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A large resort at the base of the Niseko Village gondola, the Hilton combines a central location, breathtaking views, and convenient amenities. This is the choice for travelers who plan to spend their day on the ski slopes or golf links from post-breakfast to pre-dinner, perhaps bookending the activities with a soak in the open-air onsen (or indoor on bad weather days). Rooms have panoramic mountain views and if you are lucky, you might get a room with a view of the unkai sea of clouds and Mount Yotei. Unwind with a steak dinner at Melt Bar & Grill before booking a private karaoke room at the hotel’s Ezo Pub. The Wakka Spa focuses on post-ski restorative treatments with a cedar soaking tub for couples.

Just across the street from Montréal’s City Hall (or Hôtel de Ville), the Château Ramezay has been witness to almost three centuries of history. It was first built in 1705 by Claude de Ramezay, then governor of Montréal, as his official residence. While the building principally served as the home of later governors, it was also briefly the headquarters of the Continental Army when American troops occupied the city. (Benjamin Franklin spent a night in the house during that period.) In 1895, it began its current incarnation, as a portrait gallery and history museum. The collection includes prints, drawings, photographs, and other works of art, as well as humble household objects, that shed light on the daily life of the city’s residents and First Nations peoples in Québec over the centuries. Be sure to leave time to explore the small kitchen and pleasure gardens, as well as the orchard, for an introduction to the horticultural practices of settlers in New France and residents of 19th-century Montréal.

Perched picturesquely on a rocky hilltop overlooking the city, Heidelberg Castle is enigmatic, romantic, and one of the few castles in Germany that hasn’t been fully restored. Dating back to the 1300s, it served as the seat of the Palantine electors for several centuries. While it expanded substantially during the 16th and 17th centuries, it was plundered and destroyed on many occasions and now consists of mainly Renaissance and Baroque ruins. It’s free to roam the gardens and exterior, but guests must pay an admission fee to visit the interior. Take a guided tour for a historic overview and access to highlights such as the English Wing (built in 1612 by Elector Friedrich V), the graceful Renaissance courtyard, and impressive rooms like the Knight’s Hall and the Imperial Hall. The Grosses Fask (Great Cask) in the cellar is also worth seeing—the world’s largest functioning wine barrel, it’s made from 130 oak trees and can hold some 58,117 gallons of wine.

Ask anyone who lives from Central L.A. to Downtown where to go for steak, and we bet they’ll all say the same: Taylor’s. The steakhouse has been operating in the Koreatown area of Central L.A., just a few miles west of Downtown, since the ‘50s. It’s won all the awards: Best Steakhouse in L.A. from almost every L.A. based news outlet, as well as coveted spots on must-eat lists in Eater and Bon Appetit. The menu is classic and no frills, and the affordable prices reflect a time before celebrity chef-driven restaurant concepts. Your choice is clear: Order the Taylor’s Special Steak, a grilled filet mignon that comes loaded with grilled sweet onions, and the French onion soup.

Stretching from Oslo Central Station in the East to the Royal Palace in the West, Karl Johans Gate is named after King Karl III Johan, who ruled Norway and Sweden in the 19th century. Along the street you’ll find many famous highlights, like the National Theatre, the Parliament, the Royal Palace (the pond of which serves as a skating rink in the winter) Central Station, The Grand Hotel - and of course, plenty of shops. The Bazaar Market (Basarene ved Oslo domkirke) is a particularly colorful place to spend your money. Popular with locals, travelers & gypsies of all sorts, no “must visit” list in Norway would be complete without at least a mention of the venerable Karl Johans Gate plaza.

This kind of shop has almost everything, and it’s where I go when I need something and don’t know where to look for it. Also, the service is quite personalized. They sell things like beauty items, cleaning products for the house, strong detergents, and the famous WD-40. Also you can find nice gifts for men; if they still shave in the old way, you can get a very nice shaving brush. For women, the wonderful Portuguese soaps are wrapped in pretty packages. Some of the soaps are less expensive here, as this is not a tourist shop. Speaking of soaps, I like one called Mariposa, it comes in a very nice package—a good gift. Don’t be surprised if you see soaps from donkey milk or sulphur!

Facing the Arabian Sea and the Gateway of India monument, the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel blends Moorish, Florentine, and Indian architecture. The historic palace wing reopened in 2010 with 243 new rooms and 42 suites, including one that houses the sitar on which legendary Indian musician Ravi Shankar composed his Concerto No. 1. George Harrison checked into the Taj in 1966 to take lessons from the maestro.

