forest settings

Nestled in the hills of southwest France, the picturesque village of Conques is home to a magnificent Romanesque abbey church, rich with sculpture. There is also a medieval treasury.

This gold-leaf-covered temple is one of the most beautiful sights in Kyoto, nestled in the woods and reflected in the waters of its garden pond.

The large Coba complex, much of which still remains to be excavated, consists of multiple temples and pyramids (including the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan) connected by an extensive system of ceremonial roads.

Boasting a spectacular hillside location among olive and cork trees, this stone circle is the most important megalithic site in Portugal. Its 96 standing stones were arranged in an oval in 5000-4000 BCE.

One of the most atmospheric sites at Angkor, this 12th-century Buddhist temple is fighting a losing battle with the mighty roots of the thriving jungle.

Founded in 1148, the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque is a lovely Cistercian abbey and one of the best places to see Provence's famed lavender fields. Its austere and harmonious Romanesque church was completed in 1178.

The second-oldest Cistercian monastery in Britain, Tintern Abbey stands in picturesque ruins on the southeastern border of Wales.

St Nicholas' Church in Oddington is a village parish church with a magical woodland setting and an entire wall of medieval wall paintings. Located just a few miles east of Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds, it is open daily.

This ancient Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari, the god of rice and prosperity, features a remarkable path through thousands of red torii.

Originally intended to be coated in silver, this harmonious temple ended up in simple wood. It houses an image of Kannon and includes lovely gardens.