One of the rare world cities where a dramatic mountain, beaches, botanical gardens and adventure routes meet.

Hill / mountain nearby

Table Mountain, Lion’s Head and the Twelve Apostles.

Beach nearby

Camps Bay, Clifton, Muizenberg and Boulders Beach.

Lake / river

Silvermine Reservoir, Liesbeek River and the Atlantic bays.

Sunset point

Signal Hill, Camps Bay or Sea Point promenade.

Park / garden

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden and Green Point Park.

Adventure zone

Cape Peninsula drives, hiking, kayaking and supervised paragliding.

A compact base for beaches, forest parks, mountain viewpoints and easy day trips into the Coast Mountains.

Hill / mountain nearby

Grouse Mountain, Cypress Mountain and the Sea-to-Sky corridor.

Beach nearby

English Bay, Kitsilano and Spanish Banks.

Lake / river

Buntzen Lake, Capilano River and False Creek.

Sunset point

English Bay, Spanish Banks or Queen Elizabeth Park.

Park / garden

Stanley Park, VanDusen Botanical Garden and Pacific Spirit Park.

Adventure zone

Grouse trails, Lynn Canyon, Whistler and sea kayaking.

Urban beaches sit beside rainforest peaks, lagoons and some of the world’s most famous sunset viewpoints.

Hill / mountain nearby

Corcovado, Sugarloaf and Pedra Bonita.

Beach nearby

Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon and Barra.

Lake / river

Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon and Guanabara Bay.

Sunset point

Arpoador, Sugarloaf or Mirante Dona Marta.

Park / garden

Tijuca National Park, Jardim Botânico and Parque Lage.

Adventure zone

Guided Tijuca hikes, hang-gliding, surfing and coastal cycling.

An alpine lakeside town built around mountain scenery, easy viewpoints and high-adrenaline outdoor activities.

Hill / mountain nearby

Ben Lomond, The Remarkables and Coronet Peak.

Beach nearby

No ocean beach in town; Lake Wakatipu has pebbled swimming and picnic edges.

Lake / river

Lake Wakatipu, Shotover River and Kawarau River.

Sunset point

Bob’s Peak, Queenstown Bay or the lakefront trail.

Park / garden

Queenstown Gardens and nearby native reserves.

Adventure zone

Bungee jumping, jet boating, paragliding, skiing and canyon swings.

Lake swimming, riverside walks and a city mountain combine with quick rail access to the Swiss Alps.

Hill / mountain nearby

Uetliberg; larger Alpine excursions are easy by train.

Beach nearby

Lake lidos such as Mythenquai and Tiefenbrunnen rather than ocean beaches.

Lake / river

Lake Zurich, the Limmat and the Sihl.

Sunset point

Uetliberg, Bürkliplatz or the lake promenade.

Park / garden

Old Botanical Garden, Chinese Garden and Zurichhorn.

Adventure zone

Alpine hiking, lake cruises, cycling and winter day trips.

A gateway to volcanic landscapes, geothermal water, coastal sunsets and accessible nature close to the capital.

Hill / mountain nearby

Mount Esja and the Reykjanes volcanic landscape.

Beach nearby

Nauthólsvík geothermal beach and the Seltjarnarnes coast.

Lake / river

Tjörnin pond, Elliðaár rivers and nearby Kleifarvatn.

Sunset point

Grótta lighthouse or the waterfront by Sun Voyager.

Park / garden

Elliðaárdalur, Hljómskálagarður and the botanical garden.

Adventure zone

Golden Circle tours, lava fields, glacier trips and seasonal whale watching.

A varied island destination with beaches, volcanic highlands, lakes, rice landscapes and tropical adventure.

Hill / mountain nearby

Kintamani, Mount Batur and Bedugul highlands.

Beach nearby

Sanur, Nusa Dua, Seminyak, Uluwatu and many more.

Lake / river

Lakes Batur, Beratan, Buyan and the Ayung River.

Sunset point

Uluwatu, Tanah Lot, Jimbaran or Seminyak.

Park / garden

Bali Botanic Garden, Ubud’s forest areas and water gardens.

Adventure zone

Surfing, rafting, diving, cycling and guided volcano trekking.

A convenient base for beaches, viewpoints, rainforest, marine parks and island-hopping adventures.

Hill / mountain nearby

Khao Rang, Nak Kerd Hill and forested interior viewpoints.

Beach nearby

Kata, Karon, Nai Harn, Kamala and Mai Khao.

Lake / river

Bang Wad Reservoir and the surrounding Andaman bays.

Sunset point

Promthep Cape, Windmill Viewpoint or Kata Noi.

Park / garden

Sirinat National Park and Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Sanctuary.

Adventure zone

Diving, snorkelling, island trips, kayaking and zip-lines.

Beaches, landscaped parks and desert adventure combine with mountain day trips to Hatta.

Hill / mountain nearby

Hatta and the Hajar Mountains are the main mountain escape.

Beach nearby

Kite Beach, JBR Beach and Al Mamzar.

Lake / river

Hatta Dam, Dubai Creek and coastal lagoons.

Sunset point

The desert, Bluewaters, JBR or Dubai Creek Harbour.

Park / garden

Mushrif Park, Safa Park and Quranic Park.

Adventure zone

Desert safari, dune activities, Hatta kayaking and mountain biking.

A highly accessible nature city with rainforest trails, reservoirs, coastal parks and designed gardens.

Hill / mountain nearby

Bukit Timah Hill and the Southern Ridges.

Beach nearby

Sentosa, East Coast Park and Changi Beach.

Lake / river

MacRitchie Reservoir, Marina Reservoir and the Singapore River.

Sunset point

Marina Barrage, Henderson Waves or Sentosa.

Park / garden

Singapore Botanic Gardens, Gardens by the Bay and Fort Canning.

Adventure zone

Pulau Ubin cycling, MacRitchie trails, kayaking and treetop walks.

Forest paths, rivers, landscaped gardens and mountain-edge neighbourhoods complement the historic city.

Hill / mountain nearby

Higashiyama, Arashiyama, Mount Hiei and Kurama.

Beach nearby

Kyoto is inland; Lake Biwa beaches are roughly a day-trip option.

Lake / river

Kamo River, Katsura River and nearby Lake Biwa.

Sunset point

Shogunzuka, Arashiyama riverside or Kyoto Station sky walk.

Park / garden

Kyoto Botanical Gardens, imperial gardens and temple gardens.

Adventure zone

Kurama–Kibune hiking, Fushimi Inari trails and Arashiyama cycling.

A classic base between two lakes with immediate access to mountain railways and adventure sports.

Hill / mountain nearby

Harder Kulm and the Jungfrau region.

Beach nearby

Lake lidos and swimming areas replace ocean beaches.

Lake / river

Lake Thun, Lake Brienz and the Aare River.

Sunset point

Harder Kulm, Höhematte or the lake shores.

Park / garden

Höhematte Park and lakeside promenades.

Adventure zone

Paragliding, canyoning, rafting, hiking and mountain rail trips.

World-famous urban beaches, harbour walks, botanical gardens and an easy Blue Mountains day trip.

Hill / mountain nearby

Blue Mountains day trip; coastal headlands within the city.

Beach nearby

Bondi, Manly, Coogee, Balmoral and many harbour beaches.

Lake / river

Sydney Harbour, Parramatta River and nearby coastal lagoons.

Sunset point

Mrs Macquarie’s Point, Observatory Hill or Barangaroo.

Park / garden

Royal Botanic Garden, Centennial Park and Barangaroo Reserve.

Adventure zone

Surf lessons, harbour kayaking, coastal walks and Blue Mountains hikes.