Краткое описание: With its sunny climate, sparkling waters and clutch of sandy beaches, as well as lively bars and plentiful restaurants offering top-notch modern Mediterranean food, the Maltese islands are generally thought of as a classic resort destination. But there’s a lot more than just sun and sea on offer here – the chequered history of Malta, Gozo and Comino has left a huge number of historical sights, several of which have been justly awarded the status of World Heritage Sites.

Краткое описание: Commonly perceived as little more than sun, sex, booze and high-rise hotels, Mallorca is – to the surprise of many first–time visitors – often beautiful and frequently fascinating. The island’s negative image was spawned by the helter-skelter development of the 1960s, which submerged tracts of the coastline beneath hotels, villas and apartment blocks, but in fact, the concrete sprawl is largely confined to the Bay of Palma and a handful of mega-resorts, and for the most part Mallorca remains untouched.

Краткое описание: The sunniest, highest and leafiest capital city in Europe, Madrid has a lot to take pride in. Indeed, its inhabitants, the Madrileños, are so proud of their city that they modestly declare “desde Madrid al Cielo”: that from Madrid there is only one destination left – Heaven. While their claim might be debatable, this compact, lively and fascinating city certainly has bags of appeal and its range of attractions is fast making it a deservedly popular short-break destination.

Краткое описание: Surrounded by the warm seas of the Atlantic some 600 km off the west coast of Morocco, Madeira is an island of wild mountains, precipitous valleys and sheer cliffs – including the second-highest sea cliffs in the world at Cabo Girão. The island’s dramatic scenery makes for some fantastic walking, and it also boasts a diverse array of colourful semi-tropical vegetation, gently cultivated terraces and rocky beaches. Its lesser-known sister island, Porto Santo, may not possess such an exciting landscape, but it does have a superb nine-kilometre-long beach.

Краткое описание: London is a very big city. In fact, it’s Europe’s largest capital by far, stretching for more than thirty miles on either side of the River Thames, and with a population of just under eight million. Ethnically and linguistically, it’s also Europe’s most diverse metropolis, offering cultural and culinary delights from right across the globe. And after sixteen years of being the only major city in the world not to have its own governing body, London finally has an elected assembly and a mayor who’s busy tackling longstanding problems such as public transport.

Краткое описание: Set across a series of hills overlooking the broad estuary of the Rio Tejo (River Tagus), Lisbon’s stunning location and effortless beauty immediately strike most first-time visitors. It’s an instantly likeable place, a big city, with a population of around two million, but one that remains human enough in pace and scale to be easily taken in over a long weekend.

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; a hundred years on, it’s home to well over one million people, and still growing fast.

Краткое описание: After decades of negative publicity that branded the island as little more than a budget-level ravers’ paradise, Ibiza is rapidly reasserting itself as one of Spain’s most cosmopolitan corners - an affluent, self- confident island with a fascinating heritage and a vibrant, home-grown music and fashion scene of global reach and importance.

Краткое описание: Facing each other across the Pearl River estuary, Hong Kong and Macau offer the visitor an exciting yet easy entry into the Chinese world. Colonies of Britain and Portugal respectively until they were returned to mainland

China in the 1990s as Special Administrative Regions (SARs), today they seek to establish fresh identities for themselves. While evidence of their colonial past lingers in buildings, languages, food and hi-tech infrastructure, the essentially Chinese heritage underpinning it all is becoming increasingly apparent.

Краткое описание: Basking in gentle subtropical temperatures and year-round sunshine, Gran Canaria might have been custom-designed as a holiday paradise. One of the largest of the Canary Islands and a territory of Spain, the island lies just 210km from the coast of West Africa but 1250 km southwest of Cádiz, the nearest point on the European mainland. It’s far enough south to have almost guaranteed good weather making it a hugely popular winter destination for northern Europeans.