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In the heart of Toruń’s Gothic, brown-brick Old Town—which itself looks like it was built out of gingerbread—lies the Living Museum of Gingerbread, an interactive museum that opened in 2006. Toruń’s gingerbread tradition goes back much further, however, with the first mention of the sweet dating to 1380. At the museum, you’ll learn the story of Toruń’s famous gingerbread while working under the watchful eye of the Gingerbread Master to prepare the dough, bake the bread in traditional wooden molds, and, finally, decorate each loaf. After going through the fun process, you might agree with Frédéric Chopin, who wrote of a visit to Toruń, “Gingerbread impressed me most. Although I have seen the fortifications, and the famous town hall . . . all these cannot surpass the gingerbread, ah, the gingerbread!”

The Gant feels like your mountain home away from home. Tucked away on five acres at the base of Aspen Mountain, the Gant’s condos offer the comforts of staying in a home but with the service perks of a hotel. Guests can choose from one-, two-, three-, or four-bedroom condos, making this a great option for families and friends on ski getaways. Condos feature full kitchens so you don’t have to worry about booking reservations in town each night, and the staff can arrange for grocery and liquor delivery right to your door. Condos also have wood-burning fireplaces, large living rooms for lounging, and patios or balconies to soak in the fresh mountain air. A housekeeper comes to tidy up each day while you’re off hiking or skiing, and families have the option to book child care. The Gant is just steps from the Silver Queen Gondola and offers ski storage and overnight tuning. After a day outdoors, guests can relax weary muscles in one of the Gant’s three hot tubs.

Hong Kong’s tram system dates back to 1904 and still plies some of the same routes, stopping on average every 820 feet. Locals affectionately call the trams Ding Ding because of the bells rung when the trams approach a stop. The main line runs across the whole northern edge of Hong Kong Island, along what was once the waterfront, between Kennedy Bay and Shau Kei Wan Road, passing through the Central Business District and bustling Causeway Bay area. The six routes cover 19 miles and more than 100 stops. Most cars are double-decker and were rebuilt in the 1980s or later, but No. 120 dates back to the 1950s and still sports seats made of rattan and teakwood.

A stone’s throw from downtown Split, Marjan is a hilltop park about the same size as New York City’s Central Park. Known as “the lungs of the city,” it’s the ideal urban escape, offering places to run, bike, swim, and even rock-climb. A serene path through fragrant pine forests leads up to Telegrin Peak, revealing charming chapels and sweeping sea views. Along the park’s waterfront, there are also several popular beaches, Kašjuni Cove being the favorite.

This 23-room hotel has colonial charm even though the building is relatively new. The word “sotano” means basement in Spanish and the Hotel Casa del Sotano is thus named because the building’s first story is below street level. The lower level has a central patio with water features and lots of plants, so it’s both cheery and tranquil. The colonial furnishings, wrought iron, Mexican tile and artistic touches throughout the property add to its appeal. In the morning you can enjoy a cup of coffee on the terrace while you enjoy the view of the towers of Santo Domingo over the rooftops of Oaxaca city.

You might detect the aroma of fresh coffee on your stroll along the Macedonio Alcalá tourist corridor, and if you’re hankering for a caffeine hit, just follow your nose. Cafe Brújula has three locations, but the more central of the three is on Oaxaca‘s main pedestrian street. Order your coffee and snacks at the counter, then make your way to the back of the building and find a spot in the typical Oaxacan arched patio. Besides great coffee (roasted in small batches at their location on Garcia Vigil), they also offer tasty salads and sandwiches. There’s free Wi-fi, so if you need to get some work done, this is a good spot for it.

The miniscule, idyllic island of Granita de Oro (meaning “little grain of gold”) is one of 38 small, wild islands that comprise Panama’s Isla Coiba National Park, in the Gulf of Chiriqui. The cyan-blue waters here swarm with a jaw-dropping array of sea creatures—not just coral reefs swarming with tropical fish, but moray eels, manta rays, sharks, and sea turtles. While snorkeling and diving are the most obvious pursuits here, many travelers enjoy just kayaking, sunning, and picnicking on the powdery beach. Traveling with an intimate group can heighten the experience of exploring Central America. The ship used for Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Costa Rica & Panama trips accommodates just 62 passengers.

