I Love Culture

Perugia is the provincial capital of Umbria, one of Italy’s most beautiful regions. The ancient heart of the city, packed full of Etruscan and Roman monuments, perches on a hilltop with the modern city spread below. With a prestigious university, the city has a lively student population, good shopping, fun bars and great restaurants. If that weren't enough, Perugia is the setting for one of Europe’s best jazz festivals: Umbria Jazz.

Places that stir all your senses and that pluck your heartstrings are extremely rare. These are the places that touch you deeply, yet whose secrets you can’t unlock completely. Bruges happens to be such a unique place. Cultural and artistic, cosmopolitan, unashamedly Burgundian, mysteriously medieval, and a Unesco World Heritage site to boot. Strolling along the narrow alleys, picturesque canals and verdant ramparts you cannot help but fall hopelessly in love with its elegant mysteriousness.

Long isolated from the outside world, Bhutan is a relic of a more traditional Asia, preserved in time and with little in the way of tourist infrastructure. In an increasingly connected world, this small, beautiful, and utterly enchanting Himalayan country is one of the last truly off-the-beaten-path destinations on the planet. It is a challenging country to visit, but to those who choose to venture there, it soon reveals itself to be an especially rewarding one, as well.

Set against a backdrop of historical buildings, Matsuyama is a vibrant city of living traditions. Here, haiku poetry still holds a significant place in daily life. With a jam-packed calendar of seasonal festivals, visitors are guaranteed to find something captivating to experience all year round. Getting around the city is easy with a network of vintage trams and steam trains at your service. In addition, Matsuyama boasts miles of sandy beaches, which provide a scenic view of the Seto Inland Sea, filled with beautiful islands.

Yanbu has long been known as little more than an industrial centre with a busy port, but with some of the country's best diving spots and ever more luxury resorts in the area, it is quickly transforming into a coveted vacation destination. The desert beaches are beautiful, captivating, and solitary enough to make your visit a unique experience. There has never been a better time to visit, as the crowds have not yet caught on to this emerging city, and travellers can still have huge expanses of pristine beaches all to themselves.

Jerusalem, where history and spirituality converge, contains sacred sites central to world religions. The kaleidoscope of cultures results from the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Armenian communities. Experience a vibrant music scene and diverse cuisine, while the Light Festival and Jerusalem Film Festival provide cultural events. The city's spiritual aura and beauty are evident in its mosaics, architecture, and views from the Mount of Olives. A trip to Jerusalem is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Also known as Canton, Guangzhou is the third largest city in China. It has long been one of China's main commercial and trading centres and is one of the first cities that opened to the world. As one of the fastest growing cities in Asia, Guangzhou has also seen fast growth in tourism, attracting visitors with its cosmopolitan atmosphere, world-renowned Cantonese cuisine and its vibrant nightlife.

Nestled within the lush Al-Ahsa Oasis in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the city of Al Hofuf (also known as Al-Ahsa or Al-Hasa) sprawls over the palm-tree-covered lands inhabited since prehistoric times. Al Hofuf is packed with historic sites, architectural monuments, and natural wonders, from forts and palaces to the whimsical Qara Mountain Caves and natural springs.