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In 1998, former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet was arrested in England at The London Clinic. A month later, satirical, left-leaning newspaper The Clinic was born. The newspaper’s namesake bar in the Lastarria area, housed in a gorgeous Baroque building, is constantly sporting zingers directed at many Chilean public figures. The Clinic is THE spot in Lastarria to toss back some cocktails or beers among hipsters. Every night it’s slammed. While they put on a weekend brunch and executive menu at lunch, it’s not about the food. It’s the cool scene. Monjitas 578, almost corner Miraflores Phone: 56(2) 2266 4440

A good used bookstore is a glorious thing and Myopic is one of the great ones. They have a giant selection of new, used, rare and out of print books on 3 floors, they’re well organized, they’re open until 11pm and there’s a store cat! There’s also a small reading room on the top floor with a big wooden table and chairs and they host poetry readings and live music. They’re open until 11pm all week long but there’s no public bathroom so factor that in to your afternoon of browsing.

One of the first things I like to find when visiting a new destination is a place to take a good walk. Winding through the city’s waterfront neighborhoods, the design of the HarborWalk allows the public to connect with the cleaned and restored Boston Harbor. The section in South Boston and Fort Point Channel takes you along some of the city’s best views of sparkling high rises, as well as plenty of good restaurants to stop in. Take time to people watch and grab a bite. Their interactive map shows the visitor just where they can connect to it.

“Straight ahead for 42 Miles” said the automated, slightly pitchy, woman’s voice. My road trip buddy and I looked at each other as if to check what we’d just heard. Sure enough though, the GPS was right. Straight as a die, but much, much more interesting with stops on the way to check out a coyote crossing the road, a sign marking a public phone that wasn’t there, and the remnants of some poor animal carcass that didn’t quite beat the vehicles before us.

I just love the huge space and the glass ceiling of Galleria Umberto. It is located across from Teatro di San Carlo and despite its modern look, I was surprised to find out that it was built between 1887–1891. The Galleria was named for Umberto I, King of Italy at the time of construction. It was meant to combine businesses, shops, cafes and social life — public space, with private space in the apartments on the third floor. Don’t miss it! The architecture is breath taking all year long.

Built in the 1910’s, the Big Synagogue in Allenby street is one of the known monuments in Tel Aviv which serves as a cultural and religious center for the many residents in the area. When it was constructed,it’s beautiful dome stood in stark contrast to Judaism’s usually bleak houses of prayer, but the dome is barely visible now thanks to the columns around it. The synagogue is still active and opened to the public and actually getting very popular for weddings and Bar Mitzva’s ceremonies

While all of the beaches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are technically public, some of the best ones are accessible only by sea. If you’re lucky enough to be cruising around the Grenadines, be sure to stop for a swim at the beautiful, remote Mahaut Bay Beach on the northern tip of Canouan. You won’t find any restrooms or facilities here but you’ll likely have the beach all to yourself.

Southern charm and Asian aesthetics meld seamlessly at the Mandarin Oriental, located on 15 floors of a high-rise building in the tony boutique-filled Buckhead neighborhood. Beyond a striking marble lobby, the 127 rooms feel like home—albeit a luxurious one—thanks to interiors by renowned architect Robert A.M. Stern. Plush carpets, large working desks, velvet-upholstered armchairs, and high definition LED televisions join bathrooms finished in black-and-white marble, with twin vanities, sunken tubs, and Atelier Cologne bath products. Whether you want to swim laps in the 60-foot swimming pool or simply unwind in the private English garden, the hotel is like a cocoon from the outside world; guests of the spa are welcomed with seasonal tea and an o-shibori, a Japanese steamed towel, before indulging in their massages and facials. But should you need to leave the bubble, the shops in Lenox Square are walking distance from the hotel, and free car service is available to take you within a two-mile radius.

