If you're looking to get a sense of the region's ancient past, the Shaanxi History Museum is where you need to go. The museum is packed with artefacts from thousands of years of history, reflecting the importance of Shaanxi as the heart of several key Chinese dynasties. Among its vast collection, one of the main draws is the display of four original Terracotta Warriors. As you wander through the museum, you’ll come across everything from detailed bronze tools and pottery to fascinating tomb relics, each telling a different part of the region’s story.

The Beitou area of Taipei is renowned for its high concentration of thermal spa centres. There are establishments to fit any budget, from the low-priced open-air Public Hot Spring (modest swimwear required) to private hotels and resorts uphill, all offering hot spring baths at various price points. One option most resorts offer is renting a private room with a large bath that can be filled with hot spring water. The Spring City Resort in Beitou is a great mid-range option. A session here includes access to about a dozen thermal pools of varying water temperature (from seemingly boiling-hot to rather chilly), plus robe, towel, and slipper rental. They even offer a free shuttle bus to the metro station. For a luxurious spa treatment, look into the offerings of Hotel Regent Taipei, for example. Wellspring Spa offers a wide range of relaxing treatments including massages, body wraps, skin polishing and facials. Take the elevator to the top floor and unwind at this urban sanctuary.

The Palacio Real de Madrid, the official residence of the Spanish royal family in the city, is Europe's largest royal palace, boasting a whopping surface area of 135,000 square metres and a staggering 3,418 rooms. This architectural marvel is not only visually stunning, but also features spectacular outdoor gardens and exquisite frescoes, furnishings, and paintings within its walls. Originally constructed in 1764 as a replacement for the Alcázar castle, which had been destroyed by fire three decades earlier, this magnificent edifice is a must-see attraction for anyone visiting Madrid. Nearly the entire palace is open to the public, including the Armoury and Pharmacy.