One of Islam’s most holy cities, Medina, is a sprawl of minarets and shops wrapped around the landmark, the Prophet’s Mosque. Like the rest of central Medina, it’s for Muslims only and is surrounded by plenty of hotels and eateries to welcome the pilgrimage crowd.

Russia’s warmest region, South Russia covers a large area roughly bordered by the steppes in the north, the Caucasus Mountains in the south, Ukraine and the Black Sea in the west, and Kazakhstan and the Caspian Sea in the east. Long the blend of many cultures, the region is home to many interesting cities (like Volgograd, Derbent, Rostov-On-Don and Elista), several resort towns (like Sochi and Krasnaya Polyana), gorgeous outdoor areas (like Teberdinsky Nature Reserve), and a few national parks.