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For shoppers, this city is famous as a frenzied hub for bargain hunting. For history-loving tourists, the many museums and monuments are some of the country’s sightseeing must-dos. And for those who just want to dive into local culture, the medina offers Moroccan life in all its hectic glory. Marrakesh is also the gateway to Morocco’s High Atlas region, where you can relish the scenic mountain beauty after your Marrakesh metropolis adventures. For ideas on the best places to visit, see our list of the top attractions in Marrakesh.

This strip of sandy white bliss is the number one beach destination for Dubai visitors. Hotels are strung out all along its length, with this being one of the most popular places to stay for tourists. The beach has excellent facilities, with plenty of sun loungers, restaurants, and water sports operators offering jet skiing. While in the area, brush off the sand for an hour and visit the Majlis Ghorfat Um Al-Sheef, just a short hop from the beach. Built in 1955, this was the summer residence of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed al-Maktoum. The residence, made out of gypsum and coral-block, has been restored and maintains much of the original beautiful decor, giving you a better understanding of the opulent lifestyle of Dubai’s rulers. The Majlis Gardens feature a reproduction of an impressive Arab irrigation system and many shady date palms.

Carrefour operates several supermarkets near Sitimar Marina. Find every essential from Sicilian olive oil to chilled Moretti beer. Palermo’s trio of street markets – Ballaró, Vucciria and Capo – are alive with snails, octopus, rising bread and rapidly diminishing piles of tomatoes. It’s where locals do their weekly shop, so roll up your sleeves and get ready to join them. The Palermo-Montecarlo is an 804km (500mi) sprint from Sicily to Monaco, with breathtaking views over Sardinia and Corsica en route. The 50-plus sailboats that set sail from Mondello in Sicily in late August are big and beautiful. The offshore regatta also serves as a training ground for Olympians and America’s Cup sailors.

Santorini’s best known and most popular beach lies on the southeast coast, between the villages of Perissa and Perivolos. A six-kilometer-long stretch of fine, black volcanic sand, it is backed by tamarisk trees and overlooked by a string of seafood tavernas and cafes. There are sunbeds and umbrellas to rent, plus water sports facilities. It is approximately 12 kilometers from Fira. At the base of the cliffs rising to the town of Oia, the port of Ammoudi Bay glistens above sparkling turquoise waters. Descend the 200 or so steps down from Oia, and you are in the picture-perfect setting that is Ammoudi, known for quaint Greek tavernas serving the catch of the day just inches from the waves, and isolated coves ideal for swimming. Another popular activity is cliff diving if that’s what gets your adrenaline pumping.

You aren’t allowed to leave the boat and walk on Monkey Island, but the guides on the boat use special calls to get the monkeys’ attention. We saw 3 monkey species on our trip as well as a crocodile! I really enjoyed the tour and seeing so many monkeys was a great experience. Although we didn’t feed the monkeys, other people on our boat did and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. The monkeys here are supposed to be wild and I wasn’t aware before that tour groups feed them. This is one of those wildlife experiences that borders the line of being unethical. Yes, the island is protected and the monkeys are only fed bananas, but you’ll have to decide for yourself if this is the tour for you! We decided to take a tour to Monkey Island for $70 USD. From pickup to drop off it took just over 3 hours and the tour was really fun! You can book the tour I did here in advance.