Stretching from the wooded Dordogne to the towering peaks of the Pyrenees, this vast region is a popular winter sports destination, but one without the hordes that besiege the Alps. Spring's melted snows lure kayakers and rafting enthusiasts. In summer, amateur and advanced hikers take to the hills.

After many years of hard work, the "Sleeping Beauty" has awoken from its slumber. The city is beautifully restored and has an ultra-modern public transport system. The “Port of the Moon” is also now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Stone Bridge, with its 17 arches, crosses the Garonne, offering pedestrians a lovely view over the docks and harbour. Take a stroll through old Bordeaux in the Triangle d'Or and stop at Place des Quinconces, France’s largest public square. The city of Bordeaux is an ideal base for exploring the greater wine region’s unforgettable sights and tastes.

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.

An exclusive resort town long recognised for attracting royalty, Estoril lies less than 20 miles west of Lisbon and is probably best known for its casino. One of Europe’s largest, it was the inspiration for the first of Ian Fleming’s James Bond books, "Casino Royale." Estoril’s mild winters and warm sunny summers make it a perfect beach town, with one of the nicest, Praia do Tamariz, lying right next to the casino. So famous has Estoril become that the local coast is now called Costa do Estoril.

Home to both the midnight sun (with constant daylight from April to July) and the northern lights, North Norway is a rugged land of steep mountains, deep fjords and scenic coastline, making it a great place for outdoor adventures like dog sledding, snowmobiling and wildlife safaris. It's also the ancient home of the Sami people, 3,000 of whom live (along with 100,000 reindeer) at Kautokeino, Norway's largest municipality at over 3,700 square miles.

Bordered by the Kotorosl and Volga rivers, the historic city center of Yaroslavl is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The religious architecture is breathtaking and surreal, especially the emerald-domed Church of Elijah the Prophet and the gilded towers of the Assumption Cathedral. Numerous theaters, a philharmonic, a planetarium and a permanent circus round out the city’s art scene. Keep an eye on the time: Every hour on the hour, the proud namesake of the Monument to Bear statue gives a triumphant roar.

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.