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The only museum on the Turks and Caicos Islands sits on the historic Front Street of Cockburn Town, on Grand Turk. Occupying Guinep House, one of the area’s oldest standing buildings, the museum displays artifacts from the Molasses Reef shipwreck, a sunken caravel found off West Caicos. The ship, which dates from the early 1500s, makes this is the oldest European wreck to be excavated in the Americas. Salvaged items on display include cannons, pieces of the ship’s hull, and a variety of tools. There are also exhibits on local slavery and the indigenous Taino people who originally lived on the islands.

This surfer town draws tourists keen to catch a wave, so it’s little wonder that it’s chockablock with folks who want to sell their wares to the visitors. From New Agey shops to a farmers market, there are lots of opportunities to shop and support the local economy. Be sure to bring cash, as many vendors don’t accept plastic.

A short drive south of Da Nang, Hoi An is a spellbinding UNESCO World Heritage site, with intact 16th-century architecture that celebrates its origins as a trading port that long welcomed merchant ships from China, Japan, and Europe. The Old Town on the Thu Bon River has a number of sights that visitors must check off their lists. These include the covered bridge, also known as the Japanese Bridge; gorgeous riverside French-colonial buildings; traditional merchant shop-houses; historic pagodas and temples; ornate assembly halls where Chinese immigrants would congregate; and the town’s tailors, for custom garments. But the greatest joy of Hoi An comes from wandering round its quiet streets—the town center is car-free and a blissfully pleasant place to walk, especially at night, when it’s lit by red lanterns strung on the exteriors of buildings.

Switzerland has 12 UNESCO World Heritage sites, and the Old Town of Bern was among the first to receive that recognition. You’ll understand why when you stroll along the postcard-perfect Kramgasse, the main axis of the area. At the end of it you’ll find the Zytglogge, the clock tower that is one of the city’s most recognizable symbols. Built on a hill above a bend in the Aare River, the Old Town of Bern has a medieval street plan, though most of the current buildings were constructed in gray sandstone after a fire at the beginning of the 15th century. Miles of arcades wait to be explored—and don’t miss three streets that UNESCO highlighted as among the most characteristic in the area: Postgasse, Gerechtigkeitsgasse, and Junkerngasse.

Most cities can’t boast of having their own lake, so nature lovers are sure to enjoy hiking around Qaqortoq’s main water supply, Lake Tasersuaq. It’s just a short walk from the city center; once you arrive, you can hit the trails around the perimeter of the lake or rent a kayak and explore it by water. Be sure to take in the great views of the town and ocean beyond.

A hodgepodge of artisan goods and fine handicrafts, from brass trays and woven shawls to antique musical instruments, is sold in the old bazaar of the ancient town of Krujë, near Tirana. Along the cobblestone Rruga Albanopoli, with its soaring white minaret, some dozen shops can be found under the tile roofed buildings restored in the 1960s.

Beloved by artists and curators attending the annual Art Dubai fair, XVA Art Hotel wraps around the three courtyards of the restored 19th-century home of the Seddiqi family, prominent traders who became the emirate’s Rolex dealers. Longtime resident Mona Hauser, founder and owner of the XVA Gallery of contemporary art, decorated each second-floor room of the traditional wind tower house in collaboration with a regional designer or artisan such as Nada Debs, a Lebanese designer known for her custom mother of pearl inlaid furniture. The on-site alfresco vegetarian lounge café—praised by chef Gordon Ramsay as his favorite place to eat in Dubai—is a hangout for independent travelers and resident creatives who linger over mint lemonade, salads, soups, and cheesecake. There is a running trail along Dubai Creek and the hotel can recommend nearby beaches, as well as spa services and fitness centers at all price points.

The Huffington Post named the Hilo Farmers Market the best in the United States. For fresh local flavors, the market is open every day except Sunday. The big market days are on Wednesdays and Saturdays where more than 200 vendors including farmers and crafts people gather to sell their goods. If you’re looking for local souvenirs to take home or just a place to grab a quick fresh and tasty lunch, the Hilo Farmers Market will provide a beautiful morning or afternoon of shopping and eating.

