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Described by Napoleon as the “Drawing Room of Europe,” Venice’s principal public square is dominated by Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace—as well as its famous pigeons. Wander the framing porticos, have coffee at Quadri or Florian’s and just take it all in. Even on the most crowded days, there’s a feeling of calm in the eddying whirls of people who gather in this impressive space.

Why we love it: A seaside sanctuary that marries high design with local adventure

The Highlights:
- The mix of Mediterranean and mid-century California style
- Working record players and vintage vinyl libraries in place of TVs in guest rooms
- Complimentary morning yoga, plus an “Adventure Collection” full of bikes, kayaks, surfboards, and hiking and snorkeling gear

The Review:
Opened in 2018, Hotel Joaquin pairs downtown cool with coastal elegance. The property comes courtesy of Paul Makarechian, who grew up in Orange County and now owns Auric Road, a collection of “petite resorts” that also includes Korakia Pensione in Palm Springs and Sonoma Coast Villa Resort & Spa in Bodega, California. Once a roadside motel, Joaquin now blends elements of St. Bart’s, the Mediterranean, and mid-century SoCal beach culture for an exclusive yet relaxed feel, with curated artwork and vintage finds around every corner. Light floods the guest rooms, some of which have balconies and private patios (book La Vue for the hotel’s only picture window, framing views of the ocean and Catalina Island). Each room also includes a working record player and vinyl library, as well as Anichini linens, Le Labo bath products, and artisanal snacks curated by Farm to People. The bathrooms pull out all the design stops with imported marble, hand-painted tiles, and brass fixtures.

At on-site restaurant Saline, guests can enjoy smoothies and other light fare for breakfast, wholesome salads and sandwiches for lunch, and Mediterranean-inspired share plates for dinner, along with house spritzes and creative cocktails all day long. When not lounging at the pool, take advantage of the hotel’s Adventure Collection, which includes complimentary surfboards, diving gear, bicycles, and more for exploring Laguna Beach. Should you prefer to hang on the beach, hotel staff will even set up your chairs, pack you a picnic, and deliver water sport equipment to Shaw’s Cove, just a two-minute walk from the property’s garden gate.

Note: You must be over 21 to reserve a room and at least 18 to stay at Hotel Joaquin. Service animals only.

Nestled in the rain forest leading up to the famous Boiling Lake, Titou Gorge features cool, deep waters and smooth cliff walls formed by molten lava. If you’re wearing water shoes and a flotation device, you can actually get down in the canyon and make your way upstream through a series of pools that ends at a waterfall. If you’ve seen Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, then you’ve seen Titou Gorge before—portions of the movie with Orlando Bloom were filmed in this very spot.

A tour of St. Nicholas Abbey is a chance to explore one of the finest so-called great houses of Barbados. Not an actual abbey, the well-preserved Jacobean plantation mansion in the northern parish of St. Peter dates from the mid-17th century and is filled with antiques. On the mahogany tree–dotted manicured grounds, visitors can also see the old steam mill and rum distillery that are still in operation; the output from the latter, and other local products, are sold in the gift shop.

One of only two hotels right on Biscayne Bay (the other is the Standard), rooms at Mondrian South Beach are coveted by guests wanting a stellar view. Designed by Dutchman Marcel Wanders, the hotel’s decor is intended to evoke a sense that one is floating around in an underwater world, and the property is described as an homage to Sleeping Beauty’s castle. The slightly whimsical and slightly creepy mermaidlike woman whose face appears on walls throughout the hotel is the “keeper” of this “castle,” where incongruous elements—traditional blue-and-white Dutch porcelain juxtaposed with busy black-and-white patterned wallpaper, say—somehow work in odd, unexpected harmony. Everything about the hotel feels spacious, including oversized rooms, many of which are flooded with sunlight and enjoy bay views.

If visiting a miniature version of a country the size of a postage stamp makes no sense to you, stay away from Madurodam, a top tourist attraction in Den Haag featuring historic Dutch towns, ports, canals, roads and monuments re-created on a 1/25 scale. On the other hand, if you fancy learning about the history of a nation that would be underwater were it not for Dutch ingenuity, by all means visit this interactive park that tells the story behind the battle against water, as well as many historic venues that still exist in Holland today.

Business travelers might help keep it quiet enough during the week, but when the weekend rolls around, the W Scottsdale earns its rep as a party hotel. By day, a young, trendy, and sometimes noisy crowd hangs at Wet, the rooftop pool, keeping well oiled with sunscreen and bar drinks. By night, the scene remains trendy, and noisy, at the lobby’s Living Room Lounge, or at Shade Lounge upstairs by the pool, often to a background of live music or a DJ, until the revelers are off to bed, or off to some of the many bars and clubs within walking distance. Rooms have all the tech gadgets, and the use of color and frosted glass makes them feel light and playful without going overboard.

Often called the Spanish Steps, Rome‘s famous scalinata (monumental staircase) is the centerpiece of Piazza di Spagna. Built in the early 1700s, the steps connect the piazza (now a busy shopping area) with the Trinità dei Monti church on the hill above. The area became a hangout for models and artists and one of Rome‘s most photographed sites. Head to the top to see the sunset, or make like Hepburn and Peck in the film Roman Holiday and stroll around the piazza.

