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This three-mile stretch of white sand is the only public beach at the gated Puntacana Resort & Club. Even so, non-guests can only reach the beach after dining at the resort’s oceanfront Playa Blanca Restaurant. It’s worth it, though, as the calm turquoise water is ideal for swimming, kayaking, and catamaran sailing. A mesh barrier keeps seaweed out of the swimming and beach areas, ensuring pristine water and sand as far as the eye can see.

The intimate Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) opened its doors off Biscayne Boulevard in December 2013, offering world-class exhibitions, outdoor sculptures, and spaces for art, relaxation, and dining. Prior to entering the three-story building, you meander along a walkway past cruise ships and several acres of meadows, before coming face-to-face with the striking vertical greenery of the Hanging Gardens, designed by Patrick Blanc. The thought-provoking exhibitions often skew political, with a focus on international 20th- and 21st-century art. The very natty gift shop, located on the ground floor, is also worth exploring, with items like robots and unusual objects for the home. In 2017, the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science opened next door.

The Caves, just west of Negril, is aptly named. While the 12 cottages and one villa sit atop honeycombed cliffs, the Blackwell Rum Bar, a private dining venue, and the massage table of the hotel’s Aveda Concept Spa are actually in underground grottos open to the sea. The setup is very Treasure Island, and the flicker of candlelight and the echo of waves off cave walls make it uniquely romantic. Each of the thatch-roofed cottages is as colorful as a paint box, and each gives a sense of being alone at the end of the land. This is one of music mogul Chris Blackwell’s Island Outpost properties, so the vibe at the Jacuzzi, sauna, or salt-water swimming pool is hip but relaxed. Although famed Seven Mile Beach begins almost where the cliffs end, the hotel itself has no beach, which is why a tradition at the Caves is to begin the day by jumping from the cliffs into the usually calm Caribbean below—or at least thinking about it.

A quick drive from the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens, Chez Tante Athalie prepares memorable Creole cuisine in an idyllic setting. The restaurant only offers lunch, served Monday through Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. Whether you order from the prix-fixe or limited à la carte menus, you’ll get a traditional taste of Mauritian cooking. The airy dining space opens onto a garden that displays vintage cars and features a quaint stone patio; the setting is so picturesque that it’s been the backdrop for multiple photo shoots. Chez Tante Athalie has also become a community gathering spot for local book launches.

In a country with so many castles, Schloss Greinburg doesn’t rank as one of the most awe-inspiring. It is, however, particularly notable for two things. Greinburg is considered Austria’s oldest residential castle (origins dating back to 1488) and it has been owned by the House of Sachsen-Coburg & Gotha, arguably the most influential European royal family, since 1823. The castle was even briefly owned by Queen Victoria of England. Highlights of a guided tour include the rich stucco ceiling, grand chandeliers and ruby red walls of the Dining Room, and splendid courtyard, and numerous portraits showcasing their royal connections throughout the castle. Views from the castle overlook the small town of Grein and the Danube.

Blue Waters is luxury and elegance made manifest and placed with love amid 17 acres of lush Caribbean gardens in the northwestern corner of Antigua. What could you hope for from a resort like Blue Waters? Spacious, well-appointed bedrooms? Of course. Romantic cliffside dining that supplies stunning views of Caribbean sunsets? A soothing, bougainvillea-wrapped spa stocked with Elemis products—the leading British luxury skincare brand? How about not one, not two, but three secluded beaches at your disposal? Or maybe you’d prefer an immaculate infinity pool that juts practically right out into the Caribbean Sea? If you’ve dreamed it, Blue Waters likely has it... Or better.

After 30 years at the forefront of Sydney‘s fine-dining scene, Quay Restaurant underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation and reopened in 2018. The restaurant swapped white linens for Tasmanian spotted-gum wood tabletops and exchanged the previous purple-and-gold palette for blues, grays, and browns that better reflect Quay’s harborfront location facing the Sydney Opera House. Executive chef Peter Gilmore loosened up his menu, too, offering either six or 10 inventive courses such as the Oyster Intervention—a crumble of oyster cream, crushed fried dehydrated oysters, chicken skin, tapioca, and caviar served in a ceramic oyster shell—creating a dish that’s all bivalve flavor without the slippery texture. Fans of the old Snow Egg dessert will be won over by White Coral: a multitextured masterpiece of aerated ganache, coconut cream, and ice cream.

