Simply put, Iceland’s famous Golden Circle is a popular route between three of the island's most visited attractions. Usually done as a day trip, the route starts in Reykjavik and takes you south and inland, to the Þingvellir National Park. There you enter the Geyser geothermal area with the Strokkur Geyser being most eager of the bunch. Finally, you arrive at to the 32-metre tall Gullfoss waterfall in the canyon of the roaring Hvítá river. Many tour agents and travellers themselves like to make extra stops along the way to see a geothermal power plant or spend a few hours at one of the spas. You could rent a car and drive between the landmarks at your own speed. In summer, you could even use the long daylight hours to avoid the crowds that tend to come earlier in the day. If you can pick your own route, don't miss the Kerid Crater Lake — a scenic lake that occupies a 3,000 years old volcanic crater that you can easily reach on foot.

The owners of Turtle Rock Ridge have adopted an Italian philosophy of wine-making in this California valley. After touring the gorgeous estate and wine making rooms, relax with a glass of wine as the sun begins to set over the Turtle Rock Ridge horizon.

Built initially by the Tang Emperor to honour his mother, the Da Ci'en Temple is the place where millions of historical rarities are housed. According to legend, all the Buddhist holy books were stored and translated after eminent monk Xuanzang returned from the journey to seek the scriptures. Inside the temple stands the Dayan Pagoda (also known as Giant Wild Goose Pagoda), constructed in the 7th century by China's first woman leader, Empress Wu Zetian.

Only 70 meters of the Western Wall are visible from the outside, but the shrine continues underground for half a kilometre more. To visit this part, join a guided tour of the tunnels. You will reach the segment of the Wall which was closer to the Holy of Holiest, the most sacred part of Solomon's Temple. Praying here has a particularly deep meaning for Jewish people, and there's a small synagogue for this purpose. Other notable sights are houses and pools from the Second Temple era, imposing stone arches, and an aqueduct from the 2nd century BC.