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Bangkok’s most iconic site is a massive palace complex that served as the royal residence until 1925. Of its many buildings, the one with the most architectural interest is Chakri Mahaprasat. It was designed in 1882 by British architects, in a style that could be described as traditional Thai meets Italian Renaissance. Nearby is the 1784 Wat Phra Kaeo, or Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Thailand’s most sacred Buddhist place of worship. Go inside to see the Emerald Buddha, carved not of emerald but of semiprecious green stone, robed in gold and just 66 centimeters (26 inches) high.

Like most Latin American countries, El Salvador celebrates a number of religious, cultural, and political holidays throughout the year, but Semana Santa, or Holy Week, tends to be the grandest of them all. Of particular note are gigantic, gorgeous “carpets” that line the streets; made of colored salt and sawdust, they depict religious scenes, as well as social justice messages and images of nature.

Thermal springs dot the countryside just north of San Miguel, some as close as a five-minute taxi ride away. Newest—and closest among them—is the Spa at Los Senderos (pictured above), with an adjacent sandy lakeshore for a day-at-the-beach facsimile. In fact, this is a wider residential and ecological project that includes vineyards and organic orchards. Older spas like La Gruta, Escondido Place, and Taboada merit daylong excursions, with lunch being served while you recline in your chaises longues. And the Mayan Baths, with an underground rock-walled grotto complete with candles and piped-in music, can make for a romantic evening, even including a buffet dinner. (That said, double-check the somewhat irregular schedule.)

Much of a restaurant’s appeal can be atmosphere, and no man-made decor beats a natural canopy of stars—a lovely sight made even better when supplemented with a church spire, or three. Locals welcomed the opening of Quince Rooftop, featuring a reach-out-and-touch-it view of the Parroquia, especially dramatic when seen at night. Add to all that chef Gonzalo’s classic recipes; he returned to his native San Miguel after a stint at New York’s Rainbow Room. To mention just a couple of standouts on the menu, there’s the perfectly cooked rack of lamb or a rib eye steak in a sauce of huitlacoche—a tasty, mushroomlike fungus that grows on corn.

A who-knows-how-happily-married Diego Rivera commissioned this three-residence compound from Mexican artist and architect Juan O’Gorman in 1931. Jarringly Bauhausian for its time (especially in comparison to the surrounding San Ángel neighborhood’s mission revival gentility), it included separate buildings for Diego and his wife, Frida Kahlo, connected by a slender bridge (as well as a third dwelling for O’Gorman). Visits lead to interiors, showcasing Rivera’s studio and its fascinating collection of artworks, creative infrastructure, and amazing windows. Take time to wander the garden and pause to appreciate the property’s tableaux; then re-tox from all the aesthetic purity across the road at the San Ángel Inn, a gloriously indulgent hacienda bar and restaurant that takes you straight back to the country club—flawless margaritas and all.

For the time it takes most Angelenos to commute to work, you can be ferried into the alternate reality of Catalina Island, a romantic escape far from the daily traffic jams and urban sprawl. The evergreen-shrubbed hills spotted with an artists palette of summer homes and surrounded by bright hues of blue waters, coves and marinas feels more like the islands off the coast of Spain than the United States. It is rejuvenating to arrive at a place so close to the city yet feel so completely removed.

Bouchon Bakery, with its origins in Yountville, California, and under the aegis of world renowned chef Thomas Keller of the French Laundry, now has three locations—and, lucky enough for Vegas, one of them is on the Strip. The menu is classic French bistro, done extremely well, and with a carefully selected (and extensive) wine list to match. It’s also open for breakfast & brunch.

RedRocks is a small eatery in the Columbia Heights neighborhood in Washington, D.C. It’s located just a couple blocks off the main commercial area hugging 14th Street. While there are plenty of chain restaurants peppering 14th Street, it’s worth straying a couple blocks to come to RedRocks. This is a neighborhood bistro that’s all about casual dining—perfect for unwinding from a day of sightseeing or shopping along 14th. Neither the atmosphere nor the food is pretentious. I come for the wood-fired pizza, and nothing satisfies me more than their Neapolitan pizza topped with house-cured sausage and pepperoni. You can come here with friends and just hang out to eat and drink and have a good. Sometimes simple pleasures are the best! Metro stop: Columbia Heights

