Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence

I happened upon the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore late one afternoon as the sun was beginning to set. It can be found at Piazza Duomo in Florence, Italy. Entrance to the cathedral is free however if you wish to climb the dome (hiding in the corner of the top-left image), there is a fee and you will be required to climb 463 steps! For more information, click here.

Dancing Building, Prague

'Dancing Building' - Prague

This intriguing building is known as the 'Dancing Building' or 'Dancing House' and was designed by Frank Gehry and Vlado Milunic in the early 90's. It is apparently also known as the 'Fred and Ginger Building' after Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. To find out more, click here.

Lavenham, England

Lavenham, England

These charming buildings are from an old medieval village called Lavenham in Suffolk, England. The whole village is full of these gorgeous old buildings, which I fell in love with on my first trip to England back when I was eighteen. The picture on the right is part of the Church of St Peter and St Paul. For more information on Lavenham, click here.

Musee d'Orsay, Paris

Musee d'Orsay, Paris

 Musee d'Orsay is a stunning building, perhaps one of my favourite in Paris. What was once a train station, the building now holds some of the most famous works of art the world has ever known including van Gogh, Rousseau, Degas and Monet. For more information, click here.

San Gimignano, Italy

The view from Torre Grossa, San Gimignano, Italy

This is the beautiful walled city of San Gimignano, nestled in the Tuscan countryside of Italy. Originally, 72 towers were built in the 11th century however now only 13 remain. This photograph was taken from the tallest remaining tower, Torre Grossa, 54 metres high. Climbing the steps gave me jelly legs but the view was worth it, wouldn't you agree? For more information on San Gimignano, click here.

St. Stephen's Basilica, Budapest

St. Stephen's Basilica, Budapest

St. Stephen's Basilica had been on our list of things to see while in Budapest, however we stumbled across it on our way back to our hotel on our second night in the city. Although we later returned to it in daylight, we found it to be more striking in the evening. It is said to be the most photographed sight in the city so night time allows you to avoid the large amounts of tourists vying for the best photographic positions.

Sunset in New Mexico

Santa Fe, New Mexico

This stunning sunset was taken looking over the desert in Santa Fe, New Mexico in November 2010. There isn't much more to say about it as it kind of speaks for itself...

 

Sacré-Cœur Basilica, Paris

Sacré-Cœur Basilica, Paris

Perhaps one of my favourite buildings in the world, Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Paris stands on a hill overlooking the city of love. And on a summers day, like when I visited, there is nothing more spectacular than sitting on the grass at the bottom of the steps will a bottle of red and soaking up the sun.

Manhattan, New York City

Manhattan, New York City

This glorious view over the city of Manhattan was taken from the the observation deck of the Rockefeller Centre in New York City. Choosing to ride the elevator in the late afternoon, we were able to see Big Apple in daylight, sunset, and after dark with the city lights. If you want to do this, plan ahead as they have scheduled entry times to cope with tourists. This photo is looking south and yes that is the Chrysler Building sticking out in the middle.

The Three Sisters, Blue Mountains

The Three Sisters, Blue Mountains

These three rock formations are known as The Three Sisters, situated in the Blue Mountains, north-west of Sydney. While visiting friends in Sydney a couple of years ago, we escaped the busy city and found ourselves amongst the beautiful mountains. It was quite and tranquil and the perfect day trip from central Sydney.

For more information visit Blue Mountains Australia

Fisherman's Bastion, Budapest

Fisherman's Bastion, Budapest

This striking building is Fisherman's Bastion, situated on the Buda side of Budapest. It is perfectly situated overlooking the Danube River, the buildings of Parliament and the Pest side of the city, sitting in a row with Buda Castle, the Royal Palace and Matyas Church.

Zizkov Tower, Prague

Zizkov Tower, Prague

 This intriguing building is Zizkov Tower, a TV Transmitter in the centre of Prague. Sculptor David Cerny created the giant babies in 2000 as a temporary installation and in 2001, they were made a permanent fixture on the building. The view from inside the tower is just as interesting as the one from below with 360 degree views over central Prague (for a small fee) and also features a restaurant, bistro and bar.

 

Margaret Island, Budapest

Margaret Island

Margaret Island in Budapest, Hungary, is 2.5km long and 500m wide. I visited it in late November 2012 and while I didn't actually take the time to find what was available to do on the island, I still had a lovely time. I am a big fan of autumn leaves and had so much fun playing amongst them and marvelling at the array of colours the trees produced. I am told that there are many different things to do on the island such as public pools, a small zoo and medieval ruins, although I would wager that if autumn leaves don't excited you as much as they do me, then save your trip for the summer months.