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 […]

Monte Carlo is popularly believed to be capital of Monaco but is in fact little more than another administrative division. That said, the signature casino is perhaps Monaco’s most famous building, and it is also the site of Monaco Cathedral, where many of the Grimaldi royal family – including Grace Kelly – are buried. Few […]

“Give me liberty or give me death!” Thus spoke Patrick Henry at the 1775 Virginia convention in Richmond, attended by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, seen by historians as one of the key moments in the early days of the Revolutionary War. This is a former capital of the Confederacy on the site where John […]

After decades of colonialism, communism, civil war and now rapidly accelerating globalisation, Vietnam today is an emerging market country where the excesses of capitalism have yet to ruin its glorious natural legacy. Forest-covered mountains and verdant rice fields inland are trumped only by a lavish coastline littered with tropical lagoons, dramatic peninsulas and white beaches […]