Tripoli, the capital city of Libya, sits on the country’s Mediterranean coast and serves as its political, economic, and cultural center.

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, on Costa Rica’s southern Caribbean coast, is a lively seaside town where Afro-Caribbean culture, indigenous traditions, and tropical landscapes come together. Once a quiet fishing village, it is now known for its reggae rhythms, colorful wooden houses, and a laid-back atmosphere.

Located southwest of India and Sri Lanka, this small yet dense island capital is the cultural center of the Maldives.

Akita sits in the northern part of Japan’s Tōhoku region and offers travelers experiences rooted in long-held traditions, lively festivals, and scenic valleys. Its capital city blends seasonal appeal with cultural offerings, from Senshu Park, once the site of Kubota Castle, where cherry blossoms and lotuses draw locals and visitors alike, to the Akita Museum of Art, a striking building designed by famed architect Tadao Ando that displays works including pieces by Tsuguharu Foujita.

Eze is a hilltop village perched high above the Mediterranean on France’s Côte d’Azur, where stone houses and narrow lanes cling to a steep rocky outcrop between Nice and Monaco.