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Colorful and chaotic, at least by Tahitian standards, Papeete is Tahiti’s capital city and a cultural hub worth exploring. It’s undergoing a bit of a renaissance these days, with an infusion of graffiti street art brightening once gray buildings. Sip cappuccino at a chic sidewalk café while soaking up a rapid-fire French soundtrack, shop the vibrant market for everything from flawless pearls to bright parae, or catch a world-class dance and music performance.

A writer seeks out the disappearing workshops that have been the source of elegance in Naples for generations.

When staying in Shanghai, travelers are spoilt for choice. Whether they’re looking for a boutique hotel within walking distance of the French Concession, an Art Deco landmark overlooking the Huangpu River, or a modern skyscraper with amenities including 24-hour butler service, they’re sure to find a hotel room to suit their needs. The hardest part will be deciding on just one place.

A miniature volcanic archipelago made up of seven idyllic islands, only two of which are inhabited, Îles des Saintes (commonly known as Les Saintes) is one of Guadeloupe’s crown jewels. This reef-hugged set of isles offers French sophistication mixed with a funky, laid-back Caribbean lifestyle. Take a day-trip via daily ferry to Terre-de-Haut, the archipelago’s main island, and enjoy the white-sand beaches, sailing, and snorkeling in the bay or head up to Fort Napoleon on foot or by rental scooter for panoramic views. Make sure to dine at one of the French and Creole bistros along the water, and to try a local tourment d’amour—a crusty-edged, soft-centered tart flavored with guava, pineapple, or coconut.

In the tiny village of Hesdin-l’Abbé, not far from the bustling centre of Boulogne-Sur-Mer, you’ll find the Chateau Cléry. This 18th century Chateau was once the summer home of nobility, but now you can be treated like a royal at the Cléry Hotel. The Chateau has retained some of its period charm, particularly in the common areas. The rooms are modern and spacious with luxuriously large bathtubs. Guests can choose from saying in the chateau itself or one of the many cottages and out-buildings surrounding it. There is also a modern gym and spa facility on-site and the restaurant is so good, I’ve given it its own highlight! Take time to stroll through the kitchen garden and wooded parkland, say hello to the friendly ducks, and relax with a drink on the sunny lawn. For my full review and more photos: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/07/hotel-chateau-clery-boulogne-france/

Is there anything more relaxing than a picnic on a beautiful day? Picture this: family, friends, wine, cheese, bread, fruit, salads. Bring your sunglasses and sunscreen because chances are high that you will be lounging for quite a while.

As a fan of all things artisanal, nothing excites me more than stepping into a place that looks the same as it did 100 years ago. When my eyes adjusted to the dim light, inside the Brasserie Caracole, I could see this Belgian brewery was just such a place. Dinant’s Brasserie Caracole brews artisanal and organic Belgian beer over an open fire, just as they have since the 18th century. In the centre of the front room stands one large vat for mixing the 850kg of malt with hot water. (Caracole is apparently the last beer to be brewed over an open fire in all of Europe.) Hops and spices are added to the mix as the beer gradually ferments. From there, the beer is piped into a holding tank, for 15 days, where it will become clearer as it cools. My favourite part of the Brasserie Caracole was tucked behind the brewing room. Here, the building opened into a large hall, filled with tables, and the prominent bar displaying Caracole’s Belgian beer varieties. The walls were decorated with posters of the colourful and quirky beer labels, each one sporting a ‘caracole’ or snail-shell. The Brasserie Caracole is well worth a visit. It’s open every day during July and August and Sunday afternoons the rest of the year. To organize a tour, be sure to contact them in advance. More Information: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/10/artisanal-organic-belgian-beer-caracole-brewery-dinant/

In the past decade or so, Budapest’s restaurant scene has broadened beyond goulash and stuffed cabbage, with trendy new venues serving both a wider variety of international cuisines and elegant, innovative takes on traditional Hungarian fare.

Drive just over an hour outside of Cape Town and you’ll find yourself in the middle of the Cape Winelands. Here, farms established by Dutch colonists and French Huguenots in the late 1600s now function as South African wine estates, with tree-lined driveways leading to impeccably manicured gardens and gentle hills covered in vines. When visiting, be sure to taste the full-bodied cabernet sauvignons and pinot noirs; the lighter chenin blancs and chardonnays; and unique varietals like pinotage (an earthy red wine) and méthode cap classique (South Africa’s version of Champagne).

If you’re after some of the world’s best art, there’s really no better place to be than France. The country is home to a wide variety of world-class museums, from stalwarts like the Louvre, the Musée D’Orsay, and the Centre Pompidou to lesser-known but equally remarkable institutions like the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Tours and the Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Whether you want to see the famously French works of the Impressionists, paintings by Italian and Flemish masters, or more contemporary pieces by the stars of today, you’ll find them all in France.

From ancient kingdoms to reminders of the period of French colonial rule and the “American War,” Vietnam is filled with UNESCO World Heritage landmarks and architectural wonders, like royal palaces and fishermen’s stilted houses. Add in traditional markets, ethnic villages, and otherworldly landscapes, and you have a country that promises surprises at every turn.

Few dishes exude more Swiss tradition than raclette. For more than 700 years, locals have been gorging on this smoky, often nutty cheese in mountain chalets across the country. For a deep dive into the dish’s history, head to tiny fromagerie La Tzoumaz, where Yohann Magnin works for four months every summer making the drool-inducing cheese. Visitors can watch the entire process, from swirling and heating the milk to packing the cheese into a mold, then venture into the back room to get a sense for the aging process (don’t forget to grab a sample). Magnin is the only cheesemaker in town and his factory sits opposite Maison de la Forêt (House of the Forest) as you enter the village from the valley.

Even with all the distractions of trees and views around here, a person still has to eat. Fortunately, you can find waterfront restaurants, cheese shops, and historic inns. Here are some of the best places to eat around Redwood National Park.

A lowly warehouse in Antwerp may not seem like a life-changing sort of place. However, this was the start of a completely new life for over 2 million emigrants and a lifesaver for many of them. The brand new Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp tells the story of these emigrants, who bravely travelled from Eastern Europe to North America, leaving everything they knew behind. Although the Red Star Line Museum primarily focuses on the immigrants who travelled on board RSL ships, there is also a modern side to the story. On the ground floor, the exhibit ‘Always on the Move’ deals with the current state of migration around the world. Coupled with temporary photography exhibits, this modern section of the museum reminds us that, even today, emigration isn’t always a choice for the migrants. The Red Star Line Museum tells a powerful and important story in a beautiful and moving way. It should be on the ‘must visit’ list for all expats and descendants of immigrants, so we never forget the struggle our ancestors made on our behalf. More Information: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/10/red-star-line-immigration-museum-antwerp-belgium/

Beyond the beach, the billboards, and the freeways, there’s a city of neighborhoods waiting to be explored.