Melbourne may have all the features of a fast paced metropolis, but luckily its spirit is infused with chilled out Aussie vibes; giving you time to savour the city’s many attractions.

Filled with hidden lanes and historic arcades which are packed with fine dining, boutiques and bars, Melbourne unfolds a little more with each leisurely stroll. As a food and wine mecca and cultural hotspot, a perfect day could be spent at a street side cafe watching the live music, street performers and festivals that appear daily.

These are our top ideas on how to get the best out of this easy, breezy city:

See it:  Watch the city wake up and see Melbourne from soaring heights by floating off on an early morning hot air balloon ride. Get a bird’s eye view of some of the city’s best sights including Melbourne Cricket Ground – the largest in Australia, the Yarra River and the impressive Eureka tower – the fourth tallest tower in the world. Balloon Flights Over Melbourne operates the tours and offers a luxurious champagne breakfast after the balloon ride.

Hear it: Melbourne’s cultural roots make it the perfect place to catch some live music and the city provides many opportunities to do just that. As well as hosting a non-stop schedule of touring international acts, the independent music scene is thriving with local bands and acts. The Corner  Hotel is a legendary venue to see both under the one roof. The place is filled with mixed crowds on weekends, all there to listen to bands and artists playing anything from rock and pop to punk and salsa at one of the grungy hotels three stages.

Celebrate it: In late September the Melbourne Fringe Festival kicks off, featuring dance, music and art from over 4000 spirited independent artists. Catch the innovative acts at theatres, pubs, bars, galleries and public spaces across the city.

Life moves fast in Tokyo, where cultures clash and fashions fade in and out of vogue almost as quickly as the sparkling lights flash.

A city filled with innovation and art, pop culture and crazy inventions, live music and nightlife, it is easy to forgive the rush in Tokyo as you get caught up in the whirlwind of excitement that continually buzzes in this crazy city.

Yes, life is a party here, but don’t worry if you feel the need to live it at a slower pace as traditional Japanese roots are still thoroughly ingrained in everyday culture and relics of a grand imperial past can be found standing calmly aside skyscrapers and noodle bars.

Here are some of the best ways to join the party in Tokyo at both paces.

Sing: You may not understand it, but karaoke is cool in Tokyo and a hip way to spend a Friday night. Forget wailing aunties down the local on a Tuesday – the streets of Japan’s capital offer countless bars to unleash your inner pop star in style with flashy lighting and modern private booths. The past-time offers a great insight in to the cultural of the Japanese people, whose formal daytime exchanges are transformed in to hilarious singing parties by night. Try it at one of the Karaoke-Kan bars in Shibuya.

Club: Superdelux in Roppongi is far more than a nightclub with its popular events schedule running exclusive parties and shows throughout each month. The club’s owners are well known Tokyo-based architects, setting the tone for the most famous event, Pecha Kucha, which allows creative types to ‘show and tell’ a piece of design before dancing the night away.

Drink: To get a firsthand experience of the ancient Japanese rituals kept alive in Tokyo today then head to Kyoto where you can take part in a tea ceremony with a Geisha. Before entering you must learn the appropriate gestures and phrases expected of guests, but it is well worth it to marvel the beautiful kimonos and art of the ceremony which has been in place for centuries.

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It may not be well known, but Budapest parties hard. And perhaps down to too many late nights, the city has failed to boast about its status as a buzzing nightlife hotspot, instead focusing on the wonderful architecture and history of Hungary’s capital.

While that stuff is great (you will be amazed by the Roman ruins and grand bridges over the Danube River), it should be known that a stop in Budapest offers some serious partying to help you let loose after the maps are packed away. Check out these places for unforgettable nights:

Ruin Pubs: Formally going by the name of Romkocsma, these pubs have popped up in empty houses and vacant courtyards throughout the city, charming tourists who stumble upon them. Full of hipster locals and eccentric mismatched furniture, these sneaky pubs have an unbeatable atmosphere. Take a nap before heading out as ruin pubs often stay open until 4AM and there’s a lot to take in while you are there – most feature impromptu gigs, art exhibitions and film screenings.

Cinetrip Sparty: As it turns out, the ancient Turkish baths of Budapest are not just for daytime relaxing. Infamous spa parties have been running in them for the last ten years. Events company Cinetrip hosts the nights which merges audiovisual technology to project light shows and old silent movies on to the walls in the time to the DJs banging beats. Synchronised swimmers wow the massive crowds who come to dance and swim to the amazing music.

