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Catch the train from Genova Brignole station to Santa Margherita Ligure (about a 30-minute ride, leaving every ~30 minutes) and walk down to the large dockside pedestrian area. You will see the bike rental station just a few steps away from the bus ticket kiosk. For ~5 euros, you can have a bike for the whole day—a perfect option for exploring the fantastic surroundings! While the roads are all paved, they are incredibly narrow, and cars tend to drive quickly. Just be aware and stay very close to the edge for your own safety. Portofino (a 15-minute ride) is a gorgeous town frequented by international tourists and stunning yachts in the summer months. Originally named for the schools of dolphins (Port’Delfino) that often pass this cove, the landscape around the village is breathtaking. If you come in the spring, you can ditch your bike to spend the day hiking the paths up to the perched fort and church, or simply enjoy a gelato while gazing at the quaint fishing boats in the marina.

Intricate textiles woven on looms handed down through generations. An array of laurel, olive, and lavender bath products and the hammered bowls to hold them. Silk shawls with which to drape the color of the Aegean in a graceful arc below bare shoulders. All organic and produced locally, with the specific intent of preserving a dying art. Jennifer’s Hamam works with traditional Turkish weavers to produce luxuriously looped Turkish towels, flat-woven pestamels (the towels and wraps used in hamams, similar to a sarong), and fine silks woven from hand-spun thread. Looms are passed from one generation to the next. New designs evolve over time. Part entrepreneur and part preservationist, Jennifer and her staff are generous with their knowledge and delight in sharing their affordable luxuries. Wander, shop, and emerge enlightened. Accessibility: A wheeled walker can easily maneuver the main path of the Arasta Bazaar.

Opened in 2009, this light-filled megamall draws a staggering 25 million annual visitors to its shops and attractions. It can be overwhelming, so it helps to consult the online directory in advance and approach this city-within-a-city with a game plan. Shops include familiar international brands (Adidas to Marks & Spencer to Zara) and Turkish ones, such as Atasay Jewelry, Bilik Deri leather goods, and Van Hatemoğlu for menswear. Forum Istanbul also offers plenty for the kids to enjoy. At the Turkuazoo Aquarium, you can view 10,000 sea creatures and even dive with the sharks, if you’re game. (There are discounts on entry fees to some attractions with the Museum Pass.) You also have your pick of old-school family activities like 10-pin bowling, mini golf, a mirror maze, and movie showings. To reach Forum Istanbul, you can take the Metro from Aksaray station to Kocatepe/Kartaltepe; the train stops right outside.

Durbuy, Belgium, claims the title of the “World’s Smallest Town,” (or sometimes city, depending which translation you use from the French). This dubious honor dates from 1331, when the town was elevated to the rank of city by John I, Count of Luxemburg, and King of Bohemia. Even though the population dropped to a few hundred residents, Durbuy kept its designation. However, the moniker doesn’t exactly hold true anymore. In 1977, Durbuy amalgamated with 40 surrounding villages. Either way, it’s a lovely place to visit in Wallonia, and a great way to pass an hour is by taking a stroll through the topiary garden. There are more than 250 topiaries in the garden, some of which are over 120 years old. And, being Belgium, the topiaries go beyond the typical animals and geometric shapes to include a dash of quirkiness. You can admire a green Manneken Pis (Belgium’s famous peeing boy), kayakers, and even an homage to Pamela Anderson at the beach. For more information on Durbuy: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/06/7-reasons-great-visit-durbuy-belgium/

In 1939 France sent a large bronze staue to the New York World’s Fair. In 1941, after the Fair the Women’s Club of Stuart, Florida acquired the statue and wanted to place it in Haney Circle in downtown Stuart. The Community objected saying they were offended to the placement of a statue of a naked lady in the middle of town. The Women’s Club was forced to place the statue elsewhere. It was placed on the courthouse grounds. The town of Stuart suffered as economic downturns occurred in the 60’s. By the late 80’s plans for reviving Stuart were well under way and finally, in 1991, “Abundance” was moved to Haney Circle as part of the revitalization of Stuart. The “Naked Lady” was home! To me the bronze fountain and her melodious waters are an example of the peace and laid back yet vibrant, elegant setting that is Stuart, Florida. I enjoy the Lady and while walking and shopping in Stuart I make a point I to pass this beautiful work of art and admire it. I salute the Women’s Club of Stuart. Thank you, Ladies.

Not far from Kelowna driving along Lakeshore Drive and passing aging vines of lush with grapes for harvesting, sits the goats of the Camelis Alpine Goat Cheese Artisan. Exiting the vehicle you hear the playful singing of goats in the distance sensing the arrival of someone new. On a fall day the blue Okanagan Lake and the autumn colours create a visually robust cornucopia and you can’t do anything but drink it in. The gift shop is similar to an old fashioned western candy store as the entire building is a converted farmhouse. To my right is a display of local olive oils and vinegars. To my left is an enticing display of house made goat cheese gelato and before me is an array of goat cheeses that I didn’t know existed. From goat cheese with delicious ribbons of mouldy blue, a goat cheese that mimics a camembert and a yogurt cheese ideal for spreading there is a cheese to match all tastes. Open from May 1st - October 31st.

My wife, Robin, and I have been camping, fishing, and hiking in the Lakes Basin area, near Sierra City, since we met. These days, our usual home base is a tiny log cabin at the edge of Packer Lake, pictured here. From trailheads around Packer you can hike to many other lakes--Saxonia, Deer, Lower and Upper Tamarack, Young America, Upper and Lower Sardine. Most of the hikes are relatively easy, and on some trails you’ll rarely encounter other hikers. In early October 2007, a brief, unseasonable storm passed through and carpeted the area with an inch or two of snow, which made for an especially invigorating walk along the Pacific Crest Trail to the lookout at the top of the Sierra Buttes.

