Known as one of the imperial cities of Morocco, the opulent city of Fès is the country's oldest city, and it is split into two areas – Fès-el-Bali (Old Fes) and Fès-el-Djedid (New Fes) – as some mystical fusion of an ancient Islamic past and the French-influenced present. The endless Medina, which contains 9,500 streets, sells everything from jewellery to furniture, crafts, carpets, leather goods and spices.

Capital of one the world's fastest-growing economies, Addis Ababa (also spelled Addis Abeba) is a city in motion, catching up to Ethiopia's zooming commercial development in stride. At times gauche and somewhat rough around the edges, it is nonetheless worth more than a single night in transit, if only for the country's finest dining, shopping and of-the-moment urban developments.

Linz an der Donau is a cultural metropolis, and an oasis of green. It is a place where nature, culture and business come together to form a harmonious whole. The 2009 European Capital of Culture sports the slogan 'Linz, verändert' ('Linz, changes'), and lives up to the slogan in full. A successful location for business, the city has emerged as an outstanding destination for culture, offering dynamism and high quality of life. The capital city of Upper Austria is a showcase for theatre and music, contemporary art, history and science.

Hannover is a modern metropolis set among countless idyllic little towns and cute villages — with its programme of major events and open-air concerts, the baroque Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen and its top-notch artistic and cultural offerings, this city boasts a range of absorbing leisure activities that scarcely any other city can rival. Among the tourist highlights of the area, surrounding its federal state capital, are Lake Steinhude, the ridge of the Deister Hills and the Marienburg Castle.

Morocco’s capital city of Rabat is more than its magnificent medina (old town), which has been named a World Heritage Site: situated by the Bouregreg River and the Atlantic Ocean, the city has been an important commercial, cultural and military centre throughout history. Stroll through its tiny alleys, witness sites of French colonial heritage and enjoy Rabat’s open-minded atmosphere.