Surrounded by the ocean on 3 sides, Helsinki, Finland's capital, is a hub port for marine routes in the Baltic Sea. For over 750 years from the 12th century to the 20th century, Finland was controlled by Sweden and then Russia. Finland gained its independence in 1917. During World War II, Finland allied with Germany to stand against the Soviet Union and suffered defeat, incurring a huge settlement cost. Though a dark period of poverty followed, the country was able to overcome all difficulties. Now seen as the perfect sized city, Helsinki is loved for being convenient and easy to live in.

When seen from afar, Dalian appears to be a city floating on the ocean. With a population of about 6 million, it is known as the City of Plazas as there are more than 80 plazas located in the city. Established as a city of commerce by the Russians in the 19th century, it was originally called Dalnyi which means remote in Russian. During the Russo-Japanese War from 1904-1905 the Japanese occupied the city changing the name to Dalian. Many of the buildings in use today were constructed under Japanese rule. In this episode we explore the city, meeting residents who love their traditions and culture.

Dunhuang in the northwest region of China, flourished as a major stop along the Silk Road for more than 2,000 years. It served as a place of communication between ancient China and the rest of the world. In this episode, we stroll around the city in an oasis in the desert.

La Paz stands for "Our Lady of Peace," which is Bolivia's seat of government. It's located at an elevation of about 3,650 meters, which is nearly the height of Mt. Fuji, it is truly a "city in the sky." Even at this high altitude, 800,000 people live there. In this episode, we stroll around the city in the sky.

Kobe is one of the busiest international trading ports in Japan. A hub for trade with China and other countries for hundreds of years, the city has incorporated its ties with foreign cultures into modern Kobe. Despite of a disastrous earthquake in 1995, it has rebounded and has recovered impressively. In this episode, we stroll around Kobe streets.

Dunedin in New Zealand is the town where settlers from Scotland arrived with the intent of creating a new Edinburgh in a land of plenty and it retains much of its original flavor. In this episode, we stroll around the beautiful city streets.

Originally a penal colony for convicts, Sydney was declared a British colony during the late 18th century. Due to a gold rush in the mid-19th century, laborers poured into Australia from around the world and the population of the town grew dramatically. The city of Sidney is now one of Oceania's leading financial hubs. In this episode we begin with a stroll through the city area with its skyscrapers and end it in the rowhouse neighborhood of Paddington.

Jerez de la Frontera is in Andalusia, southern Spain, famous for flamenco and sherry. It has been a center of trade since Roman times. And it was once under Islamic rule, so traces of that heritage can still be found. In this episode, we stroll around the streets of Jerez de la Frontera.

Hakodate is the entryway to Japan's northern island, Hokkaido and it's around 4 hours from Tokyo by Shinkansen. It was one of the first ports in Japan to be built for international trade. This program will take you to the beautiful streets in Hakodate!

Antananarivo, also known as Tana, is the capital of Madagascar surrounded by hills, an island country in Africa, and over 100 years ago. In this episode, we stroll around the city of Antananarivo.

Cape Town is a popular tourist spot in South Africa. Many people come from around the world to see the Cape of Good Hope and enjoy the wine. It is home to people of all different races, cultures and religious beliefs. In this episode, we stroll around the beautiful city streets.

Trinidad is located near the southern coast of central Cuba in the Caribbean and has been a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. During the Spanish colonial period in the 18th and 19th centuries, the sugar trade brought enormous wealth to the area and the inhabitants spent extravagant sums of money on developing town. In this episode, we stroll around the perfectly preserved town.

San Marino is the capital of the Republic of San Marino, which lies in the middle of the Italian peninsula. It's the oldest surviving republic in the world with a medieval feel and its town atop the cliff is registered as a World Heritage Site. Although it's surrounded by Italy, San Marino has maintained its independence for 1,700 years. Let's take a stroll in San Marino streets!