Fearing a British takeover of its ill-gotten trading post, the Dutch East India Company built this star-shaped castle (known as Kasteel de Goede Hoop) between 1666 and 1679 to defend its territory. Now the oldest building in South Africa, the castle served as the center of Cape Town‘s civilian, political, and military life. The austere facade opens up to a striking central lawn and commanding buildings that, in their restored form, represent Dutch, English, and French architectural styles. History buffs will go nuts here: Check out the William Fehr Collection, the African pottery exhibit, and the Castle Military Museum.

Located in southern Galilee in the Jordan Valley, Beit She’an National Park was created to protect and preserve the site of one of Israel‘s oldest cities. One can easily spend a few hours exploring the vast and fascinating park. Some of the country’s most spectacular artifacts dating back to the Bronze Age are on exhibit, as well as an impressive 7,000-seat Roman amphitheater, public baths, workshops, a temple, and the colonnaded Palladius street. Don’t miss She’an Nights, an evening sound-and-light show in which images of Roman buildings and people are projected onto the ruins along the central street, briefly bringing the city back to life.

Medellín’s botanical garden is a 35-acre oasis of green amid the bustling city. Stroll through lush tropical vegetation, towering trees, and flowering bushes to a quiet, picturesque pond amid the gardens. Or peek into a butterfly farm, a maze, and an orchid exhibit beneath an arbor. The gardens are a public space for all sorts of activities like yoga, martial-arts classes, and outdoor movie screenings; a farmers’ market for organic goods takes place the first Sunday of every month. The park is also home to one of Medellín’s best restaurants, In Situ, which in addition to its normal gourmet fare sells lunchtime picnic baskets—complete with red-and-white-checkered blankets and a bottle of wine—to enjoy on the garden grounds.

Korean fare involves a broad array of dishes deeply rooted in agricultural tradition. To get an overview of the cuisine and sample a bit of everything, head to Seasons Table. You should arrive with an appetite—this restaurant chain has an all-you-can-eat buffet with fresh, healthy dishes, including vegetarian options, that are made with seasonal ingredients sourced from local farmers. The decor features warm wood accents and modern takes on traditional textures, creating a rustic yet inviting space that reflects the food. With close to 100 dishes on offer—everything from salad and rice to dumplings, entrées, kimchi, soup, and dessert stations—you are sure to leave satisfied.

The central hub of downtown Amsterdam is Dam Square, and it’s been at the heart of the city’s history since the 13th century. Today, the open-air public space is ringed by shops and restaurants and packed with people, including street performers and tourists en route to nearby attractions like the Royal Palace, the National Monument, and the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), where you can catch a horse-drawn-carriage tour of the city.

In the Old Souq at Deira and in traditional boutiques in malls you’ll see colorful jalabiyas or women’s kanduras, which are increasingly being bought by foreign women. When out in public or in the company of men who aren’t family, Emirati women wear the ubiquitous black cloak-like abaya and black shaylah wrapped around their head - tightly if devout, more loose if less conservative. The most religious women we’re a Saudi-style niqab that ties around the head and covers all but the eyes. When worn with gloves and socks, so not an inch of skin is revealed, it’s known as hijab. Underneath the abaya and shaylah, young Emirati women wear designer fashions and jeans and t-shirts. However, when they’re at home with family, along with older ladies, more traditional-minded women will wear a jallabiya or women’s kandura. Some of these are very simple, made from floral cotton prints, while others, like those in the photo above, are a lot more elegant, made from silks and linens, and decorated with applique, sequins, gems, tassles, and crocheted and embroidered features. In the days before the discovery of oil, Emirati women didn’t wear abayas and shaylahs. They wore these dresses in public with a gauzy face veil and baggy pantaloons. These days the pantaloons have been replaced with smart matching trousers. Over the years, jalabiyas and kanduras have increasingly become a popular souvenir. If you’re going to get one, make sure to buy some pretty sequined slippers to match!

Just off the main Riviera Maya highway, this cenote is easy to reach by car or colectivo vans that serve as small public buses up and down the route. The cenote is completely open and has no caves, but it’s a stunning spot for snorkeling in crystal-clear water, with jungle scenery all around. There are shallow areas for snorkelers plus a deeper side with a twelve-foot cliff, perfect for jumping. Snorkel gear is available for rental.