Salvador da Bahia, often simply called Salvador, is a city where the soul of Brazil truly shines. As the capital of the state of Bahia and one of the oldest colonial cities in the Americas, Salvador offers a rich tapestry of Afro-Brazilian culture, vibrant music, and historic architecture.
Sintra, located just 40 minutes from Lisbon, feels like a world apart. Tucked into the hills of the Serra de Sintra, this town has drawn kings, poets, and explorers for centuries. It was once the summer retreat of Portuguese royalty, who left behind palaces and gardens that seem pulled from a storybook. The most famous, Palácio da Pena, is perched high above the town with bold red and yellow towers that blend Romanticism with Moorish and Gothic styles.
Bergamo, in northern Italy’s Lombardy region, is a city of striking contrasts, divided into the historic upper town and the modern lower town. The upper town, perched on a hill and encircled by Venetian walls, offers cobblestone streets, medieval architecture, and panoramic views over the surrounding plains and the distant Alps.