A trip to Iraq is often driven by a passion for history, and Ancient Babylon, located roughly 100 kilometres south of Baghdad, is a key attraction. Since accommodation near the site is limited, most visitors opt for a day trip from the capital. To reach Babylon, head to the Alawi car park, locally referred to as the 'garage', and ask about shared taxis or minivans heading there. The journey costs no more than 15,000 Iraqi dinars and takes about two hours. These vehicles typically drop passengers a few kilometres from the entrance, so you may need to arrange a local taxi or ask nearby residents for assistance. Currently, entrance to the archaeological site costs 25,000 Iraqi dinars, approximately $18 USD. Payment by card is possible, but it's advisable to carry cash, as foreign cards may not always be accepted. Inside, the ruins reveal a fascinating glimpse into the past. The main area consists of castle-like arches leading to wide terraces, alongside the remnants of the ancient gardens and in the distance, Saddam Hussein’s hilltop mansion looms. Access to the mansion is not guaranteed, as its opening appears to depend on the day and circumstance.

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is one of the oldest museums in the Netherlands. Throughout the year, the museum hosts a rich spectrum of temporary exhibits on a variety of subjects. Besides that, the collection of paintings, sculptures, drawings, etchings and objects is impressive. It features many major Dutch and European works spanning the period from the early middle ages to the 21st century, from Jeroen Bosch to Rembrandt and from Van Gogh to Salvador Dalí and Dutch Design. The museum building is closed for major renovation, but the entire collection of 145,000 objects accessible to the public in other museums. Within the Museumpark, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen has built an art depot: Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen.

Housed inside a former castle, and with splendid park grounds in its immediate surroundings, the Quiñones de León Museum is worth the short trip from central Vigo if only for its well-maintained French garden (some say, a miniature of the one in Versailles). The museum itself contains archaeological artefacts discovered in Vigo and surroundings.

Nagoya Castle is where the Tokugawa shogun made their home for over 250 years up until 1868, the year in which Japan’s partial isolation from the West came to an end with the beginning of the Meiji period. The castle was nearly destroyed in bombing raids of 1945 and authentically rebuilt only in 2018.