Brussels, a city that continues to surprise and move you. This city-region capital of 500 million Europeans is waiting to share its treasures with you. It’s a fair bet that its stormy history is the reason for its open-mindedness, warmth and friendliness. You’ll feel right at home in Brussels. As well as its historic monuments, Brussels has so much to share with you: its comic strip speech bubbles, its Art Nouveau façades, the talent of its stylists and designers, its delicacies and its surrealism, which can be found on every street corner.

You would never expect to step into Bavaria while visiting central Washington, but upon entering Leavenworth in the Cascade Mountains, you will certainly feel as though you have been transported to Germany. Nearly a quarter of the town's residents can trace their ancestry back to Germany, and they have brought that Old World feel with them. Alpine-style buildings line the streets of this gateway to nearby ski areas and wineries. Though the town is small, what it lacks in size, it makes up for in personality.

What oil-rich, arid Kuwait might lack in glitz and glamour it makes up for in family-friendly entertainment and cultural haunts. The coastal Kuwait City and Salmiya are laden with museums, attractions and modern amusement parks guaranteed to keep visitors occupied for days on end. Shopping opportunities, from modern mega-malls and traditional souks, abound, as do sandy beaches and swimming venues.

Jewel of the verdant peninsula of Istria, Pula is the province’s largest city and forms a dramatic gateway to the seductive, crystalline waters of the Adriatic. Situated at the southernmost tip of the area, known as ’the new Tuscany’ for its bright medieval hilltop towns and ancient ruins, Pula boasts a rich and varied cultural heritage. The city is bordered by national parks, remarkable for their astounding unspoilt natural beauty, and is celebrated for its wonderfully preserved Roman amphitheatre and forum.

Historically an important trading centre, Peshawar lies near the Khyber Pass, a key route of the legendary Silk Road and gateway to the Indian subcontinent, travelled by conquerors and explorers. The Storytellers Bazaar (Qissa Khawani Bazaar) is a captivating reminder of the city’s role in world trade. Peshawar is the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province where things remain volatile, but recent trends indicate a decline in criminality and a budding resurgence of urban life.