One of the Tirol area’s most popular ski resorts, St. Anton offers some of the best expert skiing and one of the liveliest après-ski scenes in the Arlberg region. The Valluga, Kapall, and Schindler peaks offer almost a mile of vertical skiing. For the seasoned, Schindlerkar and Mattun are less groomed routes.

The university city of Pavia is ideal day-trip fodder from nearby Milan. Its highlight attraction is the Certosa di Pavia—a sprawling monastic complex, and one of Italy’s top Renaissance architectural hubs—though castles, churches, and other landmarks beckon.

In the city that inspired great minds from Charles Darwin to Stephen Hawking, you'll find one of the world's oldest universities, the 1871 Gothic- revival All Saints Church and the gardens favoured by 17th-century poet John Milton. Cambridge is also home to ADC Theatre, the oldest university playhouse in England. Evenings are perfect for taking in the mix of traditional pubs and contemporary restaurants. Climb the tower of the University's Great St Mary's Church for sweeping views of the city.

If Aalborg were a house, the real estate agent would sell it as "loaded with potential." The 1,000-year-old city is Denmark’s fourth largest, and boasts a Viking past, over 300 restaurants, a casino, lively nightlife and great shopping. The zoo breeds rare Siberian Tigers, and the Waterland and Tivoliland make it a great place for families to visit. Aalborg isn’t a hotspot for foreigners, yet. But we’ll watch as the waterfront of this busy port continues to gentrify, with expectations it will be one in the future.