Hidden gems

Reims is one of France's most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities. It offers visitors a great choice of fine restaurants, brasseries, shops, lively nightlife, concerts, festivals, and cultural events, and of course, world-famous Champagne houses to visit and sample the local nectar. With tree-lined avenues, elegant squares, and a magnificent Gothic-style cathedral that played host to the coronation of several kings of France.

Prosperous and lively, Brescia is Lombardy’s second biggest city, a university town with a modern business area (Brescia Due). Located between two of Italy’s most famous lakes, Lake Garda and Lake Iseo, Brescia is often overlooked by visitors who bypass the city itself and head straight to the undeniably beautiful lakes. A great pity, as Brescia boasts one of the most beautiful historic centres in the region, and some of the best Roman and Lombard remains in northern Italy.

Lake Tahoe is a masterpiece straddling the border between California and Nevada. The basin of glistening waters and palatial mountains was formed out of calamitous volcanic activity roughly a million years ago. Divided into North and South, both parts of equal beauty, Tahoe keeps locals and visitors occupied all year round with ski resorts, warm-weather activities, casinos, reputable nightlife venues, and fantastic food.

Classified as mountain resort cities, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are situated along the Great Smoky Mountains. Booming attractions like Dollywood and the Smoky Mountain Opry draw tourism to Pigeon Forge, along with its collections of music theatres and shopping malls. Gatlinburg features Tennessee’s lone ski resort, Ober Gatlinburg, and quaint, mountain-themed specialty stores. Both cities provide gateways to North America’s most visited national park, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Pinetop - Lakeside, Arizona, beckons visitors to “come celebrate the season.” This is fitting, for every season seems to smile upon the small town with ample sunshine in the summers and coquettish snow in the winters. People come each year to this veritable Promised Land of natural beauty. Outdoor activities abound: adventurers are fond of hiking, mountain biking, fly fishing, and trailblazing in the warmer months, and skiing and snowboarding in the cooler seasons.

Southampton is the cruise capital of Northern Europe. With a cosmopolitan atmosphere borne from centuries of international trade, Southampton is one of the UK’s leading ports and liveliest cities, combining medieval walls and buildings, modern shopping and entertainment complexes, marinas, culture and nightlife. Explore the city’s rich culture and long history and try the wide range of leisure activities in the surrounding countryside before relaxing to recount the day in one of Southampton’s many harbour-side restaurants, cafés and bars.

Charleston is a stunning vacation destination known for its celebrated restaurant scene, architectural treasures, historic wonders, and serene coastal landscapes. Visitors can experience the local culture through food and music festivals, enjoy Lowcountry cuisine, and shop for Sea Island crafts. The city's historic district is full of beautiful courtyards and gardens, and there are many tours available to explore the city's culinary hot spots, antebellum mansions, historic churches, breweries, and more. Visitors can choose to stay at a charming inn, a historic hotel, or a beach resort and discover the unique people, flavors, traditions, sights and sounds of Charleston.

Coiled between lake and mountains, Annecy deserves its nickname of "Venice of the Alps". This harmonious city allows you to travel through time, from prehistory to the present day, before following in the tracks of the Princes of Savoy and eating next to the purest lake of Europe, while enjoying the numerous festivals and cultural animations. The city is also turned towards sports: the ski resorts are near the city and accessible by bus, and a biking trail goes all around the lake and lets you explore the shores.