Aarhus lives up to its "smallest big city" motto. It’s petite enough to conquer in a weekend, yet buzzing with enough energy to rival Copenhagen. This is where Danish hygge meets youthful innovation: think Michelin-starred dining alongside quirky food markets, avant-garde architecture framing half-timbered houses, and world-class museums (don’t miss the rainbow panorama at ARoS). By night, craft cocktail bars and live music venues prove size doesn’t dictate ambition.

Home to Chianti wine, the Medicis and the Strozzis, Michael Angelo's David, Elba Island where Napoleon was exiled, and the legendary cities of Florence and Pisa, Tuscany is the fertile crescent of Italy where art, history and the pleasures of life shine on. Evergreen landscapes and breathtaking sights serve as cradle to the Italian culture and civilisation to thrive, and it remains today as one of the most appreciated Italian regions, one where the visitor might need to pinch their arm to know they are not dreaming.

Dresden was known as both the 'Florence of the North' and the 'Venice of the River Elbe' before World War II destroyed most of this once-magnificent Baroque city. But Dresden has managed to restore much of its former glory. The views from the banks of the Elbe and plentiful architectural delights, such as the rebuilt Frauenkirche or the famous Semper Opera, provide glimpses of what today’s vibrant Dresden once looked like. With 63 percent of its area devoted to woods and green spaces, Dresden is also one of the greenest cities in Europe.

Nestled within the lush Al-Ahsa Oasis in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the city of Al Hofuf (also known as Al-Ahsa or Al-Hasa) sprawls over the palm-tree-covered lands inhabited since prehistoric times. Al Hofuf is packed with historic sites, architectural monuments, and natural wonders, from forts and palaces to the whimsical Qara Mountain Caves and natural springs.