While Mexico is popular with travellers for its endless coasts, perfect weather and sandy beaches, the interior of the country is also well worth exploring. The bustling capital, Mexico City, with its hectic urban lifestyle, artistic neighbourhoods and historic buildings, has long been neglected by summer vacationers, but is now being discovered by curious city trippers. CDMX never ceases to surprise travellers with its renowned arts and culture scene, as well as some of the best cuisine in the Western Hemisphere.

Beirut is the perfect destination for seasoned travellers: here, East and West intertwine in intricate ways, creating a city so magnetic that few are able to resist its powerful draw. Much has changed over the latter half of the twentieth century, with Beirut rising to become glitterati central in the 60s, but falling from grace during the bloody Civil War. However, the city is alive and kicking, enticing travellers with superb gastronomy, the Middle East's most vibrant nightlife and close proximity to the ancient towns of Byblos and Baalbek.

Bucharest is Europe’s best kept secret. While visually it can't quite compete with other grand Eastern European capitals, it leads the pack in dynamism, energy and forward momentum. The remnants of Communism are still palpable in the urban fabric, but the city has its sights set firmly on the future. Trendy outdoor cafes and high-street shops live side-by-side with gorgeous Orthodox churches and world-class art galleries in the old town, all overlooked by the imposing Palace of Parliament.

The narrow and often steep granite-paved streets of Cagliari’s Castello District are a reminder of a bygone age when the town was dominated at first by Pisans, and later by the Aragonese. Built from white limestone, the walls and towers of the Old Town shimmer in the sun and are a magnificent sight, especially if you are lucky and approach the city from the sea, as the English novelist D.H. Lawrence did in 1921 when he described the Old Town as looking like a "Jerusalem without trees".