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If the hustle and bustle of Pune gets too much, escape to a themed Rajasthani village for a few hours. Chokhi Dhani is a mock-up Rajasthani village that comes alive in the evening and transports its visitors to a simpler, more carefree place. The village is set up like a village fair, with a crafts market, local artisans hawking their talents, and even camel rides. Authentic replicas of traditional Rajasthani dwellings double as venues for art and music. Your kids will love the traditional puppet shows and the magic. You can also try your hand at Indian fair games, have a henna tattoo, or consult with astrologers and fortune-telling parrots. The entry ticket includes the option for a vegetarian Rajasthani meal.

Copernicus is a state-of-the-art interactive museum. It is a unique place: it arouses your curiosity, lets you understand the world around you through play, and proves that everyone is a discoverer all life long. You will love it as well as your children. You can spend a whole day there. Copernicus Science Centre covers 20,000 m2 and houses six expositions, a planetarium, a Robotic Theatre, a Discovery Park and four laboratories Opening Hours: Tuesday - Friday 9.00 - 18.00 Saturday - Sunday 10.00 - 19.00

A short train or car ride from central Brussels will get you to the village of Gaasbeek, home of the beautiful Gaasbeek Castle (Kasteel Van Gaasbeek in Flemish). This 16th-century chateau looks like something out of your favourite fairy tale. But it’s more than just a pretty face. The Flemish government has owned Gaasbeek since 1980 and, during the summer months, its extensive art and furniture collection is on display. There are regular special exhibitions and even concerts held on the castle grounds. The grounds and gardens are extensive and are a popular spot for family picnics on summer weekends. On Sundays, guided tours of the castle’s medicinal garden are given by one of the gardeners.

Throughout Budapest are a whopping 123 therapeutic hot springs, but these, in the stately, slightly dusty Hotel Gellért (built in 1918) might be the most famous. The communal bath in the center of the hotel spa is for everyone, but the most interesting traditional spa experience is in the back thermal pools, which have been coed since 2013. Here, join Hungarian locals in pools of varied temperatures, steam baths, and saunas, and jumping into ice-cold baths in between. Everyone takes their time to not only bask in the baths but also gaze at the Art Nouveau tiling on the walls and vaulted ceilings.

There are many excellent restaurants in Florence, but this one was recommended to me by a local, and I’m so glad it was. Alessandro, the chef, recently returned after working in New York City for eight years. Located on a small street near the Duomo, La Cucina del Garga offers so much for a small restaurant: recipes inspired by the chef’s father (Garga), art covering the walls, friendly staff, great Tuscan wines, funky menu designs, and reasonable prices. A seemingly simple salad of greens, tomatoes, pine nuts and cheese was the best salad I’ve ever had. Other great dishes were the fresh twisted penne with pistachios and cherry tomatoes, and creamy pasta with scallops. If possible, make a reservation and ask for the “painted room.”

Swarovski, world-famous Austrian crystal maker, has made it its mission to amaze. While the glittering creations do that on their own, the family has also built a whole world of wonder for you to enjoy. The Crystal World is a dream-like place of beauty and art, where visitors can share in the brand’s fascination with glamorous products. Enter through the mouth of a giant, whose grassy face emerges out of the ground, and explore the otherworldly creations of Brian Eno and Alexander McQueen. The Crystal World allows you to let your imagination roam freely and see things through completely different eyes.

Avenida Central was the city’s great commercial core in the first half of the 20th century; though its heyday has ended, the swarm of humanity packing into its various shops, bars, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses attest to ongoing vibrancy. The classic stretch extends from Plaza Santa Ana to Plaza 5 de Mayo, where art deco and streamlined moderne landmarks are still on view. El Banco Nacional, the former Kodak building, and “La Pollera”—thus nicknamed for the resemblance its balconies bear to the traditional full skirts of the Los Santos region—figure among them. These avenue blocks are pedestrian-only; peddlers and street vendors selling every imaginable snack and trinket abound.

In 2013, Jason Boso, the founder of the popular Twisted Root burger joints, felt the city was lacking a bar where he could feel equally comfortable taking his dad for a beer, hanging out with his buddies at night, and treating his wife to brunch—so he created one. Granted, this is no ordinary bar: Truck Yard draws inspiration from traditional beer gardens, old-school honky-tonks, and a treehouse Boso had as a child, all ringed by colorfully painted and graffiti-adorned trailers. Enjoy cocktails in the treehouse bar and craft beers in the outdoor seating areas as you wait for eats from the rotating collection of food trucks; depending on the schedule, you might find BBQ, Greek favorites, gourmet sliders, authentic tacos, and more, as well as the house signature Philly cheesesteak. The casual vibe and national praise mean there’s always a lively crowd.

