Paris takes the best-city crown, but an Aussie city is not too far behind

The world's best cities to travel to have just been named, with six European hubs dominating the top 10 spots. Paris has taken the number one position - for the fourth time in a row - in the Top 100 City Destinations Index by London-based market research company, Euromonitor International. Other European hotspots in the top 10 include Madrid (ranked second), Rome (fourth), Milan (fifth), Amsterdam (seventh) and Barcelona (10th).

Euromonitor ranks cities around the world based on six key pillars: economic and business performance; tourism performance; tourism infrastructure; tourism policy and attractiveness; health and safety; and sustainability. Euromonitor's recent Voice of the Consumer: Lifestyles Survey indicates the fifth pillar, health and safety, has become a top priority for travellers. And here's some good news if you're heading to Sydney any time soon; the Harbour City is the only Australian metropolis to have made it to the top 10, at number 8 - up 14 places from last year's ranking. The only other Australian city to make it to the top 100 is Melbourne, at number 20.

Despite the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, more than a third (or 37 per cent) of Australians say they're ready to splurge when they travel, according to a new survey by Money.com.au. A slightly higher number of people (41 per cent) said they'll stick to a set budget, while less than a quarter (23 per cent) said they'll splurge only on special occasions such as milestone birthdays and destination weddings. The report has also shone a light on the costs Australian travellers are likely to incur when visiting key overseas destinations.

Savers, for instance, can expect to part with $1642 per person on a 10-day trip to Bali, while splurgers will need to splash out $6014 on a similar trip. Travel costs in New Zealand range from $2852 to $7610, while in Fiji the scale is from $2960 to $9959.

The Snowy Mountains in southern NSW are a hotbed of activity in winter, but the newly launched Snowies Alpine Walk is a great reason to head there this summer, too. The four-day, 56-kilometre hike weaves its way through Kosciuszko National Park, connecting alpine locations such as Guthega, Charlotte Pass, Perisher and Bullocks Flat. Highlights along the way range from crossing the Snowy River at Spencers Creek on Australia's highest suspension bridge to soaking up views from Mount Kosciuszko, the highest peak in Australia. nationalparks.nsw.gov.au

Cultural Attractions of Australia, which offers insightful behind-the-scenes tours of some of the country's most notable sites (from Sydney Opera House to Melbourne Cricket Ground), has just launched nine new experiences, ranging from one to three days long. Sign up for the two-day Ballarat - City Built on Gold experience, which allows you to absorb the fascinating history of this gold rush town, before taking you to key sites such as the Art Gallery of Ballarat. Or discover the art, rich history and food scene of the Tasmanian capital as part of the new three-day Hobart and the Tasman Peninsula Cultural excursion, which visits places such as Museum of Old and New Art and Port Arthur. culturalattractionsofaustralia.com