Welcome to Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan, where giant pandas delight tourists at the Chengdu Breeding Research Base. Though a modern city, Chengdu is where life happens in the back streets, with crowds waiting outside hot-pot restaurants, and tea houses abuzz with mahjong players and their noisy tile-shuffling game.

Naples' ancient streets echo its Greco-Roman heritage, while its vibrant neighbourhoods pulse with modern Italian energy. Discover the famous Mount Vesuvius, explore picturesque castles, museums, and churches, savour sumptuous Neapolitan cuisine, and take a day trip to the charming island of Capri, Naples' unique blend of tradition and vitality makes it an unforgettable destination for art, history, and culinary enthusiasts alike.

Speaking of Parma, the first things that come to mind are probably the ham and Parmesan cheese. Indeed, Parma is one of the most important culinary centres of Italy — but this city is so much more than that. Parma was the capital of a very powerful duchy, which left a legacy of stunning monuments and palaces. In addition, the splendour of that period created fertile grounds for the flourishing of art. In fact, Parma became one of the main centres for opera, thanks to its amazing theatres and its fine citizen Giuseppe Verdi.

This small but perfectly formed city in the picturesque county of Devon has preserved many of its historic features while enjoying all the amenities and vibrancy of a modern cosmopolitan hub. Exeter is the perfect base to explore the surrounding English countryside dotted with pretty villages, quaint old pubs and tea rooms serving the famous Devon cream tea. All of this comes with the added bonus of being only a short journey to the nearby coastal resorts, fishing ports, and sandy beaches of the English Riviera and the World Heritage Jurassic Coast.