Nestled between the pristine waters of Lake Annecy and the towering French Alps, Annecy is a charming gem in southeastern France that offers visitors a unique blend of history, natural beauty, and alpine allure. Often referred to as the "Venice of the Alps" due to its network of canals that wind through the old town, Annecy captivates with its cobbled streets, pastel-colored houses, and flower-adorned bridges.
This 2,000-year-old city, where the Teutonic Order founded one of its first commanderies in the 13th century, lies on the convergence of the Moselle and Rhine Rivers. Hop on a cable car, one of the city's most popular attractions, for stunning city-wide views, or cruise down the Rhine to spot some of Koblenz's magnificent fortresses and castles, including the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress and Schloss Stolzenfels.
La Rioja, located in northern Spain, is best known for its wine, but the region offers much more than vineyard views. Its capital, Logroño, sits along the Camino de Santiago and has welcomed travelers for centuries. The city’s historic center is compact and lively, with narrow streets lined by centuries-old churches, pintxo bars, and quiet plazas.
Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is one of Africa’s most vibrant and unpredictable cities. Sprawling along the banks of the Congo River, it’s the third-largest city on the continent and pulses with music, art, and personality at every turn. Across the river lies Brazzaville, making Kinshasa part of the only pair of national capitals facing each other across a single waterway.