Barcelona
Flights with British Midland from £115
Accommodation at the Del Mar Hostal from £17pppn
Glam old Barcelona might be sophisticated, elegant and romantic, to choose but a few superlatives, but it's also got the energy and raffishness of a port city. There's a buzz of activity and a constant stream of locals and tourists promenading and just taking in the vibe. There are hundreds of cafés, bars, shops and sights to take your fancy. Barcelona has a seemingly endless variety of bars that are much more than just watering holes. The greatest concentration of them is within walking distance of Las Ramblas.

St Petersburg
Flights with Lufthansa from £288
Dorm accommodation at HI St Petersburg from £7pppn
Russia's most European city has been dubbed the Venice of the North for its palace-lined waterways. Peter the Great's beautiful creation managed to escape the architectural incursions of Stalinism and its grandiose relics of tsarist days are virtually intact. Lying on the Gulf of Finland, and sculpted by islands and the sinuous Neva River, the city is a geometric vista of orderly elegance, with nary an onion dome in sight. Attractions include the State Hermitage Museum, Peter & Paul Fortress and the Nevsky Prospekt

New York City
Flights with Virgin Express from £201
Dorm accomm – Aladdin Hotel from £17pppn
The good ol' US of A, with its 50 contrasting personalities, is a vast hub of sights, sounds and smells. But New York is, like, the hub of the hub. From New York's film-set streets to the oasis of Central Park with its winter ice skaters – this apple of America is a sight seeing frenzy. If you feel like getting there for free, play our interactive travel competition.

Havana
Flights with Air France from £422
Accommodation at the Lido Hotel from £20.50 pppn
Havana is the Caribbean's largest city and centre of all things Cuban. Despite its turbulent history, Havana suffered little damage in the country's wars and revolutions, and stands today much as it was built 100 years ago or more. There's an air of faded glory about the city as big 50s and 60s American automobiles still dominate the streets and paint and plaster peel off everywhere. There's less
traffic and less commercialisation than your average Latin American city, but most importantly, from the rough brilliance of Old Havana to residential areas ranging from shabby to demanding demolition,
the exuberant friendliness of Havana's inhabitants is what
shines through.