Paraty is a charming coastal town in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state, known for its colonial architecture, cobbled streets, and artistic heritage.

Sheki is a historic city in northwestern Azerbaijan, located near the forested foothills of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. It developed as an important trading center along Silk Road routes connecting the Caucasus with Persia and Central Asia.

Liberia, republic in western Africa, bounded on the north by Sierra Leone and Guinea, on the east by Côte d'Ivoire, and on the south and west by the Atlantic Ocean. Liberia has an area of 99,067 sq. km (38,250 sq. mi.). Liberia was founded in the early 1800s by freed American slaves. Monrovia is the capital and largest city.

Lexington lies in Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region, surrounded by rolling pastureland, limestone-rich soil and hundreds of horse farms. Known as the “Horse Capital of the World,” the city is closely associated with Thoroughbred breeding and racing, yet it also has a busy downtown shaped by universities, restaurants, arts venues and bourbon production.

Frederiksted is a historic coastal town on the western end of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, set beside a deep-water bay and a long waterfront. Pastel-colored buildings, palm-lined streets, the Frederiksted Pier, and nearby beaches give the town a distinctly maritime setting. The compact community is closely associated with Fort Frederik, a red-brick Danish fort overlooking the harbor.