In Bruges’ Golden Age — the 15th century — art was a big deal. Leading artists of the day, like Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling, came to live and work in the city. Today, you can marvel at the masterpieces of the world-famous Flemish primitives in the Groeninge Museum and the St. John’s Hospital. And in the treasury of Bruges’ oldest parish church, Saint Saviour’s Cathedral, you can also come face to face with other priceless paintings that were created in the city in centuries gone by.

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum redefines the concept of a museum, focusing on the preservation of the Sonoran Desert. Spanning two miles of walking paths, this unique space is home to 230 animal species and 1,200 types of plants, blending elements of a zoo, botanical garden, natural history museum, aquarium, and art gallery. Highlights include the Stingray Touch, Hummingbird Aviary, Warden Aquarium, and Earth Sciences Center, where visitors can explore a replica limestone cave. Plan for at least two hours to fully experience this immersive destination.

See Bratislava from a new angle — from the majestic Danube river. Take it slow with a river cruise, fly like the wind on a speedboat or even travel all the way between Vienna and Bratislava with the Twin City Liner. Many ships depart from the peers next to the SNP bridge, right in the centre of the city.

This impressive building, known as the Villa Méditerranée, was designed in 2013. It boasts sleek modern architecture and an impressive cantilevered section that looms over an artificial pool. Inside, you can enjoy exhibitions that cover both marine life and local history. In June 2022, a new exhibit was presented to the visitors — a replica of the famous Cosquer Cave, in an atmosphere similar to that of the original, that has been submerged since the 90s. You get to explore the 1,750-square-metre replica aboard a comfortable exploratory vehicle and learn about the Homo sapiens that lived in the cave 30,000 years ago. See the engravings, paintings, speleothems, handprints and geological features that have been reproduced for public viewing in the most realistic and scientifically rigorous manner.