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About a two-hour drive from Reykjavik, Hotel Budir’s remote location makes it popular with visitors hoping to spot the Northern Lights. Situated near a windswept beach beside the mighty Snaefellsness glacier, the property’s raw natural surroundings contrast beautifully with its romantic interiors, which pair features like leather and velvet furnishings and polished wooden floors with decorative touches that include sepia photos, stocked bookshelves, and picture windows perfect for enjoying the scenery. The rooms skew more modern, with earthy tones and contemporary furniture. The hotel restaurant is by far the best in the area, and the bar is cozy enough to encourage lounging. Upstairs is a common area with sofas, a fireplace, and yet more great views.

Psarou Beach is posh rather than party, ringed by upscale hotels and beach clubs and punctuated with a scuba center. The sand is white and the water is turquoise. Restaurants and bars are expensive here, as are the waterside amenities like chairs and umbrellas, but the ambiance is clean and very stylish. Beach dwellers tend to be fit and fabulous so bring your A-game beach attire.

While exploring Burano, break for a fabulous seafood lunch at Al Gato Nero. The “black cat” restaurant is the creation of Ruggero Bovo, who has been cooking up some of the tastiest fresh fish and seafood here since 1965. “I love the fish of the Venetian lagoon and the Adriatic Coast, the raw material which has fed my island for generations and which I still have the fortune of getting fresh every day,” Bovo says. Fish and seafood are the star attractions on both the appetizer and main menu selections, but there are also options for vegetarians and carnivores. The pasta here is homemade, as are the delicious desserts.

Situated in the old Copenhagen customs house overlooking the water, Studio has been awarded a Michelin star and focuses on a fusion of Nordic and international flavors prepared in an open kitchen with a fine-dining focus. With an all-star staff, the focus is on service, flavor, and a rich experience with a heavy dose of creativity, with offerings like squid with gooseberries and kaffir lime, razor clam with nasturtium and horseradish, and sweetbread with onion and tamarind. The concept behind the Standard is compelling. It is home to three different fine-dining restaurants including Studio, which occupy the building while also having access to and working closely with the Standard’s Jazzclub. Their goal is to create a robust and vibrant atmosphere. Photo: The Standard

For those who want to do some serious shopping, the St. Rose Shopping Mall in Philipsburg is home to international chains, luxury brands, boutiques, and art galleries. Peruse stores like Cartier, Façonnable, Lalique, and Beach Avenue all in one place. If you’re hungry, the nearby boardwalk is full of restaurants and bars offering views of Great Bay. Tip: Make sure to get a sweet crepe or ice cream from Café Vanille & Chocolate, known for their tasty desserts. Ask your hotel to check if there are any events happening at St. Rose Shopping Mall, too, as the venue hosts concerts, performances, and exhibitions throughout the year.

The Manayunk neighborhood is a great place to spend the day, with charming Main Street shops, restaurants, and bars. Often overlooked by visitors is the scenic towpath along the canal, a wonderful spot for a leisurely walk or bike ride. The adventurous can bike to Manayunk from the Philadelphia Museum of Art via the Kelly Drive recreational path, and the super-adventurous can pass through Manayunk on their bikes on the way down the Schuylkill River Trail toward Valley Forge. Manayunk is host to several fun festivals during the year and is a lovely destination in the fall. Consider coming by in September for the Fall Streat Food Festival, which features over 50 artisan-food vendors.

Swami’s Beach, off hwy 101 in Encinitas, has some of the best surfing in the nation, especially during the winter months. Due to the competition for the waves, mostly expert surfers and locals are found in these waters. In this photo- Swami’s beach is actually the furthest point on the beach. So called “Swami’s” because of the Self Realization Fellowship Center located on the cliffs above. Even if you don’t surf, this part of the CA coastline is gorgeous. After enjoying the beach, you can head down the road to have lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants that line hwy 101.

