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Festive Plaza in La Villita, a complex with shops run by local artisans, offers a more unique experience than the souvenir-selling El Mercado. Aside from shopping for authentic handmade goods, you can learn about its rich history. Self-guided walking tours (you can find many online for free) are a great way to explore this area. Browse shops while you learn about the surrounding landmarks and buildings.

For many scuba divers, one of the most iconic spots in the Bahamas is the underwater area where a cargo ship and a prop airplane were used in underwater scuba scenes for Sean Connery–era James Bond movies. Located off the coast of New Providence, the dive site is simply called the Bond Wrecks because both can be explored in a single dive. The first is a mock-up of an airplane that was used as the Vulcan bomber in the movie Thunderball, while the other is a 90-foot Tears of Allah tugboat used in Never Say Never Again, which sits upright and intact in about 40 feet of crystal-clear water.

Opened as the Grand Hotel Royal in 1896, the luxurious Corinthia Hotel has a long and storied past. It was here that the first film was ever screened in Budapest, and the building weathered fires and war before relaunching in its most recent incarnation in 2004. Travelers who really want to learn about the hotel’s history can take one of two weekly tours with manager Tibor Meskál, who has worked on and off here since 1961. Though the original interiors were demolished long ago, the property nevertheless retains a regal atmosphere. Italian limestone, Spanish marble, and gilded molding lend a sense of grandeur in the Grand Ballroom, a marble lobby is accented with swirling golden filigrees in the flooring, and guest rooms feature warm wood furnishings and creamy palettes. Even the leisure facilities skew toward the opulent: the courtyard-style indoor swimming pool is topped with a stunning stained-glass ceiling.

This is where everyone stops to smell the roses in the Rose City. Celebrating its centennial in 2017, the International Rose Test Garden is the nation’s oldest continually operating rose test garden (where varieties are evaluated for characteristics such as disease resistance, bloom size, and fragrance). Originally conceived as a way to preserve different varieties of European roses from the destruction of World War I, the garden today contains 10,000 plants across 4.5 acres in Washington Park. Best of all, it’s completely free, whether you want to compare green thumbs with professionals or take in the views of Mount Hood while breathing in the perfumed air.

Rio newcomers have a hard time believing you can swim beneath a jungle waterfall without leaving the city. But it’s a thing, and the ones who love it most are the Cariocas themselves, who know just how and when to hit the swimming holes called cachoeiras in Horto, itself a marvelous little neighborhood. Nestled between the Jardim Botânico and the Tijuca woods, a lane whose contours offer glimpses of brightly painted houses leads to a larger road and the Estrada Dona Castorina exit. The first of several falls is there, and you can successively reach the rest as you move deeper into the rain forest. Smart swimmers go at midday; since the area lies in shadow, temperatures are pleasant even in summer.

This lake filled with giant, translucent chunks of iceberg is one of Iceland’s most distinctive and photogenic sights. Featured in high-profile movies, including two of the James Bond series and Batman Begins (as well as many local TV commercials), the sight is reached via a scenic drive along the country’s main ring road (Route 1). The icebergs originate at the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, which looms in the distance behind the lagoon, and look especially otherworldly when they reach the nearby black-sand beach. The area is also a paradise for bird lovers, with arctic terns and skuas nesting in the area (they may dive-bomb you if you get too close to their nests), and it’s possible to spot the occasional seal. A nearby visitor center offers simple fast food and drinks as well as souvenirs.

Huacachina is a coastal desert located in the Ica region. It holds one of the few oases in the whole region: a blue-green lake amid huge sand dunes under a beautifully clear sky. Take a dune buggy so that you can ride all over the dunes before riding a sand board down. This is the definition of a touristic little town, and it is definitely worth a visit. You’ll find some nice hostels ands lodges where you can stay overnight right in the middle of the oasis. Huacachina Oasis is a short four-hour drive from Lima, and there are also plenty of buses that will bring you here.

There is no dearth of accommodation in the bustling city of Mumbai but if you are looking for a hotel that offers an experiential escape from the chaos of the metropolis, then JW Marriott Juhu is it! The hotel boasts of several spacious suites overlooking the famous Juhu Beach. Rooms are equipped with modern amenities and everything you might expect of a luxury hotel but it’s the view we love the most - just watch the sun set over the Arabian Sea as you sip on a sundowner or two in your private oasis. The hotel is also famous for something that’s characteristic of Mumbai as a city - film stars! JW Marriott is fondly called ‘The Bollywood Hotel’ by locals and it lives up to the claim. Several Bollywood stars and television starlets frequent the hotel and you will spot them walking in and out of restaurants at all times of the day. There are a variety of dining options here - Saffron offers delectable Indian fare, the Bombay Baking Company boasts of a selection of light bites and salads, while the Lotus Cafe offers expansive buffet style meals. Our favourite? Their Oriental restaurant Dashanzi - do not come back without sampling the sashimi platter or avocado tartare. Drop by Dashanzi for a meal even if you aren’t staying at the hotel - the nuanced taste of Oriental delicacies and meticulous presentation makes a meal at Dashanzi an experience to remember!

