The spectacular escarpment and beautiful beaches make Wollongong idyllic for outdoor adventures and fun. Just 80 kilometres south of Sydney, Wollongong is NSW's third-largest city. Skydive, hang-glide and paraglide above the sparkling Pacific Ocean. Surfing, water skiing, sailing and fishing are popular, too. Play golf on picturesque courses or relax on a beach. Rent a bike and ride along 60 kilometres of cycle paths or walk on rainforest trails. After all the outdoor activities, visit the city’s splendid art gallery and enjoy quality cafés and restaurants.

Beautiful historic towns dot the vast mountainous expanses of the Province of Cuneo. The landscape boasts a huge variety, from lush valleys, vineyards and natural reserves to rolling green hills and imposing snow-capped mountains, interrupted only by castles and quaint, tower-studded towns and villages, like the stunning Alba, Saluzzo and the regional capital of Cuneo. Locally produced cheeses, chocolates and especially wines are internationally renowned and sought-after, and the area also offers top-notch outdoor adventures.

The iconic white sand island archipelago, washed by crystal-blue waters of the Indian Ocean, firmly holds on to its reputation as a sought-after luxury holiday retreat for vacationers the world over. Earlier heralded as primarily a honeymoon destination, the Maldives now draw a diverse range of travellers to its increasing number of backpacker inns and long-established high-end resorts.

The mythical birthplace of the goddess Hera, Samos is the greenest of the Aegean islands and surely deserves its divine reputation. Nature lovers and sun-seekers alike are attracted to its pebbled beaches, green landscapes, and impressive rocky cliffs. The island is also renowned for its vineyards and is home to the impressive ruins of the Temple of Hera, as well as the remarkable Tunnel of Eupalinos, a feat of ancient engineering that once supplied clean drinking water to the people of Pythagoreio.

Charismatic seaside Catania is a young, dynamic soul, inhabiting a body of narrow alleys and ornate Baroque buildings set atop well-preserved remains of ancient Greek and Roman settlements. Mount Etna defines the cityscape both in terms of the striking panorama and the building material — Catania is even referred to as the "grey city" for the colour of lava rocks used to construct many of its buildings.