Described by explorers in 1882, the Capricorn Caves are a system of aboveground caves in a limestone ridge. Learn about the caves' ancient geological landscape with marine fossils, watch thousands of bats leave the caves to feed on insects or listen to the natural acoustics of the Cathedral Cave.

Step into this vast 9th-century mosque and you’ll find sunlit courtyards, weathered stucco arches, and a spiral minaret that winds up like a ramp. Climb to the top for a surprisingly quiet view over Cairo’s rooftops. The Ibn Tulun Mosque isn’t flashy, but that’s part of what makes it so striking — the space, the stillness, the sense of time just sitting in the air.

This building is composed of a church, convent and university, all completed at different times. On the exterior, there are two striking renaissance doorways, featuring the founder's family coat of arms and the shield of the Dominican Order. The Baroque entrance to the University shows an allegorical figure representing wisdom. Human figures adorn the Baroque tower. Inside are two magnificent cloisters, the Renaissance one in the convent and the University own Baroque example. The church is a renaissance building with later Baroque additions. An interesting feature in the Renaissance doorway leading to the sacristy and refectory, dating from the late 16th Century with a fascinating base covered in Vatican tiling from the 18th Century.

The buzzing Barrio Getsemaní is, perhaps, Cartagena's most attractive neighbourhood, for both its well-preserved colonial architecture and vivid street life. Known as the nightlife hotspot of Cartagena, Getsemaní stays up until late at night, with locals and visitors mingling in and around Plaza de la Trinidad over drinks and street food.