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Certain things in life are simply impossible to adequately capture in a mere photograph. Iguazú Falls is definitely one of them, and above is my best effort to convey the epic expanse of ‘The Devil’s Throat.’ Situated on the border of Brazil and Argentina, the falls are the watery dividing line between the two countries at this exact point. I accessed the falls from the Argentinian side, via Iguazú National Park and took a mini train (the Rainforest Ecological Train, to be exact), some trails, and more than a few catwalks to reach this particular vantage point. Unlike some falls in the US and Canada, in the southern hemisphere you can get dangerously close to the roaring waters of these grand spectacles. The sound is deafening, the spray is enticing, and the visuals are simply amazing. As I stood there, trying to take it all in, all I could do was feel my heart pounding as I stared into the mouth of the devil. Most depictions of Lucifer entail horns, a tail and copious amounts of fire meant to terrify all who are witness to his power. I can assure you, though made of mere cliffs and water, THIS devil could douse any other devil and never look back.

Owned by the world-renowned art collector Dakis Joannou and smartly decorated by quirky Brazilian designers the Campana brothers, the New Hotel is the city’s coolest upscale design-centric property, with 79 rooms (including seven suites) and an intimate restaurant. Although centrally located, just a five-minute walk to Syntagma Square, it’s tucked back in a modernist building on a side street so it feels hidden and discreet. The interiors are both playful and smart; the Campanas created much of it with items recycled from the previous hotel. Imagine puzzlelike walls and chairs constructed of layered, repurposed wood intermingled with sculptural chairs of their own design. In the rooms, they had fun riffing on Greek cultural objects, like the Karagiozis, a shadow puppet, and multiple versions of the glass “evil eyes” used to protect against ill omen. Bottom line: stylish contemporary design, excellent location, and friendly service.

Prana began as a low-profile boîte, short on tables but long on creativity. Word spread quickly and soon, long lines trailed out the door. Prana then merged with O Quintal Zen, a health-food restaurant in one of Rio’s most charming neighborhood, Jardim Botânico, and the result is a winning fusion of vegan food, meditation, and serious yoga classes. In the new larger space, the focus is still on quality. Every day, the chefs offer two vegan, gluten-free specials alongside several heathy desserts, so you can enjoy a great lunch before a trip to the Botanic Garden or the beach.

This royal palace was probably much-visited this year, due to an exhibition of Joana Vasconcelos, a very important Portuguese artist. The palace was built on a hill, after being destroyed at its the previous location (in front of the river) in the 1755 earthquake. But it wasn’t finished, because the royal family fled to Brazil during the French invasion. In 1968, it opened as a museum, with important collections of decorative arts of the 18th and 19th centuries, such as furniture, jewelry, textiles, painting, ceramics, photography, and sculpture. Many important state ceremonies take place here as well.

When I first found this store, I was overwhelmed. This place holds so many treasures, you’ll need several trips to look through everything. Franky’s is one of the most popular thrift/vintage stores in Puerto Rico, and likely only one of a few. The proprietor provides a lot of his items as props for movies being filmed in PR—like the recent Rum Diaries movie. If you like vintage, then you’ll love shopping here. It’s on the corner of San Francisco Street, right behind the little plaza as you enter Old San Juan.

Located on the Samaná Peninsula, 300 feet above Playa Cosón and the Atlantic Ocean, this 18th-century, plantation-style home impresses with Victorian trim and wraparound terraces perfect for sipping cocktails in the shade. Inside, antiques from Asia, Europe, and Turkey; rugs from Istanbul; and details like Brazilian hardwood floors and French doors add further charm. The six guestrooms, all housed on the second floor, feature four-poster beds, mahogany soaking tubs, and private terraces—rooms 5 and 6 have the best ocean views.

Breakfast and dinner are served on vintage china in the main house, while lunch takes place a seven-minute shuttle ride away at the Beach Club. This is where you’ll also find the inn’s pristine beach, a nearly 90-foot stretch of sand that’s mostly empty, great for swimming, and considered one of the country’s best places for kiteboarding. When you’re not lounging here, visit the town of Las Terrenas (just 10 minutes away) or try to spot the humpback whales that migrate from as far off as Greenland and Iceland to mate and calve in the warm waters surrounding the Samaná Peninsula (every January through March).

Chef Pedro de Artagão went from fresh-faced promoter to celebrity chef at Irajá, where instead of trying to take things more haute, he gathered traditional—maybe even disdained—Brazilian ingredients and transformed them into something spectacular. The restaurant’s mansion setting requires guests to squeeze past the kitchen to the dining room, on a high-ceilinged loggia, framed by a vertical garden. Locals marvel at what Artagão does with once-lowly cassava, now stylishly presented as high-toned aipim (whole fried), farofa (fried meal), mash, or tapioca. Regulars and out-of-towners alike enjoy sampling ingredients from the Amazon, such as tucupi (manioc juice), jambu (a Brazilian guava), and tacacá (a spicy seafood, pepper, and jambu stew).

