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As you walk through Stellenbosch’s town center, you’ll probably smell the bread baking at Boschendal at Oude Bank before you even arrive at the café’s main entrance. Owned by Boschendal Farm Estate since early 2017, the local favorite is a bakery, bistro, and farm shop in one, serving seasonal dishes made from locally sourced, farm-fresh ingredients. The warm interior features cozy dining nooks, but you should really sit outside, where you can sip your matcha latte while people-watching on Bird Street. Go for breakfast and order the brioche French toast, or stop by for lunch and pair the trout salad with a glass of chenin blanc from the farm.

Often called the Spanish Steps, Rome‘s famous scalinata (monumental staircase) is the centerpiece of Piazza di Spagna. Built in the early 1700s, the steps connect the piazza (now a busy shopping area) with the Trinità dei Monti church on the hill above. The area became a hangout for models and artists and one of Rome‘s most photographed sites. Head to the top to see the sunset, or make like Hepburn and Peck in the film Roman Holiday and stroll around the piazza.

Just minutes from some of the world’s best surf breaks, the Four Seasons has its own surf school offering lessons for all ability levels, from novices to big-wave riders. Surfari Splurge and book a boat trip aboard the Four Seasons’ Explorer, a three-deck catamaran that can get you to some of the area’s most remote atolls. See the Best Every August the resort hosts a week-long international surfing competition that draws both locals and elite athletes such as Tom Curren. You can buy day passes to watch the action. Sleep Therapy Wellness treatments linked to the lunar cycle are scheduled from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the resort’s spa, which sits on its own island.

During the day, the Piazza San Marco in Venice is an overwhelming flurry of activity, but once the sun sets, you’d be surprised at just how much a sense of ease and languor settles in. Life simply slows down as the crowds depart. Stop by Caffè Florian for a memorable evening. Opened in 1720, this is Italy‘s oldest cafe, and features ornate frescoed and gilded salons, as well as an outdoor seating area for great people-watching. Sip a drink and enjoy Caffè Florian’s live orchestra and singers as you sit under the beautiful night sky, with an illuminated St. Mark’s Basilica in the background. Looking around at my family, I could see total contentment reflected on each of their faces—the most magical and relaxing night of my trip. While not inexpensive, this evening was worth every Euro to me—a night that I will remember fondly for the rest of my life.

Let the wind blow through your hair as you take a 30-minute vaporetto ride to Burano, an island in the lagoons of Venice. Known for its brightly-colored fishermen’s homes, the island is largely free of the tourist crush of the rest of Venice. Spend the afternoon shopping for exquisite handmade lace and sampling gelato, then do as the locals do - gather in the town square at sunset to enjoy drinks and people-watching in one of the many cafes.

We settled in at Trattoria Da Primo, where the bartender recommended a typical Venetian drink, the “Spritz” (Prosecco, Aperol or Campari liqueur, and soda). Then get ready to feast at Trattoria da Romano, regular host to locals, tourists, and visiting artists. The restaurant is famous for Venetian specialities such as creamy Goh fish risotto and fresh seafood. Burano is definitely the place to go for a quiet, small-town feeling night out in Italy.

The morning market in Luang Prabang is bursting at the seams with culinary curious - some you may indeed want to put in your mouth, and others, well - others you’ll need to see for yourself. Luang Prabang is the busiest tourist destination in Laos, but early in the morning, the market is generally void of foreign faces, making it a perfect place to meet the locals, dine on Lao food, and watch the people as they wander. Grab yourself a frosty bevy and a slice of blood sausage and check it out.

Perched over the river that runs through downtown Chattanooga, the Tennessee Aquarium offers a novel way to discover the magic of sea life. Exhibits here trace the path from mountain streams to the sea, showcasing aquatic animals in representations of their natural habitats. In the ocean display, visitors can see exotic fish gliding over multicolored coral reef formations, but the most popular attractions are the river otters cavorting in cascading waterfalls, and the penguins diving in and out of their cold-water habitat. The aquarium also features thousands of insects that flutter from flower to flower in the butterfly garden, as well as a gigantic IMAX 3-D theater that screens fascinating movies about nature and science.

When a place has not only the longest wooden bar in Texas (100+ feet) and is the oldest watering hole on the Riverwalk, you just know it’s worth a visit. But rather than rest on the above laurels, Esquire Tavern churns out some terrific and thoughtful scratch-made eats and drinks. From starters like pink peppercorn-flecked deviled eggs and mashed potato-filled tacos con papas to heartier fare like burgers, chicken mole and shepherd’s pie, the food takes comfort foods to the next level with fresh, well-sourced ingredients and modern executions. And as the icing on the culinary cake, the craft cocktail program here is award-winning and endlessly interesting. Plan for some enjoyable late nights at the Esquire on your next stop in SA.