This mirador, or viewpoint, is worth the climb for its unparalleled 360-degree views of the entire city, the Mediterranean Sea, and the rolling green hills of Collserola. Located some 900 feet above sea level, the hilltop was considered a strategic spot for defending Barcelona from bombings during the Spanish Civil War; anti-aircraft batteries and gunner bunkers were built here for this purpose. After the war, there was a desperate lack of housing, and the abandoned military structures were incorporated into a shantytown. Remarkably, people lived here until 1990, when the city took it over and turned it into a heritage site, complete with illuminating photographs and signage detailing the history of this unique place.

Rio’s Rubaiyat retains the essence of its São Paulo and Spanish predecessors, with its signature line of luxury steaks (all from the owners’ hacienda) with service to match and, in this case, surroundings worthy of a commemorative photo. The restaurant is part of the Jockey Club, from whose outdoor spaces you take in the horse races from right beside the turf, as if in a luxury box. You can also spot Cristo Redentor, high atop Corcovado, with just a slight turn to the left, following the curve of the racetrack.

Built by Kaiser Wilhelm I in the late 19th century as a gesture to parliamentarians, Berlin’s famed Reichstag came into its own during the Weimar era—Germany’s first attempt at democracy. The parliament building burned under mysterious circumstances in 1933, leading to the suspension of civil rights and Hitler’s ensuing dictatorship. Seized and shot to pieces by Soviet troops in 1945, then abandoned during the city’s division, the traumatized building reentered public life when the German government returned to Berlin following reunification. Today the Reichstag stands proud, topped by a glass dome designed by British architect Sir Norman Foster as a symbol of political transparency. Going inside the dome is very popular; you can look down on plenary sessions as well as admire sweeping city views.

By 1773 the Mozart family had outgrown their residence on bustling Getreidegasse and moved across the river to the more spacious Tanzmeisterhaus, the former home of the court dancing instructor. Mozart lived here until 1781, when he moved to Vienna. His father Leopold remained until his death in 1787. More than half the building was bombed during World War II, but it was restored and opened as a museum in 1996. Inside the house are documents, portraits, and instruments that detail what life was like for the Mozart family during their time here. The Wohnhaus and Mozart’s Birthplace are both worth checking out, particularly if you’ve purchased a Salzburg Card that provides entrance to both; this one, however, is usually less crowded.

Hiking the French Valley is part of the W-trek through Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park. It’s about 16 mi round-trip from Refugio Paine Grande to the French Valley Mirador, to see the French Glacier and the Paine Massif as close as you can get. The trail is diverse and only reaches a steep height at the last 5.5 km on the way there. You begin at Lago Pehoe and take grassy paths through the forested valley, on an terrain that the locals call “Patagonia flat,” i.e. an undulating up and down of several feet. On the way you’ll see tiny magenta--and edible--berries that taste just like apples; you’ll cross small glacial streams where you can fill up your water bottle with fresh, wild water. You’ll trek right by the Cuernos, or the “Horns,” another well-known set of peaks in Torres del Paine. Over the French River you go as you get deeper into the valley, over wobbly rope bridges. The final 5.5 km to the French Valley Mirador has you balancing on thousands of loose boulders on your way up. The very top of the trek feels like being in the middle of a Patagonian fishbowl: Paine Massif to your left, French Glacier in front, the Aleta de Tiburon (the Shark’s Fin) and the Cuernos to the right, and turquoise Lago Pehoe behind you.

Every December 7 at Pearl Harbor, there is a memorial to those who died in the awful attacks that day in 1941. Survivors gather here, though fewer every year remain alive. Oil still rises from where the USS Arizona lies in the harbor. The horrific events of December 7 are still a raw part of the history here. Several months ago, the civil defense sirens went off all over Oahu. It was a glitch in the system, but I remember an elderly woman in downtown Honolulu who said she looked at the sky because she remembers when there really was an air raid, and the sirens bring her back to that time of eminent danger when what seemed impossible unfolded in front of her young eyes. For history buffs, students, and all sorts of tourists, this is a “must visit” National Park on Oahu. Tickets to take the boat to the memorial are cheap (but do require an advanced booking of a couple days), and there are several other activities and museums at Pearl Harbor to explore including a walk through the USS Bowfin.

The former residence of Würzburg’s prince-bishops, this UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the most important Baroque palaces in Europe. It was—remarkably, given its scale and level of detail both inside and out—built almost entirely within a single generation. Court architect Balthasar Neumann oversaw the construction, while leading architects from Germany and France created the fabulous ornamentation. Woodcarvers, sculptors, and artists from Italy—including Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, regarded as one of the greatest fresco painters of the 18th century—also contributed to the design.

Rebuilt after World War II, the palace now features a bevy of architectural styles, from German and Viennese Baroque to French château. Inside, the White, Imperial, and Garden halls are can’t-miss attractions, as are the grand staircase and ceiling fresco by Tiepolo and the Mirror Cabinet. Before leaving, be sure to take a walk in the court gardens, which feature fountains, charming yew trees, and a group of cherub statues by Johann Peter Wagner.