The name Mackinaw City is a bit of a misnomer; with a population of just 859 in the 2000 census, it is little more than a village. Positioned at the southern end of the Mackinac Bridge – one of the longest suspension bridges in the world that bridges two of the great lakes at the […]

Colloquially known as “The Steel City” due to the former prominence of the industry, Pittsburgh has successfully reinvented itself as a diverse centre for sectors such as healthcare, technology and financial services. There’s a fresh and refined feel that belies its industrial reputation; in many ways, it’s one of America’s best kept secrets. Sat snugly […]

Tampa has been blessed with one of the best year round climates on the American continent, attracting a host of outgoing twenty-somethings from across the US. There are over 160 parks and plenty of beaches in which to enjoy the weather, while the youthful citizenry have generated a fantastic cultural scene replete with innovative arts […]

Once a city that symbolised division, Berlin has spent the two decades since the fall of the famous Wall making up for lost time; it has become one of the most diverse, tolerant and downright animated cities in Europe. Only in Berlin would you find a hotel with an upside-down room (Propeller Island), or a […]

The near-Arctic wilderness of Finland is not the first place you’d look for a high-tech capital of industrial design, but Helsinki is just that. Perhaps its something in the clean, Baltic air; more likely its the tap water, which is so pure that its bottled and sold thousands of miles away in Saudi Arabia. This […]

Approach Chicago by water and the reflected cityscape of towering skyscrapers might leave you speechless; particularly at night when the glittering luminescence makes it appear as the Milky Way fallen to earth. Once famed for the legend of Al Capone and murky underworld of organised crime, Chicago today is the ‘most American of American cities’, […]

Think of Egypt and most people immediately picture the Great Pyramids. Yet while these are reason enough to visit the country themselves, there is so much more to this vast and enchanting land. The Egyptians have inhabited it since the rest of the world’s civilisations were still in metaphorical diapers and over five thousand years […]

Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire after the first Opium War of the 19th century, before being return to the Chinese in 1997. Today it is a special autonomous region of the Republic of China and one of the leading financial centres in the world. Famous for its impressive collection of skyscrapers […]

Antigua’s impossibly blue seas and sandy white beaches are so postcard-perfect that you’re torn between the urge to dive into the still, inviting ocean or simply stand and stare, absorbing sunshine that seems to soak you to your core. Neighbouring Barbuda is little more than a sandy reef, but its indigenous population of sea-birds is […]

An Islamic nation with centuries of history, Morocco is a unique blend of Africa and Europe. Historical influences dating back to the Romans are still visible in the architecture. The cities of Fez and Marrakech are colourfully chaotic, dizzying and dazzling in equal measures, while the glittering coastline and the inviting Atlas Mountains are perfect […]

Dubai puts the glamour into petroleum; with wealth founded on the discovery of rich oil fields in the mid 60s, it’s been busy glitzing its way into the international consciousness as a city unlike any other. It’s ostentation at its most fabulous; from the moment you arrive you’ll be treated like a VIP, dazzled by […]

Thailand is a gorgeous country with a diverse natural and archaeological legacy. A tropical climate, white sandy beaches and a vibrant nightlife are all on offer; try diving amid coral reefs and whale sharks at Ko Tao, go jungle trekking in Mae Hong Son or simply party the night away in the bright lights of […]