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One of only three trains in the world to have been recognized with UNESCO’s World Heritage status (the others are in Austria and India), this scenic passenger route was built in 1889 and stretches for 150 miles from Thusis, Switzerland, to Tirano, Italy, via 84 tunnels and 383 vertiginous bridges and viaducts. The rails don’t just connect this primordial landscape of sparkling teal rivers, hyacinth-blue glaciers, and jagged pink-hued rocks; they also serve a number of cities and towns, including St. Moritz and several Romansh-speaking villages in the stunning Engadine Valley. Keep the camera on, because the train zips past Roman-era chapels, Celtic archaeological sites, modernist thermal baths, and numerous Hapsburg-era castles—some crumbling atop mountains, others perfectly built into the Alps like something from Tolkien’s Rivendell. Highlights include the C-shaped Landwasser Viaduct, a 213-foot-high, six-arch viaduct spanning the Landwasser River, and the nine-arch spiral viaduct in Brusio that will have rail enthusiasts in a tizzy. Though this is not a sightseeing train, highlights are announced (somewhat annoyingly, in five or six languages) on the overhead system as the train passes them. Most trains have panoramic cars with curved glass ceilings and seats costing an additional five to 10 Swiss francs.

After decades of rule by innocuous lagers, a small revolution is brewing in Beijing’s beer scene, with a handful of small-scale brew operations popping up over the past few years. Great Leap is among them and brings together foreign beer makers with local ingredients in a way that doesn’t make “East meets West” sound cliché.

Take the popular Honey Ma Gold Ale. It has peppercorns from Sichuan, in central China, and Shandong date honey from the coast. Meanwhile, Little General IPA uses Chinese hops, while Danshan Wheat Beer includes black tea from Fujian. All fun to try. Beers at Great Leap start at ¥25 for a pour of Pale Ale No. 6. Great Leap’s flagship brewery and pub, on Xinzhong Street, can handle everything from large parties to single imbibers, offers views of the brewing equipment behind a glass wall, and has a good range of bar food, including a tasty burger and fries at ¥40. Order it and you are almost sure to get one last pint.

Willis Tower—originally known as the Sears Tower—was the world’s tallest building for 23 years until it was unseated in 1996 by the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur. The 110-story skyscraper is still mighty impressive. Its “bundled tube” design by architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill was originally inspired by a handful of cigarettes and the innovative bundling changed the construction of supertall, wind-resistant buildings thereafter. The tower’s height is even more thrilling when measured from the 103rd-floor windows of the Skydeck observatory and the Ledge, a glass-enclosed box which juts more than four feet out from the side of the building so that visitors can (gingerly) walk out and stand 1,353 feet above the street.

With more than 250 acres of grounds, the New York Botanical Garden manages to fit a number of different landscapes and experiences into its garden walls. The garden was established in 1891, the inspiration of Nathaniel Lord Britton and his wife, Elizabeth, who returned from a trip to England determined that New York should have its own equivalent to London‘s Kew Gardens. They found backing among New York society and created one of the country’s leading research institutions that also happens to be an ideal place to commune with nature right in the city. The rose garden designed by Beatrix Farrand is a highlight, while an abundance of azaleas reaches their peak in May. In all there are some 20 different gardens, including one dedicated to native plants, a rock garden, and a wetlands trail. The conservatory, constructed in 1902, is the largest in the country and includes 11 different climatic zones. When the last of the fall foliage has fallen from the trees, the conservatory hosts the popular annual Holiday Train Show (from the end of November to mid-January).

Just east of Guayacanes, this six-mile stretch of sand is a favorite of beach bums, with calm waters at one end of the cove and big waves at the other. Busier than Playa Guayacanes, Juan Dolio also offers more food and drink options, plus glass-bottom boat rides and parasailing. For an authentic slice of Dominican life, stop by on Sunday, when local families come to picnic and swim in the warm Caribbean water.

The work exhibited in this progressive and edgy nonprofit space is a far cry from the art in the galleries along Canyon Road. SITE Santa Fe, which opened in 1995, hosts provocative biennials as well as a wealth of multimedia productions and notable international and contemporary art exhibits. After the building’s striking renovation and expansion (by the New York–based design firm SHoP Architects), its dramatic new glass facade sits beneath a triangular front, welcoming visitors inside.

I remember when they started construction on this $175,000,000 cathedral on Lake Merritt by the also new Whole Foods. It looked like someone had taken their life size Erector Set and started flinging about Tinker Toys. There was no way to tell what designing architect Craig W. Hartman was creating. As it slowly came together and the massive concrete structure below it had dried you could finally read the plaque stating it was to be The Cathedral of Christ the Light. I believe the most popular word I heard in reference to it was gaudy. Fitting but not entirely accurate that word got the point across. Once they laid the glass on the exterior it earned itself a nickname on the breaths of those whom spoke of it. It became the Vulva Church. Particularly due to the shape the glass formed. Google it it you must. I may post a photo later. Complete with everything from mausoleum to cafe to health center to rectory (yes I said it). The grounds also interestingly enough host a healing garden that operates as a space for survivors of clergy sexual abuse. Most do not know that the Diocese of Oakland due to its reduced finances was required to take out a loan to cover half its $56.4 million settlement with 56 sex abuse victims.This is what inspired the garden complete with a plaque inscribed “This healing garden, planned by survivors, is dedicated to those innocents sexually abused by members of the clergy. We remember, and we affirm: never again.”

