FROM a skyline featuring both minarets（尖塔） and church spires to the call to prayer competing with music in a hip cafe, Istanbul is the only major city to span two continents． While it is known for sights dating back thousands of years, it also has a fascinating, and often ignored, modern scene that is finally receiving international attention． As a 2010 European Capital of Culture, the city is showcasing local artists in both historic areas and new museums — yet another example of how Istanbul is among the world’s most visually exciting cities．

WUHOU temple and surrounding areas are interesting and fun to walk through． It's worth spending time in a tea house, perhaps one in Renmin Park, because Chengdu's tea culture is worth experiencing． Chun Xi Lu, with its fluorescent lights and frenetic shoppers, is a good place to see the more modern China, especially at night． But the real attraction in Chengdu, and in Sichuan in general, is often the food． The hotpot, while not as spicy as in Chongqing, is worth trying． It is the same with chao shou, or dumplings． Maybe you should head over to the restaurant section right now．

SUNNY, fashion-forward, Sydney is an energetic city bent on making its mark． Sydney in particular is graced with wonderful weather most of the year． Many people are water sports fanatics and can be found on any given day enjoying the beautiful weather on the bay． Sports like surfing are being celebrated in their national birthplace． Boating or Sailing is another great way to enjoy the magnificent weather that Sydney offers most of the year．

THERE are many different Londons , and they appeal to people with many different passions: museum lovers, theatergoers, devotees of royalty, people who like to walk in the rain． But richest of all, perhaps, is the London for book lovers．Skip to next paragraphBecause th e city is the star and the backdrop of so much great literature, it is possible to believe you know it intimately（亲切的）— how it looks, how it feels — without ever leaving your home country, or indeed your home． But it is better to visit, if only for the joy of seeing the landscape of your imagination come to life． How thrilling it is to wander along Baker Street, where Sherlock Holmes once fictionally solved the unsolvable!

CAIRO is third world and first world, Islamic world, a city that jars all the senses, all at once． There are thousands of years of history in this city of 18 million people, and that history can be seen in the people themselves: the seller peddling his beans from a decorated cart, the felucca （a traditional wooden sailing boat）captain guiding his sailboat through the murky Nile, the young man riding a bicycle through traffic with a ladder-sized tray of bread balanced on his head． Come prepared: a scarf for women to enter mosques; packets of tissues for bathroom stops; small bills for tips; and if you like to drink, a bottle or two of wine from the duty-free airport shop． Cairo has a lot to offer, but a good bottle of wine is not included．

MANY districts and landmarks in New York have become well- known to outsiders． The Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries． The Broadway theater district is a major center of the world's entertainment industry． Anchored by Wall Street, in Lower Manhattan, New York vies with London as the financial capital of the world and is home to the New York Stock Exchange, the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies． The original Manhattan Chinatown attracts a flood of tourists to its busy sidewalks and retail establishments．