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Some skylines just stick out in your memory more than others, and have something about them that makes them instant Instagram stars. From the neon lights of Tokyo and Bangkok to the iconic New York City skyline, and from the stunning architecture of Sydney to the light and romance of Paris, these visually striking cities need no filter to showcase their photographic good looks.

Owned and operated by the same husband and wife team since 1977, Anchor Oyster Bar in the Castro has been serving up the same fresh seafood dishes for decades.

Head here for classics like shrimp cocktails, clam chowder, seafood salads, and, of course, oysters on the half shell; try the Anchor Special for oysters, steamed clams, and chilled prawns. It’s also one of our favorite places in the city to try Cioppino, a hearty seafood stew and a San Francisco classic every visitor the city should try.

Anchor Oyster Bar is open Monday, and Thursday through Sunday from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Local tip: get here early and try to grab a seat, as this tiny restaurant can fill up quick—especially on weekends.

Mission Dolores Park, aka “Dolo”, is one of the most popular parks in San Francisco, especially when the sun is out, since this neighborhood is known for being one of the sunniest in the city.

On a sunny weekend, you’ll be hard pressed to find a patch of green to plant yourself on, but that’s what makes Dolores Park so much fun. Yes there is a playground for kids, and basketball and tennis courts, too. But the real sport here is people watching.

You’ll hear music booming between dog barks; people toss footballs, tightrope walk, and fling their Frisbees. Bodies slathered in oil glisten in the sun; ice cream melts down the arms of laughing children; the whiff of cut grass (and other questionable varieties) linger in the air. Vendors will also come around to sell a variety of snacks and drinks, and you’ll also encounter people collecting your cans after they’re empty.

The abundant restaurants and markets in the area (Bi-Rite and Tartine are two popular ones on 18th street, just a block from the downhill portion of the park) make make it easy to pack a picnic and fuel your day out. All you need to do is bring a blanket, plop down on a hill where the views reach to downtown, and chill out San Francisco-style.

Dolores Park is named for Miguel Hidalgo, a priest in Dolores, Mexico who urged his countrymen to overthrow their Spanish rulers in 1810, sparking Mexico’s battle for independence. A statue in his tribute stands in the center of the park.

This museum was once the home and studio of famed Ecuadorian painter Oswaldo Guayasamín, who happened to be a supporter of the Cuban Revolution and painted Fidel Castro on several occasions. Exhibitions in the patio-like first floor feature international artists of diverse backgrounds, while the permanent exhibitions upstairs give you a view of the artist’s work and living quarters.

In response to the popularity of a large chain of coffee shops in Mexico selling “Italian” coffee, this family of coffee producers set up a little shop near Santo Domingo church and called it The Oaxacan Coffee Company. Here they proudly serve organic coffee that is exclusively from the area of San Miguel Talea de Castro, Oaxaca. It’s a small cafe with wooden benches and stools, and they serve the coffee in handmade pottery cups. The owner is friendly, the coffee is strong, and they also serve fresh pastries. You can get some coffee beans to go, as well as Oaxacan chocolate. If you like chocolate-covered coffee beans, stock up here!

On the non-descript, busy corner of Bucareli and Morelos streets in Mexico City is a café with a famous history: Fidel Castro and Che Guevarra met here at Café La Habana several times, chain smoking and drinking strong coffee, to plan the Cuban Revolution. Nowadays, you can still get excellent coffee—and pretty good food—while you plan something a little less dramatic (but more enjoyable), like your vacation itinerary. Old journalists and businessmen congregate here for hours on end while salt-of-the-earth, slightly surly waitresses take your order and bring you your food and drink. Come for breakfast and order their chilaquiles, motuleños, or molletes, and wash it down with an espresso or café americano.

I stopped in the town of Alcobaca because I had heard of the beauty and size of its monastery. Alcobaca is about 100 km north of Portugal.The first King of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, built a monastery there in thanksgiving to Our Lady when he won a battle over the Moors. The Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaca is a huge stunning medieval monastery that was begun in 1178 and was consecrated in 1252. It is one of the most important medieval monasteries in Portugal. In 1989, it was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. This huge site has a church with several ornate tombs of Kings and Queens, among them the ill-fated King Pedro I and his mistress, Ines de Castro. The nave of the church is tall and imposing. The Cloister of Silence was ordered by King Dinis in the late 13th century. The library is one of the largest medieval libraries in Portugal. The ornate golden Baroque Reliquary is a peaceful stunning space. The huge refectory was the site of meals daily and the kitchen which is covered in Portuguese tiles has a central chimney for cooking and a basin where the river water ran through and the cooks caught fish for dinner. I spent a couple of hours in the Alcobaca Monastery, church, cloisters, kitchens, and royal tomb sites. This is a fantastic site that I highly recommend. The Alcobaca monastery is a must-see in Portugal.

The first luxury lodge to come to Chile’s second biggest island, Tierra Chiloé opened in 2012 and became a member of the Tierra hotel group in 2014. Designed by Chilean architect Patricio Browne, the hotel looks like a boat on stilts and was inspired by the homes of local fishermen, which take the same form and are known as palafitos. The exterior is made from picturesque larch wood shingles—a building technique that’s very typical on Chiloé and is seen on the famous UNESCO World Heritage churches that dot the islands.

Inside, guests find more wood. The hotel’s wood walls and ceilings are made from indigenous species . The decorations are locally inspired with plenty of handicrafts such as wicker baskets, handwoven rugs, and wooden carvings. The focal point is the meadow and Reloncaví Sound below, where the hotel’s boat is harbored. Large windows line the building on both floors and provide excellent views. Guests can relax in a small spa, a winetasting room, or a book-filled upstairs studio upstairs. The living room with fireplace makes a perfect spot for an end-of-day pisco sour.

Along the coast of Chiloe, the second largest island in South America, artisan fishermen cultivate the Chilean black-lipped oyster, a tiny little bivalve that tastes of the fresh sea (similar to a Kunamoto in the Pacific Northwest). Often, many of the fishermen still freedive to collect these “manjares”, delicacies, and keep them in nets in their shells in the shallow ocean water until they are ready to be served on the half shell. Where to savor them? Almost anywhere in Chiloe but places like the Ancud market or speciality oyster “picadas”, joints, like Ostras Caulin where you can have them on the half shell, fried, poached and served cold or as a cream. Personally? They are best raw and skip the lemon, por favor.

Designed by Italian architect Eduardo Provasoli and completed between 1910 and 1912 to replace an earlier church that burned down, this UNESCO World Heritage Site (one of 16 churches on Chiloé recognized as such) blends Gothic and neoclassical elements. Located in the heart of town on the Plaza de Armas, the church is painted a bright yellow with purple accents. While the facade is eye-catching, the varnished-wood interior is a marvel in its own right.

Embrace the diverse community of Toronto and support LGBTQ+-owned businesses during a memorable three-day trip.