About 80 km from Hangzhou city and just an easy hour bus ride away, Wu Zhen is a town where time passes without notice. More and more tourists have discovered the time-worn cobbled stone streets, crow-stepped gable, wooden doors and long, narrow alleys of Wu Zhen. Still, the life of the locals seem undisturbed. They still keep to their traditional customs, like drinking Sanbai Wine, making traditional maltose and sipping morning tea until 9.30 am, the same leisurely and pleasing way their great grandfathers did. With the newly created Wu Zhen International Theater Festival, the town shows also a touch of modern culture.

These three historic bridges and their four stone towers dating back to the 13th century are iconic in Strasbourg. They cross four canals that run through Petite France.

The Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) has inherited its sad name from the condemned prisoners crossing it on their way to the execution. The covered bridge connects the prison to the interrogation room in the Doge's Palace and crosses Rio di Palazzo. If you happen to pass under it at sunset, at the time the bells of St Mark's Campanile ring, remember to kiss your loved one: as the legend goes, your love will be eternal.

The Marciana Library or Library of Saint Mark (Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana) is located in a beautiful Renaissance building and takes its name after St Mark, Venice's patron. Being one of the most ancient manuscript depositories of the city, it is an exquisite place to become more familiar with the history of Venice.