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Hidden out past quaint Five Islands Village, Hawksbill resort is seamlessly sprinkled over 37 acres of Caribbean gardens right on the water. Sure, Antigua is known for its 365 beaches so it shouldn’t be a surprise when a resort has more then one beach, but Hawksbill has, an impressive, four secluded strips of sugar-white sand easily accessible to guests with a fifth accessible to truly intrepid sun worshipers. Besides the sheer quantity, Hawksbill also sports a one-of-a-kind beach for Antigua. Beyond the southern point of the the 99 non-smoking guest rooms, down a little path, through a white fence, and around the bend is Eden Beach — Antigua’s one and only extremely concealed clothing-optional shore. It’s here, a matter of meters into the Caribbean Sea, that you’ll find majestic Hawksbill Rock (so named for its uncanny resemblance to a hawk’s profile) from which the property gets its name.

The Moorish Castle is strategically located on one of the top hills of Sintra to defend both the local territory and the maritime access to the city of Lisbon. The castle was built around the 10th century by the Muslim populations that occupied the Iberian peninsula. The castle acted as a control tower for the Atlantic coast and the land to the north, mostly serving as an outpost for the city of Lisbon. The castle’s Muslim rule ended in 1147 when King Afonso Henrique conquered Lisbon. In 1995, UNESCO listed Sintra hills as a Cultural Landscape, World Heritage, including the Moorish Castle. Highly recommended to climb and walk along the walls of the castle, carved out of the rock, to have a panoramic view over Sintra and its castles and palaces.

The Catalan capital has plenty of places to cozy up with your loved one and enjoy your drink of choice, be it a meaty Tarragona red or a café carajillo—the Spanish spin on Irish coffee. Lean your elbows on the marble tables of Casa Almirall, located in Barcelona’s gritty Raval neighborhood and founded in 1860, while nibbling olives and sipping the house vermouth on the rocks. Alternatively, share a bottle of cava at El Bosc de les Fades, a fairytale forest-themed café inside Barcelona’s Wax Museum off La Rambla. With its soft lighting and bohemian ambiance, Andú (c/Correu Vell, 3) is the perfect place to share cava and light tapas in a homely and intimate setting.

People who haven’t heard of macarons by now probably live under a rock. Not just yet another French dessert to travel across the pond, macarons are a delightful bite-size sandwich-like treat, with a thin, crusty envelope and a flush, jam-like center. Nothing can boast rivaling with macarons, who knows no equal but perhaps the delicious guilty pleasure they offer. At Le Point G (literally, the G spot, I swear I am not making this up—although the owner, Julien, affirms that the G stands for glutton and nothing else), 22 heaven-sent flavors ranging from the classic pistachio, to the regional maple syrup and the surprising apricot-black tea never cease to amaze visitors, regulars included. A great little spot for a macaron tasting session to take away and eat in one of the nearby parks. Good to know: all macarons are gluten-free.

Don’t dress up to visit this grunge bar tucked on Marnixgracht in Amsterdam‘s Oude West. Don’t be put off by the abundant graffiti covering its gritty exterior, either. Inside, Café Soundgarden is a welcoming, unpretentious pub with a spectacular canal-side terrace and an alternative vibe. The laid-back joint boasts a pool table, pinball machines and table soccer, in addition to a full bar. Belly up for some of the cheapest beer in town, including a wide selection of domestic and imported brands. Beyond inexpensive drinks, the real attraction of the place is an expansive rear deck overlooking Singlegracht canal. Come as you are to share a beer and a joint with locals, expats and possibly a few tattooed tourists who’ve stumbled upon the gezellig terrace, offering a view of passing boats and the Nassaukade street scene. Stay for live music and party like a rock star while DJs spin techno-tunes late into the night.

When in Stockholm, try this budget attraction—the subway! This really is art underground, literally. It is called the longest art museum in the world. Over 90 of the 100 stations in Stockholm have been decorated with sculptures, mosaics, paintings, installations, engravings, and reliefs, by more than 150 artists. I spent over three hours here, getting off at each stop to take photos. My favorite line was the blue line, built in the 1970s and left more “natural.” All the blastings that take place to build an underground subway are typically covered up with tiles and walls. But the blue line left the rock exposed, which gives you the feeling of a cave as opposed to a subway. The best part is, this museum costs only the price of a subway ticket! To learn more, visit http://sl.se/Global/Konst/Engelska%20broshyrer/Art-MetroENG_webb.pdf

The hike from Coogee Beach to Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, is one of the best urban paths I have experienced. Although you’re never far from the city, the walk feels quite scenic at times, and the many beaches you come across along the way are all beautiful. Of course, you can always walk from Bondi to Coogee if you find yourself heading in the other direction. Either way, you’ll find yourself at one of Sydney’s top beach destinations. The hike is an easy walk that will include towering cliffs, sandy beaches, public pools, rock formations, parks, and epic vistas along the 6-kilometer trail. You could do the hike in a few hours, but it would be best to allocate at least three hours to fit in a stop at Bronte Beach for lunch or drinks. And if it is a hot day, you’ll want some time for a swim!

