Chillida-Leku is an open-air museum near the city of Hernani, about an hour and a half from Bilbao, dedicated to the Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida. Around 40 of his monumental steel and granite works are dotted through meadows and woodland, with smaller pieces displayed inside the restored 16th-century Zabalaga farmhouse. The grounds are peaceful and easy to wander, and there’s also an organic café and shop on site.

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is a landmark of contemporary architecture and a cultural beacon for the city. Designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry, the museum's fluid, sculptural form has been hailed as one of the most significant architectural achievements of the 20th century. Its titanium-clad curves and organic shapes have transformed the Bilbao skyline and are often likened to a ship or flower. Beyond its jaw-dropping exterior, the museum houses a world-class collection of modern and contemporary art, focusing on postwar American and European artists. Notable works include pieces by Mark Rothko, Jeff Koons, and Louise Bourgeois, among others.

Dhobi Ghat, the world's largest laundromat with workers bent over piles of clothes and a pungent scent of soap mixed with smoke, is still a reality in Mumbai. Thousand of clothes pass through the 700 stone washing platforms every day and are hung on intricate dry lines, in a colourful show that is one of a kind.

Downtown Beirut is best explored on a cycling tour during the day. The city centre showcases sleek glass towers, while just a block away, abandoned high-rises with bullet holes stand as urban fossils from a not-so-distant war. The area is a blend of modern and traditional architecture, complemented by dining options and important historical landmarks. Make sure you stop to take a photo at the popular 'I Love Beirut' sign, visit Martyrs’ Square, a moving memorial to the nationalists executed here in 1916 under Ottoman rule, and admire the impressive Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque.