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One of Scotland’s most important stately homes, Scone Palace has a colorful history. It’s believed to have been the capital of the prehistoric Pictish people, who inhabited much of northern Britain in the early centuries B.C.E., and also served as the seat of parliaments and the crowning place of the Kings of Scots, including Macbeth and Robert the Bruce. The palace visitors see today only dates to 1802, though parts of a 17th-century house, erected on top of a 12th-century abbey, remain. The famous Stone of Scone, upon which royalty sat to be crowned, was here until 1296, when it was stolen by Edward I of England (today, it’s housed at Edinburgh Castle).

Visit the castle and tour the main State Rooms, full of everything from porcelain, ivories, and clocks to furniture, paintings, and other important family belongings. Then explore the expansive grounds, home to the Market Cross, the Old Scone graveyard, a 16th-century archway that once served as the grand entrance to the city of Scone, and a pinetum full of giant redwoods and noble firs.

Dana Biosphere Reserve is the largest nature reserve in Jordan. For hikers and trekkers, it’s one of Jordan’s top places to get out into the wilderness, but even the less adventurous will enjoy a stop here simply to enjoy the tranquillity of Dana village, with its majestic views over the tumbling hills below. The reserve is dominated by enormous sandstone cliffs that guard the valley, creating a series of microclimates and ecosystems that house nearly 200 species of birds and most of Jordan’s mammals. Sightings of ibex, gazelles, and even wolves are not uncommon. At the entrance to the reserve in Dana village, you’ll find an excellent visitor center run by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, which can recommend park guides. For a different way to experience the reserve, consider the five-day hike from Dana to Petra—deemed one of the greatest treks in the Middle East. It’s particularly pretty early in the year, when the route is laid with spring flowers.

Each year, six million–acre Denali National Park and Preserve gets roughly 400,000 visitors, who come in hopes of spotting the park’s own version of the Big Five (grizzly bears, moose, caribou, wolves, and flocks of Dall sheep) and to take in majestic views of the highest mountain peak in the country. Only a fraction of that number, however, escape the crowds and tour buses to make their way to the tail end of the 92-mile-long Park Road, which winds deep into the heart of Denali’s rugged backcountry to the old gold town of Kantishna. Those who do are rewarded at this all-inclusive vacation resort with 42 rustic cedar cabins, some of which have private decks facing secluded Moose Creek. (All come equipped with private indoor bathrooms and heaters, welcome treats in these parts). Activities range from morning yoga classes and gold panning to guided hikes and mountain biking excursions. After an invigorating day outdoors, guests can pamper themselves in the new spa, which offers treatments like Swedish massage with hot stone therapy.

For anyone who believes that truly historic architecture doesn’t exist in the states, Mesa Verde National Park will make you think again. Still standing in the park are cliff dwellings built in 600 CE by the ancestral Pueblo people who once lived in the area. A transformative day trip, Mesa Verde is nearly two hours from Telluride but well worth the drive to see its 5,000 archeological sites, from Cliff Palace (a ranger will guide you on the hike up, which involves climbing ten-foot ladders) to Balcony House (which you’ll enter via a 12-foot tunnel).

Driving up Independence Pass is a beautiful way to spend the afternoon and along the way to the top of this 12,096’ pass you can stop at highlights. For the thrill seekers, near the Grottos there is a series of waterfalls that flow into a crystal clear pool of mountain river water called the Devil’s Punch Bowl. People jump from 20 foot cliffs into borderline hypothermic cold water that takes your breath away when you hit it. Make sure you jump out far enough so you don’t hit the jutting rock bed on the way down. Some might think it is crazy but it is the ultimate adrenaline rush.

Located on a half-mile stretch of white-sand Ha My Beach, a short drive from the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An (a hotel shuttle can ferry you back and forth), the Nam Hai sits on the grounds of a former fishing village (a temple from that time is preserved on-site), and it still feels like a community. Guests bike between public spaces designed to evoke the high-ceilinged Tu Doc royal tombs found in the region, as well as 86 acres of tropical gardens and 100 villas, each outfitted with indoor/outdoor lounging spaces, king beds, lacquered bathtubs, and alfresco showers. The dining options range from a casual beachside spot to a fine-dining restaurant, and serve everything from Vietnamese and Western fare to Indian tandoori specialties; learn how to make some of your favorite dishes in a chef-led cooking class, or join the kiddos at the Junior Cooking Academy, part of the kids’ club. When you’re ready to take a break, don’t miss the central trilevel infinity pool and the exceptional spa, where the eight individual treatment pavilions appear to float on a koi-filled lagoon.

