Plan to cross many bridges when in Cork. Ireland's third-largest city began life as an island and now spans both banks of the River Lee, with watery channels running beneath some of its main thoroughfares. The best way to experience this hilly southern seaport is on foot, following the signposted walking tour past St. Finn Barre's Cathedral and the riverside quadrangle of University College up the hill to red and white Shandon Church. Along the way, you'll meet plenty of the city's talkative residents.

Gaze out at the azure Adriatic Sea from the sunny beaches of Otranto, in Italy's Puglia region. This historic port town attracts locals and tourists to its 10km of beaches and diving rocks. In town, the cathedral features large-scale mosaics dating back to the 12th century. If you love snorkeling and beautiful seaside views, it's worth making the short journey south to Porto Badisco.

The nine islands that make up the Azores are in fact the peaks of some of the world's tallest mountains, reaching from deep beneath the Atlantic. The once-uninhabited, volcanic archipelago now hosts thousands of tourists every year who flock to the islands for sun, sand and verdant mountain scenery. From the beaches of Praia da Vitoria to the bustling marina of Horta, to the bubbling volcanic ground "ovens" of Furnas, these islands offer unparalleled--and unusual--adventures to discover.

The landscape of Ladhak, a high altitude desert, is defined by craggy, barren cliffs and plateaus. Ladhak is a favourite among adventure sports enthusiasts, offering unique adventures in trekking, mountaineering and white water rafting. While rafting options are available on both Indus and Zanskar rivers, the Zanskar course is more difficult and exciting. The trekking options range from short, day-long walks to visit monuments or monastic settlements to long, trans-mountain treks involving weeks of walking and camping in the wilderness. Ladhak celebrates a numbers of monastic festivals - annual events of the major monasteries primarily in winters. The month of September, hosts the Ladhak Festival, that gives a peek into the richness, depth and pageantry of Ladakh's centuries-old culture, traditions and folk heritage. One can witness the best samples of the region's performing arts, Archery contests and the Ladhak Polo Cup.

Strongly influenced by the tribal culture of the Guanches (the original inhabitants), Tenerife was conquered by the Spanish 500 years ago. It's home to Mount Teide, Spain's tallest peak, and to the popular beach resort of Los Gigantes. Today visitors flock to Loro Park to see tropical birds, to Tenerife Zoo Monkey Park and to Parque Nacional Las Canadas del Teide's volcanic rock formations. Explore by car or with a "bono bus" ticket, which offers reductions on regular prices.