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Following a powerful earthquake in February 2011, the Christchurch Cathedral was severely damaged, and while there is an ongoing ideological and economic debate over whether or not the Gothic-style church can, or should be, repaired, the Anglican parishioners of New Zealand‘s second-largest city can now worship in this fascinating edifice made of, among other things, 96 giant cardboard tubes. Designed by Shigeru Ban, a Japanese architect who specializes in building temporary structures following natural disasters, the Cardboard Cathedral (formerly called Christchurch’s Transitional Cathedral), was erected in less than a year. Its excellent acoustics are also regularly utilized for concerts and events.

A modest entryway opens onto a bright, colonial Mexico fantasia, complete with blue tiles, crisp white linen, colorful pottery, and would-be-viceregal artworks. Since 1912, Café de Tacuba has opened early and stayed up late to serve classic Mexican fare like enchiladas and chalupitas, excellent tamales, hearty breakfasts, a wide variety of soups, and even more-ambitious entrees, attracting an amenable congress of families, foreigners, work groups, and confidence-exchanging senoras. Order the café con leche for a smart jolt of showmanship; Spanish troubadours serenade the proceedings most nights and weekends. Maybe it’s your grandmother’s Mexico, but the old girl knew a thing or two.

When Mike Richardson exploded onto the fairly limited Fes dining scene in 2007, he took the medina by storm. Suddenly there was someplace where locals, tourists, and a handful of resident expats could convene. They came to view exhibitions by up-and-coming young artists, to hear Sunday sunset concerts featuring the likes of Houariyat—an all-female drumming band—and to tuck into the café’s legendary camel burger. All these attractions are still going strong, but Clock has expanded and begun offering excellent traditional-cooking classes, and holds movie nights in a screening room furnished with vintage cinema seats. It now also has a sibling in Marrakech and another soon to open in Chefchaouene, and a country cousin in the Scorpion House in Moulay Idriss, which you can book for private lunches. If all this doesn’t whet your appetite at least come at brunch for the best coffee and Berber eggs in town.

The village of Santa Maria Atzompa is located about three miles from Oaxaca city, near Monte Alban archaeological site. This village has been producing pottery since ancient times, and today you can find a wide variety of pieces, from practical jugs and dishes to beautiful figurines and large decorative items. You’ll find a good selection of practical items, especially the green glaze ware that’s very popular, at the village co-op market. For finer pieces, seek out the artisans in their home studios.

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.

Inside the main market in Ocotlan de Morelos there is a food stall called La Cocina de Frida (“Frida’s Kitchen”), and standing behind the counter is none other than Frida Kahlo herself, or at least a reasonable facsimile. Owner Beatriz Vázquez Gómez likes to play up her resemblance to the famous Mexican artist. She greets visitors warmly and serves up excellent chiles rellenos, mole, enchiladas, and other local specialties. This is a great choice for breakfast or lunch on a day trip to Ocotlan.

This white tablecloth restaurant on the second floor above the Zocalo is more upscale than other options around the plaza. It opened in 2013, and the floor to ceiling open windows allow all diners to enjoy the views; though from farther back you mostly just see treetops, it’s still a lovely view. They specialize in seafood, particularly oysters, but we tried the Ensalada Tres Bistro, and a pizza, and they were good too. Located at Portal de Flores, Num. 3, in the Zocalo. Phone: (951) 501 - 0407

While it’s certainly not for the faint of heart, attending a bull fight at the Plaza de Toros Nuevo Progreso is a time-honored Sunday activity for many folks in Guadalajara. From the traje de luces (the matador’s flamboyant, ultra-formal outfit) to the porrón (the kidney-shaped leather flask passed between spectators), the experience is steeped in tradition. Expect mariachi music that matches the drama of the fight; vendors selling beer, micheladas, peanuts, and popcorn from coolers hoisted on their shoulders; and, of course, the presentation of the bull’s ear to the victorious matador. If the idea of man versus beast is too intense for you, you can always just people-watch from your spot in the gradas (stands).

Acclaimed Mexican artist/painter Diego Rivera (a.k.a. Mr. Frida Kahlo) created these Aztec mosaic murals, which continue to the left, on the outside walls of this house in the old tourist center of Acapulco. He stayed in this house, which belonged to his final lover Dolores Olmedo, while recovering from cancer, and eventually died here in 1957. The mural is titled Exekatlkalli (House of the Winds).

