Colección de Fondos de Pantalla 202606

Beyond its postcard views, Bora Bora has a deeper story to tell. Its lagoon reflects how tropical islands evolve over time. Surrounded by shades of turquoise, this island in French Polynesia is home to one of the South Pacific's most celebrated lagoons, where coral reefs, volcanic peaks and ocean life exist side by side.

'Stick around' takes on a new meaning in the Sonoran Desert, where the saguaro cactus has mastered survival. With trunks and arms raised in all directions, this giant has become the American Southwest's mascot.

At Boneyard Beach within Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina, United States, the first thing you notice is the trees. Then comes the question: why are bleached trunks and exposed roots scattered across the sand like a scene paused midway through collapse? Since the 1980s, Hunting Island has experienced major beach erosion, with some of the highest rates along the US East Coast—reaching up to 9 metres per year in certain areas.

What does a parliament, a clock tower and a giant wheel have in common? They all stand beside the River Thames as if London had carefully staged its icons for dramatic effect.

Few squares in Belgium wear history as well as the Grand Place. The surrounding buildings, seen here, began as guild houses, each funded by a specific trade. Brewers, bakers, merchants and craftsmen treated architecture as language, translating work, status and rivalry into stone through reliefs, coats of arms and generous gold leaf. Styles meet without caution. Gothic verticals rise beside Baroque curves, while the Town Hall, older than its neighbours and unapologetically asymmetrical, holds the composition together.

Zoom in on the small interaction that helps keep landscapes alive: a butterfly on a yellow flower, pausing for nectar. While it feeds, pollen dusts its body and hitches a ride to the next bloom—one of the quiet ways flowering plants reproduce. Pollinators are not only bees. Butterflies, birds, bats, beetles and many other animals help move pollen, supporting wild plants and many of the fruits and vegetables people eat.

Mount Fuji, Japan's highest mountain, rises to 3,776 metres on Honshu Island, about 97 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. Its near-perfect cone is a volcano—dormant since its last eruption in December 1707 yet still classed as active. That last major event is known as the Hōei eruption. It blasted ash and other tephra across eastern Japan, reaching Edo (today's Tokyo). Beyond geology, Fuji has long been treated as a sacred landscape and a destination for pilgrimage climbs, reflecting how nature, religion and daily life overlap in Japan. That enduring cultural appeal is one reason it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013 as 'a sacred place and source of artistic inspiration.' Fuji is famously visible from far away on clear days but never guaranteed—clouds can hide it in minutes. Whether you hike it or just catch a glimpse from a train window, it still feels like Japan's signature on the horizon.

Rainforests aren't just dots on the map. They thrive across the tropics and beyond, yet cover only about 6% of Earth's surface. Quinault, in Olympic National Park in Washington state, is a primeval temperate rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula, where Pacific moisture creates ideal conditions for dense growth. Rain and drifting fog keep the forest thriving, turning branches, trunks and even fallen logs into living surfaces.

Above the Tarn Valley, the Millau Viaduct seems to brush the sky. At 343 metres, its highest pylons rise taller than the Eiffel Tower. At dawn, light mist often drifts between the hills of the Larzac plateau and Aveyron, wrapping steel and concrete in an almost unreal softness. From some viewpoints, the bridge can appear to float above the clouds rather than standing upon them.

A sculpted arch of ice rises from the Southern Ocean along the Antarctic Peninsula, one of the fastest-warming regions on Earth. This formation began as compacted snow that turned into glacial ice over thousands of years. Eventually, part of a glacier or floating ice shelf fractured and broke free—a process known as calving—creating a drifting iceberg.

Perched at the far edge of Piazza Bovio in Piombino, Tuscany, Italy, is the Piombino Lighthouse. Locally, it is known as 'Faro di Piombino' or 'La Rocchetta Lighthouse.' It overlooks the point where the Tuscan coast faces the island of Elba.

