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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.

The clothes at El Palacio de Hierro aren’t anything special, in the sense that they’re the same familiar brands and pieces you could probably find in your basic upscale department store at home. But if you open your suitcase and find that you’ve forgotten to pack some crucial piece of clothing or you need an extra pair of shoes, then El Palacio is a good place to find what you’re looking for. There are several of these stores around the city, and many of them also have a gourmet food court inside, so if you need a coffee or a snack, stop by for a tasty treat.

A few stops up the metro from Windows of the World and OCT, you’ll find Chegongmiao. Get off at exit A, and walk away from the busy street (Shennan Road). Suddenly you’ll find this little oasis in Shenzhen. It’s like a small town neighborhood. There’s a big plaza in the middle where vendors sell snacks and kids chase each other. There’s coffee shops and bakeries. Walk all the way to the end of the plaza and on the left you’ll see a giraffe. That’s Zoo Cafe, which has great waffles and smoothies. A lot of Koreans live here, and so there are good Korean restaurants in Chegongmiao. Just pick the busiest one; they are all pretty tasty.

If you’re looking for the epitome of “Hipster Berlin,” you can’t find anyplace more suitable than Mein Haus am See. In the most hip area of Mitte, Rosenthaler Platz, the cafe is more than just a coffee spot. It’s also a bar and club. During the day, you’ll see locals working on their laptops or drawing in sketchbooks, but when dusk starts to settle, the lights will dim and usually a DJ will be setting up the sound system. Get a seat in the back of the stadium benches and watch time just pass by. As an added bonus: Mein Haus am See offers free Wi-Fi and is open 24 hours!

San Antonio’s west side is one of the city’s cultural hubs. Latin and Mexican-American influences are vibrantly displayed through public art and murals. The area around Guadalupe Street is an especially rich place to explore. You’ll find art around every corner, cultural centers, theaters, coffee shops, and bakeries. One of the best resources I came across was the San Antonio Neighborhood Tours sponsored by the City of San Antonio Office of Cultural Affairs. You can download free PDFs of the guides here: http://www.saculturaltours.com/. We did the West Side Murals Y Mas Tour. It was an awesome experience that included more than 50 unique sites.

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.

Opened in 2015, Marble + Rye was one of the first restaurants in Buffalo to offer artfully crafted cocktails—something the city was sorely missing. With a focus on whiskey and creative ingredients, the spot became a fast favorite, serving drinks like the Fantastic Man (bourbon, Averna, coffee-infused Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, Aperol, and orange marmalade) alongside New American cuisine. Made from scratch with local, seasonal ingredients, dishes here are often cooked with a Mexican plancha or wood-fired oven for added flair. Don’t miss the pastured chicken with wood-roasted seasonal vegetables, and the patatas bravas with spicy tomato sauce and roasted garlic aioli.

The charming Róże i Zen (Roses and Zen) is a café-restaurant, located between two neighboring buildings on a somewhat-secret garden patio that can only be described as magical. In this enchanted setting, guests sit comfortably and take their time, whether in the company of friends, chatting with colleagues, or enjoying a romantic date. Beyond its atmosphere, Róże i Zen is known for its short but delicious menu, filled with freshly made dishes and desserts like homemade pastries and cakes. Whatever you choose, pair it with something from the extensive coffee and tea selection.

The reward for climbing 418 steps to Aksla mountain’s summit is a cake, coffee, or a three-course dinner at Fjellstua. Admire one of the most famous panoramic views in all of Norway from the minimalist restaurant’s large windows. Although the outdoor kiosk is somewhat of an overpriced tourist trap, step inside for the evening ocean-themed menu, in which traditional Scandinavian sides of boiled potato and salad put the focus squarely on the fish. Book in advance to guarantee a window table—if the weather cooperates, you’ll catch a stunning sunset across the archipelago.

This independent bookstore feels like a cozy home, with rooms full of books and comfortable chairs in which to sit and browse. Fans of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code may recognize the shop as the one where Robert Langdon searched for Dante’s Divine Comedy. There is an extensive selection of English-language titles about Florence, Tuscany, and Italy that range from tiny novelty volumes to large coffee-table tomes. Head to the back and you will find a few shelves of secondhand paperbacks that provide material to read that doesn’t require Wi-Fi.

In colloquial Arabic, an avid traveler is jokingly dubbed Ibn Battuta in honor of the medieval globe-trotter by the same name. Battuta set off on a legendary adventure in 1325 that took him from modern-day Morocco all the way to Somalia, China, and Spain. The Ibn Battuta Mall honors this journey with epic architecture divided into several “courts” symbolic of each place he visited. Ready for more? The mall balances its historical themes with hundreds of modern shops—you can even grab a Starbucks coffee or catch a movie in the majestic Chinese court.

With a smart and simple chalkboard menu of cheese plates, salads, sandwiches made with homemade bread, good coffee, and Argentinian wines by the glass, Pain et Vin is a lovely venue for lunch or an afternoon glass of Malbec rosado. The Palermo Soho eatery doubles as a tasting space and shop: look for Friday evening events open to the public, or stop by to choose from the excellent selection of boutique wines to take on a picnic to the park.

In the mornings, Modern General’s the spot to grab an acai bowl, a smoothie, or a wheatgrass shot for high-altitude nourishment. This airy general store stocks an assortment of baked goods (try the tart lemon cake) and grab-and-go wares. Check out the curated lineup of chic garden tools, farm lavender soaps from Albuquerque’s label Los Poblanos, and kitchen utensils. The cheery, canary-yellow coffee cups (for your almond-milk latte) are a bright addition to a friendly, busy space where locals and travelers unite.

When Antonio Marras opened his first showroom and concept store in a residential neighborhood, fashionistas didn’t flinch at making the 10-minute taxi journey from downtown. The Sardinian designer of women’s clothing has earned a following for his fashion-forward style that avoids trends. His collections run the gamut from casual ribbed tanks with hand-sewn sequined flower patches to special-occasion silk jackets and dresses embroidered with Swarovski crystals. Couches and a menu of wine, coffee, and Sardinian sweets invite lingering. Via Cola di Rienzo 8, 39/02-7628-0991. This appeared in the October 2013 issue.

Telluride’s literary mecca, this beloved store is stacked with more than 10,000 books at any given time. The expertly curated regional books section is a fount of the Wild West’s writing prowess, with illustrative tomes on the town’s lurid backstory (you’ll want to peruse Tomboy Bride: A Woman’s Personal Account of Life in Mining Camps of the West). When your eyelids get heavy, head to the tiny coffee bar—squirreled away at the back of the shop—for a caffeine jolt to bolster an afternoon of reading.