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This modish spot steps from Bellevue is a hit for its enticing cakes and excellent coffee, but its savory menu shouldn’t be missed; there are simple, superb salads and great flammekuchen. Consider yourself warned though: service can be frustratingly slow.

Gialova Lagoon is a birder’s paradise, home to over 270 species on account of its shallow waters and abundance of fish and plants. It’s Greece‘s southernmost major wetland and the only place in Europe where you can see the African chameleon. The lagoon is part of the Natura 2000 network, a group of ecological important protected areas in the European Union. Between September and May is the best time to visit Gialova Lagoon, as fall and spring are migration periods and winter is great for spotting eagles, herons, and bitterns. For a guided experience on foot or by bike, Navarino Outdoors offers a variety of Gialova Lagoon tours.

At this Michelin-starred restaurant, food is a performance art and the results deserve a standing ovation. That said, this is Prague, so although the food and presentation are comparable to other first-class dining experiences in Europe, the vibe and the service isn’t stuffy at all. At La Degustation Boheme Bourgeoise, the ingredients sourced from local producers, are based on the recipes penned by the famous 19th-century cookbook writer, Marie B. Svobodová, author of Cookery School. The eight-course menu is punctuated by interstitial amuse bouches and paired with Central European, French, and Italian wines, as well as cucumber, sour cherry, and red currant juice; recent menu courses include beetroot with licorice goat kefir, kohlrabi with whey and nutmeg, and duck with pear and cinnamon.

Once upon a time, Europe (mostly Switzerland, France, Belgium, and the UK) dominated the chocolate market and through aggressive marketing and downright colonialist extraction methods, became erroneously known for being the world’s experts on cacao, yet cacao came from South and Central America and didn’t grow anywhere near Europe. Recent years have seen the best chocolate rightfully return to the source where it originated—Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela, where a boom of quality chocolate has replaced reimported European milk chocolate sold to those cacao producing countries for generations. But Switzerland is back in the game with this excellent new chocolate shop by local food expert Dieter Meier and his patented cold pressed extraction method that brings out the botanicals and nuances of these sourced cacaos in ways other chocolate manufactures cannot. The results are Cuban, Bolivian, and Guatemalan single bean bars ranging from white to 80% dark that are unlike anything else on the market. The tiny shop overlooking the Limmat River opened in December 2017 and is not cheap, but worth every rappen for its exquisite expression of flavors.

Ludwig museums crop up frequently throughout Europe—the Ludwigs were avid German art collectors who were also generous enough to make large donations and establish institutions in places like Cologne since the late 1980s—and Budapest is no exception. The collection of this particular Ludwig Museum, like the others, focuses on art made since the 1960s. Unlike the others, it has a decidedly Hungarian focus. Rotating exhibitions feature much avant-garde and often Eastern European art not easily or often seen elsewhere. The museum itself, which is situated inside the Müpa complex, is an airy, unadorned space to view the works.

Visiting at least one of the five museums that make up Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a must for any serious culture-seeker in Berlin. A pioneering concept, this ensemble of public institutions brimming with exquisite artworks and historical artifacts traces its origin back to 1810 and King Friedrich Wilhelm III’s decision to open a museum for his personal collection of royal treasures. Today, the original Altes Museum—located opposite the former Royal Palace—is joined by the Pergamon Museum, with its jaw-dropping Middle Eastern antiquities; the Neues Museum and its treasures from ancient Egypt; the Alte Nationalgalerie’s collection of 19th-century European masters; and the Bode Museum, which hosts one of Europe’s most important sculpture collections.

Prague’s National Gallery is located in eight distinctive buildings and palaces throughout the city, each one dedicated to particular periods, spanning from medieval times to the 21st century. The collection was begun in 1796 by a group of nobles and intellections and has grown to include 400,000 works of art today. In Veletrzni Palace, you’ll find Czech and European art from the 19th century to today, includin a comprehensive collection of works by František Kupka, Czech cubism, plus works by Rodin, Gaugin, Van Gogh, Lichtenstein, and Picasso. The art of Asia and the ancient Mediterranean is exhibited at the Kinsky Palace while the Sternberg Palace showcases European art from antiquity through the Baroque period.

After strolling through the Prague Castle complex and seeing the Cathedral and square, the traveler is further rewarded with a beautiful view of the city from a high point. Parts of Lesser Town can be seen among the sea of red-orange rooftops and greenery.

