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Once upon a time Lund was one of the most important towns in Denmark. These days, it’s one of the most charming towns in Sweden with its cobbled streets, flower-filled parks, and medieval buildings. Towering over everything is the Lund Cathedral, a Romanesque cathedral which was consecrated in 1145 and includes a huge astronomical clock created around 1380.

It wasn’t until 1658 that the region, Skåne, became part of Sweden. Visitors can descend into the crypt, where the most popular attraction is a column bearing a sculpture of Finn, a giant who reportedly helped build the cathedral.

A local’s suggestion landed me on Maazgoon’s terrace, a vibrant spot right next door to the Diocletian Palace in Split.

The crew at the restaurant is passionate about modern takes on Mediterranean dishes; food that is all about the best ingredients and, important in my book, food that hasn’t been overworked, or ‘touched too much’.

Go there hungry. I had some whicked tuna sashimi there, and a traditionally prepared octopus in a skillet. They paired a crisp local white with it...and off to heaven I went. My mouth is watering, just writing about it.

They have a saying at Maazgoon: ‘We believe that the whole universe can fit on a plate’. Well, they sure fit a perfect week in Croatia on mine. And that’s a wrap.

>>>Warm thanks to Alan Mandić from Secret Dalmatia, for organizing a truly memorable, and off the beaten path trip for our curious and insatiable group of travelers, and to the Hotel Cornaro for accommodations in Split.

It’s safe to say there’s nothing in the world quite like this magical island, topped by a medieval monastery that rises out of the bay like a heavenly apparition. It’s said that, early in the 8th century, a bishop in nearby Avranches was visited by the archangel Michael, who told him to build a church atop an island out to sea. From 966 onward, the dukes of Normandy, supported by French kings, oversaw the development of a major Benedictine abbey on Mont St-Michel. Massive buildings were added throughout the Medieval period, and the abbey became a renowned center of learning, attracting some of the greatest minds in Europe. To access this UNESCO World Heritage site, you must park in an off-site lot and take a shuttle or walk over a footbridge. Recent improvements have made the process much easier, but you should expect crowds in most seasons, as Mont St-Michel is the third most-visited monument in France. After touring the abbey, head to La Mère Poulard restaurant for the signature omelets and butter cookies. There are also several hotels on the island, though most visitors tend to spend the night elsewhere.

One of the world’s highest active volcanoes (with an altitude of 4000 meters, or over 13,000 feet), Cotopaxi is also one of Ecuador’s most photographed landmarks. Its snowcapped peak is beautiful but deadly: as an active volcano where mud and rock slides are common it has to be closely watched. In August 2015, the president of Ecuador declared a state of emergency because of Cotopaxi’s increased rumblings. Although warnings by Cotopaxi National Park staff and local seismologists are critically important to heed, visitors invariably come back with tales of scenic treks, condor sightings, and bucket-list bravura. Best to come prepared, the altitude makes appropriately warm and protective gear a must. High altitude also means faster fatigue—a thorough check up before you embark and altitude medication may be lifesavers when planning your trip to this paradise.

On remote and unspoiled North Caicos, which can be visited on day trips from Provo, the Barracuda Beach Bar is part of the Pelican Beach Hotel. It is a super low-key seafood restaurant and bar on remote Whitby Beach. Come on Friday nights, when it is the place to be on the island, with live music and lots of locals coming to party. Just a 10-minute ride from the Sandy Point ferry, Barracuda even offers free WiFi. It also prides itself on being the only bar in North Caicos that is actually on a beach.

Comprised of just 10 suites with distinctly different designs, Palácio Belmonte feels more like a dream vacation home than a hotel. The vibe is spot on, given the backstory: A Frenchman traveled to Lisbon looking for a vacation home in the Portuguese capital. He first saw the building from a taxi and thought to himself, “It has nine windows, just like my home in France. I’ll buy it.” It wasn’t until after purchasing the property that he actually set foot inside and saw just how enormous it was—far too large for him and his family. Thus, he set about remodeling the building (which was originally owned by a noble family in the 1400s) with the notion of converting it into a space for visitors.

