The National Gallery of Ireland was established by an Act of Parliament in 1854. Today, the collection includes over 2,500 paintings and almost 10,000 other works of Irish and European art, including watercolours, drawings, prints, and sculptures.

The splendid Badshahi Mosque ranks among the world's largest, and the city of Lahore's finest attractions. Apart from elaborate decor and architectural detail, mosque grounds contain the Tomb of Allama Iqbal, a prominent Pakistani philosopher and poet. It's beautifully illuminated at night; look over from the top floor of a restaurant in nearby Food Street.

Animal-lovers and those travelling with children should try and write the Lahore Zoo into their itinerary. Its variety of animal species is among the widest on the subcontinent, including tigers, lions, hippos, crocodiles, and a great many birds. The drive-through safari park on the southern edge of town provides a further glimpse of animal life.

Berlin is great for parties and long walks with friends, but it's also a city marked by profound historical events. A visit to the Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg Nazi concentration camp offers a sobering perspective on this darker chapter of history. Just a half-day trip from the city, the camp saw over 200,000 prisoners pass through its gates from 1936 to the end of the Third Reich in May 1945. Primarily housing political prisoners during World War II, the camp's history is a stark reminder of the past.