Four first stops, four atmospheres and four stories. From the Thames to the canals of Venice, from Tuscany to the Acropolis, Caroline travels through a Europe of monuments, legends and memory.
Her Europe notebook
One continent, centuries of stories
Caroline does not travel through Europe as a simple sequence of capitals. She stops where a monument tells the story of an era, where a city has shaped its landscape around water, where an architectural feat became an icon, or where stones preserve the memory of ancient civilisations.
For this first European selection, four destinations set the tone: London, Venice, Pisa and Athens. Each stop combines a historical story, a memorable fact and a retro poster that Caroline brings home from her journey.
4European stops
4 countriesto begin the journey
€29.90poster price
01
United Kingdom · London
London — Westminster and Big Ben
On the north bank of the Thames, the Palace of Westminster is one of the United Kingdom's great institutional landmarks. After the 1834 fire destroyed much of the old palace, Charles Barry was commissioned to design a new parliamentary complex, with Augustus Pugin responsible for much of its Gothic Revival decorative language. The clock tower, completed in the 19th century, quickly became inseparable from London's skyline. Today it is known as Elizabeth Tower.
Did you know?'Big Ben' originally refers to the great bell of the clock, not the tower itself.
Venice developed in the heart of a lagoon where water has always served as street, boundary and trade route. For centuries, the Republic of Venice was a major maritime power in the Mediterranean. The Grand Canal sweeps through the city in a broad curve lined with palaces that bear witness to this prosperity. The Rialto Bridge, long an essential crossing between the two banks, was rebuilt in stone in the late 16th century to a design by Antonio da Ponte.
Did you know?For centuries, the Rialto was the commercial heart of Venice, right beside its markets and historic financial activities.
The famous Leaning Tower of Pisa is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of the cathedral on today's Piazza dei Miracoli. Construction began in the 12th century. Very early on, soft ground and foundations that were not deep enough caused uneven settlement, creating its characteristic tilt. Work continued over several generations with long interruptions, which also allowed builders to gradually adapt the upper levels.
Did you know?The tower's lean was certainly not planned: it appeared while construction was still underway.
Rising above Athens on its rocky plateau, the Acropolis contains some of the most celebrated monuments of ancient Greece. The Parthenon was built in the 5th century BCE during the major building programme associated with Pericles. Dedicated to Athena, protector of the city, it was designed by the architects Ictinus and Callicrates, while Phidias oversaw a major part of the sculptural programme. Over the centuries, the building served several purposes and underwent many transformations before becoming a universal symbol of Greek antiquity.
Did you know?The Parthenon is not made of perfectly straight lines: subtle curves and optical refinements contribute to the building's visual balance.
The Grand Canal is Venice's main historic transport artery. Its banks are lined with palaces, former warehouses and buildings tied to the commercial wealth of the Venetian Republic.
Its lean is mainly caused by compressible ground and foundations too shallow to distribute the tower's weight evenly. The problem appeared during the earliest stages of construction.
Why does the Parthenon look so perfectly balanced?
Greek architects used subtle optical refinements: some lines are slightly curved and the columns are not strictly identical. These adjustments strengthen the impression of harmony when the monument is viewed.
