An exposure apparatus has a projection optical system. The projection optical system has a first optical element closest to an image plane thereof and a second optical element which is second closest to the image plane with respect to the first optical element. The first optical element has a lower surface arranged opposite to a surface of a substrate and an upper surface arranged opposite to the second optical element. A space between the second optical element and the upper surface of the first optical element is filled with a second liquid so that a liquid immersion area is formed in an area of the upper surface, the area including an area through which an exposure light beam passes. The substrate is exposed by radiating the exposure light beam onto the substrate through a first liquid on a side of the lower surface of the first optical element and the second liquid on a side of the upper surface. It is possible to avoid any deterioration of the exposure accuracy caused by the pollution of the optical element, and to suppress any enormous expansion of the liquid immersion area.