Set high above Cusco in Peru, Sacsayhuamán reveals the ambition of the Inca Empire in stone. Built in the 15th century, this vast complex once formed part of the sacred capital of the Incas. From above, the layout becomes clear: terraces, open plazas and the remains of towers forming a carefully planned citadel. The largest walls, built from enormous blocks, still stand strong today. Some stones rise more than 8.2 metres tall and were fitted together so precisely—without mortar—that the structure has endured centuries of earthquakes.

Follow the glowing ribbon of switchbacks and you'll find one of Switzerland's most legendary drives: Tremola Road, the historic southern approach to the Saint Gotthard Pass, above Airolo. Built in the early 1800s and largely shaped by a 1951 reconstruction, this route is celebrated as Switzerland's longest monument to historic road construction. Its showstopper stretch climbs about 299 metres in just 4 kilometres, curling through 24 named hairpin bends on granite cobblestones, with sturdy retaining walls edging the way. Overall, it runs about 11 kilometres and features 37 bends in total. Take it slow—every curve feels like a step back in time, trading speed for sweeping mountain scenery and big views toward the upper Leventina Valley. Whether you're driving, cycling or pulling over for photos, look for the Grand Tour of Switzerland photo spot framing those iconic zigzags.

Sea turtles have been navigating Earth's oceans for more than 100 million years. Imagine crossing vast stretches of open water and returning to the same beach decades later. Long migrations between feeding and nesting grounds are central to their lives, with some travelling thousands of kilometres across the oceans. They also play an important role in marine ecosystems by maintaining seagrass beds and helping to keep coral reefs healthy. Despite their resilience, all sea turtle species face threats including habitat loss, plastic pollution, climate change and accidental capture in fishing gear.

These mountains were shaped over time—and June 15, 1934, helped protect them. That's when the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established in Tennessee and North Carolina. Covering over 2,112 square kilometres, the park takes its name from the natural smoky haze drifting over its ridgelines. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, these peaks are over 300 million years old.

At daybreak, the mallard glides over the still water like a brush across a canvas. Its shimmering plumage—emerald-green head in the male, speckled brown coat in the female—catches the first light. It can be seen from the marshes of the Camargue to the urban canals of Amsterdam, a faithful companion of Europe's aquatic landscapes.

Layered ridges stretch across Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Their bands of pink, grey and gold shift with the light as eroded peaks and valleys come into view. Wind and water continue to shape this terrain, steadily wearing away soft sedimentary rock and exposing millions of years of Earth's history in layers formed by ancient rivers, volcanic ash and periods when shallow seas covered the region.

A streak of colour glides past a blur of wildflowers as a European bee-eater cuts through the air. Turquoise, gold and chestnut shimmer across its wings as it hunts in flight, snatching insects mid-air with swift turns. Bees and wasps are among its favoured prey, and the bird often removes the stinger before feeding—a behaviour that reduces the risk of injury.

Tucked away beneath steep cliffs near Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe, Praia da Ursa feels like the edge of the continent. Reached by a narrow, rugged trail, this secluded beach along Portugal's Atlantic coast is shaped largely by wind, stone and powerful waves. When the tide recedes, the shoreline briefly widens. Smooth rocks emerge, and with them, small signs of life. Limpets cling tightly to the exposed stone, holding fast where the ocean usually breaks.

From above, the lake's smooth surface contrasts sharply with the rugged ground surrounding it. Hnausapollur crater lake—also known as Bláhylur—lies in the heart of Fjallabak Nature Reserve, a remote area of Iceland's highlands shaped more by volcanic activity than by human settlement. The crater formed when magma met groundwater, triggering an explosion that carved out the circular basin visible today.

