Shopper's Paradise

Every year more than a million visitors come here to a area in Kronoberg and Kalmar counties in Småland that includes the municipalities of Emmaboda, Lessebo, Nybro and Uppvidinge. Many return time after time. It is easy to understand why. To watch red-hot molten glass being transformed into delicate crystal or sturdy bowls is a spectacle that one never tires of. Here you will find well-known glassworks and brands such as Orrefors, Kosta Boda, Skruf, Mats Jonasson Målerås to name a few. In additon, you can enjoy the nature of Småland in its prime with its forests, lakes, stone walls and many cultural sights. These include Vilhelm Moberg’s emigrant district.

Located in Texas, the fourth largest city in the U.S. is known for NASA, its annual rodeo and the largest medical complex in the world, the Texas Medical Center. However, Houston has matured into a complete and downright hip vacation destination for the savvy traveler. The city is a diverse metropolis where no ethnicity comprises a majority of the population. This mix of cultures has contributed to making Houston a city of superb cuisine and world-class culture, entertainment and shopping.

Founded nearly eight centuries ago, Indonesia’s second largest city has seen empires come and go. The founders of the Hindu Majapahit Empire arrived in late 13th century and remained until the 17th, to be followed by Muslim rulers of Mataram, then the colonialists of the Dutch East India Company. In recent decades, Surabaya has grown into a cosmopolitan seaport and conurbation where 21st century hotels, apartment towers and shopping malls stand next to historic mosques and palaces.

One of the oldest cities in China, Ningbo is the birthplace of the Hemudu culture, which dates back over seven thousand years. Translated from Mandarin as ''the Serene Waves'', Ningbo is located at the shores of Hangzhou Bay and is a long-established international port and trading post. With the Hangzhou Bridge, the longest trans-oceanic link in the world, Ningbo is now directly connected to Shanghai and has emerged as an important international hub in its own right.

Macau has a colorful palette and a plethora of sites despite occupying just 30.8sq km of the Chinese mainland. From neon-lit casinos to dusky markets, cobbled streets to modern cafés and Baroque churches to Art Deco buildings - there’s a wonderful mix of East and West. Thirty buildings and squares are UNESCO listed and many reflect Macau’s colonial Portuguese legacy, as does the food, laid-back lifestyle and the blue azulejo-tiled street names. Yet Macau has a modern Asian look, rivalling Singapore and Hong Kong.

“Rio is a beauty. But São Paulo – São Paulo is a city,” said Marlene Dietrich about Brazil’s most cosmopolitan city. The city is Brazil’s cultural as well as financial powerhouse, complete with a vibrant music scene, top designer shopping and delicious fusion cuisine, not to mention museums and galleries on a par with any other world city. All this combined with the vibrant local life of Paulistanos, who will surely be easy to make friends with.

The beauty of Gothenburg becomes apparent as you walk around the harbour and city centre, and explore the different neighbourhoods that lend the area a pleasant and relaxing vibe. There are cafés on every street corner and world-class restaurants serving expertly prepared dishes with the freshest ingredients. Gothenburg offers year-round events and attractions like the Liseberg amusement park and the Opera, sporting events, the annual film festival and book fair, the Way Out West music festival and much more.

The island of Mauritius lies about 2,000 kilometres off the southeast coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. As part of the Republic of Mauritius, which also includes the nearby island of Rodrigues as well as the outer islands Agaléga and St. Brandon, Mauritius has a long history of colonial conquests, disputed by the Netherlands, France and Great Britain. Having gained independence in 1968, the Republic of Mauritius retains its colourful diversity to-date, remaining multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multicultural and multilingual, giving shape to a very own, unique environment.