Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, is often called the “Pink City” for the terracotta-hued buildings that line its historic streets. Founded in 1727, it was one of India’s first planned cities, designed with wide avenues and grand public squares.

Potosí rises on the Altiplano of southern Bolivia and for centuries it was one of the richest cities in the world because of what lies just beyond its streets. At the foot of Cerro Rico (“Rich Mountain”), silver was discovered in the mid-1500s, and within a few decades the city became a center of mining and wealth that shaped global trade and economies.

Hatton is a hill-country town in central Sri Lanka, located within the tea-growing highlands of Nuwara Eliya District. Surrounded by steep green slopes, waterfalls, and mist-covered plantations, the town serves as an important center for Sri Lanka’s tea industry.

Niigata sits along the Sea of Japan on Honshu’s west coast, a place where long winters and bright summers shape its traditions and flavors. For centuries this region has produced some of Japan’s finest rice, especially the Uonuma Koshihikari variety known for its rich taste and texture. That quality rice helps make Niigata sake famous across the country, and visitors can sample more than 90 local brews at tasting spots such as Ponshukan inside Niigata Station.

Tikal is one of the most extraordinary ancient cities in Guatemala, hidden deep in the Petén region’s tropical forests. Once called Yax Mutal by its Maya builders, these ruins reveal thousands of years of history in carved stone stelae and towering limestone structures, some of which rise more than 60 meters above the jungle floor. Today, visitors can walk among the Great Plaza and gaze up at the Temple of the Great Jaguar and the Temple of the Masks, reminders of the city’s long legacy.

Madurai is a major city in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, known for its long-standing role as a center of religion, trade, and learning. Set along the Vaigai River, it has grown into a busy urban area while retaining a strong connection to its temple-centered layout.