If you find yourself in Rotterdam, there's a strong chance you've arrived by water. This popular port city (the second largest in the Netherlands) has gone through an architectural renaissance since World War II, with daring, innovative structures dotting the city (cube houses!) and defining its skyline. Café culture is on the rise here, so grab yourself a table and a cup.
Alberobello in southern Italy’s Puglia region captures the imagination with its distinctive trulli houses. These structures were built using a dry-stone technique passed down over centuries, without mortar or cement, and their unique form comes from layer upon layer of limestone nestled from nearby fields. Alberobello’s trulli are so remarkable that in 1996 the historic center was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where more than 1,600 of these buildings still stand.
Located northwest of Cairo on the Mediterranean coast, Alexandria is one of Egypt's most spectacular cities and an important historical, industrial, and economic center for the country.
Brazil's third largest city, Belo Horizonte was founded in 1897. Most of Brazil's gems and semi-precious stones are mined in this area and it is where you can find the best bargains, from aquamarines to imperial topaz. It is just 59 miles from Brazil's most historic colonial city, Ouro Preto.