Behind the camera | July 2026

A year ago, Kārlis Baidekalns made a career change that landed him in the Operations Control Centre at airBaltic. He’s travelled to more than 40 countries, and he always has his camera with him – having a half-decent picture makes it considerably easier to revisit these experiences somewhere down the line.

1. This is the Eiffel Tower, seen from what is arguably the best viewpoint in Paris – the Tour Montparnasse observation deck. From there, you get a stunning view of the city without having to look at the Tour Montparnasse itself.

2. In Athens, history refuses to stay in the past. The Parthenon, pictured here, has held up remarkably well, especially considering its respectable age of nearly 2500 years. The sheer scale of the history that’s still alive here puts most other spots in Europe to shame.

3. Lake Bled is pure Slovenian bliss just a 45-minute drive from Ljubljana. A lone church in the middle of the lake with a stunning Alpine backdrop makes it feel almost unreal.

4. The village of Manarola in Cinque Terre is what the Italian dream looks like. It’s a must-see for anyone flying to Pisa.

5. All roads lead to Rome. And a visit there gives you a 2-for-1, with Vatican City and St. Peter’s Basilica at the heart of it. Excellent cuisine, a warm climate, and enough historical sites for several lifetimes make this a destination Baidekalns would choose again and again.