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Chapitô is a circus school but also a restaurant and a bar. It’s very close to the castle and has fabulous views over the river. It’s ideal for a romantic dinner.


The cuisine is inspired by traditional Portuguese cuisine with a mix of international influences. I had dinner there this week and tried the codfish and I recommend it—but you have to eat it on the terrace, since this menu is different from the one inside the restaurant. You will be stunned with the views from the restaurant. Enjoy this beautiful city over a pleasant dinner. If you want to have a drink afterward, there is a bar on the lower floor, sometimes featuring live music or theater.

A compound-like hideaway on a leafy street a block from trendy South Congress Avenue, Hotel Saint Cecilia is a retro-glam love letter to the 1960s and ‘70s rock music scene, named for the patron saint of music and poetry. But that doesn’t mean that rock stars smash guitars and throw ragers here (unless they rent out all 14 rooms, of course); unlike at its nearby sister properties, Hotel San José and Austin Motel, only guests and club members are welcome at the lounge, a laid-back affair with a Parisian-café–style patio, chesterfield sofas and a fireplace indoors, and craft cocktails and gourmet small plates. Between the 1888 Victorian main house—originally inhabited by a descendent of Davy Crockett—and verdant grounds that hide private porches and a serene pool, the hotel feels more like an impossibly stylish artists’ retreat than a celebrity getaway.

Each distinctively decorated room is larger than many an apartment, and seems ripped from the pages of a fashion magazine photoshoot. Every detail has been thought through, from the refreshing Grown Alchemist body care products to the Swedish Hästens mattresses (the hotel is the only one in North America with them in all rooms) to the impressive library of LPs to borrow. Everyone’s a rock star, here.

The great macaron debate may forever wage on, but from the first time I tucked into a small box of Pierre Hermé’s diminutive cookies, perfectly crisp on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth soft on the inside, I knew I’d remain loyal to his interpretation. Perhaps best known for his unique flavors—foie gras and chocolate, lemon and fennel, vanilla and basil, among many others—it’s his Ispahan croissant, with rose almond paste and crushed raspberry flakes, that really keeps me going back.

Panamanians love Chinese brunch. The Chinese community here, one of the largest and most prosperous in the Western Hemisphere, is the result of a wave of immigration that began 160 years ago for railroad construction. One happy result of this long relationship between Panama and the Chinese? Dim sum options abound in the capital city. Many tout Lung Fung (on Avenida de los Periodistas in the Los Ángeles quarter), considered the oldest of such restaurants; the Golden Unicorn (in the San Francisco quarter behind the Atlapa Convention Center) has been gaining adherents due to its more contemporary vibe and decor. Palacio Dorado (at Plaza Mirage on Avenida Ricardo J. Alfaro) is another highly attractive setup, well-decorated and spacious. Finally there’s Sunly (Los Tucanes shopping center in El Dorado), where Cantonese delights are the specialty.

Wine aficionados set their sights on the Guanajuato Wine Route, now perhaps second only in Mexico to the trails in Baja California’s long-established Valle de Guadalupe. While wineries have existed in this region for several decades, San Miguel only recently received official designation as a wine route, thanks to wineries like Vega Manchón (owner Ricardo hails from Mexico City); Bodega Dos Búhos, where art by Peter Leventhal mesmerizes visitors almost as much as the wine; or Vinícola Toyán. Newcomer labels like Santísima Trinidad have joined the old-timers in hosting vendimia events every weekend in August, with Santísima adding extra attractions like polo games and olive-oil demonstrations. No going Sideways for oenophiles here; they will head home with a new wine destination secret—and a bottle or two.

These beloved baths are not just the site of a favorite swimming beach on Lake Geneva; they are a local institution. The baths are busiest in summer when the lake teems with swimmers and boats, but also stay active and open in winter months when local Polar Bear Club members plunge into the icy Alps-fed lake. After the bracing jump, it feels divine to warm up in the bath’s two mixed-sex saunas, and two hammams (one for women only). The facility is fully equipped with lockers, hot showers, and hair-dryers, as well as nooks in front of the large glass windows for soaking up the sun. Les Bains are also home to one of the city’s best fondue spots, La Buvette des Bains. Every September, after the summer season, some locker rooms are converted to a cozy dining room with wood stoves where diners dip bread into steamy melted cheese concoctions, and even take in a cultural performance or lecture on certain nights.

At Little Italy’s Herb & Wood, Chef Brian Malarkey’s wood-fired dishes include roasted parsnips with pickled raisins, parsley-shallot verde, and molten Marin County brie; roasted beets with sherry, walnut pesto, jamón Ibérico, and burrata; and grilled flat bread with whipped eggplant, za’atar, onions, and pine nuts. But the Mediterranean- and California-inspired menu isn’t the only big draw here: The industrial-boudoir aesthetic is equally inviting, with tufted sofas, soft lighting, and feathery fronds under the soaring ceilings of this onetime warehouse. A charmingly tattered edition of Emily Post’s Etiquette book has pride of place on the hostess stand. But the restaurant is unlikely to call guests on any manners infractions except one. In calligraphy at the bottom of the menu, you’ll find the following note: “Substitutions and additions politely declined.”

