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This hotel is on our list of The 11 Best Hotels in Chicago.

Set directly across from the Art Institute of Chicago, this former members-only men’s gymnasium is now the Chicago Athletic Association, which is part of Hyatt’s Unbound Collection. Enter at street level off Michigan Avenue and walk toward the back to find a staircase that leads to the old swimming pool, now a venue for parties and pop-up concepts. Take the nearby elevator to the restaurant, Cindy’s, easily the best rooftop scene in the city, with highly Instagrammable terrace views overlooking Millennium Park, the swooping Frank Gehry–designed bandshell, and Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate (aka the Bean).

Park yourself in the second-floor lobby and hang with locals as they tap away on their laptops and sip lattes by the two oversize fireplaces. Walk through that expansive by Roman & Williams–designed room, where light beams in through ornate stained-glass windows, and you enter a warren of table games and darts, all festive and typically open to the public. There’s also the secret six-seat bar, the Milk Room, a relic of Prohibition, and the James Beard Award–winning Cherry Circle Room—a sexy, dark restaurant with a circulating martini cart and a meat-centric menu.

Upstairs in the 1893 landmark, 240 guest rooms reflect the building’s former life, with gym horses as foot beds, working fireplaces in some rooms, plasterwork ceilings, ornate carved wood wainscotting, and a clubby vibe. Some of the rooms are rather small, but the location is hard to beat, and the cozy, wintry ambiance makes it a popular (and fun) place to spend a weekend. And because the CAA keeps an eye on its water conservation, sources its food locally, and adheres to strict recycling standards, eco-conscious travelers can feel good sleeping here.

There’s no better place to stop and smell the roses (and the dahlias and the begonias) than Christchurch Botanic Gardens. From New Regent Street, hop on the renovated tram, which stops near the entrance to the 80-plus acres of majestic oaks, water gardens, and rose beds. Rolleston Ave. and Worcester Blvd. This appeared in the January/February 2015 issue.

Immerse yourself in clothes, shoes, bags, costumes, and accessories of bygone eras at By Retro in Suriye Passage, off Istiklal Street. This expansive basement shop is a wondrous labyrinth of vintage and retro treasures that feels more like a big kid’s dress-up box than a thrift shop. Take a trip back in time here—it will surely captivate vintage and retro fashion lovers for hours.

Simple, skilled treatment of raw product is the hallmark of the cuisine at Narru. With a chef once named in the Wall Street Journal as a top young chef to watch in Europe, the food here is quite simply delicious. Stars are the tomato salad, the seafood rice dish of the day, the crema de queso for dessert, and the secreto ibérico, an incredibly juicy cut of pork.

This smoky, retro-style bar in Prenzlauer Berg, on the trendy Stargarder Strasse, is a great place for a leisurely cocktail on weekend nights. Often crowded, it might be best to arrive early if you want a seat. Otherwise you’ll end up hanging out on the street outside thanks to the often full bar area inside. It’s also popular on Wednesday evenings, which is the official gay night.

Tucked away on Rampart Street on the sliver between the French Quarter and the Treme enclave, this cool bar balances neighborhood dive-iness and of-the-moment popularity. Find yourself a cozy corner and order up an updated version of a Big Easy classic or something fantastic hatched from the mind of one of the skilled cocktail craftspeople behind the bar.

Spend a day strolling the medieval streets of Cefalù, an idyllic coastal resort town about an hour’s drive east of Palermo. The Norman-era Cefalù Cathedral towers above honey-colored stone houses; a rocky promontory known as La Rocca forms a dramatic backdrop to it all. Step inside the cathedral to see its beautiful mosaics, then get in some souvenir shopping or relax at a café and just people-watch.

No need to jet to France for French bistro fare—holding court a stone’s throw from the famed 9th street Italian market, French husband-and-wife duo Charlotte and Pierre Calmels (formerly of Le Bec Fin fame) regale locals at Bibou with a masterful, market-driven menu that changes at the chef’s whim. A must on any visit to the City of Brotherly Love!

Old Québec can be a little hard on the wallets of budget travelers. It’s not that the restaurants are overpriced, but they definitely cater to the tourists who fill its streets most days, especially in the warmer months, and who are happy to pay a little extra for the location and the opportunity to enjoy a long meal savoring some Québecois dishes. Le Chic Shack is a good option, however, if you are looking for a quick meal that’s a good value. The restaurant’s gourmet burgers include beef, bison, chicken, and veggie ones, all served on brioche rolls. There are also three different choices of poutine—classic cheese, braised beef, and wild mushroom. Try the restaurant’s rendition of a milkshake, or lait frappé, spiked with Baileys, Kahlua, or whiskey if you are in the mood for something stronger.

Both Tokyo‘s largest and oldest Buddhist temple, Senso-ji is one of the city’s must see sights. The streets leading to Senso-ji are filled with souvenir shops where you can find tapestries, kimonos, kitschy key chains, and finger foods. Surrounding the temple you’ll also find yatai (food stalls) selling Japanese favorites like yakisoba (fried buckwheat noodles) and okonomiyaki (savory pancakes with a mix of ingredients including eggs, noodles, beef, octopus, squid, and green onion). Inside Senso-ji receive your omikuji (fortune) and if it’s not to your liking leave it behind on the wall of bad fortunes. Take your time exploring the grounds around Senso-ji, which are rich in pristine Japanese landscape design.

Being in Santorini was like a dream come true. The breathtaking views were like none other I had ever seen. The white buildings against the beautiful blue sea. I spotted these two dogs and thought to myself, “Wow! What a life. What I wouldn’t give to be able to live here and enjoy this view on a daily basis.” They looked so relaxed sitting in the warm sunlight. Every time I look at this picture it takes me back to that moment. I was literally speechless. Just soaking in my beautiful surroundings. We were on a tour, headed to a wine tasting, and we stopped for pictures. I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life. This was an unforgettable trip, better than I could have ever imagined.

Life reflects art? The Reina Sofia museum in Madrid is home to Picasso’s famous Guernica, and many works by other Spanish artists, including Miro and Dali. A fabulous place to discover the art, artists, and ideas of the 20th century.

Far above the city streets on the 52nd and 53rd floors of the Roppongi Hills building, the Mori Art Museum houses contemporary works by primarily Japanese and East Asian artists in a range of mediums, including photography, design, fashion, architecture, and video installations. There’s also an observation deck on the 52nd floor with an open-air Sky Deck, a lounge, a café, and a restaurant with outstanding views of the city. Keep in mind, though, that there are a myriad other dining options as well on the lower floors of the Roppongi Hills building, one of the tallest in the city.

Its massive size, centrality to daily life in the capital, and easy accessibility (a Metro station opens up right onto the plaza) makes the Zócalo an ideal place for large-scale temporary exhibits. The government hosts occasional exhibits and makes entry free for residents and visitors alike. Past exhibits have included Gregory Colbert’s “Ashes and Snow,” a show of large-format photos of animals and people, and Willy Souza’s “Mexico en tus sentidos” (“Mexico in your senses”), lush, vivid photos of people and places around Mexico. To see if a show is planned during the time you’ll be visiting, check the website of the Secretary of Tourism.

When former Israeli commando Guli Dabas opened Guli Hagadol, you might have been forgiven for thinking a name like “Guli the Great” was unbridled narcissism. After a chat with the chef, however, we get it: his life is like an adventure book that swoops from Baghdad to Israel, Lebanon to Yemen. All that, plus rigorous military training, are factors shaping his restaurant, serving favorites from various Middle-Eastern latitudes, all prepared methodically and painstakingly. For erstwhile warrior Guli the Great, “Cooking is logistics.”