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.

Aarhus lives up to its "smallest big city" motto. It’s petite enough to conquer in a weekend, yet buzzing with enough energy to rival Copenhagen. This is where Danish hygge meets youthful innovation: think Michelin-starred dining alongside quirky food markets, avant-garde architecture framing half-timbered houses, and world-class museums (don’t miss the rainbow panorama at ARoS). By night, craft cocktail bars and live music venues prove size doesn’t dictate ambition.

Colombo is the financial and cultural centre of Sri Lanka, an enchanting island lying off India's southern tip. These city folks go about their daily business with a cheerfulness born of optimism in this noisy and traffic-congested metropolis. But despite being known as a chaotic city, Sri Lanka's capital offers a handful of attractions for first-time visitors, including old colonial buildings, breathtaking religious temples, a beautiful shore, and flavourful food.

This small but perfectly formed city in the picturesque county of Devon has preserved many of its historic features while enjoying all the amenities and vibrancy of a modern cosmopolitan hub. Exeter is the perfect base to explore the surrounding English countryside dotted with pretty villages, quaint old pubs and tea rooms serving the famous Devon cream tea. All of this comes with the added bonus of being only a short journey to the nearby coastal resorts, fishing ports, and sandy beaches of the English Riviera and the World Heritage Jurassic Coast.

Queenstown, the self-proclaimed "Adventure Capital of the World", has, without a doubt, earned this title. The birthplace of bungy jumping, and home to all manner of adrenaline pumping activities, from luge and jet-boating to canyon swinging, attracts thousands of adventure lovers every year. Set on the edge of the giant Lake Wakatipu, in the Otago region, this intimate town transforms itself into a buzzing ski resort during winter, thanks to its two appealing ski-fields that suit sport lovers of any abilities.