Fluffy white clouds roll across skies that always seem to gleam in a spectrum of blue in the Poconos. The majesty continues with a palette of rustic orange in the fall, the pristine white of snowfall in the winter, and the verdant emerald of forests and hillsides in the summer. Reigning for decades as a popular vacation area for citizens of New York and New Jersey, the Pocono Mountains must be seen in person to be believed. Lakes and rivers to explore, land to hunt, and various ski resorts provide an unforgettable outdoors experience.

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.

Estes Park, a quaint town 90 miles northwest of Denver, Colorado, serves as a gateway to the Rocky Mountain National Park. Explore miles of hiking trails, and enjoy the mountain terrain and mild temperatures ideal for outdoor activities like biking, rock climbing, camping, and wildlife viewing. Beyond its natural wonders, Estes Park offers a diverse selection of dining and shopping experiences, creating a vibrant atmosphere for a romantic weekend or the family vacation of a lifetime.

Prosperous and lively, Brescia is Lombardy’s second biggest city, a university town with a modern business area (Brescia Due). Located between two of Italy’s most famous lakes, Lake Garda and Lake Iseo, Brescia is often overlooked by visitors who bypass the city itself and head straight to the undeniably beautiful lakes. A great pity, as Brescia boasts one of the most beautiful historic centres in the region, and some of the best Roman and Lombard remains in northern Italy.