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The central hub of downtown Amsterdam is Dam Square, and it’s been at the heart of the city’s history since the 13th century. Today, the open-air public space is ringed by shops and restaurants and packed with people, including street performers and tourists en route to nearby attractions like the Royal Palace, the National Monument, and the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), where you can catch a horse-drawn-carriage tour of the city.

The Place Bonaventure is widely recognized as one of the most important buildings constructed in Canada in the 1960s, though that’s not to say it’s universally loved. It’s a regular contender for the title of Montreal’s ugliest building. For the student of architecture, however, whether armchair or otherwise, it’s worth a visit to see an outstanding example of brutalist architecture. Architect Raymond Affleck’s vision was to turn the city inside-out in a building appropriate for its location in a cold climate. The Place Bonaventure was designed to include a conference center, hotel, and several floors of retail space, all along internal streets while the building presents a foreboding exterior of ribbed concrete (echoing the design of the seminal Architecture School at Yale University by Paul Rudolph) to the street. The entire complex included 3.1 million square feet of floor space, making it the largest building in the world when it was completed (in 1967). Much of the retail space was converted to offices in later renovations, though the conference center and the hotel (now the Hôtel Bonaventure Montréal) remain. The photo here was taken inside the hotel—a walk around their common spaces will give you a taste of Affleck’s vision for a new urban architecture.

St Stephen’s Green is a welcome spot of calm and green set in a Georgian square in the centre of Dublin. At around 20 acres, it’s large enough to feel you have escaped the bustle, but not so large that you can’t easily return to the fray once you are ready. There are formal manicured lawns and gardens in the middle, a large lake to the north - good for swan-watching - a bandstand and play area, and plenty of benches and other picnic spots. St Stephen’s is probably not the sort of place you’d deliberately set out to visit, but chances are good you’ll end up there anyway: it’s just off Grafton Street (one of the main shopping streets), and near other attractions dotted around what is known as Georgian Dublin, such as Merrion Square and Leinster House (the seat of Irish parliament).

Even though it’s right across the street from top Cancún resorts near the southern end of the Hotel Zone, the entrance to this open-air restaurant remains known only to locals plus a few in-the-know travelers. Walk down the wooden staircase to find a dirt floor, a palapa roof, and tranquil lagoon views, plus affordable Caribbean seafood dishes prepared in an outdoor kitchen. You’ll also get traditional comfort food like ceviche and garlic shrimp, along with a selection of Mexican beers, but the highlight is the hot and fresh pescadillas, shredded fish in pan-fried tortillas.

There’s a quiet fish shack tucked away in Soliman Bay, 15 minutes north of Casa de las Olas, known by locals as Chamico’s. The idyllic setting seems almost too good to be true. The cerulean blue waters sparkle from the light of the sun, and picnic tables are sprinkled throughout the palm trees. Hammocks drape the area, and a large fishing boat sits on shore, making it a photographer’s and foodie’s dream alike. The restaurant’s namesake, Chamico, is busy on the wood fired grill, where he cooks fresh caught fish from the bay. Local favorites include the fresh ceviche with baby lobster tail and whole fish fried to perfection. Directions aren’t readily available, but ask your hosts at Casa de las Olas, and they will gift you a hand drawn map to this secret spot that only locals know.

Charleston’s four-block City Market is a historic landmark (one of the oldest in the country, rivaled only by Baltimore’s Lexington Market) and an essential stop for locally made souvenirs and snacks. Pack up your sweetgrass basket (a traditional Gullah handicraft) and check in for the night across the street at the Market Pavilion Hotel. The hotel has all the plush trappings—Italian marble bathrooms, Hermes toiletries, treats at turndown—one could ask for in the French Quarter, topped off by a rooftop bar and pool with enviable views of the harbor and bustling East Bay street. On a particularly hot Southern night, you might cool off with a nitrogen-infused cocktail before sitting down to a steak dinner at Grill 225, which serves only aged, USDA-Prime meat. The hotel is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World and the restaurant is one of a dozen Great Steakhouses of North America.

The salmon-colored stucco buildings comprising the Elliott House Inn have a long history that runs parallel with the city’s. Built in the aftermath of a citywide fire, the property’s main structure was then shaken in an 1886 earthquake (the characteristic Charleston earthquake bolts are visible on the building’s facade) and battered by 1989’s Hurricane Hugo. The bed-and-breakfast reopened in 2011 after two years of renovation and redecoration, reinventing itself yet again. The main building is a classic Charleston single house, built with its narrow end on the street and a long piazza running along its length.

