Although it's also the location of the Latin America's largest seaport, Santos isn't just a boring port town. The city of 420,000, just 75 kilometers from São Paulo, features a seven-kilometer stretch of beach divided into just as many social cliques as you'd find on Ipanema. A verdant promenade separates the beach from the seafront condos and hotels, along which families and friends walk, amble, bike, skate, rollerblade, throw frisbees, you name it. Less sandy points of interest include the Museu do Café Brasileiro (Brazilian Coffee Museum), the Aquário Municipal (City Aquarium), the Orquidário Municipal (City Orchid Garden) and the Neo-Gothic Santos Cathedral.

Perched on an island a mere 95 kilometers from the city of São Paulo, this bustling beach town seems a world away from the gargantuan urbanity of the state capital. Among its charms, Guarujá counts 23 separate, stunning beaches, all ripe for swimming, sunning and surfing. Families head to the beach at Enseada; singles, it's all about you at Pernambuco.

Set in a historic coffee region, Campinas combines the youthful energy of its universities with longstanding cultural traditions. Students keep cafés packed, nightlife is wild, and restaurants serve creative cuisine, while historic plantations and parks are just a short drive away.

A high perch on Mantiqueira Ridge means cool breezes and big views for Monte Verde, whose European-style houses lend the village its alpine charm. Hiking trails peel off in every direction, drawing both locals and visitors to lush stands of pines, rocky peaks, and waterfalls.

Among the best golf destinations in the world, Punta Cana is the very picture of leisure. Several of the courses have been designed by professional golfers, making for the perfect sort of kicked-back challenge that you want on a golfing vacation. The beaches here are simply perfect: calm, warm waters that gently lap at stretches of fine white sand. Thrill yourself with a zip-line adventure, clap along with traditional Dominican music at a cultural performance, or explore the magical lagoons of the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park.

U.S. citizens still need to jump through a few hoops to visit Cuba, but as visitors from around the world know, this island offers some amazing opportunities for cultural exchange. Havana is a mix of old-world architecture and of-the-moment culture. Head out of the capital city to the small town of Trinidad to see more Spanish colonial architecture. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a fantastic home base for a visit to the Valley of the Sugar Mills, a pocket of land that formerly served as the centre of Cuba’s sugar industry.

From the Magic Kingdom to magical spa treatments, Orlando sparkles with the promise of adventure. Spend a day exploring the world-famous Disney theme parks or screaming your head off on a Universal Studios roller coaster. For a less adrenaline-pumping afternoon, enjoy the quiet natural beauty of the Harry P. Leu Gardens or enjoy a seaweed scrub at a luxury day spa. Savor fresh and local ingredients at one of Orlando’s James Beard-nominated restaurants.

The Algarve's sunny shores offer perfect escapes for all types, from those seeking the hot nightlife of flashy, energetic Lagos to those desiring secluded stays in rambling Sagres. Portugal's most southerly region offers historical attractions in former Moorish capital Silves and fascinating Tavira, great golf, fabulous beaches from Praia da Luz to Armacao de Pera, thermal springs at Caldas de Monchique, and miles of limestone caves and grottoes, cliffs and bays along its rugged coastline.