The Darvaza Gas Crater, famously nicknamed the “Door to Hell,” is one of Turkmenistan’s most extraordinary landmarks. Located deep in the Karakum Desert, this fiery pit has been burning continuously since the early 1970s, when Soviet engineers reportedly set fire to a collapsed natural gas field to prevent the spread of methane.

Set on the Adriatic Sea, Zadar, Croatia, is a major Dalmatia historical center and a tourism magnet. Walk ancient streets, see Roman ruins and enjoy white-sand beaches.

The Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, is renowned for its turquoise waters, white-sand beaches, and lush tropical landscapes.

The United Arab Emirates rolls history and invention into a seamless experience. In Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque stands out with its reflective pools, marble columns inlaid with floral patterns, and the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet beneath domes that glow by night. On Saadiyat Island, the Louvre Abu Dhabi shelters art that spans civilizations, all beneath a dome designed to scatter sunlight like palm fronds.

Blair Atholl, a village in the heart of Highland Perthshire, Scotland, is best known as the home of Blair Castle, a striking white-walled fortress that has stood for over seven centuries.