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This stone building, called the Mother-of-Water Fountain, is an old cistern where Lisbon locals used to fetch the water that flowed to the city along the monumental Águas Livres Aqueduct. Now, inside the cool walls, a wine bar has been constructed. Journalist and wine critic João Paulo Martins has selected the 300 labels stocked in the wine cellar (some stored in bottles along the stone chutes that used to rush with water). Small plate selections like carpaccio, seafood, cheeses, and different kinds of cold cuts can be ordered to accompany your wine. During happy hour, between 6 and 8:30 p.m., several wines are available by the glass or in curated flights.

Fete Paradiso, the much buzzed about traveling vintage French carnival that has taken over Governor’s Island for the summer, features an incredible collection of extremely rare artisan-crafted carousels, rides and games. Families and Francophiles have been lining up for the 5-minute ferry from downtown Manhattan since opening weekend, which coincided with Bastille Day, to check out this whimsical weekend fair. A few of Fete’s highlights include the late 19th century bicycle carousel (one of only 2 bicycle carousels left in the world — the other, featured in Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, is in France), a Chinese Dragon Carousel with a misleading name (though our daredevil 2 year old didn’t mind being whipped around fast and then backwards) and a ball-toss game with life-size caricatures of Charlie Chaplin and Edith Piaf called the Music Hall Ball Guzzler. Set to run from now until September 29th, 2013

Delmonico’s, which sits on a distinctive triangle-shaped corner near Wall Street, opened in 1837 as the first fine dining restaurant in the U.S. It was the first establishment to have a printed menu, separate tables, and tablecloths, and it was the first restaurant that allowed women to congregate as a group. It has invented famous classics such as Delmonico Steak, Eggs Benedict, Baked Alaska and Lobster Newburg. Entering from the streets of the financial district, you step into a different era. This is serious old-school dining in a landmark steakhouse. Mahogany coffered walls, fancy chandeliers and roaring 20’s-era murals seem to scream for a cold martini and a rare steak. Morgan, Carnegie, Vanderbilt, Rockefeller - they all passed through here in their time. It’s pricey, so save this for a special occasion and find a quiet time to visit. 56 Beaver Street www.delmonicosny.com

We hiked along a rocky trail starting at Playa La Ropa to get to Playa Las Gatas. You can make it in sandals although it’s not a walk in the park. Once we arrived we were met with a crowd of locals enjoying their weekend. As you stroll the beach you’ll be greeted by many who want you to sit at their tables. If you can resist the cold beer and fun atmosphere at first try to make it to the end of the beach where there is an old hostel and a small grove of mangroves. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see the sign: “Leave nothing but footprints. Take nothing but pictures. Kill nothing but time.” A wonderful daily reminder. Now you can have that icy cold beer and ponder why you don’t come to Mexico more often.

Admit it. Come on. You saw butter museum in the title and you giggled. Then you made a promise to yourself to visit this place the next time you’re in Ireland. I don’t blame you. I did the same thing. This may very well be the most boring museum in the entire world, but it’s boring in a great way - you’ll laugh and chuckle and poke your travel companion in the ribs as you tour through this place, as you sit through the excruciating 30-minute informational butter videos, as you churn, baby, churn! It’s all in good fun, and the museum is housed in a beautiful building in Old Cork, so it’s worth checking out on those merits alone. And you know you want to tell your friends you visited the Butter Museum in Ireland. You know you do.

You will feast with your eyes as soon you enter here. Founded in 1829, this confectionery store is considered one of the best in Lisbon, having won international prizes and serving, in the old days, as the official confectioner of the royal family. The King Cake, a very famous Christmas cake in Portugal, was born here; the recipe was brought from Paris in 1850. You will also find miniature pastries: Try to resist. But there is more than cakes. You’ll find a beautiful interior with a marble counter, carved woodwork, tiles, a mirrored ceiling, and a mural of high historical value. And on the second floor, there is now a tearoom.

New York City vs Montreal. Oh, the debate. In the ongoing Great War of the Bagels between the two cities, Montreal has always been the favorite contender, both among the proud locals and the tourists. Let’s be honest here—Montreal wins, and there is no such thing as better bagels than Montreal bagels. If you agree with the premise of this highlight, then you might want to add this to your next Montreal trip: the Fairmount Bagel Bakery in the Mile End area. Founded by Jewish immigrant Isadore Shlafman in 1919, the knowledge was transmitted from generation to generation, and the family still uses the same methods even today. Everything is done by hand, and with love! It’s very rewarding, as a consumer, to buy things locally and encourage an almost-century-old family-owned business. And in this case, it’s double the reward: good conscience, and full stomach. What’s not to like?

That the Mad Men-esque Butcher & Singer has landed on Philadelphia Magazine’s 50 Best Restaurants list for two consecutive years speaks volumes about serial restaurateur Stephen Starr’s keen design sense and unparalleled stagecraft. Although the plush leather banquettes, imposing ceilings and throwback supper-club experience are certainly striking (“an homage to Old Hollywood,” Starr says), it’s the archetypal steaks and chops that really shine here. Those harboring an obsession with sandwiches, like myself, should opt for the 10oz dry-aged beef burger—a more than suitable strip substitute. As for that tempting third course, don’t be surprised if tuxedo-bedecked waiters encourage you to save room for their signature dessert, the Baked Alaska. Whatever you do, just say yes. Unbutton your pants if you have to, the wait staff will understand. A vintage experience, masterful steaks and a killer ambiance means yet another success story for the Starr empire and a big win for Philadelphia. Reservations recommended.

