Enclosed within a protective wall reaching up to 20 metres in width, the Ciudad Amurallada (or Walled City) is Cartagena's old beating heart. Packed with well-preserved colonial buildings, it's a pleasure to stroll through; its streets of colourful low-rise merchant homes marked by iconic balconies are now mostly walked by either tourists or students who attend classes at the University of Cartagena during the day and linger for meals and nightlife after school is out. Cafes in Plaza Aduana and Plaza Santo Domingo teem with patrons, forging an incredibly jovial atmosphere; the districts of San Diego and El Centro are two not to be missed. There is plenty of food and shopping to be had, with a mixed bag of world-class restaurants and street food hawkers and the incredibly photogenic palenqueras — women dressed in vibrantly coloured clothing selling fruit in the streets — images of whom have become emblematic of Colombia as a travel destination.

For a close encounter with Luxembourg's industrial past, make time for a visit to this blast furnace once used for steel production. Furnace A can be explored both independently or as part of a guided tour; those who make it all the way to the top will be rewarded with sweeping views of the surrounding areas.

Hokkaido is where beer was born in Japan. This historic brewery opens its doors for a full tour and of course, sampling is a must. Sapporo Beer has been brewed here since 1877, and is one of the most popular brands in the country to-date. There is a beer garden on premises, with two restaurants.

The Renaissance Château de Wiltz is no longer its original 13th-century incarnation, but a beautifully reconstructed building that contains a museum dedicated to the Battle of the Ardennes, as well as an unlikely Beer & Tanney Museum (guided tours on request), with a functioning microbrewery and an impressive collection of bottles.