One of the most popular regions in Italy, Tuscany stretches from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Apennines. Its main cities include Florence, Pisa, Siena, Lucca, Arezzo and Livorno. Drive between stunning sites like Florence's cathedral and Uffizi Gallery and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Or join a bike tour and pedal past sun-baked olive groves and vineyards. Don't miss the towers of San Gimignano or serene northern hill towns. For a more modern take, hit one of Florence's hip clubs, such as Space Electronic.

Want to trace the footsteps of royalty and clansmen at Edinburgh Castle? Discover the off-the-beaten-track beauty or chat with the locals over a whisky or three in the Highlands? Whether its ancient history, modern art or just the most mouth-watering local cuisine you’re looking for, you can experience them all in Scotland.

From the storybook villages and dizzying peaks of the Swiss Alps to the lakeside resorts of Geneva and Lucerne, landlocked Switzerland serves up some of Europe’s most enchanting scenery (along with some of its most delicious cheeses and chocolates, too).

The fragrant air of Morocco seems spiked with local spices. Cradled by the dunes of the Sahara, the Kingdom has been inhabited for hundreds of thousands of years. And from the bustling Medina of Marrakech to the mosaic of leather tanning vessels in Fes, Moroccan culture is still steeped in rich tradition. The collection of blue-bottomed boats in Essaouira has become a monochromatic hallmark of the city, while the cafés of Casablanca will invoke your inner Bogie or Bergman.

With seemingly endless sunny beaches, charming towns, glamorous yachts and celebrities galore, the French Riviera keeps the Belle Époque alive. Most towns are best explored on foot, while a cheap and reliable rail network connects the cities and towns. Fabled destinations such as St-Tropez, Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Villefranche-sur-Mer and St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat lure visitors to follow in the wake of Picasso, Matisse and Bizet. Over a hundred museums and more than 150 galleries keep the artistic ambiance alive.

Denmark's largest island is so much more than simply the home of the country's dynamic capital, Copenhagen. Zealand also offers a delightful array of holiday homes and villas, pleasing harbors and sandy beaches, fringed by forests where castles lurk. Major destinations include the UNESCO-designated, Dutch Renaissance-style Kronborg Castle in Helsingor and the Viking attractions, cathedral and music festival of Roskilde. To the south bobs a flotilla of beautiful and relatively untouched islands.

Welcome to the Nature Island. Remote, affordable and, as yet, unspoiled, Dominica deserves more than a day's visit from your cruise ship. Spend a week (or more) exploring mountains covered by tropical rainforest, endless hiking trails, some 40 dive sites and black-sand beaches. You'll soon be plotting ways to return every year.

Dom Perignon, Cristal, Veuve Clicquot... The very names evoke images of decadence and luxury, from star-studded parties in sunny destinations to candlelit evenings in 5-star surrounds. Champagne-Ardenne breaks out the bubbly by the millions of cases every year, drawing thirsty travelers the world over to taste its unparalleled sparkling wines and explore the chalky caves in which the Champagne matures. The surrounding countryside is rife with deep forests, rolling limestone and bright waterways.

Marked by the Tatra (called Tatry locally) Mountains that form the country’s southern border with Slovakia, Southern Poland consists of three Viovodships (Provinces): Opole, Silesian and Lesser Poland (Malopolska). Many beautiful medieval castles are still found in the region, including Moszna in Opole and the massive 400-room Ksiaz in Silesia. Lesser Poland is home to bustling Krakow, the country’s third-largest city. The region’s mountains and green areas are perfect for outdoor adventure.