The beautiful and varied landscapes of New Zealand provided the setting for Peter Jackson's 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, one of the most successful film ventures of all time. From the peaceful Shire to the fires of Mordor, locations were found for the magical world of Middle-earth where hobbits, elves, dwarves and wizards live.
In China, life has changed tremendously. Yet even today to enter the Forbidden City is to be transported back in time to the days of Imperial China, to the magnificence and mystery of the ancestors of Pu Yi, the last emperor of the Asian giant, who abdicated a century ago.
The islands themselves are practically hidden among mangroves and rainforest, but the coastlines of dazzling white coral sands lapped by turquoise waters are the perfect setting for pirates to have buried their treasure chests long ago. In fact, the real jewels and gems are the lesser known islands that lie off the south western coast of Thailand.
While Catalonia is widely thought of as cosmopolitan, Spain's Asturias region is better known for farm produce than for its cutting-edge design. All this is changing, though, and Gijon (pronounced he-hon, with two very guttural 'h' sounds), on the country's north coast is making a name for itself as a modern shopping mecca with chic clothes and accessories shops, often managed by the designers themselves.
Good opera is a marvellous spectacle wherever it is performed. But to witness a performance of Verdi's Aida at the foot of Masada, the ancient desert fortress, must be a truly unforgettable experience. And that's what's in store in the desert of Judea in June of this year.
The pace of life flows slowly on this Mediterranean coast; the Roman ruins give witness to past glories while the Algerian jet set enjoy the pleasures of fine seafood, a leisurely water pipe, blue skies and sunshine.
Just outside the pretty coastal town of Altea in the Spanish province of Alicante, the award-winning Sha Wellness Clinic offers a perfect setting for an peaceful – and healthy – getaway.
The world of the digital book is every day more real, and shopping on-line has plenty of advantages, but there's still nothing to compare with the feel of a real book and the atmosphere of a 'proper' bookshop where all those stories are just waiting for you to lift them down off the shelf and take them home with you.
If you're a sea lover and you fancy doing your bit for the cause of the cetaceans and turtles that inhabit the Mediterranean, why not sign up for a place on the good ship 'Toftevaag' and work shoulder-to-shoulder with the biologists and researchers on their conservation work?
Do you fancy a once-in-a-lifetime journey to a unique spiritual destination? In one of the most remote and beautiful areas of Egypt's Sinai Desert, discover the monastery-fortress of Saint Catherine, which has stood guard for nearly 1500 years at the foot of Jebel Musa, the place where, according to tradition, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God.
The king of trains and the train of kings is still on track with around a dozen routes, including the classic cross Europe trail from Paris to Istanbul, the real trip of a lifetime.
For fashion fans looking for an excuse for a day out in the capital: don't miss this great exhibition at London's V&A Museum which offers a glimpse into the world of one of the most stylish women of the last century.
Until January 3, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in the capital of Portugal hosts an exhibition commemorating the 1925 presentation in Paris of a new artistic style that came to be known as Art Deco
This month, the centuries-old temples of Hampi, in southern India, are celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Vijayanagara empire with a traditional festival of folk culture and elephants, brimming with life and colour.
Imagine taking part in one of Europe's most spectacular adventures: come and meet this magnificent animal in its last home, the primeval forest of Bialowieza Park in Poland.
If you're going to indulge in this irresistible delight, you might as well make sure it's top quality. Local speciality and hand-made chocolate is a delicious excuse for an escape to Belgium.
Sign up for one of the cruises that take in the planet's least spoilt archipelago, and spend a few days of Darwin's bicentenary year in the ecosystem that served as 'laboratory' for the great English naturalist.
The discovery of the fabulous terracotta warriors of Xi'an brought the legend of the fearsome Emperor Qin Shi Huang to the West. A visit to this great army offers you the opportunity to take a trip to the heart of China and delve into the deeper history of the country.