apollonas. A major member of the ancient Cycladic civilisation, the island of Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades archipelago and is situated in the heart of the Aegean.Abu Simbel. Egypt. Tourists surround and admire one of the most famous temples of the world – the 13th century BC Great Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel.Rome. Vatican. Italy. Early morning view of Saint Peters Square (Piazza San Pietro) and the shadow granite obelisk from the lantern atop Michelangelo’s famous dome of Saint Peters Basilica. In the foreground are some of the 13 statues in travertine that represent Christ the Redeemer, St. John the Baptist and 11 Apostles. In the middle of Saint Peters Square is the granite obelisk which dates from the 13th century BC and was originally erected in Heliopolis, Egypt.Rome. Italy. People biking through the leafy lanes within the Villa Borghese Gardens which is the largest public park in Rome. The park which is in the heart of Rome is one of Europe’s most elegant parks and features a lake, temples, fountains, statues, small zoo and several museums. It’s a pleasure to walk or bike through its leafy lanes and watch Romans and tourists at play or relaxing and escape the hectic streets of Rome.Acropolis. Athens. Greece. View of the famous Caryatid porch on the south side of the Erechtheion on the Acropolis summit. The porch or balcony has six sculptured graceful figures of maidens supporting the entablature.Soaring Mountain Ash Trees – Many trees exceeding 85 metres in height – tower over a car on the roads known as the ‘Black Spur’. Located 60kilomteres from Melbourne, The Black Spur is an iconic stretch of road which bisects the Yarra Ranges between Healesville and Marysville. Its lazy curves wind around soaring majestic mountain ash trees that appear to reach the heavens; seemingly embracing and guarding the winding road as you drive through.Rome. Italy. View of Saint Peters Basilica from Via della Conciliazione.Chile – View of the Andes MountainsKastoria. Macedonia. Greece. Panoramic view of Kastoria, a picturesque lake town in mountainous North-western Greece.Stone bases of the Zanes leading to the Olympic stadium entrance. Ancient Olympia, Peloponnese. Greece. The Zanes were bronze statues of Zeus erected and financed by the proceeds of the fines levied on athletes who broke the code of the ancient Olympic Games. The name of the offending athlete was inscribed on the base. The Zanes were placed in a visible place at the entrance to the stadium as an example to those competing in the Games. Olympia was the site of the ancient Olympic Games and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Delphi. Greece. View of the circular elegant Tholos with its three restored columns at the Sanctuary of Athena at Delphi. Dating from 390-380 BC, the round temple originally had twenty slim and graceful pentelic marble columns in Doric order on the outside.Brazil. The awe inspiring Iguazu Falls – one of the seven wonders of the natural world roar forcefully. For a scenic highlight, it’s hard to top the Iguazu Falls, the largest in the world in terms of water volume, with an amazing 275 distinct falls that plunge from varying heights spread over a 3km semi-circle.Red hibiscus flower with a backdrop of a blue door and whitewashed buildings. Megalochori, Santorini, Greece.View of the Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain) which is Rome’s largest and most famous fountain. Rome. Italy.Santorini. Cyclades. Greece. View of the famous golden orange glow of the romantic Santorini sunset Located at the southern limits of the Cyclades, Santorini is the Mediterranean’s and one of world’s most spectacular and uniquely beautiful islands.Cappadocia. Turkey. View of mushroom shaped fairly chimneys with multiple stems and caps, some housing chapels in Pasbag or Monks valley. Monks Valley is famous for having some of Cappadocia’s finest mushroom shaped fairly chimneys in which Monks hollowed out and lived in.Syntagma square. Athens. Greece. View of Greek Evzones arriving to perform the very slow and highly stylized ceremonial changing of the guard at the monument to the Unknown Soldier in Athens.Petra. Jordan. View of the majestic and breathless Hellenistic elegant facade of the world famous Treasury building at the Red Rose city of Petra. The Treasury dates to around the 1st century BC and