Anchorage rewrites the idea of what a travel destination can be. One minute you’re sipping coffee downtown, the next you’re watching a moose amble down a quiet street like it owns the place. It’s part frontier, part everyday life, with just enough edge to keep it interesting. Summer nights here stretch on forever, and in winter, the dazzling Northern Lights sweep across the sky like something out of a dream. Anchorage isn’t polished, and that’s the beauty of it. It’s weathered, wild, and unlike anywhere else.

The narrow, cobbled streets of Alghero’s medieval citadel, packed with boutiques, bars and restaurants, slope towards the harbour and sweeping bay. Built in a buttery sandstone that glows a soft apricot shade in the setting sun, it’s Sardinia’s most picturesque Old Town. Spanish-style palazzos and street signs in Italian and Catalan reflect its proud heritage: 300 years of Aragon rule. Fringed by pine forests, long sandy beaches, hotels and bars curve away towards green headlands. It’s an idyllic setting.

Curaçao is an unquenchable source of natural wonders: the island is enriched by dozens of beaches, secret coves and inlets, and is made vibrant by unique tropical vegetation. Just as colourful is the capital, Willemstad, a true jewel box with Dutch flair and plenty of history — in case that famous blue liquor alone does not set you off.

The Greeks and Romans did it, as did rich lords, film stars, artists, and thousands of tourists. They were just going to pass by but instead remained in Nice and along the Riviera. Some for just a few weeks, others for months and years. They were too captivated by the light, enchanted by the scents, and charmed by the taste of olives and wine. Additionally, a Nice Nouveau has evolved – a sassy Mediterranean metropolis with pulsating nightlife, modern hotels, and daring art galleries. All this with a chance to dabble their toes in a turquoise sea.