Karatu, located in northern Tanzania between Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater, is more than just a stopover for safari-goers. This highland town, surrounded by rolling farmland and volcanic hills, offers travelers a closer look at daily life in the region. The area is home to the Iraqw people, known for their terraced farming, traditional homesteads, and unique language unrelated to most other East African tongues.

Belleek is a small village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, set where the River Erne widens toward the Atlantic.

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

Capital of Martinique, a French overseas territory, Fort-de-France is a veritable island paradise replete with striking colonial architecture, exotic flora and fauna, verdant nature parks, and sparkling beaches. Highlights of this vibrant island capital include the colorful Jardin de Balata, the cascading Fontaine Didier waterfall, and the expansive Schoelcher Library.

The commercial and cultural center for the Ruhr region on the Rhine River, Duseldorff is also the site of the Felderhof Cave where Neanderthal man was found in 1856.