The beguinages of Flanders and the Netherlands are always oases of calm and stillness, where you might still expect to see an old beguine mumbling her prayers in a doorway. Two of Ghent’s three beguinages have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Although the Old St Elizabeth Beguinage, in Begijnhofdries in Ghent, is no longer enclosed by a wall, making it simply part of the city, it still has a unique atmosphere. Today the Old St Elizabeth Beguinage is known as ‘holy corner’, a place of religious tolerance, because it has no less than three different churches: one is Roman Catholic, one is Orthodox and the other is Protestant. From bleachfield to orchard This open beguinage grew into something of a ‘beguine city’ in the 13th century, with a church, the ‘Grootjuffer’s House’, an infirmary, a chapel, more than a hundred houses for beguines, a bleachfield (a field where linen was laid out to bleach) and an orchard. After the French Revolution, with increasing industrialisation, the inhabitants moved to their new beguinage in Sint-Amandsberg in 1873.

If you are looking for a day trip, Baiyun Shan is hard to beat. An escape from the heat of the city, this mountain located in Guangzhou's scenic surroundings is well worth a visit. From the foot of the mountain, a cable car will take you to Peak Park.

Brisbane City Markets deliver a premium selection of gourmet food and ingredients. Browse artisan goods, buy some premium meats and trawler-direct seafood, or bite into a freshly baked loaf of bread. The original market at Reddacliff Place is a favourite for city workers, local residents and tourists. The second location at Cathedral Square is smaller in size, but is more heavily focused on quality street food.