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Pearl restaurant is a short, ten-minute walk along the water from the Fairmont Hamilton Princess. Its second-story location—above the Port o’ Call restaurant—provides views over the harbor, but you may find that the sushi and the sake cocktails here command your attention. “This is the place to go for melt-in-your-mouth sushi,” according to Rebecca. “My favorite is the Rockfish Usuzukuri which comes with red onion, pink ginger, and a rice wine vinegar and chili oil reduction. It is pure heaven! After dinner, stop at the Port o’ Call downstairs for a drink. It’s a perfect and popular Friday night itinerary.”

The Avenida da Liberdade in Lisbon is the wide avenue in the center of town. After the earthquake of 1755, the Minister Pombal designed the new Lisbon and for the main avenue, he used the Champs Elysees in Paris as his model. This is a beautiful street with small side streets lined with trees. There are many upscale stores, boutiques, and hotels lining the avenue. As you stroll along you notice an unusual feature.You look down and see the unique black and white tiles in all sorts of patterns. All of the main and side streets in Lisbon have these tiles. I am always fascinated with the complicated designs. If you are lucky, you’ll get to see workmen replacing missing tiles. It seems as though this is a daily occurrence. You don’t want to drive in Lisbon. It’s too busy and the buses, metro, elevators, and ancient trolleys are much more fun. Buy a Lisboa Card and the transportation is usually free. You can look up your choice of transportation in the booklet that you get when you make your purchase. Any information center sells the card. Information centers are indicated on maps of the city. Pick one up at the desk at your hotel. Strolling down the Avenida with it’s tiles is something that makes me feel happy. Can’t wait to go again to this beautiful, ancient, European, capital city.

Less than two hours from Barcelona, in car or via TEISA buses (during the week), La Fageda is a leafy green wonderland after too much time spent in Barcelona’s hectic city center. This beech forest is unique, growing at a much lower altitude than usual for the Iberian Peninsula.In the fall, the vivid red leaves on the trees are especially stunning. No motor vehicles are allowed in the forest itself, but you can hike, bike-ride, or explore the reserve on horseback or even in a horse and buggy for a reasonable fee (reserve ahead). Inside the reserve, visit La Fageda’s dairy farm--you can learn about how the yogurt and ice-cream is made (in Catalan or Spanish), pet the calves, and taste some of La Fageda’s products. Beyond la Fageda, in the larger area of La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park, there are volcanoes, Olot and Sant Feliu de Pallerols’ old towns, and a medieval castle to see, as well as numerous routes for hiking, biking and horseback riding.

Avalon Hotel is situated in the very center of town, opposite the covered market, on a site formerly occupied by a vegetable market. When the neighboring house was destroyed in a fire and the location was up for development, Avalon was born. The hotel has a modern, artistic look with Nordic simplicity and bold colors. The 101 rooms are decorated in a style that combines the strict Scandinavian aesthetic with a more artistic coloring. Twenty-four of the rooms have an open bath—integrated with the rest of the room, so you can watch TV while taking a bath—and three of them have their own gym. One of the first things you notice about the hotel is the turquoise pool that looks like it’s going to fall off the roof. That belongs to the top-floor penthouse suite, but you can access the pool and have a swim while overlooking the streets below even without booking the room, since the pool is open for all guests in the afternoon. And the outdoor street-level terrace is a good place for an afternoon drink in the sun or a long summer lunch.

Each time I see the Barra or Aveiro Light on the Barra Beach, I marvel at its beauty and strength. The lighthouse is located on a barrier beach on its Atlantic side where Atlantic storms are frequent and powerful. The light is an active light and the lighthouse is a round tower with red and white paint decorating its 203 feet making it the tallest lighthouse in Portugal. The majestic Farol da Barra was built from 1885 - 1893. It was commissioned in 1893. In 1958 an elevator was installed. (There are also 291 steps on the spiral stairway). In 1990, the light was automated. This historic light is something you want to see while in the Aveiro area. It is open to the public so you can visit and climb the light and enjoy the views. There are some nice restaurants on the promenade. The beach is great... a vacation spot that feels like a party in the Summer ( late Spring,and Fall are great , too). There are hotels and condo rentals available. This is another super historic lighthouse. A great attraction for you to experience.

