The Victoria Baths complex was designed by Manchester's first city architect, Henry Price, and opened in 1906. No expense was spared — the façade has multicoloured brickwork and terracotta decoration, the interior spaces are clad in glazed tiles and most of the windows have decorative stained glass. At the opening ceremony, the Lord Mayor described Victoria Baths as “a water palace of which every citizen of Manchester is proud”. For 86 years, the baths provided both essential and leisure facilities. Private baths and a laundry were housed there alongside three swimming pools and Turkish Baths. In 1952, the first public Aeratone (Jacuzzi) was installed. Even though the baths were closed in 1993, the Grade II listed building is remarkably intact, with most of the stained glass and original tiling remaining. Victoria Baths opens from March/April to October/November each year for weekly guided tours, public open days, and special events.

For those who set eyes on Deansgate's John Rylands Library for the first time, 'library' might not be the first word that comes to mind. This masterpiece of Victorian Gothic architecture looks more like a castle or cathedral. When John Rylands died in 1888, he was one of Manchester's most successful industrialists with a personal fortune of £2.75 million. The library was commissioned in 1890 by his wife, Enriqueta Rylands, in memory of her late husband. This world-class collection includes the oldest known piece of the New Testament, the St John Fragment. Other treasures of the vast, varied collection include magnificent illuminated medieval manuscripts and a 1476 William Caxton edition of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

Berlin is a vast city with not one, but several centres that come in their distinct and varied flavours of cool. The fastest and most time efficient way to hit all the main attractions is to get on one of those hop-on hop-off buses. You can get a 24- or 48-hour ticket, as well as an option to upgrade to a river cruise boat. Buses run every 10–15 minutes. Of course, you get audio commentary in multiple languages, plus a kids' channel.

Off-road excursions allow you to experience the best of Baja's wilderness. Why not get up-close-and-personal with the grey whales or drive up the coast in a caravan of Humvees? Choose between single and multi-day tours.