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The Copenhagen Admiral Hotel began its life as an 18th-century warehouse on the Copenhagen waterfront, before being turned into a maritime-themed hotel in the 1970s. With the royal family’s Amalienborg Palace on one side, the lively and picturesque Nyhavn canal on the other, and the Copenhagen Opera House across the water, the hotel couldn’t be better placed for feeling like you’re in the heart of Copenhagen’s sights. Historic tall ships regularly dock out front, and, when the sun comes out, locals and guests alike spill onto the waterfront patio for a Carlsberg beer.

Inside, the hotel feels quintessentially Scandinavian, with exposed beams and a blue-green color palette. The acclaimed SALT restaurant puts a modern spin on traditional Scandinavian cuisine with inspiration from local, raw produce and French cuisine.

Located next to the picturesque Sant Felip Neri Square in the atmospheric Gothic Quarter, the Hotel Neri Relais & Châteaux comprises two historic mansions, one dating to the 12th century. The modernist aspirations of the hotel are immediately apparent, though, from the front entrance’s elegant combination of glass and metalwork to the stone walls of the lobby. Rooms are crisp and subtly decorated in grays and greens offset by the wooden floors, and they’re filled with high-tech features such as satellite TVs and Bluetooth speakers, as well as desks. Bathrooms feature natural stone and rain showers, and most rooms look out onto the Gothic Quarter’s cobbled streets. The hotel also has a romantic restaurant with 12th-century inspiration, and a roof terrace complete with hammocks and a beer-and-wine bar.

If you’re looking for the prefect French vacation destination, the picturesque city of Pau, in Southwest France, may just have it all. Its location is perfect, almost equidistant from the stunning Pyrenees Mountains, for hiking and skiing, and the seaside, for enjoying the sun and surf. It is surrounded by rolling hills covered in vineyards, producing sweet white jurancon, and rich fruity red wines. The bustling city market is one of the nicest I’ve visited in France and the restaurant offerings are varied and of excellent caliber. Throw in a photogenic chateau, friendly locals and proximity to international airports and you have the perfect holiday spot. The only problem is, (like me) you may not want to leave.

The meal, drinks, and bar car are only part of the experience. Getting to stand out on the viewing deck while perched over the rushing Arkansas River, then passing under the Royal Gorge Bridge, all while enjoying a pint of Fat Tire or Colorado wine ... well, it’s a pretty unique experience and the worth the money (from $39 coach adult tickets). Look for special events like murder mysteries, Santa Express, and, pictured above, the four-course dinner train with its extensive wine list, and the train’s own micro-brew, Royal Gorge Rogue. Season begins in early March.

Thomas Crean, a member of Shackleton’s Endurance crew, came home to Annascaul to start the South Pole Inn as a pub and inn. Great pints of Guinness, a wonderful meal and plenty of chips for all to enjoy! For a small price, a room is also available above the inn. Come see pictures of the Antartica expedition that made and created history!

Head outside the city centre, to the commune of Tervuren, for one of the most beautiful parks near Brussels. Just behind the Royal Museum for Central Africa (pictured here) is a large garden. Joggers and walkers frequent the network of paths through the forest and lakes are populated with fishermen on weekends. The park is home to Flanders largest Giant Redwood tree and there is a good deal of wildlife inhabiting the lake and trees. It is particularly lovely in autumn, as the leaves are changing colour, and in early spring, as the sunshine filters through the newly sprouted leaves.

Bourbon House is one of New Orleans’ best restaurants, serving fresh seafood (oysters topped with caviar!) and dishes made with local ingredients. In fact, over 70% of ingredients are sourced within 150 miles. Moreover, Bourbon House is passionate about fresh seafood and if something isn’t in season you won’t see it on the menu. For dessert, try their chocolate chunk bread pudding with bourbon sauce or a bourbon milk punch made with milk, gelato, nutmeg and bourbon. Bourbon is, unsurprisingly, a specialty: The restaurant offers over 100 different bourbons. With picture windows looking out on Bourbon Street, it’s also a great place to people watch.

A room at S-21 where prisoners were systematically tortured for weeks on end by Khmer Rouge soldiers in order to ferret out false confessions that the victims had committed acts of treason against Pol Pot and the regime. When I look at these images I really do find myself at a loss for words--this is one of those pictures that really do convey more emotions that spoken vocabulary ever could. It reminds of the video game Silent Hill, except it’s real--the evils of man are deeper than the pits of his imagination.