Located just two miles north of Port Elizabeth, on an 18th-century sugar plantation and working sea salt farm that overlooks Spring Bay, Firefly Bequia has all the sophistication of its sister accommodations on tony Mustique. Scattered along the hillside to maximize ocean views, the four suites and one two-bedroom cottage are outfitted with king-size four-poster beds, indoor-outdoor showers, and rattan ceiling fans that recall the island’s colonial past. Though it’s a five-minute walk to the beach, you’ll spot the remnants of the plantation’s original sugar mill, a croquet lawn and swimming pool, and the hotel’s resident goats along the way. Upon your return, a cocktail in the stone bar, where green bananas hang like chandeliers, is just the thing to ease you into a star-filled night.

You’ll want to arrive early at Sitka & Spruce to allow time for browsing the other shops inside Melrose Market: Calf and Kid’s artisanal cheeses, Rain Shadow Meats’ sausages and steaks, Glasswing’s home decor, and Marigold & Mint’s fresh flowers. At Sitka & Spruce, chef Matthew Dillon features a rotating menu of hyper-local Northwest cuisine in shareable small plates and mains. The artfully arranged charcuterie platter is a must-try, and don’t skip the bread — the Columbia City sourdough loaf with whipped butter is a local favorite. Just want a snack? Try Bar Ferd’nand next door, also co-owned by Dillon, for a glass of wine and simple bar snacks, or take home a bottle.

Walking along the winding streets of central Copenhagen, you will invariable chance upon the 17th-century Round Tower, with an observation deck that affords great views over the city and to Sweden in the distance. To reach the top, you walk up an interior spiral ramp with no stairs, designed to allow horses and carts in earlier times to ascend to the library and observatory, and today kids have great fun racing up and down the cobbles. The tower is also the site of an annual unicycle race. The record round-trip time so far: just under one minute 50 seconds.

No matter what the season, it’s worthwhile to wander through the exquisite Retiro Park when you’re in Madrid. Here you can find a tranquil escape from crowded streets and museums. The unrivaled architecture of Madrid is echoed here in the wonderful monuments, statues, and buildings. Be sure to visit the gorgeous Crystal Palace (Palacio de Cristal), originally a greenhouse and now used for art exhibitions. Look for the beautiful black swans in the lake.

Opened in 1865 as a restaurant, event space, and wine store, Café Royal quickly became a gathering spot for London’s intelligentsia and glitterati. Over the following 150 years, everyone from Winston Churchill and Oscar Wilde to Muhammed Ali and David Bowie was spotted here swapping stories and hosting celebrations. Re-launched in 2012 as a hotel, Café Royal continues to serve as a vibrant hub for guests, thanks to its central location between Mayfair and Soho, a short walk from theaters, shops, and tourist attractions.

Past a stunning lobby (which recently underwent a $6.6 million re-design), the 160 rooms and suites are warm and streamlined, crafted with materials like Carrera marble, English oak, and Portland stone, and outfitted with Bang & Olufsen entertainment systems, sound proofing, rainfall showers, luxury linens, and free Wi-Fi. All rooms come with perks like complimentary John Lobb shoe shines, while the seven super-luxe Signature Suites feature things like Tudor fireplaces, deep-soaking tubs, private screening rooms, dining areas, and butler service. In keeping with the building’s gourmet history, dining and drinking options include the Laurent at Café Royal grill and sushi bar from celebrated chef Laurent Tourondel; the gilded Oscar Wilde Lounge for traditional afternoon tea service; the bright and modern Papillon for all-day dining with British-French flavors; and Green Bar for botanical-based cocktails and fine liquors. Launched in 2018 inside the Laurent restaurant, Ziggy’s bar serves expertly crafted drinks in a space that pays homage to the late David Bowie, who held a “retirement party” for his Ziggy Stardust alter-ego at the Café Royal in 1970. A spacious gym (with LifeFitness equipment, class studios, and a 60-foot lap pool) and the Akasha Spa (with sauna, hammam, and nine rooms for East-meets-West treatments) round out the facilities.