Mount Royal Park starts at the edge of the city just beyond the McGill campus and runs alongside neighborhoods like Plateau before rising to the top of 764-foot-tall Mount Royal (Mont Réal), the hill that gives the city its name. The twisting roads and paths of this crown jewel of Montréal’s park system were initially laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York’s Central Park. While Olmsted’s plan was not followed in all its details, the final result was true to his vision of a woody park that takes advantage of the site’s hilly topography. There are two belvederes with views of the city skyline and the St. Lawrence River, and one of Montréal’s iconic landmarks, a 103-foot-high cross, sits at its northern end. The park is most popular in summer, but residents flock here in every season, to enjoy the colorful foliage in the fall and the cross-country ski trails and toboggan runs in the winter.

The weather may stay mild and snow may not fall from the sky, but Christmas still arrives in a big way to downtown St Petersburg. By the day after Thanksgiving, bayfront North Straub Park is all decked out with animated light displays, sparkle lights, and the town Christmas tree. The tree is officially lit on the Friday evening after turkey day (at 7pm) Located off of Beach Drive and overlooking the Vinoy Yacht Basin, North Straub Park becomes a winter wonderland complete with skating rink, Santa, the City Christmas Tree and for one afternoon (usually the first weekend in December) SNOW!!! Brought in by the truckload, it gives the chance to Florida kids to play in the snow. Around the same day as the snowfest, the City of St Pete hosts the annual Santa Parade which starts on Central Ave and ends at North Straub Park. Last but not least, the St Pete Rotary Club sponsors the annual Illuminated Boat Parade, (this year on December 14th). Scores of boats of all sizes load up on lights, reindeer, inflatable santas, and boom boxes blasting out holiday cheer. Locals bring beach chairs and sit along the waterfront to watch the cheery parade.

Set on the banks of White Rock Lake, this 66-acre sanctuary offers scenic trails, blooming gardens, and peaceful green spaces for when you want some quiet time with nature—plus kids’ areas, holiday events, and a packed calendar of festivals and concerts for when it’s time for something a bit livelier. Take in the vibrant hues of the Jonsson Color Garden, Crape Myrtle Allee, and gardens dedicated to roses and camellias, or do some contemplating in the Palmer Fern Dell or the McCasland Sunken Garden. Opened in 2017, A Tasteful Place is a 3.5-acre garden focusing on fruit, veggies, and edible herbs and flowers; tastings, demo, nutrition sessions, and cooking classes are held throughout the year. Don’t miss some of the main section’s events, too, such as the annual Dallas Blooms fest and summer concert series.

After falling in love with Salvador Dali at his museum in Figueres, we caught one of three buses out to the cliffside town of Cadaques where you can get to know Dali a bit more intimately by touring his house. Full of odds and ends, including mini cages where he kept crickets and a polar bear draped in jewels, his house also includes spectacular views (including this one) of the serene Port Lligat. Tips: You must book tickets in advance to tour his house, and double-check the bus schedules because there are only three buses per day that go from Figueres - Cadaques and back.

Named after dishwasher-turned-James-Beard-Award-winning-superstar-chef Hugo Ortega, Hugo’s is a Montrose mainstay. Hugo’s is housed in a 1925 art deco building by Houston architect Joseph Finger. Here, the dishes dive deep into Mexico’s rich culinary heritage, like fall-off-the-bone tender garlic-marinated goat and lechón (roast pork) with crackling, crispy skin. But save room for dessert—options include churros stuffed with dulce de leche and flan topped with tangy passion fruit glaze, candied pistachios, strawberries, and whipped cream.

