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Good, old-fashioned pie can be hard to find these days, which makes Betty’s in Encinitas more than worth a trip. Don’t be turned off by the location in a strip mall, Betty’s pies are delicious; they always use real fruit, pure butter, premium chocolate and local eggs. Betty’s doesn’t sell pie slices, hence the name Betty’s Pie Hole, but they do make sweet and savory pies in individual and full-size portions. The chicken potpie is hearty and delicious—but it’s the fruit pies, like the perfectly balanced strawberry-rhubarb with a flaky crust, that you’ll be dreaming of for days.

Situated at the top of the hill on Park City‘s iconic Main Street, the Italian restaurant Grappa occupies a beautiful 100-plus-year-old renovated building that over the years has been a brothel, bar, and bed-and-breakfast. The name comes from the Italian brandy distilled from the leftover grape skins, stems, and seeds from the winemaking process. And, of course, Grappa serves it! Founder and owner Bill White blends French culinary influences with regional Italian dishes to bring bold and delicious flavors to his customers. When the weather is appropriate, there are five levels of patios, complete with plants and water features for alfresco dining.

We’d heard that Blé Sucré makes the best croissants in Paris; so, of course, we had to check it out. They were absolute magic heaven: a bit crackly on the outside, with moist, delicate wisps of buttery pastry on the inside. The chocolate croissant was equally amazing. We ate it outside with an espresso. Go on a weekday at lunchtime when there’s virtually no line. Be prepared to wait during the weekends.

When Chiang Kai-shek fled mainland China for Taiwan, he took with him many of the treasures that at one time were featured in Beijing’s Palace Museum. Among the items are relics and antiques reflecting 8,000 years of Chinese history. Today the collection includes nearly 700,000 pieces, an impressive collection that merits a full-day visit. Among the many treasures that once belonged to the Emperors of China are a delicately carved jade cabbage, intricate ivory work, and artifacts that chronicle the evolution of the Chinese language and culture over millennia. The gift shop is just as impressive, and is the perfect place to buy easy-to-carry souvenirs and gifts.

After first seeing examples of fine jade art in the National Palace Museum, Burmese master craftsman Sofeen Hu decided that this art form shouldn’t be just for ancient Chinese masters. With this in mind, he created some of the most intricate and beautiful pieces of jade art in the world, all on display at this well-located museum. Wander through and be amazed at the precision and control found in Sofeen Hu’s works like his zodiac symbols and delicate insects. This is a great way to learn more about an art form that over the years has been prized by members of the elite and even royalty.

While the tourist hordes in beautiful Sintra, Portugal, are flocking to Pena Palace, head instead to Monserrate. The gardens here are massive and have been recently restored. We wandered here for hours without hardly seeing another person. The palace itself, although not as large as Pena, is just as grand, if not more so. Every inch of the architecture is covered in delicate carving. The Moorish and Indian influences work together to create a cohesive and beautiful design.

The Japanese-inspired Nobu Ryokan Malibu, located on the ocean just north of Los Angeles, sets the tone with its smooth teak exterior. An entrance gate leads to a garden where water flows over honey-colored rocks into a pond, and palm trees shade stone paths lined with black Japanese grass. In the 16 guest rooms, there are no exposed nails or screws, just smooth surfaces of teak and Jerusalem limestone and linen. The art on the walls is original—a watercolor of sparrows in muted tones, a panel of delicately carved black lacquer depicting waves and leaves. The furniture is oak, all right angles and brass fittings, and the bedside lamps look like lanterns. The bathrooms feature skylights, rain showers, and deep teak soaking tubs.

Hotel guests get first dibs on reservations at Nobu restaurant, just two doors down. If that seems too far away, you can get Nobu food delivered to your room: think scallop tiradito, salmon sashimi, and smoked duck with cherry and hibiscus. Another highlight of a stay here are the well being experiences, including yoga with partner studio ALO and an affiliation with Malibu Fit Concierge that offers private fitness classes and guided hikes.

Nobu has partnered with Surf Air to transport guests from various cities in California and Texas. Surf Air flies small planes out of regional airports (if you’re coming from the Bay Area, for example, it’s a 90-minute ride). A car in L.A. takes you on the 40 minute ride north on the scenic Pacific Coast Highway.

