Lingering over pain au chocolat in a sidewalk café, relaxing after a day of strolling along the Seine and marveling at icons like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe… the perfect Paris experience combines leisure and liveliness with enough time to savor both an exquisite meal and exhibits at the Louvre. Awaken your spirit at Notre Dame, bargain hunt at the Marché aux Puces de Montreuil or for goodies at the Marché Biologique Raspail, then cap it all off with a risqué show at the Moulin Rouge.

Cairo’s an ancient city that also happens to be a modern metropolis—it’s one of the biggest cities in the Middle East and has the traffic and noise issues to prove it. But as long as you’re not looking for solitude, Cairo—the City of the Thousand Minarets—is a splendid place to explore Egyptian history and culture. (Editor's note: Our list was compiled before political unrest prompted many countries to issue travel warnings for Egypt. If you're currently planning a trip to Egypt, please consider the risks and monitor your government's travel alerts.)

Diverse marine life and hundreds of Red Sea coral reef sites make Sharm El Sheikh a magnet for divers and eco-tourists. The tourist economy of this Sinai Peninsula city has grown quite rapidly over the last few decades, resulting in an upcrop of first-class resorts and posh nightlife. The waters of Ras Mohamed National Park are abundant with schools of fish and, oddly, toilets – thanks to the bathroom fixtures being transported by a cargo ship that sank during a 1981 storm.

Stunning coral reefs and turquoise waters perfect for windsurfing have made Hurghada, on Egypt's Red Sea Coast, a busy resort town. Within easy reach of the stunning Giftun Islands and the Eastern Arabian Desert, Hurghada has seen enormous amounts of development in the past decade—and yes, it does seem overrun with tourists at times. But it’s a relatively easy beach escape for Europeans, and some of the world's best diving and snorkeling sites are just offshore. Walk or catch a cab to explore the old quarter, El Dahar.

Thanks to the addition of an international airport in 2001, Marsa Alam is fast becoming a premium tourist destination, especially for scuba divers. The waters here are brimming with marine life and pristine dive sites. Landlubbers, don’t miss the Emerald Mines and the Temple of Seti I at Khanais.

One of Islam’s most holy cities, Medina, is a sprawl of minarets and shops wrapped around the landmark, the Prophet’s Mosque. Like the rest of central Medina, it’s for Muslims only and is surrounded by plenty of hotels and eateries to welcome the pilgrimage crowd.

The prophet Mohammed's birthplace is Islam's spiritual center and is strictly off-limits to non-Muslims. The pillars of Islam state that all Muslims with the means must undertake Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca, once in their lifetime. Those who visit the holy city are rewarded not just by proximity to landmarks and religious sites crucial to the religion, such as the Masjid Al Haram (Holy Mosque), the Mountain of Light, the Black Stone and the Well of Zamzam, but with the forgiveness of all their sins.

Dubai is a destination that mixes modern culture with history, adventure with world-class shopping and entertainment. Catch a show at the Dubai Opera, see downtown from atop the Burj Khalifa and spend an afternoon along Dubai Creek exploring the gold, textile and spice souks. If you’re looking for thrills, you can float above the desert dunes in a hot air balloon, climb aboard a high-speed ride at IMG Worlds of Adventure or skydive over the Palm Jumeirah.

Sometimes referred to as the capital of Africa, Addis Ababa is a buzzing hub of economic, social and political activity and home to such notable offices as the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The diversity of its people is reflected in the many churches, mosques and museums, including the Ethiopian National Museum which houses the fossilized skeleton of Dinkinesh, or Lucy, the Australopithecine discovered in the area in the 1970s.

Conquering New York in one visit is impossible. Instead, hit the must-sees – the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art – and then explore off the beaten path with visits to The Cloisters or one of the city’s libraries. Indulge in the bohemian shops of the West Village or the fine dining of the Upper West Side. The bustling marketplace inside of Grand Central Station gives you a literal taste of the best the city has to offer.