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Just 7.5 miles north of Avignon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is heaven for red wine lovers. Home to 80 growers, the village produces more wine than the entire northern Rhône region collectively, using several of the appellation’s 14 permitted grape varieties, including grenache and syrah. Find your favorite at Maison du Vin Vinadéa, which offers between six and 10 free tastings each day—plus bottles for sale at vineyard prices. The shop features more than 200 different wines—including rare white Châteauneuf-du-Pape, red magnums, and, depending on the season, rosé and white wines from Côtes du Rhône, Tavel, Gigondas, and Rasteau—so you’re guaranteed to find something you like. In 2019, Vinadéa plans to launch a museum and wine bar for further enjoyment.

While most of the Grenadines’ most luxurious hotels cater to the one percent, Salt Whistle Bay, on Mayreau, offers a blissfully pared back—though no less exclusive—experience. You’ll feel like a modern-day Robinson Crusoe when holed up in one of the 22-acre property’s eco-friendly bell tents or stone bungalows, each outfitted with colorful rugs, fans, and plush linens, and positioned to capture ocean breezes. By day, swim with sea turtles, sting rays, and tropical fish in the surrounding reef-filled waters—snorkeling masks are free to guests, as are stand-up paddleboards—or try kiteboarding on the resort’s designated beach. By night, share those adventures over a dinner of grilled lobster at the on-site restaurant and bar.

Brit-born cycling fanatic Gareth Jones first opened a bike shop called Vicious Cycles, then expanded into the next-door space with the Handlebar, a funky restaurant/bar/“cycle” cafe on a grungy, graffiti-lined backstreet in the increasingly touristy Psirri neighborhood. The simple brunch, bagels, and (mostly vegan or vegetarian) snacks fare here consistently earns rave reviews, and so do the DJs’s mad mixes of house music and more. The beer is cheap, and the young, edgy crowd is consistently enthusiastic. The bar closes at midnight so this isn’t a late-night venue. But where else can you eat well, drink inexpensively, listen to great tunes and get your bike fixed, all at the same time? Keep an eye out for occasional record launches, live gigs, and street parties.

This sleek outdoor mall sits in the lavish neighborhood of Puerto Cancún, known for its marinas, golf course, and luxury homes. The shopping center features international brands like Zara and Sephora, along with a stylish, upscale food court featuring its own bar, views of the marina, and cuisine from all over the globe (think Thai fusion, raw bar, gourmet burgers, French bistro, sushi). For entertainment, the expansive Cinépolis movie theater has a VIP section with cozy recliners and table service right to your theater seat. Though designed for tourists, the theater is popular with local crowds, as well, thanks to its convenient location between the Hotel Zone and downtown. On weekends you can catch performances throughout the mall, including live music and acrobatic shows.

Lyons Cottage, built in 1925 on the corner of Knuckey Street and the Esplanade, is famous for being the first residence in Darwin built of stone. It originally housed executives from the British Australian Telegraph Company; today it’s a café and gallery run by Aboriginal Bush Traders, a nonprofit community initiative. Visitors can shop for artworks, jewelry, clothing and woven fabrics made by Aboriginal artists and artisans. The garden is a pleasant spot for coffee, tea or lunch under a frangipani tree. The café serves dishes made with indigenous produce, such as bush tomatoes and Kakadu plums. And the building’s history is preserved in a hologram exhibit that tells stories of the Overland Telegraph line, which first linked Australia to the rest of the world in 1872.

An indigenous-owned art gallery located at the busy junction of the Arnhem and Stuart Highways a half hour outside Darwin, The Didgeridoo Hut prides itself on selling genuine Aboriginal artwork from remote Top End communities, with whom the owners Dennis and Janis have personal relationships. In fact artists often come to the shop to demonstrate their painting and didgeridoo making skills and to share their stories with visitors. The works on display are high-quality and overwhelming; thankfully, the friendly staff are very knowledgeable about the artists and their symbolism—spiral circles represent waterholes and tool imagery usually stands for a man or woman. The prices are fair, but some have a little bargaining room built in.

A must-stop on the traditional handicraft circuit, this massive market—stretching four city blocks in Miraflores!—is home to stall after stall of kitschy bric-a-brac, pre-Columbian–style pottery, alpaca everything and an endless array of Andes-inspired arts and crafts. Come and shop around.

