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Founded in 1955, the owner of La Tarte Tropézienne, Alexandre Micka, invented the eponymous cream-filled brioche that was discovered and named by Brigitte Bardot while shooting And God Created Woman. The Place des Lices location of this storied pâtisserie-boulangerie is the flagship branch (though not its original). This is a pastry lover’s wonderland, with a bewildering and mouthwatering array of breads, croissants, tarts, macarons, and flans on offer. Buy anything, buy everything, just make sure you buy at least one Tarte Tropézienne—whether a slice or whole pie, traditional or containing fruit. You can even purchase multipacks of baby-size pies—you know, as a “gift.”

Engebret Café is still as popular as when it opened its doors 157 years ago. Back then, it was known as a second home to some of the nation’s most prolific artists, including Henrik Ibsen, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Edvard Munch, Knut Hamsun, and Edvard Grieg. The café still retains it artistic air, and is still favoured by writers, actors, and politicians, who come here mainly for the delicious open-faced-sandwich buffet. The menu varies throughout the seasons, featuring fish in the winter, seafood and vegetables in the spring and summer, and lamb, venison, and mushrooms during autumn. Whichever season you go, you’re sure to find something mouthwatering on the menu!

Dosas, thalis, and tiffins! Saravana Bhavan specializes in South Indian cuisine. Each dosa comes with unlimited sambar and three chutneys - the tomato chutney being the house favorite. It is authentic, vegetarian, and very popular with the locals. Waits, especially on weekends, can be lengthy. Be sure and sample the Rava Masala Dosa, washed down with fresh lime juice.

Housed in a Victorian home in the center of town, Explore Booksellers is an Aspen institution. Inside, books on business, history, art, travel, and more are crammed into every corner, with an entire room dedicated to children’s literature. The shop also stocks numerous regional titles as well as cards, journals, and gifts and regularly hosts events with local and visiting authors. When you’ve finished shopping, grab lunch on the second floor, where Pyramid Bistro serves healthy, veggie-forward fare.

It’s often a surprise for visitors to Berlin to discover that Turkish postwar immigrants created the popular döner kebab here. The city takes its kebabs seriously, and there are several hot spots whose reputation precedes them. One such is Mustafa’s in West Berlin, which has reached a kind of cult status as much for its vegetable (gemüse) kebabs as for its chicken ones. Every day around lunchtime the modest stall has lines that stretch along the road, as people wait patiently for a crispy pita filled with the special mix of vegetables, salad, and homemade sauces, topped off with crumbled goat cheese. Get here outside peak mealtimes if you want to avoid the crowds.

The Zone is located in the leafy suburb of Rosebank, with a Gautrain station located just across the road. It has a great collection of stores, restaurants, fast food joints, drinking spots, a cinema and even an arcade with an awesome bowling alley! On one particular occasion, I met up with some friends for a Big Lebowski themed night at the bowling alley. After we’d knocked over some pins and smashed some strikes, we made our way to the froyo store a few steps away to end off the night with a bit of a sweet treat.

If you’re visiting Nicaragua, you shouldn’t miss Matagalpa - a beautiful, mountainous, cool area where you can hike around the Selva Negra nature reserve and take coffee or cocoa tours. The Selva Negra also has an on-site restaurant with an outdoor deck overlooking a small lake, perfect for bird-watching. You can sit outside during your meal and enjoy the view, or take a walk around the lake to the special “birdwatching patch” to commune with some local geese.

During the day, the Piazza San Marco in Venice is an overwhelming flurry of activity, but once the sun sets, you’d be surprised at just how much a sense of ease and languor settles in. Life simply slows down as the crowds depart. Stop by Caffè Florian for a memorable evening. Opened in 1720, this is Italy‘s oldest cafe, and features ornate frescoed and gilded salons, as well as an outdoor seating area for great people-watching. Sip a drink and enjoy Caffè Florian’s live orchestra and singers as you sit under the beautiful night sky, with an illuminated St. Mark’s Basilica in the background. Looking around at my family, I could see total contentment reflected on each of their faces—the most magical and relaxing night of my trip. While not inexpensive, this evening was worth every Euro to me—a night that I will remember fondly for the rest of my life.

