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The truth is, there’s a chance that there won’t be any bread to buy when you visit the Raleigh Street Bakery’s operation (a garage behind the baker’s house). That’s because the bakery sells bread shares to locals that they use to score a fresh loaf or two of artisanal bread every week. But because there may be an extra loaf of this extraordinary bread for sale, you should make a point of trying. Two pickup locations around town operate at different hours on different days. The Monday-late-afternoon bread-pickup spot, Call to Arms Brewing Company, offers the consolation of fine local craft beer if the bread’s all gone. You can also try the Union Station Farmers’ Market on Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The name of this restaurant gives a fairly big clue as to its culinary specialty—i.e., fish. But the market part of the name is equally important, since the kitchen espouses a commitment to fresh ingredients, which are usually purchased from local farmers and fishermen. Spread across two floors inside one of central Reykjavík’s oldest buildings, this smartly decorated spot is run by head chef Hrefna Rósa Sætran (part of the Icelandic National Culinary team), and serves not just fish and seafood but also meat and vegetarian dishes, all prepared in an open kitchen that boasts the country’s only robata grill. There is a separate raw bar serving up sushi and sashimi, and a surprisingly funky cocktail and craft beer menu.

Including more than 500 different vendors, the Santa Marta Market (Mercado Público) is a lively and colorful experience. You can wander among the exotic fruits and vegetables in one row of stores, see meat and poultry vendors in another and find gifts and clothing in a third section of the market. Even if you don’t find the perfect souvenir, exploring the market provides a glimpse into daily life in Santa Marta.

One of the best places to feel the local side of Reykjavik life, the Kolaportid Flea Market is set in a spacious industrial warehouse close to the city’s old harbor. Open at weekends only, you can find anything from wool jumpers and vintage fashion garments to fermented fish and licorice, plus plenty of second-hand books and decorative knickknacks. Best to go early to avoid the crowds (it opens at 11 a.m.)—and best to have cash on you since many of the market’s vendors don’t accept credit cards.

Frenchmen Street is, more or less, the local-music version of Bourbon Street. It also has its share of tourists trundling about with go-cups in hand, but they’re drawn more by the music than the drink. Plan to spend an evening (things start to pick up around 8 p.m., earlier on weekends) along a three-block stretch of small, informal clubs where there’s often no cover (give generously and give often when the bucket comes around), or at most $5 or $10. Notable clubs include the Spotted Cat, the Maison, Blue Nile, D.B.A., the Apple Barrel, and Snug Harbor. Earlier in the evenings, there’s often an impromptu brass band at the corner of Chartres and Frenchmen. Between sets, take a moment to browse the night art markets, the largest of which is next to the Spotted Cat.

“I’ve never seen so much red – except at a French brothel,” a fellow guest said to me as we rode the elevator together. She was right. From the moment you enter the lobby, the Rouge lives up to its colorful name with its red quartz tile, red lamps, and the Red Hot Room (for meetings). You’ll find crimson headboards and velvet drapes in each room -- although there’s plenty of zebra print, too. One of eight Kimpton hotels in Washington, DC, Rouge is certainly the rosiest. Stylish and eclectic in that Kimpton fashion, my street-facing room was both comfy and oversized – and convenient. It’s just three blocks to DuPont Circle and then only a bit further to Rock Creek Park (great for jogging, biking, or just walking). The White House is five blocks away and Whole Foods Market just two. For the athletically minded (like me), the good news is that each room has a yoga mat in the closet and nearly all are large enough to do a complete Vinyasa flow. The less good news: the small fitness room in the basement is dreary (but for $5 you can get a pass to the local “Y,” which has every amenity, including a 25-meter pool). The Rouge’s guests are as idiosyncratic as its décor. Families, business warriors, and hipsters seem to be the main human food groups –converging for the hotel’s wine hour from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and at then, again, breakfast. If eclectic’s your thing, the Rouge is your place. Leave the rose-colored glasses at home – you won’t need them here.

