Tokyo is famous for many different things, but mainly as a glittering style capital of the East.  The Ginza shopping district and large number of flagship stores from the famous fashion houses of the world only seem to cement that reputation.  But the most populous metropolitan area in the world has much more to offer than just brand appeal.

Sydney is the jewel of Australia's east coast. A thriving metropolis sitting proudly on the sparkling waters of the Pacific, Sydney is the home of the icons that represent the Wide Brown Land – the Opera House, the Sydney Harbor Bridge, and the white sails of millionaires yachts bobbing gently in the bay off The Rocks.

Bustling with energy, history and people, Manila is the ever-growing capital of the Philippines. Though many of what were considered the city’s most beautiful sites saw a lot of destruction in World War II, Manila has built itself back up and never lost its position as the country’s center in every way.

Covered in cohesive art and architecture, Florence, Italy may be one of the most idyllic cities in all of the country. Rusty red and creamy yellow cover every street in the city. With very few modern touches, Florence, for the most part, has remained just as it did when the Medici roamed its cobblestone streets during the Renaissance era.

Santiago de Chile gives an underwhelming first impression. Packed with road traffic and the air thick with smog, the city has the air of an industrial smoke hole. This may be true, but there is much more to this, the capital of long, narrow Chile, on the western coast of South America.

Chicago, the Windy City and home to the legendary gangsters of the 1920s, who were part of the creation of American modern folklore. There are a few attractions that you have to visit in Chicago – some of them on the beaten track and a couple that you may not hear about so often.

San Diego is the idyllic, refined pocket of California that seems to provide a genteel combination of fun and maturity. The beaches are the great drawcard for holidaymakers. All are free to the public, safe and the mild climate gives more months of the year over to shell collecting and lounging in the sand.

Texas isn't the only place with Big Things. Orlando, Florida, is home to the world's biggest Hard Rock Cafe and the state's biggest refractor telescope in Florida at the Orlando Science Center (geeky, but very cool). Orlando is a place of contradictions: