Misunderstood by many, Germany is one of the most unique and charming countries on the continent. Since reunification Germany has at last gained a higher profile as a place to visit, thanks partly to the remarkable resurgence of its capital, Berlin, one of the most fascinating and exciting cities in Europe. It's no surprise at all that today’s Germany is more diverse and cosmopolitan than old stereotypes suggest; mixing time-honoured nationalism and tradition with multicultural modernism and self-confidence.

Cologne is the largest city in the German federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the fourth-largest city in Germany. In medieval times it was the largest city of the Holy Roman Empire. It is one of the nation's media, tourism and business hotspots. Cologne is known to be one of the most liberal cities in Germany. Cologne is a traditionally Ripuarian-speaking city, though this has mostly been replaced by German, which is now the main language of the city. English-speaking guides and information are available for many of the landmarks of the city. Cologne's citizens are also very friendly and jovial people, welcoming tourists of all types and with all interests.

Nuremberg is a city on the river Pegnitz and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. When people think of Nuremberg, they usually think of gingerbread, toys, Christmas, the Reich Party Rally Grounds, or the Nuremberg Trials. But the old town of Nuremberg is much more than this and indeed Nuremberg probably comes closest to many tourists' expectations of a typical German city: On the one hand one can find half-timbered houses, gothic churches within a medival city wall in the shadow of the towering imperial castle, which was one of the most important residences of the emporers of the Holy Roman Empire.

China (officially the People's Republic of China (PRC) – an ancient, mysterious and beautiful land, is always appealing to adventurous foreign visitors. The first thing that strikes visitors to the country is the extraordinary density of its population. In much of China, villages, towns and cities seem to sprawl endlessly into one another along the grey arteries of busy expressways. The main tourist highlights – the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Terracotta Army and the Yangzi gorges, are relatively few considering the vast size of the country, and much of China’s historic architecture has been deliberately destroyed in the rush to modernize.