Panajachel, on the shores of Guatemala’s Lake Atitlán, is a vibrant town framed by volcanic peaks and the shimmering waters of one of the world’s most picturesque lakes.

Padang is the third largest city and the capital of West Sumatra. It is the biggest seaport along its west coast, and is a center of business and government. The terrain of the city is mostly flat, and the name Padang actually means "plain." But if you venture outside of the city limits, the scenery is quite lovely going towards the neighboring city of Solok.

One of the major rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, the Douro in north-central Spain and Portugal just might be the world's most beautiful wine region. Most of the river on the Spanish side isn't navigable, so river cruises generally travel roundtrip from Porto, on the coast of the Atlantic.

Set in a wide alpine valley beneath the north face of the Eiger, Grindelwald has long been a place where mountain life and mountaineering history intersect. The village grew from a farming settlement into one of Switzerland’s earliest alpine tourism hubs in the 19th century, when climbers, writers, and scientists arrived to study—and attempt—the surrounding peaks.

Bad Gastein is a mountain spa town in the Gastein Valley of Salzburg province, set at about 1,000 meters above sea level within the Hohe Tauern region. The town is built on steep slopes around the Gasteiner Ache, with historic buildings rising above the valley and mountains surrounding the settlement. Its most distinctive feature is the Gastein Waterfall, which drops through the center of town in three stages.