Praia da Luz is about a 10 minute drive from Lagos. After ancient historic times passed, it was a little fishing village. In the 15th & 16th centuries, there was a large sardine fishing industry in the area of Praia da Luz beach. As I walked along the promenade in front of the beach, I appreciated the low rise development of the area. The view was of the beach, the walkways, the sea, and the palm trees. There are shops, restaurants, cafes, and the beach sheltered under the “Black Rock”. Market and artists’ stalls are prominent. Behind a gate near the Galley Restaurant, there are Roman ruins of a Roman spa and fish salting tanks. At the beach there is horse riding, kayaking, surfing, swimming, and diving. In the village, you can sign up for ballooning or golf. The village has it all: accommodations, shops, a church, and a bank or two. If you are interested in walking and hiking, you can take the trail three km. east to Porto do Mos Beach (Lagos). If you want to view the fantastic Ponta da Piedade, you will walk another five km. (If you want to return to Praia da Luz there is a bus). The Lagos Zoo is a short drive from Praia da Luz. The zoo has small animals and many birds. A stay at Praia da Luz would be a good choice in the Algarve. Or it is a great day trip from Lagos. We enjoyed the day trip with a delicious dinner on the beach at sunset. Info:www.praia-da-luz.com

Japan has some of the fastest, most reliable trains in the world. One measure of how much locals appreciate them is the glee in kids’ faces when a Shinkansen glides past their commuter train. Or they line up in front of the sloped nose of a parked bullet train for a photo before taking off on a trip. That excitement has naturally created a market for train souvenirs. You can find socks, shoes, even chopsticks shaped like any number of specific Shinkansen trains. Local train lines also sell their own branded train gear across Japan. The Shinkansen souvenirs are all over Tokyo Station, but a big cluster of them can be found near the underground Yaesu central exit. Leave the turnstiles, and the omiyage shop is immediately on the left.

The tram gives Portland visitors stunning views of the city, river, and mountains beyond. Grab the streetcar from downtown out to the waterfront. You’re delivered to the lower terminal for the three-minute ride carrying you 3,300 feet at 20 MPH to the upper terminal at OHSU. Linger for photo ops then head back down to explore. If it’s nice, skip the streetcar and walk back along the river. Daily workout, check. Roundtrip cost: $4. At the lower terminal, the Daily Cafe is an easy find in the atrium of the OHSU Clinical building as you disembark the pill-shaped car, built with precision by the Swiss. Head for the river and stroll along the shore in any weather. Double back along SW Bond Ave and consider lunch at Bambuza Vietnamese Bistro. Check out the pricey high-rise condos on the market in the real estate office windows, then relax in one of the pocket parks to people watch. It snows in Portland. A couple of times a winter, even downtown gets dusted and it’s a huge mess. I’ve dreamed about getting my ski gear on, grabbing my boards and heading for the PDX Tram at the South Waterfront. I’d casually climb aboard with the patients and medical folks heading up to “Pill Hill” and blow their minds.

Why we love it: A kitted-out heritage hotel presiding over the capital

Highlights:
- A historic seaside property
- On-site dive shop and kids’ club
- Hot tubs and an infinity pool cantilevered over the ocean

The Review:
Charming elements remain from Fort Young Hotel’s past as a military fortification, like bronze canons and thick stone walls. Set on a cliff south of Roseau, the heritage property also has 72 modern rooms, all with air conditioning and balconies—most with sea views. Some spaces are massive, such as the oceanfront suites, which each contain a kitchenette, dressing room, two bathrooms, a whirlpool tub, and a dining area that can seat eight. On-site restaurant options range from a mellow seaside bar to The Palisades (one of Dominica’s more gourmet experiences), while amenities include a dive shop and kids’ club.

