Also known as Canton, Guangzhou is the third largest city in China. It has long been one of China's main commercial and trading centres and is one of the first cities that opened to the world. As one of the fastest growing cities in Asia, Guangzhou has also seen fast growth in tourism, attracting visitors with its cosmopolitan atmosphere, world-renowned Cantonese cuisine and its vibrant nightlife.

With glass skyscrapers that reflect the bustle of daily life, magnificent buildings such as the Emirates Palace, its lively souqs, excellent restaurants and long stretches of white beaches lapped by the crystal clear waters of the Gulf, Abu Dhabi is a city of outstanding contrasts.

If you fancy a hand of cards, Altenburg is the place for you: playing cards has been practised here for over 500 years, and the national card game ’skat’ was first played here. The town has a history of 1000 years, and boasts an impressive castle set on a rocky outcrop. Buy collapsible top hats on Rossplan Square, and baptise your cards at the Skat fountain: it brings good luck!

Edinburgh effortlessly balances its weighty history with contemporary energy. The Royal Mile’s weathered cobbles lead past medieval closes and modern whisky bars, while the shopfronts of Princes Street mirror the jagged skyline of the Old Town. By day, you can hike up Arthur’s Seat for panoramas that stretch to the Firth of Forth; by evening, join the animated crowds at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe or browse the shelves of independent bookshops. Scotland's compact, hilly capital is a city where every alley holds a story waiting to be uncovered.

Holiday-geared Hammamet has long attracted international vacationers, a fact to which the glorious decades-old Yasmine resort complex serves as testament. The town itself offers just the right dose of thrills to culture enthusiasts looking to break the lethargy of an all-inclusive respite with some sightseeing and shopping – all within the ancient walls of a cream-colored, low-rise Medina.