Albania offers travelers a surprising and diverse experience shaped by centuries of influence. Visitors can explore the ancient city of Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Venetian ruins set against a lagoon. In Berat and Gjirokastër stone houses stack along steep hillsides, giving visitors the sense of walking through a living museum. These towns offer an authentic window into daily Albanian life.

The picturesque city of Rab, located on Rab Island in Croatia, offers a delightful blend of medieval charm and stunning natural beauty. Known for its well-preserved Old Town, Rab features a network of narrow, cobblestone streets lined with historic buildings that reflect its rich past.

Bamberg, located in northern Bavaria, stands out for its remarkably preserved medieval layout, which earned it a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Built on seven hills and often compared to Rome for that reason, the city’s architecture reflects over a thousand years of uninterrupted development. Bamberg is well known for its beer, and not just in the usual Bavarian sense. The city has more breweries per capita than any other town in Germany, and it’s the birthplace of rauchbier.

Hot Springs, Arkansas has been drawing visitors for centuries, and it all starts with the water. The city sits atop a natural thermal spring system that produces nearly a million gallons of 143-degree water each day. These springs gave rise to Bathhouse Row, a stretch of eight historic bathhouses within Hot Springs National Park. Some, like the Fordyce Bathhouse, now serve as museums, while others still offer traditional thermal soaks.

The Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a breathtaking stretch of England’s southern coastline that spans 95 miles from Exmouth in Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset. It is renowned for its dramatic cliffs, stunning beaches, and incredible geological history, offering visitors the chance to explore 185 million years of Earth’s evolution.