Hoi An is one of my favorite travel destinations in all of Asia. Sure, it’s undeniably touristy, but it’s also quite laid back and relaxed - nothing like other South East Asia tourist hotspots like Chiang Mai, for instance. Hoi An has a wonderful beach, gorgeous old town (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and some of the best food on the planet - surely well known to AFAR readers by now. Hoi An is also a great place for shopping. Of particular interest here are tailored suits and dresses, but the city also has a neat little cottage industry of lantern makers. There are quite a few scattered throughout the city, with some of the best being found on the southern side of the river. That’s where I came across this atmospheric little shop. If I ever have a hipster wedding, I’ll be buying my lanterns in Hoi An. Prices are, as all things in Vietnam, wildly negotiable.

This is where everyone stops to smell the roses in the Rose City. Celebrating its centennial in 2017, the International Rose Test Garden is the nation’s oldest continually operating rose test garden (where varieties are evaluated for characteristics such as disease resistance, bloom size, and fragrance). Originally conceived as a way to preserve different varieties of European roses from the destruction of World War I, the garden today contains 10,000 plants across 4.5 acres in Washington Park. Best of all, it’s completely free, whether you want to compare green thumbs with professionals or take in the views of Mount Hood while breathing in the perfumed air.

The Rialto Bridge is the oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal, and without question it’s one of the most iconic sights in Venice. There has been a bridge at this site since the 12th century, connecting the districts of San Marco and San Polo, and until the Accademia Bridge was built in 1854, the Ponte di Rialto was the only way to cross the canal on foot. Early versions of the bridge were made of wood and eventually succumbed to fire or collapse, until its current incarnation was constructed of stone by Antonio da Ponte in 1591. Beyond the mandatory walk across the single-span stone bridge, there is an open-air market at its eastern foot that is worth a wander. Skip the stores selling jewelry on the Rialto Bridge itself, however; you’ll find better quality and value in other parts of the city.

Why we love it: A photogenic inn that draws design aficionados to Saguaro National Park

Highlights:
- Design-forward suites with fireplaces and private patios
- A scenic location right on Saguaro National Park
- Unique amenities like a chef’s kitchen and yoga room

The Review:
This five-suite inn, set on 40 acres bordering the western side of Saguaro National Park, comes courtesy of Sara and Rich Combs, known for their popular Joshua Tree House rental. Just 30 minutes from Tucson, the whitewashed adobe property draws the desert sunshine indoors, where it dances with rough-hewn beams and terra-cotta-hued textiles. A variety of potted plants help connect the chic, design-forward interiors with the surrounding desert, while a 5,000-square-foot patio blurs the lines between indoors and out. Available to rent through Airbnb, all rooms feature fireplaces and refrigerators, and most have private patios or balconies.

Book a single suite or buy out the whole property for an event, workshop, or reunion, then take advantage of amenities like a pool, rooftop lounge, chef’s kitchen, dining patio, fire pit, yoga room, and projector for movie nights. While Posada intends to add a chef-in-residence program, it doesn’t currently offer food service, so plan to pack groceries and grill outside, cook in one of the kitchens, or head out to a local restaurant like the Ocotillo Café at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, just 10 minutes away.

Any hotel in San Francisco that has been operating for more than a century certainly has some stories to tell, and the Westin St. Francis is no exception. From socialites to celebrities to politicians, it seems every bold-faced name has slept (or attended late-night soirees) in its Bliss and Faville–designed towers. Today, guests to this distinctive 1,195-room property still enjoy top-notch service with some thoroughly modern touches: The 1904 landmark building recently underwent a $45 million renovation by Dallas-based interior design firm Forest Perkins, inspired by San Francisco’s moniker as “The Paris of the West.” Guest rooms are painted in Parisian blue, goldenrod yellow, and peony pink, and feature original crystal chandeliers. Downstairs, travelers can marvel at the lobby’s master clock—the first example in the western United States—and study a collection of photographs by Ansel Adams depicting the hotel’s long-lost Patent Leather Bar. Pro tip: Let the hotel’s resident historian bend your ear during a historical tour.

Overwater bungalows have become synonymous with tropical luxury, but Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu, curiously had none to call its own until this Momi Bay stunner opened in April 2017. Set on the island’s west coast, about 45 minutes from the airport, the 250-room resort features 114 luxury bures (wood-and-straw huts), including 22 that sit over a man-made lagoon, with vaulted ceilings and deep soaking tubs; all of the accommodations have balconies or terraces with expansive views, plus woven pendant lighting that resembles local fishing nets, crisp white linens, and dark wood accents. A kids club, indoor and outdoor play areas, and pool just for the small set keep little ones occupied while parents lounge at the spa or an adults-only infinity pool—the place to be during swim-up bar sunsets (another infinity pool is open to all guests). After your sundowner disappears, head to Goji Kitchen & Bar, a teak-and-rattan restaurant serving updated Fijian favorites like cassava-chip nachos and pineapple-glazed fish.

For people who lament that they weren’t born into Downton Abbey–style gentility, Ballyfin, which opened in 2010 after nearly a decade-long restoration, is a fast track to 1820s-era refinement from the moment guests pull up to the front drive. A team of butlers and maids line up on the stone estate’s front steps to unload bags and whisk visitors into the lobby, and from there the Ballyfin experience is a dreamy blur: drinking tea out of antique china while wrapped in an Irish-wool blanket by the fire; being lulled to sleep during a massage in the basement spa; soaking in a clawfoot tub and surveying the meticulously sourced antiques in one of 15 rooms.

Guests are basically lords or ladies for a night or two at this neoclassical home an hour west of Dublin in the county of Laois (pronounced “Leash”). For those who bore of pure leisure, there’s a stone tower to climb, horses to ride, 600 acres to explore, and a lake to walk laps around or row through. The pricey room rates can (almost) be rationalized by the inclusive evening champagne receptions, fancy three-course dinners, snacks, picnic lunches, and Irish breakfasts.