The Island of Hawaii is known colloquially as the Big Island — a fitting nickname for an island twice the combined size of its neighboring counterparts! Big Island flaunts its colors like the plumes of a peacock: fierce reds of magma from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park contrast spectacularly with the bright white snow of Maunakea, while the electric black sands of Punaluu Beach stream into the emerald green of the Hamakua Coast’s rainforests.

Bergerac, in the heart of the Périgord Dordogne region, is an ancient and compact city, characterised by its elegant medieval and Renaissance buildings. Gourmet restaurants, street entertainment, and the fact that the whole city can be explored on foot are all part of its charm. Bergerac is also renowned for its wine, and a short trip to the outskirts of the city reveals a landscape of vineyards that produce some of the world’s finest vintages.

Bucharest is Europe’s best kept secret. While visually it can't quite compete with other grand Eastern European capitals, it leads the pack in dynamism, energy and forward momentum. The remnants of Communism are still palpable in the urban fabric, but the city has its sights set firmly on the future. Trendy outdoor cafes and high-street shops live side-by-side with gorgeous Orthodox churches and world-class art galleries in the old town, all overlooked by the imposing Palace of Parliament.

"The city in its setting and entire surroundings may be said to have something ideal." (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1797). Scarcely any other European city has had its praises so often sung as Heidelberg. The mysterious Heidelberg Castle, the picturesque Old Town, and as Goethe himself stated, the perfection of its setting – in the nineteenth century, all of this attracted the German romanticists, who immortalized Heidelberg in poetry, music, and art. Today the charm of Old Heidelberg is combined with a future-oriented and international focus.

Saint Lucia is a deliciously exquisite island nation located in the lesser Antilles. Bathed in shimmering Caribbean waters, which imbue St Lucia in a characteristically laid-back atmosphere, the island also borders the Atlantic Ocean. It is home to white sandy beaches and sky-high volcanoes that rise up out of the ground and stand tall over the landscape. Once a European colony, the now sovereign nation of Saint Lucia is a popular cruise ship destination for tourists who seek both relaxation and adventure.