Parque Forestal is Santiago’s lung and central park. Created for the first centennial celebration in 1910, the park has become an iconic area of the city with elegant residential apartment buildings along the perimeter. One of the most enjoyable ways to spend an afternoon is walking under the century-old trees and then strolling the cobblestoned streets of the adjoining Lastarria area. Parisian-style facades, cafés full of intellectual life, boutiques, museums like Bellas Artes (a copy of the Petit Palais in Paris), restaurants, and bars all bring this neighborhood to life.

The Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park is a Victorian-style mansion in central Sacramento. The interior’s details, including marble fireplaces from Italy and decorations from France, are beautifully maintained and evoke the rich history of California in the 20th century. The property was built in 1877 and bought for use as the governor’s residence in 1903. The last governor to use it as a residence was Ronald Reagan. Tours are available on the hour from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays and cost $5 for adults and $3 for children over five. Don’t miss the gardens. On-street metered parking is available nearby.

Less than an hour’s drive north of Boston, you can find the building that graces more canvases and paper than probably any other in the world. Located on Bearskin Neck wharf, it’s a central location for exploring the cultural center of this small quintessential New England town. An easy walk will take you thru galleries, shops and restaurants, as well as leading to the harbor that provides coastal vistas the area is known for.

Down a quiet street in central Vermont is a mecca for ice cream lovers: the original Ben & Jerry’s factory! While they’ve expanded production to a second factory elsewhere in Vermont, you can still tour the original factory. When you arrive, check in on Four Square for a complimentary tour ticket (otherwise it’s $4 for adults). You’ll watch a short film about the history of the company, see part of the manufacturing floor and even get to sample a new flavor! It’s fun and kitschy and a must do for ice cream lovers. On your way out, make sure you stop by the Flavor Graveyard to pay homage to your favorite discontinued flavors.

If you’re looking for gifts for the little ones in your life (or you just want to relive your own childhood) don’t miss the beautiful Grasshopper toy store in central Brussels. This store is a warren of high-end toys for all age levels. Upstairs, you’ll find a room of children’s books (some are in English although the majority are French) and board games. You’ll also find wooden toys, puppets and stuffed animals of all shapes and sizes. The owners travel around the world to find their 7000 products and you can find some truly original toys here. The Grasshopper is open every day of the year except Christmas and New Years.

If you visit Boulder, hiking is a central part of the experience. There are many trails that criss-cross Chautauqua Park, but if you hike the ones under NIST you will find them to be much less crowded. Take the Table Mesa exit off the 36 Highway and head west (toward the mountains). Turn left on Lehigh and right on Bear Mountain Drive. You should see a trailhead on your right after you cross Wildwood. To get to Chautauqua Park, take the Baseline Road exit off the 36 and head west until you see the park sign and road begins to curve up the mountain.

The Vigeland Park reminds me of Central Park in New York City. The grounds are huge and very well kept. This is the place that you might have heard of - there are over 200 statues of people in action created by artist Gustav Vigeland. In the center of the park there is a large totem sculpture combining many different sculptures into one. It is free to visit and must not be missed when visiting Oslo!

On a hillside, just north of Antigua, stands this stone cross. From the top of Cerro de la Cruz (Hill of the Cross), you have sweeping views south over the city of Antigua with the magnificent Volcán de Agua, towering over the landscape. I would recommend going up to Cerro de la Cruz only after you have already spent time in Antigua. That way, when you get up to the hill and look over the city, you can try and find all the landmarks that you visited. That is what we did when were there – trying to spot the Arco de Santa Catalina, Iglesia La Merced, Parque Central, Fernando’s (our favorite place for coffee) etc.