On a recent trip up and down the Belgian coast, as the sun was setting on one of the beaches NOT in front of a town, I saw in the distance several horses and riders coming up the beach. When they passed, on the horizon a ship was also passing in the opposite direction. This picture is the result. The Belgian coast runs from De Panne on the French border right up to Knokke-Heist, on the Dutch border. For convenience, and the fact that it gets very congested in the warm months, there is a tram that runs the entire coastal distance.

A fairly new addition to the Waikiki waterfront, the seven-year-old Modern was a dream come true for those young urbanites who never quite felt at home in the more traditional Hawaiian resorts. It’s not directly on the beach—the closest is the lagoon and expansive beach in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village, a quick walk on the hotel’s ramp—and instead overlooks the picturesque Ala Wai Boat Harbor, where many of the island’s boating excursions depart. Designed by George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg, celebrities in the world of fashionable hotels, the look is warmly modern, all whites and creams and luxurious wood, and some striking art pieces, including a large surfboard installation in the lobby (titled “Wreck-tangles”). There’s a fun nightclub and some seriously good restaurants, though the real scene is out on the Instagram-worthy two-tiered teak pool deck, lined with lots of cushy chaises and shady corners to curl up. Upstairs is the adults-only pool—less a pool than a shallow water prop for frequent DJ-hosted dance parties. But for as much as the Modern is a hipster haven, the service is surprisingly good at making sure guests never feel like they’re crashing someone else’s party.

Being in nature is being in my happy place. The US’ National Parks provide plenty of unspoiled nature. The Rocky Mountain National Park is huge, beautiful and abundant with wild life. It’s a pleasure to go and make all your senses happy. If you have kids, it’s even better. Running in fresh air, checking out the wildlife is bliss for them. This particular shot was on the Trail Ridge Road. A portion of it was closed and this is as far as we could go by car.

Petra flourished more than 2,000 years ago, trading with Rome as an equal before being abandoned after a series of earthquakes in the 4th and 6th centuries C.E. It wasn’t until the 19th century, when European explorers “rediscovered” it, that the ancient city returned to the public consciousness. Now, visitors can walk down the narrow canyon of the siq to the city entrance—as dramatic an approach as any to a tourist attraction on the planet. The canyon opens up onto the carved facade of the Treasury, Petra’s most iconic site. From there, you can explore the cliffside tombs with their colorful bands of sandstone, the Street of Facades, and the amphitheater hewn from living rock. The ancient center lies some distance off, along with the splendid old Monastery, which sits at the top of a steep but rewarding climb. Consider buying a three-day ticket and visiting at different times of day to enjoy the changing light—early in the morning is best for the Treasury, while late afternoon is better for the Royal Tombs.

Why we love it: A vast resort on Table Rock Lake with every imaginable amenity

The Highlights:
- A lakeside location surrounded by miles of Ozark hiking trails
- A full-service marina for exploring the water
- Family-friendly amenities like a kids’ club and movie theater

The Review:
Just 10 miles from bustling Branson, Chateau on the Lake offers luxury accommodations in a serene lakeside setting. Nicknamed the “Castle in the Ozarks,” the property, with its signature blue-green roof peaks, is sprawling. Even the smallest guest rooms measure nearly 400 square feet, each with French Country furnishings, deep-wood accents, and views of the lake—often from private balconies. If you really want to stretch out, book the palatial Presidential or Vice Presidential suite, where four-poster king beds, separate sitting rooms, and jetted tubs make for an upscale stay.

When not relaxing in your room, take a dip in the indoor and outdoor pools, practice your serve on the tennis courts, hit the movie theater, or drop the little ones at the Crawdaddies Kids Club and head to the 12,000-square-foot Spa Chateau for treatments like the Table Rock Hot Stone Massage. Also on-site is a full-service marina for boat rentals, sailing charters, and activities like water-skiing, tubing, and fishing, as well as more than two miles of nature trails for hiking and bird-watching. When you factor in dining options as varied as an award-winning grille, a café and wine bar, a bakery, and a deli, there’s really no reason to ever leave the property—except to swim in Table Rock Lake.

Painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512, the frescoes on the Sistine Chapel ceiling are considered some of the finest art ever produced. These religious paintings include nine scenes from the Book of Genesis, of which The Creation of Adam is undoubtedly the most iconic.

Located in southern Galilee in the Jordan Valley, Beit She’an National Park was created to protect and preserve the site of one of Israel‘s oldest cities. One can easily spend a few hours exploring the vast and fascinating park. Some of the country’s most spectacular artifacts dating back to the Bronze Age are on exhibit, as well as an impressive 7,000-seat Roman amphitheater, public baths, workshops, a temple, and the colonnaded Palladius street. Don’t miss She’an Nights, an evening sound-and-light show in which images of Roman buildings and people are projected onto the ruins along the central street, briefly bringing the city back to life.