Turkey

• Mid-range Budget: $55 a day
• Highlights: Cultural Istanbul, balloon flights over Cappadocia, beach resorts
• When to go: Peak season May.-Sep. Shoulder season Apr., Oct.

Istanbul is the perfect starting point for a trip in this affordable international getaway, but equally perfect for a city trip, being such a unique and modern city with prices you might expect from a remote or much less developed country.

Located between East and West and once home to the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, you’ll find Roman ruins, bazaars, cave cities, and plenty of Mediterranean beaches. The view from the Burj Khalifa in Dubai is undoubtedly breathtaking.

Still, for the price of admission, $34, you could travel on a budget and see the Hagia Sophia and the Topkapi Palace, $12 each, stop by the Suleymaniye and Blue mosques, both enchanting and have money left over for lunch and dinner in Istanbul.