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The most beautiful square in Spain is the Plaza de Espana in Sevilla. Huge, filled with intricate mosaic work depicting the history of the different regions in Spain and waterfalls, lakes and imposing architecture, in summer, it is also filled with one of the most famous and intoxicating scents in Sevilla, Jasmine. Stand and breathe in the fragrance that inspired a thousand lovers on hot summer nights..

Including more than 500 different vendors, the Santa Marta Market (Mercado Público) is a lively and colorful experience. You can wander among the exotic fruits and vegetables in one row of stores, see meat and poultry vendors in another and find gifts and clothing in a third section of the market. Even if you don’t find the perfect souvenir, exploring the market provides a glimpse into daily life in Santa Marta.

This department store with six locations across the islands is quintessential Bermuda. Fashions for men, women and children are preppy and classic, with an endless sampling of Bermuda shorts. The family-owned chainlet also sells a range of traditional housewares from crystal to fine china, in addition to Bermudan-made jewelry, keepsakes and glassware.

Aiming to create a world steeped in dreamy, early-20th-century Parisian style, boutique hotel Pigalle exists in a building that has housed a hotel for more than 130 years. Located just a five-minute walk from Gothenburg’s central station, amid the offices and department stores of one of the busiest parts of town, you might expect Pigalle to be a noisy, stressful experience. Nothing could be further from the truth! As soon as you walk through the door into the small reception/café you enter a different time and place, and the modern city life outside fades away. The rooms are decorated with patterned wallpaper and have thick velvet curtains in soft colors, but have all been individually designed and no one looks quite like another. If you want to treat yourself, the luxurious Belle suite has its own champagne bar. Don’t miss the rooftop terrace garden or top-floor restaurant Ateliér, with its delicious food made from seasonal local ingredients. And if you’re missing something from your wardrobe, the hotel has an arrangement with nearby department store NK. Note that Pigalle has a minimum age of 25 years for guests, and is a cash free, cards-only hotel.

Kiyomizu-dera on Mount Otowa is one of the most famous temples in Japan, a place that appears in every sequence of Japanese travel photos. The landscape is all cherry trees and forest; it is among Kyoto‘s loveliest spots. The current structure dates to 1633 and is one of 33 temples on a pilgrimage circuit in the Kansai region dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy. The circuit runs from the south of Wakayama north to the Sea of Japan. You’ll see pilgrims carrying nokyo-cho—books stamped to record the visit—and monks busily inscribing in calligraphy. The temple, set against a steep hill and constructed on huge pilings, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Buenos Aires is a city of readers—it supports more bookstores per capita than any other place in the world. The crown jewel of the librerías here is the Ateneo Grand Splendid. Housed in a theater where music legends such as Carlos Gardel once attracted vast crowds, the store features shelf after shelf of tempting volumes on its rounded balconies. Italian frescoes on the domed ceiling and plush red-velvet curtains are from the theater’s original 1919 design. The four-story space carries over 120,000 books and a local-music selection, and there’s a café on the erstwhile stage.

Ready-to-wear and made-to-measure dresses, shirts, pants, and skirts are just some of the beautiful things you will find in this pretty store. Around the corner from the flashier names on the Via Camerelle and a short stroll down the hill, the family-owned Laboratorio Capri is where Michele and his mother design and sew for movie stars as well as Capri locals. Shop the sandals and bags, whisper-weight scarves printed with images of old Capri, and colorful jewelry that will remind you of the island.

Clean, refreshing, full of light, and a shopper’s dream, Yas Mall is the newest of Abu Dhabi’s malls, set on Yas Island—where fast cars, a fast roller coaster, and mega-yachts arrive and depart regularly while shoppers enjoy fashion, food, and entertainment at the mall. High-end shops have a place in the massive new development, along with nearly every shop imaginable, from a LEGO store to West Elm. With an open atrium that allows you to imagine you’re outdoors, the Mall is a wonderful place to seek cool refuge from hot summers in the UAE.

