Capital of one the world's fastest-growing economies, Addis Ababa (also spelled Addis Abeba) is a city in motion, catching up to Ethiopia's zooming commercial development in stride. At times gauche and somewhat rough around the edges, it is nonetheless worth more than a single night in transit, if only for the country's finest dining, shopping and of-the-moment urban developments.

Escape to Chiriquí, known as the "breadbasket" of Panama, where you'll find a mix of stunning landscapes and activities. Fertile mountains and rolling hills, rocky rivers and coffee plantations — there's something for everyone. The province also boasts pristine beaches and islands with excellent sports fishing opportunities. The thriving David City is there when you're ready for a bit of urban life. Located in western Panama, Chiriquí is bordered by Bocas del Toro to the north, Costa Rica to the west, Veraguas to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the south.

Hungary has no marine coastline, but it does have the largest freshwater body in Central Europe, Lake Balaton. The lake has been popular since the Magyar tribes first galloped into the Carpathian Basin in 896, and it shows no signs of losing its appeal. A collection of resort towns and an interesting bicycle route ring the 77 km long lake. Hévíz-Balaton Airport is 20 km from Keszthely at the southern end of the lake. From there, you can hire a car or take a bus and explore some of the resorts.

Drop anchor in Karlskrona, the city founded in 1680, when Charles XI decided to build the country's new naval base here. 340 years later, the naval base remains, and the well-preserved architecture and city plan impressed Unesco, which gave Karlskrona World Heritage status in 1998. Wherever you go, you can see magnificent churches and squares, parade streets and fortifications that attract visitors from all over the world. All this on several islands in an archipelago that Unesco has designated as one of seven biosphere reserves in Sweden.