Not far from the Grote Markt in the direction of the canal, you can climb up a winding overlook where this statue stands at rapt attention. He faces north, toward the port and the English Channel, standing guard over whatever may come to face the beautiful city. 

Visit the Botanic Gardens in Antwerp, Belgium for a peaceful atmosphere, enchanting collections of flora and art that might just surprise you.

Antwerp offers many colors to the jogger's eye when passing through the city park in fall. This photo I took from the bridge on my way to the Jewish Quarter for some tasty cuisine.

Atop the hillside castle in pictoresque Bamberg, Germany, you will find a stunning rose garden sprinkled with statues as beautiful as this one. You can easily spend an hour wandering around here and enjoying the view over the city from the terrace just behind her. 

While most consider Bruges or Amsterdam as the Venice of Northern Europe, I would wager that Ghent would strike you as a strong contestant for that title. 

The naturescape just outside of the MoMA, Ghent's Museum of Modern Art, is home to a flock of birds that will surely catch your eye. The museum itself is absolutely worth a visit and they are always keeping a fascinating slough of exhibitions running through the halls. 

The naturescape just outside of the MoMA, Ghent's Museum of Modern Art, is home to a flock of birds that will surely catch your eye. The museum itself is absolutely worth a visit and they are always keeping a fascinating slough of exhibitions running through the halls.