You can’t go see Kalmar without seeing the island of Öland next to it. Origins of this island date back to 8000 BC so the amount of history here is enormous. Rent a car and see places like Borgholm Castle, Solliden Palace, Långe Erik, Långe Jan, Lerkaka, Ismantorp Fortress, Eketorps Borg, Mysinge Hög, Köpingsvik Beach, and countless Rune stones (Runsten) from old Swedish lore.

This small Swedish town on the Southeast Coast is perfect for a weekend getaway. Take the train or rent a car to see Kalmar Castle, Kalmar Konstmuseum, Tripp Trapp Trull, Klapphuset, Laboritorieholmen, Svinö, and Kalmar Domkyrka. If you have even more time, take a day trip to the island of Öland just nearby.

Al-'Ula is a city in Northwest Saudi Arabia, known for Saudi's FIRST UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site, known as Hegra, was another dwelling place for the ancient arab Nabataean people, the same who settled in Petra, in Jordan. You can easily take a bus, hire a car, or fly to Al-'Ula and embark on numerous excursions while there including ziplining and cycling or helicopter riding in the area.

The Kingdom of Bahrain is an 83 island archipelago off the East coast of Saudi Arabia. Its economy is more dependent on tourism and banking, than on oil. Taking a trip around the country will only take a weekend! Some sights not to miss include the Bahrain Fort, World Trade Center, Tree of Life, Shaikh Salman bin Ahmed Fort (RIffa Fort), Jazaer Beach, and the Salman bin Hamad Mosque.

Malta as a destination is the perfect combination of plentiful sunny beaches and lagoons, mixed with countless historical entities and gorgeous natural features. Take a few days and check out awesome places like the capital Valletta, Blue Grotto, Selmun Palace, Red Tower, Fort Manoel, Fort St. Angelo, Golden Bay, Mdina, Rabat, Marsamxett and Grand Harbours, the Dingli Cliffs and Fisherman's Cave.

Graz is the capital city of Styria, the heavy forest region on the Eastern edge of the Alps in Austria. A weekend break here was perfect to walk around the old town, and see places like the Kunsthaus, Eggenberg Palace, Schlossberg, the Graz Cathedral, and the Glockenspiel. I found Austrians to also be very warm and friendly during my stay and because of that, I would LOVE to return.

The Slovenian capital of Ljubljana is small with a population of just above a quarter million. But the city boasts a plethora of sights which include Ljubljana Castle and Cathedral, Triple Bridge, Metelkova Art Center, Republic and Congress Square, Cerkev Marijinega Oznanjenja, and Saints Cyril and Methodius Church, as well as plentiful green spaces like Tivoli Park!

Vilnius is rich in historical and cultural entities that serves as the capital of the Baltic State of Lithuania. My trip here took me to great places like St. Anne's Church, Vilnius Cathedral, the Three Crosses, Gediminas Castle Tower, Bastion Hill, Cathedral and Town Hall Squares, Pilies and Literatai Streets, and Missionary Gardens, just to name a few. This was my FAVORITE Baltic Capital!

The German capital of Berlin is great every time of year, but not time is better than during Christmas. Aside from some of the great landmarks of the city like Berliner Dom, Brandenburg, Gate, the Reichstag, East Side Gallery and Checkpoint Charlie, the many Christmas Markets (Christkindlmarkt) are in full swing during the month of December. Pack a coat and enjoy this great German city!

Kiev (or Kyiv), Ukraine surprised me in many ways. So many churches to see: St. Andrew's Church, St. Michael's Gold-domed Monastery, St. Sophia's Cathedral, and Kiev Pechersk Lavra. Great historical monuments like the Motherland Monument. And awesome neighborhoods like Vozdvyzhenka Barrio, Andriivs'kyi descent, and Park Landscape Alley. If you have the time, a day trip to Chernobyl is a must!

Sofia in Bulgaria possesses a treasure trove of churches, cultural monuments, and even ruins of the ancient Roman city of Serdica. Take a weekend break to check out places like Vitosha Blvd, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, St. Sofia Church, Church of Sveti Sedmochislenitsi, The Largo, Sofia History Museum, and St. Kyriaki Cathedral Church (among other places).

Let me take you on a tour of the American capital (and my hometown) with stops in some neighborhoods like Dupont Circle, Georgetown, H street, Noma, and Chinatown. Visits to the White House, US Capitol, select museums (Natural history, Air and Space, Smithsonian) and monuments (Washington) and memorials (Lincoln, Jefferson), Rock Creek Park, and Gravely Point are also highly recommended!

As the global center of banking and finance, it is quite fitting how Zürich has come to be known as one of the most expensive cities in the world. Despite that, you can manage to have a wonderful city break here without breaking the bank. The gorgeous churches of Fraumünster and Grossmünster sit just opposite one another across the Limmat River. Other notable attractions include Kirche Enge, the Swiss National Museum, the Botanical Garden, St. Peter’s Church, and Bahnhofstrasse (especially during Christmas time).

The Nordic region of Europe consists of some of the world's happiest countries. The term Nordic is often mixed with Scandinavia though the two represent certain parts of Northern Europe. Each capital is quite different and has much to offer. This guide breaks down the Nordic capital cities of Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki, Reykjavik, Torshavn, and Mariehamn.

Sometimes when you plan a trip, you have to deal with a longer than normal layover in a different city. This can be a blessing! I have highlighted five such layovers you can build into your trip itinerary to get the most from your trip (KLM - Amsterdam, Emirates - Dubai, British Airways - London, Turkish Airlines - Istanbul, IcelandAir - Reykjavik).

This is London. It's huge and it's full of energy. There are so many things to see in this city. Whatever you decide to do, don't forget to see iconic places like St. Paul's Cathedral, the Shard, Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus, Soho, Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and Parliament, The Tate, Carnaby Street, Tower Bridge, the London Eye, and Westminster Abbey, just to name a few!

Head on over to Holland come see what makes Amsterdam such a special city. Get lost in the labyrinth of canals, lined by architecturally stunning buildings. Better yet, rent yourself a bike and head on over to great places like the Rijksmuseum, Vondelpark, Anne Frank Huis, Rembrandt Huis, the Red Light District, and the Heineken Brewery.

When you're in this part of the world, be sure to take a ferry from Chumphon towards the East Thai islands of Koh Samui, Koh Tao, and Koh Phangan. These islands together all have a little something different to offer so it's worth checking out all three. You can expect to go snorkeling, paddle boarding, suntanning, diving, and plenty of eating and drinking when you're here. Enjoy!