If you have a passion for history, a visit to the Völkerschlachtdenkmal is a must. The impressive monument was erected in 1913, as a memorial to the 500,000 people who fought and the 120,000 people who lost their lives in the Battle of the Nations exactly 100 years earlier in 1813.

A trip with a dog team, wrapped up in warm blankets under the northern lights, is a superb way of experiencing the countryside of Norrland. There's a good chance you’ll encounter an elk or a reindeer, too. There are four companies that offer dog sledding tours: Hedlunda Husky (www.hedlundahusky.se), Granö Beckasin (granobeckasin.com), River Lake Huskies (www.teamissa.se) and Aurora Borealis Adventures (auroraborealis.nu).

Peggy Guggenheim, the wife of the artist Max Ernst, once resided in Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, which now serves as a museum that houses her remarkable art collection, featuring works from Europe and America dating back to the first half of the 20th century.

Grotta Mangiapane is the biggest cave of the group Scurati's Caverns. Scurati is a little village with very ancient origins, as the numerous finds happened here can demonstrate. The cave takes its name from the family Mangiapane, who lived here for more than a century, indeed it hosts a very peculiar rural agglomeration composed of little squared houses. Totally different epochs merge together in this unique place. During Christmas period, Grotta Mangiapane hosts a big event called “Living Nativity”, an event where the agro-pastoral life comes alive with some 160 performers, including artists and craftsmen from all over Sicily.