Darwin is a thriving, prosperous and multicultural city with lively bars and wide-ranging international cuisine. It is lush, tropical, and the gateway to top-end outback adventures through the world heritage Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks. Darwin boasts an eclectic cultural mix: Asian music, food, and languages live side-by-side with aboriginal artistry, Australian beach culture, love of the outdoors, and a profound appreciation of cosmopolitanism.

What oil-rich, arid Kuwait lacks in glitz and glamour it makes up for in family-friendly entertainment and cultural haunts - the coastal Kuwait City and Salmiya are laden with museums, attractions and modern amusement parks guaranteed to keep visitors to the area occupied for days on end. Shopping opportunities abound (feel free to choose from modern mega-malls and traditional souks), as do sandy beaches and swimming venues sought after in the summertime.

Liberia, both the capital and largest city of Guanacaste province, is — despite its lower profile — the country's major centre for tourism, as well as a regional hub of Costa Rica's northwest. The town attracts visitors from all over the world thanks to its beautiful natural surroundings, interesting architectural heritage, and a rich culture.

Nestled in the corner of rural south-west France stands Pau, the capital of the Béarn province, a bastion of history and culture. The town occupies a unique geographical position in the foothills of the Pyrenées. With its awe-inspiring views of the mountain range, Pau is only a few hundred kilometres from the major towns of Bordeaux and Toulouse and even closer to Spain and the Atlantic Ocean. A springboard to sunny beaches or snow-capped mountains, Pau’s pretty streets, and excellent gastronomy are enough to ensure leaving will be difficult.

Speaking of Parma, the first things that come to mind are probably the ham and Parmesan cheese. Indeed, Parma is one of the most important culinary centres of Italy — but this city is so much more than that. Parma was the capital of a very powerful duchy, which left a legacy of stunning monuments and palaces. In addition, the splendour of that period created fertile grounds for the flourishing of art. In fact, Parma became one of the main centres for opera, thanks to its amazing theatres and its fine citizen Giuseppe Verdi.