On the other hand, the huge crowds and high prices in its most popular sights (Piazza San Marco, Rialto Bridge and market areas) can make it an absolute nightmare.

A good bet is finding a smaller hotel off the main canals (I recommend Hotel Basilea, very quirky) and visiting the main sights before or after your average tourist would - late afternoon, early morning, etc.

Spend the rest of your time checking out the back streets of the old city, sampling food from the quieter restaurants and enjoying my favourite part of the city: the silent areas that make you feel like you're the only one there.

2 _ Port Douglas:  I've only recently visited Port Douglas, but I had an amazing getaway. Even though it rained constantly, this place managed to remain a paradise.

Walking along the beach made for a scenic trip to and from our resort to the bars and restaurants on offer.

The restaurants and bars in the town are all of a high quality and great atmosphere. Many are in old style buildings that have been there for years, all maintained beautifully.

3 _ Northern Argentina:   This area is diverse and beautiful, ranging from mountains, desert to rainforest. It also encompasses the Iguazu falls, the big daddy of waterfalls. There are a few large cities in the north, I visited Salta and Jujuy. Salta is where Argentine patriots started their fight against Spanish rule and was the nation's capital until the title was taken by Buenos Aires.

There are museums on Argentine history and the silver trade.

Jujuy sits in the middle of an area of largely Native American villages.

Some of these cater for tourism and are all really beautiful. Both cities are a great base for hotels and tours.

The Iguazu falls are easily accessible through tours and the national park can provide tour guides fluent in a range of languages. Remember to check out Puerto Iguazu, where you can stay near the park and even see both Brazil and Paraguay from where all three countries borders meet.

4 _ Rome: This is the city where my Italian partner spent most of her time laughing at me for touching buildings.

But how could I not? Some of those buildings are centuries old and you can still feel the chisel marks made by artisans all those years ago - it's an exciting feature for history nerds like myself. We were ``lucky'' enough to have an actual Roman drive us to all the must-see spots.

I quickly made my peace with God by the second alleyway we sped through.

But beyond the driving, there are more things to see for those with a love of history or a passion for comfort and fashion than you could shake a gladius at. There are hundreds of tours available in any conceivable language or style.

I'd recommend taking your time, see the big things in the mornings and head to one of the little hidden restaurants for dinner. Try a real carbonara and see if you can finish a whole plate.

5 _ Christchurch:  I'm pretty biased, I was born in this city.

I would like to talk about its beautiful cathedral and classy back alley bars, but they were mostly destroyed in the earthquake of 2011.

Instead, I recommend seeing it as a city on the cusp of rebirth and renewal.

Start by checking out the Re-Start container mall in the city centre and taking a walk through the newly reopened streets. It gives you a rather emotional look at what was, and a glimpse of a future that will be.

From the city you have easy access to ski fields, winery tours and buses to other cities and holiday destinations like Hamner, Kaikoura, Akaroa or the famous Queenstown.