Designed by Oscar Niemeyer and Roberto Burle Marx, this expansive park was meant to be an improvement to Central Park in New York City. Home to an impressive amphitheater, museums, water bodies, and lots of paths with some impressive landscaping, it’s well worth a visit. Come for a stroll, jog, picnic, open air concert or bike voyage on a Sunday. Various food vendors are strewn throughout with agua de coco and snacks. It’s best to check the website for events if you’ll be visiting on a weekend.

Those in search of sublime culture in an exuberant natural setting will find an ideal refuge in the Instituto Moreira Salles, a modernist residence hidden on a lane above the Gávea quarter that’s home to a cultural center. The delights on offer at this off-the-beaten-path spot—visual-arts and photography exhibits, literary salons, film series, and a stunning garden by famed landscape designer Burle Marx—are made all the more amenable by a restaurant as well as petite art– and Rio-focused bookstore. The IMS also happens to be the city’s most extensive photographic archive. If you’re looking to learn Rio history, a visit to this rare gem—nestled into the Carioca jungle—is a must.

Though the airport and city highlights are all a quick drive away, the Fairmont feels like a true getaway thanks to its setting on Palm Jumeirah island. There, surrounded by views of the Arabian Gulf and Dubai Marina, you’ll find 381 guest rooms and suites, each with warm, contemporary-Arabic décor, marble soaking tubs, Le Labo bath products, Nespresso machines, and furnished balconies. Many of the rooms are designed to be connected to form their own locked-off section, making the hotel ideal for family travel. Also great for groups is the wealth of amenities, starting with the 10 restaurants and lounges featuring everything from authentic Indian, Korean, and Taiwanese fare to Brazilian churrascaria and American burgers and shakes. A Kid’s Club, four pools, beachfront loungers, a health club, and a Willow Stream Spa help keep everyone entertained, as do off-property activities like water sports, speed boat rides, and golf at three nearby clubs.

Most London hotels can’t claim to have a bowling alley in the basement. But then Ham Yard isn’t most hotels. The new address, opened in June 2014, also features a 190-seat cinema with Dolby surround sound, a spa with its own Hypoxic Studio for high-altitude training, a roof terrace with a full vegetable garden, and a karaoke bar curated by Lucky Voice. Ham Yard is the eighth opening for Firmdale Hotels, the chain run by husband-and-wife team Tim and Kit Kemp. Tim brings business brains to the partnership, while Kit handles the interior design. It’s this aspect for which the brand is best known, and Ham Yard is the most exuberant of Kit’s colorful creations. Kit has filled the space with her trademark mismatched fabrics and art works sourced from the likes of Shilo Engelbrecht. Curious touches, such as light installations from cult-creator Gods Own Junkyard, lend the hotel an idiosyncratic edge. The unusual name derives from the Soho square in which the hotel stands. Ham Yard’s emergence has not only created London’s hottest new opening, but also a courtyard space where locals come to sit and linger at the hotel’s partner shops, including Brazilian beachwear brand Frescobol Carioca and a Press London juice bar.

In recent years, the craze for artisanal beers has given rise to a burgeoning market. One brand, Hocus Pocus, has gone so far as to open its own taproom, where its ever-expanding variety of beers is on offer. The setting is a former workshop with exposed-brick walls and shared tables that add a twist to the usual Rio beer hall (though be prepared for crowds and the possibility of not finding a table). There’s also a full portfolio of the Brazilian snacks called petiscos, notably a tongue sandwich with mustard, tube steaks, and lots of deep-fried nibbles. Classic rock serenades the scene.

Located in Santa Teresa, Aprazível is foodie heaven in a welcoming atmosphere. The name says it all—aprazível is Portuguese for pleasant or pleasurable—a meaning that becomes clear as soon as you take in its intensely orange, intensely Rio sunset views. The kitchen calls the food roots cuisine: moqueca (fish stew), hearts of palm, Amazon fishes, coconut rice, plus excellent steaks and chops. Naturally there are typically Rio desserts, as well as tropical drinks and artisanal beers. The Brazilians love it, and out-of-towners do too; if you add it all up, you’ve got the quintessential Carioca experience.

Here you’ll find all manner of steaks and chops, sides and beverages, but if you’re looking for the ultimate Brazilian cut, ask for a picanha ao braseiro, a two-person portion, seared on both sides in its own juices (let them know if you need it more well-done). It comes with fried potatoes (best served à portuguesa, i.e., round and crunchy), broccoli-rice salad and farofa (manioc meal) plus bananas and a (you guessed it) fried egg. It’s the kind of celebration that calls for free-flowing beer. Even when you’re satiated, leave room for dessert: fried plantain and sweet-cream ice. Look around to see the line is as long as when you arrived—now it all makes sense.

If you look at a map of Rio, you’ll see a giant green spot: the Tijuca rain forest, one of the largest urban jungles in the world. This park includes more than 9,900 acres where visitors climb rocks, hang-glide, bike, or even take a drive (this last the easiest and fastest). The foliage—typical of Brazil’s huge rain forest, the Mata Atlântica—was nearly wiped out by coffee production in the 17th century. Thankfully, in the 19th century Brazil’s Emperor Pedro II encouraged reforestation here, and this national park displays the lush results.