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A bargain-hunter’s paradise, Wolff’s rewards vigilant (and diligent) shoppers with deals on art, antiques, clothing, collectibles, and odds and ends of every description. For the best finds, get there as early as possible and head for the vendors farthest from the entrance. Parking is free, but bring cash for the $2 admission (and, of course, for your purchases).

Sometimes you have to be a tourist to enjoy the great pleasures that travel offers. That’s why a visit to Mountain Top on St. Thomas is a must-do activity for any visitor. In 1949, a British restaurateur began a mission to develop the best Caribbean libation. He finally settled on the now-famous banana daiquiri, which he first mixed on St. Thomas. The drink is still served up daily using the original ingredients at Mountain Top, an emporium of souvenirs and kitsch. Just walk through the mountains of t-shirts to enjoy both the drink and, honestly, one of the best views on the island.

If you find yourself staying at Hotel Las Alcobas on a Saturday, ask staff to point you in the direction of Parque Lincoln (Lincoln Park), just a three-minute walk from the hotel, so you can stroll through Polanco’s Saturday tianguis, or street market. Tianguis are a beloved tradition in Mexico City, and many neighborhoods, including Polanco, host these weekend markets. At a tianguis, you can find everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to “fast food” snacks, from tacos to tropical fruit adorned with lime and chile. Prices are more than reasonable and the scene is entirely local. It’s a perfect way to spend part of your Saturday.

After hearing so much about the huge Municipal Market in downtown Sao Paulo, I was excited to visit a slightly smaller version in Lapa, one of Sao Paulo’s central districts. I wanted to see not just the array of food but also Brazilians going about their daily routines. The market didn’t disappoint.

Like their European counterparts, Brazil’s indoor markets serve as a one-stop shop where people can eat, drink coffee, and buy fresh produce, meats, cheeses, and even gifts. During my two visits to this market, I watched as salted cod and huge Kalamata olives were chosen for a Sunday feast. I tasted cheeses and bought fresh fruits. I waited while my in-laws picked out party decorations. I watched vendors busily working and yelling to each other. I also watched vendors stop and interact with my children, and I chatted with old women about my kids--Brazilians love kids and enjoy conversation.

For a slice of Brazilian life and a close-up view of Brazilian food, this locals-only market is worth a stop.

Every Saturday and Sunday on Via S. Teodoro, tucked just off Circus Maximus, Rome‘s best farmer’s market takes place. It’s run by Campagna Amica, an Italy-wide organization that promotes local, sustainable agriculture—so all of the products sold here, from jam to olive oil, bread to cheese, beer to wine, come from the Lazio region only, and are sold directly by the producers themselves. Tastings are a-plenty and the producers are more than happy to chitchat about their foodstuffs. If you come around lunchtime, you can buy a cheap lunch—maybe even including porchetta sliced right off the pig, like here—to eat on the picnic tables outside.

In a city that prides itself on its reputation as Europe’s Sodom and Gomorrah, Koningsdag (King’s Day) is the one day of the year when everyone gets f*cked-up. It’s when Dutchies honor their monarch by parading down canals in festooned boats, dancing in streets and getting smashed to techno-tunes blasting from disco stages. With King Willem’s 2013 coronation, Koningsdag will be celebrated on April 26, 2014—a day earlier than future years because the new king’s birthday falls on a Sunday. Koningsnacht (King’s Night) will be celebrated on April 25, 2014. Join party-goers on Warmoesstraat, gyrating to pulsating street bands. Belly up to the bar at Stones and admire the barristers over pints of Heineken. Don’t get too f*cked up if you want to get a jump start at the next morning’s Vrijmarkt (free market), when all of Amsterdam turns into a giant garage sale. Would you part with €1 to guess a fat lady’s weight? Or let a child serenade you in Vondelpark? Or throw an egg in a stranger’s face? Have a go on Koningsdag, when entrepreneurs of all ages trade old treasures and new talents for cash. Jostle for a spot on Prinsengracht to watch buff gays in skimpy attire and beer-swilling locals on decorated boats. On Rokin, breathe in the aroma of grilled kebobs and marijuana smoke. Hold on to your hat as you spin on an aerial swing at the Dam Square carnival. However you spend Koningsdag, it’s easy to friends wandering the streets, and poking into bars and coffeeshops until dawn.

