It’s always hard to fill the shoes of someone who used to do your job very well. If you’re the choirmaster at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, guess whose shoes you have to fill? Bach’s. (No pressure.) Leipzig is closely connected to classical music—Wagner was born here, and Mendelssohn established a conservatory here in 1843. If you’re more of a melancholy, contemporary type, visit during the Wave-Gotik-Treffen, billed as the world’s largest "dark" (Goth, industrial, punk, etc.) music festival.

Set on the vine-clad banks of the Main River and embellished with beautiful baroque masterpieces and delightful Franconian wineries, this lively university city of Wurzburg serves as a suitably picturesque starting point for Bavaria’s Romantic Road.

Just west of London, Reading offers redbrick Victorian buildings, medieval ruins, a thriving university, and pretty waterside walks along the Thames River. Its student community and annual rock-music blowout—the Reading Festival—add an offbeat edge.

The political, scientific, historical, architectural and business centre of Russia, Moscow displays the country's contrasts at their most extreme. The ancient and modern exist side by side in this city of 10 million. Catch a metro from one of the ornate stations to see Red Square, the Kremlin, the nine domes of St Basil's Cathedral, Lenin's Mausoleum, the KGB Museum and other symbols of Moscow's great and terrible past, then lighten up and go shopping in Boulevard Ring, or people-watch in Pushkin Square.

Coastal Calpe seems straight from a postcard, with a dramatic rocky headland and palm-dotted beaches lapped by Mediterranean waters. Once an ancient fishing village, the Costa Blanca town mixes Roman ruins and scenic nature parks with plenty of modern urban comforts.

The pristine white beaches of Tarifa are just as majestic as the 800-year-old castle that stands proudly in this southern Spanish town. Windsurfing or kitesurfing is an absolute must, and the sea sparkles with the promise of bustling marine life—perfect for enthusiastic scuba divers. At night, Tarifa itself sparkles with bars, nightclubs and tapas bars galore.

New York’s Finger Lakes region takes its name from 11 freshwater lakes placed like a handprint between Lake Ontario and the Pennsylvania border. Skiing, hiking and biking trails traverse the landscape; visitors can also indulge in various wine, cheese and beer trails. The area offers a culinary bounty, with an emphasis on farm-to-table cuisine. Rich history and culture are found throughout the region, with one attraction more inviting than the next.

Lexington, Virginia, is a college town rich with history, charm and natural wonders. Surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of the Shenandoah Valley, its bustling downtown offers unique restaurants, artisan shops and galleries. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy mountain vistas on a walk along the Woods Creek trail or on a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway. History buffs can follow the Civil War and visit the final resting places of iconic figures like Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.