Hilton Molino Stucky on Giudecca Island is a zippy five-minute boat ride (free for guests) away from bustling Piazza San Marco, and ideally located for those craving a tad more tranquility without missing out on any of those sweeping Venetian vistas. Once a working flourmill, this brick, industrial-era fortress has been reimagined as a luxury hotel with all of the modern bells and whistles. Take a break from museum hopping with a day spent surveying the city below from the city’s only rooftop pool (followed by quality time spent in the spa). Of course, with several dining options just steps from your room, you could happily spend most of your time right here.

If mixing business with pleasure, this hotel—with Executive Suites, a ballroom for events, several conference rooms, and a business center—makes for a superbly scenic day at the office.

Perched next to San Francisco Bay, Hotel Griffon makes an ideal base for business travelers who work nearby and visitors who want a waterfront location. Free town car service to the Financial District is available every weekday morning, while a fifth-floor boardroom provides a short commute for conference-goers. Leisure travelers can arrange Alcatraz tickets, tours, and sought-after reservations through the concierge.

The eco-friendly hotel is green down to the smallest details, from recycling unused hygiene products as part of the California Green Lodging Association and Clean the World to recycled notepads. All of the rooms were remodeled in 2012 and get turned down every evening with chocolates. Top-floor suites also have a wet bar so guests can raise a glass to their view of the city or bay and toast their time in San Francisco.

Lions and tigers and bears…oh my, this museum has everything for the aspiring naturalist. Examining the relationship of human and animal throughout history, original displays of classic and contemporary art mingle with taxidermic animals, rifle collections, and archives in a 17th-century mansion. Visitors, especially kids, will love opening the wooden drawers to find contents like scat and paw-print samples, or hunting down a trompe l’oeil mousehole. Founded by the François Sommer Foundation, the museum is committed to promoting the global discussion about our environment. The result is a compelling selection of temporary exhibitions, conferences, and events that change with the seasons.

There’s a new wave of wine bars in Paris, ones that champion natural wine (a step beyond organic) and serve artful small plates. Camille Fremont’s La Buvette (not to be confused with Buvette restaurant) is considered one of the best; the place has won lavish praise and an award from Le Fooding. Like a cozy annex to Camille’s own home, the bar benefits from the inherent cool factor that a slightly out-there location in the 11th confers. Despite the compact space, it never seems to be much trouble to pack in throngs of wine fans and curious passersby. Guests must consume a little snack (or casse-croûte in local parlance) to be able to drink but your experience will be better for it. Put your trust in Camille for the wine—mostly natural and only from wine producers she personally appreciates—and choose any of the stellar bites on offer (aged Gouda, dry sausage from Aubrac, sardines, butter beans). Bottles are available for purchase.

Follow the sound of music to the iconic Mirabell Palace and Gardens, where Fräulein Maria and the von Trapp children delightfully sang “Do-Re-Mi.” Mirabell has become a dream destination for marriage ceremonies, boasting what some call the most beautiful wedding hall in the world. Of course, you don’t have to tie the knot to enjoy this elegant slice of Salzburg: Stroll through the gardens and admire the charming flower beds, statues of Roman gods, hedge theater, Pegasus fountain, and garden of baroque marble dwarfs.

Farmgate Café is a lively spot upstairs at the buzzing English Market, Ireland’s oldest food market, in Cork City Centre, with balcony seating that has great views of the bustling crowds and vendors below. Try some traditional Irish favorites, such as seafood chowder, rock oysters, lamb stew, or a version of bangers and mash—pork sausages with mashed potato, lentils, and bacon. Make sure to try a local black pudding–like delicacy called drisheen, and save room for the delicious cakes.

One of Mexico’s most interesting and varied gastronomic markets, Mercado 60 is home to eighteen culinary options that serve up everything from homemade pasta and sandwiches to Lebanese specialties and, of course, Mexican cantina fare. Get ready to hobnob with locals and travelers alike. The events calendar is packed too, with concerts, dance lessons, performing arts, and even dog adoption days. You’ll find yourself returning time and again to grab a bite or learn to salsa.

Artist Dan Flavin’s last installation is the Church of Santa Maria Annuciata in Chiesa Rossa, fondly known as simply Chiesa Rossa. Flavin’s light installation is a technicolor dream of electric hues across the main nave and central apse.