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Two of Manila’s most famous churches can be found in close proximity to each other within the historic walled city of Intramuros. The 16th-century San Agustin Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the oldest church in the Philippines and was the only building in Intramuros to survive heavy bombing in World War II. It boasts an impressive interior with trompe l’oeil effects, a Baroque pulpit and a majestic pipe organ, and the museum houses treasures of Old Manila. A few blocks away, the Manila Cathedral, restored many times since the original version was built 450 years ago, hosts religious artworks and sacred relics and was visited by Pope Francis in 2015.

Who wouldn’t trade an ugly elevated highway for a ribbon of new parkland? Boston’s famous Big Dig dismantled the eyesore John F. Kennedy Expressway that long separated downtown from its waterfront and turned most of its former route into a linear park named in honor of JFK’s mother. The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway snakes for a mile and a half from Chinatown to the North End, mostly parallel to Boston Harbor. It’s a pleasant alternative to walking the city’s busy streets to get around, and you can use the park’s free Wi-Fi to plan your visit. Along the way you’ll find seven decorative and interactive fountains; a carousel where lobsters, codfish, harbor seals, and other local animals take the place of horses; and a variety of food trucks for when you need to recharge with a taco, a grilled-cheese sandwich, or a cupcake. The Greenway’s visitor center for the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area has information and ferry tickets.

What was in the mid-20th-century just an inexpensive area to build warehouses and showrooms along the Trinity River has evolved into a vibrant live/work community that’s home to noted restaurants, trendy hangouts, upscale apartment buildings, and—true to its name—a wide array of design-focused businesses. Whether you’re in the market for a French impressionist painting or an edgy installation, the galleries along Dragon Street have got you covered, while Slocum Street is the place for antiques, decorative pieces, and midcentury furnishings, and Howell Street is a treasure trove of vintage and thrift shops. Enjoy an upscale meal at Oak, a beer at the Meddlesome Moth or Texas Ale Project, a cold treat at Pop Star Handcrafted Popsicles, or a cooking class–meets–dinner party at The Cookery. Keep an eye out for Eagles co-founder Don Henley, who built a private recording studio in the area.

Upholding the brand’s five-star standard, the Ritz-Carlton Osaka is an opulent city hotel with all the expected amenities. The decor feels more 18th-century England than modern-day Japan, but the location,in the central Nishi-Umeda district, is perfect for business and shopping. The six fine-dining restaurants range from traditional French delicacies to seasonal Japanese sushi to a “chocolate factory” buffet; the whisky bar is noted for its extensive list of more than 100 malts. Plush and spacious rooms have sweeping views of the Osaka skyline, including the unique Umeda Sky building. The fitness center and spa has a heated indoor pool, baths, and jacuzzis which overlook a small garden. The Ritz-Carlton completed a refurbishment of their guest rooms and club lounge in summer 2017, in celebration of the hotel’s 20th anniversary.

Hiroyasu Kayama is both scientist and bartender at this bar on the ninth floor of an office building. Kayama has a collection of dried herbs, spices, and even bugs on the shelves behind the bar. The best seats are at the counter, where you can watch as Kayama creates from scratch a Campari using cochineal insects. To witness the red color come to life gets your mouth wet for the drink that awaits. The absinthe made with wormwood should also be on your radar. Best to tell Kayama what cocktails you like and let him recommend something for you.

The bartenders at Ben Fiddich don’t complicate your experience with a menu. Tell them your mood and sit back while they craft something according to their whim. Say, a whiskey drinks filled with burnt herbs whose smoke steams your glass or a homemade Campari Negroni.

Though it is just outside the French Quarter, St. Joseph’s Cathedral is one of the most famous landmarks of the colonial era in Hanoi. The neo-Gothic church was modeled after Paris’s Notre-Dame Cathedral and sits on the west side of Lake Hoan Kiem. The church dates from 1886, making it the oldest church in the capital city. (Vietnam has a Catholic population of around 4 million people.) After the Viet Minh officially took control of North Vietnam in 1954, following the Geneva Accords, Catholic leaders and institutions were repressed and St. Joseph’s was closed for decades. In 1990, services resumed, and now several masses take place each day, sometimes drawing more worshipers than can fit in the building.

Spread across 220 acres of coastal valley, the Ojai Valley Inn opened in 1923, originally commissioned by an early 20th-century glass tycoon. With white stucco and terra-cotta buildings, the mission-style retreat looks like a dreamy California village wedged between the Pacific Ocean and the Topatopa Mountains. Luxurious spa penthouses are ultra-private, and their location in the Spa Ojai building gives guests an easy route to their warm Himalayan salt stone massage or sound energy therapy treatment. The Hacienda Penthouse, atop a hillside villa, brings an air of Morocco to the California landscape. Wallace Neff Historic Rooms, built in the early days of the property, offer the relaxed glamour of that era. Days can be as peaceful or as action-packed as you like and may include golfing at the Ojai Country Club, blending essential oils in the on-site apothecary, lounging next to one of the property’s several pools, hiking, horseback riding, or indulging in retail therapy at two on-site boutiques. Olivella serves traditional and modern interpretations of Italian cuisine, while The Oak’s dishes highlight the resort’s herb garden. Pro tip: Order the signature lavender lemonade.

