Blois is a historic city on the Loire River in central France, set among the vineyards, forests, and château country of the Loire Valley. Its old centre rises from the river toward the Château Royal de Blois, creating a landscape of steep streets, stairways, and terraces. Half-timbered houses stand alongside Renaissance townhouses, stone churches, and later buildings, while the river provides open views across the city.

Rijeka sits at the head of Kvarner Bay on Croatia’s northern Adriatic, shaped by its long role as a port city at the crossroads of empires.

Khiva, located in western Uzbekistan’s Khorezm region, is one of Central Asia’s most evocative Silk Road cities. Its walled inner city, known as the Itchan Kala, has preserved a remarkable collection of mud-brick architecture, minarets, mosques, and madrasahs that reflect centuries of Islamic culture and trade. Khiva served as a thriving trading hub and political center, linking merchants and scholars across the desert routes of the region.

Humahuaca is a small town in northern Argentina’s Jujuy Province, located in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a long mountain valley shaped by the Río Grande. Its setting among dry, multicolored mountains gives the town a distinct Andean character. Narrow streets, adobe buildings, and traditional plazas reflect the region’s strong connection to Indigenous and colonial heritage. Humahuaca also serves as a cultural and transport center for communities across the surrounding highlands, where agriculture,

Long Beach is a major coastal city in Southern California, located south of Los Angeles where the Los Angeles River meets the Pacific Ocean. Its waterfront combines sandy beaches, marinas, parks, and a busy harbor with a dense urban center. The city is known for its broad waterfront, diverse neighborhoods, and strong connections to shipping, aviation, and maritime industries.