Why we love it: A conveniently located boutique property where history meets hip

The Highlights:
- A location just steps from bustling Market Square
- Handcrafted furniture and local art throughout the property
- A popular speakeasy that draws guests and locals

The Review:
From the team behind the recently refurbished Hotel Clermont in Atlanta and the design-forward Fairlane Hotel in Nashville, The Oliver shares the same dedication to historical preservation and cool, minimalist design as its sister properties. It’s also extremely convenient, with a location near Knoxville’s popular Market Square and some of the most beloved restaurants in the city. The circa 1876 building was home to a bakery, a drug store, and a dancing hall before becoming a hotel in time for the 1982 World’s Fair. When two young developers took control of the property in 2011, they set out to create a hotel that honored that history but also offered the modern amenities guests crave. Their success is your gain at this boutique stay, which features 28 elegant rooms filled with regional art, handcrafted furniture, and fixtures created by local artists.

Dining options include Oliver Royale, which uses ingredients from local farms and purveyors in its elevated comfort food, and an outpost of the popular farm-to-table Tupelo Honey café, where guests can enjoy lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch just steps from the hotel lobby. Most notable, however, is the much-buzzed-about Peter Kern Library, with its speakeasy vibe and craft cocktails. Now that the word is out, patrons line up under the red lamp in the alley that marks the secret entrance, but hotel guests can just stroll in through a door in the lobby like they own the joint.

The Franciscan Basilica di Santa Croce, with its striped green-and-white marble facade, dates from about 1294. Inside are the tombs of many celebrated early Florentines, including Dante, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. Among the many art treasures are radiant frescoes by Giotto and his pupil Taddeo Gaddi, which decorate the Bardi and Peruzzi chapels, and the newly restored Cappella dei Pazzi, a Renaissance architectural masterpiece designed by Brunelleschi.

Cristina Hoyos, probably the most famous flamenco dancer of all time (her image from the 1960s is often used to represent the iconic flamenco dancer, with a slicked-back raven-black chignon and a fiercely passionate demeanor), founded this museum full of interactive exhibits. It also features a popular nightly flamenco performance. Even if you can’t make the live performance, video displays tell the story of the history and various styles of this noisy, sensual and compelling art form.

No matter what the season, it’s worthwhile to wander through the exquisite Retiro Park when you’re in Madrid. Here you can find a tranquil escape from crowded streets and museums. The unrivaled architecture of Madrid is echoed here in the wonderful monuments, statues, and buildings. Be sure to visit the gorgeous Crystal Palace (Palacio de Cristal), originally a greenhouse and now used for art exhibitions. Look for the beautiful black swans in the lake.

While Dresden and Denver may boast of museums by Daniel Libeskind, Las Vegas has a 500,000 square-foot retail space designed by the star architect. The shimmering multi-faceted jewel on the Strip draws in shoppers — as well as anyone who appreciates contemporary architecture and art. There are more than 100 sculptures by Richard MacDonald and a gallery of works by Dale Chihuly. Few malls can boast a treehouse, the three-story hub of the Shops made of mahogany and sapele wood or that they have achieved Gold certification from LEED thanks to its environmentally conscious practices and materials. Nearly every luxury brand is represented at the Shops at Crystals, but sometimes the most fascinating things are the ones most people don’t see. If you’re a convincingly serious shopper, you just might find yourself in the luxuriously appointed back room of Van Cleef & Arpels, where millions of dollars of giant diamonds and glowing green emeralds never make it to the front counter. Free-spending customers are invited inside to sip Champagne, admire the fabric-wrapped walls and velvet drapes, and gaze upon mind blowing jewels.

Here is a museum dedicated to the art of photography and placed, um, picture perfectly for views of Stockholm. The museum building sits along the waterfront with a view of the Old Town (Gamla Stan) and the Tivoli Amusement Park. Exhibitions change throughout the year, but while I was there they had three exhibitions that were fabulously curated and equally compelling. The exhibitions are curated in Swedish and in English—plus the museum offers guided tours of the exhibitions. In addition to photography, the building has a gift shop full of photography books and prints. A bistro on the top floor looks out over the waterfront and offers weekend brunch, wine tasting events, concerts, and in the fall and spring they even turn the space into a dance club. If you are in Stockholm for a longer period and have an interest in improving your photography, they offer seminars and workshops by well-known professionals.

Reservations required—and no wonder. The tours at the Neon Museum sell out months in advance. A walk through the museum’s famous “Boneyard” (where neon goes to die) is fascinating, from motel row to the first integrated casino (one that shut almost as soon as it opened), and the Stardust, with its nuclear testing-inspired font. All of this comes alive thanks to the museum’s famous docents, all art history buffs with loads of family history or other personal anecdotes.