No surprises – pork is the focus at West Seattle’s Swinery deli. When you walk into the tiny shop, you’ll see a huge deli case full of steaks and chops, bacon, smoked meats, sausages, pates and confits, as well as all the pickled veggies, slaws, sauces, and sliced deli meats you need to assemble a truly kickass charcuterie platter. If you can’t wait, order a sandwich in the adjacent Courtyard Cafe. The focus is on BBQ pork and burgers, but the smoked turkey sandwich is smoky and flavorful, and the red onions and Carolina sauce add some tangy brightness. For big appetites, try the “Danger Fries,” hand-cut and fried in rendered pork fat, tossed with salt, fresh garlic and chives, and smothered in a bacon blue béchamel sauce.

On a quiet residential street one block from the popular vintage shops, bars, and restaurants of Milwaukee Avenue, the Wicker Park Inn is one of the best values in Chicago, attracting an eclectic clientele of older couples, families who book the whole place for weddings and other special occasions, and young travelers eager to live like a local amid the vibrant culture of the Wicker Park and Bucktown neighborhoods.

Visiting Beyt Design in Cambridge was inspirational. Their award winning social enterprise uses architectural salvage from conflict zones in the Near East destroyed by violence and up cycles them into one of a kind home decor. Tiles from 18th century mansions, reclaimed wrought iron gates, window frames & antique textiles make their way into tables, lamps and shades in this unique shop. In addition, the labor they employ is from diverse, disadvantaged backgrounds. When I visited, I spoke with a woman working on a lampshade, clearly proud of her project and the opportunity the owners had given her. Their mission to ‘Restore the Unseen Beauty of the Broken” resonates in each and every piece.

Having recently opened its doors to the public, the Factory on Grant Avenue in Norwood aims to be a destination for promoting the arts, crafts, design and a bit of individuality as it hopes to inject some renewed interest in the old neighborhood. The Factory features an artisanal bakery, a glass blowing studio, a screen printing workshop, an art gallery, boutique clothing stores and even a flower shop. Over the years, the popular Grant Avenue in Norwood has declined somewhat, with a proliferation of massage parlors and mini supermarkets. With the new Factory having opened early in 2014, Norwood seems to have a new buzz about it which, hopefully, will lead to other new ventures and establishments popping up too.

The Matrix Hotel, located just off Jasper Avenue, is smack-dab in the middle of downtown Edmonton, and there is no better place to stay than its Onyx Suite. The design of the hotel—stylish and modern—suits any style of traveler and most rooms have wide balconies that overlook the city. But only the Onyx Suite has a sprawling walk-out terrace with built-in barbecue, fireplace, and seating for hosting an impromptu rooftop cocktail hour. It’s all within easy walking distance of the Edmonton City Centre mall and countless other shops, plus it’s close to the city’s best nightlife when the occasion calls for a night on the town. Rooms from $195. Contact 1-780-429-2861.

Though the bagels here are hands down the best in Taipei, Good Cho’s is so much more than just a bagel joint. Housed in a ramshackle military veterans’ housing complex tucked in the shadow of Taipei 101, the shop’s quirky, DIY vibe marks a cozy departure from the ultra-modern style of surrounding buildings. Come early on the weekends for a chance to grab a bagel in flavors like sun-dried chili tomato and, if you’re lucky, a seat in the popular café. Or opt to take your bagel to go so you can browse through a carefully curated selection of Taiwan‘s best home-grown products, ranging from beautifully packaged tea leaves to whimsical stationery goods. 886/(0)2-2758-2609

Dario Cecchini is the most famous butcher in Italy and is probably the only one who recites Dante while carving up his carcasses. His small shop on the outskirts of the medieval village of Panzano is a Mecca for carnivores seeking quality meat (plus curious tourists), and he also has a restaurant—Solociccia—where you can sample some of the best bistecca in the region. If you visit his Antica Maccelleria Cecchini on a Sunday morning, when he works to a background track of jazz and opera, you’ll be offered a glass of wine, a hunk of pecorino cheese, and a nibble of some of his meaty products (like the fennel-flavoured salami called ‘finocchiona’) to ease the waiting time.

The Oriental Plaza, located in Fordsburg, just west of the old CBD, is home to many an Indian store owner who specialise in beautiful exotic fabrics and other clothing items and related trades such as tailoring. That’s not to say that the Plaza is limited to those items, as there are spices and curios too, amongst other things. It is a favourite shopping destination amongst locals who are looking for designer fabrics and good deals on those items. While you’re resting from all the price haggling, you can enjoy a good curry or some samoosas or any number of Indian dishes from one of the stores inside the plaza, or venture out and find one of the many restaurants nearby.