Independence Square lies at the busy center of St. Kitts’ capital city, Basseterre. Known as Pall Mall Square prior to the island’s independence in 1983, it’s always been the center of commerce—albeit a darker business in years past. A careful look at the surrounding historic buildings reveals places where slaves were held prior to being auctioned off in the square. Today, however, an ornate fountain stands at the center of the park, and the grassy areas play host to parties and public gatherings.

Locals agree that Marie-Galante is the “real” Guadeloupe. Daily ferries whisk visitors and residents back and forth to this island, 40 minutes south of Grande-Terre across occasionally choppy waters. But the charming, pastoral island is well worth it. On Marie-Galante, more farmers ride ox-drawn carts than buses, and the most uncrowded, pristine beaches line the turquoise waters here—like the secluded and brilliant white Plage Vieux Fort. The food is traditional Creole, served with pride in homes-turned-dining-rooms, while the rhum distilleries are considered the best in Guadeloupe.

The most stylish spot in Fort Myers’ River District, Firestone occupies a historic, four-story building right on the water. In the restaurant, guests enjoy steak and seafood specialties paired with fresh, local produce. Also onsite is the rooftop Skybar, open daily from 4 p.m. for sweeping views of the Caloosahatchee River and Downtown River Basin, as well as a special martini bar, which welcomes patrons on Friday and Saturday nights.

For decades, Québec was viewed by many Canadians, and even many Québecois, as a conservative, traditional, and rural part of the country that was falling behind other provinces that were looking optimistically toward the future. Those are the years that would come to be known as the Grande Noirceur, or the Great Darkness. In 1959, Maurice Duplessis, known for his staunch Catholicism as well as fierce anti-Communist and anti-union policies, died, and he was followed by Liberal governments that led the so-called Quiet Revolution. Québec would emerge from this period as a decidedly cosmopolitan and socially liberal province. The Expo 1967 and the 1976 Olympic Games in Montréal proved to be key moments in which newly transformed Québec introduced itself to the world, and the buildings from both had huge impacts on the cityscape. The Olympic Park’s stadium, designed by French architect Roger Taillibert, is still used for sporting events as well as concerts. The inclined tower on the site has an observatory with sweeping city views. You can explore on your own, though there are also guided tours that provide an introduction to the architectural and engineering innovations of the Olympic Park’s buildings.

Petra flourished more than 2,000 years ago, trading with Rome as an equal before being abandoned after a series of earthquakes in the 4th and 6th centuries C.E. It wasn’t until the 19th century, when European explorers “rediscovered” it, that the ancient city returned to the public consciousness. Now, visitors can walk down the narrow canyon of the siq to the city entrance—as dramatic an approach as any to a tourist attraction on the planet. The canyon opens up onto the carved facade of the Treasury, Petra’s most iconic site. From there, you can explore the cliffside tombs with their colorful bands of sandstone, the Street of Facades, and the amphitheater hewn from living rock. The ancient center lies some distance off, along with the splendid old Monastery, which sits at the top of a steep but rewarding climb. Consider buying a three-day ticket and visiting at different times of day to enjoy the changing light—early in the morning is best for the Treasury, while late afternoon is better for the Royal Tombs.

The town of Stromboli, the main settlement on the island, sits at the foot of the volcano overlooking Strombolicchio. Its gleaming white buildings surround the dome of a small church, Chiesa di San Vincenzo. The town is fronted by a stretch of volcanic beach where local fishermen haul out their boats on the coarse black sand.

After Vltava River floods brought great devastation to this gritty neighborhood and old port, a great change and rebirth began, and new businesses, stores and restaurants began moving in to old factory spaces and art nouveau buildings near the main square and church. Now Karlin is a foodie hotspot and a gentrifying neighborhood. Located across the river from Holešovice, to the east of the historic Old Town, Karlin is home to Veltlin wine bar, which focuses on natural wines from the former Austro-Hungarian Empire; Tea Mountain, a gorgeous tea room; Můj Šálek Coffee; and Eska, a restaurant-bakery serving neo-Nordic-inspired Czech cuisine in a modern industrial setting.

Feel instantly cool when you slip through the unmarked wooden doors and enter La Factoria. Garden lights hang from the graffiti-covered walls (designed to look artsy-shabby with a stylish restraint), seductive music plays, and the liquor bottles behind the bar are lit from beneath to add to the glow. The flattering amber light in this neighborhood bar invites whispered conversations and lingering glances. La Factoria, which introduced San Juan to the craft cocktail when it opened in 2013, encourages experimentation. Take your time enjoying your drink of choice, but be sure to wander a bit further into the sprawling building where you’ll come upon separate spaces with different moods: a wine bar, a speakeasy, a dance floor.