Le Sérac demonstrates that not all fabulous fondue spots must be tucked away inside a mountainous Alpine chalet. This restaurant, located on Chamonix‘s main street, serves a host of Savoyard classics—including the iconic bubbly-cheese delight—as well as exquisite modern French fare, plus a kid’s menu. While there are elements of traditional Haute Savoie ambience, such as the wood-planked walls, the restaurant’s decor holds a touch of contemporary sheen with a glass fireplace and modern furniture. During the warmer months, choose a table on the outside terrace, a great spot for people watching.

The carefully curated inventory of this shop across from the Hotel le Sirenuse is pretty much perfect, starting with a line of signature scents, L’Eau d’Italia, which evokes the magic of Mediterranean summers. Among your sublime choices are drinking glasses with swirls of color, made by the famous Venetian glassblower, Carlo Moretti; plates handmade in Milan by the owner’s sister, Costanza Paravicini; sophisticated beach cover-ups, the chicest bikinis, and bespoke swim trunks. In short, beautiful things sold in a beautiful space in one of the most beautiful destinations in Italy: Be prepared to want every single item.

With only a couple of exceptions, you can’t soak in Yellowstone’s thermal features (this is for numerous reasons, not the least of which is that most are so scalding hot they’d burn the flesh off you). North of Gardiner, Montana, though, in the no-stoplight community of Pray, Chico Hot Springs has welcomed soakers to its spring-fed hot pools since 1900. Spend the night in one of the quirky rooms in the historic main lodge, originally built as a boardinghouse for miners, or in a refurbished caboose from the Northern Pacific Railroad. If at all possible, plan to be at Chico on a Sunday morning, when it serves the best brunch in Montana.

When the Art family bought the struggling Chico Hot Springs Resort in 1972, some of the earliest improvements they made were to its dining room. The idea was to create one of the best restaurants in the state; if guests came for the food, maybe they’d spend the night. The family succeeded. Today the Chico Dining Room is so beloved it spawned a cookbook, A Montana Table: Recipes from Chico Hot Springs Resort. While ingredients are as fresh as can be—with produce from on-site greenhouses, meat from local ranchers, seafood flown in overnight from the coast—the menu includes some dishes that have been around for more than 40 years. The classic Chico meal is beef Wellington (service for two) and, for dessert, a Flaming Orange, which is exactly what it sounds like.

Built in the 1920s by a Croatian businessman, Palacio Astoreca underwent two years of refurbishment and restoration before opening its doors as a boutique hotel in 2012. The work was carried out to a meticulous degree, maintaining the original parquet floors, and adding splashes of color with art deco furniture and modern art, including one piece by Switzerland’s Frédéric Clot. The stucco-and-brick mansion rises up from the streets of Chile’s port city, Valparaíso, like a piece of red-and-white confectionary.

A statement staircase winds up to the 23 rooms, some of which have stand-alone bathtubs. And the basement level is home to a small spa with an open-air, wood-fueled hot tub set alongside a living wall. The reception level and entrance hall open out onto a terrace where lunch, tea, and cocktails are served, allowing guests prime views over the hilly city and Pacific Ocean. There are quiet corners for those seeking a solitary moment, including a library and a piano bar, which comes to life in the evenings with live music.

Standing at 3,793 feet, this towering, verdant peak is the island’s highest point. The dormant volcano is covered mostly in rain forest and capped with a cloud forest, making it ideal for a beautiful hike. The climb is an arduous one, however, and shouldn’t be attempted without a guide. If you manage to reach the top, you’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of St. Kitts, the Caribbean Sea, and neighboring islands like Nevis, Antigua, and Saba.

While Chamonix boasts a plethora of exquisite fine-dining restaurants, the area has a rugged, often wild side too. Step forward, Micro Brasserie de Chamonix or MBC as it’s known: Towers of nachos covered in glowing cheese, jugs of beer dripping with froth, and a clientele more chug than chic make this fun spot ideal for après-ski. Run by Canadians, this microbrewery offers a wide selection of real ales and lagers brewed in the onsite fermenting tanks and vessels. Classic Canadian poutine, slow-cooked ribs, and a wide selection of burgers satisfy the appetite after a long day on the slopes.

For an amazing three-day tropical escape from NYC, look no further than San Juan, PR. A clean, comfortable, and affordable option within striking distance of the airport (no car rental required) is the Marriott Isla Verde. Great long board/SUP surf break right off the beach, quick access to Old San Juan, and a relaxed vibe make for a family/couple-friendly escape from NYC. Stay a half-mile down the beach at the Ritz Carlton for the full poolbar/glam scene or just pop in there for a great lunch. Either way, this is a gorgeous stretch of beach with easy and close access to any major airport in the continental US and a great place to get away, without any passport or other hassles.

It’s not just Restaurant le 3842’s elevation that will make you lose your breath. Known as one of Europe’s highest restaurants (3,842 meters above sea level), this remarkable spot provides panoramic views of snow-dipped Alpine peaks that you can almost reach out and touch. Somehow built onto the side of Aiguille du Midi and only accessible via the cable car, this remarkable feat of engineering seems more like the dining place of Gandalf the Grey than a quality French restaurant. Once you’ve dragged yourself from the viewing platform, head inside to dine on locally sourced fare including cured meats, cheese, and Savoie rump steak.