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The province of Quebec is notorious for its quaint, picturesque villages. The compact forests and the thousands of lakes in the Laurentides region certainly make for the picture-perfect Canadian postcard, including the beautiful lakeside chapel in Saint-Alphonse or the wholesome locals of Old-Town Saint-Sauveur. On the other hand, the rolling hills of the Eastern Townships are as bucolic as it gets: villages like Hudson, with its gourmet market, microbrewery and century-old houses have a slight England feel, as does nearby Sutton. However, the ultimate wintery escape from Montreal surely is Quebec City, with the snow-capped Château Frontenac, 400+ year old historic center and festive winter Carnival every February.

If you’ve ever longed for a ride down a river to spot crocodiles—and who among us hasn’t? [editor’s note: me!]—you can do just that on the Black River in southern Jamaica. The river cruises are a popular tourist attraction, but they never feel overrun. Enjoy an hour-long cruise past tall mangroves and ferns, spotting tropical birds and stopping when the guides greet crocodiles. The enormous reptiles swim right up and even open their jaws while passengers cringe and wonder if the guide’s hand is about to disappear. Don’t miss this fun chance to see some of Jamaica’s wildest interior.

Artesanías de Chile is a joint effort between the Chilean government and over 2,000 artisans from north to south to support their craft with three stores in Santiago now: Bellavista, Moneda Government Palace, and SCL Airport. The pieces are unique and made with first class quality ranging from hand-thrown clay pots (greda), ornaments made with “crin de caballo” (horse tail), Mapuche earrings and weavings, alpaca shawls, and wooden bowls among others. Every sale directly supports the artisans along with government initiatives to train them in their craft. Bellavista 357, Bellavista Phone: 56 (2) 2235 2014

The walls are adorned with colorful masks and wall murals. The displays include rustic kitchen utensils and chunky hand-crafted jewelry. A trip to the Pune Tribal Museum opens up a window into the vibrant cultures of the tribes that live in the state of Maharashtra. This isn’t the biggest museum in Pune (the Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum has a huge collection of artifacts from the region), but each tribe—such as the Warli, Bhil, Gond, Koli, and Kolam, to name but a few—represents a unique cultural and socio-economic heritage, and that is what makes the Tribal Museum such an interesting visit.

The Rookery has been serving up Southern favorites since 1976, and Macon locals are loyal to the place. The sandwiches are infamous, many named for beloved bands like the Gram Parsons Cosmic Club and Blind Willie’s Buffalo Chicken. But both the fried-green tomato BLT and grilled pimento cheese are worth a try. The old-fashioned hand-spun milkshakes are equally decadent. In honor of a former president, order the Jimmy Carter Shake, which mixes banana ice cream and peanut butter with a strip of bacon to top it all off. If it’s a nice day, sit outside on the patio for the best people watching in downtown Macon.

Copa Vida is the newest of Pasadena’s gourmet coffee shops, and the unique tastes and aromas of their coffees are surprising (and impressive). They have three primary menus: “steep” is a menu of specialty teas; “pressure” includes coffee-house favorites including espresso, macchiatto, and cortado; “brew” has an “on tap” selection and a rotating selection of their special hand-poured brews. If you’re struggling to narrow down which brew to choose, stop by on a Friday or Saturday evening for a coffee tasting and cupping class; you can buy a flight, sample the specialties, and learn how different processing methods affect the flavor of coffee.

If you’re a shopper, then Bologna is the city for you. Thanks to the combination of a large student population and a robust corporate climate, the ability to spend some money shopping abounds. One of the top buys can be found at the many food shops around town. Bologna is one of the culinary centers of Italy and you can find everything from the freshest of foods to the coolest of kitchen gadgets around town. This is also northern Italy, so fashion is always close at hand as well. If high-end labels are your thing, then a walk through the main shopping district won’t leave you disappointed.

Just a few minutes walk from Antwerp, Belgium’s Berchem train station, is one of the city’s most beautiful neighbourhoods, the Zurenbourg. A handful of streets form the ‘Golden Triangle’ an area famous for its Art Nouveau and rival architecture. It’s a hodge-podge of styles: Gothic Revival, Neo-Renaissance, Greek Revival, Neoclassical, and British Tudorbethan; striking in their differences. A walk through the area is a lovely way to pass a few hours. The main streets of interest are: Cogels Osylei, Waterloostraat and Transvaalstraat. Be sure to look up so you don’t miss the stunning mosaic work that decorates many of the houses.

After decades of rule by innocuous lagers, a small revolution is brewing in Beijing’s beer scene, with a handful of small-scale brew operations popping up over the past few years. Great Leap is among them and brings together foreign beer makers with local ingredients in a way that doesn’t make “East meets West” sound cliché.

