Today Morocco’s most famous Medina offers a curious glimpse of ancient customs sitting beside modern technologies and lifestyles. Thought to be the largest car-free urban zone in the world, in Fes al Bali (as it is known), you’ll not only see donkeys put to labour, leather tanners working in souks, and wizened locals rolling hashish cigarettes and drinking black coffee at the outdoor cafes, but you’ll also find Internet cafes full of Facebook-addicted users, modern-designed hookah bars selling avocado smoothies to well-dressed youngsters, and adverts for Coke Zero.

The heart and soul of the Fez Medina are the traditional riads (or ‘riyads’), town houses that open up into expansive inner worlds, often with luminous courtyards and gardens with orange trees. If you’re lucky enough to stay in one such place, you can get a real insight into every day Moroccan life, as Anna Spysz discovered:

“I learned upon arrival that a family flat meant 10 people in one apartment, including my host’s mother, brother, aunts, uncle and cousins. As cramped as that might sound by Western standards, they still had plenty of room to host not only me, but also a couchsurfing couple from the Czech Republic. The salon was the heart and centre of the home, where the family spent almost all of their time together, whether it was doing homework on a laptop, preparing vegetables for dinner, praying several times a day, eating together or just hanging out and chatting.”

Below Anna captures some of the colours and sights of Fes’ Medina.

Edinburgh’s port, Leith, offers visitors to this little slice of waterfront Scotland a microcosm of 21st century Britain. Post-industrial, mixed use, but largely residential with lots and lots of restaurants, pubs and bars and easily accessible from the city centre (just a short, cheap cab or very straightforward bus ride away), Leith is an ideal spot to station yourself when in Edinburgh. There’s also a wealth of accommodation options, from a seemingly endless list of B&Bs to a four-star stay at a former 19th century Seaman’s Mission cum Malmaison hotel. It’s hip round here too. Kinda like a quaint Edinburgh answer to Shoreditch or Williamsburg.

If you can manage to get up early enough in the a.m. (or just happen to stay up all night in this town known for taking festivities to the next level), the morning light is amazing. You can award your wee hours ramble with a tasty brekkie at Mimi’s Bakehouse (craven carnivores should give strong consideration to the massive and inexpensive Stornoway black pudding roll), and perhaps later call by the famous Perservere Bar, which has been pulling pints since 1785.

Here are some pre-breakfasts shots from my recent weekend getaway to Leith. Yeah, I made to the Royal Mile, Arthur’s Seat, the castle, etc. But I think my favourite part of the trip was just bumbling about Leith’s docks and cobbled streets.

Lagos, Nigeria might not be the first choice for a city break. But, for the intrepid urbanite keen to experience some adventure, this west African mega-city rewards. From dancing the night away to some of the world’s most viciously addictive grooves to sampling the local fare of especially fiery (and perhaps surprisingly delicious) food, Lagos offers delights that must be taken on this city’s terms and its terms alone. It’s not for the weak, not for the impatient and definitely not for those with a strong sense of smell.

Key to understanding the dynamics of this heaving mess of a city, with its dozen or so million residents crammed on top of each other, is a trip to the shantytown canals of the lagoon village of Makoko. Land is at such a premium in and around Lagos, that what was once long ago a small fishing village is now an open sewage slum on stilts where the poorest of the poor have been pushed off the land.

How to get there? Makoko is a cheap taxi ride from pretty much anywhere in central Lagos. It’s best to have a trusted guide lined up – whether organized through a well established charity or local church or with a savvy photojournalist or community leader. There’s limited government presence in Makoko, with the security provided by “area boys” (the Lagos term for gangs), so this is not a place to explore alone however street savvy you are.

Despite the extreme poverty, squalor and inescapable stench, joy exists even here where playful children gawk and tease visiting outsiders and a vibrant micro-economy of transactions aboard makeshift boats seems to somehow flourish.

Constructed in the 1930s as a safe way to move freight through the city, the High Line kept freight trains running 30 feet above the streets, but has been unused since 1980. Facing demolition in the 1999, the High Line got a new lease of life when the Friends of the High Line began working in partnership with the City of New York to preserve and maintain the structure as a public park.

A stroll along the High Line offers a vantage point loftily removed, but not isolated from, the urban grit and daily grind of downtown Manhattan. Commanding views of the Hudson and much of New York’s skyline (not to mention Jersey City’s and Hoboken’s) and the bird’s eye perspective over many downtown streets make this unique public outdoor space an ideal setting for an afternoon session of photography. A must-see attraction in city chock full of unconventional and fascinating things-to-do, the High Line is a fun, free and refreshing way to experience Manhattan’s urban landscape and contemplate its evolution.

Keep up with High Line developments and events at www.thehighline.org.

“Luxembourg, this small country situated between Germany, France and Belgium is often just un-knowingly crossed on the way to some other parts of Europe. Whatever your final destination may be however, the capital is certainly worth a visit. Apart from its modern architecture and fancy shops, there is plenty of history to be discovered. The city and its fortifications date back to the 10th century and the Wenzel and Vauban circular walks will lead you to some of the most stunning parts of the city. Nowadays, the remains of this monumental fortress, once called ‘The Gibraltar of the North’, still amazes visitors although only 10% of the original structures still exist. A lot of it has been restored and bravely combined with modern architecture. Let our pictures encourage you to stop by next time you’re in the area!”

For more info on the capital check out our weekend guide to Luxembourg and Luxembourg nightlife guide.