Valladolid breathes history. This is the place where King Felipe II was born, the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabel were married, and Christopher Columbus died. This was once the capital of Spain, and although it has lost this title, it's still the principal city of Castilla y Leon, the land of castles from which the word ‘Castilian’ is derived. Today, Valladolid is a bustling university city that thrives on its manufacturing industries. It is a down-to-earth, lively place that blends the old with the energetic new.

Like so many of the towns and cities of Egypt, Hurghada, Luxor and Marsa Alam are living history museums. The three cities are positioned as corners of a triangle in the Eastern Desert. Hurghada, a former fishing harbour, stretches 24 kilometres along the waterfront and is the perfect area for water sports. Marsa Alam is found by the Red Sea coast and tourism is just starting to make an impact. The city of Luxor, with its jaw-droppingly beautiful monuments built by the hands of ancient craftsmen, lies 240 kilometres inland on the banks of the River Nile.

Wyoming attracts those who need not the frills and thrills of traditional vacation hotspots or high-octane amusements. It attracts those who are drawn instinctively to areas of earthy subsistence, where the only apparent wealth is a wealth of nature and beauty. The town of Jackson Hole is a reflection of its greater state, having both an aesthetic appreciation of its wilderness, as well as a nod to a heritage of ranching and farming.

Edged by mountain ranges, Canberra is a planned city built on vast limestone plains. Canberra is Australia’s national capital — the seat of the Federal Parliament and home to many institutions and national monuments. Four distinct seasons add to its charm, and visitors quickly discover that it really is Australia’s hidden gem. The surrounding countryside contains historic and picturesque rural villages and a burgeoning cool-climate wine industry.

The beating heart of the Indian state of Gujarat, Ahmedabad has managed to preserve its cultural integrity through the centuries, remaining relatively unaffected by British colonial rule. Little developed by the tourism industry, the city remains a true hidden gem inhabited by remarkably hospitable Gurajatis, teeming with exquisite historic temples, renowned universities, and world-class vegetarian eateries able to convert diners of the most carnivorous persuasion.