Known for its markets and its striking 19th-century limestone architecture, Kingston is a great base for exploring the Thousand Islands and the St. Lawrence River and its national park. Visit Wolfe Island on the free ferry, or hunt for antiques in nearby villages.

An extensive waterfront regeneration and the addition of the V&A Museum to the banks of the River Tay has spruced up Dundee considerably, but it hasn't gone to Dundonians' heads. With plenty of wit and character, the locals are some of the friendliest in the UK.

Home to Windsor Castle, the second residence of Queen Elizabeth II, Windsor is a popular day-trip destination from London. Those who tarry in the riverside town fill their time wandering the cobbled streets, popping in and out of the luxe boutiques, restaurants, and tea shops that tumble down toward the Thames River.

If Aalborg were a house, the real estate agent would sell it as "loaded with potential." The 1,000-year-old city is Denmark’s fourth largest, and boasts a Viking past, over 300 restaurants, a casino, lively nightlife and great shopping. The zoo breeds rare Siberian Tigers, and the Waterland and Tivoliland make it a great place for families to visit. Aalborg isn’t a hotspot for foreigners, yet. But we’ll watch as the waterfront of this busy port continues to gentrify, with expectations it will be one in the future.