Situated at the base of the Park City slopes, this Autograph Collection Hotel (part of Marriott International) exudes an old-world ski-resort vibe, with a grand lobby featuring soaring ceilings, exposed-wood beams, and a stone fireplace surrounded by leather club chairs. The same rustic elegance extends to the 100 suites, each of which comes with its own fireplace, jetted tub, and private balcony or patio for enjoying a glass of wine alongside views of the Wasatch Mountains or 18-hole Park City Golf Course. Start the day with some laps at the outdoor heated pool or hit the slopes, then experience après-ski bliss in the 10,000-square-foot spa, which includes herbal-infused steam rooms, a dry cedar sauna, and recovery treatments like a therapeutic mineral soak and reflexology foot massage. There are also two on-site restaurants—Ruth’s Chris Steak House and the more casual Bandannas Bar & Grill, where you can pair quinoa burgers with local brews.

If your dream vacation involves the ultimate in luxury, the St. Regis should be at the top of your list. The 151 rooms feature hand-crafted chandeliers, original artwork, and macassar ebony furnishings, as well as Italian marble bathrooms that have soaking tubs and TVs hidden in the mirror. But the real draw is the service: All guests have access to the butler desk, which can fulfill requests both big and small, from unpacking your suitcase to delivering the morning newspaper, and designated pool chamberlains mist guests with Evian and deliver frozen-fruit skewers and coconut water at the 40,000-square-foot Pool Piazza, complete with red-striped chaises and waterside bar. While the promise of massages in the Remède Spa and afternoon tea in the English-style Astor Court make it hard to leave the resort-like premises, the hotel’s location a five-minute walk from the Buckhead shopping complex may sway you. And if you need help hauling your spoils to your room, remember there’s a butler waiting just around the corner.

This chalet-style lodge takes its name from legendary Norwegian skier Stein Eriksen, the 1952 Olympic giant slalom gold medalist and 1954 World Cup champion. When he agreed to help develop this ski-in, ski-out spot in the 1980s, he drew from his experiences at the best ski hotels in Europe, lending the lodge an Alpine feel. Inside, fireplaces, stone walls, and rich wood ceilings complement the mountain surroundings. Guestrooms are equally thought out, with beamed cathedral ceilings, stone fireplaces, and leather furnishings. Select rooms have jetted tubs and heated floors.

Since 1831 Deyrolle has been the taxidermist for Parisians. In the two-story shop on the lovely Rue du Bac, you’ll find everything from domestic animals and large exotic mammals (lions! zebras!) to insects, shells, birds, and educational books. Parisians bring their small children here to teach them about the natural world because it feels like a beautiful natural history museum as much as an odd little shop of curiosities. In one room, drawers display beautiful insects and seashells for purchase. A small gardening shop on the first floor may be of interest to companions for whom taxidermy feels icky.

The multifaceted mountaintop town of Safed, located almost 3,000 feet above sea level in Upper Galilee, boasts magnificent views of the Golan Heights, Sea of Galilee, and Lebanon. The city first became prominent when the Crusaders built a fortress on the site. Jews first arrived in considerable numbers after expulsion from Spain in 1492, and Safed became a spiritual center when Kabbalah flourished under rabbis Yitzhak Luria and Joseph Caro. Safed has a thriving artists’ quarter, with studios and galleries filling the narrow alleys, and it hosts an annual klezmer festival. It also maintains a strong religious presence as one of Israel’s four holiest cities.

In France, sparkling wine isn’t just for special occasions, it’s an everyday luxury. At least that’s what you’ll learn after a sampling of some 130 vintages at Dilettantes, a wine shop/bar specializing in bubbly. The tastings are hosted by one of 25 winemakers and take place in a gorgeous, 17th-century vaulted cellar. For a more in-depth course on pairing champagne at different moments of the meal, Dilettantes also offers a private oenology workshop (minimum 8 people) that will leave you well-versed in taste.

One of the best ideas to ever come my way is the notion of the Breakfast Duo from Salvation Café at 44 Stanley. It’s meant to be for those people who can’t choose between all the awesome options available to them on the menu. Like me. So order locked in, I was extremely impressed with what arrived on my table: A seasonal fruit salad atop French toast accompanied by fresh cream and a berry coulis alongside eggs benedict. Game. Set. Match. I was totally sold on the delicious breakfast and at the end, because it was soooo good and even though the meal was huge, I was left wanting more!