Cal Anderson Park (named after Washington’s first openly gay legislator) is located at the Pike/Pine nexus of gay-friendly, hipster-filled Capitol Hill. With plenty of grassy lawns for picnics, reading, or playing bocce ball, it’s no surprise that crowds flock here whenever there’s a sunny day anytime of year. It’s also conveniently located near some great shops and restaurants: Molly Moon Ice Cream, Rock Box karaoke, Cure, Cupcake Royale, Unicorn, Elliott Bay Book Company, Everyday Music, and all the cheap eats on Broadway. Grab some takeout or a coffee to go and head to the park to admire the fountain or enjoy some people-watching. On Sundays, the Broadway Farmers Market is just a block away on Broadway.

One of the more bizarre landscapes in the Philippines is Bohol’s Chocolate Hills, a 20-square-mile area that contains some 1,700 hills. To date, these natural formations still baffle geologists, though legend claims the hills are rocks once thrown by battling giants, or tears cried by a giant who lost his love. The hills are green during wet season and turn into brown mounds during the dry season, hence the name. Climb up to the viewpoint to get a 360-degree view and unleash your imagination. Some people say the hills look like giant Hershey’s Kisses; others just see mounds left behind by enormous moles. Before you leave, buy some local Peanut Kisses to help you remember your visit—perhaps inspired by the Hershey’s chocolates, they are shaped like the hills.

The Habsburgs were, generally speaking, lovers of art and many of the works of the Kunsthistorisches Museum come from their collections. While the grandiose interior alone may be reason enough to visit, the collections here are outstanding. The Egyptian and Near Eastern Collection, Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities and Coin Library are just a few of the collections to get lost inside. The Picture Gallery includes works by Albrecht Dürer, Jan van Eyck, Pieter Brueghel the Elder and Peter Paul Rubens.

This beloved boutique hotel in the center of Tel Aviv is named after Norman Lourie, the South African-born renaissance man who became not only a “one-man film industry” in Israel, according to a 1948 issue of Variety, but also the nation’s first luxury hotelier. It comes courtesy of Lourie’s son, who bought two adjacent buildings off King Albert Square—both designed in the 1920s Eclectic style—and had them painstakingly transformed into a modern urban retreat. Guests of the hotel can look forward to a rooftop infinity pool, a Japanese tapas restaurant with gorgeous views, a lengthy menu of unique excursions, and, of course, the Norman Series—a monthly event at the Library Bar, during which you can catch various leaders (think diplomats, economists, artists, and scientists) in conversation. Rooms here are equally singular; no two are alike, though all feature Frette linens, beautiful bouquets, and homemade treats at turndown.

The phrase “Dedicated to Art” is engraved in stone over the entrance of the Renwick Gallery, a reminder of its rich history as the nation’s first building created expressly as an art museum. More than a century and a massive renovation later, this mission continues to hold true. The Renwick celebrates contemporary craft and decorative arts through immersive installations, special exhibitions, and impressive collections of jewelry, wood art, and studio furniture. The curated works are both elegant and innovative, much like the Second Empire architecture of the building when it was first designed by Renwick in 1859. As with all Smithsonian Institution museums, admission is free.

One of the most luxurious tented camps in all of Africa sits on an open plain within Singita Grumeti, a 350,000-acre private reserve that adjoins the Serengeti National Park ecosystem, through which vast herds of wildebeest and zebra migrate. Huge, ornate tents are throwbacks to 1920s expedition style, decorated with crystal port decanters, freshly cut flowers, decorative carpets and kilims, four-poster beds, clawed bathtubs, and wood-and-leather campaign chairs. A personal assistant organizes game drives, horseback riding, and hot air ballooning. Leased by American hedge fund mogul Paul Tudor Jones, the private Singita Grumeti concession has off-road driving rights (unlike the Serengeti National Park) and strategically placed manmade water holes that encourage resident wildlife to congregate for the guests. Opulence and attentive service don’t overwhelm the experience of immersion in nature; the tents’ mesh windows allow bush noises to come through at all hours, and zebra frequently dust bathe on the red-earth tennis court.

Singapore may not have bicycle lanes on its roads, but the country does have a wonderful and growing network of bike-friendly asphalt paths along its many canals and rivers that are sometimes joined up with pathways in parks and along old rail corridors (in Singapore, they’re called park connectors). An easy 3-mile round-trip stretch to sample runs along the Singapore River. Join the riverside pathway just off Zion Road near the Great World City shopping mall—you can rent your chariot nearby from Bike Connect, at 23 Hoot Kiam Road—or grab a two-wheeler from the now ubiquitous bike-share steeds parked everywhere. Pedal all the way to the old shophouses of Boat Quay where the river empties into Marina Bay and then the South China Sea at the heart of Singapore’s colonial core. From there, get a glimpse of the grand Fullerton Hotel (once the national post office), the Asian Civilisations Museum (originally intended to be the city’s courthouse), and several historic bridges.

You can find stunning tide pools all along the coast of Laguna Beach, but the ones at Wood’s Cove are unique because they’re deep enough for swimming. Part of a rocky outcropping called Cactus Point—which is also home to Orange County’s only blowhole—the pools are full of exciting marine life, from hermit crabs and sea stars to colorful sea anemones. When swimming here, just be sure to leave everything exactly as you found it. The tide pools fall within a protected area, meaning that taking shells, rocks, sand, or other objects is strictly forbidden. And keep an eye on the tides—it’s best, and safest, to visit at low tide when the risk of crashing waves is minimal.