This superb beach on the island’s northwest shore is accessible only by water. It’s easy to find a boat; they depart frequently from Porto Vromi, Ágios Nikólaos, Cape Skinari and Zákinthos Town. At Navagio, sheer limestone cliffs cradle sugar-white sands and an azure bay. As for the shipwreck that gave the cove its nickname, the story goes that a freighter smuggling cigarettes, wine and women ran aground here in 1981 while fleeing the Greek navy. The ship’s remains can still be seen in the dunes. Note that this secluded spot has no facilities, so bring your own food and drink—as well as a sun umbrella because the beach heats up dramatically by midday.

On the steep hills above the truffle-obsessed town of Livade in central Istria, Croatia, a man named Vlado Tomažič makes olive oil on his family’s farm. When my husband and I rented the apartment, Casa Maršić (casamarsic.com), adjacent to the farmhouse, we found it the perfect base for exploring the nearby medieval hill towns. We visited Motovun-Montona and Oprtalj-Portole, where we ate fuži, traditional Istrian pasta, with fresh mushrooms and grilled lamb chops at the fantastic Tončić agritourism (agroturizam-toncic.com). We happened to be at the farm during the October harvest and helped Vlado’s friendly crew rake the olives from the trees, taking frequent breaks for gemišt—white wine and sparkling water. Classic Journeys offers seven-night tours of Istria. This appeared in the August/September 2014 issue.

The Antigua Yacht Club is the center of so much of Antigua’s world-class sailing experience. Right in the heart of English Harbour, this prestigious yacht club has been serving the island for over 40 years. It hosts the Classic Yacht Regatta, the RORC Caribbean 600, Sailing Week, the National Sailing Academy that serves the community with free watersports education, and even the Caribbean Dingy Championships. This is the place to stock up on last-minute supplies at the shop, or grab a bite at Cloggy’s or Club Sushi. Yeah, The Antigua Yacht Club is a hub for sailors of all stripes to talk shop whether coming in or leaving for some time on the water.

While wandering through Oaxaca‘s markets, you’ll probably spot large clay basins filled with a liquid that’s topped with a beige foam. This is tejate, a drink that dates back to pre-Hispanic times. It’s made with cocoa beans, maize, the seed of the mamey fruit, and a flower called “Rosita de Cacao.” All the ingredients are ground up to form a floury paste. The “tejatera” mixes it by hand while slowly adding water until it is completely mixed and a thick foam forms on the top. In Oaxaca city a great place to try tejate is La Flor de Huayapam. It’s a stall inside the Benito Juarez market. They have a counter and wooden stools so you can have a seat while you sample the concoction.

The foothills around Tucson are home to some of the best spa-golf-resorts in the U.S. and you don’t have to go far for a taste of the wilderness before you turn in. Just behind the Loews Ventana Canyon resort on the edge of the city, an unspoiled trail awaits. This lush riparian canyon takes you into the heart of the Santa Catalina Mountains, studded with saguaros. Deer, bobcats, javelinas, and the occasional mountain lion might cross your path. About 2 1/2 miles in, you’ll come across seasonal water; The Maiden Pools. If you’re an experienced hiker seeking a challenge, keep on going and you’ll reach The Window, a natural rock arch about 7000 ft high.

Chill out from the sun at the Blue Hole Mineral Spring, a 50-foot deep turquoise natural pool sitting 20 feet below a cave opening. Jump off the cliff edge like the Jamaican divers on site, if you’re feeling brave. Otherwise, head down slowly on the ladder and let go from a closer distance (like I did). There’s a small entrance fee to this park--located about a half-hour drive south of Negril in the town of Brighton--which includes access to an on site bar and restaurant, as well as an outdoor traditional swimming pool. But my guess is you’ll be too tempted by the underground shimmering and therapeutic fresh water.

While hiking in Cape Town, there are plenty of moments when you’ll stop for a water break, wipe the sweat from your brow, and ignore those voices inside yourself saying you can’t possibly take another uphill step. This moment is fleeting, however, and always superseded by the lasting memories of when you feel like you’re on top of the world at the end of your hike. Silvermine Nature Reserve is 20 minutes from the city center and the part of Table Mountain National Park that covers the Cape Peninsula near Kalk Bay and Muizenberg. The Echo Valley hike can be approached from the Silvermine entrance on top of Ou Kaapse Weg (one way), or, from the entrance on Boyes Drive in Kalk Bay.