For over a century, guaranteed snow, hospitality, tradition and sophisticated tranquillity have been attracting winter sports enthusiasts from all over the world to Lech Zürs am Arlberg. It is one of the select group of twelve villages known as the "Best of the Alps". It is not only ambitious sportspeople who appreciate this heavenly winter landscape. The winter season 2016/2017 also has plenty to offer walkers, gourmets and culture lovers. Ski Arlberg provides an unparalleled skiing experience with a total of 87 cable cars and lifts, 305 kilometres of ski runs and 200 kilometres of high Alpine deep powder snow runs.

Sitting proudly on the shores of Hakata Bay, Fukuoka is a city ablaze with the neon glare of the 21st century, moving at a slower and much more manageable pace than its better-known siblings from Honshu. There are plenty of Japanese flavours to be had here, both figuratively and in the very direct sense of the word, along with a lot of uniquely local flair for those looking to cast their nets wider than the staples of Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka.

Toulon is a genuine incarnation of Provence—no over-the-top souvenir shops, just markets full of lavender and thyme, a sea breeze that rolls in from the harbour, and a mix of energy and laid-back local life. It’s a working port with a bit of grit, but that’s part of the charm.

For over two billion people worldwide, Mecca is the holiest site, revered as the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad and the city where the Quran was revealed. Because of its profound religious significance, millions of Hajj pilgrims journey here every year from all corners of the globe, making Mecca one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse cities in the Muslim world — a true melting pot of peoples and cultures. Remember that this holiest of cities, known as Makkah, is only accessible to Muslims.