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Larvotto is a small stretch of pebbles along the shore, and the country’s only beach. Gathered at Monaco’s extreme eastern border, it is the ideal spot to appreciate the Mediterranean. Paddle boards and kayaks are available for rent, while SkiVol offers inner tubing, water skiing or parasailing. It is a great place to snorkel, but insiders continue walking the Sentier Littoral into Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France, following the pedestrian tunnel under the exclusive 1930’s Monte Carlo Beach Hotel to the tiny public beach and cement jetty, where there are no amenities, but plenty of peace and quiet. Photo : Sylvia Sabes

The recently restored church of Our Lady of Laeken is located near the Royal Residence. This ornate cathedral was built by King Leopold I, in memory of his wife, Queen Louise-Marie to honor her wish to be buried in Laeken. The Church was designed by Joseph Poelaert who was also the architect of the (in)famous Law Courts in Brussels. The church’s crypt is the final resting place of many members of the Belgian Royal family and contains the tombs of all of the country’s former kings.

A five-minute walk from the main market square and you’re at Kogel Mogel, a cozy, velvet-curtained spot for traditional Polish cuisine. On the cheeky menu, printed to look like a Communist newspaper, watch out for the pierogies and the house specialty: goose marinated in red wine and served with plums.

A cozy new spot from chef Joseph Wrede that blends a dining experience for the vegetable lover like wild greens vichyssoise and a cast iron cauliflower dish with mustard seed, white beans, anchovies, fried capers. The meat inclined will lean towards the flavorful bison ribeye and southwestern lamb burger. Enjoy a great selection of beers on tap and a winner wine list.

All aboard Grand Banks, a seasonal oyster bar on the historic Sherman Zwicker, the last of a large fleet of schooners that fished the Grand Banks of the North Atlantic and traded goods in South America. It’s docked at Hudson River Park’s Pier 25 and serves sustainably-sourced oysters, small plates, and a long list of refreshing cocktails, wines, and beer.

Run by Alfons Schuhbeck, Germany‘s most famous chef, you are virtually guaranteed an incredible dining experience. Come hungry and opt for the five-course meal to indulge your culinary senses. Schuhbeck is famous for his love of spices and interesting flavors. Service is attentive but never intrusive. Not sure what to order? The highly trained staff can advise you, especially when it comes to wine pairings.

This brick-vaulted restaurant and bar is a great venue for jazz fans and the line-up of live acts on Thursday and Fridays nights includes well-known Italian musicians. You can eat a full meal here (try the Risotto Caruso with clams, shrimp and prosecco) or just order a snack and there’s a decent selection of wines.

The fashionista’s drinking place of choice, Roberto Cavalli’s chic café makes a perfect pit stop on the designer boutique trail. Perch on a leopard skin pouffe for an excellent cappuccino, decadent pastries and cakes, and savory dishes at lunchtime. Foodie gifts to-go include delicious handmade chocolates, panettone at Christmastime (wrapped in Cavalli’s trademark animal-print paper), and award-winning wines made by Cavalli’s son, Tommaso.

“A poorly grilled turbot is a turbot that has died in vain.” This is the motto that hangs in Kai Kaipe, one of the two stars in a village that really shouldn’t have any. They specialize, like Elkano, in grilled fish. Locals who prefer Kai Kaipe do so for the wine list and the ambience.

“First stop in Barcelona is Bar Mut. Great vibes, wine, and this house classic of egg yolk, prawns, and crispy potatoes. Hot damn, it’s good to be here."—Matt Duckor

An award-winning hotel company, Singita is lauded not only for its luxurious properties but also for its dedication to the environment and uplifting communities. To reach Singita Boulders Lodge, guests can fly direct from Johannesburg to Sabi Sand Game Reserve on Federal Airlines’ daily jet service. Once there, they can expect open-air common spaces that provide a continuous connection to the outdoors, as well as spacious suites with game-viewing decks and private plunge pools. Also on-site is a swimming pool in the main lodge area, spa and gym facilities, and a wine boutique selling premier South African vintages. In addition to daily game drives, guests can indulge in activities like guided safari walks, photography lessons, stargazing, and archery, making for the stay of a lifetime.

Husband and wife Gil and Rebecca Gutiérrez run the ranch known as Zandunga, some twenty minutes from central San Miguel. Every Sunday—and only on Sunday—the family-friendly ranch opens its gates to visitors and guarantees fun, in everything from live jazz and blues to outdoor dining and dancing, plus impressive country-style buffets groaning beneath grilled meats, tacos and other regional delights. The gringos love it, but you’ll see locals and Mexican tourists there, too. A day in the country that won’t bust your budget.

Perched picturesquely on a rocky hilltop overlooking the city, Heidelberg Castle is enigmatic, romantic, and one of the few castles in Germany that hasn’t been fully restored. Dating back to the 1300s, it served as the seat of the Palantine electors for several centuries. While it expanded substantially during the 16th and 17th centuries, it was plundered and destroyed on many occasions and now consists of mainly Renaissance and Baroque ruins. It’s free to roam the gardens and exterior, but guests must pay an admission fee to visit the interior. Take a guided tour for a historic overview and access to highlights such as the English Wing (built in 1612 by Elector Friedrich V), the graceful Renaissance courtyard, and impressive rooms like the Knight’s Hall and the Imperial Hall. The Grosses Fask (Great Cask) in the cellar is also worth seeing—the world’s largest functioning wine barrel, it’s made from 130 oak trees and can hold some 58,117 gallons of wine.

In its modern, warm wood-accented digs with retro design touches, FT33 serves up the most talked-about dishes in Dallas. Executive chef Matt McCallister’s profile has grown immensely on the strength of his hugely creative farm-to-table menu, inventive cocktails and well-curated wine list. With each dish as mind-blowingly unique as the next, it’s best to round up a few friends and sample from each others’ plates for a heady culinary adventure!

Myrtle Allen is Ireland’s answer to Alice Waters: The centenarian chef has lobbied the Irish parliament for better food policies, earned some Michelin stars, and, 50 years ago, opened a restaurant called the Yeats Room in the town of Shanagarry, an hour east of Cork City. She eventually added bedrooms upstairs and called it Ballymaloe House, and her sous-chef-turned-daughter-in-law, Darina Allen—who has written canonical Irish cookbooks and helped lead Ireland’s Slow Food movement—tacked on the Ballymaloe Cookery School and farm two miles from the main house.

This is thus the seat of Ireland’s food royalty, and it shows. The restaurant spins flavorful dinners out of whatever comes in from the farm or East Cork’s fishing boats, and the cookery school has become known the world over for teaching expert and novice chefs to make pizzas, ferment pickles, cook baby food, and grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Even without all that, the ivy-fronted house—and cabins and cottages on the farm’s grounds—make for a simple, pleasant country retreat.