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When it opened in 2015, this museum drew headlines for its extensive contemporary art collection and Diller Scofidio + Renfro–designed building, which resembles a futuristic honeycomb. Then a single exhibition catapulted it into fame: artist Yayoi Kusama’s installation of thousands of twinkling LED lights called Infinity Mirrored Room—The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away. (The artist’s follow-up, Longing for Eternity, opened in 2017.)


There’s plenty to be dazzled by in this museum founded by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad. Hundreds of skylights illuminate the column-free third floor’s permanent galleries—featuring the Broads’ considerable collection of pieces by Kara Walker, Barbara Kruger, Jasper Johns, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Insiders know to visit on weekdays for the most relaxed experience or around major holidays and occasions such as Halloween and International Women’s Day for engaging and sometimes provocative tours. Pro tip:

Though general admission tickets are free, it’s wise to book tickets online ahead when they’re released on the first of each month for the following month, especially if you’re taking a date or going with a group (the same goes for Kusama’s rooms). At least two weeks out, request a before- or after-hours guided group tour of one hour, not including the Infinity Mirrored Room.

And make sure to also book reservations at Otium, the trendsetting restaurant by Chef Timothy Hollingsworth located next to the Broad.

Visitors take their best Chicago photographs in front of the iconic Millennium Park sculpture called Cloud Gate (known colloquially as the Bean, for its shape). Conceived by British artist Anish Kapoor and constructed from 168 stainless steel plates with no visible seams, the polished surfaces of this 33-foot-tall sculpture reflect infinite variations of the Chicago skyline. The work’s design was chosen from among more than 30 others commissioned by the city, and it was inspired by liquid mercury.

In Istanbul, the most authentic place to smoke nargile (also known as hookah and shisha) is Corlulu Ali Pasa Medresesi. The 300-year-old Medrese evolved from a religious school and dervish lodge during the Ottoman times to bazaar stores in the mid-20th century to its current form—a respite for locals and tourists from the bustling Grand Bazaar district. Relax amid the bubbling sounds of the nargile while indulging in the wafting aromas of fruity tobacco. Alcohol is not served; instead, savor a Turkish tea in a tulip-shaped glass or try “boomba” tea with lemon, hibiscus, and mint at the café on the left as you enter the complex. In winter, the warm milky cinnamon drink called salep is a local favorite. The customers are mainly men, but ladies, don’t feel intimidated. It’s a great place to people watch and meet locals who speak many languages. Corlulu Ali Pasa Medresesi is open till 2am and located on the tram line between Cemberlitas and Beyazit/Grand Bazaar stations. If you want my recommendation, try the apple and mint or rose and mint nargile—best shared with old and new friends. Afiyet Olsun (bon appetit)!

I remember when they started construction on this $175,000,000 cathedral on Lake Merritt by the also new Whole Foods. It looked like someone had taken their life size Erector Set and started flinging about Tinker Toys. There was no way to tell what designing architect Craig W. Hartman was creating. As it slowly came together and the massive concrete structure below it had dried you could finally read the plaque stating it was to be The Cathedral of Christ the Light. I believe the most popular word I heard in reference to it was gaudy. Fitting but not entirely accurate that word got the point across. Once they laid the glass on the exterior it earned itself a nickname on the breaths of those whom spoke of it. It became the Vulva Church. Particularly due to the shape the glass formed. Google it it you must. I may post a photo later. Complete with everything from mausoleum to cafe to health center to rectory (yes I said it). The grounds also interestingly enough host a healing garden that operates as a space for survivors of clergy sexual abuse. Most do not know that the Diocese of Oakland due to its reduced finances was required to take out a loan to cover half its $56.4 million settlement with 56 sex abuse victims.This is what inspired the garden complete with a plaque inscribed “This healing garden, planned by survivors, is dedicated to those innocents sexually abused by members of the clergy. We remember, and we affirm: never again.”