Ideally situated on the cusp between major financial, retail, and historic districts is the Westin Chosun Seoul. Built during the Japanese occupation of Korea, the hotel survived through World War II and is the oldest in the country. Originally the Chosun Hotel, it was designed by German architectural firm Goetheland. Constructed in 1914, the European-style building was unique among its distinctly Asian counterparts. The Chosun was known for opulence and imported luxury goods from Europe and North America: a crystal chandelier from Tiffany’s in New York, silver dining utensils from Germany, and linens from Ireland. The hotel was also the first in Korea to build an elevator, host a ballroom dance, and serve ice cream. Most of the original building was demolished in 1970, and the modern hotel was rebuilt in its stead. Fortunately, the view hasn’t changed in a century. The hotel overlooks the picturesque Hwangudan Temple (“Temple of Heaven”).

The former residence of Napoleon Bonaparte’s grandnephew, on a hill leading down to the Seine next to the Trocadéro, has been converted into this striking palace hotel whose airy, light-filled spaces by Pierre-Yves Rochon showcase European Empire and minimalist Asian decorative influences in a manner some French traditionalists find refreshing, others eccentric. The location is a bit of a desert when it comes to shopping and dining. However, culture-minded guests love the cluster of less touristy beacons within a two-block radius.

Many rooms in the Shangri-La Paris have unimpeded views of the river, and some have Eiffel Tower views from the bathtub. The second-floor historic rooms, with alabaster columns, stained-glass windows, and coats of arms bearing bees and “B” for Bonaparte, have become a popular venue for society baptisms.

Native American history comes alive at this re-creation of a Cherokee village that’s designed to replicate life in 1760, when European contact begins to negatively affect the tribe. Visitors experience life and witness skills that have been passed down for generations, including traditional canoe hulling, basket weaving, clay pottery making and traditional medicinal practices using plants native to the Smokies. The village consists of earthen trails through replicas of Cherokee huts, and the day is punctuated by live reenactments, including dances and ceremonies as the tribe prepares for war with the European invaders. After a day at Oconaluftee, stay for Unto These Hills, a dramatic retelling of the Cherokee story from contact with the Spanish in 1540 to the Trail of Tears under President Andrew Jackson to the reemergence of the tribe as it exists today.

You wouldn’t know it from walking the streets of Hongkou today, but this Shanghai neighborhood once was home to more than 20,000 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe. Shanghai before and during World War II was a safe harbor for European Jews, although by 1943, with the city under Japanese control, most were forced to live in what was called the Restricted Sector for Stateless Refugees, aka the Shanghai Ghetto. The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum is on the site of the former Ohel Moshe Synagogue, built in 1927 and one of two remaining synagogues in Shanghai (the other is Ohel Rachel in Jing’an). The museum’s exhibits showcase historical artifacts, among them a number of photographs, refugee passports, and copies of the newspaper Shanghai Jewish Chronicle.

Prague is one of Europe’s centers of culture, but it was without a proper contemporary art center for far too long. In 2008 the DOX Centre for Contemporary Art opened, with exhibits of provoking art, educational and cultural events, and a mission to encourage critical reflection and dialogue through the presentation of works that speak to social issues of the day. The 32,000 square foot building, converted from a former factory by architect Ivan Kroupa, is a work of art in itself. And even if you tried to, you can’t miss Gulliver, a wooden zephyr-like airship that appears to have landed on the roof (it is used for literature-focused events.). Back inside, DOX also boasts one of the city’s best design shops and a cafe.

Visiting the 17th-century Büyük Valide Han in Eminönü is my all-time favorite experience in Istanbul. It’s an Ottoman inn that accommodated traveling merchants over 350 years ago and also stored the Oriental and European wares from the wooden ships moored in the Golden Horn. The han is hidden away in the backstreets of the Spice Bazaar, though got some big-time exposure when featured in a montage in the 007 movie Skyfall. Artisans still make and repair some of Turkey’s well-known handicrafts in the timeworn workshops upstairs, but my favorite feature is the view from the roof. To experience this you need to locate the building off Çakmakçılar Yokuşu. Then go up the steep stairs and say, “Merhaba” (hello) to the craftspeople. If you’re lucky, the caretaker will agree to unlock a door that hides a secret staircase to the roof. Do give him a tip for his kindness and time because the view of the Bosporus, dividing Europe and Asia, is spectacular. A little word of warning: The roof is flat (with some domes), and there are no safety rails—so watch your step. Please respect the history of the building too and collect only memories and leave only your fondness for Istanbul to waft away in the Bosporus breeze.

At Park Hyatt London River Thames, creativity and discovery unfold around you as soon as you enter the lobby. A Charlie Whinney commission inspired by the iconic waterway outside the hotel, Ebb and Flow, welcomes guests. From there, explore a “park by water” art gallery, admiring pieces by more than 20 world-renowned artists throughout the property for a distinctive cultural experience that reflects London’s international appeal. It’s a significantly quieter, more personal journey than you might find at the nearby Tate Modern or other major institutions here, but no less impactful.