Manaus, capital of Brazil’s Amazonas state, is a city that rises unexpectedly from the rainforest. Once the center of the global rubber boom in the late 1800s, Manaus still holds onto that legacy with surprising elegance. The Teatro Amazonas, an opulent opera house imported piece by piece from Europe, sits at the heart of the city, its pink façade and domed roof tiled in the colors of the Brazilian flag. Today, it hosts concerts, festivals, and curious visitors eager to step back in time.

Querétaro, located in the heart of central Mexico, is a city where centuries of history are still visible in daily life. Its historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, features narrow streets, elegant plazas, and baroque churches that reflect its colonial past. One of the city’s most iconic landmarks is the massive aqueduct, built in the 18th century with 74 stone arches stretching nearly a mile across the landscape.

This coastal route runs between the Gulf of Alaska and Puget Sound, and is a popular route for cruise ships. Cruise passengers can expect to see a breathtaking amount of wildlife, as well as Ketchikan, Wrangell, Prince of Wales, Sitka, Juneau, Haines, Skagway and Glacier Bay.

Situated near the Dead Sea, Amman is the capital of Jordan and a cultural and historical hub in the Middle East. Explore this sprawling city, replete with historic landmarks, museums, and mosques, and you’ll soon be enraptured by its blend of metropolitan and ancient beauty.

Although its great days are past, its palaces and castles deserted, gondar is one of Ethiopia's most fascinating cities and one of the world's most mysterious. The city stands at the foot of the Simien mountains and is set in a landscape of incomparable beauty. Gondar is the former 17th century capital of Ethiopia, although some say it was Saudi Arabia.