Kobe, Japan is a beautiful port city renowned for its historic shrines, botanical gardens, hot springs, and marbled Kobe beef. Highlights of this Japanese retreat include Ikuta Shrine, thought to be one of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines, Kobe Nunobiki Herb Botanical Gardens, Mount Rokkō, and Arima Onsen, a popular hot springs resort surrounded by Japanese maple trees.

Brazil is a country that moves to its own rhythm whether it be samba, bossa nova, the roar of waterfalls or the quiet of the rainforest. Stretching from the Amazon Basin to the Atlantic coastline, Brazil offers both iconic cityscapes and vast natural frontiers. In Rio de Janeiro, visitors can ride a cable car up to Sugarloaf Mountain, watch the sunset from Arpoador, or join a drumbeat-filled bloco during Carnival, where the streets turn into one massive celebration of music, movement, and color.

Amsterdam, the 17th century capital of Holland, is often called the "Venice of the North" due to its numerous, boat-navigable canals. Truly rich in history, the oldest part of this populous, multicultural city is Sloten, which dates all the way back to the 9th century.

The Cook Islands, a group of 15 islands scattered across the South Pacific, offer a rare blend of Polynesian tradition and laid-back island charm. Rarotonga, the largest and most visited island, is ringed by a turquoise lagoon and backed by lush mountains. Visitors can circle the entire island in under an hour, stopping along the way for fresh coconut, beachside cafés, or a quick swim in the clear lagoon.

Sighisoara rises above the Târnava Mare River as one of the few medieval citadels in Europe that is still lived in and admired today. Its historic center has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1999, recognized for its long history as a fortified Saxon settlement and its role in trade and defense on the edges of central Europe. Wander through cobbled alleys framed by pastel-colored houses, and the layers of time feel close at hand, from the city walls and guild towers to busy cafés.