Grand Canyon, USA

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 397.

Florence, Italy

The capital of bella Tuscany can test the endurance of the most hardened traveller. Its piazzas are filled with the whir of digital cameras, the leather and jewellery shops hem you in, and money belts can disappear faster than kisses. But Florence is also Italy's Renaissance jewel and few cities can match its classic beauty. Swoon over Michelangelo's David in the Academy of Design Gallery, the gorgeous headpiece of the Brunelleschi-built Duomo, and the stunning sculptural landscape of the Boboli Gardens, or just sit in a cafe and swoon over handsome passers-by. The city is virtually tourist free (and cheaper!) in winter; many restaurants and attractions are closed Sunday and Monday, so plan accordingly.

Arizona's desolate back-country is one of the last places you'd expect to get stuck in traffic, but this is typically what confronts visitors to the Grand Canyon. Once your vehicle is stowed away, however, you can check out one impressive hole in the ground: a 446km-long channel dug out of the surrounding rock by the Colorado River. The canyon measures 29km at its widest point and 1500m at its deepest. Stare into its magnificent depths from up on the South Rim or hike to the canyon floor and back; lazy types impose themselves upon a mule. The North Rim gets around 10% of the number of visitors that head to the South Rim.

6. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe & Zambia

Victoria Falls is an astonishing sight, the result of a 1.7km-wide stretch of the Zambezi River falling into a crack in a basalt plateau and being crunched in a narrow gorge. In 1855 explorer David Livingstone presumed to name Victoria Falls after his homeland's monarch, but its local name is Mosi-oa-Tunya (Smoke That Thunders). Try to catch these 108m high falls during the wet season. But regardless of when you go, plan your trip carefully, as the turbulence of this enormous cascade unfortunately reflects the current social climate of Zimbabwe and Zambia, the two countries that provide access to it. The Zimbabwean side is cheaper, safe and far less crowded; head to Victoria Falls Town. Remember to stock up onUS currency.