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One of the most fun places I dined at in Italy was Il Latini, in Florence. It’s in a large, maze-like building with aged prosciutto hanging from the ceilings, and art collaged upon the walls. Seating is at communal tables, and at times it felt like we were all at a wedding. In our case, my boyfriend and I sat with another couple from Australia, who were beginning their tour of Italy, but it’s easy to meet locals at this spot, too. The waiters and the owner are very persuasive when it comes to traditional Florentine food. I requested half of a Florentine steak, but I am sure I was given a full one—one of the largest I have ever seen served. It was cooked rare, and was extremely tender and flavorful. However, I am not much of a carnivore, and as such, my favorite part of the dinner was the fresh sage ravioli. After our meal, the waiter kept bringing shots and wine, which appeared to be on the house. There are no exact prices, and the waiter determines your meal’s cost.

Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen, aka Clignancourt, is Europe’s largest flea market and the city’s favorite place to find a bargain. Exiting the Métro at Porte de Clignancourt, those in the know pass by the counterfeit designer-goods hawkers, avoid the parking lot with camper vans full of cheap goods, and head under the overpass to Rue des Rosiers. Groups of stalls form smaller flea markets, each with its own specialty, so shopping can feel like walking through a museum where you can actually buy things. The market called Serpette draws serious dealers looking for mid-century marvels, but shoppers who head as far as Jules Vallès market may score some true bargains. Of course, this is France, where food matters, so there are plenty of local cafés to choose from. Ma Cocotte is trendy chic, La Chope des Puces has live jazz with moules frites, and Chez Louisette draws a crowd nostalgic for French tunes with its simple steak frites.

The warm, handsome dining room at Terra is situated high enough for sweeping Santa Fe sunsets and glorious mountain silhouettes. Helmed by chef Andrew Cooper, the food is contemporary American and Southwestern, from tortilla soup to pan-seared scallops to a zesty green chili braised short rib. After your meal, visit the mod, circular outdoor fire pit and wind down with a nightcap. The cool inside bar has a great wall of old black-and-white photos, including one with visiting actor and cowboy Robert Redford.

This small, independent coffee shop offers excellent coffee (many say the best in the city), and also has an extensive food menu, including a set meal which changes daily. They roast their own coffee and make pastries on site too. There’s free Wi-Fi, but no electrical outlets, so bring your devices fully charged if you plan to do some work. It’s a popular spot, and often jam-packed, so sometimes the best option is to get your coffee to go.

Make time to stop at the boutique winery La Azul for a tour with the winemaker and lunch at their parrilla-style restaurant right next door. You’ll enjoy the hospitable service, gourmet cuisine, and spectacular views. Pair your meal with a bottle of Azul Reserva, which is a blend of malbec and cabernet sauvignon that’s been aged for 15 months in French and American oak barrels. Ruta 89, Camino a Tupungato, Tupungato, Mendoza; +54 0262 242 3593

Helmed by Chef Danny Trace, a New Orleans native whose resume includes stints at Commander’s Palace and Cafe Adelaide, Brennan’s is the kind of place you go to for well-executed classics: Oysters Rockefeller, Shrimp and Grits, Gulf Fish Pontchartrain. But should you happen to venture into less predictable territory, you’ll be just as pleased. Still, every meal should end with bananas foster prepared tableside.

Brussels has a number of African influences due to the influx of African immigrants from former Belgian colonies. A great example is the number of African restaurants in town. We ate at KoKob (pictured), an upscale, trendy Ethiopian restaurant. As is tradition in Ethiopia, we ate with our hands from a shared plate using a spongy crepe-like bread to scoop up meats and vegetables. We washed down the meal with St. Georges, a popular Ethiopian beer. Definitely a fun, unexpected experience.

Despite its name, within this mall are shops selling all manner of electronics, watches, clothing, handbags, suitcases, and, of course, jewelry, including hundreds of pearls in every conceivable shape, size, and color. You can buy jewelry already on display—necklaces, earrings, brooches, bracelets, etc.—or choose your pearls and have something custom made. Unless the design is very complicated, a pearl necklace or bracelet made to your specifications can generally be done on the spot or within an hour or two. Hongqiao Market is a popular place for buying souvenirs, especially tea sets, calligraphy scrolls, paper fans, and chopsticks. Bargaining is essential here, particularly for jewelry. Note that there is a market of the same name and style in Shanghai.