Let the wind blow through your hair as you take a 30-minute vaporetto ride to Burano, an island in the lagoons of Venice. Known for its brightly-colored fishermen’s homes, the island is largely free of the tourist crush of the rest of Venice. Spend the afternoon shopping for exquisite handmade lace and sampling gelato, then do as the locals do - gather in the town square at sunset to enjoy drinks and people-watching in one of the many cafes.

We settled in at Trattoria Da Primo, where the bartender recommended a typical Venetian drink, the “Spritz” (Prosecco, Aperol or Campari liqueur, and soda). Then get ready to feast at Trattoria da Romano, regular host to locals, tourists, and visiting artists. The restaurant is famous for Venetian specialities such as creamy Goh fish risotto and fresh seafood. Burano is definitely the place to go for a quiet, small-town feeling night out in Italy.

An edgy crowd gathers at Szimpla Kert, a wacky ruin pub in the old Jewish Quarter. On entering, you’ll be overwhelmed by the maze of rooms, where you might find recycled computer monitors, towering piles of books, hookah pipes, or live music. Bars throughout pour beer and, of course, shots of pálinka.

Talk about a beach day. This feet-in-the-sand eatery serving burgers, chicken wings, and fries is more than a laid-back fish shack. Sure, there are all the requisite beach-bar amenities—a cool cocktail list, live music, and a line of loungers facing the water. But additional perks include free Wi-Fi, showers, and lockers; what’s more, concession stands are on hand to rent out water-sports gear. The bay itself is breathtaking with limestone rocks creating a barrier protecting it from the open ocean, meaning the shallow turquoise waters are perfect for paddleboarding. Tobacco Bay is also one of the best snorkeling spots in Bermuda.

If you’ve been to Fès, chances are you’ll be familiar with the original Clock. This is the second in owner Mike Richardson’s growing empire, this time housed in a converted schoolhouse in the Kasbah. Like all of his projects, a keen eye for line, color, and detail has turned the space from utilitarian into eye-popping as Richardson invites local street artists to bring life and color to the walls; junkyard finds and vintage Berber cushions provide the decor. It’s a popular hangout for both young Moroccans and those traveling through, with regular cultural events, including its famous storytelling nights that spotlight the best raconteurs from the Djemaa el Fna, translated by youngsters learning the craft, to traditional cooking schools to Gnawa musicians giving it their all in tribal trance for Sunday sunsets. But, of course, no visit would be complete without sampling Cafe Clock’s signature, legendary camel burger.

Tucked away unassumingly in Copenhagen‘s hip Meatpacking District is one of the city’s top seafood restaurants, Kodbyens Fiskebar Restaurant. The industrial-style interior has design elements taken from the neighborhood and may not seem the setting for a Michelin-worthy meal, but the casual vibe in my opinion, only enhances the experience. The chef is fanatical about sourcing the freshest seafood. If you haven’t booked a table in advance, try going early and score a seat at the bar. The bartender will insist you have a glass of white wine with your oysters (try the briny Marennes). And don’t miss the excellent razor clam with maltbread, fennel, tarragon and dill.

This small, colorful restaurant located near Fourth and South streets showcases authentic Venezuelan street food, including Venezuelan-style arepas rellenas (thick cornmeal patties stuffed with meat, cheese, and other fillings) and patacones (sandwiches with fried-plantain patties in place of bread). With a friendly staff and fast service, Puyero is popular for dining in as well as for takeout and delivery. The limited menu is geared toward meat eaters, but two of the arepas and several sides are vegetarian-friendly. Try the tequeños—deep-fried dough wrapped around white cheese—and the churros. Muy delicioso! Puyero is BYOB.

Niçois chef Nicolas Rondelli has earned a Michelin star for this fine-dining restaurant by the sea. Reigning over a private beach with a view of the Lérins Islands in the distance, the kitchen honors the riches of waters below by serving line-caught fish from local fishermen, whose names occasionally appear on the menu. It’s not all fish—meat eaters will find entrées of pigeon, lamb, and beef. All vegetables are sourced from small local farms. Sailcloth canopies protect diners from the sun at lunch, and in the evening the stars twinkle above.