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In 2016, Ace added another link to its chain of ultracool hotels when it opened an outpost in a renovated 1928 building in the Central Business District of New Orleans. While the Ace employees here are just as edgy as their counterparts elsewhere, they temper that cool with the warm ease of New Orleans’s locals.

Guests enter the hotel through a lobby of mismatched low-slung sofas and vintage coffee tables set in conversation-friendly groupings beside a lovely and ornate wooden bar. Most of the furnishings and artwork complement the hotel’s dominant forest green hue, which itself seems to have been inspired by the color of the streetcars that trundle past on Carondelet Street. Afternoon and evening and late at night, the lobby bar is kept busy by hotel guests as well as a stream of others drawn here by the stylish vibe.

This purpose-built luxury high-rise hotel has 400 rooms in all, with natural light spilling through floor-to-ceiling windows onto modern, clean-lined furnishings done in ivory and gray tones. Higher floors offer spectacular views of Lake Michigan and Navy Pier. Service here gets high marks for the nothing-is-impossible attitude of the staff, and from early summer to late fall the Streeterville Social, the third-floor roof top outdoor terrace, offers craft cocktails and relaxed dining… and views of the city skyline.

Switzerland’s largest city mixes urban pleasures with lots of natures, most notably Lake Zurich. The Swissôtel’s location near the train station is convenient for business travelers, while 25 Hours Hotel Zurich West offers a business lounge alongside playful local touches such as a kiosk selling Freitag bags. For 5-star service, book the Baur au Lac, set along the lakeshore and close to Zurich’s famous shopping street Bahnhofstrasse. Escape to the fairytale-like Dolder Grand for a true splurge.

Blink and you’ll miss this tiny Indian-run eatery serving eclectic international fare between Mitte and Prenzlauer Allee along the trendy Kastanienallee. Notable for its upside-down McDonald’s sign (hence the “W” in the name; Der Imbiss means “The Snack”), the restaurant consists of a service window and a few brightly colored tables, and has quirky Hawaiian and African decor. The food is not only cheap and tasty but also healthy and diverse, pulling off an ambitious mix of Mexican, Californian, Indian, and Italian influences. It’s most famous for naan pizzas—Indian naan breads baked in the venue’s tandoor, with pizza-esque toppings from olives and cheese to artichokes and salmon. The menu also includes filling Indian thali platters, soups and salads, and Mexican-style wraps.

Colorful and chaotic, at least by Tahitian standards, Papeete is Tahiti’s capital city and a cultural hub worth exploring. It’s undergoing a bit of a renaissance these days, with an infusion of graffiti street art brightening once gray buildings. Sip cappuccino at a chic sidewalk café while soaking up a rapid-fire French soundtrack, shop the vibrant market for everything from flawless pearls to bright parae, or catch a world-class dance and music performance.

The Mile High City offers an engaging mix of outdoor attractions and urban experiences. Whether shopping for western duds, taking in an opera, strolling the mile-long 16th Street Mall, or looking at fine art before wandering through gardens of Rocky Mountain wildflowers, you’ll be wowed by Denver’s charms.

A meal in San Sebastián isn’t over til the gin-tonic is poured. No, not a gin and tonic, but a gin-tonic. This cocktail leaves familiar territory and gets a makeover in the hands of San Sebastián’s barmen, with the ratios and preparation very different from the familiar 5 o’clock cocktail. The best gin-tonics are super-refreshing and more likely to be fish-bowl size than served in a tumbler, so make like a local and sit back, relax, and sip to the scenery of San Sebastián’s streets.

No Roman holiday would be complete without spending some time, at the very least, window shopping your way through the city. But it will be hard to stave off the urge to buy goods on some of the world’s best shopping streets. (Roads leading to the Spanish Steps tend to be lined with beautiful goods.) Rome’s shops sell exquisite delights from Italian designers, including leather bags, clothes and accessories (the eyeglasses at Ottica Spiezia will make you swoon), and much more. Of course, there are also plenty of food shops so you can bring home the tastes of Rome too.

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.

This tiny Venetian bacaro (bar) is so popular that many of its patrons don’t even make it inside. Instead, they cluster around the entrance drinking wine. Sample cicchetti (bar snacks) that the locals come for, especially the meatballs.

Given how popular it is, your best bet at getting in is to go at lunch or just before closing. It’s an excellent option for a full meal or just a few snacks, depending on how hungry you are.

Whether you wander by boat, bike, or tuk tuk (or, highly recommended, a combo of all three), Bangkok spills over with places both new and very old to explore. Along the way, modern-day wonders rub shoulders with traditional Thai culture. Hop from the floating market to a day cruise on the Chao Phraya River to a cocktail at one of the city’s innovative bars. Make meals of tastes from street food vendors and mix in some table service at some of the city’s most renowned restaurants. Overwhelmed by all the options? Stop for a Thai massage. Need souvenirs? The weekend market awaits.

One would be hard pressed to find a country more steeped in history, culture, and religious tradition than Israel. Once there, you’ll find a vibrant mix of modernity and antiquity, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern philosophies and practices, and dramatic landscapes. A major focal point for three of the world’s major religions, the spiritual weight and sanctity of the city is almost palpable in the winding streets of Jerusalem.

Set on Bayreuth’s market square inside one of the oldest buildings in town, this charming tavern dates back an impressive 600 years. Run by two families, Wenk and Bauernfeind, since 1999, it features a purely Franconian ambience of regional food, beer, and wine, all presented with a warm welcome and friendly service. Dishes like grilled beef, roast pork, and local trout are cooked to perfection, portions are big, and waiters are dressed in typical Bavarian attire. There’s also a streetside terrace that’s great for people-watching.

A once quiet downtown thoroughfare, Bree Street now has so many eateries that it is a sort of restaurant row. The feeding starts with breakfast and goes through lunch, afternoon snacks, drinks, and dinner at places like Bacon on Bree, Folk Coffee, the Culture Cheese Club, Café Frank (a must for breakfast or lunch), Clarke’s Bar & Dining Room (very popular for weekend brunches), Chefs Warehouse and Canteen (where it is essential to arrive early because the kitchen closes at around 8 p.m.), and the always packed (especially for drinks) La Parada. Just off Bree Street are many other options, such as the Hungry Herbivore and the House of Machines, whose customers often overflow onto the narrow side street.

Revel is easy to overlook—it’s on a busy stretch of Carrolton Avenue (just off the Canal Streetcar Line) amid a slew of other neighborhood restaurants. But it’s the only one here helmed by Chris McMillian, among the nation’s most prominent bartender-historians. He knows the history and lore of New Orleans drinks better than anyone, and is pretty conversant with cocktails from, well, just about anywhere. The drinks list here is solid, but ask McMillian what he’s been enjoying whipping up lately, and order one of those. And come hungry—the kitchen, manned by his son-in-law, serves up great bistro fare.