Europe

Barcelona is an enchanting seaside city with boundless culture, fabled architecture and a world-class drinking and dining scene. Towering temple columns, ancient city walls and subterranean stone corridors provide a window into Roman-era Barcino.

Berlin's combo of glamour and grit is bound to mesmerise all those keen to explore its vibrant culture, cutting-edge architecture, fabulous food, intense parties and tangible history. Bismarck and Marx, Einstein and Hitler, JFK and Bowie, they’ve all shaped – and been shaped by – Berlin.

With equal measures of grunge and grace, Athens is a heady mix of history and edginess. The magnificent Acropolis, visible from almost every part of the city, is the hub around which Athens still revolves.

The world’s most northerly capital combines colourful buildings, quirky, creative people, eye-popping design, wild nightlife and a capricious soul. The capital has seen a recent surge in restaurant openings, many of the highest standard, and expressing all manner of culinary creativity.

The popular perception of the Netherlands' third-largest city is of a stately, regal place populated with bureaucrats and businesspeople. Easy to explore on foot or by tram, this is a country that amply rewards those who stay for a few days.