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Stop to think about it for a minute, and the fact that El Salvador has a robust museum and gallery scene is pretty amazing. For one thing, the country is still recovering—psychologically and financially—from a civil war that lasted more than a decade; art could easily be an afterthought in such a context. But it’s not, and it’s through the country’s contemporary art that you can learn and understand much more about El Salvador’s complex history.

An evening out in Florence often kicks off at around 7pm with an aperitivo and there are plenty of great bars in the city to choose from. The drink of choice for many Florentines is a Spritz, a refreshing mix of prosecco and either Campari or bright orange Aperol, a similar but sweeter concoction. In many bars, a serve-yourself buffet of hot and cold snacks is included in the price of your aperitivo setting you up for your evening entertainment of choice.

Berlin: Off the Wall

The weekly RAW Flohmarkt (flea market) occurs every Sunday in between the abandoned warehouses and parking lots along Revaler Strasse. The area is also home to several of Berlin‘s best nightclubs, but Sunday mornings and afternoons see a different sort of visitor: an influx of bargain-hunters and antique-dealers. Look for knickknacks, clothing, and other used goods. There are some stalls selling coffee and warm snacks & crepes during the colder months.

Not long ago, the flat whites served in Darwin were a little too flat. The city hadn’t yet been swept up in the coffee craze that’s taken Darwin’s cosmopolitan cousins by storm. But the beards, bikes, and baristas have arrived, and with them local roasters, single-origin beans, filtered pour overs, and cold brews—a godsend in the sweaty summer. From a garden oasis to a cafe serious about sweets, here’s where travelers can find the best coffee in Darwin.

With the temperature sitting pretty around 75 degrees at all times, walking around Medellín is pure pleasure. To get a deeper understanding of the history of and life in Colombia, don’t miss the Museo Casa de la Memoria, which recounts Colombia’s brutal civil war. After, head to the Parque de los Pies Descalzos, where you get to kick off your shoes and, like all the other kids and adults, run through fountains. For a stellar view, hop a Metrocable car to the neighborhood of Santo Domingo.

It’s time to experience island time at your own pace, with your toes in the sand and a cocktail in hand. Sip a happy-hour rum concoction at a beach bar, watch the sun go down with a glass of wine at an open-air bar, or sip a cold local beer while dancing the night away to live music—in the sand.

Germany’s oldest and most famous university town, Heidelberg is known for its striking Old Town, beautiful setting on the Neckar River, and evocative hilltop castle. Destroyed by French troops in the 1690s, rebuilt during the 18th century, and miraculously unscathed during World War II, it’s proved a source of inspiration for everyone from Goethe to William Turner to Mark Twain. Equally romantic is the surrounding valley, full of forests, fortresses, castles, and charming villages like Bad Wimpfen.

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

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

This place is in the middle of nowhere in Southern Albania. There is no bus stop. You just have to motion to the driver to pull over at the side of the road when you see a promising looking dirt trail. You take that trail off the main road, all the time assuming that you couldn’t possibly be in the right place. And then, almost inexplicably, there is a sign for the Blue Eye and a guard, sitting in a booth along the road. He’ll collect a few coins from you, and then you keep walking. If you’re lucky, a truck driver or local tourist will pick you up along the stretch of windy, dusty road that weaves along the side of a body of water that gets ever clearer as you move along. At the end of the trek, you’ll find the clearest, bluest water you’ve ever seen, and if you’re lucky you’ll be able to eat on the little floating deck they’ve installed in the river that flows out of the Eye. The restaurant serves heaping plates of lamb ribs, grilled over charcoal and big bottles of cold Albanian beer, all for a few dollars. A short walk up a dirt path from the restaurant lies the main destination: a coldwater spring of unknown depth and unbelievable color that bubbles up into a green little grotto. It’s often too cold and fast for a swim, but it’s refreshing to put your feet into and beautiful to hang around. There is also a small hotel for people who want to spend the night or can’t manage to catch a bus onward before nightfall.

A family-owned ceramics studio, Cerámica Suro opened in the 1950s to manufacture wares for luxury hotels. When José Noé Suro, the son of the original owner, took over the factory, he invited some of his artist friends to collaborate on projects and began producing dinnerware for some of Mexico’s top restaurants. Today, visits to the factory are by appointment only; contact Journey Mexico to schedule a tour.

The studio recently moved to the art gallery, House of Gaga (October 2023 update).

We decided one weekend to go to Ypres to see the war memorials and cemeteries and did some research about it, and it looked great as far as architecture goes but when we got there is was just amazing. I new the Cloth Hall will be impressive but to stand next to it it’s something else. The Cloth Hall of Ypres, Belgium, was one of the largest commercial buildings of the Middle Ages, when it served as the main market and warehouse for the Flemish city’s prosperous cloth industry. The original structure, erected mainly in the 13th century and completed 1304, lay in ruins after artillery fire devastated Ypres in World War I. Between 1933 and 1967, the hall was meticulously reconstructed to its prewar condition, under the guidance of architects J. Coomans and P.A. Pauwels. At 125 metres in breadth, with a 70-metre-high belfry tower, the Cloth Hall recalls the importance and wealth of the medieval trade city.

Brussels’ parks are all beautiful in the autumn (when it’s not raining, that is), but I have a particular affinity for Park Royale or Brussels Park (also called Parc de Bruxelles in French and Warandepark in Dutch). Nothing signals autumn in Brussels like crunching through the leaves and kicking fallen chestnuts in Brussels Park. This small park sits between the Royal Palace and the Belgian Parliament buildings and is a favourite of office workers at lunchtime. Joggers circle the park’s perimeter and dog-walkers stroll the shady pathways. The park was built in the late 1700s, where the gardens of the former Palace of Coudenberg once stood. Dotted around the park are various statues and fountains and a beautiful cast iron bandstand. Park Royale is also home to concerts and art installations throughout the year.

At Salt Water Farm, students return to the land—and the sea—to learn forage, fillet, and feast.