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For decades, Québec was viewed by many Canadians, and even many Québecois, as a conservative, traditional, and rural part of the country that was falling behind other provinces that were looking optimistically toward the future. Those are the years that would come to be known as the Grande Noirceur, or the Great Darkness. In 1959, Maurice Duplessis, known for his staunch Catholicism as well as fierce anti-Communist and anti-union policies, died, and he was followed by Liberal governments that led the so-called Quiet Revolution. Québec would emerge from this period as a decidedly cosmopolitan and socially liberal province. The Expo 1967 and the 1976 Olympic Games in Montréal proved to be key moments in which newly transformed Québec introduced itself to the world, and the buildings from both had huge impacts on the cityscape. The Olympic Park’s stadium, designed by French architect Roger Taillibert, is still used for sporting events as well as concerts. The inclined tower on the site has an observatory with sweeping city views. You can explore on your own, though there are also guided tours that provide an introduction to the architectural and engineering innovations of the Olympic Park’s buildings.

The sprawling site of the 1992 Olympic Games is worth the trip to Montjuïc. You will see the Palau Sant Jordi, an indoor sports complex, the Picornell swimming pools, and most famously, the Olympic Stadium Lluís Companys, built in 1929 in a bid to host the 1936 games (the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War scuttled that chance). Tour the refurbished 55,000-seat stadium, which now hosts big musical acts and soccer competitions, and visit the Olympic and Sports Museum next door. A vast esplanade lined with curious columns that resemble smokestacks is one of the area’s most distinguishing features, as is Santiago Calatrava’s soaring all-white communications tower with its needle-shaped spire.

Some six kilometers (four miles) outside of the center of town, a cartographer’s concept is given a physical expression at Macapá’s most visited attraction. This monument marking where the equator passes through the city consists of a 30-meter-tall (98-foot-tall) tower with a large open circle at its top. Twice a year, at the spring and fall equinoxes, the sun aligns with that circle, focusing a line of sunlight along the equator. The raucous music you may hear in the soccer stadium next to the monument may be from one of the samba competitions held there regularly. If you are traveling out to the monument for a quick photo op, we suggest asking your cab to wait for you.

Just north of Downtown L.A., the green neighborhood and parkland of Elysian Park, the oldest municipal park in the city, is a spot seldom trafficked by tourists. In fact, its impressive hiking trails are usually crowd-free. In a city of 4 million, it’s not easy to find quiet, solitary space, but Elysian Park offers just that. The paths are moderate, and the elevation is enough to get some pretty prime views of Downtown to the south as well as Dodger Stadium, which the park hugs on three sides. But for most of the trek, it’ll be just you, the trail, and the thick surrounding trees and foliage—an unusual sight amid L.A.'s sprawling urban jungle.

If you’ve ventured to this complex only for the annual Texas State Fair, you’re missing out—there’s much more to this National Historic Landmark. Spread out over 277 acres east of downtown, Fair Park does have fairground roots (it was built in 1886 for the Dallas State Fair), but by the early 1900s, it had become the city’s second public park. Its time in the spotlight came in 1936 when, in preparation for the arrival of the Texas Centennial Exposition, the city built a number of art deco buildings throughout the grounds. Set around the peaceful Leonhardt Lagoon, several of these structures have been restored in recent years, and continue to serve as prime examples of the deco style. Both these original buildings and a few newer additions now house notable cultural institutions, including the African American Museum, dedicated to works by African American artists; the Hall of State, operated by the Dallas Historical Society; and the Texas Discovery Gardens, focusing on native horticulture. There are also several performance venues—from the 5,000-seat Fair Park Band Shell amphitheater to the Music Hall at Fair Park, home to the annual Dallas Summer Musicals series—as well as the Cotton Bowl stadium, which hosts the annual rivalry game between the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma. The Texas Skyway is an art deco–styled gondola ride that whisks you 65 feet aboveground, while the Texas Star is one of the largest Ferris wheels in the country. But of course, the arrival of Big Tex and his gang is still the park’s biggest draw: Each fall, the grounds are transformed into the lively, 24-day State Fair, with rides, games, livestock competitions, countless spots to eat and drink, live music, and more—all watched over by the iconic 55-foot grinning cowboy.

