Particularly popular among food lovers, Alba is celebrated around the world for its white truffles and Barolo and Barbaresco wines. In addition to its gourmet delights, the charming city in northern Italy’s Piedmont region is renowned for its cathedral and other Gothic landmarks.

Nestled at the foot of the Black Forest in South Germany, Baden-Baden is a chic destination for those who fancy a dip in its famous salt- and radon-rich thermal hot springs. The town has been a popular destination for so long that it's starting to show its age, but not to worry. It's still very classy, picturesque and well-maintained. (The Dame Julie Andrews of German spa towns, if you will.) Sporty types will find an abundance of opportunities to enjoy golf, tennis, horseback riding and skiing nearby in winter.

Charming Ystad is an important hub of the Swedish film industry. It’s home to the country’s oldest cinema (Biografteatern Scala), a production studio, and the Cineteket interactive film museum. Significant medieval features of Ystad include Greyfriars Abbey, the Church of the Virgin Mary, and the 16th-century Latin school. Visit an exotic animal part or pick up some artisan handicrafts at one of Ystad’s lovely galleries or boutiques.

Let the beautiful coastal town of Varkala melt your worries and tensions away. Varkala’s peaceful seaside cliffs adjoin the Arabian Sea, setting the scene for several water spouts and wellness spas. The waters lapping at Papanasam beach are considered to have holy, sin-cleansing properties, and the nearby Ayurveda treatment centre will cleanse what the ocean missed.