Built between 527 and 565 AD at the foot of Mount Sinai for Emperor Justinian, this monastery later took its name from St Catherine of Alexandria, whose remains are said to rest here. It’s more fortress than church, with thick stone walls guarding the Church of the Transfiguration, the chapel of the Burning Bush, and a monks-only library packed with ancient manuscripts. Inside, you’ll find mosaics, religious ornaments, and some of the oldest illuminated manuscripts in the world on display. Outside, don’t miss Moses’ Well and the garden with centuries of history. The place is open most mornings but closed on Fridays, Sundays, and Orthodox feast days. Still active today, the monastery holds importance across Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, and continues its Greek Orthodox traditions uninterrupted.

Animal lovers and eco-warriors will adore Dunedin’s abundant wildlife. The albatross, for example, can fly with its three-metre wingspan at speeds of up to 115 kilometres per hour. You have the chance to see these majestic creatures from the observatory at Dunedin’s Royal Albatross Centre at Taiaroa Head.

A museum of contemporary art. This most impressive exhibition space in Austria, flooded with natural light, houses one of the best art collections in the country.

Eugénie, the wife of Napoleon III, created Hôtel du Palais at the end of the 19th century, and it still towers over the northern end of Grand Plage. A visit is well worth the time. In fact, it is essentially a must-see – the interiors and the atmosphere are reminiscent of a bygone era.