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Beyond the beach, the billboards, and the freeways, there’s a city of neighborhoods waiting to be explored.

AFAR chose a destination at random—by literally spinning a globe—and sent Vendela Vida on a spontaneous journey to St. Maarten.

Minsk, the austere capital of Belarus and a former Soviet satellite, harbors Beatles cover bands, bookish bohemians feasting on salo and vodka, and the curious legacy of Lee Harvey Oswald.

These towering fiberglass figures were America’s supersize salesmen in the 1960s. On this episode of Unpacked, America 250 learn earn how they went from coast-to-coast marketing phenomenon to beloved roadside relics.

Get active at one of Miami’s best parks. The downtown area has upgraded, adding more green space with views of the bay. If running isn’t your favorite activity, maybe join a free yoga class on the lawn or climb the stairs at an iconic light house. Afterwards, there are many places to stroll and watch the eclectic sites and people that Miami is known for. Watch the sun set on a park bench and take it all in!

This weeklong journey spans Naples, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast, complete with cliffside stays and superb local specialties like pizza and limoncello.

Hike through Jordan’s ancient cities, stargaze in a premium desert camp, and watch the sunset from the shores of the Dead Sea.

Since few areas within the city of Venice afford high perspectives of the entire city, take the elevator (no stairs) to the top of San Marco’s Campanile in Piazza San Marco. You may have to put up with a few elbows to get a spot against the railing, but it is all worth it for the spectacular panoramic views of Venice and the lagoon. While here, contemplate the history of this spectacular bell tower and observe the view from the same spot where numerous doges have stood, as well as Galileo. It was here that he introduced his telescope to the doge!

From Shelly Beach in Manly, the path climbs a flight of stairs surrounded by jungle foliage before alternating between idyllic neighborhoods, clifftop bushland, secluded beaches, and more rainforest. Along the way, you’ll see tropical flowers and eucalyptus trees as well as many colorful birds and the area’s ubiquitous “water dragon” lizards. As soon as you feel hungry, you’ll likely encounter a beach café such as the cabana at Little Manly Cove that serves great paninis. White sand beaches with turquoise waters are the norm, and the path guides you to many that you would have otherwise never found. When you finally reach the Spit Bridge, you’ll be filled with accomplishment and the feeling that you covered a lot more than just six or seven miles.

Valparaíso is to Chile what San Francisco is to the United States: a unique and charming port soaked with atmosphere, unlike anywhere else in the country. Its painted, corrugated-tin houses cling to the sides of the city’s 24 hills. Funicular railways in myriad styles make an ascent to the city’s different neighborhoods easy (but take the stairs down, there are thousands). Some areas, named for the hills on which they sit, are gentrifying, and there’s a new swath of boutique hotels and restaurants, especially on Cerro Concepción and Cerro Alegre. Be sure not to leave without visiting Nobel laureate poet Pablo Neruda’s fascinating house, La Sebastiana, in the Bellavista quarter.

Tayrona National Natural Park has become such a popular destination during typical vacation periods that authorities have had to limit admission. But an off-season visit offers singular luxuries like miles of all-but-solitary beaches, jungle trails, and a unique way to observe a variety of monkeys and tropical birds in every brilliant hue. Tayrona can be experienced as a day trip from Santa Marta or as a several-night stay at one of the park’s accommodations. From the main entrance at Cañaveral (El Zaíno), visitors can take a leisurely hike to the ocean while a donkey handles the luggage; horses are also available for those who prefer not to walk. This same park entrance also leads directly to high-roofed, native-wood cabins known as ecohabs, a slightly fancier option for staying in the park.

Blame actress Meryl Streep for putting this chapel on the map. Teetering atop an outcrop of rock adrift the northeastern coast of Skopelos, the church of Agios Ioannis tou Kastri (St. John of the Castle) is where Streep serenaded Pierce Brosnan for the movie Mamma Mia! (and where her on-screen daughter, played by Amanda Seyfried, tied the knot). This has inevitably generated a stream of inappropriately attired ABBA fans, eager to climb the 200-odd stairs to the church. But come in the early evening, and you might have the place to yourself. Just don’t plan a wedding here unless you are Greek Orthodox and intend to invite no more than half a dozen guests (the spartan interior is tiny).

There are two ways to walk up to the Galata Tower from Karakoy Tram Station: One is to follow the pedestrian traffic and ascend an uninviting steep staircase close to the tram way; the other is to take the more picturesque Kamondo (Camondo) steps on Bankalar Caddesi. Neo-Baroque and early Art Nouveau styles were fused here in the 1870s to create this curvaceous thoroughfare up one of Istanbul’s steepest hills. Abraham Salomon Camondo, of the wealthy Sephardic Jewish Camondo family, funded the construction. He inherited the banking and business success of his forefathers and went on to become the prime banker for the Ottoman Empire in the district of Galata where the stairs are located.

From Paradise Meadow, there are several short and easy hikes, even if you didn’t bring your hiking boots. The one-mile hike to Myrtle Falls is a gentle, paved slope that’s even wheelchair-accessible with assistance. Your reward is a stunning view, especially if you climb down the precarious wooden stairs for an up-close photo.