Situated near the northern edge of the wonderful Brecon Beacons National Park, the Welsh town of Brecon is the perfect holiday location for lovers of the countryside. As well as its Georgian architecture, the town of Brecon has a fine cathedral with a shop, restaurant and heritage centre. You can follow Captain's Walk and see the remains of Brecon's medieval walls, or visit the South Wales Borderers Museum at Brecon Barracks. Take advantage of good weather to cruise the canal that links Brecon with Newport. Above all, explore Brecon Beacons National Park, with its rolling hills, woods, caves and waterfalls.

Portimao is a sailor’s delight, thanks to its calm waters and beautiful conditions. Plenty of elite international competitions happen here, but you don’t have to be a professional to set sail. Cruising the coast on the double-masted Santa Bernarda pirate ship is a family favorite. On dry land, you can wander the lovely Alvor boardwalk, enjoy a succulent seafood meal or zip around the go-kart track at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve.

Sinaia is famous for its natural beauty and the rumored medicinal properties of its mineral springs. Known as “the Carpathian Pearl,” it’s a lovely mountain town whose main attractions are castles, alpine activities like hiking and skiing, and a 17th-century monastery that is still inhabited today.

A boisterous port city on the surface, this urban capital of Crete hides millennia of history beneath its modern trappings. In Heraklion, scooters zip past Minoan and medieval relics such as the seaside Koules Fortress, while Turkish fountains bubble up in the shadow of apartment blocks.

Greensboro, North Carolina loves nightlife, shopping, and horses (8,000 buyers per year go to the Sharpe Family Horse Farm.)  Greensboro lives up to its name in the host of gardens, science centres, and arboretums. The Bog Garden features a living wetland ecosystem. History is also at home here with museums dedicated to the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and the Civil Rights movement. After a day of sightseeing, visitors flock to the Four Seasons Town Centre for dinner, shopping, and a film.