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The Archive in Safa Park is probably the coolest place around to sip at a coffee and brush up on your North African and Middle Eastern literature. Not only does it boast a full-service cafe, The Archive also hosts musical concerts, art & pottery classes, outdoor film screenings, and even a children’s book club. Well worth a look, and bring the family!

Spend a day strolling the medieval streets of Cefalù, an idyllic coastal resort town about an hour’s drive east of Palermo. The Norman-era Cefalù Cathedral towers above honey-colored stone houses; a rocky promontory known as La Rocca forms a dramatic backdrop to it all. Step inside the cathedral to see its beautiful mosaics, then get in some souvenir shopping or relax at a café and just people-watch.

Stockholm’s NK department store is worth visiting just to wander around its great, imposing atrium. In the middle of the city, it boasts over a hundred separate departments, with everything from restaurants, bars, and cafes to florists, sports goods, and top luxury brands. You can shop tax-free here—they even have personal shoppers—as well as exchange currencies, and everyone speaks English (of course!).

Tournai is the perfect place to spend a Saturday afternoon. Visit the amazing Notre Dame Cathedral, go up in the Belfry which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List or just have a coffee at a cafe in the square and watch the world go by. Looking forward to the next visit.

Athens is an incredible city to visit but can feel busy and overwhelming, especially during peak tourist season. Escape the hustle and bustle with a visit to the resort town of Vouliagmeni on the Attica coast. I took this photo from a café right on the beach. We spent an entire afternoon drinking coffee, eating fresh seafood, and watching surfers in the sea.

Barranco, one of the city’s most beautiful neighborhoods, awash in character, is known for an artsy vibe and gorgeous colonial buildings. Cross the Puente de los Suspiros (Spanish for “Bridge of Sighs”) and follow the Bajada de los Baños to the seaside. Explore the side streets and duck into cute cafés and art venues, including the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC). The gallery-shop Dédalo, in particular, is ideal for combining coffee, snacking, shopping, and art viewing. Visiting another Barranco landmark, the belle epoque Hotel B, provides a quick trip back to a time of elegant architecture. Splurge for a smart cocktail on the rooftop bar to linger a little longer.

If the coffee scene in Paris is as robust as it is today, it’s thanks in large part to Thomas Lehoux, one of the city’s star baristas and co-owner of Ten Belles, just off Canal St-Martin. He collaborated with two Englishwomen, Anna Trattles and Alice Quillet from Le Bal Café, to open this intimate espresso bar in the fall of 2012, and success was immediate. Lehoux and his team turn out some of the finest, if time-consuming, drip coffees in the city, while Trattles and Quillet serve up a small menu of comforting fare—soups, sandwiches, and salads—that rotates daily. The Anglo-inspired desserts—cakes, scones, peanut-butter brownies, and raspberry crumb bars—go down beautifully with a host of coffee drinks. Escape the crowds by heading to the mezzanine, where there are usually seats available, along with a view of the bar from above. But if the weather permits, grab one of the stools and take your coffee outside, or opt for a takeout cup and enjoy it alongside the canal.

It’s difficult to pin down what exactly Star Provisions is. Is it a cafe run by award-winning team Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison? Is it an upscale grocery store where you can buy artisan meats and cheeses found in restaurants like Abbatoir and Bacchanalia? Is it a home goods store selling beautiful pieces of kitchenware? The answer is all of the above. And while the restaurant is delicious (try the prosciutto, sweet butter, and parmesan baguette!), the store is often overlooked in all the foodie mayhem. The glassware, serving utensils, and other items are sure to add unique touches to your home.

As its name suggests, the Bespoke Inn is one of the more eccentric accommodations in downtown Scottsdale. This compact bed-and-breakfast, opened in 2013, has just 10 rooms. Each is decorated with homey, eclectic details that reflect the creativity of the hotel’s previous owners, who designed and built most of the inn’s furnishings themselves. The current owners, Jeremy Ferris and Robert Marchetti, brought in elements of Marchetti’s Italian heritage, which are evident in the updated courtyard and six new rooms. The result is a surprising blend of style and comfort, reinforced by the hotel’s ability to make guests feel they have all become friends. There are other surprises, too. In 2013 Esquire magazine called the café—which has its own odd appellation, Virtù Honest Craft—one of the 20 best new restaurants in America. And the hotel provides Pashley bicycles for guests to use during their stays.

The limited-edition Nikes and kiosk of independent magazines (Corpus, Out of Order, System) at this brilliantly edited multibrand boutique in the upper Marais recall the city’s renowned concept shop Colette. But its abundant natural light, and market-fresh, Scandinavian-influenced café make it a place of its own. Minimalist, rustic decor and sparsely furnished racks reinforce a feeling of calm. An in-house florist is in the works. 12 Rue Perrée, 33/(0) 1-44-61- 53-60. This appeared in the October 2013 issue.

Far above the city streets on the 52nd and 53rd floors of the Roppongi Hills building, the Mori Art Museum houses contemporary works by primarily Japanese and East Asian artists in a range of mediums, including photography, design, fashion, architecture, and video installations. There’s also an observation deck on the 52nd floor with an open-air Sky Deck, a lounge, a café, and a restaurant with outstanding views of the city. Keep in mind, though, that there are a myriad other dining options as well on the lower floors of the Roppongi Hills building, one of the tallest in the city.

This formal garden is neatly contained within perfectly kept borders, but the extravagance of mature citrus trees and thick vegetation ensure it’s serenely cool even on the hottest days. To maximize your time here, book a traditional scrub-down in the hotel’s pretty hammam before settling at a table at the famed restaurant here, the Fez Café, for a lazy lunch or dinner—both of which change daily according to the seasons. The Moroccan food is good, but the highlights really lean more to the Mediterranean: maybe a magnificent gazpacho, grilled swordfish steaks with beurre blanc, or a top-grade fillet with mushroom sauce. It’s also one of the few places in the medina where you can treat yourself to a cheeky lunchtime Casablanca beer, a bottle of salmon-pink Moroccan gris (rosé), or a predinner negroni.

This corner café in Prague’s foodie hub, Karlín, is always hopping. The painted brick walls, wood tables, cozy corners, but especially the coffee the keeps people coming back. Muj Salek Kavy translates as “my cup of coffee” (a play on my cup of tea) is owned by local direct trade coffee company Doubleshot, which was among the first to kick-start the city’s now booming specialty coffee scene. They select and roast their own in-season beans, and serve their single origin, as well as espresso blends, at the right temperature. On weekends in summer the lively atmosphere spills out onto the streets, and on the weekends, be sure to show up early to get a seat for the delicious brunch, with dishes like rice porridge with coconut milk and apricots, blueberry jam pancakes, and poached with Prague ham and horseradish sauce.

Considered “an urban renaissance”, this up-and-coming area in Shanghai is tucked a block off the Bund (right behind the Peninsula Hotel) and boasts charming cafes, high-end dining, the Rock Bund Art Museum and more. If you’re looking for a scenic stroll, you won’t want to miss this. Looking for fine dining? Check out Light & Salt 6/F 133 Yuanmingyuan Lu

Norway’s longest shopping street, Bogstadveien, runs from the Royal Palace to Majorstuen, and boasts some 300 shops and cafés. Many of them are local to the area, but many will be recognisable to tourists as well. This bustling street is always full of happy shoppers, and they hold market days twice a year, cutting off traffic and putting up stalls in the street. During Christmas, the decorations alone will give the most grinch-like person a bit of Christmas spirit!