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An hour boat ride along Usumacinta River on the Guatemala border can take you to Yaxchilan, Palenque’s less visited cousin in the tropics of Chiapas, Mexico. Twelve-thousand-year old architecture brings many questions to mind. But at this moment, I wondered what life was like for these two gardeners, who spend many days working in the shadows of this ancient civilization. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/tabasco-and-chiapas/yaxchilan

When one of the world’s most famous chefs falls in love with one of France’s most picturesque villages, the result can only be La Bastide de Moustiers. After chancing upon Moustiers-Ste-Marie, Alain Ducasse promptly bought a secluded seven-room home, which he later turned into an inn and Michelin-starred restaurant. Complete with charming rooms, an idyllic garden, a shady terrace, and a serene pool area, the inn is more than worthy of an overnight, but guests really come here for the restaurant. The three- and four-course menus change depending on what’s fresh in La Bastide’s vegetable garden, but often include such delicacies as tomato sorbet, stuffed zucchini flowers, and seasonal ratatouille. Whether you sit in front of the majestic walnut fireplace in Le Salon Voyage en Asie, or amid local pottery in Le Salon des Arts Décoratifs, you’re in for a magical meal. The restaurant also features a room for private groups and a salon with a single table for couples, making it perfect for celebrating a special occasion.

Bavaria meets Florida at this Marriott Autograph Collection property, midway between downtown Orlando and the theme parks, and close to the Orange County Convention Center. The hotel’s unique decor pairs antlers and fake fur with pastels and palm trees, and adds elaborate chandeliers and original artwork throughout. Accommodations have fairy tale–inspired carved headboards and marble bathrooms; book a corner room for a separate seating area—in a turret overlooking the lush grounds. The Poseidon spa pampers you like royalty with body, skin, and beauty treatments that employ ocean-derived ingredients, and massages can be arranged in room or in the garden. Breakfast and lunch are served at the bright and airy Garden Bistro, with dinner and drinks available in the Antlers Lounge, but you can walk to restaurants and attractions along International Drive, including the Orlando Eye Ferris wheel. Just be back before dark: From the Sky Terraces, guests have views of nightly fireworks and may spot another nearby castle—Hogwarts at Universal Studios.

Spanish colonial fountains. Roaring outdoor fireplaces. Brightly colored bougainvillea vines and hibiscus flowers. Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, Southern California’s only Relais & Châteaux, is spread over 45 hilly acres of gardens and groves. No detail is too small here, as you’ll discover on the Bridge of Champions, a narrow wooden span that leads you across a brook. As for the champions in question, they’re bygone net men memorialized on the path to the resort’s fabled tennis complex: 18 courts and a pro shop. Not to be outdone, the landscaping around your casita (or luxury villa or private hacienda) will lend a secret garden feel to your patio, where you may also find a private fireplace, hot tub, or—in the case of the hacienda—heated pool. Inside, expect 600-thread-count linens, Frette towels, and a Bang & Olufsen sound system. At the spa, waterfalls and a yoga pavilion that appears to float work in tandem with the treatments to induce maximum relaxation.

This modern 11-story hotel, built on the end of the beachside Larvotto strip, is a chic but unpretentious family-friendly resort that attracts travelers for its prime location and the amicable Mediterranean-style village atmosphere. Guests come for the three restaurants, spa, and two pools (one with an artificial sand-bottom lagoon), plus the Bay Casino, jammed with the latest high-tech slot machines. If guests want to relax, chances are they head to the lounge chairs surrounded by the botanical gardens or head down the road to the Monte-Carlo Beach for water sports. The comfortable, sleek, contemporary-style rooms have dark or blond wood furnishings, duvet-covered beds, plasma-screens TVs, and spacious white bathrooms. Another highlight is the sea-view terraces, with a dreamy vista of the illuminated pool, gardens, and the Sporting d’Eté complex. The highly affordable off-season prices are a deal, considering the Principality’s mild climate is reliably sunny, even during the winter.

Part sustainable residential building, part eco-friendly lodge, the El Moore has been witness to Detroit’s turbulent history. The restored Victorian building boasts rooftop urban cabins, expansive suites, and bunk-bedded garden view rooms, covering various price points. Rooms feature reclaimed wood and subway tiles as well as ash paneling, geothermal heating, and solar paneling.

Named after the Creole word for “almond tree,” this flower-filled, open-air restaurant enjoys pride of place at the pioneering eco-boutique Rosalie Bay Resort. The kitchen employs healthy ingredients fresh from its organic garden in dishes like vegan gumbo, hummus with plantain chips, and a beet-goat-cheese salad. Omnivores should try the grilled lobster tail or citrus-honey chicken.

Serving their world-famous beer, the Hofbräukeller am Wiener Platz in Munich is where locals go to unwind after work under the shade of the chestnut trees. It’s also a popular beer garden with parents since it has a large play area for kids. Expect crowds on nice days.

Famous for being Southern Germany’s hub of the Enlightenment during the late 18th century (Hegel and Hoffmann both lived here), Bamberg is also home to a superbly preserved medieval town center, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993. Here, visitors find an endless array of architectural styles, from Gothic and Renaissance to Baroque and neoclassical, all spread through three distinct areas: the episcopal town, the island town, and the market gardeners’ town.

