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Sure, it’s the largest town on St. Croix, but it’s the charming Danish-influenced architecture that makes it most noteworthy. The city center is a protected national park lined with candy-colored buildings and historic churches, while the streets are made of cobblestones and punctuated by stone archways. At the waterfront, which was a focal point of the island’s sugar trade, a wharf is populated by restaurants, bars and water sports shops. There’s also an 18th-century fort.

The 66-square-mile Swiss National Park is a completely unmanaged natural area that was founded in 1914, the first national park in the Alps and a rare undeveloped location in the Swiss German–speaking part of Switzerland—a corner of the world better known for ski resorts than nature reserves. Its ungroomed hiking trails offer opportunities to encounter Alpine wildlife like marmot, ibex, chamois, northern hares, and lizards, not to mention innumerable birds and wildflowers (many of which are sadly endangered and on IUCN’s Red List). Biologists here are doing some of Europe’s most important conservation and research work to help better understand Alpine flora and fauna that have experienced only minimal interaction with humans.

Located in a quasi national park about 20 kilometers due north of Osaka, this 87-year-old ryokan-style property has maple trees as neighbors. The park teems with nature, home to 1,300 plant species and 3,500 insect species. Despite its proximity to the city, Otowa Sansou is a tranquil place to stay, especially spectacular in the fall when the maple leaves gracefully morph from green to fiery red. The traditional Japanese inn is a window to the past, with a pretty, central courtyard shaded by maple trees, and shoji (paper sliding screens), tatami, and lanterns used in the design.

One of the oldest buildings on the Royal Mile, Gladstone’s Land stands as a tribute to tenement life in Edinburgh’s Old Town. It was once owned by merchant Thomas Gladstone, who extended and remodeled it to include opulently decorated apartments, attracting wealthy tenants like Lord Crichton and the minister of St Giles’ Cathedral. By the mid-1800s, however, only the city’s poorest residents remained in the Old Town, and the building fell into disrepair. It was rescued from demolition in 1934 by the National Trust for Scotland and today serves as a tourist attraction where visitors can learn about the fascinating—and sometimes scandalous—lives of the people who lived on property. Guests can also view rare, hand-painted Renaissance interiors dating from the 1620s; seek shelter under Edinburgh’s only surviving 17th-century arched store frontage (designed to protect shoppers from the weather); and admire the gilded bird of prey that hangs outside the house.

In the whole of the German-speaking world, no theater outshines the Burgtheater, the Austrian National Theater. One of the Ringstrasse’s fabulous late-19th-century confections, the theater was built across from City Hall, principally by celebrated architect Gottfried Semper. The roots of the Burg go back to 1741 during Empress Maria Theresa’s reign. High society vied to be in the presence of royalty and Mozart premiered his works there. Busts on Semper’s Burg facade represent Goethe, Schiller, and Shakespeare, while magnificent Klimt frescoes adorn the staircases. These days the Burg is renowned for performances by international stars like Klaus Maria Brandauer, Bruno Ganz, and Christoph Waltz.

Travelers looking to trade the urban confines of Hobart or Launceston for a more rugged experience without sacrificing on comfort should consider a weekend away at Cradle Mountain Lodge, a wilderness resort and spa that’s tucked away in Tasmania’s Central Highlands. While the forested location on the edge of Cradle Mountain–Lake St. Clair National Park and ample hiking opportunities are enough of a draw—it’s not uncommon to see rambling wombats or, occasionally, more elusive Tasmanian devils in the immediate surroundings—Cradle Mountain Lodge operates as a destination unto itself, with a glass-walled spa that looks onto verdant King Billy pines and hotel-style suites and stand-alone cottages with gas and log fireplaces and private balconies. Rough-hewn wood, leather, and stone greet you in the Highland Restaurant, which impresses with its extensive wine list and strong emphasis on locally harvested ingredients (think ratatouille ravioli and wallaby porterhouse with pumpkin cream).

The Atlantis Hotel is the focal point of Dubai‘s giant cluster of man-made isthmuses that jut out into the Persian Gulf. Even if you can’t afford to stay at this spectacular hotel, you can still go see what the decadent expat lifestyle feels like for the day by swimming with dolphins in Dolphin Bay or splashing about in the rivers, slides, and pools of Dubai‘s largest water park: Aquaventure. If that doesn’t float your boat (sorry), there’s Atlantis’s dive center, in which you can go diving in a nearly 3 million–gallon tank. You’ll literally be swimming with the sharks (and stingrays) this time. In Atlantis, don’t be surprised to find yourself feeding the rays next to a celebrity—this is one of the places they stay in Dubai.

