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Centrally located in Stockholm, the King’s Garden is a lively urban garden/park/plaza that connects the harbor with one of Stockholm’s main shopping districts. It contains a series of “outdoor rooms” including a formal entrance, fountain with planting parterres, stage for performances, a lawn area (was that artificial turf?) and a plaza with a sunken pool surrounded by steps ideal for people watching, oddly focused on a TGI Friday’s Restaurant as a focal point. There is lots to do here and this popular space is bordered by restaurants, galleries, cafes and night clubs. The King’s Garden has been dubbed “Stockholm’s outdoor living room” and there is a full schedule of concerts and performances throughout the summer (when I visited) as well as an ice skating rink in the winter.

Japan has some of the fastest, most reliable trains in the world. One measure of how much locals appreciate them is the glee in kids’ faces when a Shinkansen glides past their commuter train. Or they line up in front of the sloped nose of a parked bullet train for a photo before taking off on a trip. That excitement has naturally created a market for train souvenirs. You can find socks, shoes, even chopsticks shaped like any number of specific Shinkansen trains. Local train lines also sell their own branded train gear across Japan. The Shinkansen souvenirs are all over Tokyo Station, but a big cluster of them can be found near the underground Yaesu central exit. Leave the turnstiles, and the omiyage shop is immediately on the left.

In 1971, squatters moved into the barracks on an abandoned military base and established Freetown Christiania, an autonomous district in the middle of the city. Later, many dwellers built their own homes on the 86-acre property. Although the Danish Supreme Court ruled this year that the state owns the land, the area’s nearly 1,000 residents have yet to be evicted. Today, visitors can bike along tree-lined paths and check out the handmade structures before they disappear. christiania.org. This appeared in the July/August 2011 issue.

The Grand Tour of Switzerland includes thrilling bends and scenic views at every turn, and five of its famous alpine passes stand out—literally—among the rest of the route. They are engineering wonders that often overlook natural wonders as well. The Flüela Pass, which connects Davos and Susch, reaches a height of 7,818 feet. Your ascent through alpine forests delivers views of the valley below on a route that Avis ranked number 4 on its list of the “world’s best roads.” The Julier Pass is lined with picturesque lakes and ends at the village of Tiefencastel, with its historic, and equally picturesque, Church of St. Stefan. The San Bernardino Pass in southern Switzerland follows a route used since the 15th century and sits on the border between the country’s German and Italian regions. With its serpentine twisting path, the Tremola Pass in Gotthard is a wonder of 19th-century road design. After navigating its many twists and turns, enjoy one of the famous sausages sold from a hut at its summit. Finally, if the Furka Pass looks familiar, it’s likely from its big-screen appearance in Goldfinger. Fortunately as you drive to the highest point on the Grand Tour, at 7,969 feet, you’ll be able to simply enjoy the scenery without any villain in pursuit.

Tucked inside a renovated former 19th-century factory near Passeig de Gràcia, this temple to Spanish gastronomy is housed in a breathtaking modernist masterpiece, with soaring vaulted ceilings, vintage lighting fixtures, ceramic tiles, and mosaics. Each of the four eateries inside has a distinct design and cuisine: La Llotja specializes in seafood; La Brasería is all about grilled and a la plancha meats; La Paradeta showcases Iberian cheeses and cured meats; and the buzziest spot, La Tapería, serves up hot and cold tapas. The central hubs are the Wine Bar and the Beer Bar, where you can sample a variety of local Catalan drafts. And at the intimate circular Oyster Bar, you can taste famed Galician oysters, as well as caviar, Norwegian salmon, and king crab.

The close-in neighborhood called Colonia Roma was first developed at the dawn of the 20th century as a high-end suburb laid out along tree-lined boulevards and plazas. Prominent families erected elaborate residences in architectural styles ranging from neoclassical to art nouveau and even neo-Moorish. A century later—despite some ups and downs—the district is at a peak as one of Mexico City’s most fashionable areas, and old mansions now serve as retail spaces or smart dining rooms that open out onto the street, day and night, in that marvelous dolce vita way. Stroll the quarter’s main drag, Álvaro Obregón, afternoons and evenings, for a complete sampling of its urban pleasures; shopaholics with an eye for edgy design won’t want to miss the whimsical boutiques that line adjacent Cerrada Colima. Deeper dives into side streets and nearby plazas turn up even more surprises when you’re ready for a walkabout.

“For those folks who enjoy camping, Hix is the Four Seasons. And for those who stay only at the Four Seasons, at Hix they will think they are camping.” So goes the saying of the owners of Hix Island House, located on remote and beautiful Vieques Island. Puerto Rico’s first sustainable lodging facility, the hotel caters to guests who know that going green and living luxuriously are not mutually exclusive. Rooms come with See Design bedding as well as Frette robes and towels. Solar panels provide power, and wastewater from each room supplies the lush gardens. Canadian architect John Hix is responsible for the hotel’s striking concrete exterior, which stands in stark contrast to the surrounding hills, yet provides guests with both privacy and sweeping views out to sea.

