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The unofficial world capital of massage, Bangkok has no shortage of choice venues for kneading, pummeling, and pampering. Nonetheless, some places stand out above others. A case in point is the Oasis Spa, which offers one of the most idyllic spa experiences in the Thai capital. Hidden away down a quiet soi (small street) in the Sukhumvit area, the spa’s cool white buildings have 12 treatment rooms with louvered wooden doors and are surrounded by lush greenery, lotus ponds, and water features. The meditative atmosphere is the perfect setting for a range of treatments that include signature massages, body scrubs, facials, and hydrotherapy.

The fine black sand at Plage Bananier, on Basse-Terre, contrasts nicely with the lush green trees lining the beach. It’s a popular surfing and bodyboarding spot, and locals and visitors of all ages come here to practice their moves. Others build sand castles, frolic in the waves, or hang out at the on-site restaurants enjoying a meal while overlooking the beach and its surfers.

Strikið, one of the finest places to dine in Akureyri, is spread out between two dining rooms on the fifth floor of an office building. The restaurant’s menu—created by owner and head chef Robert Hasler—features traditional Icelandic dishes such as lamb shoulder and seafood soup as well as modern fare such as sushi and reindeer burgers. The terrific food is matched to wonderful views of the fjord and mountains from huge picture windows and, on the long sunlit nights of summer, from an outdoor terrace.

One of the most iconic landmarks of Montevideo, the Palacio Salvo stands on the Plaza Independencia. The building was intended as a hotel when it was constructed in 1928, according to a design by the Italian architect Mario Palanti, but it never served that purpose and today is home to offices and private apartments. The building is closed to the public, but you can still admire its unusual neo-Gothic design from the plaza.

For a glimpse into Greenland’s colonial past, be sure to visit the Nanortalik Museum. Comprised of nine separate historic buildings, this is the largest outdoor museum in the country. A tour of the site’s wooden, rock and half-timbered structures will provide insight into the people who settled Greenland—from Old Norse and later-day Danish colonists to the native Inuits. Be sure to check out the world’s oldest umiak: an open sealskin boat (of a type long in use by the residents of this part of Greenland) that dates back 500 years.

Discover the medieval charm of Sweden’s oldest town, just a short bus ride from Helsingborg. Don’t miss the remarkable astronomical clock, crypt, bronze pillars and sculpted facade of the striking Lund Cathedral, where daily services have been held for almost 900 years. Stroll the streets of Kulturen, an open-air museum that showcases the buildings and gardens of the Middle Ages. While steeped in history, Lund retains a youthful atmosphere thanks to its thriving university, the largest in Sweden.

A sense of discovery pervades at this innovative, open-air retail development in Culver City, which opened in 2016. Six buildings house first-to-market concept shops, pop-ups, and creative company headquarters. The place is constantly evolving, with a stylish lineup of businesses stepping in temporarily (St. Frank housewares, Charlotte Stone shoes) or permanently (Bird Brooklyn’s first West Coast outpost, Magasin men’s boutique, design shop Poketo). Be sure to hit some Southern California favorites, including The Edit by Freda Salvador and Janessa Leone, for shoes and hats, and Reservoir L.A. for an impeccable edit of local fashion brands. You’ll also find great iced coffee at Blue Bottle, acai bowls at São Acai, and tacos at the unmissable Loqui. Studded with cacti and succulents, as well as hanging chairs, the outdoor areas encourage leisurely shopping breaks. Keep an eye on the Platform’s schedule of events for outdoor concerts, film screenings, and food festivals. Pro tip: Put aside 35 minutes for an Aesop Express Facial at the cult Aussie beauty shop—it’s one of only four of the brand’s shops worldwide that offers them.

We weren’t quite lucky to see the snowcapped covered mountains in the lovely lakeside village of Pokhara since we visited during monsoon season. But it was a perfect way to start our introduction to the area and cross over to the trail leading up to the Peace Pagoda. Pay a few ruppees, pack a picnic lunch and guide yourself around the serene Lake Phewa.

