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When the French created their plan for Casablanca they wanted the city to embody the best of modern Western architecture and traditional Moroccan design. The result is a style called architecture mauresque, blending the facades of French Art Deco with Islamic arches and tile work. Casablanca’s post office, palace of justice and Al-Maghrib Bank are all beautiful examples, best explored on a walking tour of the city center.

Soon after conquering Constantinople and defeating the Byzantines in 1453, Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II commissioned the beginnings of the Grand Bazaar to reinvigorate trade with the city. More than 550 years later, the bazaar is one of the oldest covered markets in the world, with a labyrinth of 61 streets connecting over 4,000 shops selling all manner of treasures and souvenirs, from jewelry to silk carpets. Make a beeline for Sivasli Istanbul Yazmacisi, whose quality textiles are popular with interior decorators. Looking for currency exchange shops? You’ll find the best rates in Istanbul here.

Hiking the French Valley is part of the W-trek through Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park. It’s about 16 mi round-trip from Refugio Paine Grande to the French Valley Mirador, to see the French Glacier and the Paine Massif as close as you can get. The trail is diverse and only reaches a steep height at the last 5.5 km on the way there. You begin at Lago Pehoe and take grassy paths through the forested valley, on an terrain that the locals call “Patagonia flat,” i.e. an undulating up and down of several feet. On the way you’ll see tiny magenta--and edible--berries that taste just like apples; you’ll cross small glacial streams where you can fill up your water bottle with fresh, wild water. You’ll trek right by the Cuernos, or the “Horns,” another well-known set of peaks in Torres del Paine. Over the French River you go as you get deeper into the valley, over wobbly rope bridges. The final 5.5 km to the French Valley Mirador has you balancing on thousands of loose boulders on your way up. The very top of the trek feels like being in the middle of a Patagonian fishbowl: Paine Massif to your left, French Glacier in front, the Aleta de Tiburon (the Shark’s Fin) and the Cuernos to the right, and turquoise Lago Pehoe behind you.

In the early 1900s, Lutheran missionaries arrived in the Western Arrernte community of Ntaria (Hermannsburg) about an hour west of Alice Springs. They offered food, shelter and education to the native people long oppressed by the white settlers who came in the wake of the Overland Telegraph Line, completed in 1872. The area was also hit by severe drought. While many cultural and religious shifts took place, perhaps the largest impact of the Hermannsburg missionaries on the indigenous people was the introduction of arts and crafts, namely watercolor and ceramics. Pottery arrived in the early 1970s and was first taught by Victor Jaensch, from Barossa Valley, who helped source local clay and set up a small kiln. The famous desert painter Albert Namatjira blossomed around the same time and had a lasting effect on the budding potters’ style and depiction of country. The first Hermannsburg potters were men, but now it’s largely a woman’s craft that was taught by accomplished ceramicist Naomi Sharp for 17 years. Today the terracotta pots are still made using the traditional hand-coiled technique before being shaped, burnished, decorated, and finally fired to produce distinctive Aboriginal art pieces that have a strong connection to the land and this singular slice of Australian history.

This eco-friendly property is unlike anywhere else in the Caribbean. A 400-acre working farm built within a sustainable community on Mount Liamuiga, the low-key luxury resort has St. Kitt’s requisite gingerbread trim and banana-plant landscaping. Here, however, signs tell guests when the fruit is ripe enough to pick—even the golf course is designed to be harvested. Belle Mont’s 84 clapboard cottages have open-air baths and wrap-around verandas that look out on the neighboring islands of Saba and St. Eustatius, but the resort’s real draw lies in its six farm-to-table restaurants, where guests can enjoy global takes on West Indian specialties (think papaya lamb stew and wine-braised pork with coconut, pumpkin, and chocolate) under the stars.

Discover majestic whale sharks, gorges, and more on this seven-day itinerary for a spectacular coastal drive through Western Australia.

Petra flourished more than 2,000 years ago, trading with Rome as an equal before being abandoned after a series of earthquakes in the 4th and 6th centuries C.E. It wasn’t until the 19th century, when European explorers “rediscovered” it, that the ancient city returned to the public consciousness. Now, visitors can walk down the narrow canyon of the siq to the city entrance—as dramatic an approach as any to a tourist attraction on the planet. The canyon opens up onto the carved facade of the Treasury, Petra’s most iconic site. From there, you can explore the cliffside tombs with their colorful bands of sandstone, the Street of Facades, and the amphitheater hewn from living rock. The ancient center lies some distance off, along with the splendid old Monastery, which sits at the top of a steep but rewarding climb. Consider buying a three-day ticket and visiting at different times of day to enjoy the changing light—early in the morning is best for the Treasury, while late afternoon is better for the Royal Tombs.

Hike in national parks, swim at the base of waterfalls, and soak in thermal waters on this weeklong trip to the Kimberley.

Get off-the-beaten path with this dreamy 12-day itinerary through the untouched wilderness.

Crowds may swarm upon it daily from sunrise onwards, but exposure hasn’t dulled the impact of the largest religious monument in the world. Commissioned by King Suryavarman II in the 12th century as the centerpiece of the mighty Khmer empire, the structure is inspired by Hindu sacred design and is estimated to have taken around 30 years to build. The biggest surprise upon visiting might be learning that the vast complex of spires, moats, frescoes, cloisters, and balustrades was constructed in such speedy fashion. You won’t be alone while witnessing it, but sunrise over the iconic temple remains one of the essential experiences in Southeast Asia. A return in the afternoon when the camera-toting hordes have dispersed is also advisable.

From horseback riding and rock climbing to fly fishing, swimming, and camping under the unbelievably clear night skies, there’s never a dull moment in a Wyoming summer.

On this six-day itinerary, you’ll travel through Wyoming’s “Salt to Stone” Region, traversing the Star Valley Scenic Byway and Grand Teton National Park.

Read articles from this print issue of Afar Magazine.