French Guiana, tucked between Brazil and Suriname on the northeast coast of South America, offers an unexpected blend of Amazonian wilderness, colonial intrigue, and French flair. As an overseas department of France, it uses the euro, speaks French, and has croissants alongside cassava bread at breakfast. Yet just beyond the cafés of Cayenne, vast rainforest stretches for hundreds of kilometers, home to rare wildlife, remote rivers, and Indigenous communities.

Takayama, located in Japan’s mountainous Gifu Prefecture, is a city where traditional culture and natural beauty are remarkably well preserved.

Golubac is a gateway to the Iron Gates Gorge, a stretch of the Danube River that separates the Carpathian and Balkan mountains.

Located on the southwestern coast of Norway, Haugesund is known for its rich Viking heritage and natural landscapes.

Klaipeda, Lithuania’s only port city, is a place where history, nature, and the sea come together. Located on the coast of the Baltic Sea, this charming city has a unique old town filled with cobblestone streets.