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In the southwest of Providenciales, this national park encompasses the tranquil Chalk Sound lagoon, a large expanse of shallow water connected to the ocean by a small channel. Check out the fringe of jagged limestone, called ironshore, along the shorelines of the lagoon and its small islets. You can rent a car and explore scenic Chalk Sound Drive, or you can stop at Las Brisas Restaurant to rent kayaks for a paddling adventure. See if you can spot stingrays and small sharks finning through the water, or the local rock iguanas foraging on the islands.

Once known as Casa Cohen, Dôce 18’s eighteenth-century structure has been painstakingly restored and is now the city’s chicest forum for fashion, design, art, hotel-going and fine dining. Shopaholics go nuts, especially for the delicate, enigmatic bijoux at Sangre de Mi Sangre; fair-trade fashion at Amor y Rosas or the fabulous artisanal tablewares at Estanzuela. The on-site hostelry, L’Ôtel, is a claque of just ten impeccable habitats, exquisitely furnished, complete with rooftop pool. Restaurant Jacinto 1930 by Oaxacan chef Israel Loyola is the top table at this writing. Or kick the evening off with a tequila—we’re talking the good stuff—in the sleek Casa Dragones tasting room.

Within the 18th arrondissement in Paris France, high atop the city, resides the wonderfully beautiful, hilly neighborhood of Montmartre. This diverse and eclectic section of the city can be a bit busy with tourists, but the views of Paris and the splendor of the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur are certainly worth it. Riding the funicular is rather novel, but not necessary if you’re willing to climb the 300+ steps to the summit. This is an area to be explored on foot, as is nearly all of Paris. The shops, theaters, and forever famous Moulin Rouge should not be missed. The streets are intimate, the shops unique, and the overall feel of this place speaks of a youthful, colorful Paris.

One of the most famous restaurants in Venice, the Michelin-starred Da Fiore occupies an understated-yet-elegant space in what was once an old Venetian tavern. The food is a modern take on traditional Venetian, with lots of fish and seafood, but the menu changes constantly based on what is fresh and locally available. Everything is wonderfully prepared with a lovely fusion of flavors and textures and comes out perfectly plated. There’s also an excellent wine list. You can order à la carte or choose a six- or seven-course tasting menu at dinner.

Calistoga’s most storied mineral baths are the centerpiece of what has become Dr. Wilkinson’s Hot Springs Resort, fittingly named after a chiropractor from San Francisco. Most visitors still come for the day spa, which is split into two sides, one for men and the other for women. Options for both include mud baths (in a mix of volcanic ash, hot spring water, and peat moss), mineral-water whirlpool tubs, mineral steam rooms, blanket wraps, and massages. Then, of course, there’s “the Works,” a signature treatment that combines all of these into one. This treatment used to cost less than $5 back in 1952, when Dr. John Wilkinson opened the place. Rumor has it that since then, all that’s changed is the price.

Pizza is always a good idea. And pizza fresh from a wood-fired oven served at a table as close to the sea without actually being in the water is an even better idea. Downstairs at the Hotel Covo dei Saraceni, this casual brasserie serves inexpensive pizzas for lunch and dinner. The chewy Neapolitan-style crust is slathered with San Marzano–tomato sauce and fresh, creamy mozzarella, decorated with a basil leaf or two. The simplicity is delicious. You can also order your pies for takeout.

Colombians from the Caribbean coast, known as Costeños, are immensely proud of their cultural, musical, literary, and historical heritage, all of which are on display at this interactive museum. The country’s famous shore stretches from the jungles bordering Panama up through the historic cities of Cartagena, Barranquilla, and Santa Marta, all the way to the deserts of La Guajira. Multimedia exhibits here offer insight into the region’s indigenous cultures, and into the varied musical expressions that have emerged along the long coastline.

La Piazzetta is known as the place to see and be seen while on glamorous Capri. The small square, officially the Piazza Umberto I, is the center of everyday Caprese life and is dominated by a unique freestanding clocktower that chimes every 15 minutes. For the best seat in town, head to Bar Tiberio, which sits just beside Santo Stefano cathedral. You will have a view of striking Monte Solaro, as well as all of the comings and goings from the funicular and along the shopping streets.

