For a taste of nature just outside the city, hiking up Wutong Mountain is a favourite among locals and visitors alike. The mountain offers a range of trails, so whether you’re an experienced hiker or just looking for a scenic stroll, there’s something for every fitness level. The effort is well worth it when you’re rewarded with sweeping views of Shenzhen—and on clear days, you can even catch a glimpse of Hong Kong in the distance. While the hike is the main attraction, make sure to explore the Hongfa Temple, one of the largest and most revered in Shenzhen, as well as the botanical garden nestled in the mountain’s foothills, where you can relax and immerse yourself in lush greenery.

At the theme park Window of the World, visitors get to stroll through a mini-version of the globe. In just an afternoon, you can wander among over 130 replicas of iconic landmarks from five continents: snap a selfie beneath the towering Eiffel Tower, step back in time at the pyramids of Giza, and wind along the paths of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat. The park doesn’t just recreate famous sites—it also brings them to life with events year-round. Summer’s Beer Festival and Winter’s Dance Festival fill the grounds with live music, dancing, and international flavors.

Added in early 2002 as the second main pillar of the Kunstsammlung and accommodating contemporary art was the Ständehaus am Kaiserteich, until 1988 the seat of the Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia. Four wings with continuous arcades surround the building’s central public area, a spacious plaza. The creative treatment of this representative building in the Historicist style (1876-80) by the Munich architectural office of Kiessler + Partner created a modern museum building with a striking glaze domed roof which shapes the building’s aesthetic and at the same time spans an expansive sculpture garden located on the uppermost level. Together, a flexible hall for temporary exhibitions in the ground floor level and the upper galleries comprise more than 5300 m² of surface area. Installations and artist’s rooms are an important focus of the Kunstsammlung, an area which has been expanded continuously in recent years.

Queens is one of New York’s most diverse boroughs, known for its mix of cultures, food, and art. Its neighborhoods each have their own flavor: in Astoria, Greek tavernas and bakeries line the streets, while Flushing offers some of the city’s best Asian restaurants. MoMA PS1 in Long Island City showcases cutting-edge contemporary art in an industrial setting, and nearby, the Noguchi Museum blends indoor and outdoor space with sculptures by Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi. History fans can visit the King Manor Museum in Jamaica, once home to Rufus King, a signer of the U.S. Constitution and early abolitionist. Citi Field, home of the Mets, and the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where the U.S. Open takes place, are also here. Both JFK and LaGuardia airports are in Queens, making it the first and last stop for many visitors.