Great Smoky Mountains National Park stretches across the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, protecting a broad section of the southern Appalachian Mountains. The park is known for forested ridges, mist-covered peaks, clear streams, and an exceptional variety of plant and animal life. Its landscape changes with elevation, from rich hardwood forests in the valleys to spruce-fir forests near the highest summits.

Gorée is a small island off the coast of Dakar, known for its preserved architecture and its central place in Senegal’s history of the Atlantic slave trade. Its narrow streets, pastel-colored buildings, courtyards, and waterfront create a compact historic landscape that contrasts with the modern capital across the water. The island is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is regarded as an important place of memory for the African diaspora.

In the central highlands of Mexico lies a rich city, with a culture as colorful as its past. Guadalajara, Mexico's second largest city, may be best known for its tequila, mariachis and the hat dance, all part of its celebrations. The downtown area is dominated by a huge public square, the Plaza del la Liberacion. Guadalahara's most impressive historical sights are found along this square, as well as museums tracing Mexico's long history.

Nyanga is a highland destination in northeastern Zimbabwe, set within the rolling landscapes of the Eastern Highlands. The area is centered on Nyanga National Park, where open grasslands, mountain slopes, rocky outcrops, streams, and patches of woodland create a cooler environment than much of the country.

Porto Venere is a small coastal town on the Ligurian Sea in eastern Liguria, set on a rocky peninsula at the entrance to the Gulf of La Spezia. Its waterfront is lined with brightly colored houses, narrow lanes, and a small harbor, while steep cliffs rise behind the historic center. Offshore, the islands of Palmaria, Tino, and Tinetto form part of the same protected coastal landscape.