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Did you know that only 25% of French people buy their cheese from a fromagerie? And of that 25, only 3-4% go to an affineur (cheese refiner). Both are the sad realities of a dying tradition in France of sourcing provisions from neighborhood artisans. Young affineur Baptiste Yapar doesn’t let the disheartening takeover of corporate food business dull his passion. The firebrand cheese master focuses his energy on running his shops Au Coeur du Marché (at the Marché d’Aligre) and educating the public. At La Cuisine Paris cooking school, he takes a small group through a complete background of cheese (it didn’t begin in France!), methods of production and the various designations and families of cheeses available. A copious tasting of 7-10 different cheeses (with wine) follows the contextual debut and is, as my friend and I agreed by the end, the closest thing approximating cheese heaven on earth. It is a fascinating two-hour experience that will not only inform how you consider the nuances of cheese in the future but will have you excited to seek out your nearest independent cheese shop for more.

Starting at the sea gate, pick up a map from the tourism board office to get oriented. Then, wander past innumerable shops and cafés, taking note of Korčula’s fishbone layout, which was intended both to protect the town and make use of local winds. Also be sure to admire Korčula’s signature stonework, best displayed in the Gothic-Renaissance-style St. Mark’s Cathedral.

Opened in April 2001, this Central Business District property, a converted dry-goods warehouse, is a departure from the typical New Orleans hotel. Instead of fleur-de-lis wallpaper and Louis XIV chairs, you’ll find Fortuny lamps, Herman Miller desk chairs, and Agape “Spoon” tubs in the palatial bathrooms. The 18 lofts (two are penthouses), with their white walls, concrete floors, and modern furnishings, feel straight out of the pages of Dwell.

The hotel doesn’t have the amenities of a larger hotel; the lobby is meant for checking in, not hanging out, and there’s no restaurant or bar to prop up, but guests have privileges at the sister hotel, International House. And, most significantly, the fact that there are just 18 rooms means that from the minute you check in, the front desk team knows you.

While many walked through the streets of the small town, I decided to head along the river and came across this beautiful view of Lake Brienz.

In 1964, a 9.2-magnitude earthquake—the second most powerful ever recorded—ripped through the south coast of Alaska, devastating much of downtown Anchorage. After surveying the damage, real-estate developer Walter J. Hickel, who would later go on to serve two terms as the state’s governor, vowed to build Alaska’s biggest and best hotel. The result, a massive 546-room complex spread out over three towers, is still the city’s most luxurious, known for its attentive concierge, excellent athletic club, and wealth of dining options. The elegant Crow’s Nest restaurant offers dishes that incorporate French technique with regional ingredients, like king crab–studded bouillabaisse, along with a 10,000-bottle wine collection; on a clear day, 360-degree views include the iconic peaks of Denali. One more reason to visit: The property was inducted as a member of the Historic Hotels of America in 2016.

Often called one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, Trunk Bay is a crescent of snow-white sand with a small green islet on the north side of the aquamarine lagoon. Part of the Virgin Islands National Park, Trunk Bay is known for its underwater snorkeling trail. Submerged signs along the trail describe the corals, tropical fish and other marine life found within the bay. Visitors can rent snorkeling gear on the beach, and lifeguards are in attendance.

Casa Antucura is an idyllic eight-suite wine lodge with majestic views of the Andes Mountains. Located in the heart of the Uco Valley, the farmhouse-inspired boutique hotel is a remote getaway for relaxing and contemplating Mendoza’s beauty. Characterized by elegance and refinement, the country home was built for guests to enjoy the picturesque working vineyard and its fine wines.

Peruse the lodge’s art collection and expansive second-floor library, which features more than 7,500 multilingual books amassed by the hotel’s French owner. From coffee-table books on travel to celebrated classics, the library has an eclectic collection worth exploring. Grab a book and curl up next to the fireplace in the luminous sitting room, or swim off jet lag in the large outdoor swimming pool surrounded by a beautiful rose garden. For relaxation, book yourself a treatment in the spa.

Just minutes from some of the world’s best surf breaks, the Four Seasons has its own surf school offering lessons for all ability levels, from novices to big-wave riders. Surfari Splurge and book a boat trip aboard the Four Seasons’ Explorer, a three-deck catamaran that can get you to some of the area’s most remote atolls. See the Best Every August the resort hosts a week-long international surfing competition that draws both locals and elite athletes such as Tom Curren. You can buy day passes to watch the action. Sleep Therapy Wellness treatments linked to the lunar cycle are scheduled from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the resort’s spa, which sits on its own island.