The Riviera was a refuge for many artists during the war, and when the owners of La Colombe d’Or in St-Paul-de-Vence exchanged meals for works of art, they eventually found themselves with a world-class collection. Today, pieces by Fernand Léger, Pablo Picasso, and Joan Miró adorn the cozy dining room where guests savor regional specialties.

Madrid born and bred, DiverXO’s owner David Muñoz, has taken the food scene by storm. His schooling in Asian cuisine melds with his Spanish roots and has given birth to fusion food from the artist’s soul. It’s not uncommon to see smoked sardines lay next to young coconut on the same platter, bringing two culinary worlds together. Each dining experience starts with a letter of intention, a poem of sorts, from Muñoz stating his intention behind preparation of your meal -- and then you eat the menu itself as a fanciful starter! It’s best to get a reservation ASAP, with three Michelin stars, DiverXO is almost always booked!

To see everything there is to see in Oostende, I highly recommend spending an entire weekend (or longer) in the city. For a good night’s sleep, try the Mondo Hotel, located minutes from the Promenade, in a quiet corner of the city centre. Our hotel room included a mini-kitchen (although minus a fridge which we found a bit odd) and a vast bathroom with a tub and shower. We enjoyed the champagne breakfast buffet, complete with Belgian waffles, in the artsy dining room. There are 28 ‘Cosy Rooms,’ 18 ‘Superior Rooms,’ 2 suites and 14 ‘Family Rooms,’ with extra bedrooms for the kids.

It’s easy to pass by Taylor’s Kitchen and not realize there is a fantastic restaurant inside...I had visited the neighboring shops without noticing the new restaurant, but I knew I had to visit once I heard people raving about the food. Taylor’s Kitchen uses ingredients from local farms and ranchers to create vibrant dishes that reflect the seasons of this agricultural region of California. This is not unlike many new restaurants in Sacramento, but what Taylor’s Kitchen does so well is create consistently good food. The restaurant is elegant yet cozy, suited to couples or small groups. The menu changes frequently based on what’s seasonally available and is a great reflection of Sacramento’s commitment to farm-to-fork dining.

It really doesn’t get more eco-friendly and organic than dining on freshly baked bread and pastries at Rosendals Trädgård Kafé and Bageri. Their breads are baked with biodynamic flour from the Saltå Kvarn mill in nearby Järna, and their dishes are cooked using seasonal ingredients and organic produce from KRAV-certified farms and growers. Don’t be surprised by long lunch queues. It’s extremely popular with locals who wait in line to dig into its minimal yet tasty rotating menu such as pan-seared Pike perch or Arctic char with roasted root vegetables or couscous. The café itself is inside an ambient glass greenhouse surrounded by flower gardens and fruit orchards.

One of Bill White’s collection of restaurants, Sushi Blue serves an eclectic mix of items, from a full sushi bar to “Rad Thai” and Korean street tacos, and a great burger. It’s a great place to go if you have a mix of sushi lovers and “not so much” in your dining party. The Green Papaya Salad with cherry tomatoes, cilantro, crushed peanuts and citrus dressing is refreshing. For signature sushi rolls, try the Holy Shishito, with albacore, grilled shishito pepper and cucumber topped with red snapper, avocado, and spicy roasted onion ponzu. The easy access to this restaurant in the Redstone shopping area makes it a popular choice.

Part restaurant and part performance venue, the Rendezvous is a full night out in one cozy spot. The restaurant has typical bar food (burgers, salads, deep-fried snacks) that’s basic but good; happy hour goes from 3-6 pm daily with food specials. The tiny Jewelbox Theatre is an intimate cabaret-style theatre, where you’ll find everything from burlesque to comedy variety shows to live music and theater. They also have two excellent private rental rooms for parties. Upstairs, the Red Velvet Lounge looks out onto the main dining floor and has its own sound system. Downstairs, the basement-level Grotto is a dark, red-lit cave with its own private bar and plenty of room for dancing.

This place may be small, but its food and drink selection is mighty. Family owned and operated, this cozy local spot is a true gem for authentic Colombian food and drinks in the suburbs of Illinois. The shop and owners are absolutely delightful, and they go out of their way to ensure a wonderful dining experience. You can have breakfast, lunch or dinner, but I’d recommend if you are short on time to at least stop in for a healthy drink. The folks at Colombian’s Taste make wonderful fruit drinks using guanabana, maracuya, lolu and mora. I tried the Colombian lemonade and now am hooked. This place is a true find!