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This family-run bakery has been making cantucci (what you might know as biscotti) for decades. The clan’s patriarch, Roberto, mixes and rolls everything by hand in the back, using a recipe that he knows by heart—ask, and he will happily show you the original recipe, now splattered with egg whites and cocoa. Roberto’s delicate cantucci are far from the tooth-cracking kind sold at many places. If you are really lucky, a fresh batch of the dark-chocolate-and-pistachio variety may have just been pulled out of the oven when you arrive.

Via Tornabuoni, one of the most elegant streets in Florence, is lined with many imposing Renaissance palazzi, including a 15th-century beauty owned by the Antinori family, the famed wine producers. The ground floor of Palazzo Antinori is given over to a refined restaurant with a formal dining room—think starched linen tablecloths and waiters in white jackets—suitable for the aristocratic atmosphere. The kitchen relies on ingredients from the family’s estate, so the menu is limited, seasonal, and fresh. Not surprisingly, the wine list is deep, with a selection of super Tuscan blends and wines from the Antinori cellars.

A local favorite on postcard-pretty Piazza della Passera in the Oltrarno neighborhood, Il Magazzino serves up delicious Florentine food with a special emphasis on offal. If you are up for it, there’s no better place to sample stalwarts of the indigenous cuisine in dishes such as grilled udder or classic trippa alla fiorentina, or tripe stewed in a tomato sauce topped with grated Parmesan. If offal’s not your thing, opt instead for the mouthwatering linguine with kale pesto. The great wine list offers some affordable choices.

Everyone seems to be talking about Chez Nous and, frankly, it’s easy to see why. A meal here feels like dining at your most fashionable friend’s place. The restaurant is tucked away from the main drag in a beautiful Charleston single house, with a handwritten menu that changes daily, with the chef taking inspiration from the daily market as well as the cuisines of Northern Italy, Northern Spain, and Southern France. If the weather’s nice, request a table on the porch or in the courtyard.

24/7 is fine dining in the exclusive LaLiT Hotel near Connaught Place. It is also the only space in the city where you can order drinks at any time of day or night - hence the name 24/7. A buffet is offered during breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a-la-carte options served the remainder of the day. Cocktails served anytime, including during Sunday brunch.

The recipe for the delicious, tiny truffle-cream sandwiches at atmospheric old Procacci is a guarded secret but, oh boy, are they good, especially when accompanied by a glass of prosecco. Smart Florentine ladies-who-shop flock here for a pit stop between purchases, but it’s also popular for an early-evening aperitivo. Procacci is additionally one of the few places to buy just-harvested truffles in Florence: look out for them in November and December. Heap truffle shavings over fresh, buttered taglierini pasta or a simple scrambled egg—after only one bite, you’ll understand the attraction to these precious, musty-smelling delicacies.

A typical restaurant at a typical neighborhood: cheap, good, homemade food and a local environment. The students gather here when they want to join for a class dinner. The name Tollan comes from an English container ship that sank in the river. This was back in the 1980s, and it stayed there for almost four years, with the hull upwards.

For traditional Mexican handicrafts, Mercado Coral Negro is the easiest place to find all your wares. Here you can purchase jewelry, mayan relics, and unique creations from all over the region. The most beautiful items are the embroidered garments created from local cotton and dyed using traditional methods.

This hidden gem is all about the food and not about the ambiance—and that’s the way we like it. Their fresh Malay fare is traditional, tasty, and cheap. They are open in the late afternoon and well into the evening; it’s perfect for a midnight snack (closed on Thursdays). Look for it opposite Lot 757 across from Kondo Istana.

Vaulted ceilings and arched hallways retain the medieval character of the 14th-century monastery that originally stood here in the Malá Strana district. The hotel also houses Essensia restaurant. Doubles from $350, Nebovidská 459/1, Malá Strana, 420/2-33-088- 888.

This appeared in the October 2012 issue.

