Why? Busseto is the town Giuseppe Verdi was born in, and when I first visited back in the mid-50s, it slowly dawned on me that he was my favourite composer. I resolved to visit his birthplace and was not disappointed.
Why? It's so much more than you expect. It's known for its nightlife, but it has great beaches and countryside as well as countless fantastic restaurants.
Why? My love of the place is all about food. Le Mimosa restaurant at St Guiraud (0033 4 6796 6796, dinner €130) would be my desert island luxury if I were allowed one. I could eat there every day without tiring.
Why? I had wanted to travel to Antarctica since I was a young boy reading about Captain Scott. My dream finally came true in 2002 when I led a British expedition to the South Pole to celebrate the centenary of his first expedition.