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Of course I was in awe of the imposing temples at Tikal, but my favorite area was the Central Acropolis. Walking through the various buildings of this residential complex, it was easy to imagine how it might have been when people lived here. I lingered for a long time, wandering through all the halls and chambers, and finally climbing the stairs to take in the view from above. A magical place...

Quinta de La Rosa was built in an unusual location, on a hill with steep stairs that connect the different levels besides the Douro River. The Bergqvist family has been making Port wine since 1815. The Quinta de La Rosa estate was offered as baptism gift to Claire Feuheerd, Sophia’s grandmother, in 1906. Guests can stay in traditional family House or in the new and more modern building.

Though it has somewhat limited hours, the Palm House in the heart of Copenhagen‘s botanical gardens is open year round and a lovely spot to visit. Built in the late 1870s, the structure is everything you would expect from a building dating back to that era including cast-iron spiral stairs, and butterfly room.

Most visitors never cross the river from the Old Part, and the vast majority overlook what has to be one of the most beautiful hikes from here to California. At the edge of Gros, a trail heads up some stairs (at the end of Calle San Francisco) and continues for hours, all the way to the neighboring village of Pasaia. It’s a family-friendly trail in terms of difficulty, and the views are breathtaking. A must-hike.

Housed in the monastery of San Marco, this museum pays homage to the delicate, spiritual work of Fra Angelico who lived and worked here as a monk from 1435-1445. Some of his most celebrated paintings and frescoes are on show here: the famous Annunciation (as reproduced on many a Christmas card) is at the top of the stairs on the first floor and the great Last Judgement alterpiece is in the Pilgrim’s Hospice. He painted frescoes in the corners of the main cloister and also decorated the monks’ tiny cells with the help of his assistants. This is one of my favorite museums in Florence...don’t miss it! Photo by Gianluca Moggi

Lucerne’s well-preserved Medieval city walls date from the 13th century. The historic fortifications are accessible to the public and provide a broad view of Lake Lucerne, the old town, and the Swiss Alps in the distance. There are nine towers, three of which are open to the public - Schirmer, Zyt and Männli. Take the stairs up one of the open towers to access the short walkway on top of the walls. And be sure to look at the inner workings of the city’s oldest clock, built in 1535 by Hans Luter in the Zyt tower.

The artwork here is almost secondary to its home: a 1911 former textile factory designed by Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch and inspired by medieval castles. The sprawling redbrick complex comprises several multilevel buildings featuring crenellated roofs, arches, and turrets connected by a series of courtyards. A modern white-stone, glass, and steel entrance was added in 2002, when the complex was renovated and turned into an exhibition space for the Caixa Foundation’s extensive art collection. Climb the stairs to the roof terrace for the best view of this treasure’s rich architectural details—not to mention the magnificent domed National Art Museum of Catalonia just across the way.

Le Petit Cler is on the famous market street Rue Cler in Paris‘s 7th Arrondissement. The street and the restaurant are a 10 minute walk from the Eiffel Tower. Inside, it is typical bistro - black and white tiled floor and dark wood railings. The menu is filled with tartines, salads, cheese plates, and organic wines. Le Petit Cler is an excellent place for lunch after a visit the Eiffel Tower. Don’t hesitate to get the entree and the main course menu if you climbed all those stairs.

The most popular destination (and one of the only) for running in Lima is along the Malecón bike path. Be warned that the name changes from Malecón de la Reserva to Malecón Cisneros and finally to Malecón de la Marina. But the more than two miles of scenic coastline stretches from San Isidro through Miraflores past Larcomar shopping centre and the Parque del Amor, all the way to Barranco. You can stick to the path or find the stairs near the Parque del Amor that descend to sandy beach. If along the way toward Barranco you happen upon an outdoor exercise class dancing to a remix of “Gangnam Style,” as there was when I passed, join them.

The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps Project in the Inner Sunset is a reflection of the city’s creative spirit. Artists Aileen Barr and Colette Crutcher led the initiative to cover a stairway in mosaics inspired by the Santa Teresa Steps in Rio de Janeiro. With the help of neighbors, they transformed the risers of 163 steps into a swirl of colored tiles depicting the union of the sea and sky. To climb the masterpiece, head to Moraga Street between 15th and 16th avenues. As beautiful as the steps are, don’t forget to admire the carefully maintained flora flanking the stairway. At the top you’ll arrive at the aptly named Grand View Park.

Buenos Aires lies on the edge of flat pampa, so even a gentle incline is rare—you’ll have to take some stairs to get a view. The 16-story Galería Güemes, built in 1915, was the city’s first skyscraper, and its top-floor mirador offers great downtown vistas. This restored gallería shines as a spectacular example of art nouveau architecture, complete with glass-domed ceilings, ornate metalwork, and gilt sculptural details. Not surprisingly, legend surrounds the building, including that the writer of The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, once lived in an upstairs apartment with a pet seal cub.

You can see the black and gold spiral steeple of the Church of our Saviour, or Vor Frelsers Kirke, all over Copenhagen. It’s not until you are standing beneath it you realize that golden spiral is actually a staircase—on the outside. If you are among the brave, you can climb the stairs all the way to the top of the steeple, for a view over the lively Christianshavn neighbourhood of Copenhagen. If (like me) you are afraid of heights, you can admire the church from below and muster your courage... for next time.

Even in a city like Prague is filled with unusual and world-class art, The Memorial to the Victims of Communism at Petrin hill in Mala Strana will command your total attention. Dedicated to those who were arrested, shot, exiled, and otherwise brutalized during the Communist era of 1948 to 1989, this masterpiece made by sculptor Olbram Zoubek and architects Jan Kerel and Zdenek Holzel is especially disturbing at dawn and twilight. Seven bronze men are stood on a set of concrete stairs, and only the first figure is intact, the statues decaying with each step up, symbolizing the effects of communism on the Czech people.

I realize that this is a highlight that may not even need words, since the image is so very convincing. If you find yourself exploring the Costa Brava (‘Rugged Coast’) of Spain, be sure not to miss the beach town of Calella and have lunch at the Hotel St. Roc to sample the local specialties and witness this view. Once you descend on foot from the Hotel St. Roc, you’ll start to see footpaths and stairs headed down to a few, beautifully quiet beaches. The water is clear, the swimming great, and siesta seems to never really end in that glorious sunshine.

Despite the fact that it was the last week of October, the line to climb to the top of the Duomo dome was wrapped around the building. The line to climb Giotto’s bell tower, right next door, was nonexistent. Lucky for us, we had our walking shoes on and were ready to climb the bell tower’s 414 narrow, slippery, dusty stairs. At each observation deck, we stopped to catch our breath and to take in the view. As is often the case in life, the higher and harder we climbed, the better the view got. Midway up the tower, I peered out the hole in the side serving as a window, and saw the view pictured. The red roofs of Florence stretched out before us, the Duomo towered to the left. Life was good.