Joining World Heritage Cities such as Bergen, Rhodes and Cusco,
Jaipur is an intoxicating mix of elegance and energy, chaos and
creativity. Founded in 1727 by Sawai Jai Singh II, the capital of
Rajasthan is believed to be the first planned city in India. It’s
built according to a grid plan that created large public squares
called chaupars, which for centuries have remained the thriving
hives of the city.

It’s in these squares that Jaipur becomes abuzz with sprawling
markets that spill out onto narrow lanes, miles of street food
vendors line up to place hot kathi rolls (likened to a chicken
tikka burrito) and steaming hot cups of Masala Chai into passing
hands and they’re home to artisan traders flogging everything from
silver to spices. Uniform coral-coloured building facades have
earned it the moniker of”the Pink City”, and the finest mix of
Rajasthan and Mughal architecture can be seen at the City Palace,
which has a wedding-cake-esque exterior trimmed with intricate
ochre-coloured detailing. Visit in the evenings when the front of
the palace transforms into an elaborate light show.

After you’ve ridden the waves at Ipanema, played volleyball with
other beach bums in Leblon and done cha-cha with showgirls in
Copacabana, it’s time to tackle the four-hour journey from Rio de
Janeiro to the pretty shores of Paraty – that’s less party and more
arty.

Sandwiched between the Serra da Bocaína National Park and the
Atlantic Ocean, the coastal town was once the end point of the Gold
Path, a road built by slaves in the late 17th century. Much of the
colonial architecture dates back to the 18th century and has been
immaculately preserved with cobbled streets leading to
pastel-fronted churches, art galleries and hole-in-the-wall dining
rooms occupied by locals playing chess.

Don’t expect any flash hotels or resorts, as it’s still very
much an under-the-radar Brazilian hideaway. Instead, book into one
of the many pousadas (guesthouses) that line the canal ways and
paddleboard along the still waters to pick up your pão de quejo
(cheese bread) each morning.

After a bid that started in 1982 and five successive refusals,
the ancient ruins of Babylon in Iraq have finally become a
Unesco-acknowledged site. Situated 85km south of Baghdad, the
ancient city was once the capital of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and
was the site of the mythical Hanging Gardens. Visible signs of
villages, the outer and inner city walls, plus expansive palaces
and detailed temples date back to between 626 and 530 BCE here,
representing a unique testimony to one of the most influential
empires that the world has ever seen.

Unfortunately, the monuments aren’t very well preserved as they
shared a site with one of Saddam Hussein’s work-in-progress replica
palaces and a US military base. Thankfully, being awarded Unesco
status includes aid for restoration, which will help further
preserve and protect the site from future damage.

Set to become what Angkor Wat is to Cambodia and Machu Picchu is
to Peru, Bagan is a sacred landscape dotted with hundreds of
glistening, golden Buddhist temples, ornate frescoes and treasured
archaeological remains. Exploring the temples on foot will
highlight the stylistic differences between each one and provide an
invaluable insight into the importance of the Bagan region which,
between the 11th and 13th century, was the capital of the Pagan
Empire.

As part of winning the Unesco award, certain conservation
targets must be met, which includes moving hotels that currently
crowd the area to a dedicated hotel zone outside of the
now-protected site. It’s a popular place for pilgrimages and
already fast emerging as a tourist hotspot, so shun the crowds by
taking a crack-of-dawn hot air balloon trip where the views alone
will forgo the need for your morning caffeine fix.