Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The city of gold

Dubai can already be mistaken for a movie set featuring a futuristic metropolis, and there are big plans still in the works. In the middle of the desert where almost nothing existed 20 years ago, there are so many building projects that foreign construction crews vastly outnumber citizens.

Everything is the biggest, tallest, and the first of its kind, including manmade islands shaped like palm trees and the world’s first underwater hotel.

It’s a striking collection of styles, including modern interpretations of Islamic architecture. And if the planet’s largest shopping mall doesn’t appeal, traditional souks do still exist, including a gold souk housing over 200 retail shops.