Fort Cornwallis is George Town’s most prominent historical landmark. Its star-shaped 18th-century ramparts on the waterfront enclose an array of British colonial buildings, including prison cells, a powder magazine, a chapel, a harbour beacon, and bronze cannons still mounted on the battlements.

Cheong Fatt Tze, the Blue Mansion, was one of the wealthiest merchants of the 19th century, and Penang Straits Settlement imported artisans from China to build this opulent 38-room mansion. With its five courtyards, carved woodwork, Gothic louvered windows and cast iron, the mansion is a fascinating fusion of East and West culture. The building was restored at a cost of 7.6 million ringgit, and it is crammed with sculptures, antique furniture and tapestries, while now being a unique boutique hotel. However, it is also open for non-residents during guided tours, so book one ahead.

For a superb view over Penang and the Straits, take the funicular railway to the top of Bukit Bendera hill. The ride takes 30 minutes and the summit, 830 m (2,727 ft.) above sea level, is, with an average temperature of 3 degrees Celsius, cooler than the steamy coast.

The 121 metres long Basilica of Reims was built around the year 1000. It is classified as a historical monument and a Unesco World Heritage Site and was formerly attached to the monastery Abbey of Saint-Rémi of Reims.