San Jose is the capital city of Costa Rica and is located in the province of San Jose, which is in the Central Valley. The city is surrounded by high green mountains. There are numerous museums as well as art galleries, theaters, exhibitions, parks and garden in the city. All regions in Costa Rica are accessible from the capital city of San Jose, which makes its an ideal starting point for touring the country.

Namche Bazaar, perched at 3,440 meters in the Khumbu region of Nepal, is often called the gateway to Everest, but it’s far more than a rest stop on the way to Base Camp. Once a trading post between Tibetan and Nepali merchants, Namche has developed into a small mountain town where yak caravans and Wi-Fi cafes exist side by side. Despite its remote location, it has a Saturday market that continues to bring traders and trekkers together, just as it did centuries ago.

Paramaribo, Suriname’s capital, unfolds like a living storybook along the Suriname River, where wooden structures from the 17th and 18th centuries still stand today. This historic heart reveals a rare fusion of Dutch design and local craftsmanship. Visitors can stroll the Waterkant, a riverside avenue, and take in landmarks such as Fort Zeelandia, the neoclassical Reformed Church, and the lofty wooden Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul.

Cusco once served as the heart of the Inca Empire, and that legacy still shapes every corner of the city even as it serves as a gateway to Machu Picchu. Outside the historic center, the ruins of Sacsayhuamán overlook the city from a nearby hilltop. This ceremonial complex is best known for its massive zigzag stone walls, some weighing over 100 tons. During the Inti Raymi festival in June, thousands gather here to reenact ancient Andean rituals.

Seven miles outside of historic Athens, the Greek coastal city of Piraeus lies upon the sparkling waters of the Aegean Sea and is the largest passenger port in Europe, servicing nearly 20 million passengers per year.