Ten years ago Des Moines almost literally sank: the flood of 1993 caused significant damage to the downtown area as well as the local economy. Today the revitalised capital city and cultural centre of Iowa is a versatile destination that everyone will enjoy. Culture and art enthusiasts can roam through the Des Moines Art Center, spend the weekend museum-hopping or attend a Broadway-calibre performance at the Civic Center. Golfers can spend their time and energy teeing up at any of the area's fine championship courses. The Blank Park Zoo and the Iowa State Fairgrounds should be on the list for families; and gardeners will savour the fantastic blooms at the Botanical Center and the Better Homes and Gardens Test Garden. Enjoy Des Moines' variety and sample all this "big city with a small town heart" has to offer.

From Shoreditch’s swaggering style to Camden’s punky vibe and chic Portobello Road, London is many worlds in one. The city’s energy means that no two days are the same. Explore royal or historic sites, tick off landmarks from your bucket list, eat and drink in exclusive Michelin-starred restaurants, enjoy a pint in a traditional pub, or get lost down winding cobbled streets and see what you stumble across – when it comes to London, the possibilities are endless.

Jutland's cultural heart, Århus is an exuberant university town with a perfectly preserved old town and a recreated historic village, Den Gamle By. The top draw is the Moesgard Museum of Prehistory, showcasing exhibits from the Stone Age to Viking days and home to the city's most famous citizen, the 2000-year-old Grauballe Man. It's a lively spot, teeming with cafes, restaurants, clubs and cinemas. Denmark's second-largest city perches on Jutland's eastern coast amid beaches and woodland.