Few places in Europe have remained off the beaten path as much as the Kosovar first city; fewer yet have been at the heart of a political dispute as agonising in recent history. Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, one of the world's youngest states, boasts a youthful populace to match, and exudes a lust for life that's virtually tangible. Still rough around the edges and with no tourist information offices in sight, Pristina remains uncharted territory, a state of affairs foreseen to change as the city attracts a growing number of visitors.

Though it might get overlooked in favour of larger, more glamorous cities, like Riyadh or nearby Doha, the discerning traveller will not want to pass up the opportunity to visit Dammam. As if the stunning desert scenery alone was not enough to enchant visitors, the city also offers heaps of fine dining, great shopping, and some of the most pleasant green spaces, parks and seaside walkways you are likely to find at a desert destination.

“El diau, el diau!” “The devil! The devil!” It was in 1897 when mountain people from Sauze d’Oulx witnessed a red-faced man with a long white beard descending from the slopes, with long wooden skis attached to his feet. He was a Swiss engineer, Adolf Kind, and wooden skis were then first seen in Italy. Today there are more than a hundred ski-lifts and 1,500 km of slopes for all levels – as well as alpine skiing, sledges and huskies, telemark skiing and snowboarding.

Nicknamed 'Village by the Sea,' Carlsbad enjoys seven miles of tidy, serene beaches along the Pacific coastline. This makes it perfect for swimming, sunbathing and surfing, all paired with a mild climate. Furthermore, Carlsbad has three lagoons, a lake, an aquarium, museums and shopping districts. As if that was not enough, the town's proximity to San Diego and Los Angeles provides a multitude of additional options within a short drive.