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November to April, snowbirds settle in and everyone soaks up Arizona’s sun. But if you want snow, just go up! After golfing or swimming down in the desert, in less than an hour you can be up in Arizona’s mountains skiing among evergreen forests. Traveling to Arizona can mean fleeing from the snow or escaping to seek solace in a quiet white landscape. Take your pick; it’s here waiting for you.

Minsk, the austere capital of Belarus and a former Soviet satellite, harbors Beatles cover bands, bookish bohemians feasting on salo and vodka, and the curious legacy of Lee Harvey Oswald.

Ocho Rios and Jamaica’s north coast offer lagoons, bays, rivers, and waterfalls—and even a drive through a lush fern gorge. Thanks to its resorts and nearby water parks, the Ocho Rios region is popular with families; this part of Jamaica has plenty of outdoor adventures, too. Honeymooners also find their bliss here among luxurious boutique escapes such as GoldenEye and Jamaica Inn.

As any discerning traveller knows, the local markets can tell you more about a place than any tourist office with their collection of pamphlets. In Australia, this is no different. Escape the tourist traps and do it like the locals, picking up edible treasures and keepsakes. From vintage flea markets to undercover produce markets selling anything from smoked meats to ice cream sandwiches, I’ve traipsed (with a French tote on my side) to find the best markets in Australia.

Switzerland’s largest city mixes urban pleasures with lots of natures, most notably Lake Zurich. The Swissôtel’s location near the train station is convenient for business travelers, while 25 Hours Hotel Zurich West offers a business lounge alongside playful local touches such as a kiosk selling Freitag bags. For 5-star service, book the Baur au Lac, set along the lakeshore and close to Zurich’s famous shopping street Bahnhofstrasse. Escape to the fairytale-like Dolder Grand for a true splurge.

Once a fishing village, Negril—Jamaica’s favorite laid-back beach town—is at once a party scene and a romantic escape. Go bar-hopping or beachcombing on Seven Mile Beach (also known as Negril Beach), dine seaside atop dramatic cliffs in the West End of town, swim in nearby waterfalls, explore the vibrant markets, or jam barefoot to live reggae. There’s no place in Jamaica quite like Negril.

From folk art to cowboy boots, San Antonio’s rich history and geography continues to inspire local artisans. There are shopping destinations both enclosed and open air all around the city to please every taste, from the Shops at La Cantera to Blue Star Contemporary Arts and a nearby flea market that features a giant sign shaped like armadillo. Save Sunday mornings for brunch and shopping along the River Walk.

Few entrances are more quintessentially Venetian than the one made gliding up in a boat to the private jetty of the Aman Canal Grande. And few addresses surpass that of the Gritti Palace hotel, located front and center on the Grand Canal in San Marco. For a classic Venice experience, saddle up to Harry’s Bar at Belmond Hotel Cipriani. To escape the crowds of bustling Piazza San Marco book a stay at the Hilton Molino Stucky, just a five-minute boat ride away on Giudecca Island.

What could an Alaska local ever discover on a voyage through the Inside Passage? Just the essence of the place he thought he knew.

It’s becoming harder and harder to leave our work and gadgets behind, even on vacation. But at the following properties, all set in spectacular natural settings, you are practically forced to get away from it all. Designed to blend in with their surroundings—Himalayan valleys, desert craters, private islands—they offer seclusion, quiet, and a chance to detach from your devices, engage with the local culture, and reconnect with yourself.

In search of a flightless, sex-crazed, and rarely seen parrot in a land once ruled by birds.

Nanortalik, which means “the place with polar bears,” is the southernmost town in Greenland, located on an island of the same name. Founded in 1797 as a trading depot at the mouth of Tasermiut Fjord, the town is currently home to approximately 1,000 people. Although the island is named for polar bears, the chance of seeing these furry giants is fairly slim. What you will find, however, is a place of majestic beauty and friendly, welcoming residents. From the nearby Tasermiut Fjord, where rocky summits rise above a narrow glacial inlet, to the Qinngua Valley—the only forest in all of Greenland—Nanortalik is surrounded by natural wonders. Culturally there is just as much to experience. For history buffs, the Nanortalik Museum explores native, Old Norse and European colonial history as it shaped Greenland, with nine historic buildings and the world’s oldest umiak (sealskin boat). To appreciate the richness of Greenland’s traditions, be sure to attend a local choral concert where you’ll hear a unique blend of musical disciplines unlike any you’ve heard before.

A journey into Morocco’s Berber territory, where tradition and modern life meet.

In the city’s once-gritty fishermen’s quarter, a group of activist chefs is reviving—and reinventing—traditional cuisine.