If you are in Venice, you will surely get familiar with local spritz (a fizzy, refreshing aperitif) and cicchetti, or small snacks. If you want to have a local experience, be sure to stop by Cantine del Vino Già Schiavi while walking around La Salute area.

It’s more of a wine bar or shop than a true restaurant, with floor-to-ceiling bottles along the walls and most patrons standing as they nibble cicchetti like bruschetta with a cod spread or brie and anchovies. Buon appetito!

Restored to its former glory in 2008, the Italianate Westin Book Cadillac Detroit in Downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places and has 453 neutral-toned guest rooms—all with city or Detroit River views—an indoor pool, and an award-winning restaurant.

Shoppers, restaurant connoisseurs, travelers, and cultural enthusiasts will find the impressively designed Madinat Jumeirah a treat for all their passions. This area, once the residence of pearl divers, fishermen, and traders, is now home to many expats and a place for tourists to wander, shop, eat, and find a coffee. This neighborhood embraces the historical architectural styles of the region with wind towers that capture breezes and reroute them down to ground level to cool the pedestrian paths. The resort’s shopping mall is fashioned after a traditional souk, with archways and lanterns and live music. You will also find impressive views and photo ops of the iconic Burj al Arab hotel from this spot.

It has been a decade since the major museums on the Museumplein—a grassy square connecting Amsterdam’s main art centers—have all been open at the same time. Here’s what to check out at Stedelijk Museum. The modern art gallery’s controversial new wing (the exterior looks like a giant bathtub) houses a restaurant, a gift store, and expanded exhibition spaces.

One of Rome‘s best bakeries and among the city’s most historic institutions, Antico Forno Roscioli is a family-run business. Depending on the time of day, you might find patriarch Marco or his son Pierluigi hard at work. There are a variety of baked goods, including pizza by the slice, flatbreads, loaves, and sweets. The pizza bianca (flatbread brushed with olive oil) and pizza rossa (crispy flatbread dressed with light tomato sauce) are sensational, and the pane di Lariano (crusty sourdough bread) is the best in Rome. Be sure to check out their wine bar/restaurant/gourmet food shop—called, simply, Roscioli—nearby.

Santa Luzia offers you a panoramic view over Alfama, where you can make out the Alfama labyrinth. From here, you can see Santa Engrácia Dome (also known as National Pantheon), Santo Estevão Church, and the two white towers from São Miguel Church. Here you can also find two tile panels, one from Praça do Comércio (before the earthquake) and the other one with Christians attacking São Jorge Castle. Stone benches offer a place to sit and enjoy the views while someone plays music nearby. Or you can appreciate the paintings for sale, usually with trams as themes. Also, you’ll find a restaurant with a terrace. To get here, catch Tram N28.

Fifteen minutes south of the Puntacana Resort & Club, Eden Roc at Cap Cana is the most exclusive of the six hotels in the gated Cap Cana Reserve. At this Relais & Châteaux property, guests have their choice of beachfront suites with kitchens; stand-alone suites with private pools, gardens, and verandas; and oceanfront villas that come with butler service. Whichever you pick, you’ll also have access to an oceanfront infinity pool, a 30,000-square-foot spa and wellness center, and a private, Blue Flag–certified beach. There’s even a kids’ club in a lagoon-side treehouse for when adults need some alone time.

When hunger strikes, head to La Palapa for seafood and Caribbean fare, or Blue Grill Bar + Restaurant for Nikkei and robatayaki cuisine. Should you want to venture off-property, know that Cap Cana is home to an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus signature golf course. Bespoke helicopter outings, visits to the Punta Espada equestrian ranch, and days at Scape Park (a natural theme park with attractions like zip-lining and cave expeditions) can also be arranged.

Old San Juan offers historically and culturally significant experiences including a walk through 500-year-old forts, visits to UNESCO sites, historic churches, museums, the second oldest cathedral in the Americas and Ponce de Leon’s mansion. Cobblestone streets and pastel buildings are perfect for exploration during the day and variety of restaurants and shops make for a complementary evening.