Take the popular Honey Ma Gold Ale. It has peppercorns from Sichuan, in central China, and Shandong date honey from the coast. Meanwhile, Little General IPA uses Chinese hops, while Danshan Wheat Beer includes black tea from Fujian. All fun to try. Beers at Great Leap start at ¥25 for a pour of Pale Ale No. 6. Great Leap’s flagship brewery and pub, on Xinzhong Street, can handle everything from large parties to single imbibers, offers views of the brewing equipment behind a glass wall, and has a good range of bar food, including a tasty burger and fries at ¥40. Order it and you are almost sure to get one last pint.

If you happen to be meandering through Budapest, and have the urge to do a little sightseeing, St. Stephen’s Basilica is definitely a sight to see. The structure is named in honor of Stephen, the first king of Hungary. Apparently, his right hand is also housed here, but fortunately I did not come across it during my explorations. What I did come across, and what will greet you upon entering, is a dazzling array of multicolored marble columns that soar to the heavens. What is not carved in relief on the walls is gilded in gold on the ceilings. The intricacy of the floor and the meticulous attention to detail will almost make you forget to look up. Ah, but when you do, what a sight to behold! The dome of St. Stephen’s is probably one of the more awe-inspiring views in Budapest. Natural light spills in from the etched windows to illuminate the works of art that seem to float above you, all while being surrounded by an inordinate amount of gold leaf. The visual masterpiece almost makes you want to clap - it makes you want to give King Stephen a hand.

Fashionistas will be quick to snap up this new home-grown line that works to support creative and social development for the women of highland Chiapas. Each garment—often a combination of chiffon and linen—is hand-sewn; styles range from crisp and professional to blissfully free, empowering all women whatever their day-to-day activities. Locations throughout Mexico, but there’s something exciting about buying next to the beach from their sliver of a boutique in the Hotel María del Mar.

Just a short walk from the Vatican Museums, La Tradizione sells more than 400 cheeses, which are carefully selected and, when appropriate, aged. This gourmet shop is hands-down the best place in town to shop for fermented dairy, as well as cured meats, prepared foods, and other gourmet products. To get there, take the Metro A to Cipro. La Tradizione is across the street from the Metro stop. And while you are there, pop over to Pizzarium, which is only 200 yards away.

Panificio Bonci, which opened in November 2012, is legendary baker Gabriele Bonci’s bread bakery. Located in the Trionfale district—not far from Bonci’s famous pizza-by-the-slice joint, Pizzarium—the bakery sells loaves, sandwiches, and a handful of pasta varieties. There is also pizza by the slice (though a more conventional variety than you will find at Pizzarium) and pastries. Perhaps the greatest menu item, however, is pizza con la porchetta, a flatbread sandwich filled with slices of moist roasted pork and its crispy skin.

What’s not to like about Museumplein? In summer, it’s as chill as Vondelpark, with picnickers playing instruments and getting high on the lawn. Add more grass and the field becomes stoners’ heaven as well as a magnet for art aficionados. The latter come for Amsterdam’s trio of world-class museums, all re-opened in 2013 after lengthy renovations—the stately Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art, and the Van Gogh Museum. Tucked south of Leidseplein amidst upscale hotels and cafés, Museumplein is both a culture vulture’s paradise and an open space for those who want to escape the city buzz. In addition to repositories of priceless paintings, it’s home to the Concertgebouw at its southern end.

Located on the island’s unassuming south coast, down a street that doesn’t even have a name (which isn’t uncommon in Barbados) sits a little beach bar called the Carib. Wander up to the wood deck and smile at the Bajan waitress pulling double-duty behind the Mt. Gay Rum-lined bar, as she waves her hand at you, the universal sign for “just sit anywhere.” Pull up a non-luxurious plastic chair and soon you’ll find a cold Banks in your hand (the local brew - about the color of a Bud Light but with much more flavor) and a plate of steaming Bajan food on its way. The Carib, which I eat at almost daily during my time in Barbados (I’ve been to the island seven times), has the best flying fish on the island. Order yours platter or sandwich style, with sides of cou cou (a local dish about the consistency of mashed potatoes) and salad. Be sure and start your meal with a basket of pipping hot fish cakes - also the best on the island. Luckily when you’re done with lunch and ready for a nap, the beach is a few steps away. Grab a chair and an umbrella for $10 U.S. for the entire day. You probably have the beach to yourself, until school gets out when the local youth will stop by for a dip in the ocean and maybe a game of cricket.