Manama pulses with stories from long ago and today. Just beyond the modern skyline lies Qal’at al‑Bahrain, a layered mound once the capital of Dilmun, used by societies from the Kassites to the Portuguese. Visitors can climb its crumbling stairways and imagine life across centuries there. Nearby, the Bahrain National Museum, opened in 1988 in a stately waterside building, displays archaeological finds from ancient Dilmun to modern-day artifacts and is one of the Gulf's first modern museums.

Saint Florent is a harbor town located on the island of Corsica off the coast of France. At the end of one of the most beautiful gulfs of the Mediterranean, Saint Florent is a unique town, offering sights such as the Genoese citadel and yachting port. Nebbio Cathedral, built in the 12th century, is another popular attraction, and fine white-sand beaches can be found nearby.

The River Ganges, flowing through India and Bangladesh, supports millions of people living in the river basin. In Hinduism, the river is considered the most sacred, and as a result it is in important element of many Hindu rituals and festivals.

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.

The South Pacific stretches across a vast expanse of ocean, dotted with thousands of islands that vary from remote atolls to vibrant cultural hubs.