A lot of positive

Rome, Italy
The Eternal City is more like a giant, living museum. Visitors are immersed in and surrounded by thousands of years of history. It's a relatively compact city, and a three-day itinerary gets you to the minimum number of must-see places.

These must-see sites for any visitor include the Colosseum and adjacent Roman Forum; the Pantheon; and Vatican City, a separate country in the middle of central Rome.

Take some time to explore the outskirts of Rome, too. Consider a hike along a tomb-lined section of the Appian Way, the ancient Roman superhighway, and a visit to one of the aqueduct ruins outside the city.

If you feel like hitting the beach after all your exploring, Rome has a wonderful assortment of beach towns just a short drive away on the Lazio Coast. Escape the heat, hustle, and bustle of the city to bathe in the cool waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Lisbon

Wonderful Lisbon has absolutely every element vital for a great weekend break (or more). Burgeoning social, food, arts and design scenes; great little places to eat and drink (read about Lisbon's best restaurants and bars); interesting old corners and markets to poke around (see our guide to the best shops in Lisbon) with just the right amount of crumbling, poster-paint-bright historic facades. There are old palaces to stay in and Lisbon rooftop bars with pools to hang out in. It's beside the sea! And it's all ridiculously, delightfully affordable. Go at any time – though April is a great time to go to Lisbon, when the days are long and sunny and the cobbled streets are beginning to warm up.

Paris

Who doesn't love Paris in the springtime? Or at any time of year, come to that – Paris is always a good idea, as Audrey Hepburn said. But go now, when the city is warming up and the trees around the Tuileries are in blossom. When we can join the young Parisians who come out blinking into the spring sunshine, shrugging off their good coats to bare a new-season Breton stripe, sit out beside the Canal Saint-Martin and smoke Gauloises, or stroll a long, golden-evening stroll along the Seine, hand in hand with someone else who loves Paris in the springtime. Here's our pick of best things to do in Paris, France, by day and the best things to do in Paris at night.

WULINGYUAN, CHINA

More than 3,000 narrow, quartz-sandstone pillars make up Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area in the Hunan Province. These natural wonders, many higher than 656ft, are broken up by ravines, gorges, caves and waterfalls. It’s easy to see why the UNESCO World Heritage Site was James Cameron’s inspiration for Avatar.

New Zealanders have more pets per household than any other country.
People who live in New Zealand seem to love having at least one animal companion around. That's why 68% of households in the country have a pet, which is more than any other nation in the world. Americans also happen to love furry friends, which is why more than half of all U.S. homes have either a dog or cat (or both).

Maldives
With unbelievable white sand beaches, magical underwater world and fabulous resorts, the Maldives is indeed a paradise on Earth.
The Maldives comprises 1190 coral Islands. Only 202 of them are inhabited.
This amazing Island archipelago has lovely white sand beaches with clearest turquoise waters. You can enjoy the variety of activities on these beaches including parasailing, snorkeling, swimming, and diving.
The glittering beach on Vaadhoo Island is a surreal attraction that you need to see to believe during your visit to the Maldives. It is a natural phenomenon, and the mesmerizing shining water is a result of bioluminescence generated by planktons.

The Pitons, St. Lucia
The scenery of St. Lucia can be summed up in one jaw-dropping site: a duo of striking spires known as the Pitons. The two volcanic peaks—Gros Piton and Petit Piton—are the most iconic landmarks on the island, and visitors can enjoy them in a variety of ways. A singular experience has to be actually hiking the mountains, an activity which takes the better part of a day; or if you prefer to keep your feet at sea level, plop a towel down at Sugar Beach, set dramatically (and conveniently) between the two Pitons.

The first Star Wars was expected to be a flop.
The original 1977 Star Wars had a budget of $8 million, which distributor 20th Century Fox was reluctant to give to director/writer George Lucas, so he accepted a lower salary in order to keep the budget. The movie went on to make $775 million around the world, and Disney picked up the entire franchise for $4 billion. For comparison, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which was released in 2017, had a reported budget of $317 million.