Lazy beach days

The narrow, cobbled streets of Alghero’s medieval citadel, packed with boutiques, bars and restaurants, slope towards the harbour and sweeping bay. Built in a buttery sandstone that glows a soft apricot shade in the setting sun, it’s Sardinia’s most picturesque Old Town. Spanish-style palazzos and street signs in Italian and Catalan reflect its proud heritage: 300 years of Aragon rule. Fringed by pine forests, long sandy beaches, hotels and bars curve away towards green headlands. It’s an idyllic setting.

Sun-drenched beaches sit next to desert wilderness in Aruba, one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean. With warm and sunny weather all year round, the island seems frozen in a timeless holiday atmosphere, with turquoise ocean waters washing over Aruba's soft warm sand. Nightlife bursts with Latin music and exotic sounds, and exciting shopping and dining await at every corner. Stronger waves break against the eastern coast, deserted and swept over by wind – exploring it will lead the most adventurous visitors to spectacular vistas.

The Island of Hawaii is known colloquially as “Big Island.” This is a fitting nickname, for the Island is twice the combined size of its neighboring counterparts! Big Island flaunts its colors like the plumes of a peacock: fierce reds of magma from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park contrast spectacularly with the bright white snow of Maunakea, while the electric black sands of Punaluu Beach stream into the emerald green of Hamakua Coast’s rainforests.

With its awesome glass skyscrapers that reflect the bustle of daily life, magnificent buildings such as the Emirates Palace, its lively souqs, excellent international restaurants and long stretches of white beaches lapped by the crystal clear waters of the Gulf, Abu Dhabi is a city of outstanding contrasts. The throbbing heart of the city lies 250 metres off-shore on an island linked to the mainland by the Al Maqtaa Bridge and Mussafah Bridge. Home to the respected Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation and the Al Hosn Palace museum, along with numerous venues for the arts, the wealthy city is the cultural as well as the commercial hub of the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Few Greek islands boast an immaculacy comparable to that of Astypalaia - a butterfly-shaped cloistral haven rising from the stunning blue of the Aegean Sea. Captured at certain angles, Astypalaia bears a striking semblance to its not-so-distant yet far more glamorised cousin of Santorini. With its pristine beaches, whitewashed houses, and uncharted walking paths, the island is an explorer's heaven, and a find for those looking to escape the madding crowds of summer vacationers.

Antalya is the pearl of the Turkish Riviera - an exciting major city, and a paradise for swimmers. The coast has innumerable delightful beaches that suit all tastes and along the coast, you will find lots of high-class hotels and restaurants. Those who want to take a break and get away from beach life can make interesting excursions to antique ruins and beautiful landscapes.

As the capital of a rich and historic region, Ancona is above all, a city of the sea. The city is blessed with a magnificent coastline to the south, with clean and accessible water and unspoilt white beaches. Close by are the beautiful towns of Loreto, Recanati, Jesi and Urbino as well as the rolling hills of the hinterland and the world-famous Grotte di Frasassi.

The low-rise Gambian capital might not be as advanced of a visitor hub as one would, perhaps, expect from a city of such national significance, but it certainly boasts some raw appeal contained within its pulsating and – at times – rather hectic streets. Beyond Banjul proper lies the sprawling Serekunda – Gambia's most populous area – and the vacationer-favoured coastal settlements of Kololi, Bakau, Koto and Fajara.