Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Travel / Europe

On the anniversary of the assassination of an anti-mafia magistrate, Palermo's citizens joined politicians in a fiaccolata, or candlelight vigil, in his honor.

In Sicily, Defying the Mafia

Fed up with extortion and violent crime, ordinary citizens are rising up against organized crime

After doing some digging, author Joshua Hammer discovered an anti-mafia movement going on in Sicily and thought it would make a good Smithsonian story.

Joshua Hammer on “In Sicily, Defying the Mafia”

St. Mark’s Basilica (above) reflects the apogee of Venetian influence: gilded ornamentation, including equine figures looted from Constantinople in 1204, caused it to be known as the Chiesa d’Oro (Church of Gold).

Venice, Italy

A focal point for visitors today, the gateway sign says "Work Will Set You Free," a monstrous lie told to the men, women and children imprisoned there.

Can Auschwitz Be Saved?

Liberated in 1945, the Nazi concentration camp is one of Eastern Europe’s most visited sites—and most fragile

In a once strife-torn Belfast neighborhood (where murals today dramatize a message of hope), reconciliation is taking hold. Even so, says Father Aidan Troy, formerly of a Belfast parish, progress must be nurtured day by day: "Peace is a delicate plant."

In Northern Ireland, Getting Past the Troubles

A decade after Protestants and Catholics agreed on a peace treaty, both sides are adjusting to a hopeful new reality

Now seen as early evidence of prehistoric worship, the hilltop site was previously shunned by researchers as nothing more than a medieval cemetery.

Gobekli Tepe: The World’s First Temple?

Predating Stonehenge by 6,000 years, Turkey’s stunning Gobekli Tepe upends the conventional view of the rise of civilization

Night view of Istanbul, Turkey.

Snapshot: Istanbul

Istanbul’s vastly growing population and blending of cultures make it one of the most dynamic cities in the world

Cameos

Adventures of a Portuguese Poet

Wild-hearted Luis Vaz de Camoes’ years abroad are not well-known, but that hasn’t lessened his legend

Piccolo Lagazuoi as seen from Cinque Torre, an Italian position overlooking the front line

Climbing the Via Ferrata

In Italy’s Dolomites, a Hike Through World War I History

This panoramic view of Prague was taken from one of three ballustraded balconies of the Lobkowicz Palace.

Americans in Prague

A second wave of expatriates is now playing a vital role in the renaissance of the Czech capital

Prague

Almost a Fairy Tale

Jonathan Kandell, author of “Americans in Prague,” talks about one of Europe’s most beautiful cities

In Lisbon's Rossio Square, Pistolesi's computer-aided stitching together of 12 distinct images yields one, he says, that is "like a painting."

Circling Squares

A 360-degree perspective on some of Europe’s most alluring public spaces

None

Interview with Erla Zwingle, Author of “Pamplona: No Bull”

Erla Zwingle talks about local festivals and her impressions of the city of Pamplona.

Since Berliners toppled the wall, construction has reshaped the city.

Beyond the Wall: Berlin

Nearly 17 years after the wall came down, Berliners are still trying to escape its shadow

Central Market, built in 1895

Continental Crossroads

East greets West as Hungary’s history-rich capital embraces the future

The Frauenkirche of Dresden at Neumarkt in 2009

Dresden’s Crowning Glory

Sixty years after it was reduced to rubble by Allied bombing, the reconstructed Baroque Frauenkirche once again dominates the historic city’s skyline

Actress Meg Faragher as Polly Stevenson Hewson, the daughter of Franklin's landlady, guides visitors through a high-tech presentation dramatizing Franklin's London years.

Ben Franklin Slept Here

The ingenious founding father’s only surviving residence, in London, is reborn as a museum

Work on Stonehenge began around 3000 B.C., with a ditch circling wood posts.

Mystery Man of Stonehenge

The discovery of a 4,300-year-old skeleton surrounded by intriguing artifacts has archaeologists abuzz

None

Paris, Mon Amour

For photographer Robert Doisneau, finding an openly affectionate couple in the City of Light was as easy as falling in love

Fast hands gut fresh fish in l'Escala. Many of the anchovies salted along the Catalan coast and branded with local names (above) are now trucked in from elsewhere.

Homage to the Anchovy Coast

You may not want them on your pizza, but along the Mediterranean they’re a prized delicacy and a cultural treasure

Page 18 of 20