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The 1,004-room, 82-floor Ciel Dubai Marina will become the latest over-the-top hotel in a city known for its glamour and superlatives.

Dubai has plenty of hotels to choose from, but these will truly connect you to the emirate and its culture.

Go beyond the skyscrapers by venturing into these culture- and history-rich neighborhoods.

As of July 7, Dubai began welcoming back international travelers with safety measures such as temperature checks, mandatory masks, and COVID-19 testing in place.

They’ll be home to family-friendly resorts, the Middle East’s first Cirque du Soleil show, and a marine park.

Overview

With a nickname like the “Cave State,” Missouri certainly isn’t short on impressive caverns. Of the more than 6,000 across the state, however, Meramac Caverns is the largest—and stays open year-round for tours. Said to have been a hideout for the outlaw Jesse James in the 1870s, the seven-level, 4.6-mile-long natural wonder was purchased by Lester Dill in 1933 and opened as a tourist attraction in 1935. Today, visitors can take guided tram tours past the cave’s complex mineral formations, stopping at a “wine room” (named for its grape-like botryoids and accessed by a long stairwell). While exploring, keep your eyes peeled for the resident tricolored bats that call Meramac home.

Plate-sized, Pop Art–colored lollipops. Candied and dried fruits rolled in chile powder. Crackling peanut brittle stippled with sesame seeds. Gelatins of every conceivable flavor. Names you can’t pronounce, much less decipher, even if you speak Spanish fluently. The Mercado de Dulces, a specialty section within the Merced Market, is a delight for all ages. More than 150 vendors hold down stalls selling dulces del país, candies made in Mexico. Even if you prefer savory over sweet, a turn through the market is an enjoyable experience.

Madrid’s multi-level Mercado San Anton is a sight to be seen. Rows of gorgeous produce, local specialties, Italian deli favorites, briny seafood and locally-farmed meats line the perimeter of each floor, each stall more enticing than the one before it. Even better, its high tables and counters make it well-suited for a quick bite and glass of wine. For a relaxed sit-down meal, head up to the restaurant on the rooftop terrace and finish off the evening with a drink in the lounge.

The Camel Racing Festival is free and open to the public, and celebrates a sport that has deep cultural roots in the region. Much like the city itself, the current festival has a modern twist (as you can see): robot-jockey-mounted camels gallop toward the finish line during Dubai‘s Camel Racing Festival.

In operation since 1958, Mercado San Juan de Dios (also known as Mercado Libertad) is one of Mexico’s largest markets, with three floors and nearly 3,000 stands and stalls. Vendors sell everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to handicrafts and housewares. Even if you have no intention of buying a souvenir, a stroll through the market makes for a colorful, enjoyable experience.

For traditional Mexican handicrafts, Mercado Coral Negro is the easiest place to find all your wares. Here you can purchase jewelry, mayan relics, and unique creations from all over the region. The most beautiful items are the embroidered garments created from local cotton and dyed using traditional methods.

All of Mexico City‘s neighborhood markets are fun to browse, with their rows and rows of colorful stalls and equally colorful characters, and you can’t go wrong ducking into any one of these mercados as you come across them in your wanderings. Mercado Medellín is particularly favored among expats from other parts of Latin America, as it specializes in foodstuffs from Caribbean and Central and South American countries. This is also a superb market to visit if you’re hungry. Vendors sell everything from Colombian ajíaco to Cuban ice cream, so don’t hesitate to graze your way through the treats on offer.

If you’re in Madrid and in the mood for tapas, you might not know exactly where to go or what to taste. The Mercado San Miguel (metro Sol) takes away all that decision-making by providing you with a taste experience all under one roof. The old, derelict market was renovated just a few years ago and turned into an upmarket culinary emporium of sorts. It has more than 30 food stalls, each selling something different. My favorite is the bellota ham sold at Carrasco, but there is plenty more. You can sample sherries and Rioja wines at the wine bar, or do as Spaniards do and pick away at tapas as you make your way through the market. I highly recommend the croquettes, or croquetas, in one of the outside alleys: they have ham, chicken, shrimp, cheese and a variety of others. The more standard tapas area easy to find, like tortilla, and seafood is beautifully laid out for you to pick and choose. Right in the middle is my top-rated tapa place. I couldn’t find a name for it but it’s the largest counter, shaped like a U, and has everything from potatoes aioli to steamed razor clams, with everything in-between.

Panama’s extensive, sinuous coastline provides some of the world’s most delicious seafood. Options are infinite, especially at the capital city’s Mercado de Mariscos. The offering is downhome, traditional and absolutely scrumptious. Pick up something to cook later or just plop down at one of several in-market restaurants for instant gratification. Savoring your ceviche and an ice-cold brew as the market roils around you is pure Panama.