If you are looking for a place suitable for a vacation, free from industry and the usual urban disrputions, choose Zagorje with an easy heart. It is an oasis of preserved nature, greenery, clean air and mild, healing waters. A cultural heritage of feudalism in this area marks the architecture of many castles and manor houses set amid idyllic nature. Krapina Zagorje County is well-known for its castles, Krapina Neanderthal and thermal springs translated into modern baths with excellent hotels and a vast gastronomic offer.

Chișinău, the capital of Moldova, may not be a typical tourist destination, but it has a charm all its own. The city is rough around the edges and lacks the tourist infrastructure of other cities, but it is precisely this uncharted quality that makes it so appealing to those who love off-the-beaten-path travel and are interested in the Soviet era. The people of Moldova are genuinely welcoming, and the cost of travel is extremely low, especially when compared to other European destinations. In addition, the country's famous wine is widely available and adds to the authentic experience.

Valladolid breathes history. This is the place where King Felipe II was born, the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabel were married, and Christopher Columbus died. This was once the capital of Spain, and although it has lost this title, it's still the principal city of Castilla y Leon, the land of castles from which the word ‘Castilian’ is derived. Today, Valladolid is a bustling university city that thrives on its manufacturing industries. It is a down-to-earth, lively place that blends the old with the energetic new.

It is easy to overlook this small island nation, having, as it does, such powerful and flashy neighbours like Qatar and the Emirates. However, ignoring Bahrain would be a huge mistake. It is an emerging power in the region, with all the luxury and worldliness of a cosmopolitan destination and all the charm and personality of a small island. Add to this the growing art scene and burgeoning international cuisine in the country, and you have the newest prime travel destination in the region, and the most socially liberal one.

Over the years, Taormina has been a source of inspiration for artists from all over the world. Celebrated as the idyllic destination par excellence, it represents the ideal place to escape from the chaos of city life. Located 200 metres above sea level, it is settled on a coastal terrace, overlooking the vastness of the Ionian Sea. The natural beauty of the hill from which the city rises is completed by the view of the imposing Etna volcano.