Hidden gems

Graz – Austria’s culinary and cultural capital. A practical tip from the start: If you want to explore Graz, wear comfortable shoes and loose clothing. Why? Even if Graz is actually small – the second-largest city in Austria with a quarter of a million resident by no means a “big city” – you should be prepared for the fact that time also flies in the many short lanes. Comfortable footwear goes easy on busy feet here. In the historic old town with its roads, streets, squares and courtyards there’s lots to explore and even more to be enjoyed, for Graz is also the culinary capital which you should not only see but taste as well.

Eger is one of Hungary’s most famous towns, characterised by superior wines, natural healing water springs, and noteworthy monuments. It was founded in 1004 C. A., around the time King Stephen made Christianity the religion of the nation. Eger is influenced by Christian and Turkish culture, Baroque and Classicist architecture. The town has a charming medieval atmosphere, where a thousand-year-old castle, thirty-eight temple towers and hills with vineyards provide a compelling backdrop.

Doncaster is an eclectic mix of the urban and the rural, and of the old and the new. World-famous for its horse racing and home to one of the most important race courses in the UK, Doncaster is one of Britain’s oldest cities, featuring an abundance of historic sights, interesting architecture, cultural activities, in a beautiful countryside setting.

The 6th largest city of Portugal, known for its wine, amazing weather, Cristiano Ronaldo and so much more. The city has attracted celebrated visitors for centuries, from Winston Churchill who created several of his paintings on Madeira, to the Empress Elisabeth of Austria and Queen of Hungary. The city is filled with historical buildings, fantastic cuisine and beautiful nature. You can find a lot of traditional products in this town such as Madeira wine, pastel de nata, and traditional embroidery. You are guaranteed to have a wonderful Madeira experience in Funchal!

Ghent is a compact, authentic city where the past and present co-exist in perfect balance. Walking through the city is like travelling through time: you turn the corner and just like that, you go from the fourteenth century to the twenty-first. In Ghent pounds the young heart of a cultural city filled with music, theatre, film and visual arts. Because of its central location in Flanders, Ghent is an ideal operating base to visit the Flemish Art Cities. Ghent is ready to welcome you with open arms!

Washington’s mountains rise from the ground like the mighty, mythical gods of lore. Stretching upwards with little regard for the communities of people peppered around them, such grand indifference captures our imaginations and awe. We strive to scale and conquer them, to master their trails and hills, and their magnificence allows us to transcend who we are in some magical way. Grand Mound, Washington places you within reach of the state’s majestic mountains, and thus its main attractions.

Dunedin, on the rugged east coast of New Zealand’s South Island, is a city of style and creativity. Officially founded in 1848 by the Free Church of Scotland, it's home to twenty five thousand students at the University of Otago, who mingle with the town’s landed gentry to create an eclectic destination that enthrals all who pass through. Surrounded by a deep blue harbour on one side and rolling misty hills on the other, Dunedin’s lush green dales and old world architecture pay tribute to the city’s Scottish heritage.

When in Debrecen, use your senses instead of the just looking for the signposts: look down ahead of you to see on what kind of planks the citizens walked the streets in days of old. Look up to the sky and marvel at the colorful facades of the merchants’ houses built at the beginning of the previous century. Follow your nose to the pleasant smells from the busy Mediterranean squares and intimate cafés, or simply listen to your ears and let the charming music guide your steps.