You’ll find plenty of orange trees here, but the fruit known as the "Valencia orange" was actually developed in California. travellers interested in local food should focus on paella instead. While the city contains many monuments, Valencia’s modern crown jewel is the City of Arts and Sciences, a futuristic complex of museums, cinemas, theatres, and more.

Comprising the provinces of Alicante, Valencia and Castellon, Valencian Country basks on the Mediterranean Coast in central southeastern Spain. The densely populated area is a prime tourist destination, with Valencia city having the reputation as the place the Spanish go to party. The area offers budget resorts, such as those on the Costa Blanca, to upscale villas in elegant Valencia. Small villages are scattered through the mountainous inland region, but it's the coast that remains the main draw.

Everyone who visits Paris for the first time probably has the same punchlist of major attractions to hit: The Louvre, Notre Dame, The Eiffel Tower, etc. Just make sure you leave some time to wander the city’s grand boulevards and eat in as many cafes, bistros and brasseries as possible. And don’t forget the shopping—whether your tastes run to Louis Vuitton or Les Puces (the flea market), you can find it here.

From Shoreditch’s swaggering style to Camden’s punky vibe and chic Portobello Road, London is many worlds in one. The city’s energy means that no two days are the same. Explore royal or historic sites, tick off landmarks from your bucket list, eat and drink in exclusive Michelin-starred restaurants, enjoy a pint in a traditional pub, or get lost down winding cobbled streets and see what you stumble across – when it comes to London, the possibilities are endless.

Over the centuries, many cultures have added their mark to this prized piece of land. Today, you can experience those influences firsthand by exploring Istanbul’s mahalles (neighbourhoods). From the holy sites of Sultanahmet and the 19th-century European elegance of Beyoğlu to the high fashion of Nişantaşı, the vibrant café society of Kadıköy and the football-loving streets of Beşiktaş, it’s easy to see why travellers say that Istanbul isn’t just one city, but many cities within one.

One of Islam’s most holy cities, Medina, is a sprawl of minarets and shops wrapped around the landmark, the Prophet’s Mosque. Like the rest of central Medina, it’s for Muslims only and is surrounded by plenty of hotels and eateries to welcome the pilgrimage crowd.

The prophet Mohammed's birthplace is Islam's spiritual center and is strictly off-limits to non-Muslims. The pillars of Islam state that all Muslims with the means must undertake Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca, once in their lifetime. Those who visit the holy city are rewarded not just by proximity to landmarks and religious sites crucial to the religion, such as the Masjid Al Haram (Holy Mosque), the Mountain of Light, the Black Stone and the Well of Zamzam, but with the forgiveness of all their sins.

The first time you go to New York, go ahead and be a sight-seer—everyone should visit the Statue of Liberty, the Met, Times Square, etc. But on a return trip, pick a neighbourhood and go deep. You’ll find hole-in-the-wall bars, great delis, quirky shops… exploring the non-touristy side of New York is an incredibly rewarding experience for a traveller.

Pretoria is a vision of purple, thanks to its plethora of blossoming trees that gave the South African metropolis its nickname: Jacaranda City. Give in to the animal magnetism of the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, then get up close and personal with the big, bad kitties of the Cheetah Research and Breeding Centre. The buildings of Pretoria reflect diverse architectural styles and influences, creating a unique urban landscape.