A 1,200-acre green space filled with museums, theaters, and gardens, Balboa Park is the center of art and culture in San Diego. It’s also one of the city’s most historic sites, built for the Panama–California exhibition in 1915. While the museums are definitely worth seeing, there are also a number of free attractions, including the photogenic Botanical Building, which houses more than 2,100 plants (including Venus flytraps); the Desert Garden, filled with succulents from around the world; and a sculpture court with works by Miró and Rodin. For one of the area’s best views, purchase a timed ticket to climb the California Tower in the Museum of Man. The ornate structure reopened to the public in 2015 after being closed for nearly 80 years and features a spiral staircase to the eighth floor, where you can catch a glimpse of the Cuyamaca Mountains, the Cabrillo Bridge, and even Mexico’s Coronado Islands.

Mexico City is full of architectural masterpieces, but there is nothing like the experience of being inside a Barragán-designed home. Very few are still in good shape and open to the public, including Casa Luis Barragán (the architect’s former home and studio that’s the only private residency to be named a UNESCO World Heritage site). Once you’ve visited this more famous house, get in touch with the owners of Casa Gilardi and ask for a tour. The last project Barragán completed before he died, Casa Gilardi is known for the huge jacaranda tree decorating its interior courtyard, and for a striking hallway with vertical apertures that bounce sunlight against brightly painted yellow walls and out into an electric blue room with an indoor pool. The artist James Turrell spent a month living in the house, taking black and white photos to study Barragán’s use of light.

If you’re concerned about the provenance of handcrafts and whether your purchase will genuinely benefit the craftsperson or artist who made it, then confine your shopping to FONART. This government-sponsored project ensures that all of its products were made by Mexican artists and that creators receive a fair rate for their work. Prices here are higher than you’ll find for similar goods sold in the city’s markets, but you can rest easy knowing that the hand-painted wooden chest, embroidered blouse, or black pottery from Oaxaca was made by a legitimate artisan who will receive payment for their craft.

Many of the Mexico City markets, especially La Ciudadela, sell huipiles, the loose-fitting, hand-embroidered blouses that many Mexican women traditionally wore. Sometimes, though, you can’t be sure of their provenance and quality isn’t always consistent. At FONART, the National Fund for the Development of Artisans, however, you can be sure that the huipiles and other pieces of clothing you’re buying, such as scarves, are handmade by artisans who are from Mexico, and that they’re crafted from the finest traditional materials. FONART has several stores in Mexico City, including one centrally located on Avenida Reforma near the Fiestamericana Hotel and this one near the Alameda on Avenida Juárez.

A few years back, when Lima’s Central Restaurante was closed because of zoning issues, Peru‘s celebrity chef, Gastón Acurio, was one of many who petitioned for it to be reopened. I knew that meant the young chef at Central, Virgilio Martinez, must be doing something truly special. Virgilio’s restaurant is located in Lima’s hip Barranco neighborhood. I stopped in solo one afternoon for lunch and was dazzled by the dishes his servers put in front of me: charred purple corn with scented octopus, lentils, yuzu, and bok choy; “mask of the suckling pig” (or pig face) with tart green apple, baby tomatoes, and galangal; and suckling goat with chickpeas, goat cheese, and lemon verbena. Each course was plated like a work of art and was a beautiful riddle on the palette. My enthusiasm for my food earned me a tour of the open kitchen and the rooftop garden, where servers pluck flowers or clip herbs for dishes like the citrus gelée with edible flowers (pictured above). Chef also gave me a tour of his incredible chocolate cellar, where he shows off his favorite chocolate bars from around the world.

Wine aficionados set their sights on the Guanajuato Wine Route, now perhaps second only in Mexico to the trails in Baja California’s long-established Valle de Guadalupe. While wineries have existed in this region for several decades, San Miguel only recently received official designation as a wine route, thanks to wineries like Vega Manchón (owner Ricardo hails from Mexico City); Bodega Dos Búhos, where art by Peter Leventhal mesmerizes visitors almost as much as the wine; or Vinícola Toyán. Newcomer labels like Santísima Trinidad have joined the old-timers in hosting vendimia events every weekend in August, with Santísima adding extra attractions like polo games and olive-oil demonstrations. No going Sideways for oenophiles here; they will head home with a new wine destination secret—and a bottle or two.

Shakespeare said it best: “If music be the food of love, play on.” He’d be impressed by the dining options in San Miguel that foster romance through live music. Mama Mía hosts music on several stages in its sprawling complex. For great jazz served with a Caesar salad prepared tableside, diners pop into Tío Lucas. Ask owner Max for a prime spot. The place may be jammed primarily with Canadians and Americans, but its lineup still elevates San Miguel to one of Mexico’s best jazz towns.