Part of the ‘Leading Hotels of the World’ group, Gleneagles is a destination in and of itself for visitors to Scotland. From their website, “Set within the gentle beauty of 850 acres of Perthshire countryside, this five star [resort] is home to three championship golf courses, a sparkling, award-winning spa and an exhilarating array of outdoor activities.” Fancy learning Falconry? You can. Anxious to become an accomplished equestrian? You can do that too. Want to golf in the footsteps of greats like Jack Nicklaus or Adam Scott? Of course, you can do that as well. Fancy a full day being pampered in a spa? ESPA can sort you out. Don’t know how to make traditional Scottish ‘tablet’ or Christmas Pudding? One of the accomplished chefs can teach you with a cooking demonstration in the grand kitchen. Even those who love to shop, and can’t fathom a trip without a few luxury brands, will find the arcade inside Gleneagles well-stocked to please. Built in the decade where Art Deco was all the rage, today’s Gleneagles still exhibits much of its original architectural detail as well as furniture and lighting. Yet modernity and old world details mix reasonably across guest suites as well as common areas to give the hotel a balanced, elegant feel that’s both welcoming and jaw-dropping at the same time. Be sure to leave time for a meal at the Andrew Fairlie-helmed restaurant on site which is one of only eleven restaurants in the UK to have two Michelin stars.

The name Nude Espresso might suggest something more racy than you find when you enter this Brick Lane coffee shop. However, if a perfect cup of coffee does it for you, then your pulse may race anyway. And not from the caffeine. Nude takes the creation of a good cup of coffee very seriously so this is the kind of shop for true connoisseurs, not those simply in need of a fix. From the website, “Obtaining the finest coffee is a labour of love. We scour the World hand selecting only the fittest, ripest green beans [...]. We grade them by eye and sort them before putting them through their paces [...]. Only then can they be tasted, blended and packaged, creating the perfect ingredient for a sublime sensory experience.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Indeed, a cup of coffee at Nude lives up to the promise of being a sublime sensory experience. Nude really stands for stripping out anything unnecessary from the process of providing a truly excellent cup of coffee, and in simplicity that satisfies, Nude Espresso truly excels.

After arriving on the tiny island of Iona near Mull in 563, Irish pilgrim Saint Columba proceeded to establish a Christian church and monastery, creating a vibrant religious community that lives on to this day. The monastery survived until the 12th century despite repeated Viking raids, and around 1200, the sons of Somerled founded a Benedictine abbey on the site. Though monastic life ended on Iona with the Protestant Reformation of 1560, pilgrimages to St Columba’s Shrine continued for many years. Today, it’s believed that the Book of Kells, along with several other great works of art, was created here.

Visit this most sacred of Scottish sights to see the four iconic high crosses, then tour the abbey church, with its 13th- to 16th-century architecture. You can also stop by St Columba’s Shrine, the longest-standing structure in the abbey, dating to the 9th or 10th century; climb Tòrr an Aba, a hill above the abbey where Saint Columba is said to have had a writing hut; or walk through Reilig Odhráin, the graveyard where ancient Scottish kings were laid to rest. While you’re exploring, keep an eye out for the vallum—a boundary ditch and bank of earth that serves as the only evidence of Columba’s original monastery.

The undisputed king of Bangkok dive bars, Wong’s Place has a character of its own. It’s hard to describe exactly why you should go to this hole-in-the-wall institution near Lumpini Park. The furniture has seen better days, the toilets are nobody’s idea of a treat, and the service ranges from eccentric to downright surly. The fact that it is now one of the few venues in the city that remains open until the wee hours might explain its popularity. But really, it’s the fact that—for all its faults—the bar retains an unpretentious “up-for-it” vibe that is largely missing from more refined places. On quiet nights, there’s not a lot to recommend it, but visit on weekends and there’s a good chance you’ll fall under its beguiling spell.