It’s all about the playful details at Holiday House, from the love beads that guests receive on arrival to the custom fortune cookies they take home with them. But make no mistake—this 21-and-up property is an upscale, high-style destination. Built in 1951, the 28 rooms and communal spaces were originally designed by pioneering architect Herbert W. Burns, one of the major forces behind Palm Springs modernism. A 2017 update by lauded interior designer Mark D. Sikes reinvented the hotel, giving fresh life to its clean lines with curated artwork and a cobalt, white, and warm wood palette (even the bicycles match). Accommodations are organized as Good, Better, and Best—and the latter is well worth it for the soaking tub and outdoor shower. The pool scene is laid-back and refined—waiters serve rosé flights between guests’ dips in the water—while an honor-system pantry is stocked with such desert “essentials” as sparkling water, straw hats, and potted succulents. Pro tip: Make a reservation in advance for the al fresco Friday night fried chicken dinner, which draws a crowd for its locally sourced chicken, delivered fresh that day and served with comfort-food sides.

The close-in neighborhood called Colonia Roma was first developed at the dawn of the 20th century as a high-end suburb laid out along tree-lined boulevards and plazas. Prominent families erected elaborate residences in architectural styles ranging from neoclassical to art nouveau and even neo-Moorish. A century later—despite some ups and downs—the district is at a peak as one of Mexico City’s most fashionable areas, and old mansions now serve as retail spaces or smart dining rooms that open out onto the street, day and night, in that marvelous dolce vita way. Stroll the quarter’s main drag, Álvaro Obregón, afternoons and evenings, for a complete sampling of its urban pleasures; shopaholics with an eye for edgy design won’t want to miss the whimsical boutiques that line adjacent Cerrada Colima. Deeper dives into side streets and nearby plazas turn up even more surprises when you’re ready for a walkabout.

A Starwood Luxury Collection hotel in the heart of historic Cuzco, Palacio del Inka occupies a former palace, built by the Incans as part of the Coricancha (the centerpiece of their empire). Since ancient times, it’s had many lives—it was seized by the Spaniards in the 16th century, served as a museum in the 1800s, and finally became a hotel in the 1970s. Today, the property features artwork and artifacts from both the Incan and colonial eras, which guests can tour each day at 5 p.m.

Situated around a large central courtyard, the 203 rooms are decorated in a colonial motif, with carved-wood furnishings, jewel tones, and gold accents. Also on-site is a small but very nice spa with a hydrotherapy pool, dry sauna, Turkish bath, whirlpool tub, and showers with lighting effects, as well as a small gym with cardio machines and weights. While Palacio del Inka is just a few minutes to Plaza de Armas and its many eateries, guests would be remiss to not dine at least once at the hotel’s Inti Raymi Restaurant, which serves Andean and international dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. Before dinner, grab a drink at the Rumi Bar, which offers excellent cocktails and a free pisco tasting each night at 6 p.m.

The Centre Pompidou, France‘s national museum of modern art, led the way for steel-and-glass buildings in the 1970s. Now the museum leads the way in modern art with its extraordinary collection, currently the world’s second largest. Masterpieces include Pablo Picasso’s Parade and—one of my favorites—Tamara de Lempicka’s Young Girl in Green. Go for the museum, but check out the public library and the view of Paris that becomes more and more impressive as the museum’s escalators rise from floor to floor. Spot the Eiffel Tower and Sacré-Coeur (and perhaps a street entertainer or two with a gawking audience of kids) from the sprawling roof terrace.

While it’s not in Mexico City proper, the sacred pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan is close enough–about 30 miles– for an easy day trip if you’re interested in architecture, archaeology, and indigenous history. The site’s primary structures, the Temple of Quetzalcoatl and the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, have been designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, and it is possible to explore the pyramids–and even climb them–either independently or with a guide. After ascending nearly 250 steps on the Pyramid of the Sun, you’ll have a greater appreciation for these ancient structures and the civilization responsible for having built them. In addition to the pyramids, an on-site museum documents the history of the so-called “City of the Gods,” and displays archaeological finds, including pottery, bones, and other important objects.