Sziget Festival – In August the party extends to the daytime as thousands flock to the Sziget music festival – one of the largest of its kind in Europe. Boats whisk revellers to a leafy island amidst the Danube River, where a massive line up of international pop and rock acts await them.

And don’t worry, hangovers can be healed with ease in Budapest, as the morning after can be spent in the healing waters of the Turkish baths or leisurely browsing the city’s many art galleries and historic buildings.

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Throw caution to the wind and take yourself to the iconic glittering skyline of New York. You won’t regret it – the city delivers everything it promises and much, much more.

The diverse population of New York brings it to life each day and night in hip restaurants, too cool for school art galleries and lively bars and nightclubs. Even the streets are awash with energy – from street carts selling legendary pretzels, to street performers, from joggers in Central Park to domino players in Columbus Park.

As they say, New York is the city that never sleeps, and you won’t want to either once you see how much there is to do. Here’s a tiny offering from the exhaustive list of things to do in the big apple:

Nightlife: We’ve all seen Sex & the City, and we all know that New York is packed with cool bars and nightclubs……but perhaps the coolest club night at the moment is at Libation. Every 2^nd and 4^th Thursday of the month the Lower East side club erupts with soulful house music and hundreds of party-eager New Yorkers at this infamous club night. If house is your thing, then plan your trip wisely, you don’t want to miss this. If you’re after something more relaxed then a rooftop bar could do the trick. Check out Press for an impressive 360-degree view of downtown Manhattan and swanky 20-foot reflecting pool, 16 floors above the city streets.

Restaurants: For an eclectic dining experience head to Brooklyn, where the eccentric Roberta’s makes dinner a memorable event. Nestled in amongst the loading docks of Bushwick, this unusual eating option boasts its own radio station and rooftop vegetable garden. For as little as $12 you can feast on the ex-pizza place’s rustic produce and football-sized calzones.

Culture: New York is filled with wonderful galleries such as The Met, but after you’ve looked at some art, you might be inspired to create your own. The Art Students League has been running since 1875 and offers over 130 classes in 6 main creative genres. Classes aren’t set by any skill, meaning that by the end of the day you could be a pro at anything: from painting to wood sculpture. The league also gives visitors the chance to have their artwork displayed in a city renowned for creativity, as the centre has a student gallery.

Old meets new in the extraordinary city of Dubai: the ultimate luxury tourist resort and desert playground for the rich and famous.

An average day here could start by causally browsing a traditional spice souk and end with some swimming at The World – a magnificent artificial development of islands which emulate the shape of every country to scale.

The contrasts go on and on, from the breath-taking Islamic domes of Jumeirah Mosque to the ground-breaking design of the sail shaped Burj Al Arab hotel (known as the world’s only seven star accomodations), Dubai is full of surprises.

Here’s some of the best ways to relax in Dubai’s contrasting landscape:

Hotels: A city of pure indulgence, Dubai is built on crazy money and littered with plush hotels – so prepare to lap up the luxury. It’s a hard job, but somebody’s got to do it! We recommend checking out the world renowned Atlantis resort on beautiful Palm Island. Bask on miles of sandy golden beach, treat yourself to some award winning fine dining, relax in the spa or get to grips with nature by swimming with the resort’s friendly dolphins.

Sights: If you can pull yourself away from the beach, take a wander round some of the sights of old Dubai, such as the beautiful Bastakiya Quaters, where dramatic narrow lanes, traditional courtyard houses and tall wind towers leave a record of the city’s exotic past. In days gone by, these wind towers were the only means of cooling buildings in the blistering desert heat.

Festivals and Shops: Dubai has a festival for every month of the year, so there will be no excuse not to celebrate something! Even shopping is celebrated in January at the month-long Shopping Festival. Concerts, children’s entertainment and firework shows break up the bargain hunting as thousands of tourists arrive in Dubai for the event which involves almost every shop in the city!

And remember, Dubai is home to many world records……..including Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower, so take your camera!

Barcelona is usually agreeable year-round, though the humidity in summer can be debilitating, particularly when it’s overcast. Many shops, bars and restaurants close (especially during August). Public transport and cinemas can overcompensate for the summer heat with bracing air-conditioning.

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