Top Culture Trips to See the World's Coolest Cities and Towns

Get to know Jordan’s past and present with this eight-day trip. Amman has its share of ancient sites, but wandering the streets for food stalls, hole-in-the-wall bars and buzzing markets will give you a taste of what today’s locals love. The pink Nabataean city of Petra is a lovely contrast. It may be 2,000 years old and have a dearth of residents, but crowds still flock to its carved monastery in droves. Luckily for you, you’ll be trekking through the Wadi Ghurab mountains up to Petra’s hush-hush back door.

Japan’s contrasts are writ large between its densely populated, neon-lit cities and the peaceful beauty of the country’s rural areas, where you can spot wildlife, visit bamboo forests and tick off ancient temples. Want to experience both sides? Culture Trip’s 12-day Rail Trip starts in the large port city of Osaka and finishes in Tokyo. Along the way, you’ll stay in traditional ryokan inns with on-site onsen (hot springs), marvel at Mount Fuji from Lake Ashi and visit the Fushimi Inari shrine.

Vietnam is a country bookended by two megawatt cities: Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. But it’s worth making time to explore the more rural areas, too, where you’ll discover unspoilt highlands, mountains interspersed with rice paddies and welcoming communities. See the best of both sides with this 12-day Vietnam adventure, which takes you from the bustling night markets of Hanoi, through the rural valley of Mai Cau to the seascapes of Lan Ha Bay, and down to the dreamy, lantern-lit streets of Hoi An.