Siena still runs on medieval time—in the best way. Its centre hasn’t changed much in centuries, and that’s part of the charm. The Piazza del Campo is the heart of it all—it’s where the Palio horse race happens twice a year. Climb the Torre del Mangia for wide views across the rooftops. The cathedral’s worth the time, especially its black-and-white striped interior, detailed floor mosaics (open seasonally), and the Piccolomini Library tucked inside. Don’t skip the crypt or the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo—they’re quieter and give you a different angle on the city.

On this rich archaeological site from the pre-Roman and Roman times about a hundred tombs have been discovered, out of which some date back from the 4th century B.C. According to the found artefacts and records of the Roman writers, experts identify this settlement as Arausona, a Liburnian-Roman settlement mentioned by Pliny. Tombs of the older layers of necropolis date back from the 3rd to the 1st century B.C., and they were made under the Hellenistic influence. A complex of blocks of houses made of fine carpeted stone, joined with clay, and later with mortar was also found here. The settlement was surrounded by defensive walls, made from the fractal stone, and was divided by streets. Some buildings had water tanks incised into the bedrock for collecting the rain-water.

Château d'If was, historically, France’s very own Alcatraz, built in 1527 and used as a prison in the 17th century. This place was the inspiration for Alexandre Dumas's novel "The Count of Monte Cristo", and occupies an island of its own 1.5 km offshore.

Lying just to the north of the central business district is the main diplomatic quarter where most of the international embassies are located. There are also several waterfront hotels, including the InterContinental, St Regis and, further out, the Grand Hyatt and Ritz Carlton. This up-and-coming area is where we find two more Doha’s visitor highlights, the new developments of Katara Cultural Village and The Pearl-Qatar.