High atop Montmartre is this distinctive white church, Sacré-Cœur, or “sacred heart.” Constructed of travertine stone (the same used in the Arc de Triomphe), the Roman Catholic Church took nearly 40 years to complete and five more years to be consecrated (in 1919). If you choose to approach the church from below, it’s around 100 steps, and if you want to climb up into the dome, it’s another 270. Your reward for all that exercise is a stunning view of Paris unfolding below. Also worth noting: the basilica’s campanile houses La Savoyarde, the largest bell in France, weighing in at 19 tons.

Head to a place that succeeds in squeezing many centuries’ worth of artifacts from multiple civilizations into a manageable—and beautiful—17th-century mansion: the Museo de Arqueología UNT (National University of Trujillo Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History), housed in La Casa Risco. You’ll find remnants of the Chimu, Mochica and Incan empires in the form of jewelry, clothing and ceramics, as well as displays that explain the rise and fall of these civilizations.

El Morro means “hill” and from the top of this one, you’ll be able to take panoramic photos of the port, city and valley of Arica. If you’re keen on military history and, in particular, the relationship between Chile and neighboring Peru, the on-site museum is likely to be of interest. There’s also a tomb of the unknown soldier and a gigantic Chilean flag at the top of the hill.

You can find unique structures by famed architect John Lautner (an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright) all over Los Angeles, but none are as mind-boggling at his Chemosphere. Lautner was drafted to design the Hollywood Hills house for Leonard Malin, an aerospace engineer whose mountainside property presented a steep architectural challenge. Lautner’s answer to that challenge was the hovering, spaceship-like home that still sits on stilts above Torreyson Drive today. Panoramic windows allow lucky guests stunning views of the San Fernando Valley, and the only way to reach the inside of the building is by funicular. The home is still privately owned, so you’ll need an invite to see that view. Luckily, the exterior is worth a visit on its own (but maybe leave the jokes of alien abduction at home).

Sydney’s 158-acre botanic garden, which hugs the harbor between Mrs Macquarie’s Chair and the Sydney Opera House, is home to nearly 9,000 plant species. Depending on the season of your visit, you might seek out spring peaches and wisteria or tropical orchids and summer lotus flowers. On any occasion, don’t miss descendants of the 200-million-year-old Wollemi pine, a dinosaur of a conifer only discovered in 1994. The gardens are also studded with sculptures from historical statues to modern works by Bronwyn Oliver, Paul Selwood, and Keld Moseholm. The quartz-and-sandstone Wurrungwuri depicts an Aboriginal shield once used by the traditional owners of this land. Tours are offered throughout the year, including a 1.5-hour Aboriginal history tour on the food and medicinal properties of native Australian plants.

An Old World grande dame of the 19th-century tradition, the InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam presides over the Amstel River from its waterfront perch at the eastern edge of the original city. An imposing example of a Dutch take on French Renaissance Revival architecture of the period, the hotel—known initially as the Amstel Hotel—was conceived of by well-to-do Amsterdam doctor Samuel Sarphati to attract wealthy Grand Tour–goers to the struggling city. Since then, dignitaries from Queen Elizabeth II to former President Bill Clinton, and celebrities from Audrey Hepburn to George Clooney, have entered the imposing lobby—with its grand staircase, marble columns, and gilded chandeliers—and taken up residence in its opulent suites.

While in its latest iteration the hotel has updated itself in all the right ways, it still offers each guest the superlative but understated service that such royals (of both state and silver screen) would expect, down to the private butler service that comes with each room. The current French-inspired decor channels the building’s original architecture and includes romantic hand-drawn wallpaper in bedrooms. The unfussy, seasonal cuisine and craft cocktails in the restaurants and bars infuse the traditional space with modern sensibilities. Even the health club has its feet in both past and present: The thoroughly modern facilities were inspired by one of the forefathers of physiotherapy, who took up residence in the hotel and treated such distinguished clients as Empress Elisabeth of Austria there.

This Neoclassical building from the mid-19th century stands at one end of a large urban park. The interior of the Capitol is worth a visit—its rotunda and historic rooms reflect the history of lawmaking and governing in this state. The small exhibits from every California county highlight the natural beauty and local specialties from all parts of the state. They line the downstairs addition, which is enhanced with Art Deco details and includes the governor’s office. Outside the Capitol is Capitol Park, one of my favorite outdoor spaces in Sacramento. The paths wind past trees from all over the world (a map is available), memorials, a succulent garden, and a rose garden at the other end of the park.