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An undulating steel and glass canopy wows visitors who enter the Kogod Courtyard. Inside you’ll find diners from the museum’s café, tourists soaking their weary feet in the shallow fountain running across the space, and students taking advantage of free Wi-Fi in the light and airy setting. The modern roof seals the center of the old Patent Office Building, currently shared by the National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum. Architect Norman Foster designed the roof to have minimal impact on the building by creating a support system that prevents direct contact and weight placement on it. Unlike most of the other Smithsonian Museums located on the Mall, this gem is found in the busy Penn Quarter of downtown D.C. It is my favorite place to bring visitors, not only for the impressive courtyard space, but also for the preserved architecture of the patent offices on the top floor. Check the Smithsonian’s website for special courtyard workshops, concerts, or events. The museum is right near the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro on the green, yellow, and red lines.

A shopping mecca, this downtown street is lined with malls and flea markets. On Oranjestad’s main pier, across from one of the larger malls, you’ll find the site of Aruba’s first public market. Once a clearinghouse for local fruits, vegetables, and fish, the space now features open-air stalls hawking Aruban art, crafts, leather goods, and other souvenirs. Look out for hand-milled aloe soaps and creams as well as watercolors by local artists. Bargaining is expected, so don’t settle for the first price you hear.

Galeria Delbarrio is an extraordinary place to see Peruvian pop art. The gallery mixes the old and new, modern and traditional, in a very fun way. They have paintings, comics and an extensive collection of rustic-pop furniture spread throughout a 1840’s house. Just the house itself would be worth the visit. It has the traditional architecture from the time Chorillos was a beach resort town where the rich families from Lima spent their summers. The restoration preserved the domes, glasswork and original ceilings, adding a splash of color that brought the place to life. After the visit, take a walk around the neighborhood and enjoy its tranquil old town atmosphere. Make sure you finish by the boardwalk, where you’ll be wowed by one of the best views of Lima.

Lenbachhaus is Munich‘s premier art gallery. It reopened in May 2013 after a four-year renovation of the original building (a late-19th-century Florentine-style villa for painter Franz von Lenbach), plus the addition of a modern wing designed by Norman Foster. The exterior of the new wing features striking, golden tubes. For Norman Foster fans, the museum’s new exterior is iconic—a beautiful play on color, pattern, and geometry. Try to see it at sunset, when the tubes are seemingly more golden, rich, and alluring. The Lenbachhaus redesign marries the old with the new, especially in the triple-height, sky-lit lobby atrium. Immediately upon stepping into the museum, your attention is drawn to what appears to be an enormous hanging icicle, which is in fact a specially commissioned work by Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson called Wirbelwerk. The new wing serves as a “jewel box” for the museum’s best-known works, the “Blue Rider” collection of 20th-century Expressionist art. There is also a new garden and a restaurant with an outdoor terrace. With the addition of new galleries and a bold redesign, Lenbachhaus further cements its reputation as one of Bavaria’s leading cultural centers.

L’Archiduc is Brussels best loved venue for live jazz. This Art Deco cocktail bar is a favourite for Saturday night’s “After Shopping Jazz” and Sunday’s “Round About 5” live music. The club has been in existence since 1937 and under its current ownership since 1985. With its classic atmosphere, it’s like stepping back in time as you sink into one of the cozy benches. The well-stocked bar carries everything from whiskeys to champagnes but is best known for its cocktails. L’Archiduc is open from 5pm ‘til late’ (generally 5am), every night except Christmas Eve. Press the buzzer by the door to be admitted, order a champagne cocktail, pull up a chair by the grand piano, sit back and enjoy the music.

After strolling Storm King Art Center or DIA Beacon, Tarry Lodge is the perfect stop on your way back to New York City. Mario Batali opened it up as a neighborhood restaurant for the Port Chester crowd and a go-to for out-of-town Manhattanites who love his Italian comfort food. Don’t miss the clam, chili, and oregano or pistachio and goat cheese pizzas. Waits can be long so if you’re trying to beat traffic just get take out from their curbside service.

Located 1.5 hours outside Hyderabad is Pochampally, a village known for its traditional weaves of ikat in cotton and silk. Many Indians call Pochampally “Silk City,” and the community is widely recognized for creating the Pomchampally Saree. Take time to interact with the families, many of whom still weave on looms in their homes. Also visit the Pochampally Handloom Park, a combined effort of the governments of India and Andhra Pradesh to encourage sustainable employment in a craft whose art has been significantly impacted by modernization and mechanization.

Mexico City was host of the 1968 Olympic Games, and today, a number of the venues used during the Games remain open and accessible to the public, including the Alberca Olímpica. Renovated in 2009, the complex is best known for its Olympic-size pool, which is open to the public for a fee, though it also has spaces for a variety of other sports activities, including martial arts, yoga, tennis, speed skating, and capoeira.

Artisans Guild BRUDD is located in Grünerløkka and consists of 20 artists who run the shop and sell their wares. This way, customers are sure to get help from a qualified professional who really knows their art! BRUDD isn’t full of itself and welcomes everyone. There’s no fancy gallery feel, but rather an air of 1970s workshop style (they were founded in 1985). The products vary with what the artists are working on at any given time, so there’s always something new and exciting on display.

You can find Cuish brand mezcal in a few establishments in Oaxaca city, but head to their own tasting bar located on the outskirts of the city center to learn what this brand stands for. They offer mezcal that is artisanally produced from several different varieties of wild agave, including the one for which they’re named. This is a bohemian haven, and besides sampling the different mezcals, you may also enjoy an art exhibit or concert on the weekends. Diaz Ordaz 712, Centro Oaxaca (951) 516-8791

At Elias, a quaint little eatery located next to the National Gallery (another afar.com highlight), you’ll find exciting food at competitive prices. The people at Elias focus on fuss-free food: organic drinks, hand-brewed coffee, Norwegian beers, and solid homemade food – not a latté, Coca Cola or Pepsi in sight! The walls display different works of art throughout the year, and music sessions are often held here. A centrally located foodie destination that you certainly won’t find anywhere else.

Looking to have an authentic old-world barbershop experience? If so, come visit the tiny (only 10 total square meters!) Barbiere near the ancient port. Originally opened in 1882, the barber shop was renovated by the owner’s son in 1922 to the art deco appeal of the era - and remains untouched today. From the chairs, to the tools, to the telephone, stepping into this barber shop is truly a step back in time - and you can leave with a stellar shave, as well!

The cultural heart of Wellington is right downtown on Cuba Street. Here art galleries rub shoulders with boutique cafes, and there’s more than an enough independent bookshops, thrift stores, and quirky bars to keep even the most alternative traveler sated. If you’re looking to mingle with locals and really get a feel for what makes Wellington special, look no further than Cuba Street. And if you have a hectic New Zealand itinerary, Cuba Street is a great spot to just relax and enjoy the capital.

Decorated by Luís Pinto Coelho, who also decorated “A Paródia” and “Pavilhão Chinês,” this historic bar is 40 years old. With an art nouveau décor, the space is very cozy. A piano serves as a table, and shelves are full of sculptures and busts. Journalists and people with connections to politics used to frequent this place, but that was some years ago. Nowadays, it’s a good choice for a conversation with friends, without the chaos of bigger bars like the ones in Bairro Alto.