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Key West’s most famous literary resident, Ernest Hemingway, lived in this two-story Spanish-colonial villa for nearly a decade and composed several of his best-known works here. His second wife, Pauline, insisted they add a pool to the spacious grounds—the first inground pool in Key West. The cost ballooned to around $20,000, a fortune in the 1930s, and was said to have contributed to the breakup of their marriage. It’s just one of the fascinating stories guides will share on the half-hour tour of the home and gardens (included in the price of admission). And yes, you’re guaranteed to see plenty of six-toed cats, descendants of Hemingway’s original six-toed cat, Snow White.

Taking a nighttime stroll through Brooklyn, retracing George Washington’s footsteps as he was engaging British forces in Brooklyn and Long Island who went on to invade New York City in the summer of 1776 during the American Revolution (I love a good dose of American history). I paused for a moment to admire the ingenuity and design of the Brooklyn Bridge as well as the Manhattan skyline. Then I found myself humming Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind.”

D.C.'s most recognized landmark—and the world’s tallest freemasonry structure—transports visitors on a 70-second-long elevator ascent to its 500-foot observation deck. A National Park Service Ranger accompanies you and shares the history of this obelisk dedicated to the President and General who was regarded as “First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” Consider that at completion in 1884, only men were allowed to use the then-steam powered elevator because it was deemed to dangerous for women whose only option was to climb 897 steps to get to the top. Timed tickets are now required to enter and are available on a first come, first serve basis at the monument lodge located along 15th Street NW. Tip: although the ticket window opens at 8:30am, it’s best to line up 1-2 hours early as tickets are usually gone by late morning.

Note: The monument is closed for renovations until early 2019.

The Grand Tour of Switzerland includes thrilling bends and scenic views at every turn, and five of its famous alpine passes stand out—literally—among the rest of the route. They are engineering wonders that often overlook natural wonders as well. The Flüela Pass, which connects Davos and Susch, reaches a height of 7,818 feet. Your ascent through alpine forests delivers views of the valley below on a route that Avis ranked number 4 on its list of the “world’s best roads.” The Julier Pass is lined with picturesque lakes and ends at the village of Tiefencastel, with its historic, and equally picturesque, Church of St. Stefan. The San Bernardino Pass in southern Switzerland follows a route used since the 15th century and sits on the border between the country’s German and Italian regions. With its serpentine twisting path, the Tremola Pass in Gotthard is a wonder of 19th-century road design. After navigating its many twists and turns, enjoy one of the famous sausages sold from a hut at its summit. Finally, if the Furka Pass looks familiar, it’s likely from its big-screen appearance in Goldfinger. Fortunately as you drive to the highest point on the Grand Tour, at 7,969 feet, you’ll be able to simply enjoy the scenery without any villain in pursuit.

Cane’s chef and owner Paul Yellin grew up on Barbados, and he drew on this experience while putting together this bar and restaurant: the menu is full of Caribbean dishes, and the space is decked out with palms, corrugated metal, and bamboo. Another Barbados-inspired touch? The heavy presence of rum at Cane. The bar houses bottles from across the wold, and the drinks menu serves classic rum-centric cocktails like Zombies and Painkillers alongside more creative concoctions.

Saint Blaise became the town’s patron saint in the 10th century after a vision alerted him to an impending attack by Venice. His statue—the old man holding a model of Dubrovnik in his left hand—sits atop the church’s Baroque facade. Inside the domed interior, near the main altar, a 15th-century gold-plated statue of St. Blaise has miraculously survived several earthquakes and fires. (Note: The church will be closed through early 2016 for restoration and will reopen for St. Blaise festivities on Feb 3, 2016.)

If shopping is on your agenda, be sure to stop at Mongoose Junction, at the north end of Cruz Bay where North Shore Road heads out of town. The open-air mall is small but attractive, made of local stone and mahogany and landscaped with tropical plants. Mongoose Junction is packed with art galleries, restaurants and boutiques selling locally made clothing and jewelry. Before you leave, check out St. John Scoops, which makes almost 100 flavors of ice cream and sorbet (like mango, passion fruit and salted caramel) and serves them up in hand-rolled waffle cones. Delicious superfood smoothies are on the menu, too.

The bars along 5th Avenue start hopping as early as sunset, but Calle 12 doesn’t pick up until well after dark. Pronounced kah-yeh doh-say, the lane is Ground Zero for Playa del Carmen’s wilder nightlife, with nightclubs and bars on both sides of the street between 10th and 1st avenues. The hottest venue depends on when you go—which night, week, or even season—but the most popular spots include Coco Bongo, La Vaquita, Coco Maya Beach Bar, and Mandala. (Note: Things don’t start till 11 p.m. at the earliest on Friday and Saturday nights.)