Head to the edgy Santa Fe Railyard District—just a 20-minute walk from the plaza—to browse the various contemporary galleries that have taken up residence there. Stroll through the small parks, enjoy a meal at offbeat Southwestern eateries like La Choza and Tune-Up Café, and of course, visit the bountiful farmers’ market to check out the local produce and, in season, the famous Hatch green chile peppers.

It was love at first sight. Everything about Orvieto is charming, with the exception of the Duomo (Cathedral) which more appropriately would be described as elegant and grand, especially the facade. Originally a thriving center of Etruscan civilization, Orvieto is a little less then half way between Rome and Florence. We had a lovely meal on one of the cute cobble stone lanes before heading up the clock tower and gazing over the perfectly preserved city. You could easily spend a day or two wandering through the town, enjoying its history and culture, both past and present. We were treated with the utmost hospitality at every turn. There weren’t many visitors during our visit, which I found to be unusual, given its popularity on the tourist circuit. This will be a place to revisit, and immerse ourselves into the everyday life of this gorgeous gem.

This sprawl of green—132 acres’ worth—is an oasis for urbanites. The park’s centerpiece, the Nashville Parthenon, is a full-scale replica of the Grecian structure and a physical testimony to Nashville’s “Athens of the South” nickname. The park’s bandshell hosts Shakespeare in the Park and occasionally serves as the site of the popular Movies in the Park, but because this is Nashville, a free live music series called Musicians Corner dominates the summer programming. On Saturday afternoons from May through September, music lovers, families, and pets gather to enjoy an impressive lineup of musicians, as well as local food trucks and a beer garden. Recent performers have included Preservation Hall Jazz Band and local favorites Rayland Baxter, Cale Tyson, and Langhorne Slim.

This historic market has been in operation since 1892, and is beloved by locals as a destination for lunch, grocery shopping, or buying regional gifts at the Pennsylvania General Store. More than 70 businesses sell fresh wares here, including ice cream, cookies, meat, seafood, produce, Mexican cuisine, and artisanal grilled-cheese sandwiches—just to name a few. Philadelphians line up daily for just-baked goods from the Amish-owned Beiler’s Bakery, which also runs a separate doughnut stand in the Pennsylvania Dutch section of the market. The market’s location, across the street from the Pennsylvania Convention Center, can mean throngs of visitors on convention days; try to get to the market as early as possible to avoid the crowds.

Just to the southwest of Tucson, on the San Xavier Reservation, sits the late XVIII-century Mission San Xavier del Bac, one of the finest examples of Spanish colonial architecture in the U.S. The combination of late Baroque and Moorish-inspired design is a beacon any time of the year, but on this winter day, the flooded fields worked some magic—panoramas of reflected landscapes are almost nonexistent in southern Arizona! The ‘white dove of the desert’ is the oldest intact European structure in Arizona, and it still serves as a parish church for the Tohono O’odham people.

Having built the Savoy Theatre, English agent Richard D’Oyly Carte opened a nearby hotel in 1889 to accommodate the wealthy American patrons who came to see the celebrated Gilbert & Sullivan operas. In the years following, the hotel welcomed such regulars as Winston Churchill, Coco Chanel, Frank Sinatra, Charlie Chaplin, Mel Brooks, and Katherine Hepburn; some of these famous former guests are now celebrated in the menu of theatrical Character Cocktails served at the hotel’s decadent Beaufort Bar, while others have inspired the nine elegant Personality Suites. Anecdotes abound at The Savoy, including the time Marilyn Monroe stopped by for a press conference in 1956 to promote The Prince and the Showgirl with costar Laurence Olivier and caused a media frenzy when she appeared in a black dress that, tantalizingly, revealed her midriff.

But The Savoy, now managed by Fairmont, is not one to languish in the past. The hotel completed an ambitious $350 million renovation in 2010—in time to celebrate its 125-year anniversary—and now features timeless spaces with every modern convenience. The 267 rooms and suites include Art Deco or Edwardian décor, custom-made furnishings, bespoke rainfall showerheads, and Penhaligon’s amenities; many of the higher category options look out over the Thames or city landmarks, and have extras like claw-foot tubs or, in Deluxe Junior Partial Riverview Suites and above, the legendary Savoy Butler service. Rotating programming—from arts and culture events to a writer-in-residence series and expert-led masterclasses—keep guests engaged, while the six dining and drinking outlets include Simpson’s In the Strand (beloved for its Sunday roast), Gordon Ramsay’s Savoy Grill, and the Thames Foyer for the iconic Afternoon Tea.

There’s a reason this is one of the most iconic spots along the Grand Canyon. Located on the Havasupai Indian Reservation and hidden deep within a 20-mile round-trip hike, Havasu Falls’ sparkling turquoise waters are a popular destination for seasoned hikers who come for the amazing views, rock climbing, and swimming. The hike to the falls and back is best enjoyed with a preplanned route and plenty of stops for rest, food, and water. Because tribe members of the Havasupai, which means “people of the blue-green waters,” maintain the trails and work to keep their land as unspoiled and pristine as possible, reservations for campsites are limited and day hikes and drones are not allowed.