The sprawling contemporary museum, MASS MoCA, is responsible for bringing North Adams to life, and offers some of the most cutting edge art around. Xu Bing’s Tobacco Project {above} is made from over half a million cigarettes arranged to mimic a tiger skin rug. It makes a thought provoking statement on the global tobacco trade, luxury and colonialism, and is typical of the installations you will see there. The complex also hosts a variety of musical events including dance and films. Luckily Split, the in house restaurant has coffee, treats and tasty lunches.

Before you hit the counter at Café Brasil, let us introduce you to some of Houston‘s cleanest ingredients. Local cheese artisans the Houston Dairymaids provide the cheese. Pizza dough, pastries, and breads are made in-house. And the eggs are laid by nearby, free-range hens. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve arrived for breakfast (try the daily quiche), lunch (sample from cheese and charcuterie plates), or dinner (there’s a multitude of pizzas)—it’s a safe bet that whatever you order didn’t have to travel far to make it to your plate.

Castle Ho’s motto, the owner of lovely boutique 1861, is quite simple. “Women who love being women and dressing the part.” Such is the premise of her work, and it definitely transposes into her boutique. The store is decorated in what seems to be a vintage fashionista’s dream: airy space, high ceilings,Vvictorian inspiration, and soft eggshell, champagne and pastel pink hues everywhere. No boys allowed! The multi-brand store focuses on feminine, timeless pieces first and foremost, and incorporates up-and-coming designers into the mix, like UK-based Emily and Finn and Torontonians Pink Martini, along with Montrealers lines Coccolily and Arti Gogna. Don’t be fooled by the perfect, fairy-tale decor; the prices are more than fair and very few things are over $100 in the store. Guilt-free, stylish shopping? I like.

There is so much art to see in Santa Fe, it’s endless. Along with artisan markets, small galleries, the Georgia O’Keeffe museum and numerous small shops, we visited the MOCNA. It’s a museum that is connected to the Institute of American Indian Arts and is a very manageable space. There are all sorts and time periods of art and revolving shows. Definitely worth an hour or so if you are in Santa Fe. There is also a great gift/book shop as well. **The artist in the picture above is Keith Braveheart

Even in a city like Prague is filled with unusual and world-class art, The Memorial to the Victims of Communism at Petrin hill in Mala Strana will command your total attention. Dedicated to those who were arrested, shot, exiled, and otherwise brutalized during the Communist era of 1948 to 1989, this masterpiece made by sculptor Olbram Zoubek and architects Jan Kerel and Zdenek Holzel is especially disturbing at dawn and twilight. Seven bronze men are stood on a set of concrete stairs, and only the first figure is intact, the statues decaying with each step up, symbolizing the effects of communism on the Czech people.

The most beautiful square in Spain is the Plaza de Espana in Sevilla. Huge, filled with intricate mosaic work depicting the history of the different regions in Spain and waterfalls, lakes and imposing architecture, in summer, it is also filled with one of the most famous and intoxicating scents in Sevilla, Jasmine. Stand and breathe in the fragrance that inspired a thousand lovers on hot summer nights..

The owners of FnB—James Beard Award semifinalist chef Charleen Badman and front-of-house manager Pavle Milic—were early champions of Arizona wine and produce, curating a wine list that includes lots of Grand Canyon State vintages to accompany their locally sourced dishes. They still highlight the state’s great bounty, and Milic even produces his own wine label, Los Milics, which is available in small batches at the restaurant. Badman’s seasonal menu showcases Arizona’s flavor with an imaginative, very veggie-forward lineup. (Don’t worry, meat and seafood are on the menu, too.) The cozy eight-seat bar is the perfect spot to sample FnB’s wine offerings, showcasing a different region every four weeks.