The Czech Republic's most famed spa destination, Karlovy Vary - or Carlsbad - saw 200 spa houses sprout by the end of the 1500s. The springs in this idyllic, lush, peaceful Tepla valley are said to cure an almanac's worth of metabolic and gastric issues. Visitors still flock to this town of Baroque and Art Nouveau buildings. Five beautiful Colonnades straddle hot springs where visitors try aquatherapy and drink the mineral-rich water. The town also has a respected international film festival.

If you’re after a winter sports holiday, you can’t find a more gorgeous place to do it than Interlaken, the popular Swiss resort town. There’s superlative skiing, toboggan rides, miles of sledding tracks (which, like the ski slopes, vary in difficulty), snowboarding… all with amazing views of the mountains. In summer, hike among the ibex at nearby Neiderhorn, or shop for watches in the town’s boutiques.

A gem of a city easily reached by rail from Liverpool. Small yet packed to the rafters with history, culture and stylish cafe/bar culture. At its heart, the historic black-and-white timbered "rows" provide a shopping experience like no other place on the planet.

Travelers generally come to Bilbao to see the Guggenheim—some for the art inside, but many for the amazing building itself. The Fine Arts Museum and the Basque Museum may not have been designed by Frank Gehry, but are worth a visit, and you can catch international opera stars at the Palacio Euskalduna.

A youthful, modern metropolis with a diverse population, Tel Aviv dates back only to 1909. Clubs, bars, a thriving arts community, gay life and beaches attract artists, musicians and young professionals to Tel Aviv's more secular scene. Its UNESCO-designated Bauhaus architecture has won the city the moniker "The White City." Walk, drive or catch cabs between the cultural exhibition pavilions of Haaretz Museum, historic Independence Hall Museum, bustling Carmel Market and Old Jaffa's boardwalk.

Located on the Red Sea Riviera and nestled between a desert and a mountain range, Makadi Bay has beautiful, white sand beaches and crystal blue water. Interesting nearby excursions include trips to Giftun Island National Park, the Monasteries of St. Anthony and St. Paul or to the ancient town of Luxor, along the Nile River. In Makadi Bay, enjoy the beach, go camel or horseback riding and listen to live music at one of the many bars.

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.

Although the name suggests otherwise, the Blue Mountains is an actual town in Grey County that consists of several small communities including Thornbury, Christie Beach, Clarksburg, Heathcote and Ravenna. The area is very picturesque and scenic in the summer months and during "apple season" in the autumn, but the town is most famous for its mountains. Tourists flock to Intrawest's Blue Mountain Ski Resort year-round for its wide array of offerings. If you aren't in the mood for skiing or snowboarding, take a stroll through Blue Mountain Village and enjoy a coffee at one of the cafes or a meal in one of the many restaurants located in the village.