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To see the Panama Canal in person is to dive deeply into that nation’s history. Coming from the capital, the closest entry point is the Miraflores Visitor Center. Dedicate enough time to check out exhibitions that reveal why the waterway was built here and how the route shaped Panama’s international profile. Head outside to see how the canal works. The structure has several levels, and the third level is always crowded with visitors seeking photo ops. (There’s a restaurant on level four.) If you have time, the Agua Clara observation center on the canal’s Caribbean side offers views of newer, wider locks that opened in 2016.

Quick Bites, located on the lobby of the Marriott Hotel at the City Center Mall, is a great place for a healthy breakfast, a grab-and-go lunch, or a light dinner. It has a home-made ice cream counter with every flavor under the sun and mouth-watering baked goods. It serves a delicious Turkish coffee, a wide selection of Arabic breads straight out of their stone oven, small pizzas, and pastries filled with za’atar (a mixture of herbs, sesame seeds, dry sumac and salt). With free wifi, a selection of national and international newspapers, lots of natural light and a relaxed atmosphere, Quick Bites is the perfect place to have just that: a small bite.

Gaa is located directly opposite Gaggan, Bangkok’s most famous eatery, which was named the best restaurant in Asia in 2017. The brains behind the venture is Garima Arora, former sous chef at Gaggan and chef de partie at Noma. A native of Mumbai, Arora doesn’t shy away from her Indian roots. They are balanced, however, by international influences, including prominent Thai flavors. As you would expect from someone with her pedigree, Arora gives full rein to her creativity throughout the tasting menus (10 or 14 courses), with dishes such as grilled pork ribs marinated with split-pea miso and served with chopped shallots, spring onions, and pomegranate seeds showcasing her talent.

This fast-casual restaurant in the back corner of Bel Aire Plaza in Napa is all about natural and sustainable food and a mix of international flavors. As the name suggests, Heritage Eats sources all of the ingredients for its wraps, rice bowls, tacos, and sandwiches from purveyors within 50 miles of the restaurant. The result: food that’s both delicious and good for the planet. Portion sizes are generous, and Heritage uses its own hot sauces. When dine-in guests have finished their meals, they can spin a prize wheel to redeem different rewards, such as a free soda to a picnic for two. All the spinning and related hollering makes the environment festive year round.

One could argue that the Pulitzer Amsterdam isn’t actually one hotel. Before 1960, each of its 25 buildings was an individual, 17th- or 18th-century merchant canal house. Painstaking renovations over the years have guaranteed that each room feels distinct, maintaining original architectural details from each house, such as arched windows, exposed beams, and friezes. And, from the outside, each house still looks separate, so that the glamorous, art-filled hotel blends right into its surroundings, seeming to be just another of the neighborhood’s picturesque historic buildings.

The recently restored hotel has entrances on and views over two of the city’s main canals—Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht—with a tranquil garden in the middle. The 225 guest rooms blend traditional and modern Dutch craftsmanship and service, while the authentic restaurant and bar showcase local flavors. Located in the heart of Amsterdam’s historic city center, the hotel is within easy reach of the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum, Van Gogh Museum, and the Anne Frank House. It’s also a quick walk, bike, or boat ride to the fashionable Nine Streets, the quaint shops of Jordaan, the flower market, and the Royal Palace.

Graceful palms and lush gardens greet guests at Grotto Bay Beach Resort. Situated on 21 acres, this peaceful colony of cottage-style rooms overlooks the beautiful blue water of Bailey’s Bay in the Parish of Hamilton. Tangerine salt body scrubs, sweet milk and lavender facials, and hot stone massage will melt away all of the exertion of snorkeling excursions, golfing, exploring the resort’s on-site cave, or bicycling around the island. On the other hand, why not take it easy and lounge by the pool, which features a swim-up bar, or on one of the resorts private beaches. Dine among the island ambience of palms, rattan furnishings, and ceiling fans in the Hibiscus Room or Palm Court Dining Room. Afterwards, you can enjoy drinks and tropical breezes on the terrace before retreating to guest rooms outfitted in bright prints and tropical tones.

Built between 1914 and 1916 on an octagonal base, this stone, double-lens lighthouse is Aruba’s marquee landmark. Standing tall at 98 feet, it’s the highest structure on the island and offers the best views in its respective area. It gets its name from the SS California, a British steamship that sank in nearby waters in 1891 and now functions as a fantastic dive site. Adjacent to the lighthouse, visitors will find a beloved Italian restaurant and the California White Sand Dunes, a hot spot for dune surfing.

