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Facing the Arabian Sea and the Gateway of India monument, the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel blends Moorish, Florentine, and Indian architecture. The historic palace wing reopened in 2010 with 243 new rooms and 42 suites, including one that houses the sitar on which legendary Indian musician Ravi Shankar composed his Concerto No. 1. George Harrison checked into the Taj in 1966 to take lessons from the maestro.

Dieppe Bay is ringed by black sand—a reminder that St. Kitts was formed by volcanoes. It’s also the site of the first European settlement in the eastern Caribbean, a French colony established in 1538 that was destroyed by the Spanish just two weeks after its founding. Beyond its historic significance, however, Dieppe Bay is simply a peaceful, palm-lined beach on the north end of the island. An offshore reef keeps the water calm for swimming and snorkeling, and Arthur’s restaurant is nearby for when you’re craving some fresh fish and vegetables.

Mexico City is a rabbit hole for architecture enthusiasts: one could get lost for days—if not weeks—exploring just one era’s edifices: the pre-colonial, colonial, and contemporary among them. There are buildings the likes of which you won’t find elsewhere in the world, and exceptionally preserved and restored structures that serve as testaments to various chapters of Mexican history. Examples of fascinating contemporary architecture abound, ranging from installations built for the 1968 Olympics to ambitious cultural institutions like the Polyforum Siquieros. The exterior has been described as diamond- or star-like in appearance: a dodecahedron with 12 massive vertical panels featuring the work of muralist David Siqueiros, who was a contemporary of Diego Rivera. Inside, you’ll find performances, exhibits, and other cultural activities. If your visit doesn’t coincide with a guided tour, consider taking one to learn more about Siqueiros and his work.

Hong Kong’s oldest colonial British building dates back to the 1840s and served as the office and residence of the Commander of the British Forces in Hong Kong up until 1978, when it was handed over to the government. In 1984, the Greek Revival house was reborn as the Flagstaff House Museum. Its collection of about 600 teaware items from as far back as the 11th century B.C.E. includes many fine examples of the famous Yixing teapots. Besides exhibits of tea bowls, teacups, teapots, and ewers, there are demonstrations and lectures about the significance of tea drinking to Chinese culture.

We become so small when entering a place of worship, this local woman especially as she made her way to the entrance of the Cathedral of San Gervasio in Valladolid. It wasn’t Sunday. I’m sure of it because Sundays in Mexican city centers are usually much busier with families wandering around the city and going to mass. On this particular day there were just a few folks going about their usual routine.

Delhi’s Qutub Minar, at 72.5 meters or 238 feet tall, is the tallest tower in India. Built as an Islamic monument in the early 13th century of red sandstone and marble, the minar is not without controversy. Some believe the tower was built to celebrate Muslim rule in the country, and others claim it was erected to call the devoted to prayer. The surrounding complex houses the first mosque to be built in India, tombs, a madrassa, and an iron pillar that is mysteriously resistant to corrosion, even after being exposed to the natural elements for centuries. Until 1981, visitors were able to climb the 379 stairs to the top of Qutub Minar, but the interior is now closed.

The Qutab Minar is notable for being one of the earliest and most prominent examples of Indo-Islamic architecture. It is surrounded by several other ancient and medieval structures and ruins, collectively known as Qutub complex. Within the Qutab complex, amidst the ruins of the Quwat-ul-Islam Mosque, stands one of the legendary Ashoka Pillars. This large iron pillar has withstood the ravages of Delhi’s weather (and recent pollution) and has not rusted in over 1500 years.

Built in 1901, the legendary “First Lady of Waikiki” blends Victorian architecture with a golden beach and turquoise seas. Putting a luxury hotel in a deserted backwater was a bold move—but one that paid off. Tourism took off here and the Moana remains its ruling monarch. One of the most lovely, historical hotels in Hawaii, it still has Ionic columns supporting an elegant porte-cochère, plus a long shaded gallery along its facade where rocking chairs encourage guests to watch the world go by. A $21-million renovation brought it up-to-date in 2014 and added a new beach club. But an exhibit room still honors its rich past on the second floor of the Banyan Wing, and serves as a jumping-off point for free historical tours (11 a.m., Mondays and Wednesdays).

