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A great classic hotel defines a destination, providing an authentic and memorable sense of place. The magnificent World Heritage city of Porto is defined by such an iconic property. The Yeatman Hotel.

Member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux collection of hotels and distinguished with a Michelin Star for its restaurant under the direction of Chef Ricardo Costa, The Yeatman Hotel in Porto is a unique and distinctive landmark in the world of classic luxury hotels. Offering individuality of character and a sense of effortless comfort, The Yeatman Hotel is the address of choice for discerning travellers visiting Porto and the North of Portugal. Probably #1 on Portugal’s best wine hotels.

A shopping mecca, this downtown street is lined with malls and flea markets. On Oranjestad’s main pier, across from one of the larger malls, you’ll find the site of Aruba’s first public market. Once a clearinghouse for local fruits, vegetables, and fish, the space now features open-air stalls hawking Aruban art, crafts, leather goods, and other souvenirs. Look out for hand-milled aloe soaps and creams as well as watercolors by local artists. Bargaining is expected, so don’t settle for the first price you hear.

So where are we now? Could this be Vienna in central Europe in the early 20th century? Or maybe Paris in the same era? No, this is a small Gothenburg hotel, restaurant, and bar that fulfills the dreams of owner Thomas Peterson. Coming from a well-renowned family in the restaurant business, Peterson wanted to create his personal vision of an extraordinary restaurant and hotel that paid homage to childhood memories of his grandfather hosting celebrities and artists at home and in his restaurant. Try the afternoon tea, or have a drink on the roof terrace. No matter what you eat or drink, the ambiance is a large part of the experience.

This sleek, silver structure looks as if an alien spaceship had landed in the middle Seoul. It all makes sense, however, when you realize it’s the work of the late architect Zaha Hadid. Completed in 2014, the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (known to locals as DDP) set several new design standards—there are no straight lines or angles to be found in the entire cultural complex. Today, the building and surrounding park provide a space for the exchange of ideas through exhibitions, conferences, and pop-up shops. It’s also the site of Seoul Fashion Week. For a magical experience, visit at night when the entire building is illuminated in a patchwork display and the field behind Exhibition Hall is aglow with more than 25,000 LED white roses.

Nestled in the maze of back alleys near Beijing’s iconic Drum and Bell towers, the Orchid Gulou is a small boutique hotel that caters to adventurous travelers looking for the coziness of a boutique hotel in the middle of the capital. The hotel is a converted siheyuan (courtyard) that, although thoroughly modernized, retains much of the lived-in character of an ancient Chinese home. One of the location’s standout features is a top-level deck that allows you to peek through the tops of old-growth trees for views of the Drum tower and the surrounding hutongs. Room amenities include heated floors, complimentary fruit baskets, and air purifiers.

The Company’s Garden, in the heart of the city, dates back to the 17th century, when the Dutch used springwater running down from the mountain to establish a garden to grow fruit and vegetables for ships en route to the East. On Government Avenue, which runs through the garden for about a half mile, squirrels scamper around among the old oak trees. Along the way, you’ll pass the South African National Gallery, the Planetarium, the Holocaust Centre, the De Tuynhuis presidential offices, the South African National Library, St. George’s Cathedral (where Nobel laureate Bishop Desmond Tutu used to preach), and the Slave Lodge museum. Grab a bite at the recently opened Company’s Garden Restaurant, which has been getting great reviews for its breakfasts and lunches under the garden’s leafy trees.

Housed in the former Dominican convent of Santo Domingo, the museum of Oaxacan cultures offers a glimpse at the state’s history from ancient times through the colonial period, and into the modern day. The building was beautifully restored and opened to the public in 1998. You should go in even if just to see the interior of this stunning building, but the exhibits are also excellent. The highlight of this museum is the Treasure of Tomb 7, an offering that was found in a tomb at Monte Alban archaeological site. This is the greatest treasure ever found in Mesoamerica, and contains exquisitely crafted gold jewelry, as well as precious stone, intricately carved bone and more.

La Ciudadela has been the go-to market for handcrafts for nearly 50 years, and it features crafts and handmade objects from all over Mexico. Expect to find everything from textiles (blankets, tablecloths, and hand-embroidered clothing) to ceramics, plates, cups, and serving dishes. Other items to be had here include mirrors, furniture, jewelry and hair accessories, and all manner of small and large handcrafts, including hand-beaded masks. Toys, dolls, and stuffed animals made by hand by artisans from Chiapas are also on offer. The market is open daily.

Located in the heart of the edgy Logan Circle neighborhood/14th Street Corridor, the Helix features 178 guest rooms with eye-popping patterns, bright colors, and a minimalist feel. Among the rooms are 14 apartment-sized suites, and 12 speciality suites, such as its Bunk Bed Room for kids and the Flex Room for the fitness gurus. Just off of the lobby, the 60s-mod Helix Lounge is a prime happy hour spot known for sparkling cocktails and its large seasonal patio.

Situated to the south and east of Lake Hoan Kiem, the French Quarter has a different feel from the rest of Hanoi—one characterized by a profusion of space. The French began shaping this part of the city in the late 1800s (in part by knocking down Vietnamese buildings and monuments), and by the early 20th century had firmly established their imprint. Today, the district retains the broad avenues, wide sidewalks, and colonial architecture from the era of French rule. Highlights include the Sofitel Legend Metropole, with its distinctive white facade and green shutters, and the iconic Hanoi Opera House, modeled on the Palais Garnier in Paris.

San Juan Cemetery lies on the coast adjacent to El Morro (San Juan’s beloved fort) and nestled in the district La Perla, a rougher part of town. Its statues and tombs make it as beautiful as a New Orleans cemetery. Exiting El Morro, head down the grassy field to your left to catch this flustering overhead view. On this day, a powerful storm was rolling in, casting everything in gray.

Though it was built in 1968, Hotel de Mendoza reflects its 16th-century surroundings. Nestled in the heart of Guadalajara’s centro historico, the hotel features 104 simple yet elegant rooms, with hand-carved, colonial-style furnishings (some hand-painted by Jalisco artist Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo) and views of Teatro Degollado. Original arches salvaged from nearby Templo Santa María de Gracia’s former convent create architectural contrast in the courtyard pool area, a sunny space lined with terra cotta tiles and cascading greenery. Similarly atmospheric is the on-site restaurant, La Forja, where guests enjoy global cuisine in an elegant dining room decorated with cane-backed chairs and blue-and-white talavera pottery.

“Everyone from the late blues musician Stevie Ray Vaughan to the Butthole Surfers has played at the Continental Club. Musicians who do big gigs in Austin like to play small shows here afterward,” says Liz Lambert.

More than a local institution dating back to the 1850s, the Café Tortoni ranks among the world’s most famous salons. As vintage photos here show, the columned establishment has hosted more literary figures than you can count. Play billiards while you enjoy a latte, or order from the full restaurant menu.

Throughout Budapest are a whopping 123 therapeutic hot springs, but these, in the stately, slightly dusty Hotel Gellért (built in 1918) might be the most famous. The communal bath in the center of the hotel spa is for everyone, but the most interesting traditional spa experience is in the back thermal pools, which have been coed since 2013. Here, join Hungarian locals in pools of varied temperatures, steam baths, and saunas, and jumping into ice-cold baths in between. Everyone takes their time to not only bask in the baths but also gaze at the Art Nouveau tiling on the walls and vaulted ceilings.