When you see this UNESCO World Heritage–listed train station, you’ll understand why it’s described as an eastern version of London’s St. Pancras. This imposing reminder of the British raj, designed in an extravagant Victorian-Gothic style with Islamic and Hindu elements thrown in, is often referred to by its colonial name of Victoria Terminus, or VT; a statue of Queen Victoria still lords over the building’s dome. Inside, watch with awe as thousands of people spill on and off the trains—and if you’re feeling brave, have a go at riding the rails yourself.

Curaçao definitely runs on “island time,” but it’s worth getting to this café early so you can eat lunch or dinner on the colonial building’s second-floor veranda. Gaze across the bay at Punda’s colorful houses, then savor the gourmet menu. A top pick is the keshi yena, Curaçao’s national dish: cheese stuffed with spiced meat, olives, capers, pickled onions, and prunes. Wash it down with a glass of awa di lamunchi—lime juice with a dash of brown sugar. Other favorite dishes include the fresh fish, the coconut braised-goat curry, and the braised-beef stew (karni stoba).

Krua Apsorn is an award-winning, royally patronized everyday Thai food restaurant. Expect a clientele made up of fussy families and big-haired, middle-aged ladies, and a cuisine revolving around full-flavoured, largely seafood-and vegetable-heavy central Thai dishes. This is one of the most famous restaurants in Thailand and is a must for every visitor to The Siam. At a minimum you must order: Green Curry With Fish Balls, Stir fried Crab Meat with Yellow Chili and String beans, Crabmeat omelet, fried giant river prawns, mushroom larb. I recommend taking the Siam boat (5 minutes) to the Wat Rachathiwat Pier and making the short walk through the beautiful old Bangkok neighborhood. After lunch head back down to the river and walk back to The Siam stopping at the 199 year old Chinese temple just before you walk under the bridge.

Far and away Seattle‘s most iconic structure, this U.F.O saucer on a stick is an Atomic Age baby—it only dates back to the 1962 World’s Fair. A 41-second elevator still whisks guests to the observation deck, which really ladles on the natural beauty when the clouds lift and “the mountains are out.” The Needle underwent a glorious $100-million “space-lift” in 2018. Innovations include floor-to-ceiling glass walls with benches that angle backwards (designed for great selfie angles—seriously!). The landmark also added the world’s first and only revolving glass floor, spinning under the Atmos Wine Bar. A café still serves quick bites, but the full-service restaurant has yet to reopen in early 2019. Below sprawls the Seattle Center’s carnival rides, science exhibits, world-famous glass art garden and the MoPop, a superb rock and sci-fi museum that resembles Jimi Hendrix’s smashed guitar when viewed from above

Even with Segway tours rolling through and street performers loudly competing for audiences, the 15th-century Piazza Navona somehow retains a shred of grace and elegance in modern Rome. Calm Renaissance palazzi face the piazza’s centerpiece, the famous and complicated Bernini work, Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (“Are these colossal male depictions of the four great rivers of the world writhing on top of a boulder not fancy enough? Let’s top it with an obelisk for a little visual interest.”). The piazza itself was created when a 1st-century arena was paved over to create a market square—you can still sense the oval track of the arena in the shape of the opening. Come for a gelato and some excellent people-watching, especially in the evening.

A trendy restaurant that draws both local and international diners, i Latina offers funky décor, inventive cocktails, and eclectic cuisine with Mexican, Asian, and Mediterranean flavors. Opened in 1999, the restaurant was a pioneer of contemporary cuisine in Guadalajara. Snag a table on the terrace for a great view of the city.

Declared one of the best clubs in the world by the Grey Goose–sponsored World’s Finest Clubs, Le Palace is everything you’d expect from the brand. Glitzy and glamorous from the moment you drive down Hivernage’s palm-fringed, villa-lined avenue to get there to sipping champagne at the mirrored bar. It’s the latest project of local entrepreneur Nouredine Fakir, who with this opening proves that he’s made it. Clubby, sophisticated, and peopled with international and Moroccan players on the see-and-be-seen circuit—formal evening attire is expected—Le Palace is a riddle of intimate lounges and dining rooms that ooze a nonchalantly laid-back sort of sophistication. Full-time deejays, cigar bars, a packed restaurant serving dishes such as the signature Crying Tiger steak ensure that once firmly ensconced within its gilded chamber, you too will feel like you’ve made it.

The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa is one of Iceland’s most visited attractions, and its Lava restaurant has become a big part of making the experience memorable. Set into a lava rock face, the restaurant offers stellar views over the lagoon and serves international food created by Ingi Þórarinn Friðriksson and his team of experienced chefs in a modern, refined environment. The menu features traditional Icelandic dishes such as arctic char, lobster, and slow-cooked lamb, all updated with modern techniques and ingredients. There are also vegetarian dishes and an array of tasty desserts, set menus at lunchtime, and special menus for kids. The drinks list is impressively broad, with a good selection of cocktails and fine European wines should you want to make an evening of it.