As world travelers, you surely have flown out of the country by plane. Maybe you’ve gone north and shown your passport to a Canadian officer who asked, “Good day, eh?” Perhaps you have used the high-speed trains of Europe to whisk you from place to place.

Grab your favorite warm drink, find a comfortable seat, and let me tell you the legend of the creation of the islands of Mallorca and Menorca. The story begins when God created the Earth. He created a beautiful sea called the Mediterranean. He thought the sea was delightful, but it was missing a little something. Therefore, he decided to create a group of islands, the Balearic Islands, and had great plans to embellish them for all to enjoy.

Meaning ‘coastline’ in Italian, the term Riviera originated in northwestern Italy to define the area surrounding the city of Genoa. Now, every country promotes its own version of a Riviera as a promise of a perfect seafront or lakefront vacation. Let’s narrow in on three European Rivieras worth a visit: one you probably know, and two you may not.

I used to call it “the end of the world,” but I was corrected by the locals who rightfully refer to it as “the beginning of the world.” After spending a few weeks in Patagonia, I now understand why. This faraway land straddling Chile and Argentina is larger than life, raw and multifaceted. Despite the long journey to get there, everyone who gets to visit this land leaves it feeling lucky, like they were made privy to a well-kept secret.

When traveling with Backroads, be ready to find yourself in the right place at the right time. Imagine hiking on a sunny day at 6,500 feet of elevation in the Swiss Alps. It’s the second day of a Women’s Adventure trip. After conquering some steep hills in the morning, we have lunch by a lake in Switzerland before crossing the invisible country border back into France. We see the Chamonix Valley in the distance where our beautiful hotel waits for us in the middle of town. We are ready to come down, after a day well spent outdoors.