is believed to be commissioned by the Nabatean king Aretas III.Italy. Basilicate. Craco. Picturesque view of the medieval hilltop ghost town of Craco which is dominated by its magnificent Norman period tower. Scenically rising above its mesmerizing landscape, the town overlooks the Cavone river valley in the region of Basilicate in southern Italy. Founded around 500 AD, the town which is in a seismic active area was completely abandoned by its population in 1991 when a succession of landslides threatened to ruin the town and its people.Aleppo. Syria. An ornate lantern hangs at the arched inner entrance to the centre of the Citadel with the minaret of the Great mosque visible in the background. Situated on a 55 meters high mound that has had different forms of defences for at least two thousand years, the impressive Citadel dominates the centre of Aleppo and is the city’s most spectacular sight.Medieval Tower and lake. Garden of Ninfa. Lazio. Italy. The beautiful and romantic Garden of Ninfa is located in the territory of Cisterna di Latina within the central Italian region of Lazio, Italy.Argentina – Buenos Aires – La Boca – Caminito StreetMykonos.Greece. View of a sleeping brown and black dog sitting in front of the green doors and entrance to a hotel.Methoni. Peloponnese. Greece. View of the fairly-tale like octagonal Venetian Bourtzi tower situated on a little islet and joined by a causeway to the 13th century Venetian fortress. During the middle ages, Methoni was known as the ‘eyes of Venice’, due to its strategic position on extreme western tip of the Peloponnese and was a popular stop for pilgrims en route to the holy land and Venice. The Venetian fortress here is the best preserved in the Peloponnese.Rome. Italy. View of the well preserved Arch of Constantine (Arco di Constantino) which is a triumphal arch situated beside the Colosseum. It was erected in 315 AD to honour Constantine’s victory over co-emperor Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge on October 28, 312 AD. Most of the reliefs on the war memorial were taken from older buildings from previous centuries which were probably disused and demolished.Turkey. Kusadasi. Hand of peace sculpture with doves is silhouetted against the Aegean sunset on the waterfront promenade. Kusadasi is a coastal resort town in the Aydin province of Aegean west coast Turkey.Luxor. Egypt. Theatrical porticoed courtyard with Osiris columns in the Temple of Ramses III at the Temple of Amun in Karnak.Sidi Bou Said. Tunisia. View of a blue door with studded ornamentation in the cliff top village of Sidi Bou Said. The village is named after Sidi Bou Said, a 13th century Sufi Saint or Holy man who settled here on his return journey from his pilgrimage to Mecca. The pretty village is reminiscent of a Cycladic Greek island, with its whitewashed homes with blue shutters and colourful doors and cobbled and narrow alleyways overflowing with bougainvillea.View of the serene waters of the Ninfa river and the Ponte Romano (Roman Bridge). Garden of Ninfa. Lazio. Italy.Rome. Lazio. Italy. View through the arched doorway entrance of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain. The entrance was built by Francesco Borromini, and past the entrance one can see a charming garden and fountain in the embassy’s pretty courtyard.Naxos. Cyclades. Greece. View at sunset of the towering marble Gateway of the unfinished 6th BC Temple of Apollo. The gateway’s roots, like those of Naxos lay deep in mythology; Locals believe it to be portal of the palace of Ariadne, the lover of legendary hero Thesues who abandoned her here after she helped him escape the Minotaur of Crete. Legend has it that she then took solace in the arms of Dionysus, Greek god of the vine and protector of Naxos.Moni Arkadiou. Crete. Greece. View of colourful pot plants lined up against a rustic stone wall inside the beautiful and impressive Monastery of Arkadiou. The Orthodox Monastery of Arkadiou was originally founded in the 11 century and is set on a plateau in the Ida Mountains 23 kilometres southeast of Rethymno. Crete is Greece’s largest island and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean.Black cat is surrounded by colourful plants and flowers. Medieval town of Mesta. Chios. Greece. The pentagon shape and fortifications of the town has its roots back to the 14th century when the city was ruled by the Genoese.