The Hong Kong-based Swire Hotels launches in the U.S. with their 352-room EAST, Miami, located in city’s bustling financial district. L.A.-based Studio Collective and New York’s Clodagh Design paired up to design the interiors, which mix intricate woodwork with sleek furnishings. Original artwork from notable names such as China-born Zha Songgang and Miami-based Alexander Mijares hangs throughout the hotel, along with photographs that highlight Miami’s colorful scenery and Modernist architecture. Quinto La Huella, an outpost of a famous seafood restaurant in José Ignacio, Uruguay, promises to draw locals and visitors alike, while the hotel’s rooftop space serves Asian-inspired tapas with views of the skyline. From $259

Weekends in the center of Leuven, Belgium are packed full of fun. There are street artists showing their skills, occasional bands are playing in the square, weddings take place at the beautiful Town Hall. There are restaurants everywhere serving delicious food and drinks, fruit and veggie markets selling what is in season. Right now the tables are full of cherries and strawberries that smell from miles away. The architecture is simply breathtaking, it’s a delight to look at the Town Hall, at the complexity of the sculptures adorning it. St. Peter’s Church, built in the 15th century, is also in the main square. Go inside and see the large and elaborate oak pulpit, which was transferred from the abbey church of Ninove. It is carved with a life-size representation of Norbert of Xanten falling from a horse. Very impressive work.

Usually, when you travel, it’s to experience a different side of yourself. The more adventurous side, the slightly less scheduled side, the sleep-in-without-guilt side. And when you stay at the Drake Hotel in Toronto, you can’t help but feel like your cooler side is making a much-needed appearance. The recently renovated property on Queen Street West features the kind of interior design that radiates style whether it’s in the kaleidoscopic lobby, the next door theater, or in two wings of suites. That’s because the hotel commissioned artists to showcase their work on plenty of open surfaces — from a black-and-white squiggle accent wall in guest rooms to personality-driven drawings in the elevator — and the results make for surroundings that are the material equivalent of black sunglasses. Paired with of-the-moment details like pink terrazzo showers and wraparound midcentury sofas, and the Drake Hotel is meant to cultivate a see-and-be-seen vibe.

But that’s not to say that the hotel sacrifices comfort for being camera-ready. The staff is kind and always available through text, the beds are soft and squarely stationed in front of a well-appointed bar and flatscreen television, and designer toiletries are filled to the brim. It’s also possible to eat throughout the day at the hotel’s delicious cafe and patio (get the French toast), and then spend the night at its second-floor bar or ground floor lounge. On weekends, even if you’re not a guest, you can stop by for regularly scheduled events including a DJ who spins old and new tunes. If you do plan on leaving the hotel to see the city, then you’re right in the midst of it, and the surrounding neighborhood can keep you readily entertained.

When you stay at the Drake Hotel, don’t be surprised if you feel relaxed, in-the-know, and decidedly cooler once you check out. These are sides of yourself the hotel may have encouraged, but feel free to hold on to them after you return home.

Halo-halo is a popular everyday dessert whose name is a Tagalog word meaning “mix.” It’s composed of many ingredients, including various beans, fruits, and jelly-like coconut-based sweets. These toppings are put over a big bowl of shaved ice with milk; finally, the mixture is topped with a slice of leche flan (cream custard) and ube (purple yam). Some versions also incorporate gelatin, cheese, or pinipig (crispy rice), though nothing beats adding a scoop of ube ice cream on top. The proper way to eat halo-halo is to stir it up first so that each spoonful includes many ingredients and gives you a taste and texture explosion. Halo-halo is available everywhere, from public markets and local food chains to ice cream bars and the most luxurious hotel restaurants. But serious connoisseurs go for the classic one at the Milky Way Café. The eatery has been serving halo-halo for more than 40 years, and their iteration boasts 20 premium house-made ingredients and ice that is finely shaved using a hand crank.

Run by the famous Spanish shoe brand, Casa Camper is a stylish boutique hotel neatly situated in the middle of Mitte’s hip fashion and culture district. Designed by Jordi Tió and Fernando Amat—the founder of Barcelona’s iconic design store Vinçon—the devilishly good-looking interior is defined by clean lines and striking furniture set against rust-red walls. The rooms are deliberately minimal, with wooden floors and slick designer furnishings, but are decidedly comfortable and include eco-friendly touches such as water-recycling showers. Instead of an in-room minibar concept, the hotel offers a 24-hour buffet that is free for guests. Plus, the hotel’s prime location ensures easy access to the swanky drinking, dining, and shopping options in the neighborhood.