The vibrant capital of Georgia is as though taken straight from a fairy tale, a city with spectacular architecture, both old and new, cobbled streets, underground thermal baths and the wonderful natural surroundings of the majestic Caucasus. Tbilisi is a perfect example of a city where tradition and modernity coexist, giving life to an amazing travel experience.

Few places in Europe have remained off the beaten path as much as the Kosovar first city; fewer yet have been at the heart of a political dispute as agonising in recent history. Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, one of the world's youngest states, boasts a youthful populace to match, and exudes a lust for life that's virtually tangible. Still rough around the edges and with no tourist information offices in sight, Pristina remains uncharted territory, a state of affairs foreseen to change as the city attracts a growing number of visitors.

Drop anchor in Karlskrona, the city founded in 1680, when Charles XI decided to build the country's new naval base here. 340 years later, the naval base remains, and the well-preserved architecture and city plan impressed Unesco, which gave Karlskrona World Heritage status in 1998. Wherever you go, you can see magnificent churches and squares, parade streets and fortifications that attract visitors from all over the world. All this on several islands in an archipelago that Unesco has designated as one of seven biosphere reserves in Sweden.

Cuba's quintessential holiday destination is steadily regaining former glory, striding forward to the future where it will once again rank among the finest beach resorts in the Caribbean. Varadero is far from a synthetic vacationer theme park some hold it for - the town is home to nearly 20,000 Cubans and exudes local flavour despite being primarily known for its first-class luxury hotels.

Often called the 21st arrondissement of Paris, Deauville has been the go-to destination for the upper crust of French society for decades. Today, it is a spectacular seaside resort town sporting grand promenades, glamorous casinos, a pair of thoroughbred horse race tracks, golf courses, the American Film Festival, and plenty of chic visitors.