Australia’s largest and flashiest city (though not its capital), Sydney is point of entry for most arrivals Down Under. Home to icons such as Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, and in close proximity to beautiful beaches, Sydney offers plenty to fill any itinerary.

With its brooding medieval architecture, Prague appears like something out of a dark fairy tale. Add in a hilltop castle, 14th-century stone bridge, and long, picturesque river and you have one of the prettiest cities in Europe.

Set amid the towering Southern Alps, Queenstown is New Zealand’s adventure capital—some locals claim it’s the adventure capital of the world.

Renowned for its pretty-as-a-picture Hausmannian boulevards, world-class art museums and opera houses, and boulangeries, cafes, and Michelin-starred restaurants, Paris is a city that knows its way around the finer things.

Dominated by the towering peaks of Mt. Bukhansan and Mt. Namsan, Seoul is a thriving metropolis that marches to the beat of millions of busy residents.

Berlin offers mythic nightlife and trend-setting culture, but travelers are usually first captivated by its history, which involves some of the most dramatic moments of the 20th century.