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Whoever doesn’t like the smell of cheese should think twice before entering this shop. Not only do they sell a wide variety of Portuguese cheeses, they also dedicate the shop to national traditions from all over the country. Besides cheese, you can buy olive oil, cakes, liqueurs, charcuterie, and more. And there is a daily tasting menu. The shop is hard to miss, in downtown just in front of a tram 28 stop, in an 18th-century building.

More than 1,800 feet high and five miles around, Stone Mountain is a quartz monzonite dome monadnock that rises from an otherwise low-level area. Well-known for its geology, the mountain is also famous—although controversially—for its enormous bas-relief carving of three Confederate leaders. Visitors can hike the many trails or take the tram to the top for impressive views of the surrounding landscape. Alternatively, they can visit the family-friendly Stone Mountain Theme Park, which boasts a water park, scenic railroad, golf course, restaurants, and a famous laser show projected onto the mountain.

Soak up the endless horizon on this 15k tramp alongside Lake Wanaka. Why is this worth your Kiwi time? The rolling and winding track that follows the lake’s edge provides an unobstructed and ridiculous view of the snowcapped mountain tops (head over in spring for sunny skies and cool winds). Park your car in one of the lakefront car parks in town and head clockwise along the lake. You’ll pass Waterfall Creek and the small Damper Bay before you reach Glendhu Bay. The only thing that is missing here are sculptures of hobbits, dwarves, and trolls (just saying).

Located one street back from the tram line in Sultanahmet, Tribal Art Home’s owner Nihat and his assistant Yekta will help you browse their extensive range of hand-crafted ceramics, mosaic lanterns, candle holders, waterpipes (nargile), and textiles—wall hangings, cushion covers, and handbags. The bargaining is minimal as the prices quoted are already reasonable. The guys here can pack and wrap your purchases for safe transportation home. If you’re concerned about the weight of your suitcase, door to door delivery via international post can be organized. Do know that parcel post from Turkey can be expensive, so check the prices by weight before committing.

On a recent trip up and down the Belgian coast, as the sun was setting on one of the beaches NOT in front of a town, I saw in the distance several horses and riders coming up the beach. When they passed, on the horizon a ship was also passing in the opposite direction. This picture is the result. The Belgian coast runs from De Panne on the French border right up to Knokke-Heist, on the Dutch border. For convenience, and the fact that it gets very congested in the warm months, there is a tram that runs the entire coastal distance.

Austrian wines are made all the better by a visit to the many vineyards and wine taverns (Heuriger) on the outskirts of Vienna. Wieninger vineyard is located north of the city on the Nussberg. A light meal and wine outdoors among the vineyards is a great way to cap off an evening in Vienna. Trams run from the city center to Nussdorf. To explore more heuriger, the little Vienna Heurigen Express train runs from Nussdorf to Kahlenberg and Grinzing.

The Pigalle neighborhood’s past comes alive in Hôtel Rochechouart, a 106-room property on the boulevard Marguerite de Rochechouart, itself a late-night destination and a 1920s hot spot for musicians, intellectuals, and artists. The hotel’s design by Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay of Festen Architecture builds off of that legacy; restored details include the blue mosaic floor in the restaurant and the glass elevator. The modern-feeling guest rooms are done up in a moody, autumnal color palette and feature Old World decorative details like burl-wood headboards, curvaceous armchairs, and alabaster suspension lamps.

Tourists usually miss this relaxed neighborhood eatery in upscale Frogner, just a short tram ride from downtown Oslo. Chef Sergio opened its doors in 1987, and since then he’s become quite the local celebrity thanks to his restaurant’s wide, open kitchen. Creamy French-inspired sauces dominate Sergio’s menu, placing the focus squarely on traditional ingredients and presentation techniques rather than the “new Nordic” craze sweeping Norway’s capital. The interior has a slightly dated feel, but the service is swift and the ambience is just right for the food on the table. Great for couples or a romantic celebration.

Captain Dave’s ocean safaris offer visitors a different way to see Laguna. Departing from Dana Point, the cruises take place on a high-tech, high-speed catamaran equipped with underwater viewing pods so guests can see marine life up close. The boat also features three tram nets on the bow, offering prime views of everything from blue, humpback, and fin whales to orcas, dolphins, and even great white sharks. Cruises are limited to 49 people so everyone gets a front-row seat—plus Mrs. Captain Dave’s legendary triple fudge brownies that she bakes fresh for every trip.

