This Bavarian beauty is idyllic and charming, replete with emerald hills and two stunning lakes. Hike the surrounding mountains or spend the day poking around the charming Kochel am See village. Guided tours for all levels of walkers and hikers are the perfect way to experience this charming cultural gem.

Encircled by a forest of fragrant pine trees, the mountain village of Pontresina is an idyllic alpine retreat. Hike to the mammoth Morteratsch glacier or take a horse-drawn carriage ride through pristine Roseg Valley. Learn about ancient cheesemaking practices (and sample the delicious results) at the nearby Alpine Dairy of Morteratsch. A guided village tour will expose you to local features you may have otherwise missed, like graffiti murals and holy frescoes.

Hugging the Swiss border, this stylish resort gets over 26 feet of snow each winter. Villages des Enfants, for kids and young teens, is the perfect place for learning. Softski is for adult newcomers or those who’ve been away for a while, while The Stash is Europe’s first giant ecological snowboard park.

Cumbria's valleys and fells (as the low mountains are known) are home to idyllic villages, high moorlands and picturesque lakes. Literary buffs will enjoy Wordsworth's Dove Cottage (go in March to see daffodils), and if you've got kids in tow, visit The World of Beatrix Potter. Or just enjoy a leisurely drive through beautiful scenery.

Once known for smog, traffic and tacky architecture, Athens is a city reformed thanks to fortunes brought by the 2004 Summer Olympics. Spotless parks and streets, an ultra-modern metro, new motorways, an accessible airport and all signs in perfect English make the city easily negotiable. Meriting more than a stopover en route to the islands, sophisticated Athens sites include many pillars of Western history, from the Acropolis to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, as well as treasures in the National Archaeological Museum.

Lying in south central Turkey, the moonscaped region of Cappadocia, southeast of Ankara, is most famous for unique geological features called fairy chimneys. The large, cone-like formations were created over time by erosion of the relatively soft volcanic ash around them. Past cultures have dug into them to create dwellings, castles (like Uchisar) and even entire underground cities like Kaymakli and Derinkuyu, used as hiding places by early Christians. Nearby Kayseri is the gateway to the area.

The first time you go to New York, go ahead and be a sight-seer—everyone should visit the Statue of Liberty, the Met, Times Square, etc. But on a return trip, pick a neighbourhood and go deep. You’ll find hole-in-the-wall bars, great delis, quirky shops… exploring the non-touristy side of New York is an incredibly rewarding experience for a traveller.