For nearly three centuries, workers serving the nobility at Castello Banfi in Tuscany lived in a small hamlet within the castle grounds. In 2007, however, the stone houses within their tiny village were completely renovated under the direction of Italian interior designer Federico Forquet, catapulting Castello Banfi into a new era of grandeur. Today, the property welcomes guests from November through March in two guest rooms and 12 suites, each with wood-beamed ceilings, countryside views, and bathrooms stocked with “vinotherapy” products made from the estate’s Sangiovese Brunello. A central garden with a pergola, a heated outdoor pool, secluded lounging spaces, and alfresco massage tents offer plenty of ways to take in the surrounding vineyards. If you’re feeling more active, take a cooking class with the chef (held a short drive away at the estate farmhouse), tour the Banfi winery, or venture out to nearby historic towns like Montalcino and Siena.

Among the three Cayman Islands, Brac is the most topographically endowed, thanks to its distinguishing feature: the Bluff, a limestone cliff rising along the length of the island and topping out at about 140 feet at the eastern end. Between that and the island’s densely forested interior, the local hiking options have a lot to offer—one of the best cases in point being the Lighthouse Footpath, a trail that runs two and a half miles (one way) along the bluff’s edge and that serves up endless sea views and likely encounters with the absurdly adorable brown boobies and soaring frigate birds. Try to go in the morning or late afternoon, and of course, take along plenty of water: You’re looking at a two-hour outing to the most beautiful of boonies.

With the smallest room a sprawling 400 square feet, and suites and public spaces filled with original 18th- and 19th-century art and antiques, the George V, flagship of the Four Seasons chain, lives up to its billing as a palace, an official tourism category introduced in 2010 requiring establishments to “embody French standards of excellence and contribute to enhancing the image of France throughout the world.” Set in a 1928 art deco building, the Four Seasons Hotel George V boasts a regular clientele of bona fide royals, including Saudi princes who rent entire floors for six weeks at a stretch. The staff includes a team of flower designers led by an art director who worked on Chelsea Clinton’s wedding. There’s also a dedicated concierge for children ordering up pint-sized bathrobes and private pastry-making lessons in the Michelin-starred kitchen.

Not only a star in Vienna, but on the world culinary scene, Steirereck is also breaking new ground architecturally. A few years ago, the restaurant, situated in a landmark art nouveau building amid the leafy Stadtpark, unveiled a futuristic redo. Blond wood and a white contoured ceiling now accent the new blocklike spaces which extend outward and whose reflective facade highlights the surrounding parkland. Showcasing chiefly recipes from the Styria province, fixed menus include novelties like char with beeswax, yellow carrot, pollen, and sour cream, while the cheese carts offer a selection of the more than 100 varieties available here. During the meal, a detailed menu card delivered between courses provides information about the dishes you are enjoying. The building’s lower-level Meierei im Stadtpark restaurant is a more casual dining option.

Tori Tori is a higher-end but not unaffordable Japanese food restaurant in Mexico City. The chain maintains three locations: one in the Condesa neighborhood and two in Polanco. The most recent of the three features a visually striking space hidden behind a simple black door. The restaurant was designed by architect Michel Rojkind, with interiors by Héctor Esrawe.

Sitting right next door to the Basilica of Notre-Dame in the heart of historic Montréal, St-Sulpice Seminary is the second-oldest building on the island. (The oldest is the 1671 LeBer-LeMoyne House, roughly six miles from the center of the city, which now houses the Musée Lachine.) The seminary dates from 1687, and remarkably it is still used for its original purpose: to house and train Sulpician priests. Sadly, this means the building is rarely open to the public. (Rarely is not an understatement here—apart from some tours in 2017, the last time the general public was allowed through its gates was in 1967 during the Expo.) Though you can’t tour the building, you can admire its gray stone architecture from the street. Especially noteworthy is the clock on the façade, built in Paris and installed in 1701, making it one of the oldest such clocks in North America.