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Daniels Antiques is one of the coolest stores in town. Step inside and you feel like you have stepped back in time with WWII Binoculars in pristine condition and old Louis Vuitton Trunks. Throughout the store are Black Forest sculptures circa the late 1800’s. The craftsmanship in every piece is truly remarkable. Family owned and operated by the Daniels, they truly know the business of antiques.

On a walk through Oaxaca‘s Centro Historico any evening, you’ll come across carts selling steaming corn. Order an elote and you’ll get the corn on the cob on a wooden stick. If you request it “con todo,” the vendor will squeeze some lime juice on it, slather it with mayonnaise, and add crumbled cheese and chile powder. If you prefer your corn in a cup, ask for an “esquite” and you’ll be served a cup of corn with the broth it was cooked in, and the garnishings will be added on top for you to mix in. Any way you like it, this makes a great snack to eat while you’re enjoying the street scene.

Theatine Church (Theatinerkirche in German) towers over Odeonsplatz. The inside is mostly white marble, a contrast to the bright yellow facade. It’s much more formal inside than many other churches in Munich and is the burial place for many Bavarian royalty, including King Maximilian II. The Catholic Church was built from 1663 to 1690. It was severely damaged during WWII. Look for a newspaper clipping on the right side of the church, about halfway down to see it in its destructive state. Thankfully it was carefully restored.

Though it was built in 1968, Hotel de Mendoza reflects its 16th-century surroundings. Nestled in the heart of Guadalajara’s centro historico, the hotel features 104 simple yet elegant rooms, with hand-carved, colonial-style furnishings (some hand-painted by Jalisco artist Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo) and views of Teatro Degollado. Original arches salvaged from nearby Templo Santa María de Gracia’s former convent create architectural contrast in the courtyard pool area, a sunny space lined with terra cotta tiles and cascading greenery. Similarly atmospheric is the on-site restaurant, La Forja, where guests enjoy global cuisine in an elegant dining room decorated with cane-backed chairs and blue-and-white talavera pottery.

The first Smithsonian affiliate in the Northwest, this superb museum chronicles the Asian Pacific American Experience. Among its most poignant exhibits is the Letter Cloud installation: old hotel walls frame tales of aging far away from home. It also offers walking tours of the surrounding International District, including Touch Of Chinatown, which visits the elegant Kobo gallery and Uwajimaya, one of America’s largest Asian grocery and gift stores. Stop into the nearby Panama Hotel, home to a teahouse and the nation’s only intact sentō (Japanese public bathhouse). Lockers and marble baths still stand in the basement, which harbored the belongings of Seattle’s 7,050 Japanese-American residents imprisoned in WWII internment camps—the basis for Jamie Ford’s best-selling novel Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet.

A journey into Morocco’s Berber territory, where tradition and modern life meet.

Palermo, Sicily’s capital, is a marvelously jumbled, crumbling blend of old and new—a canvas upon which the region’s complex and ever-shifting history has been painted. Over the centuries, the port of Palermo was controlled by forces from the far corners—from Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans, to Arabs from North Africa, and then Normans from France, who oversaw a renaissance during which many of Palermo’s iconic landmarks and modern tourist attractions were built.

To see some of the vestiges of ancient empires, take a day trip from Palermo to the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its Greek and Roman ruins, including the Temple of Concordia, remain wonderfully intact. Within the city itself, explore the attractions in historic neighborhoods such as the Arab district of La Kalsa, home to the finery-filled Palazzo Mirto. The Quattro Canti (Four Corners) lies in the heart of the old city, with Piazza Pretoria on the corner. From there it’s only a short distance to Palermo’s Norman Palace, another UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Palermo’s star attractions, which houses the Palatine Chapel, famous for its intricate mosaics.

Palermo is also a perfect jumping-off point for sightseeing excursions to the idyllic beaches of Mondello, the medieval coastal town of Cefalù and the mountain village of Monreale, which is known for its exceptional Norman cathedral.

Tanta is a bistrô, pâtisserie and rotisserie all in one, a great choice at any time during your trip to Lima. It has a laid back vibe and well-prepared, flavorful criolla food. There are several of them around the city and you’ll likely find one open at any given time. It’s an easy choice for travelers! You can get there at 5 PM and have a Lomo Saltado ou Ají de Gallina while the ladies at the table next to you share an afternoon tea and the kids nearby have a burger with fries. That’s Tanta, there’s a little bit of everything for everyone. It’s also a great place for children: there’s a kids menu, changing table, high chairs and coloring supplies.

An aspiring bluegrass fiddler from London discovers much more than music on a trip to North Carolina.

A refined yet rustic restaurant and guesthouse nestled into the rural landscape of Mendoza’s Uco Valley, Finca Blousson is a hidden treasure for wine lovers seeking life’s simplest pleasures. Pair the Bistro’s blend of Argentine and French Provencal fare with wines sourced from the region’s top local boutique wineries, and you’ll be treating yourself to an unforgettable experience. The intimate country guesthouse has three cozy rooms overlooking the vineyard or a spectacular view of the mountains. Owners Victoria Jones and her French partner, Patrick Blousson, will look after you like a member of their own family. Route 94, km 14, on the road to The Manzano Histórico, Tunuyan, Valle de Uco, Mendoza; +54 9 261 15 655 3382

Step back into the 1800s when you tour the Bowles House Museum. Thanks to the Westminster Historical Society, this home, located near a smattering of industrial buildings, was preserved and placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was once owned by Edward Bruce Bowles, who drove cattle westward in 1863 and eventually became a homesteader. He was known for breeding fine horses. Besides touring the home, the grounds are well kept and beautiful. But it’s only open for tours on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and by appointment from Dec. 31 through April 20.

The 19th-century residence that houses this restaurant by chef Juan Felipe Camacho presents a subtle maritime vibe. The gustatory offering highlights a little bit of everything, but seafood and local shellfish—in generous portions—are the stars of an unpretentious international menu that’s anchored by a celebrated dish of sautéed snapper in coconut-shrimp sauce. Also available: exquisite carnivore dishes like grilled beef shoulder with blood sausage and piquillo peppers.

If eating huge plates of pork, deciphering local slang, and snowshoeing through the woods of Québec can’t bring two siblings together, what can?

Mexico City’s fabulous Sundays-only flea market—in a down-at-the-heels neighborhood near the Centro Histórico that looks worse than it is—is a must-do for anyone who loves the nostalgic or the campy. No fewer than six block-long aisles host dozens of stalls featuring all manner of trash and treasure, including antique furniture and light fixtures; frilly housewares that get you back in touch with your inner grandmother; books and vinyl LPs (record players, too); artworks that might be worth a fortune; toys; dolls and action figures; and fantastic vintage beer and soft-drink trays that make great, practical CDMX souvenirs.

A caveat: You’re not really going to Sanborn’s for the coffee. The regular drip brew is absolutely nothing to write home about, mediocre at best. But the setting and its historic value... now that’s a different story. Sanborn’s is the Mexican equivalent of Woolworth’s, a variety store and cafeteria-style restaurant that seems a throwback to the mid-20th-century. You can find Sanborn’s all over Mexico City, but this one, located in a historic building called “La Casa de los Azulejos” (“The House of Tiles”) is the one to visit. The 18th-century palace, located in Mexico City’s Centro Histórico, is a sight to behold, its entire exterior covered in blue and white tiles from the Mexican state of Puebla. The interior of the building is similarly stunning, featuring mosaics and murals, including some by luminaries such as José Clemente Orozco. The beauty is enough to make you forget that you even came for coffee in the first place.