Giorgio Armani chose the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, as the site of his first namesake hotel, which is swathed in the Milanese designer’s sober minimalism and signature bronze, brown, gray, and taupe color scheme. Guest rooms occupy the first eight floors, plus levels 38 and 39 of the soaring 163-story tower; the hotel’s curving floor-to-ceiling windows show off panoramic views of Dubai’s surreal desert-meets-skyscraper skyline. Armani-clad “personal lifestyle managers” assist guests with everything from delivering cappuccino and complimentary Armani/Dolci chocolate to arranging art gallery tours and desert safaris. The top-to-bottom branding is an inseparable part of the experience: Nearly every object in the hotel—toiletries, pencils, even sugar cubes—bears the Armani logo. For guests who want to take the look home, it’s easy to hit the in-house Armani Privé boutique. For those seeking more brand variety, Dubai Mall, one of the world’s largest shopping malls, sits right next door.

Take a break from the crowds sunbathing on the Spiaggia Grande in Positano, Italy, and head to the mountains for a hike. The Path of the Gods (Sentiero degli Dei) is a 5.5-mile hike that links the towns Bomerano (near Agerola) to Nocelle (near Positano). Pack a picnic and plan on at least three hours and lots and lots of stairs. Try walking from east to west in the morning to have the sun at your back and the best views. Along the way you will see a wild and rugged side of the Amalfi Coast that contrasts with the glamorous beach scene below.

You can’t come to Mexico without eating at least one, or 20, tacos. The Mexican staple has an addictive quality, especially with its many preparations at the legendary Tacos Gardenias in downtown Cabo San Lucas. This no-nonsense, frills-free taqueria has been around for more than three decades, perfecting family recipes that go beyond what you might expect. This being Baja, of course there are fish and shrimp varieties. Moving along, you’ll find shredded chicken, beef, carnitas (braised pork), cactus, chicharrón (fried pork rinds), and cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork) iterations. There’s no wrong time to eat a taco, of course, so Gardenias opens early, at 8 a.m., with all the toppings on hand to get you eating.

Visitors often want to bring a souvenir from San Miguel back to the kids or friends at home...nothing too elaborate, but authentic nonetheless. Head to the three-block Mercado de Artesanías for a leisurely stroll amid the stalls. Start at the west end and work your way east to find silver, crafts, jewelry, pottery…if it fits in a suitcase, you can buy it here. To the east of the artisans’ market, visit the Mercado Ignacio Ramírez, where you’ll find head-high pyramids of fruits and vegetables, perfect for great photos; nightstand-worthy flowers; and food stalls offering everything from custom-made licuados—think smoothies, Mexican style—to peeled cactus leaves freshly prepared for a nopal salad. Good hunting!

Florence has been the place to buy leather for centuries, and this workshop has become the place to shop for leather in the past few years. Two best friends, Ben and Matteo, create stylish and modern leather items through traditional methods. Both men had backgrounds in the Italian high-fashion world (Ben worked with Simon Spurr and Luisa Via Roma) before establishing this brand with outlets in Milan, Rome, and Tokyo. Every item is crafted with local leather by Italian artisans outside Florence. The belts, bags, shoes, and jackets have a stylish edge, and each comes with a lifetime guarantee.

Spoken of in almost reverential terms by people that have traveled there, Sa Pa is often seen as a holy grail of destinations in Vietnam. Part of that is because of the environment—a cool mountain town that has lured visitors with its salubrious air and alpine scenery since the early 20th century, when the French constructed facilities for sick officers to recover—as well as its remoteness, located close to the Chinese border in the country’s extreme north. Most visitors come to Sa Pa for the hiking in the nearby valley peppered with minority-ethnic-group villages, or to climb Mount Fansipan, the country’s tallest peak, which is located just southwest of the town. Conquering the summit once required a two-to-three-day hike, but now can more easily be reached with the help of a cable car (opened in 2016) that gets you most of the way.

This craft beer joint set on the high street Laugavegur might be small in terms of size, but it’s big in personality. Having grown from the local Kaldi brewery—famous for creating a tasty line of less chemically laden Czech-style beers, including a very popular unfiltered brew—in 2011, it serves a range of great international artisan beers as well as its own brews. On top of the friendly service, there’s light pub food on offer, comfy couches to relax on, and even a piano to play should you feel the urge (or drink enough). Generally popular with a young, arty crowd.