If you’re visiting Oberammergau in a year ending with zero, it’s all about the Passion Play. Villagers have performed it since the 17th century. It’s seven hours long (thankfully, with an intermission), and about half the townspeople participate in 100+ performances between May and October. And since hundreds of thousands are expected to attend over the course of those performances, if you’re in town, you’ll have company.

As automobiles became popular in the early 20th century, quiet little towns along popular roads suddenly found themselves tourist destinations. Mittenwald is one of them. This small Bavarian town in the northern foothills of the Alps, on the route to Innsbruck, Austria, has been a popular stop since the 1930s. For challenging walks, many area ski runs become hiking trails in summer. And visit the local violin museum (Mittenwald is known for the manufacture of fine string instruments).

Besides incredible ski conditions, Mayrhofen is known for its epic annual Snowbombing festival, a weeklong celebration of electronic music. The world’s premier DJs and electronic artists flock here to dance, party ski, and revel in Mayrhofen’s magical atmosphere. Where else in the world can you tour a cheese factory, show your snow art appreciation, embark upon a torch-lit evening hike and snuggle up in an igloo hotel, all in a single day?

Everyone who visits Paris for the first time probably has the same punchlist of major attractions to hit: The Louvre, Notre Dame, The Eiffel Tower, etc. Just make sure you leave some time to wander the city’s grand boulevards and eat in as many cafes, bistros and brasseries as possible. And don’t forget the shopping—whether your tastes run to Louis Vuitton or Les Puces (the flea market), you can find it here.

It’s nicknamed the Eternal City for a reason. In Rome, you can drink from a street fountain fed by an ancient aqueduct. Or see the same profile on a statue in the Capitoline Museum and the guy making your cappuccino. (Which, of course, you know never to order after 11 am.) Rome is also a city of contrasts—what other place on earth could be home to both the Vatican and La Dolce Vita?

St. Ives boasts a quartet of golden-sand beaches. Sheltered coves draw swimmers and sun-worshippers, but water-sports aficionados visit St. Ives for great surfing, windsurfing and water-skiing conditions. And on your way there, keep your eyes peeled for a dude with seven wives. You never know when nursery rhymes might come true.

Boasting 23 lakes, innumerable parks and varied wildlife, Chisinau has one of the highest proportions of natural spaces of any city in Europe. Moldova's green capital is situated on the Bic River, surrounded by fertile land rife with vineyards, making it a popular destination for wine tours. The city is also renowned for its cognac and especially its award-winning beer, so arrive thirsty!

Over the centuries, many cultures have added their mark to this prized piece of land. Today, you can experience those influences firsthand by exploring Istanbul’s mahalles (neighbourhoods). From the holy sites of Sultanahmet and the 19th-century European elegance of Beyoğlu to the high fashion of Nişantaşı, the vibrant café society of Kadıköy and the football-loving streets of Beşiktaş, it’s easy to see why travellers say that Istanbul isn’t just one city, but many cities within one.

The first time you go to New York, go ahead and be a sight-seer—everyone should visit the Statue of Liberty, the Met, Times Square, etc. But on a return trip, pick a neighbourhood and go deep. You’ll find hole-in-the-wall bars, great delis, quirky shops… exploring the non-touristy side of New York is an incredibly rewarding experience for a traveller.