Eiffel Tower, France

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 436.

Prague's Old Town, Czech Republic

Prague's Staré Město (Old Town) is wildly crowded day and night. Note that restaurants and bars around Old Town Square are notorious for criminally overcharging visitors. Wandering the district's tight lanes on rainy days means constantly ducking to avoid being impaled on umbrella tips. All of which is forgotten once you see Týn Church's delirious baroque trimmings, the art-nouveau brilliance of Municipal House and the magnificent bulk of Prague Castle across the Vltava. Daily four-hour walking tours run all year 11am–2pm, revealing the secrets of Old Town.

Men love to build towers and Gustave Eiffel was no exception. Commissioned to build an eye-catching entryway for Paris' upcoming Exposition Universelle, he finally unveiled his 300m-high iron icon in 1889. The structure was only meant to stand for 20 years but won global admiration for its beautiful architectural form and has stood its ground, despite attempts to demolish it by aliens (Mars Attacks) and Thunderbird puppets (Team America: World Police). Put it on your ‘must-visit' list – after all, 6 million people a year can't be wrong. Visiting hours from July to September are 9–12.30am; miss the rush by arriving first thing or catch the last entry at midnight.