This canal-laced city is a far cry from its spring break party image of the past. Following renovation and renewal, upscale stores and restaurants have replaced fast-food stands and T-shirt shops.

Glamorous Santorini, in the southern Aegean's Cyclades islands, curves round a giant lagoon, a caldera left by a volcanic eruption.

With its ultramodern skyline, it's easy to forget that Dubai, part of the United Arab Emirates, was once a small town of Bedouin traders.

Culture-seekers will be charmed be La Isla's heritage and history, from Old San Juan's charms to folk art and festivals in the outlying towns.