So often overshadowed by nearby Vienna and Munich, Salzburg is described by Lonely Planet as a "heart-stealer of an Alpine city." The chief reason to go next year, the travel guide firm says, is the centenary of Salzburg Festival. Special exhibitions and events are planned throughout the city's historic center. Nearby, you can take a tour of "Sound of Music" country.

Washington next year celebrates the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment – the law that granted women the right to vote. There'll be lots of events linked to that in 2020 — alongside the small matter of a US presidential election. It's not all about politics. The city also boasts a revitalized waterfront and a vibrant, growing food scene.

Cairo's Grand Egyptian Museum is set to throw open its doors to visitors next year, becoming a permanent home to the burial treasures of King Tutankhamun. It'll also become easier to visit the city and its nearby pyramids from other destinations within Egypt, with the planned opening of the new Sphinx Airport dedicated to domestic flights.

Described by Lonely Planet as "brilliantly bohemian" and famed for its rich pub scene, Galway in the west of Ireland has long been a favorite of tourists visiting the country. In 2020, it'll be a European Capital of Culture, with a whole year of "arty party" events planned.

Bonn disappeared from the radar of many people around the world when it stopped being the capital of West Germany. The city is back in the limelight next year, as it marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Bonn's Ludwig van Beethoven. Visitors can take a tour of the great composer's birth house, and enjoy a pleasant stroll along the banks of the Rhine.

Already boasting the world's largest cable car system, La Paz has a newfound ambition. There's a new sense of pride in Bolivia's indigenous roots and an increasing number of tourists visiting the city. It's the governmental capital of Bolivia, but not the constitutional one. That honor goes to the city of Sucre.

This relaxed city in southern India is a real mix of new and old. Kochi has championed green technology — something that has earned the city a Champions of the Earth award — but it's also managed to preserve the past. Once called the "Queen of the Arabian Sea," Kochi was an important spice center, occupied by various European powers — the British, Dutch and Portuguese — over the years.

Squeezed between sea and mountains, Vancouver has some solid credentials as a city that takes environmental concerns seriously. It's the birthplace of Greenpeace, and now has a vastly expanded cycling and walking network. Next year sees the benefits of Vancouver's Greenest City 2020 Action Plan come to fruition, after big investments in public transport and tree planting.

Futuristic Dubai has the launch of several big projects on the horizon for 2020. Top billing goes to the six-month-long World Expo 2020 event where some 190 nations go head-to-head to showcase models of sustainability and mobility. Meanwhile, two miles offshore, a Europe-themed fantasy resort on an artificial archipelago called "The World" is set to open its doors.

Known as the "Mile High City," Denver is something of a boom town. As well as being a gateway to the Rockies, Denver is very much a cultural destination in its own right. A young and thriving city, it has a rich cultural offering and a booming microbrewery scene. For a US city, it's also quite compact.

Born in December 1770 in Bonn, Ludwig van Beethoven spent the first 22 years of his life there. Built in part with a generous financial contribution by Franz Liszt and dedicated in 1845, the statue on Münster Square recalls his impact on the city – and no procession in his anniversary year would be complete without it. It's one of the city's major landmarks.

By age ten, Beethoven was playing organ for the early mass at Bonn's St. Remigius Church. As a twelve-year-old, he was writing his own music. While his actual birthdate is unknown, the date of baptism – December 17, 1770 – is documented. The Beethoven Path leads Beethoven pilgrims to his baptismal font at St. Remigius.

A splendid hall with plaster ornamentation and huge candelabras: At the Redoute in the southern part of Bonn, Beethoven is said to have played for Joseph Haydn while in his early 20s. The Redoute is probably where one of the first performances of Mozart's "The Magic Flute" was given. Centuries later, the palace hosted visiting dignitaries like Diana, Princess of Wales, and the Shah of Persia.

The ancient Romans, who settled in the Rhineland, enjoyed the natural waters of Roisdorf Fountain. Centuries later, those waters with their healing qualities were even exported to Russia. Beethoven took the waters during regular visits with his family. When his health later declined in Vienna, he visited natural spas to benefit from the therapeutic effect of mineral water sources.

The "Siebengebirge" (Seven Mountains) and Petersberg (Peter's Mountain) were places Ludwig van Beethoven regularly visited. Contemporaries say that he "often came on a raft" in order "to dream and to work there." In 1763 a baroque chapel was erected on the Petersberg. Pilgrims and the young nature-loving Beethoven were likely fascinated by the spectacular view of the Rhine Plain.

Beethoven associated the Rhine with thoughts of home. He wrote, "The region where I first saw the light of the world is still so beautiful and clear before my eyes. I will always regard this time as one of the most fortunate things of my life: to greet Father Rhine." The banks of the River Rhine are also included on the route.

Last stop on the Beethoven Path: Drachenfels (Dragon Rock). Beethoven had a life-long recollection of the breathtaking view. He found recreation and inspiration in nature and usually took along a sketch book to write down his musical ideas. A love of nature finds its expression in many of his works.