The Pier of Burgas, stretching nearly 300 metres into the Black Sea, is a defining feature of the city’s coastline. Originally constructed in 1936 and revitalised in 2013, it features a 22-metre-high viewing platform and serves as a departure point for boat trips to Saint Anastasia Island. A popular spot for leisurely walks or morning runs, the Pier also hosts the annual Epiphany cross-throwing ceremony, blending natural beauty with cultural tradition.

Perched atop Mount Pagos in the heart of İzmir, Kadifekale offers a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape and the Aegean Sea. Also known as ‘Velvet Castle’, Kadifekale boasts a rich past dating back to various periods, including Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine times. You can explore the archaeological remains while enjoying breathtaking vistas of İzmir and the coastline below. At sunset, the call to prayer echoes throughout the city, reverberating in a show of İzmir's soul. Linked to the centre by a bus line, it is also ideal for a suggestive hike.

Singapore does not only offer big city life and urban activities, but also spectacular stretches of pristine nature, especially in the north west, at the country's border with Malaysia. The Sungei Buloh Reserve is a great place to spot a variety of migratory bird species as well as lizards and other exotic animals. You can spend the whole day exploring the hiking trails at this vast mangrove reserve.

Bulgaria’s coastal bunkers, remnants of its WWII alliance with Nazi Germany, are scattered along the Black Sea coast. In Burgas, one bunker sits just off Central Beach, between the Pantheon of the Fallen Antifascists and the Flora Burgas Expo Centre. Another can be found near Lake Atanasovsko, known as the Bunker at the Salt Pans. Once military outposts, these structures now stand as silent reminders of a complex past, with some repurposed into cafes and covered in murals, or left abandoned, offering a glimpse into 20th-century history.