In true Berlin fashion, flea markets are not hard to find. One of the newer fleas takes place every Sunday at Mauerpark. I arrived on the early side, around 10am, and the space was already buzzing with locals on the hunt for vintage items, second-hand bikes, and inexpensive clothes. I wandered aimlessly through the park for about an hour, just taking in the sights and sounds of the city. At 3 p.m., a live karaoke party breaks out. It’s the perfect place to release your inner diva. Both the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn stop at Schönhauser Allee, as does the M1 tram.

“Ready!” I grip the bar tightly and lean forward. “Set!” I bend my knees and my heart starts racing. “HUP!” Before I have time for doubts, I take a deep breath, and jump off the platform. The next 40 seconds are a pure adrenaline rush as I soar through the air on a flying trapeze—a thrilling introduction to my first class at the satellite Trapeze School N.Y. in the Navy Yard district of Washington, D.C. I try to stay calm and oriented as my teacher yells instructions to swing my legs and lift my knees up to hang from the bar. This simple move is the foundation for many tricks that we six beginners in the class get to practice many times. By the end of the two-hour class, I’m already doing flips into the net and performing basic catches with one of the instructors. I start to wonder if my childhood dreams of joining the circus are possible after all. Class is over, I’m tired and my legs already ache from the climbs up the ridiculously long trapeze ladder (for me, the scariest part of the class). The school’s motto was right: “Forget about fear. Worry about addiction.” The school offers a variety of trapeze, aerial, trampoline, and acrobatics classes for adults and children.

With shops offering enough pumps, boots, spike heels, designer clothes, cosmetics, suitcases and specialty foods to satisfy the fussiest shopper, Leidsestraat attracts droves of tourists, locals and fashionistas. Whether you’re searching for high style, camp shoes, Dutch cheese or soft drugs, you’re likely to find what you’re looking for in the boutiques, high-end department stores, specialty shops and coffeeshops on this busy passenger byway and the small streets shooting off from it. Running from Koningsplein to Leidseplein, Leidsestraat continues the shopping adventure where Kalverstraat (Amsterdam‘s other pedestrian shopping street) leaves off. Walking south, you’ll know you’ve reached it when you come to the flower stands at the Bloemenmarkt. Popular draws include Sissy Boy, Replay, Abercrombie & Fitch, Metz & Co., Cora Kemperman, V & D, Eicholtz and a Henri Willig Cheese & More shop. As you approach Leideseplein, one of Amsterdam’s entertainment squares, more souvenir shops, fast food options and money changing outlets appear. Watch out for trams running down the center of the pedestrian byway!

Sprawling over 10,000 acres in Lampe, Missouri, Dogwood Canyon Nature Park was established by Johnny Morris—founder of Bass Pro Shops and nearby Big Cedar Lodge—as a place for families to spend time in nature. Elk, bison, Texas longhorn cattle, and whitetail deer roam the property, which is dotted with soaring bluffs and cascading waterfalls that can be explored via Jeep, tram, and Segway tours. There are also paved paths for biking and leisurely strolls, rugged trails for horseback riding and challenging hikes, and spring-fed waterways filled with rainbow trout for catch-and-release fishing. When hunger strikes, head to the on-site Mill & Canyon Grill Restaurant, where you can eat an excellent bison burger while gazing at the blue-green Little Indian Creek and a 120-foot waterfall.

With a nickname like the “Cave State,” Missouri certainly isn’t short on impressive caverns. Of the more than 6,000 across the state, however, Meramac Caverns is the largest—and stays open year-round for tours. Said to have been a hideout for the outlaw Jesse James in the 1870s, the seven-level, 4.6-mile-long natural wonder was purchased by Lester Dill in 1933 and opened as a tourist attraction in 1935. Today, visitors can take guided tram tours past the cave’s complex mineral formations, stopping at a “wine room” (named for its grape-like botryoids and accessed by a long stairwell). While exploring, keep your eyes peeled for the resident tricolored bats that call Meramac home.

Privacy and discretion reign supreme behind the iconic red door of this Jacques Garcia-styled hideaway between the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysées. The smallest of the capital’s Palace hotels, La Réserve Paris is set up in a former mansion that belonged to the Duc of Morny (Napoleon III’s half-brother). The hotel maintains the feel of a private home, thanks to a mix of Second Empire decorative touches, including parquet floors, crown moldings, cordovan leather paneling, and velvet drapery. It’s easy to linger in the public areas, including the library packed with 3,000 books reserved for guests during the day, the fumoir that looks out onto a leafy courtyard, and salons with plush banquettes and club chairs.