Things to Do in Europe

Standing proud on Piccadilly since 1707, Fortnum & Mason, along with the equally famous Harrods, takes the prize for London’s best-known and most iconic department store. Named after its principal proprietors William Fortnum and Hugh Mason, the central London store is now owned by Wittington Investments Ltd, but its namesakes still grace the iconic rooftop clock – with four-foot high mechanical statues of the men themselves whirring into action as the clock chimes each hour.

Belying its early incarnation as a simple grocery store, Fortnum’s soon earned a reputation for selling the highest quality foods and imported delicacies to London’s high society, even supplying food for a number of Victorian era Royal functions. Today, the variety has expanded but the quality remains top notch, with their luxury Christmas and picnic hampers - a renowned tradition dating back to Victorian times – ranging in price from a very reasonable  £35 to a mind-blowing £25,000.

In the last few decades, Fortnum’s has branched out into a number of alternative areas, selling home wares, perfumes, jewelry and accessories, all with a quintessentially English flavor. The spectacular window displays (particularly atmospheric around Christmas time) feature old-fashioned tearooms decorated with fine china and the central atrium is highlighted by a grand volute staircase and domed roof.

There’s plenty to do besides shopping here too. Visit the award-winning wine bar, sample Viennese cakes and strudels at the decadent ice cream parlor or eat in one of the acclaimed restaurants. You can also opt for traditional English Afternoon Tea in the new Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, where you can pick up some of the famous Fortnum & Mason loose-leaf tea to take away with you.

On the southwestern shore of Loch Ness, Fort Augustus is a picturesque village of 600 that gets packed with visitors during the summer months. Originally an 18th-century garrison, Fort August lies at the junction of four old military roads.

Rome is full of fountains, but some are more famous than others. The Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona is one of the fountains that, thanks to popular culture and a colorful legend about rival artists, is on many tourist must-see lists.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini is the artist behind the Fountain of the Four Rivers, which depicts four major rivers - the Nile, the Danube, the Rio de la Plata, and the Ganges - each representing a different continent. Sitting atop Bernini’s sculptures is an Egyptian obelisk.

The fountain was built in 1651 and sits at the center of the Piazza Navona, right in front of the church of Sant’Agnese in Agone. The statue representing the Rio de la Plata faces the church, and appears to be cowering away in horror at the design - the church was built by one of Bernini’s rivals. This is a common story, and a fun one, but it can’t be true - the church was built many years after Bernini’s fountain.

The Fountain of the Four Rivers features prominently in Dan Brown’s “Angels & Demons,” which makes it a must-see stop on any “Angels & Demons” tour of Rome.

Perched on a 37-meter cliff top jutting out into the Adriatic Sea, it’s easy to see how the dramatic Fort Lovrijenac earned itself the nicknamed of ‘Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar’. The mighty stone fortress is one of Dubrovnik’s most recognizable landmarks, looming over the western gate to the walled Old Town and providing a striking backdrop to the annual Dubrovnik Summer Festival.

Immortalized on-screen as part of the fictional King’s Landing in HBO’s hit fantasy drama, Game of Thrones, Fort Lovrijenac has further cemented its place at the top of tourist itineraries and few views are as breathtaking as looking out over the coastal city from the cliff top ramparts. Built in the 11th century, the fortress was once an impenetrable stronghold, with its 12-meter thick sea walls and infamous 3,000kg bronze ‘Guster’ cannon. An exhausting 175 stone steps lead up to the gateway of Fort Lovrijenac where the entrance is engraved with the poignant inscription ‘Non Bene Pro Toto Libertas Venditur Auro’ - ‘Freedom cannot be sold for all the treasures of the world’.