A 20-minute boat ride from Cancún lies the small island of Isla Mujeres with its laid-back Caribbean ambiance, tiny streets lined with stalls, and street cafés in pastel-colored houses. Golf carts and mopeds dominate the streets, and although the island is only 5 miles long and half a mile wide, it still offers plenty of things to do and see. Everything from a beautiful palm-fringed white beach on the north coast to a dramatic rocky shoreline on the eastern side to a sea turtle sanctuary and the remains of a Mayan temple at the southern tip. If you're into adventure, then you should visit the Garrafon Reef Park & Beach Club, where you can go zip-lining, snorkeling, and kayaking. Lastly, a must-visit for nature and wildlife lovers is a tour to Isla Contoy, a nature reserve only inhabited by a few biologists and restricted to 200 visitors per day.

One of the oldest lighthouses in the world, this 800-year old structure is home to a visitor's centre, a gift shop, as well as various festivals such as the Maritime Matters Festival on the May bank holiday weekend or the Pirate Festival in July.

This delightful museum opened in 1906 and is widely regarded as Romania’s best, a veritable treasure trove of pottery, icons and clothing. It also houses the fascinating Communism Exhibition and the ruins of an 18th-century Transylvanian wooden church.