Obletter is Munich‘s largest toy store, and with over 16,000 toys it will delight both adults and children alike. The multi-level store has model trains, cars, and airplanes of all price ranges. It’s also a great place to purchase wooden toys, puppets or Steiff teddy bears, which Germany is famous for. Each level has a different theme, and it’s worth exploring all of them.

A novel way to combine great food with a classic city tour, the double-decker Crystal Bus provides delicious sightseeing. Nibble Chinese dim sum prepared by the restaurant One Dim Sum (which was awarded a Michelin star in 2012), while driving past more than 20 of Hong Kong’s most famous sites (and stopping at one for photos), from the Hong Kong clock tower to the 1881 Heritage Building, a 197-foot-high Ferris wheel, and Portland Street, the city’s famous red-light district, known for its neon. Each tour—one at lunch goes from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island and another at teatime from Kowloon to New Territories—lasts about 2.5 hours. Both start at No. 7 Hankow Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, in Kowloon.

A stunning bay with little development, Soliman Bay is great if you want to get away from it all. Head to Chamico’s for a delicious whole fried fish and a strech of sand all to yourself.

This family-run bakery has been making cantucci (what you might know as biscotti) for decades. The clan’s patriarch, Roberto, mixes and rolls everything by hand in the back, using a recipe that he knows by heart—ask, and he will happily show you the original recipe, now splattered with egg whites and cocoa. Roberto’s delicate cantucci are far from the tooth-cracking kind sold at many places. If you are really lucky, a fresh batch of the dark-chocolate-and-pistachio variety may have just been pulled out of the oven when you arrive.

A local institution, the Lobster Pot serves up its crustacean namesakes, among other Caribbean delicacies, on a vista-blessed seaside deck. If you can, arrive at sunset for the nightly tarpon feeding (much more engrossing in person than you’d imagine). And even if you don’t get there exactly at the appointed hour, you can still spot these giants as they continue to patrol the dramatically floodlit waters off the restaurant’s deck for leftovers. As you take in the view, you’ll be eating the likes of lobster-and-mango salad, lobster bisque, or lobster sautéed in a tomatoey, peppery blend and served with fried plantains, rice, and beans.

One of the most charming towns we visited during our May trip to Italy was Pienza, situated in Tuscany between Montepulciano and Montalcino (also worth a visit if you’re in the area). Pienza is best known for its delicious pecorino cheeses, arguably the best of which is its “sotto cenere,” or “under ashes,” variety, produced between October and July and seasoned for up to two months to develop its distinctive flavor. Another reason to visit Pienza is its incredible, prototypically-Tuscan postcard views of the rolling hills, cypress trees and rustic estates in the Val d’Orcia surrounding the town. When visiting Pienza, make sure to bring your appetite - between its rich cheeses, delicious meats and bold wines, Pienza is a culinary treat!

This charming Swabian town is deservedly popular for its vibrant atmosphere, handsome castle, and medieval center, which boasts winding, cobbled lanes and half-timbered town houses joined by narrow alleyways. The key sights include the Stiftskirche St. Georg, a late-Gothic church with stained glass windows and city views from its tower; the delightfully yellow Hölderlin Tower, which will reopen as a museum in 2020 and is best viewed from across the river; the striking 15th-century City Hall, with its painted facade and astronomical clock; and, of course, the turreted Hohentübingen Castle, set attractively on a hilltop and home to the Museum of Ancient Cultures. The town is also famous for its university, which is one of Europe’s oldest. It’s attended by a large number of students (about 20,000), who add to Tübingen’s lively spirit by filling the sidewalk cafés, restaurants, wine taverns, and pubs.

This urban icon started as a hippie food truck housed in a surf shop parking lot on Vancouver Island. It has since blossomed into three restaurants, two burrito bars, a taco joint, and two food trucks, located everywhere from Hastings-Sunrise and Yaletown to Gastown and the Financial District. Chef Stefan Hartmann, who once ran a Michelin-starred restaurant in Berlin, now captains these elevated spots along with founder Jason Sussman. Expect nuanced options like chorizo-kale, pork al pastor with pineapple, and chicken with pickled vegetables, all on soft wheat tortillas for six to seven dollars. Also noteworthy are the meat-free dishes like “vegetable scrapple”—a delicious fritter of squash and chickpeas, topped with herbed tomatoes. And don’t overlook the octopus tostada—Tacofino not only sources seafood sustainably but also participates in Vancouver’s Climate Smart program and is working toward being a zero-waste business.