The Romanesque-Gothic cathedral of St. Peter and St. George is Bamberg’s most prominent building (it’s home to the famous Bamberg Horseman statue, the tomb of Henry II and Cunigunde, and the only papal grave in Germany), but the New Palace and the Alte Hofhaltung Palace are also must-sees, as are the town hall, the tanners’ cottages, and “Little Venice,” a former fishermen’s village with half-timbered houses and tiny gardens. If you’re a suds fan, be sure to sample Bamberg’s famous smoked beer before leaving.

It seems wrong to call this Renzo Piano–designed complex a museum—it’s more like a “sculpture safari,” on which you get to experience the pieces in their intended habitat. Opened in 2003, the Nasher Sculpture Center is a two-acre homage to modern and contemporary sculpture that was founded upon the private collection of the late Raymond and Patsy Nasher, then grew to include new acquisitions and special exhibits on loan from other institutions. Wander the peaceful indoor and outdoor galleries and gardens to spot works by artists like Giacometti, Moore, Serra, Rodin, Picasso, Calder, and de Kooning; many of the larger pieces invite interaction. The lush setting and bold pieces create an idyllic backdrop for the center’s year-round calendar of events (which include movie nights and family-friendly fun)—and make it a top pick for weddings, too.

Marrakesh’s legendary La Mamounia, which dates back to the 12th century, reopened in 2009 after a meticulous three-year renovation by noted French architect and designer Jacques Garcia. Step behind its fabled doors and a sensory feast awaits, from the gentle tinkling of the numerous water fountains and basins; to the fragrant waft of jasmine, orange blossom, and cedar; to the lush Arab-Andalusian interiors, filled with traditional Zellige tilework, sculpted wood, and carved plaster. There are 209 rooms and suites, with the largest topping out at more than 1,000 square feet. Views range between Koutoubia Mosque, the snow-capped Atlas Mountains, and La Mamounia’s own legendary gardens, which abound with 2,000-year-old rose bushes, 700-year-old olive trees, and flowering bougainvillea and jacaranda. Three secluded, standalone riads each feature three bedrooms arranged around a central patio and private pool, though guests would be remiss not to hang around La Mamounia’s dreamy central pool, lined with palm trees, loungers, and lanterns.

The architecturally striking Jewish Museum is the best place in Berlin to get an overview of German-Jewish relations and to understand the nature of the integration of the two cultures before the Holocaust’s horrors. Designed by Daniel Libeskind, the building is clad in polished silver metal and features severe angles and thin window slits that create a deliberately jarring impression. The interior is equally intriguing, especially the three long, intersecting corridors that lead to installations addressing aspects of the Holocaust: a garden of pillars meant to disorient; a windowless Holocaust Tower; and a space filled with thousands of grimacing iron masks that grind together as you walk on them. Across the street, the Jewish Academy (open to the public) has a related research center, library, and educational institution.

It’s a sign of the Palm Springs boom that what started as a modest local museum is now a premier destination for art and design aficionados. Today, the establishment, first opened in 1938, celebrates performing arts, modern art, and architecture in three locations. The main building, a designated historic site designed by architect E. Stewart Williams, is the most trafficked, with works by Henry Moore, Ed Ruscha, Dale Chihuly, and other marquee names. The Palm Springs Art Museum in the Palm Desert location features a rotating selection of exhibits by contemporary artists, as well as a sculpture garden where you can have a contemplative afternoon picnic. The Architecture and Design Center, in a structure originally designed by Williams, hosts exhibitions on architecture and design that change twice a year, rounding out an extensive permanent collection that includes works by Julius Shulman, Alexander Calder, David Hockney, and Marc Chagall. Pro tip: The museum buzzes with energy, particularly on free Thursday evenings, but for a more tailored experience focused on a particular theme, take one of the tours led by passionate and knowledgeable docents.

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1903 for a wealthy businessman, the Martin House is one of Buffalo’s architectural masterpieces. Situated in the beautiful Parkside neighborhood, it stands out among the restored Victorian homes and canopy of old-growth trees for its Prairie house style, complete with strong horizontal lines, deeply overhanging eaves, and a sheltering, cantilevered roof. A pergola connects the home to a conservatory and carriage house with chauffeur’s quarters and stables, while a smaller residence and gardener’s cottage sit nearby. Over the decades, the complex suffered considerable damage and three of the original five buildings were destroyed, but in 1992, the Martin House Restoration Corporation was formed to raise funds and oversee a complete restoration.

Extensive reconstruction efforts began in 1997 and are ongoing today, but visitors can now experience the property on a variety of tours. Choose from one- and two-hour options to see details like Wright-designed furniture, art glass, and light fixtures, or pick a themed tour like the Twilight, Photography+, or Wright Night. Either way, save time to check out the conservatory, anchored by a stunning replica of the Nike of Samothrace statue.

When the Hôtel du Vieux-Québec poured nearly $3 million into renovating what was once an 18th-century nunnery in 2014, it was already recognized for its green leadership and sustainability: it’s the only carbon-neutral hotel in the province and the only one in Canada to use 100 percent biofuels. Today this boutique property on Rue Saint-Jean, convenient to all old-city attractions, furthers its ecocommitment with features like rooftop gardens that not only grow organic produce for its clients and employees but help with cooling. The hotel keeps five beehives as part of the Urban Honey Project, which helps pollinate city gardens, and the honey is used at the hotel restaurant. All of the 45 rooms and six apartments are unfussy yet comfortable, and even standard rooms have mini-fridges and a work desk. Guests are particularly fond of the continental breakfast basket that’s hung from your door each morning (so long as you book directly through the hotel) and the espresso maker and fresh fruit available anytime in the lounge.