On the west side of Arenal Volcano, this 900-acre tropical reserve was a labor of love for owner and architect Jaime Mikowski, who spent years planting acres of native plants and coaxing the land’s natural mineral springs into a river that now flows throughout the property, spilling over into dozens of waterfalls and pools that range from 72 to 105 degrees. Spacious rooms have marble floors and streamlined furnishings; splurge on a suite, which features a private terrace and a Jacuzzi tub—a little superfluous considering all the other options for soaking in warm water here, but who’s complaining? There are also five swimming pools, one with a swim-up bar and waterslide, and a spa comprising 12 bungalows with treatments that all include, you guessed it, a dip in a thermal spring-fed tub. While the property is also open to day trippers, guests of the resort have exclusive access to Shangri-La Gardens, an adults-only lounge area with pools, cabanas, and a folliage-filled bar.

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The historic MV Liemba is the oldest functioning ferry in the world, and a voyage down Tanzania’s Lake Tanganyika on this landmark is a colorful experience. Your fellow passengers will include traders loading and unloading cargo (anything from pineapples to flip-flops) and locals using the ferry for transport. On the southbound journey, the boat departs from the town of Kigoma and travels 300 miles to Zambia, where its makes its first port of call on land. But in between those two stops, while still on the water, travelers can transfer to smaller ships in order to reach places like Lagosa (a jumping-off point for the Mahale Mountains National Park) or the peaceful beach area of Kipili.

Quick Bites, located on the lobby of the Marriott Hotel at the City Center Mall, is a great place for a healthy breakfast, a grab-and-go lunch, or a light dinner. It has a home-made ice cream counter with every flavor under the sun and mouth-watering baked goods. It serves a delicious Turkish coffee, a wide selection of Arabic breads straight out of their stone oven, small pizzas, and pastries filled with za’atar (a mixture of herbs, sesame seeds, dry sumac and salt). With free wifi, a selection of national and international newspapers, lots of natural light and a relaxed atmosphere, Quick Bites is the perfect place to have just that: a small bite.

The famed German naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt was the first to document the ocean current that explains why the adorable, nattily plumed penguins favor this part of the Chilean and Peruvian coasts—the water brings oodles of anchovies, sardines, and crustaceans along with it. (Both the current and the penguins were eventually named for Humboldt.) The reserve includes three islands—Damas, Choros, and Chañaral. From the boats bound for Punta de Choros, visitors can catch glimpses of dolphins, whales (including humpbacks and blue whales, especially in January and February), and frolicking sea lions.

Located within the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, this popular outfitter offers thrilling wildlife tours. The Kayak Trail Tour often passes dolphins and manatees, while the Sunset Rookery Paddle, which goes to the refuge’s Rookery Islands, usually features dozens of bird sightings, from ibis and brown pelicans to egrets, herons, and more. Other tours include breakfast cruises through the refuge and standup paddleboard expeditions, allowing guests to choose their own adventure when it comes to experiencing Florida’s wildlife.

This charming, unassuming café in Rif is marked with a simple wooden sign, befitting its authentic decoration (laminate floors, wooden tables) and small and traditional—but fantastically tasty—menu. The two women who run the café, the wives of local fishermen, offer, among other dishes, a fish soup made from the day’s catch and flavored with peaches and vegetables, a variety of homemade breads, pastries, and cakes, and surprisingly modern coffee from national roaster Kaffitár. There are also tables outside from which you can admire the pleasant surroundings if the weather’s good, and the lovely proprietors are keen to offer local travel tips as well. Open from June to August only.

The “beautiful game” is dear to most Chileans’ hearts—you’ll even hear stories of families who could not afford a real ball and so fashioned one from layers of old pantyhose. Regardless of where the ball comes from, there is no limit to the enthusiasm with which locals embrace their national sport. When the Chilean national team is playing an international match, busy streets go quiet and a cab is impossible to find, but you’ll hear shouts erupt in unison from thousands of windows in a countrywide goal celebration. Julio Martínez Prádanos National Stadium can hold nearly 50,000 spectators; if you want a real sense of the game as experienced a la chilena, buy cheap tickets and find someone who can translate hilarious and highly off-color chants that fans spontaneously invent to goad or humiliate the opponent.