This pleasingly peculiar market town is rife with old mills and flapjack-like "upstairs-downstairs" houses. Annual festivals, theatrical productions and parades pump the locals (and tourists) with life. Don’t miss the Hardcastle Crags or hiking along the gorgeous Pennine Way, and be sure to have a stroll along the inspirational Rochdale Canal.

The past is present in Rouen, where Gothic church spires tower over half-timbered lanes and history museums. Normandy’s riverside capital also dishes up some of the best cuisine in the region, from farm-fresh cheese to oysters hauled in from the nearby coast.

Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, contains one of the largest surviving medieval quarters in Europe. Included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Old Town contains almost two thousand medieval, gothic, renaissance, and baroque buildings, all centered on the neo-classical cathedral and town hall. Other popular attractions include the KGB Museum, located in a former Soviet prison, and the 13th century Higher Castle, which affords a glorious view of the city center.

Far East Russia is a world apart from the country’s west – almost literally, lying thousands of miles and many time zones away from it. A huge area with rugged mountains and spectacular Pacific Ocean coastline, Far East Russia borders China and North Korea on its south and nearly touches the United States to the northeast. Cities like Vladivostok and Khabarovsk are here, but the glorious natural wonders (like the volcanoes and national parks of the Kamchatka Peninsula) are what draw many.

Come play in El Gouna where the turquoise Red Sea sparkles. With resorts, spas and an 18-hole golf course, El Gouna lets you unwind under the sun. Book an excursion by land or sea—quad bikes are a popular way for the adventurous to see the desert. By night, trendy bars and the open-air disco welcome you to stay up late. (Editor's note: Our list was compiled before political unrest prompted many countries to issue travel warnings for Egypt. If you're currently planning a trip to Egypt, please consider the risks and monitor your government's travel alerts.)

Escape the urban bustle and make Jasper your home base for exploring Canada's extraordinary wilderness. As a mountain town, it's low-key and unpretentious with good food and drink; as a destination, it's an outdoor sports lover's playground, with hiking and golfing in summer and skiing and dog sledding in winter. If it's chilly, heat up at Miette Hot Springs in the National Park.