When the chaos of the city becomes too much for you to handle, the one-hectare botanical Majorelle Garden is a perfect refuge. Stroll in the shade of the palms and watch beautiful plants, fountains and birds and when you're tired you can sit down at the garden café. The iconic Villa Oasis — the private residence of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge — is a must-see. Its vividly blue walls are a perfect match with the verdant greenery of the garden.

Scotsman James Finlayson's industrial district, one of the biggest in the Nordic countries, is a diverse cultural centre today, housing several cafés, restaurants, and other places of interest such as the children's cathedral, the Spy Museum, and Westras, the free Labour Museum. Don't miss the Finlayson outlet to get some design inspiration.

From the 13th to the 15th century, Bruges was the most important trading centre in North-West Europe. Spanish merchants settled along the Spaanse Loskaai (Spanish Quay) and in the Spanjaardstraat. The Germans or Easterners — ‘oosterlingen’ in Dutch — took up residence in the Oosterlingenplein. In this old Hansa Quarter you can admire the mansions of the wealthy international merchants and the great trading nations of the day. You can almost still smell the atmosphere of the Middle Ages.

Tammerkoski is a channel of rapids in Tampere. The city is nestled between Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi, two lakes with 18 metres of difference in level, which gave rise to the installation of several dams and power stations in the 19th century. An exhibition on the city's industrial past is also on at the Vapriikki Museum adjacent to the bridge.