Vernazza is a small seaside town in Cinque Terre, in Italy's Liguria region. Built around the area's only natural harbour, it has long been tied to the sea. First recorded in 1080 as a fortified settlement and maritime base, it later became part of the Republic of Genoa's coastal defences. To this day, the village preserves its past in the ruins of Doria Castle and the watchtowers overlooking the bay. At the water's edge stands the Church of Santa Margherita d'Antiochia, first mentioned in 1318 and expanded in later centuries, with a bell tower overlooking the port. Above the houses and narrow lanes, steep terraces support vineyards and olive groves, shaped by generations of stonework in a landscape protected within Cinque Terre National Park, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture an aperitivo here: a glass of local white wine, the harbour in view and Ligurian favourites like focaccia and basil pesto—basically a postcard you can taste.

Today, let's follow the lead of a creature that goes wherever the water takes it. Want to spot a lion's mane jellyfish? Look in cold northern seas. Its bell is divided into eight lobes, and beneath it trail long tentacles and oral arms that can capture plankton, fish and even other jellyfish. Well, a single animal may carry thousands of stinging cells on each tentacle. For humans, the sting can be painful, and even detached tentacles washed ashore may still react on contact. The rule is simple: admire it, then leave it alone.

At Dunseverick Castle in Northern Ireland, history hangs on—literally. Wall fragments cling to a basalt stack above the Atlantic, proving that even ruins can hold their ground. Two thousand years ago, it marked the end of the Slige Midluachra, one of Ireland's five great roads, linking travellers to the royal seat at Hill of Tara. In the 5th century, Saint Patrick is said to have visited and baptised a local man, Olcán, here. Tradition holds that the Lia Fáil (Stone of Destiny), used for crowning Irish kings, was taken from this shore for Scotland.

Near Tupelo, Mississippi, the Natchez Trace Parkway follows one of North America's oldest travel corridors. Long before paved roads and motorways, Native American communities used this route for trade, hunting and communication across the Southeast. Curious how deeply history can shape a landscape? Some preserved sections of the original trail still sit noticeably below ground level, worn down by centuries of footsteps, horses and wagon wheels. Later, European and American traders, soldiers and explorers relied on the path during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

If nature had a 'do not disturb' sign, it would hang over Sarek National Park, often called 'the last European wilderness.' This remote corner of Swedish Lapland reminds us what the planet looks like when humans take a step back—and let the wild take the lead.

Poetic name, poetic appearance. Meet the snowy egret, whose all-white plumage and bright yellow 'slippers' on black legs give it a striking look. Once nearly wiped out by demand for its delicate breeding-season feathers—soft, lacy plumes prized for fashionable hats—conservation efforts saved its plumage.

An adventurer shown here cycles through Bardenas Reales Natural Park and Biosphere Reserve in Navarra, Spain, a stark landscape shaped by wind and water over millions of years. Its maze of eroded cliffs, plateaus and dry channels feels closer to another planet than northern Spain. Ever wondered why filmmakers use it as a stand-in for deserts and distant worlds? The reserve covers more than 400 square kilometres and supports hardy plants adapted to heat, drought and poor soils. Griffon vultures circle above ravines, while foxes, wildcats and migratory birds move across the semi-arid terrain.

Cutting a surreal path through the high-altitude deserts of western China, Xitai Jinaier Lake (also known as West Taijinar Lake) is a striking salt lake in the remote Qaidam Basin. A stretch of National Highway 315 runs directly across its shallow waters, creating the illusion of a road floating between two worlds. On one side, the water often appears deep blue; on the other, a softer green hue, a contrast shaped by differing mineral concentrations in the brine.

Palermo, the capital of the island of Sicily in southern Italy, is a city where layers of history, art and culture meet in a vivid and sometimes chaotic harmony. Founded by the Phoenicians and later shaped by Romans, Arabs, Normans and Spaniards, it carries traces of many civilisations that passed through the Mediterranean. This rich past is visible in its architecture, from the Arab-Norman palaces and churches recognised by UNESCO to the Baroque facades that define its historic streets.

Few places show their power quite like Everglades National Park in Florida, United States. From above, Florida's iconic wetlands unfold as a vast patchwork of shallow water, sawgrass, mangroves and winding channels, shaped by freshwater flowing slowly south from Lake Okeechobee.