Originally constructed in 1886, the building for this elegant five-room boutique inn went through a few different iterations as a private home and a small hospital before earning its National Historic status in the 1970s. But about 50 years ago when the hospital shut down, it fell into disrepair. Enter new owners Dina and Richard Dwyer. World travelers themselves, the Dwyers brought their expertise in design and construction and spent about four years renovating the building, which they opened in fall 2018. The property has an onsite pool, an outdoor fire pit, and is a short walk to shops and restaurants in downtown Calistoga. Guest rooms are elegant, with plenty of natural light, and bathrooms feature high-tech Toto toilets—all wonderful to return to after a day exploring Napa Valley. Breakfasts are a delight, too: ingredients are fresh (you might even get some herbs from their garden!) and Dina takes pride in highlighting local and regional purveyors. The beautifully appointed living and dining room—as well as Richard and Dina’s welcoming hospitality—will make travelers feel right at home.

Along with South Africa’s winelands, the Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve falls within the Cape Floral Kingdom—a small but incredibly diverse area that’s home to 5,000 plant species that can’t be found anywhere else on earth. In the reserve, walking and hiking trails wind past the myriad flora and fauna, leading up to some of the best vantage points for admiring the beauty of the Franschhoek Valley and beyond. The Breakfast Trail is a relatively flat, 1.2-mile walk that can be completed in under an hour or used as a jumping off point for other, more strenuous hikes, like the Vista Trail and Dutoitskop. If you make it to the top of the Vista Trail on a clear day, you might catch a glimpse of Lion’s Head and Table Mountain.

Permits for entering the reserve must be purchased online in advance. If you’re planning a full-day excursion, swing by De Warenmarkt Deli in Stellenbosch or the Franschhoek Market (Saturdays only) and pick up some snacks to keep you energized while you hike.

When one of the world’s most famous chefs falls in love with one of France’s most picturesque villages, the result can only be La Bastide de Moustiers. After chancing upon Moustiers-Ste-Marie, Alain Ducasse promptly bought a secluded seven-room home, which he later turned into an inn and Michelin-starred restaurant. Complete with charming rooms, an idyllic garden, a shady terrace, and a serene pool area, the inn is more than worthy of an overnight, but guests really come here for the restaurant. The three- and four-course menus change depending on what’s fresh in La Bastide’s vegetable garden, but often include such delicacies as tomato sorbet, stuffed zucchini flowers, and seasonal ratatouille. Whether you sit in front of the majestic walnut fireplace in Le Salon Voyage en Asie, or amid local pottery in Le Salon des Arts Décoratifs, you’re in for a magical meal. The restaurant also features a room for private groups and a salon with a single table for couples, making it perfect for celebrating a special occasion.

Over the past few years, the Catskills region has been heating up with boutique lodgings that make it easy to soak in fresh mountain air in style. One such spot is Eastwind, a 1920s bunkhouse with 16 cozy, Scandinavian-inspired rooms (think reclaimed-wood flooring, Turkish rugs, Frette linens, and en-suite baths with farmhouse sinks and walk-in showers). For those who prefer to commune more closely with nature, the hotel also offers three minimalist, A-frame glamping cabins with private fire pits, as well as a hot tub and sauna for soothing steams after a day spent hiking Kaaterskill Falls or swishing down the slopes of nearby Windham Mountain. Each morning, guests can enjoy an impressive breakfast spread of pastries, eggs, make-your-own crêpes, and more in the bar-cum-living-room, equipped with a communal table, velvet armchairs, and a wood-burning fireplace. Come evening, they can return to the same space for expertly made cocktails and games like chess and backgammon.

Leading the charge for independent bookstores since it opened in 1970, Book People is legendary for creativity and a strong calendar of events. The store holds frequent author signings—and we’re talking big authors—and book club meetings for all manner of book genres. Those who can’t get to Austin can sign up for a subscription service called Trust Fall in which a new book, handpicked by the staff, arrives in the mail a few times a year. Kids are a special focus here: The store publishes a blog written by its own “teen press corps” and collaborates with librarians around the state to hold the annual Texas Teen Book Festival. Book lovers should not miss visiting this stalwart home of literature, and handily, it’s open a lot: 9 a.m.–11 p.m. every day but Thanksgiving.