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.

Why we love it: An Arts and Crafts–style masterpiece with a friendly vibe and charm in spades

Highlights:
- Sedona’s only Arts and Crafts hotel, with real adobe walls
- Social spaces like a campfire and living room hearth
- A pet-friendly policy with no extra fees

The Review:
Within a block of Sedona’s art district, this luxury inn stands behind a veil of trees and grapevine trellises. Its pink adobe exterior complements the greenery so elegantly that the inn once appeared on the cover of The American Home magazine. Inside the Arts and Crafts–style hacienda, arches and reclaimed beams of juniper or burl wood soar overhead, while period doorknobs, light fixtures, and heater grilles transport guests back in time. Each of the 12 suites has a custom-made door and unique design, with decor ranging from early California to the Cowboy High Style made famous by Western furniture designer Thomas Molesworth. Pet-friendly rooms also include grace notes like corner fireplaces, stencil designs, French doors, and stained-glass ceiling panels.

When feeling social, guests can gather around the campfire in the courtyard or by the large hearth in the living room. El Portal also has a private garden, a fish pond, two swimming pools, and a full gym, and offers access to Sedona Spa, next door. While the inn only serves breakfast (pancakes, breakfast burritos, huevos rancheros), guests can snack on fruit, cheese, and chips and salsa during happy hour each day while also pouring themselves a glass of wine on the honor system.

With its welcoming vibe and low-key decor, The Saloon is about as close as Laguna gets to a dive bar. A local favorite, it’s ideal for when you’re craving a cold beer, a good glass of wine, or an unpretentious cocktail like the PoPo (The Saloon’s take on an Irish coffee) or the Pino (made with house-infused pineapple vodka). There are very few seats in the bar, so be prepared to stand and mingle with other patrons. That’s what makes The Saloon great, though—and the fact that it’s right next door to Nick’s, making it perfect for a pre-dinner drink or nightcap.

The atmosphere alone in this Iranian restaurant is a wonderful introduction to any day. The sunny, high-ceilinged space on Avenue Laurier Ouest is decorated with nice wooden furniture and traditional Middle-Eastern patterned pillows, for your ultimate comfort as you sip sweet mint tea served in small gilded glasses and decide what to order. Will it be the selection of flatbreads served with fresh herbs, nuts and fresh cheese? It comes with a selection of house-made jams like kiwi and passion fruit or orange blossom. The “omelets” are also very special – they’re actually scrambled eggs mixed with ingredients such as feta cheese and dill. Photo: Frédérique Ménard Aubin

Don’t be discouraged when you see the long line winding through the store, out onto the sidewalk, and back into the building — it moves surprisingly fast, and Piroshky Piroshky is worth it. Plus, the wait will give you time to peruse the glass case and make the agonizing decision: chocolate cream hazelnut roll, cheddar cheese and garlic roll, or their signature fish-shaped smoked salmon pate roll? (It’s a trick question. Get one of everything and share.) There’s no seating, so take your pies to go and eat at the small waterfront park nearby. If the weather’s foul, you can duck back into the indoor market to eat.

Arts in Puerto Rico range from lavish recitals to paintings of humble local scenes. The Luis A. Ferré Fine Arts Center in San Juan puts on various performances, including theater, concerts, ballet, and opera. The center itself is a work of art, with a vibrantly-colored mural of the Muses, and a stained-glass window symbolizing the elements of nature. Meanwhile, the neoclassical Puerto Rico Museum of Art showcases visual art pieces from the 17th century onwards. Its collections feature a linoleum portrayal of a girl gathering food, and a collage in oil that depicts two faces of the famous Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos.

It really doesn’t get more eco-friendly and organic than dining on freshly baked bread and pastries at Rosendals Trädgård Kafé and Bageri. Their breads are baked with biodynamic flour from the Saltå Kvarn mill in nearby Järna, and their dishes are cooked using seasonal ingredients and organic produce from KRAV-certified farms and growers. Don’t be surprised by long lunch queues. It’s extremely popular with locals who wait in line to dig into its minimal yet tasty rotating menu such as pan-seared Pike perch or Arctic char with roasted root vegetables or couscous. The café itself is inside an ambient glass greenhouse surrounded by flower gardens and fruit orchards.

Rue Saint Paul is the oldest, the most popular, and the most iconic of Old Montreal streets. It was Montreal’s main thoroughfare in the 18th and 19th centuries, and although it doesn’t hold the same strategic importance today, it’s still at the core of Montreal’s destinations. Despite the tourist shops filled with souvenirs like moose-shaped shot glasses and maple-syrup everything, Saint-Paul Street still holds the grandeur it had back in the day, thanks to its stunning architecture. Ignore the shops and look up, admire the details of the windows and roof lines—to see what the street really is about. This street is ideal for a romantic, dimly lit, post-dinner stroll.