Named after Louis Mountbatten, Britain’s supreme allied commander in Southeast Asia, Mountbatten Road was originally known as Grove Road. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries it became a popular place for the wealthy to build country homes just a few yards from the sea and its refreshing breezes. Today, due to land reclamation, the sea is more than half a mile away. A number of them, nicknamed “millionaires’ bungalows,” were single-story houses with conical roofs that were built on brick posts for protection against heavy rains, snakes, and wildlife—a design modeled after similar dwellings in tropical India which provides the cooling effects of under-floor ventilation.

You’ll recognize this setting as one that appears in some of the most iconic Amalfi Coast photos. The villa’s riotous beds of pansies and garden walls covered with vibrant bougainvillea are as jaw-dropping in real life. One section of the gardens dates back to the 13th century, but only traces of the medieval part remains. Most of the space is dedicated to a Romantic era–style garden that was designed by Francis Nevile Reid, a wealthy Scottish expat who owned and restored the villa in the late-19th century. In addition to touring the gardens, a small museum on the grounds with a cloister and tower is worth visiting. From June through September every year, the Ravello Festival is held here.

While it’s not in Mexico City proper, the sacred pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan is close enough–about 30 miles– for an easy day trip if you’re interested in architecture, archaeology, and indigenous history. The site’s primary structures, the Temple of Quetzalcoatl and the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, have been designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, and it is possible to explore the pyramids–and even climb them–either independently or with a guide. After ascending nearly 250 steps on the Pyramid of the Sun, you’ll have a greater appreciation for these ancient structures and the civilization responsible for having built them. In addition to the pyramids, an on-site museum documents the history of the so-called “City of the Gods,” and displays archaeological finds, including pottery, bones, and other important objects.

Set in City Hall, now part of the National Gallery Singapore, this lovely dark-wood-paneled restaurant reflects the country’s rich Peranakan Chinese heritage in both design and fare. Traditional tile floors, marble-topped tables, nostalgic bentwood chairs, and vintage photos set the scene for a feast of rich dishes that mingle Chinese and Malay flavors. if you’ve never had this combination of cuisines before, prepare to be forever changed. Dive in headfirst and try the spicy chicken stew (buah keluak ayam), the zesty beef rendang, the chili crab, or the fish-head curry. If you’re with a group, order a spread of plates to share, like the fried eggplant with sambal sauce and the deep-fried tangy prawn, crab, and chicken dumplings.

For more than half a century, this two-story, largely South Indian vegetarian joint on busy Serangoon Road has pleased palates with its tasty array of dosas—black-lentil-and-rice crepes designed to be ripped into pieces and dipped into heavenly chutneys and sauces. The restaurant’s prices and decor are humble, but the flavors are rich. Choose a tubular or cone-shaped dosa, or ask for one stuffed with potato, onion, or chilies. Other smart orders include buttery naan with a bowl of vegetable curry and Indian-style spinach with cubes of paneer (cheese). The biryani saffron-rice dish is also popular and is served with vegetable curry, dal, raita (a cooling yogurt concoction), and other accompaniments.

One of Montréal’s most iconic landmarks was designed by an American, R. Buckminster Fuller. The Biosphere, an enormous geodesic dome, sits in Parc Jean-Drapeau on St. Helen’s Island in the St. Lawrence River. Now considered one of the most important examples of futuristic architecture of its period, it was originally built as the U.S. Pavilion for Expo 67, the world’s fair that took place in Montréal in 1967. It quickly proved to be one of the most popular attractions of the event. An acrylic skin originally covered the building, but that was destroyed in a fire in 1976 and never restored. The skeleton building remained intact, however, and it is arguably even more dramatic and elegant than before the fire. Today the Biosphere houses a kid-friendly Environment Museum, with interactive displays that introduce environmental concepts and address the issue of climate change.

If you visit in the autumn, watch out for the falling apples on the outdoor terrace of this old fondue chalet in the center of the medieval village of Gruyères. Salads are fresh heaps of greens, bouillon is served with or without egg, and platters of AOP-protected (Appellation d’Origine Protégée, or Protected Designation of Origin) dried meats arrive on cutting boards. But since Gruyères is home to Switzerland’s first luxury product, Gruyère cheese, opt for heavy stuff like croûte au fromage (an open-faced grilled-cheese sandwich), gooey raclette served with boiled potatoes, Alpine macaroni and cheese, quiche gruyèrien, and moitié-moitié fondue, made with pungent vacherin and Gruyère cheeses and best washed down with Swiss wines like chasselas. In the winter, don’t miss the fondue vacherin, served melted in its original tree-bark packaging, or the chestnut vermicelles atop a bed of meringue and Gruyère double crème.

After more than 15 years atop Boston’s fine-dining scene, Barbara Lynch’s No. 9 Park may be familiar, but never ordinary. Facing the Boston Common, this restaurant is split between a dress-to-impress bar where Beacon Hill pols gather for after-work cocktails and a dining room favored for special-occasion gatherings, from proposals and wedding anniversaries to Harvard-graduation celebrations. Expect an expertly designed Cat Silirie wine list and elegant French-Italian cuisine (the foie-gras-and-prune-puree-filled gnocchi is guaranteed to please, and go with the steak frites if you’re dining at the bar), with an atmosphere to match.