Description

As the most visited region in the world, Europe offers a tremendous range of attractions--a diversity that is even reflected on the continent's coastline itself. Europe's nearly 750 million residents and hundreds of thousands of annual visitors can make for crowded cities and congested towns, but the coastal areas offer plenty of spots for people to get in touch with nature--and to experience the majesty of the Atlantic Ocean.

Nearly 450 awe-inspiring photos spotlight the Atlantic, which looms off the coast of western Europe as a mercilessly untamed, rugged, and endless expanse. The ocean is characterized by shoals and foaming spray, surging waves, and treacherous currents, yet it is also a unique habitat for whales and sea birds--and an inviting sight for us humans as it gleams in the light of the setting sun. Where rock, wind, and water collide--on coasts from Iceland to the Canary Islands, from northern Norway to Algarve--the range of the sea's strength becomes evident in the empty beaches and imposing cliff faces, the black lava rocks, and the high surf pent up against stone walls.