Baseball had nothing to do with the naming of Fenway Park: The stadium gets its moniker from the nearby Back Bay Fens, a stretch of saltwater marsh in the heart of Boston that was landscaped into a park by Frederick Law Olmsted. The Fens are among the wilder parts of the Emerald Necklace, 1,100 acres of parklands running from the Charles River to Brookline that include familiar spaces like the Boston Common and Boston Public Garden but also less-traveled (by visitors, anyway) sections like Olmsted Park, Jamaica Pond, the Arnold Arboretum, and Franklin Park. The arboretum, part of Harvard University and established in 1872, is one of Olmsted’s most unaltered terrains, with paths running up and around 261 acres of woodland interspersed with a curated collection of trees, plants, shrubs, and vines native to New England.

Constructed in the 17th century but heavily modified a century later, this castle—actually more of a fortress—lords over Montjuïc hill. Its use as a military bastion spans from the 1600s to the mid-1800s, when Barcelona experienced a number of government insurgencies. It was later used as a prison and execution site for anarchists—most notoriously during the Franco regime, when the exiled president of Catalonia, Lluís Companys, was killed there by a firing squad in 1940. Today it’s a museum tracing the castle’s long military history. A platform atop the castle’s parade ground provides excellent views of the city and harbor below. Castle admission is free on Sundays after 3 p.m.

The “beautiful game” is dear to most Chileans’ hearts—you’ll even hear stories of families who could not afford a real ball and so fashioned one from layers of old pantyhose. Regardless of where the ball comes from, there is no limit to the enthusiasm with which locals embrace their national sport. When the Chilean national team is playing an international match, busy streets go quiet and a cab is impossible to find, but you’ll hear shouts erupt in unison from thousands of windows in a countrywide goal celebration. Julio Martínez Prádanos National Stadium can hold nearly 50,000 spectators; if you want a real sense of the game as experienced a la chilena, buy cheap tickets and find someone who can translate hilarious and highly off-color chants that fans spontaneously invent to goad or humiliate the opponent.

The Twin Cities are known for their extensive downtown Skyway systems, blocks of climate-controlled covered footbridges that connect buildings and allow residents (and visitors) to comfortably navigate the area anytime of year. Hubs of indoor shopping, dining and business are connected to major museums and sport stadiums, making foul weather a fool’s excuse.

I usually think of tea when it comes to Japan, but one visit to Ogawa changed my mind. Aside from the gorgeous latte art they are known for, this artisan coffee house from Kyoto is committed to the perfection of the beverage through sourcing, roasting and preparation. As soon as you walk in the door, the aroma is enough to give you your afternoon fix. I loved their stadium seating for a unique change of pace and they also offer interesting sandwiches and Japanese snacks in addition to beans. Try the Single Origin Trio, three small cups of single origin coffee served side by side for a bit of caffeine heaven.

Camel racing is a big deal in Qatar. So big that there is TV channel dedicated exclusively to the transmission of camel races, local and abroad. Camel racing at Al-Shahaniya racing track, located one hour’s drive north of downtown Doha, is in full swing from November to February during which period, domestic and international tournaments are held. Even if there are no races, visitors are welcome to stop by the track every day at 9:30 am or around 5:30 pm when the camels are taken to the arena for practice. Around the racetrack, there is a virtual camel city and visitors are welcome to visit nearby camel stables. Although there is shaded seating in the grandstand, visitors can do as locals do and follow the race by driving their cars along the paved road which runs parallel to the 10-km track. A visit to the Al-Shahaniya camel racetrack is a unique opportunity to admire the best groomed and some of the most expensive camels on the planet, some of which are worth as much as one million Qatari riyals. To get there from Doha, take the Al Rayyan road and drive West until the Al-Rayyan football stadium, at which point the road changes its name into Dukhan Highway. Keep driving west for about an hour. The track is well sign posted.

The Sports Dome at Aspire Academy is not any sports facility; it holds a Guinness World Record for being the largest indoor multi-purpose sports dome in the world making the site a favorite with sports and architecture enthusiasts. The Aspire Dome, with its distinctive sloping roof, is an imposing free-standing, 46-meter-high structure that houses a football stadium, a track-and-field arena, a swimming stadium, eight fencing pistes, two sports halls, three martial arts arenas, 13 table tennis courts and two squash courts. The massive blue dome adjoins the Aspire academy and it’s located within walking distance to the Villaggio Mall. The dome’s architecture is so spectacular that the IOC/IAKS (the most important international architecture prizes for sports, leisure and recreational facilities) granted it a Distinction Award.

Discover majestic whale sharks, gorges, and more on this seven-day itinerary for a spectacular coastal drive through Western Australia.

Travel to southern Argentina, the gateway to “the seventh continent,” for a trip that spans the wine and tango of Buenos Aires and a bona fide polar expedition—with a world-famous waterfalls finale.