Most visitors to Istanbul probably don’t realize that there is a fortress there. Located on the western shore of the Bosphorus (just south of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge) is a fortress that dates back to pre-Ottoman rule. Rumeli Hisarı (“roo-mel-li hee-sah-ruh”) was built in 1452 by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror in preparation for his invasion of Byzantine Constantinople. The sultan built the fortress across the Bosphorus from the Anadolou Hisarı. Strategically, the two fortresses are located at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus which allowed the Ottomans to prevent aid and supplies from ever reaching Constantinople. These days, the fort is a museum and a nice place for a stroll to catch magnificent views of the Bosphorus from the European side. There is a small entry free. The fort is closed on Wednesdays. In my opinion, the best time to go is Saturday morning because there is a town, within easy walking distance, that holds its weekly market then. Plus, there are plenty of cafes to catch a bite or drink. There are several ways you can get to Rumeli Hisarı but I took the No 559C bus from Taksim Square. It ends at the town above the fortress and it’s about a 10 minute downhill walk from there. You can catch the return bus to Taksim. Just ask the driver for information. Not many tourists come to Rumeli Hisarı so you can catch a bit of local life that’s not been tainted by tourism. You’ll truly be off the beaten path!

At Paradise Beach Hotel Restaurant on Villa Beach, about 15 minutes south of Kingstown, you can get a meal of local specialties like crab back, Creole chicken, grilled fish, and lobster straight from the holding tank, along with a picture-perfect view of Young Island. There’s live music and dancing several evenings a week, and the Friday night barbecue (called “Grillin’ with the Captain”) is an island tradition.

Housed in the Mariners Hotel overlooking Villa Beach, The French Verandah Restaurant satisfies diners with delicious French cuisine, prepared with a Caribbean twist. Expect such unique dishes as lobster crêpes and fish in green pepper sauce, as well as more standard French fare like grilled beef tenderloin with Béarnaise. Views of boat “traffic” and Young Island set the stage for casual dining during the day, while candlelight and twinkling stars up the romance come evening.

You’ll likely do your sunbathing and swimming on the white-sand beaches of the Grenadines, but St. Vincent’s black-sand beaches are also quite stunning. In Biabou, for example, along the windward coast south of Georgetown, you can stare for hours at frothy ocean waves crashing onto the volcanic black sand. With luck, you’ll also catch a rainbow.

Often called one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, Trunk Bay is a crescent of snow-white sand with a small green islet on the north side of the aquamarine lagoon. Part of the Virgin Islands National Park, Trunk Bay is known for its underwater snorkeling trail. Submerged signs along the trail describe the corals, tropical fish and other marine life found within the bay. Visitors can rent snorkeling gear on the beach, and lifeguards are in attendance.

This charming Swabian town is deservedly popular for its vibrant atmosphere, handsome castle, and medieval center, which boasts winding, cobbled lanes and half-timbered town houses joined by narrow alleyways. The key sights include the Stiftskirche St. Georg, a late-Gothic church with stained glass windows and city views from its tower; the delightfully yellow Hölderlin Tower, which will reopen as a museum in 2020 and is best viewed from across the river; the striking 15th-century City Hall, with its painted facade and astronomical clock; and, of course, the turreted Hohentübingen Castle, set attractively on a hilltop and home to the Museum of Ancient Cultures. The town is also famous for its university, which is one of Europe’s oldest. It’s attended by a large number of students (about 20,000), who add to Tübingen’s lively spirit by filling the sidewalk cafés, restaurants, wine taverns, and pubs.

One of the island’s best lookouts, Drake’s Seat offers a panoramic view of Magens Bay and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands to the east. The site is named for Sir Francis Drake, who is said to have kept watch over the harbor from this vantage point. (Was Drake benevolently watching over his own fleet or looking for ships to plunder? The answer will depend on whether you subscribe to the British’s regard of him as a celebrated explorer or to others’ belief that he was a brutal privateer.)

After Toronto, Montréal is the Canadian city with the largest population of residents of Italian descent. For more than a century, the community has been centered in one of the city’s most charming neighborhoods, Little Italy. The way to the heart of this neighborhood is arguably through its stomach or, rather, the Jean-Talon Market, where residents have come to buy produce and stock their pantries since 1933. Even if you aren’t shopping for fresh vegetables or fruits, it’s a good place to come to sample Québecois products and buy gifts like local jams, jellies, and maple products to take back home.

Shanghai tailors are the best in the world, says fashion designer Christy Holzer, whose label, Dowry Designs, was inspired by the city. She suggests visiting the South Bund fabric market to order custom garments. DRESS: STALL 308 “A fun style to wear is the qipao [a centuries-old Chinese dress that got its form-fitting shape in the 1920s]. Traditional silk patterns make the garment look old, so request a solid-color silk.” SUIT: STALL 309 “If you want truly exceptional fabric, ask for 100 percent wool. Most of the wool fabrics they have are blends. Specify that they line your suit with 100 percent silk or cotton.” COTTON SHIRT: STALL 310 “Look at the buttons the tailors are planning to use, as they often choose cheap ones. If you don’t like the buttons, stop by a button stall at the market; it will be worth the extra investment.” Illustration by Michael Hoeweler.