To get from point A to B on the river delta, you’ll need to board a water taxi. These polished wood boats cruise the canals day and night, dropping passengers off and picking them up at rental houses, cabin complexes and restaurants along the way. The ride, of course, is part of the fun. Board one at the harbor - and make sure you know where it’s going before you sit down, or it might be awhile before you find yourself back in civilization.

Take the Incline Railway up Lookout Mountain on your way to Ruby Falls and Rock City and you’ll understand why the journey is often half the fun. In operation since 1895, the funicular has a maximum grade of 72.7 percent, making it the world’s steepest passenger railway and earning it the nickname “America’s Most Amazing Mile.” For its age and impressiveness, the railway is now a designated National Historic Site and a Mechanical Engineering Landmark. Before your ride, visit the machine room to see the enormous gears that drive the train, then sit back and enjoy the sweeping views of the valley below as you creep steadily up the track. Sure, you could just drive to the top of Lookout Mountain, but where’s the fun in that?

White Elephant has been a Nantucket landmark for nearly a century, with more rooms than a typical inn but without sacrificing the intimacy and personal service of a small property. Located on the waterfront a short walk from Brant Point Light, the inn has a sprawling lawn with chaises for relaxing, as well as shuttle service to the area’s beaches. Accommodations range from king-bedded guest rooms (each with a private balcony or patio) in the main inn building to spacious garden cottages (some with kitchens and fireplaces) and penthouse-like lofts in downtown Nantucket. A small spa offers therapeutic massages, facials, and body treatments. A luxury resort that is truly family-friendly, kids and babies can get fully kitted out for bath time, mealtime, or beach time with a wealth of amenities and toys. The Brant Point Grill is a local favorite for an al fresco lunch, lobster dinner, or Sunday brunch (complete with Bloody Mary bar). The White Elephant also provides regular transfers on the 21-passenger boat, Lady Wauwinet, to the Wauwinet Inn’s restaurant TOPPER’S, which cultivates its own oysters.

The Eastern Market, now a National Historic Landmark, opened in 1873 to serve the Capitol Hill neighborhood (an 1805 version, located down by the Navy Yard, was a casualty of the War of 1812). The brick market hall, packed with butchers, bakers, vegetable markets, cheese vendors, flower kiosks, and a lunch counter, is bright and charming. Under the shed roof outside, additional local produce is displayed and sold. On weekends, booths selling vintage goods and handmade jewelry, housewares, and clothing do a brisk business down the center of 7th Street. Crowds spill out of the cafés, taco joints, and bagel shops occupying the first floors of the row houses along the block, adding to the lively mix at the market.

A city of red-tiled rooftops, pine- and cypress-shaded hills, and sparkling turquoise waters, the Old Town of Dubrovnik stuns with both its architecture and scenery. Its surrounding stone walls, built between the 11th and 13th centuries to protect the city from war and epidemics, stretch for a full 1.3 miles, comprising an immense system of forts, bastions, and walkways that offer breathtaking views. Hike along them, then be sure to check out the Lovrijenac Fortress, built atop a 100-foot rock looking out toward Venice (Dubrovnik’s historic rival). The Old Town’s main street of Stradun, known locally as Placa, is also worth exploring. It’s especially nice in the late afternoon, when the sun shines off the historic buildings and swallows soar in the blue sky above.

Looking for a romantic break from the bustle of Whistler Village? You can do no better than Nita Lake Lodge, the area’s only lakeside resort. Located a five-minute walk to Whistler Mountain’s Creekside gondola and just under three miles from town, each of the lodge’s 77 rooms evokes a feeling of calm with dark wood, creamy linens, leather upholstery, and rock-faced fireplaces; all feature kitchenettes, two-person soaker tubs, and lake or mountain views. During warmer months, the lodge offers complimentary kayaks, canoes, paddeboards, and bikes for adventure seekers, while the plunge pool and hot tub are available year-round. Though the lodge provides free shuttle service every half-hour to the village, guests shouldn’t pass up a chance to dine on site at Aura, where many of the menu’s herbs and vegetables come from the restaurant’s own rooftop garden. Before dinner, try a seasonal craft cocktail on the patio at the resort’s Cure Lounge.

To dress like the gondoliers you’ll need to pick up a pair of genuine friulane slippers at Gianni Dittura, one of the few remaining purveyors of the original footwear in Venice. Friulanes (or furlanes) were born of frugality in the 19th century, when the women of poor families in the Friuli countryside began hand-stitching cast-off fabric scraps to old bicycle tires to make shoes for their families. The slippers eventually made their way to Venice, where gondoliers snapped them up because they were cheap, comfortable, and didn’t scratch the paint on their boats. But as the years passed, friulanes inevitably went from lowly upcycled footwear to cult object and luxury product coveted by tourists. Today Gianni Dittura has two Venice shops, and you’ll find every color and size of the original velvet and rubber shoes, as well as more chic and contemporary winter models by in-house designer Laura Biagiotti.

Lake Geneva is one of the gems of the Cloud Peak Wilderness. The picturesque lake, nestled in between great rocky mountains and old pine forest, is roughly 3.5-miles from the Coffeen Park trailhead, which makes it a breeze to access for hikers of even moderate experience. The trail to Geneva skirts Edelman Creek and runs past beautiful Duncan Lake, a host of old mine camps, and finally runs through the Big Goose Creek at a crossing that is at once thrilling and quite safe.

Geneva is one of my favorite destinations in the Cloud Peak Wilderness because it serves so many purposes - I love to overnight near the shore when taking off on long backpacking adventures, I get a kick out of running the trail to the lake when I’m feeling spry, and I’ve found few places this picturesque during all my time in the mountains. The view from Geneva Pass (pictured here) is simply unparalleled.