Visit Mombasa

A Swahili stone town with no cars, only donkeys and dhows, unchanged for seven centuries.

The lake of flamingos and rhinos on the doorstep, in the Rift Valley two hours from Nairobi.

Vasco da Gama's pillar, the Gedi ruins in the forest and the Italian-flavoured beach town.

The port on Lake Victoria, tilapia by the water and the Kit Mikayi rock.

Visit Nairobi, Kenya's capital and East Africa's economic hub. Explore Nairobi National Park (the world's only wildlife park within a capital city, home to lions, giraffes, and rhinos), visit the Karen Blixen Museum (former home of the 'Out of Africa' author), and experience the Giraffe Centre (where you can feed endangered Rothschild's giraffes). Discover local culture at the Maasai Market for crafts and souvenirs.

Visit Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands. Cruise the UNESCO-listed canal ring (17th-century waterways with over 1,500 bridges), see masterpieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum, explore the Anne Frank House (historic hiding place during WWII), and wander the Jordaan district (picturesque streets with cafes and boutiques).

Visit Barcelona, capital of Catalonia in Spain. See the Sagrada Familia (Antoni Gaudí's unfinished basilica with intricate facades and towering spires), stroll down La Rambla (tree-lined pedestrian street with street performers and La Boqueria market), explore Park Güel (Gaudí's whimsical public park with mosaic-covered structures and city views), and admire the Gothic Quarter (medieval streets with the Barcelona Cathedral and Roman ruins).

Visit Bangkok, capital of Thailand. Explore the Grand Palace (home of the Emerald Buddha and intricate Thai architecture), take a boat ride along the Chao Phraya River (passing temples and local life), shop at Chatuchak Weekend Market (one of the world's largest markets with over 15,000 stalls), and sample street food like pad thai and mango sticky rice at Yaowarat (Chinatown's vibrant food scene).