Here’s the best piece of advice you can get from a local: if you really want to get under the skin of Cape Town, you have to slow things down. If you speed through the city, you will miss out on the great subtleties that give Cape Town its character. It’ll melt together and become a blur, as if you are driving a car at 100 miles per hour and trying to look out the window.

Although surrounded by controversy, on 7 July 2007 the statue of Christ the Redeemer got named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. What people didn’t seem to understand, however, is that the statue itself doesn’t add much to the landscape of Rio de Janeiro. The true highlight of the monument is the wide and open view of Rio de Janeiro that Christ the Redeemer offers, like the one shown here during a wintery but warm sunset.

Mexico’s Yucatan is home to countless ancient sites that offer important archaeological clues about the Mayans, one of the world’s most advanced ancient civilisations. They were skilled engineers and architects able not only to build pyramids on a colossal scale but to construct them in a fashion that demonstrated their awareness of astronomical phenomena and the constellations. Along the Riviera Maya, I recommend visiting at least one of the following incredible sites, for they are truly magical and convey a sense of the rich culture Mexico has to offer to the world: Chichen Itza, cenotes and Celestun.

Rio de Janeiro. We love to think we’re on intimate terms with it, calling it just Rio. But for such a small word, it packs a mighty punch, an explosion of sound, light and flavour. Rio is Carnival and samba; it’s the Statue of Christ the Redeemer, one of the New Seven Wonders of the…

THIS ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND PORTUGUESE. Ever heard of Rio de Janeiro? Of course you have! Who hasn’t? Well, this city of dazzling contrasts – one of the most famous destinations in the world – is now part of the whl.travel global network. Rio’s glorious scenery is matched only by the effervescent nature of its people. And now it’s available at www.riodejaneiro-hotels.travel!