Rivers

Colourful warehouses on the river and a great cathedral. Trondheim is Norway’s former capital.

Fortress at the confluence of Danube and Sava, with nightlife and riverfront.

Temples, river bends, and hill country at the meeting of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar.

The Alamo, a river walk, and Tex-Mex. San Antonio is history and a relaxed Texas vibe.

A river gorge of waterfalls, viewpoints, and wind sports. Hood River is the outdoorsy small town in the middle.

A wild Patagonian road through forests, fjords, and small towns. The Carretera Austral is Chile’s great road-trip.

France’s gastronomic capital, with silk history and two rivers. Lyon is bouchons, traboules, and a hill with a basilica.

The Ganges, ghats, and one of the world’s oldest living cities. Varanasi is intense and spiritual.

Medieval centre, a castle, and a canal. Ghent is Bruges with more edge and fewer day-trippers.

Cologne, Germany — twin Gothic spires of the Dom rise over the Rhine, and the city below pours Kölsch by the narrow glass in cheerful old-town taverns.

Taroko Gorge, Taiwan — marble-walled canyon with tunnels, suspension bridges, and rivers.

Thebes of the pharaohs: Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, and the Nile. Luxor is ancient Egypt at its most intense—temples, tombs, and a river that's been the lifeline for millennia.

Three rivers, bridges, and reborn neighbourhoods. Pittsburgh is steel history turned tech and arts.

Vast national park of wetlands, crocodiles, and ancient Aboriginal rock art.

Granite peaks, rivers, and stone villages in Portugal’s far north.

World-class wetland for wildlife watching, with caimans, capybaras, and jaguars. The Pantanal is Brazil’s safari.

Sacred city on the Ganges with cremation ghats and morning boats.

Famous bridge over the Neretva, old bazaars, and nearby waterfalls and villages.

Sailing past palm groves and temples as the river bends. A Nile cruise is slow-motion ancient Egypt.

Riverfront herds of elephant and buffalo. Chobe is a classic water-and-land safari.

Luang Prabang Temples & Mekong, Laos — temple town at the confluence of rivers with morning alms and nearby waterfalls.

River, foothills, and a growing food scene. Boise is outdoorsy and underrated.

Karst mountains rising from the Li River — the landscape on the Chinese yuan.

A citadel above the Meuse and the birthplace of the saxophone. Dinant is dramatic and small.