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San Francisco - California, USA

San Fran has to be one of my favourite cities. I love the liberal, laid back, bohemian feel to this place and the fact that the city is quite compact so it's easy to get around, although hilly in places! It's not as overwhelming, sprawling or overcrowded compared to LA so it does have more of a sense of community. I also love the fact that there aren't many cities where you are a short distance away from the beach (Pacific coast highway), woodlands (Yosemite National Park), desert (Death Valley) and mountain ranges (The Diablo mountains).

The climate overall is generally pretty good year-round although the fog rolling in off the sea can sometimes make it chillier in the cooler months. You have the ocean one side and the bay to the other. There are loads of parks throughout the city, the Golden Gate Park being the highlight. Yes, it's a city of hills, great architecture and amazing views across the bar.

Each neighbourhood has a different vibe. Castro and Nob Hill are my favourites; The Castro District is the cities main LGBT area and has a very laid back friendly bohemian feel to it. Nob Hill has prices as high as it's hills! Lovely houses, a victorian feel and fantastic views.

As for activities, there is so much to do and see. My two favourites being visiting Alcatraz Island and hiring a bike and cycling from Pier 39 all the way along the coast to the Golden Gate Bridge, over it and down the other side to the picturesque town of Sausalito. You then get the ferry back across the bay. It is surprisingly downhill most of the way and the cycle paths are excellent. A must do!

See more pics here.

cali59

cali59

Stockholm - Sweden

Stockholm was one of those cities that took me completely by surprise. The first time I went was in the month of December so I knew it was going to be cold! Thankfully I had clear blue skies every day which made the place even more impressive.

The city itself it absolutely beautiful. It's actually about 14 different islands connected by about 50 bridges across this Baltic Sea archipelago. The buildings, architecture and various inlets are stunning, the highlight for me being the old town area of Gamla Stan, which is full of cobblestone streets, ochre-coloured building and home to the 13th century Storkyrkan Cathedral, the Royal Palace and the Nobel Museum, which focuses on the Nobel Prize.

Other highlights for me were the Vasa museum, displaying a nearly fully intact 17th century ship that was salvaged in one of Stockholm's bays, and the ABBA museum which was a lot of fun! Even if you're not a die hard ABBA fan, this interactive exhibition is pretty cool if you don't mind making a fool of yourself in parts. Become the 5th ABBA member!

See more pics here.

Dubai - UAE

Dubai is the capital of one of the 7 Emirates of the UAE and a city of excess that's really rocketed over the last 20 years. Despite the current political and religious turmoil in the Middle East, I've always found Dubai very safe, welcoming and a fun place to be! It has a lively party scene, world class restaurants and facilities and 2 fantastic water parks.

I've been to Dubai several times, always between Feb-April which I personally think is the best time to visit. It's still very warm, but not ridiculously hot that you can't be outside and enjoy everything the city has to offer. One thing that surprised me the first time I went is how big it is! It's pretty spread out between all the main hubs such as downtown Dubai, Jumeirah Beach and the Marina areas, but taxis are pretty easy to flag down and they are cheaper than you would think.

There are far too many things to list here as Dubai caters for nearly everyone's taste. My personal favourites are the desert safaris, walking around the Marina area at night (great restaurants at Pier 7!), watching the Burj Khalifa fountains and of course the shopping! Dubai has, as you would expect, not only the worlds tallest building but the world's largest shopping mall, the Dubai Mall. It really is huge!

Dubai is perfect for a week away in the sun in one of the many first class hotels, or as a long weekend with mates or a partner (depending on where you live of course!). If it's adrenaline you are after, there are loads of activities such as zip lining, (the best being across in front of the Burj Khalifa), or sky diving over the Palm.

Dubai is a city of excess and luxury and this is clear to see everywhere you go. However, it can also be done on a budget if you look out for all the local deals and apps that offer great discounts.

See more pics here.

Verona - Italy

I fell in love with Italy the first time I went and no more so than in Verona, the city of love that is home to Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Verona is in Italy's northern Veneto region and is a medieval old town built around the meandering Adige River.

A definite must see is the 1st century Roman amphitheatre in the city where today you can currently watch concerts, operas and other theatrical performances. Unfortunately when I was there, I couldn't get tickets but I sat outside in the square in one of the restaurants as dusk fell and opera music and singing filled the air. I may not have been able to see it but I certainly heard it so that was good enough for me!

There is lots to see and do in Verona, from the beautiful churches, battlements, squares and winding streets. Aside from the amphitheatre, the highlight for me is the Castlevecchio, a battlement along the river Adige and the Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore, a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture.

While I was in Verona, I went to the main station and caught a train the short journey to the edge of Lake Garda for the day. I stopped at Desenzano Del Garda-sirmione and jumped in a cab to Sirmione where there is a beautiful castle, stunning views across the lake and opportunities to swim or catch a boat.

See more pics here.

Tel Aviv - Israel

Located on Israel's Mediterranean coast, Tel Aviv is a vibrant, modern, cosmopolitan city where the sun shines nearly all year round. A few things struck me in Tel Aviv, the first being how many cafe's and restaurants there are! There really is a social cafe culture that is a way of life here. I later found out that the city has the most cafe's per square mile than anywhere else in the world, which probably explains why! There is also a very outdoors way of living in Tel Aviv where people live life to the fullest. Everywhere I looked, there are either people running, cycling, dog walking, sunbathing or again, socialising in the cafe's and bars across the city.

The city is quite geared up for cyclists with loads of cycle paths and docking stations where you can hire a bike really easily and cheaply and return it to another station elsewhere in the city. I did this on two occasions which was pretty economical and enabled me to see more of the city quickly. I started at the Hilton hotel which is in the north of Tel Aviv, right on the beach, and cycled right down the coast to the historic port of Jaffa, nipping off in to bits of the main city as I went. Old Jaffa is the predominantly Arabic part of Tel Aviv and really is stunning with lots of cobbled streets and alleyways to explore with boutique shops and galleries.

Tel Aviv is a great place to base yourself to explore the rest of Israel. One thing, be prepared for the long security checks at Ben Gurion International Airport on arrival but mostly when leaving. You really do need to arrive a minimum of 3 hours before your flight! It's worth it though to experience this great city.

See more pics here. Or see my Vlog on Tel Aviv here.

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