John

I first spotted Château de Chillon from a dawn boat crossing Lake Geneva, its 42-meter tower emerging through Alpine mist like a medieval mirage. This 0.01-square-kilometer rocky islet holds 25 interconnected buildings—more medieval architecture packed into tinier space than any castle I’ve explored across 25 years photographing Europe’s fortresses. What stunned me wasn’t just the … Lire plus

I’ve spent two decades exploring more than 900 islands scattered across the Adriatic, from Italy’s forgotten limestone stacks to Albania’s wild coastlines. But nothing prepared me for the moment our boat rounded Pašman Channel and I saw Galesnjak from above through a friend’s drone camera. This 0.132-square-kilometer Croatian islet forms a perfect natural heart shape … Lire plus

Tucked into the vineyard-wrapped foothills of France’s Vosges Mountains, Châtenois delivers a medieval time capsule that most visitors to Alsace completely overlook. This enchanting village – with its rare double medieval wall system intact – offers the authentic Alsatian experience that disappeared from its more famous neighbors decades ago. A medieval fortress hiding in plain … Lire plus

At dawn on Motu Tautau, the Pacific Ocean transforms into liquid sapphire. This private islet cradles just 59 overwater suites — the entire resort footprint of Le Taha’a by Pearl Resorts, French Polynesia’s first Relais & Châteaux sanctuary. While Bora Bora drowns in 2 million annual tourists, this 300-meter coral jewel remains what locals protectively … Lire plus

I wasn’t supposed to be in Utah’s San Rafael Desert that October morning. My GPS had failed near Hanksville, and I’d taken what I thought was a detour back to Highway 24. Instead, at 6:47am, I crested a ridge and saw something that made me pull over so fast I left skid marks on the … Lire plus

I stepped off the ferry at dawn onto Smøla Island, and the silence hit me like a revelation. No cruise ship horns. No tour buses idling. Just 2,100 residents living their fishing rhythms on Norway’s most underrated Atlantic edge. While Geirangerfjord drowns under 1.5 million annual visitors paying €300+ per night, this Norwegian archipelago offers … Lire plus

I arrive at Neuschwanstein Castle at 6:37am, just as dawn light turns the limestone walls soft pink. The courtyard stands empty—no tour groups, no selfie sticks, just mountain mist rising through the valley below. This silence lasts exactly 90 minutes before the first buses arrive at 8am, transforming this fairy-tale into a logistical challenge that … Lire plus