Montevideo’s Ciudad Vieja, or Old Town, is located on a peninsula separating the Río de la Plata from the harbor. It has the orderly grid typical of many Spanish cities in the New World. Until 1829, the Ciudad Vieja was walled though today only one gate (the Puerta de la Ciudadela) remains of those defenses. This section of Montevideo is home to many of the city’s most famous historic buildings, including the cathedral and the Cabildo, which today houses the city’s archives.

Nestled within a landscape of moss and lava less than an hour from Reykjavik, the Ion Adventure Hotel is one of the few true luxury hotels outside of Iceland’s capital. Under the careful eye of owner Sigurlaug Sverrisdóttir, a no-frills barracks for geothermal power plant workers was transformed into a concrete-and-glass Nordic-modern showpiece that wears its reverence for the natural setting on its sleeve. Sverrisdóttir is committed to using local products—everything from the artwork to the bath products to the food are sourced from the area—and the hotel’s sustainable materials and practices, like using geothermal cooling for power, have earned it a number of awards. Plus, all 45 of the sleek but comfortable rooms feature fair-trade organic linens and floor-to-ceiling views of Lake Thingvellir or Mount Hengill, an active volcano. The glass Northern Lights Bar juts out toward the horizon, providing a perfect viewing spot when the aurora borealis appears; beneath it sits a large rectangular hot tub adjacent to the spa. As for adventure, the hotel is happy to arrange any number of excursions, including fly-fishing, horseback riding, kayaking and, for the truly bold, snorkeling in the Silfra fissure.

Some say that The Chapel of the Holy Cross is located in the heart of a vortex. Others regard it as a place of contemplation and spirituality. The Chapel itself was actually built by a devout student of Frank Lloyd Wright named Marguerite Brunswig Staude in 1956. Staude wanted to create a lasting tribute to her religious beliefs, and was so taken with the beauty of Sedona that she began work on the Chapel. Nestled between massive red boulders, the Chapel is a must see in Sedona. And, if you look carefully enough in the red rocks next, you can still see an Rx carved into the rock as a tribute to Marguerite’s father, a pharmacist.

This complex of Taoist religious buildings was constructed in the early 15th century under the Yongle Emperor, who also commissioned the Forbidden City, just to the north. The temple’s central building is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a 38-meter-high (125-foot), three-tiered structure atop a three-tiered marble base. The wooden hall was built entirely without nails. Inside, the beautifully painted walls and ceiling make it a riot of color. On spring and summer mornings and on sunny winter afternoons, locals gather here to sing, dance, play games such as mah-jongg, and sip tea while catching up on neighborhood gossip.

This incredibly innovative Catalan-inspired restaurant is led by world renowned chef Daniel Negreira, who learned his craft under the watchful eye of Ferran Adrià at the former Number 1 restaurant in the world, elBulli. DN innovación is a great example of how fine dining has recently exploded in Taipei, a city known as much for its food as for its tourist sites. Although Negreira was trained in the mountains of Spain, he gains a lot of inspiration from Taipei, especially the city’s many markets. Be sure to make reservations well in advance, as this popular restaurant fills up fast.

After a long day of hiking, biking, running, and rafting my body usually craves something healthy but also satisfying. I found my perfect summer dish at Element 47, the newly remodeled restaurant at the Little Nell. Don’t be fooled by the simple name on the menu. Element 47’s Spring Vegetable Salad pays homage to the famous French chef Michel Bras who is known for his mastery of vegetables. At Element 47, chef Robert McCormick artfully prepares an assortment of 20 to 30 locally sourced, seasonal vegetables on the plate creating a vibrant dish that offers a surprising pop of flavors and textures with each bite. It’s the type of dish I could order every night without ever getting bored.

The mysterious rooftop of Casa Mila both charms and haunts visitors. The glorious October sky above frames the organic forms, each sculpted face watching as I creep up and down the rolling ramps. Children can’t resist playing here, and fortunately there are now fences all around. In my mind, I erase all of those pesky safety features to envision the smooth sculptures growing towards the sky from a scrolling sandy field. Once a site for a scene from Star Wars, the rooftop is now a destination for lovers of Barcelona and Antoni Guadi’s “Modernisma” style. When you visit, you’ll learn the secret behind those long vertical faces rising up above the mystical rooftop.

Designed by Gunnar Asplund, one of the big names of 20th-century Swedish architecture, this beautiful graveyard is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the final resting place of actress Greta Garbo. A wonderfully peaceful combination of great architecture and shady woodlands, there’s nothing gloomy about this extraordinary resting place. In fact, an hour or so spent walking here is bound to lift the spirits.