The winding cobbled streets lined with ancient looking patios, where stylish Quebecois sip coffee and play chess with their compatriots, have a distinctly rustic feel by day; by night, the soft amber glow of the gorgeous city lights feel like a scene from a Van Gogh. Quebec City is a delightful slice of the Old […]

Havana was once described as a cemetery of cinemas; not to mention bookshops, theatres, markets and much more. At the forefront of Latin Culture, the cultural scene was once a rival for New York and Paris, yet the advent of Communism saw much slide into decline. Today it us undergoing something of a quiet revolution; […]

For the sheer romance of the Renaissance, it is hard to look beyond this sumptuously stylish city; if this were a beauty pageant, meet the new Miss World. Florence’ wealth was built on the fortune and stewardship of the Medici dynasty, who commissioned the likes of Michaelangelo, Botticelli and Leonardo to sculpt a landscape of […]

It’s hard to know which is the more iconographic image of Rio; that of the 40m statue of Christ the Redeemer, arms outstretched as he gazes out over the cidade maravilhosa, or that of the scantily-clad carnival-goers shaking their stuff with unashamed exuberance through the Samba City. Perhaps you think of the canary-clad creativity of […]

Famous for watches and chocolate, there is in fact much more to Switzerland. A landlocked country with four official languages, it has a diverse culture to match, and whether you fancy dining German, Italian or French you are in for a treat. This is also the country where people first skied for fun and the […]

A Caribbean archipelago comprised of two main islands and several smaller siblings, the Republic of Cuba looms large in the imagination despite its diminutive size. Known for its cigars and smooth-sipping rum, not to mention international political figures such as Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, it is perhaps most paradoxically seen as a symbol of […]

Israel is a long-contested land that was born of political compromise after the end of World War II, but its roots go back as far as the biblical state of Zion. Jerusalem at its heart attracts millions in pilgrimage every year, yet Israel is far from a backwater theocracy but a pulsing modern nation with […]

The great Aztec City of Tenochtitlan once stood on this antiquated lake bed, but after suffering widespread destruction during a 16th century Spanish siege it was rebuilt according to colonial standards. The name Mexico City became official in 1585 and it has served as the national administrative, economic and cultural capital ever since. A kaleidoscopic […]

Germany is an economic powerhouse, a model of forward planning and efficiency, not to mention the fifth largest economy in the world. Everything runs like clockwork and the lasting sentiment of many visitors is ‘why can’t we do things like that?’ For lovers of city life Germany is also a traveller’s delight. From top class […]

Cyprus’ excellent infrastructure, hot Mediterranean climate and idyllic scenery make it a popular location for international business. Sun, sea and nightlife attract visitors from all over Europe, but venture further afield and you find the impressive ruins of Salamis, the ancient city of Curium and the birthplace of Aphrodite at Paphos. Nicosia is the last […]

The striking harbour and rolling green hills at the southern tip of Aotearoa’s north island make this a superior setting for the official capital of New Zealand. It may be smaller than Auckland but anybody on the street will tell you that this is the nation’s true cultural heart. The many natural riches in Wellington’s […]

These fifteen loosely clustered islands are spread over an area three times the size of France, despite having a total land mass that would be comfortably swallowed ten times by Paris. Remote doesn’t even begin to describe them; yet thousands of years of Polynesian history and culture have produced a tightly knit and friendly community […]