The Musée des Automates is a small museum, showing 300 automated dolls from the last two centuries including life-size figures and a full-size re-creation of a street in Montmartre with shops displaying automatons in motion in their windows. In the second museum, Musée des Modèles Réduits, next door, they display models of boats, trains and cars.

One of the best ways to enjoy the crystal clear waters of Lord Howe Island is from a stand-up paddleboard. Rent a board at Neds Beach or Lagoon Beach and look out for wrasses, turtles and myriads of coral as you glide through the calm waters.

Standing on top of Corcovado Mountain, 710 meters above sea level, Christ the Redeemer overlooks the metropolis below with outstretched arms. The statue named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, embraces the whole city, welcomes and protects, yet appears to keep a watchful eye on locals and visitors. Venture up through the Tijuca Rain Forest to the top of the mountain for a closer look and be rewarded by fabulous views of the Sugar Loaf Mountain, Copacabana, Ipanema, the Maracanã Stadium, and the Serra do Órgãos mountain range. You can hike up to the statue or comfortably reach it by way of a twenty-minute tram/car ride.

Any road trip in Ireland will invariably pass through the Shannon region. If you find yourself in Limerick, start at the river’s end and arrive in rugged north Kerry by following the southern coastline of the estuary. It is thanks to the river’s water that this region is so green, so enjoy the scenery by taking your sweet time on a scenic tour from Kittycloghar to Mohill in County Leitrim. The Shannon Erne Tour starts in Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballinamore, Carrigallen, Dromod, Jamestown and returns to Carrick-On-Shannon in the end, with a length of approx 92km. Carrick-on-Shannon, the cruising capital, is home to the smallest chapel in Europe, while Ballinamore is an angler’s paradise with 40 lakes in a 10 km radius. The Lough Rynn estate in Mohill features 100 acres of rare woodland and exotic walled ornamental gardens, whereas Dromod houses the Cavan and Leitrim Railway. Jamestown, in the and, and named after King James 1, was a walled and fortified city that still holds one of the gates until today.