Sinaloa, in Northwest Mexico, comprises 18 municipalities, and Culiacán Rosales serves as its capital. It is located opposite Baja California Sur, across the Gulf of California.

Phuket, Thailand’s largest island, has long served as a cultural and trade crossroads in the Andaman Sea. Centuries ago, it was a stopover for merchants trading tin, spices, and textiles, with influences from Chinese, Portuguese, Indian, and Malay travelers still reflected in the island’s architecture and cuisine. Inland, the Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Sanctuary protects rainforest habitat home to gibbons, civets, and exotic birds.

Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the U.S., but it offers an outsized variety of experiences, from colonial history to coastline escapes. Founded in 1636 by Roger Williams as a haven for religious freedom, the state still reflects its independent spirit. In Providence, travelers can visit the John Brown House Museum to explore the city’s role in early American commerce, or walk Benefit Street, lined with preserved 18th- and 19th-century homes.

Along the banks of the Moselle River, Cochem is a charming village known for Reichsburg castle as well as its old town, with its half-timbered houses.

Florence (Firenze) is a compact city, but densely packed with spectacular art and architecture everywhere you look. The city center itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.