Краткое описание: In Siberia, they call Moscow “the West”, with a note of scorn for its bureaucrats and politicians. To Westerners, the city looks European, but its unruly spirit seems closer to Central Asia. For Muscovites, Moscow is both a “Mother City” and a “big village”, a tumultuous community with an underlying collective instinct that shows itself in times of trouble. Nowhere else reflects the contradictions and ambiguities of the Russian people as Moscow does – nor the stresses of a country undergoing meltdown and renewal.

Краткое описание: For Westerners, Morocco holds an immediate and enduring fascination. Though just an hour’s ride on the ferry from Spain, it seems at once very far from Europe, with a culture – Islamic and deeply traditional – that is almost wholly unfamiliar. Throughout the country, despite the years of French and Spanish colonial rule and the presence of modern and cosmopolitan cities like Rabat and Casablanca, a more distant past constantly makes its presence felt.

Краткое описание: Montréal is by far Canada’s most cosmopolitan city. Toronto may have the country’s economic power and Vancouver its most majestic scenery, but the centuries-old marriage of Protestant English and Catholic French cultures that defines Montréal has given the city a dynamic allure that is unique in North America. Its captivating atmosphere combines the best of both traditions, tempered with the Scottish merchants and Irish workers who built much of the city and also the diverse mix of Italians, Greeks, Eastern Europeans, Jews, Chinese and Portuguese who have put down roots in various neighbourhoods over the last century. And yet Montréal’s free-spirited ambience – at once laid-back and highly style-conscious – is a product of the city itself rather than merely a sum of its multiethnic parts.

Краткое описание: Shimmering from the desert haze of Nevada like a latter-day El Dorado, Las Vegas is the most dynamic, spectacular city on earth. At the start of the twentieth century, it didn’t even exist; one decade into the 21st, it’s home to two million people. A showcase for all that’s most extravagant and exuberant about the modern United States, it attracts almost forty million visitors each year, anticipating their every appetite and indulging their every whim.

Краткое описание: Often overlooked in favour of its better-known neighbours, landlocked Laos remains one of Southeast Asia’s most beguiling destinations. Caught in the middle of the two Indochina wars and long isolated from the rest of the world, the country retains a slow, rather old-fashioned charm, and its people – incredibly laidback and friendly, even by Asian standards – are undoubtedly one of the highlights of any visit.

Краткое описание: Rightly famous for its beaches and music, beautiful, brash Jamaica is much more besides. There’s certainly plenty of white sand, gin-clear sea and swaying palm trees, but there’s also a huge amount to see away from the coast: spectacular mountains and rivers, tumbling waterfalls and cactus-strewn savannah plains. The towns and cities also affirm that Jamaica is far more than a mere tourist attraction – in particular, the dynamic, sprawling metropolis of Kingston remains the island’s cultural hub and the best place to experience the explosive reggae scene.

Краткое описание: It’s the world’s most celebrated tourist destination, and rightly so. Italy really does have it all: one of the most diverse and beautiful landscapes in Europe; the world’s greatest hoard of art treasures (on display in fittingly spectacular cities and buildings); a climate that is on the whole benign and mild; and, most important of all for many, a delicious and authentic national cuisine. Yet Italy is not perfect. Corruption still reaches to the highest levels, historic cities have been marred by development, and beyond the showpiece sights the country’s infrastructure is visibly straining.

Краткое описание: Since the early nineteenth century, Florence (Firenze in Italian) has been celebrated as the epitome of everything that is beautiful in Italy: Stendhal staggered around the city’s medieval streets in a stupor of delight, the Brownings sighed over its charms and E.M. Forster’s A Room with a View portrayed it as the great antidote to the bloodless sterility of Anglo-Saxon life. The whole region of Tuscany has been equally lauded, not just for its innumerable art-filled towns and villages but also for its terrain – the classic landscapes of cypress-topped hills, vineyards, villas and poppy-dappled fields.

Краткое описание: The extreme variety and beauty of Latin America’s landscapes and the extraordinary vitality of its people have always attracted travellers looking for experiences that will enrich and even change their lives. And the sheer diversity of the region is such that it has something to offer almost every taste, whether you’re looking for a short relaxing break to get away from it all, or a long adventure full of exciting challenges and new encounters. You may find yourself sipping caipirinhas with the beautiful people on Copacabana beach; salsa-dancing the night away in the steamy nightclubs of Cali; or searching for leatherback turtles by moonlight on the shores of the Caribbean.

Краткое описание: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – the Baltic States – are graced by three of the most enthralling national capitals in Eastern Europe, each highly individual in character and boasting an extraordinary wealth of historic buildings, as well as an expanding and energetic nightlife and cultural scene. Outside the cities lie great swathes of unspoiled countryside, with deep, dark pine forests punctuated by stands of silver birch, calm blue lakes and a wealth of bogs and wetlands, all bordered by literally hundreds of kilometres of silvery beach.