San Jose is California’s third largest city and the tenth largest city in the United States. Deemed a “global city,” San Jose is the Mecca of Silicon Valley: high-technology and electronics industries have brought significant tourism and attractions to the city. The city also boasts a great proximity to all of Northern California’s areas of interest due to its position in the greater Santa Clara Valley. Over 300 days of sunshine and the kingdom-like panorama of the Santa Clara Mountains make San Jose a beautiful urban retreat.

In 1831, Charles Darwin sailed to South America aboard the H.M.S. Beagle. On the return voyage across the Pacific, the vessel stopped on a small group of islands far off the Ecuadorian coast, changing the course of human scientific endeavour and self-understanding forever. Fascinated by the unique wildlife on the islands, Darwin collected biological specimens and studied them over the next 30 years. His findings led to the formulation of the scientific theory of evolution by natural selection. This small group of islands and their one-of-a-kind wildlife are to thank for one of humanity's most remarkable discoveries. And today, almost 200 years later, they remain a source of endless fascination and a favourite travel destination for scientists, nature and wildlife enthusiasts, scuba divers, and anyone interested in the wonders of the natural world.

Just 250 kilometres north of the polar circle, the summer sun shines for almost two months without going down, while the polar nights offer the most intense Northern Lights that can be seen. In Kiruna, the northernmost city in Sweden, you can go slalom skiing until midsummer or spend the night in a magnificent hotel built from ice. The phrase "kingdom of contrasts" is overused, but Kiruna truly embodies it.

Rhodes, the pearl of the Mediterranean region, is a cosmopolitan island that combines unique natural beauty and archaeological wealth with stunning beaches and intensive nightlife. This is a place for everyone: simultaneously youthful and family friendly, romantic and modern.

Nestled in the corner of rural south-west France stands Pau, the capital of the Béarn province, a bastion of history and culture. The town occupies a unique geographical position in the foothills of the Pyrenées. With its awe-inspiring views of the mountain range, Pau is only a few hundred kilometres from the major towns of Bordeaux and Toulouse and even closer to Spain and the Atlantic Ocean. A springboard to sunny beaches or snow-capped mountains, Pau’s pretty streets, and excellent gastronomy are enough to ensure leaving will be difficult.