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St. Lucia is home to incredible biodiversity, from dense rain forests in the heart of the island to dramatic volcanic landscapes by the sea. When visiting, be sure to explore beyond the beaches to discover lush botanical gardens, tropical forests full of birds, rushing waterfalls, and even a drive-in volcano.

From hidden gems to full-scale department stores, Sweden’s cities and small towns offer a range of shopping experiences. Whether you’re looking for that perfect piece of modern design by a Swedish designer for your home or want to do some vintage shopping in Stockholm, the country’s best goods are straight ahead.

Regularly ranked as the most literate city in the US, DC houses attractive independent and used bookstores for the bibliophile. Let’s not forget to mention that DC is home to the Library of Congress, the world’s largest library, which comprises of three buildings containing over 158 million items (36 million of them books in 460 languages) and the Folger Library, the world’s largest Shakespearean library. Definitely plenty of shelves and stacks for the literary nerd to get lost in.

Florence may be full of fancy restaurants, but it’s also easy to eat well and eat cheaply in this Renaissance gem. Look out for good value lunchtime menus at restaurants where dinner may challenge the wallet; delis offering cheap lunchtime snacks; wine bars serving up gourmet eats to pair with the best vintages; rosticcerias with a mouth-watering selection of food to go and mom-and-pop joints with the kind of authentic, homely cuisine rarely found in more up-market restaurants.

Greeks, especially Athenians, are high-spirited partiers, and don’t stop till they get enough. For those seeking glamour it’s fun to sip cocktails on a rooftop bar, but it’s just as fun to dance in a grungy music venue. Wander near the Technopolis in Gazi or the clubs near the sea during summer, when the party simply spills out onto the streets. Start late, and pace yourself until sunrise, which is when most locals only begin to think about going home.

Chef Julia Sullivan grew up in Music City before moving away to study at the Culinary Institute of America and work at restaurants like New York’s Per Se and Blue Hill at Stone Barns. When she returned home, she opened Henrietta Red with sommelier Allie Poindexter in the culinary hotbed of Germantown. The women bring a strong oyster game to landlocked Tennessee as well as options like wood-roasted pork sausage with broccoli rabe and rhubarb mostarda. Diners can take a seat at the long marble bar for natural wines and craft cocktails or settle into the dining room, where white walls and wood tables create a bright, homey feel.

Montreal’s ever-expanding list of French restaurants can be hard to keep up with; the thriving French expat community (over 100,000) in Montreal is home to many brasseries run by French chefs and sommeliers, but it can be hard to tell the genuine from the touristy. Here is a list of French bistros in Montreal that are approved by locals and focused on authenticity - if visiting France isn’t in your short-term plans, eating at a Montreal bistro is the next best thing.

Although French Polynesia is often billed as a luxury destination, there are actually a number of affordable resorts and private home vacation rentals on the islands that won’t break the bank. Yes, you’ll find overwater bungalows galore on French Polynesia’s islands, but if you know where to look, you’ll also find family-run pensions and resort options that offer affordable luxury, allowing travelers on budgets to experience the awesome beauty of French Polynesia.

Being able to live it up in an Irish castle or stately home is one of the draws for visitors – and Irish hotels come in all styles. Check into a hotel like Adare Manor in Co Limerick, or Ireland’s Dromoland Castle in Co Clare for turrets, elegant rooms and manicured grounds. Foodies will love Ballymaloe House in East Cork, while the trendy roof bar at the Marker Hotel in Dublin is the best place for Irish summer evening cocktails.

Blessed by an abundance of seafood as well as fresh fruits and vegetables, culinary influences brought by generations of immigrants, and no shortage of forward-looking chefs, Lima has emerged as one of the most important food cities in the world — the city is home to three of the 50 Best Restaurants in the World. From humble cevicherias to Michelin-star restaurants, Lima’s food scene alone is worth a trip.

Stay in downtown Minneapolis for modern amenities and immediate access to dining, shopping, and entertainment. The city center is also a transportation hub with easy access to trails, buses, and the metro, all of which will quickly get you into nature, neighboring districts, and nearby St. Paul.

One of the world’s prettiest capitals, Stockholm wows visitors with its food, architecture, design and natural beauty. To rub shoulders with stylish Swedes, head to the Lydmar Hotel, which boasts four of Stockholm’s hottest bars and restaurants. Hotel Skeppsholmen champions all things local including food, beer, design and insider tips to share with guests. Ett Hem translates to “a home” and this 12-room hotel feels exactly like that with a kitchen open to guests at all hours.

Along its Atlantic and Caribbean coastlines and in its mountainous interior, the Dominican Republic rolls out the welcome mat for all types of travelers. Whether you feel most at home in a clifftop villa with a private butler, a treehouse in the jungle, or a thatched-roof bungalow on a pristine beach, you’ll find your ideal hotel on this magical island.

Traditional Florentine restaurants offer visitors a chance to sample the earthy regional cuisine with dishes that include bruschetta topped with white beans; Tuscan ribollita; pappardelle pasta with hare sauce; roast pork with garlic and rosemary; and, of course, bistecca alla Fiorentina, or Florentine steak, a vast T-bone cooked the traditional way over olive wood and eaten almost raw. Here’s where to find the best authentic home cooking in Florence.

Poised between the tumultuous Atlantic Ocean and calmer Caribbean Sea, Dominica lacks the award-winning beaches of its neighboring islands, but it more than makes up for it with natural hot springs and swimming holes under jungle waterfalls. The island is even home to a submerged fumarole that releases spectacular veils of bubbles.