Lake Maggiore, straddling the border of northern Italy and southern Switzerland, is the second-largest lake in Italy and one of the most scenically diverse. Surrounded by Alpine peaks and dotted with elegant towns, the lake has attracted visitors for centuries, including literary figures like Stendhal and Ernest Hemingway. The western shore is home to the Borromean Islands, a group of three small islands known for palaces, terraced gardens, and white peacocks that roam freely across the lawns.

Carcassonne is a fortified city in southern France, rising above the Aude River with walls and towers that feel lifted from another century. Its origins stretch back to Roman times, but the city is best known for its medieval citadel, rebuilt and expanded during the Middle Ages when Carcassonne became a strategic stronghold on key trade and military routes.

Austria is located just east of Switzerland; northeast of Italy. The foremost attraction is skiing or hiking the Alps--equally breathtaking whether you're among its glorious peaks or at ground level. Visit the capital of Vienna, with its original coffee houses and the opera; or take a country drive and visit its charming villages.

Antigua and Barbuda, a twin-island nation in the Caribbean, is celebrated for its 365 beaches, one for every day of the year. Together, they offer a balance of culture, heritage, and natural splendor.

Monterrey, the capital of Nuevo León, stands at the foot of the Sierra Madre Oriental and has long been recognized as one of Mexico’s most industrial and innovative cities. The Macroplaza is one of the largest public squares in Latin America and links historic buildings like the 18th-century Metropolitan Cathedral with newer sites like the Museo de Historia Mexicana and the Faro del Comercio, a towering orange structure that beams a green laser across the sky each night.