Just 25 minutes from Cancún’s international airport is Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa, surrounded by 200 acres of preserved jungle. Guests here still enjoy direct access to the Caribbean Sea and its powdery, white-sand beach, as well as to a wide variety of physical fitness and wellness activities and services. Rooms are generous in size and are filled with sunlight, let in through large windows. Tile floors and design accents—throw pillows and furniture, for instance—have an earthy color palette. Many rooms feature indigenous artwork and handmade furniture. Though it might be tempting to stay within the confines of the resort, the area is home to a number of worthwhile attractions, including the Maya site of Tulum and a biosphere reserve; the concierge can provide information about both, as well as tips for guided excursions and reputable outfitters.

Situated just 40 miles from downtown Anchorage and the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, this year-round resort feels worlds away, set deep in a glacier-carved valley off scenic Seward Highway. With 304 rooms and a dizzying number of amenities, it also feels like a world unto itself. There are eight dining and drinking options, a fitness center, a heated saltwater lap pool with mountain views, and a spa that provides Arctic mud facials. But guests come to Alaska to commune with the great outdoors, and Alyeska offers its fair share of world-class experiences, including the longest continuous double-black-diamond ski run in North America and more than 1,600 acres of skiable terrain. The staff can arrange excursions that range from heli-skiing and dogsledding tours in winter to naturalist-led walks and glacier cruises in summer. For breathtaking panoramic views, the resort even has its own 60-passenger aerial tram for whisking guests straight from the hotel up 2,300 feet to the top of Mount Alyeska.

A cooking school by day (Wednesdays and Sundays, to be specific), Black Sesame Kitchen hosts a 10-course family-style meal on Tuesday and Friday nights that allows visitors to sample Chinese dishes from a variety of regional cuisines. Most who arrive at Black Sesame Kitchen are strangers before the meal—but it isn’t uncommon to make friends over good food and generous pours of wine. ¥300 per person; advance bookings only.

The Freedom Trail is the artery connecting most of Boston’s key Revolutionary War sites, from Boston Common to the USS Constitution—16 stops in all. Besides providing you with some history, following the red stripe around town also delivers an easy self-guided tour of the heart of Boston, including the lively North End and Charlestown. The Common, Old North Church, the Paul Revere House, and the site of the Boston Massacre are obvious and obligatory stops, but the trail also leads to three legendary cemeteries, the 1718 Old Corner Bookstore (now a Chipotle restaurant, of all things), the 1713 Old State House, and the unmissable Bunker Hill Monument, whose cornerstone was laid by Lafayette to mark the 50th anniversary of the bloody battle between British troops and patriot militias in June 1775.

A multipurpose contemporary art center that opened in November 2011 in the Ottoman Bank building, Salt has a library with thousands of shelves of art publications—the most important, impressive collection in the city.—Sylvia Kouvali

There’s a reason this is one of the most iconic spots along the Grand Canyon. Located on the Havasupai Indian Reservation and hidden deep within a 20-mile round-trip hike, Havasu Falls’ sparkling turquoise waters are a popular destination for seasoned hikers who come for the amazing views, rock climbing, and swimming. The hike to the falls and back is best enjoyed with a preplanned route and plenty of stops for rest, food, and water. Because tribe members of the Havasupai, which means “people of the blue-green waters,” maintain the trails and work to keep their land as unspoiled and pristine as possible, reservations for campsites are limited and day hikes and drones are not allowed.

The Inn at Perry Cabin, a Belmond property, offers understated elegance on the Chesapeake Bay. Located in the postcard-perfect town of Saint Michaels, MD, less than 2 hours from Washington DC the resort has long been a popular getaway for polticos escaping the frantic pace of the beltway. With the serenity of the Chesapeake Bay at it’s doorstep the recently renovated colonial manor is easily one of the most beautiful resorts on the east coast, even serving as a filming location for the movie Wedding Crashers. Eschewing a grand lobby in favor of intimate nooks and hideaways, thoughtful design marries the Chesapeake Bay’s nautical heritage with modern touches throughout the inn. The spacious rooms are casually luxurious in calming shades of white and blue; when combined with Belmond’s unparalleled service makes for a truly relaxing getaway. Spend the day on the water with the resort’s fleet of Alerion yachts before sinking into a waterfront Adirondack chair with a glass of wine in hand to watch the sunset over the bay.