The heart of Robert the Bruce, King of the Scots, is buried somewhere here, amid the magnificent ruins of Scotland’s first Cistercian monastery. Scholars believe Melrose Abbey dates back to the 7th century, though most of what remains today is about 500 to 600 years old. Being close to the border, it suffered at English hands during the Middle Ages. It was rebuilt in the 1380s, however, and used as an abbey until the Protestant Reformation of 1590. Today, visitors can admire the graceful architecture, take in the charming sculptures (look out for the famous bagpipe-playing Melrose pig); step inside the chapter house, where Robert the Bruce’s heart is supposedly buried; and tour the Commendator’s House Museum in the abbey cloister, which houses a rich collection of medieval objects.

Founded as a priory by Queen Margaret in the 11th century, Dunfermline was turned into an abbey by David I and later became a royal mausoleum. It’s believed that Robert the Bruce is buried here, along with seven other Scottish kings. Following the Protestant Reformation of 1560, Queen Anna of Denmark built an imposing palace on the site, with the abbey complex at its center. It was here that Charles I—the last Scottish-born British king—was delivered in 1600.

Today, visitors can explore the abbey remains, admiring the impressive nave and towering monks’ refectory. You can also wander through the palace, checking out the refectory floor and kitchen area, before heading outside to admire the breathtaking views across the glen.

Café Du Monde is always open; it’s the clientele that changes—from visiting families and local pensioners early in the morning, to couples in the evening, to Bourbon Street refugees looking for coffee and ballast in the night’s thinnest hours. This huge coffee stop is a rarity—a tourist trap that locals actually love (although they will rarely wait when lines are long). It’s been around for more than a century, and basically serves two items: beignets and café au lait. The beignets are similar to Spanish buñuelos, fried fritters of dough, and are one of those French traditions that’s survived here more durably than in France. While probably not on anyone’s diet list—they come piled with powdered sugar—they’re surprisingly light, and an order (which equals three beignets) disappears with unusual haste.

Local-style comfort food gets the portions it deserves here, filling the soul and the stomach. Massive pancakes, kalua pork hash, and an all-day Big Island Breakfast Menu are the main draws. Seafood eaters shouldn’t miss the poke bowl (pronounced POH-keh): cubed raw fish seasoned any way you wish.

A fixture with Glasgow’s cool kids, Chinaski’s continues to thrive. It may not look like much from the outside, but interiors inspired by novelist Charles Bukowski, a great selection of music and some excellent drinks and bar food ensure its popularity. Although more famed for its drinks, dishes such as crisp whitebait and parmesan crusted rack of lamb prove that the kitchen knows its stuff.

Rockefeller Center was one of the great construction projects of the Great Depression, a complex of 14 buildings between Fifth and Sixth avenues and 48th and 51st streets built over the 1930s. It’s also one of America’s grandest examples of Art Deco design, from the Indiana-limestone-clad buildings themselves to its interior murals and allegorical figures in panels above the entries to the various buildings. (Daniel Okrent recounts the fascinating history of the complex in detail in his acclaimed Great Fortune: The Epic of Rockefeller Center.) For many travelers to New York, the center is a favorite destination even if they aren’t students of architecture or urban planning. It’s the home of Radio City Music Hall, where the Rockettes perform; its 70th-floor observation deck offers sweeping views of the city; and every morning tourists gather outside the windows of the NBC studios during the broadcast of The Today Show.

The center also hosts temporary large-scale art installations, like Jeff Koons’s enormous dancer and flower puppy in recent years, and the lighting of its Christmas tree marks the unofficial start of the holiday season. Another bucket-list experience here is taking a turn on the small sunken ice rink under the golden statue of Prometheus. Just across Fifth Avenue from Rockefeller Center is another New York landmark, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, looking better than ever after a multiyear renovation that included a thorough cleaning of the Gothic building’s facade.

After opening in 2014, it didn’t take SALT Plage long to start appearing on lists of the world’s best beachfront restaurants. At the Christophe Harbour dining destination, guests gather on a palm-shaded deck overlooking White House Bay for craft cocktails and Caribbean fare, served from a corrugated steel bar that manages, like the menu, to project both a casual and sophisticated vibe. Live music and full-moon parties make this the place to be for sunset and beyond.