About 80 km north of Bangkok, Ayutthaya was once the capital of Siam. Today, the Historical Park is full of temple ruins, giant Buddha statues, and prang (reliquary towers). Wat Mahathat is famous for the Buddha head caught in tree roots, and Wat Phra Si Sanphet was the royal temple of the old city. Most travellers do a day trip from Bangkok by train, bus, or river cruise, though staying overnight gives you a quieter look at the ruins.

With its romantic grounds, Sofiero Palace makes for a popular destination. The grounds are perhaps best known for their unparalleled rhododendrons, with an incredible 5,000 bushes bursting into flower in the spring. The fairytale of Sofiero began in 1864, when Crown Prince Oskar and his wife Sophia had their summer residence built here. In 1905, Oskar — by now King Oskar ll — gave the palace to his grandson Prince Gustav Adolf and his bride Princess Margareta as a wedding present. This is when the gardens literally flourished. Princess Margareta was a keen and creative gardener, and it was she who first laid out the grounds that we can enjoy to this day. She arranged flower beds and gardens, had paving laid and wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Every summer, the Crown Prince couple travelled from Stockholm with their four young princes and Princess Ingrid, who eventually became Queen of Denmark. When Margareta died in 1920, Gustaf Adolf carried on the work in the garden, particularly with the rhododendrons. The palace was the summer residence of the Swedish royal family up until 1973, when it was given to the town of Helsingborg. This small palace, which lies like a jewel amid the extensive lawns, is home to a restaurant where the food is prepared by some of Sweden’s finest chefs. There’s also a café with views of the Öresund Sound and Denmark.

The Town Hall, often called the White Swan, is a true spectacularity with its impressive 53-metre tall tower. It was built in 1542, after the former building had been destroyed by the fire. Located at the centre of what once was a marketplace, today it is a popular wedding scene, and houses a pottery museum, as well as the Kaunas City Museum, representing the rich cultural and political history of Kaunas. Don't forget to hunt for the sculpture bugs, unveiled here in homage to "European Walt Disney" Władysław Starewicz!