This gourmet Japanese fusion restaurant, located on fashionable Tjuvholmen, specializes in sushi and robata grill dishes. Boasting a large selection of small dishes, customers select as many as they want to make up a luxuriously fulfilling meal. The dishes are made in a modern fusion-style, where chefs use traditional techniques on new and exciting dishes, and the result is quite glorious.

Yes, it’s a canteen, so self-service, but it’s delicious and affordable. The secret appeal about this place, though, is not the price, nor the décor (which doesn’t exist), it’s the wonderful view of the city. Arrive before 1 p.m. to snag a seat before the local workers arrive for their midday meals.

Panache at the Auberge Saint-Antoine hotel in Lower Town was long one of Québec City’s most celebrated restaurants, a special-occasion favorite of locals and visitors, located in a cozy and historic 19th-century warehouse with wooden beams and stone walls. In June 2017, the restaurant was rechristened Chez Muffy, after one of the inn’s co-owners. The same chef is at the helm, Julien Ouellet, who is known for Canadian and French dishes that make the most of local produce. (The menu is changed every two months to highlight whatever is in season.) With its farmhouse inspiration, you’ll typically find venison, duck, and other gamey options, but Ouellet usually has at least one vegetarian entrée, often made with ingredients grown on his farm on the Île d’Orléans. The hotel’s Bar Artefact, named for the items on display that were unearthed during an excavation of the site, is an ideal place to extend your meal with a cocktail before or after you eat.

There are many places to view Flamenco in Granada. There are large shows in Sacramonte that cost 25-35 Euros and have a flare for showing the dramatics and storytelling of the dance, and there are shows that have no dance and play in dark underground pubs. There is every range of Flamenco played and performed. Le Chien Andalou is easy to find, unlike some places father into the Albycin, it is cheap at 7 euros, and the food and drinks are neither life changing nor horrible. The music changes every night, I have been a few handfuls of times and have witnessed a sampling from slightly better than mediocre to quite incredible performances. It is often wise to stop by and make a reservation as the space is limited in this little wine cellar room full of short stools and low tables. I recommend this place for those wanting to experience Flamenco to either be intrigued by it, to fall in love with its depth and soul, or to walk away at least saving 20 euros while discovering it was not to your taste. For those with a bit more adventure to explore the streets of the upper Albaycin, and a with a bit more of a budget for delicious food (or if Le Chien Andalou has left you wanting to experience more flamenco) then I recommended: Restaurante, Flamenco Jardines de Zoraya(from a past highlight, and one of my favorite spots for Flamenco, Food, and the best Sangria!)

the Stockholm city hall building went up in the 1920s and has a variety of styles incorporated into it. Its possible to take a guided tour around the building and admire the architecture, especially the gold room which is made up of millions of mosaics. This is also the building where Nobel Prize winners party with the king of Sweden.

This place is an interesting blend. In the recent Danish tradition, it is a partnership between a number of different creative types. This time, those personalities happen to be design-oriented people from the food, interior design, and dinnerware design communities. This restaurant has focused completely on providing a rich, intensely rustic experience that embodies modern trends in both the New Nordic cuisine movement and Danish design. Recent offerings include flounder with fried chicken skin and sauce made from fermented asparagus and grilled lobster with juniper pancake and pointed cabbage. Photo: Höst.

Foodies (and those simply interested in local color and a good meal) should head to San Lorenzo and its covered Mercato Centrale. Florence’s main market for edibles is housed in a 19th-century glass-and-iron building. On the ground floor, delis, stands, and butcher counters sell a fantastic array of local fruit and vegetables, cheeses, dried porcini mushrooms, baked goods, balsamic vinegars, and olive oils plus fresh fish, poultry, and meat. Upstairs, a modern food hall has opened: Stalls sell prepared foods and meals for happy and immediate consumption at a central seating area.