On the wellness front, the hotel offers a 24-7 gym with floor-to-ceiling windows and Caribbean Sea vistas. Outside sprawl two sundecks, along with an infinity pool and jacuzzies—hot and cold—cantilevered over the ocean. The spa renovations will wrap up in 2019, but guests can still enjoy massages in their rooms or on their balconies. The hotel is also just a short stroll from Roseau’s center, ferry port, botanic gardens, and Saturday markets, not to mention the cathedral and the Dominica Museum. Note: cruise ships dock nearby and can obliterate the water views while in port. Also, post-hurricane renovations will be underway through autumn 2019 and may add some noise during business hours.

Every Friday evening from late April through October, follow the rainbow lorikeets to the Palmerston and Rural Markets in Goyder Square, roughly 20 minutes east of Darwin. The family-friendly night out is filled with entertainers, arts and crafts, fusion flavors, games and local bands and buskers that spill out from 150 stalls, creating a market that’s memorable for all ages.

Although The Wigwam is a historic Arizona resort, with an Old Southwest look and feel, the history here has nothing to do with cowboys and Indians, but cotton and car tires. Originating in 1918 as company lodging for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, which owned thousands of acres near Phoenix (where it grew cotton used to make tires), The Wigwam opened to the public in 1929. The property has since grown into a 331-room luxury resort, but its location to the west of Phoenix (instead of around Scottsdale to the east, where much of the area’s tourism development lies) means that it largely flies under the tourist radar. Recently, the resort tried to change that fact, undergoing a major refurbishment in 2011 and launching a marketing campaign about the benefits of staying west of Phoenix. Still, its relatively low rates include amenities frequently associated with the eastern resorts, including 54 holes of championship golf, nine tennis courts, three swimming pools (one with a 25-foot waterslide), and all the expected dining and wellness options. Thanks to its prices, The Wigwam is most popular for conventions and destination weddings—two groups more keenly attuned than most to good value for the money. That, and what bride could resist a venue that boasts 8,000 rosebushes?

Running from the waterfront to Montréal’s City Hall, at the opposite end of a gently sloping hill, Place Jacques-Cartier has been a center of the city’s street life for more than two centuries. It was laid out at the beginning of the 19th century after the Château Vaudreuil, which had stood on the site, burned down in 1803. Originally known as New Market Place, the square stays true to those roots with the many vendors who sell flowers here in the summer. You’ll find them on sunny days alongside the outdoor tables of the cafés that line the square. In December, Place Jacques-Cartier is dressed for the holidays with rows of Christmas trees. Given the name of the square, you might expect the column at its western end to be topped with a statue of the French explorer. Instead, the English admiral Lord Horatio Nelson looks over the city from the perch. Erected in 1809, it is Montréal’s oldest public monument and preceded London‘s column honoring Nelson by three decades. To this day, the choice of hero to honor still causes some resentment in this largely francophone city.

Hidden behind unassuming doors, this 17th-century palace provides respite from the frenetic bustle of the medina without sacrificing sense of place. The property hits all the right Moroccan style notes: there’s plenty of arabesque-patterned tiling and a lush courtyard complete with tinkling fountain and fragrant citrus trees. But the classic interiors also have contemporary flair—see the chrome lamps, cement-hued tadelakt baths, and leather furnishings in the eight guest rooms, or the panoramic rooftop and on-site restaurant, which not only serves local Fassi fare but also offers free cooking classes that begin with a trip to the market. For an alternate take on tradition, guests head to the hotel’s candlelit Carrara marble hammam, which uses indigenous ingredients like ghassoul clay from the Atlas Mountains, black-olive soap, and argan oil for its soothing pamper sessions.

Not only can you load up on produce, freshly ground Middle Eastern and Indian spices, natural honey, and every variety of date known to man at the refurbished Waterfront Market (known as Deira Fish Market when it opened in the 1950s), you can have a truly authentic Dubai experience. In spite of having been updated with modern conveniences and air-conditioned facilities, one satisfying ritual has been preserved from the old market: When you want to order grilled fish or shrimp from the restaurant, you can select your own from the display.