Helsinki Zoo is one of the few zoos in the world located on an island. A 20 minute ferry (summer) or bus ride from the city centre will take you to a zoo where you can travel from cold mountain regions to dry steppes and from northern coniferous forests to the tropical rainforest. Helsinki Zoo is home to 150 animal and 1000 plant species showcasing the diversity of nature. The zoo was established already in 1889 and this makes it one of the oldest zoos in the world. Despite the long history and historic surroundings, Helsinki Zoo is a modern zoo with a mission to conserve biodiversity.

This stylised theatre performance consists of elaborate choreography and make-up combined with colourful traditional nagauta music. The plays are dramatic and exciting, though, in the 17th century, female kabuki performers were banned - men now play the roles of both genders most convincingly.

If you have never been in Northern Scandinavia during the midsummer period, the bright nights are perhaps the most fascinating and apparent phenomenon. The sun doesn’t set at all. You can get spectacular views of the surroundings from the city mountain, Luossavaara, about 4 km outside Kiruna. The midnight sun can be experienced between 27 May and 14 July in Kiruna.

One of the areas central to Varadero's town life, the recently re-discovered Parque Central (bordering on another park - Parque de las Taquilas) is perfectly fit for a refreshing stroll through the greenery in the peak of tropical Cuban heat. Nearby lies the small colonial-era church Iglesia de Santa Elvira.