The rooms, with their botanical prints, hardwood floors, and Oriental rugs, are traditional in a way that’s elegant and charming rather than fussy. Rooms are available both in the main house and the single-story building across. The quiet courtyard provides an oasis from the city streets with its wisteria-dotted pergola and light-draped palmetto trees.

On a street that looks a lot like one in the French Quarter of New Orleans sits one of the best markets on the planet. The Pan African Market is three stories of small shops filled with collectibles from all over Africa. My favorite section was on the second floor, full of masks and unique items I hadn’t seen anywhere else. I walked off with a weathered pink leather jewelry box from Nigeria. And while you decide if you really should buy the gigantic ceremonial headpiece made of purple feathers, take a rest at the cozy cafe on the second floor, decorated with African statues and random American paperbacks. Plop down on a comfy couch, order a tea, and watch the world walk by below.

On a recent visit to Asheville, North Carolina, I was anxious to try some of the great restaurants I’d heard about. In the end though, my husband and I found ourselves gravitating back to the same restaurant over and over again - breakfast, lunch, and dinner - because it was absolutely delicious. We just couldn’t resist it. Tupelo Honey is a must if you’re in Asheville looking for some incredible Southern comfort food. This macaroni and cheese was probably the best I’ve ever tasted - rich and creamy, with delicious bits of bacon and other wonderful ingredients mixed in. Definitely not a diet food but worth every calorie!

Opened in 1987, the relatively youthful Fairmont Scottsdale Princess may not have the history of some of its neighboring resorts, but the North Scottsdale spot—with its fountained plazas, Mexican colonial–style architecture, and 65 scenic acres—has everything needed for a vacation in the sun. It’s big and it’s busy, and there is always something for everybody to do—just one of the reasons it’s popular for family events such as reunions, school holidays, and weddings. Drive a ball down a fairway on the two 18-hole championship golf courses (one of which hosts an annual PGA tournament), relax by one of the six pools (the newest, Sunset Beach pool, is surrounded by 9,000 square feet of white sand), or give yourself over to the innovative therapies and unique fitness offerings at the Well & Being Spa.

All the 750 rooms and suites are fresh and comfortable, with terraces, wet bars, and oversize bathrooms. Some, especially the casitas, are located about a five- to 10-minute walk from the main building, but golf carts are always just a call away. The wealth of top-rated foodie options—which include the Mexican-accented La Hacienda and the pan-Latin Toro, both by chef Richard Sandoval, and Bourbon Steak from chef Michael Mina—help make this one of the best destination-dining resorts in town.

Bontemps Pâtisserie may have a name inspired by the fictional Louisiana town from the vampire series True Blood, but this retro-chic bakery is French through and through. The pâtisserie offers a refreshing twist on the signature French sable, a classic shortbread cookie, by using seasonal fillings (wild strawberry, passion fruit, blood orange). Don’t miss the larger tartes, from pecan to apple, which use the same light and crumbly shortbread crust. Take a box of minis to the Square du Temple across the street for an al fresco goûter.

Owned and operated by college pals Thomas Boisvert and Kathleen Davis, this inviting H Street spot pairs an eclectic global list of more than 30 wines by the glass (including a few on tap) with well-chosen nibbles like hearty bruschettas and build-your-own grilled cheese sandwiches. Creative offers like “Heavy Pour Mondays,” where one-third of a bottle fills each glass, and their nightly “Standby Flight List,” a five-wine sampler for only $15, have made the Pursuit a local favorite.

Inside Los Glaciares National Park is the small town of El Chaltén, created by the Argentine government for campers and trekkers looking to explore the many trails in the park. The town is only composed of a few streets, but is full of wonderful restaurants and hotels. After a long day of hiking, make a stop at El Chaltén’s exclusive microbrewery, La Cervecería. Here you can find homemade pilsners and bocks, while enjoying a modern take on authentic Argentine cuisine. Photo by: Andre Felipe Ribeiro

This handicraft shop on the corner of 5 de Mayo and Morelos is impossible to miss: you can spot the lovely handcrafted pieces from the street through the floor-to-ceiling windows. You’ll find an excellent selection of high quality items from around Oaxaca. La Casa del Rebozo is a cooperative formed by 84 artisans from various regions of Oaxaca. Their handicrafts are of high quality, and show innovation though they’re made with ancient techniques inherited through generations.

Esaias Solberg was established in 1849, and has remained a popular shop ever since. Dealing mostly with vintage and antique, customers can buy everything from diamonds necklaces and silver objects to Rolex watches. Esaias Solberg also promises to be cheaper (up to 50%) than any other high street jewelers, because they make many pieces themselves, as well as re-designing the used pieces they buy. Located in the city centre, make sure you stop by Esaias Solberg if you want to look at glittery things!