Graz – Austria’s culinary and cultural capital. A practical tip from the start: If you want to explore Graz, wear comfortable shoes and loose clothing. Why? Even if Graz is actually small — the second-largest city in Austria with a quarter of a million resident by no means a “big city” — you should be prepared for the fact that time also flies in the many short lanes. Comfortable footwear goes easy on busy feet here. In the historic old town with its roads, streets, squares and courtyards there’s lots to explore and even more to enjoy.

Ljubljana, Slovenia's capital, captivates with its romantic bridges and scenic waterways. The city's architecture showcases its rich cultural heritage. The historic centre, at the foot of a hill topped by the iconic Ljubljana Castle, is compact and easily explored on foot or by bike. Surrounded by lush landscapes, the city offers abundant opportunities for hiking, cycling, and outdoor activities.

With its rich natural landscape, stunning scenery, and distinctive seasons, Sapporo captivates the explorer in all of us. The capital of Hokkaidō, the most northern and second-largest island of Japan, was established in 1868; its vast open wilderness backed by magnificent mountains was highly appealing to the early settlers back then, just as much as to any visitor today.

Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is one of Asia's best-kept secrets. As the capital of the only predominantly Catholic country in the Orient, it presents a unique blend that feels slightly out of place, yet vibrantly infused with Latin American and Caribbean influences. Music and dancing are ubiquitous, and the city's warmth and enthusiasm can easily rival that of Bangkok. Manila's rich history, shaped by centuries under Spanish religious influence and decades of American consumerism, has led to the saying that the city spent "400 years in a convent and 50 in Hollywood".