Hampton Court Palace was King Henry VIII's favourite royal residence. It is brimming with thrilling stories and beautiful sights. Inside the building you can visit the medieval Great Hall where William Shakespeare’s company once performed, as well as the huge Tudor kitchens and the Haunted Gallery. There is also much to see on the outside of the palace, what with the puzzling maze, the palace's beautiful gardens and a large park. Other highlights include daily tours and talks, as well as the annual Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.

Amersfoort beer has been around since 1323. Because Amersfoort has always had good-quality water, the brewery industry in Amersfoort boomed. After 1800, unfortunately, many breweries had to close down because of rising competition from other Dutch cities. De Drie Ringen was founded in 1989, on the initiative of a bunch of friends. Enjoy traditional Amersfoort beers, go on a guided tour, and take a look at the ins and outs of the brewery.

To really get a deeper understanding of the area, head inland towards the golden sand dunes that are home to a myriad of hidden treasures. One not-so-hidden treasure is the amphitheatre of El Jem which was a set for the film Gladiator and is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site owing to its size and importance during the Roman Empire. Due to the drifting sands of the desert, archaeologists periodically make discoveries here, the most recent of which is a large racetrack that had gone unnoticed for centuries. A private tour, which can last anywhere between four hours and three days, will take adventurers from Monastir through the surrounding Bedouin villages, past Kairouan to El Jem.

The Aventine Hill is one of the Seven Hills on which ancient Rome was built. The real off-the-beaten-path gem offers magnificent views of the city and leads to fabulous rose gardens and impressive religious structures, including the Basilica of Santa Sabina — the oldest Roman Basilica in Rome. The highlight here is the keyhole of the Knights of Malta, where people line up to enjoy the stunning view over the Dome of Saint Peter's.