If any city in the world could be declared the perfect holiday destination, then Santo Domingo would probably be a prime candidate, with its modern sophistication, old world charm and Latin charisma, not to mention its position on the tropical southern Caribbean coast of the Dominican Republic. The only blight on the landscape is the crime rate: robbery, muggings and petty theft are common, so guard your belongings with care.

Auckland is situated on a narrow strip of land, flanked by two magnificent harbours to the east and west. The shallow Manukau Harbour opens out to the Tasman Sea to the west, while the Waitemata Harbour lies at the heart of the city centre and is Auckland's deepwater port. It has a vibrant waterfront that has flourished with the successful hosting of the 2002/2003 America's Cup, the international yachting event of the year, and the trendy restaurants and waterside cafes are a constant hive of activity.

Ho Chi Minh City, better known by its former name of Saigon, is a brazen, industrious and dense metropolis, the largest city in Vietnam and the business capital of the country. With a population of five million, it is crowded, noisy and dirty, yet it is also exciting and historic, the essence of the nation.

Known as the 'City of Roses', Bloemfontein is a small interior city that forms the economic and cultural centre of the Free State and is the judicial capital of South Africa. With wide streets, beautifully kept gardens and dated state buildings, Bloemfontein is a modern city that has an old charm about it.

Muscat is the largest city in Oman but the bustle of the modern capital city is forgotten with rug merchants, cannon protected forts and an ornate sultan's palace over the historic city harbour. The once important maritime city underwent a resurgence to prominence in the 1970's when the Sultan Qaboos bin Said began to develop museums, mosques, palaces, and restore relics of Muscat's history.

Only six hours flying time from the major airports of Europe, the volcanic Cape Verde archipelago, lying in the Atlantic Ocean off the bulge of Africa, is rapidly emerging as an inspiring holiday destination for those seeking something different.

The nine inhabited islands are bristling with their own individual character and melodious, unique musical culture, besides offering plenty of opportunities for relaxation or active pursuits. The rapidly developing island of Sal, in particular, with its long white sandy beaches, has been discovered by European beach buffs and water sports enthusiasts. The main tourist town, Santa Maria, near the international airport, is earning its place on the map as being the world's newest surfing destination, and also as a major draw for windsurfers and kite surfers, with its trade winds and winter swells.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands is a collection of 29 atolls and five islands scattered across the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Home to around 60,000 people, the islands have been inhabited for over four millennia, despite its comparatively recent naming after John Marshall, first European visitor in 1788.
Between 1946 and 1958 the USA detonated 66 nuclear weapons on and around these islands including the largest ever device, Castle Bravo. While the Republic’s rather compelling lawsuit against the USA is being argued, the good news is that today scientists estimate that you are exposed to more radiation watching TV in your home than spending time on the islands. More pressing concerns are the prolonged drought, high cost of energy, and lack of employment opportunities.

Madrid may be lacking in architectural beauty compared with other major Spanish cities, but it makes up for this with its boundless energy, blue skies, art, culture and some of the most exhilarating and exhausting nightlife in Europe. The city is compact and easy to navigate on foot - most of the sights of interest are found in the downtown area between the Royal Palace and Parque del Retiro.

North Carolina's capital, Raleigh, makes up the southeastern corner of the famous Research Triangle, with Durham and Chapel Hill at the other two points. The state's second-largest city is a vital centre of high-tech business and education. Unlike many cities that grew up around ports or stations, Raleigh was planned specifically to be the capital.

At its centre stands the beautiful North Carolina Capitol building, a fine Greek Revival-style landmark, from which wide, oak-lined streets radiate. This careful geometry makes exploring Raleigh quite straightforward, although the city lacks the charming scenes that often develop with more haphazard growth, such as shops on crooked alleyways and old homes on narrow, hidden lanes. Nonetheless, Raleigh remains a pleasant city, with a unique mix of Southern heritage and down-home manners; elite academia and boisterous university life and athletics; and the fast-paced, sleek sophistication of Triangle professionals.

The bustling seaport of Aberdeen is Scotland's third biggest city, and has been dubbed the Oil Capital of Europe. This alone is not likely to entice visitors to the city, other than those on business trips, but the fact that Aberdeen boasts a fascinating and bloody history, historic granite buildings, beautiful churches, attractive green spaces and plenty of Scotch whisky, just might.