Singapore to Amsterdam

The British made Kuala Lumpar the capital of Peninsular Malaysia in the late 19th century, erecting grand colonial buildings that continue to stand proud today. Since then, a virtual ‘race to the sky’ has seen the graceful buildings and mosques surrounded by steel and glass towers. As well as museums and temples to visit, there’s an elephant sanctuary and rainforest canopy walk.

This port on the west coast of India, also known as Kochi, earned the title the Queen of the Arabian Sea as a result of its importance to the spice trade from the 14th century onwards. As a result of this, the city bears influences from China, Portugal, Holland and the British Raj, with ancient mosques sitting alongside 400-year-old synagogues. Worth a visit are the Chinese fishing nets at Fort Kochi, where the nearby stalls will cook the day’s catch, the historic neighbourhood of Mattancherry, its streets lined with antique shops and book stores, and the tranquil backwaters.

The ninth biggest city in the world, with a population of 18.4million, Mumbai is literally the Gateway of India — the huge stone arch of that name, built by the British Raj in 1924, dominates the waterfront at the harbour. The city is the bustling financial centre of India and home to its film industry, but it also boasts a number of incredible historic buildings and temples, including the sculpted caves of nearby Elephanta Island and Mani Bhavan, focal point of Mahatma Gandhi’s political activities for nearly two decades.

The second city of the Sultanate of Oman, after Muscat, Salalah is a place of antiquity with a heritage dating back to 100 B.C. and a number of natural attractions such as the nearby mountains, lush wadi areas and an attractive coastline with beautiful beaches. An abundance of Frankincense trees in the area give rise to the epithet ‘Perfume Capital of Arabia’.

The port of Aqaba has been an important strategic and commercial centre since Roman times. It’s also the gateway to the lost city of Petra, which lies in the surrounding desert - a city that is estimated to date back to 6,000 B.C. - and Wadi Rum, where T.E. Lawrence found his destiny as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’.

As the capital city of Malta, Valetta provides the perfect balance between the buzz of hectic city life and the tranquillity found in its peaceful palace and gardens. The majority of the magnificent buildings found in this city are Baroque in character and date back to the 16th century during the reign of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, but there are also hints or neo-classical and modern architectural design to be found. Valetta was named after Jean Parisot de la Valette who not only laid the first foundation stone of the city, but also protected it against Ottoman invasion in 1565. Tragically, he passed away before his city was completed at the age of 74, but his remains now rest at St. John’s Co-Cathedral. Valetta is a rare urban treasure that has preserved nearly all of its original features and was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.

Lisbon, Portugal’s capital city, is home to the magnificent Jeronimos Monastery, Belem Tower, 25th April Bridge and Monument of the Discoveries. Wander through the maze of narrow streets in the delightful Alfama district and ride one of the famous old trams.

With more bicycles than permanent residents, the Dutch capital is both charming and quirky. Aesthetically little has changed in the centre since its 17th century Golden Age. Beautiful gabled houses and merchants’ mansions line serene, tree-lined canals, which are laid out in five concentric circles and crossed by numerous bridges. The Royal Palace, originally built as a Town Hall in the 17th century, stands on a large square in the centre of the city. Considered one of Europe’s major art capitals, Amsterdam is home to a number of superb galleries and museums including the famous Rijksmuseum, the Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum.