Ningbo is right on the East China Sea, south of Shanghai. Many scholars believe this was the cradle of Chinese civilization. Study the stone tablets and thousands of rare Ming Dynasty books in China's oldest and most renowned library. See the Asoka Temple believed to be one of the most important Buddhist temples in China or visit Tian Tong Temple, one of the largest and most scenic. For shopping, try the colorful and busy Gao Tang Free Market, the largest in the city.

Aurangabad, now officially known as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, is a historic city in Maharashtra’s Deccan region, surrounded by dry hills, agricultural land, and the basalt landscapes of the Deccan Plateau. It is best known as a gateway to some of India’s most important rock-cut monuments, including the UNESCO-listed Ajanta and Ellora Caves. The city itself combines Mughal-era architecture, Buddhist cave sites, historic gateways, and traditional craft industries. I

Rota is the southernmost island in the Northern Mariana Islands, situated between Guam and the larger islands farther north in the archipelago. Its landscape combines limestone hills, coastal cliffs, sandy beaches, forests, and small farming areas.

Hunter Valley in New South Wales is one of Australia’s oldest and most celebrated wine regions, shaped by European settlement in the early 1800s.

A major industrial area in the Loire Valley, it is an ancient city and was often visited in pilgrimages to pay homage to the tomb of St. Martin, a former bishop of Tours.