Relaunched in a historic building as a new boutique hotel in summer 2017, the Trafalgar St. James is (as the Brits say) bang in the middle of London, perched on Trafalgar Square. The central location overlooking Nelson’s Column and the National Gallery makes it a draw for sightseeing visitors, while the buzzy rooftop bar and underground lounge are popular meeting spots for locals. Sleep with Mick Jagger (in photo form, framed over the bed) in elegant modern guest rooms with buttery leather headboards that echo the swank booths downstairs in the Trafalgar Dining Rooms. The restaurant serves all day, from cold-pressed morning juices to a post-theatre pulled lamb burger. Make reservations for drinks and nibbles on the Rooftop, and enjoy the views of central London even during cooler months with blankets and outdoor heaters. The hotel taps into local tastemakers and influencers to curate tips and itineraries for guests.

A 1901 landmark in Hanoi’s French Quarter, the colonial-style Sofitel Legend Metropole has long been a celebrity magnet, welcoming presidents, ambassadors, and literary and cinematic royalty into its marble lobby. Somerset Maugham and Graham Greene both wrote books here (The Gentleman in the Parlour and The Quiet American, respectively); Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard celebrated their honeymoon at the property; and Jane Fonda and Joan Baez took to the bomb shelter beneath the hotel during air raids (book the complementary Path of History Tour, held every day at 5 and 6 p.m., for a chance to see where they hid out).

The 364 guest rooms are divided between two wings: The historic Metropole section has decor shaped by French architecture and Vietnamese culture (think wood floors, louver windows, bird-cage lampshades, and porcelain light fixtures); the newer wing, opened in 1996 just across the traffic circle from the Opera House, has a strong Neoclassical edge with rooms in dramatic red, black, and white. With its green awning, filigree ironwork, and outdoor wood-deck seating, La Terrasse has the feel of a Parisian café, while Le Beaulieu restaurant serves classic French fare and a decadent Sunday brunch. Spices Garden showcases Vietnamese flavors, and three drinking dens—sleek Angelina, gentlemanly Le Club Bar, and poolside Bamboo Bar—appeal to every kind of spirits lover. Between the central courtyard garden and the pool sit the SoFit gym and Le Spa, with eight rooms for soothing East-meets-West treatments.

Modest in keeping with the sometimes understated influence of its namesake, the Camille Pissarro Gallery is a rare treat in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. One of the original French Impressionist painters, Pissarro was born on the island in 1830. The gallery is located in his childhood home, the loft section of a merchant’s building at 14 Main Street. Several of Pissarro’s Caribbean-inspired works are on display at the gallery, along with those from about two dozen other artists, including Jenine Wesselman and Sylvia Kahn.

Buenos Aires is so grand that the El Centro (city center) district alone has more historic sites than many world cities. As you stroll, you’ll view the iconic Obelisk, which overlooks the main Avenue 9 de Julio, and the Plaza de Mayo, where Evita addressed throngs of her followers from the balcony of the Casa Rosada. The churches are works of art—the Baroque Basilica of San Francisco is only one example—and even the office buildings are worth seeing (check out the elegant Palacio Barolo). In all, the architecture rivals that of any city in Europe.

The Estate Whim Plantation Museum, billed as the only sugar plantation museum in the Virgin Islands, is set on magnificently landscaped grounds occupying 12 acres of what was formerly a 150-acre property. The restored early-18th-century buildings include a great house, fully restored windmill, and sugar-factory ruins that are open to visitors and can be toured alone or with a docent. Sugarcane still grows in one of the plantation gardens.

Chef Drew Hedlund combines classic and contemporary Southern fare here in a retired 1940s naval building on the east side of the Charleston peninsula. Long used for storage by the South Carolina Port Authority, today it’s home to one of the city’s most popular waterfront restaurants, with incomparable views of the harbor. Some highlights of the menu include crispy whole flounder with apricot glaze, Charleston shrimp and grits, crab cakes, Lowcountry boil and lump crab bruschetta.

Montevideo’s Ciudad Vieja, or Old Town, is located on a peninsula separating the Río de la Plata from the harbor. It has the orderly grid typical of many Spanish cities in the New World. Until 1829, the Ciudad Vieja was walled though today only one gate (the Puerta de la Ciudadela) remains of those defenses. This section of Montevideo is home to many of the city’s most famous historic buildings, including the cathedral and the Cabildo, which today houses the city’s archives.