To satisfy your conch craving, stop at Bugaloo’s Conch Crawl on the south side of Providenciales, just a few minutes from Chalk Sound. The beachfront restaurant in Five Cays has indoor and outdoor seating, with some of the tables set right along the waterline, lapped by the rising tide. You’ll find a great selection of seafood, including plenty of conch dishes, along with fried chicken and burgers. In the evenings, Bugaloo’s hosts local bands, fire dancers, and other entertainment.

According to Aboriginal legend the Glass House Mountains in Queensland, just inland from the Sunshine Coast, got their shapes after an epic ancient fight amidst the family they belonged too. As such they have held supreme spiritual significance for generations and the story of their creation remains important to this day. Hiking around these 16 ethereally shaped volcanic crags that rise from the humid green environs in sporadic bursts is as stunning as it is sacred. The mountains are part of a national park named after them. There are hiking for all fitness levels, including families. One option is the short, but intense, roundtrip hike to the summit of Mt Ngungun (253m). It has impressive views of the four major peaks and can be a bit challenging hiking – keep the kids close, the steep trail passes close to the cliff line and can be slippery. If you love to scramble up rocks, try climbing Tibrogargan and Beerwah, both hikes require some free base scrambles up loose rock, but are under 2 miles round trip.

Katara Beach: It’s only one mile long, and you must pay an entry fee, but this beach is located right in the middle of the city. This beach in the Katara Cultural Village features one of the highest concentrations of water sports that Qatar has to offer. There is a strict dress code precluding women from showing elbows and knees, but Katara remains a very popular weekend spot for locals and expats. The space offers a variety of activities, including fishing trips, parasailing, water skiing, wake-boarding, kneeboarding, and windsurfing. You will also find a bouncy castle in the water, along with banana boats, kayaks, sailing dinghies, and canoes.

Located 3,200 feet above Half Dome Village, Glacier Point offers some of the best views in the park to the high country beyond. The View Terrace looks out to Half Dome, Vernal Fall, and Nevada Fall as well as Liberty Cap to the east, while the Upper Terrace features views to the west, including Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Village. Glacier Point is only open to vehicles from late May to October or November and parking is very limited, so the best way to get there is either via park shuttle bus from Badger Pass or the private guided bus tour that departs from Yosemite Valley. For some of the best, relatively uncrowded hikes in the park, consider taking the bus one way to Glacier Point and then hiking nearly straight down to the valley floor via the Four Mile Trail or 8.5-mile Panorama Trail, both of which offer stunning views.

Welcome to Middle Earth in the South Pacific, and an ideal stop for traveling fans of the author J.R.R. Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movie trilogies. Near the rural town of Matamata—itself a destination for its LOTR-inspired visitor center and a selfie-ready statue of Gollum along the main street—the re-created sets of Hobbiton offer a detailed and fascinating glimpse of the hobbit holes, meadows, and gardens of Bilbo and Frodo. An essential conclusion to the tour is quaffing an only-available-in-Hobbiton Oatbarton Ale at the leafy lakeside Green Dragon Inn.

Though the venerable Vietnamese leader asked to be cremated, Ho Chi Minh’s remains now reside embalmed inside this imposing, pillared, gray-granite memorial. His resting place is hugely popular, drawing Vietnamese in droves as they pay their respects to the most important figure of contemporary Vietnam. The mausoleum only opens in the mornings, and visitors must abide by a number of rules (these include no hats, no shorts, and no photos inside). Yes, it’s a chance to see the actual remains of a hugely influential leader, but the experience of queuing up for entry is also a way of mingling with ordinary Vietnamese.

Turneffe Atoll’s sprawling central lagoon is a beautiful natural playground marked by thick mangrove islands and littoral forest, and hosts dozens of remarkable marine species – including crocodiles. Yes, the central lagoon is pretty to look at and one of the best places in Belize to watch the sun rise, but I wouldn’t recommend you go for a dip. Crocodiles spend their days escaping the heat in the thick mangroves, then swim out into the open ocean at dusk to feed. I saw two crocs during my time on the island; a very young juvenile whose curiosity had brought him right up to the sandy patch of beach behind the Blackbird Caye Resort, and a suspicious adult who kept his distance (thankfully). Still, the lagoon is a great place to spy on the aforementioned crocodiles, photograph marine birds, and more. Photo Finish: Nikon D800 | 24-70mm f/2.8 lens | Aperture f/6.3 | ISO-400 | Shutter 1/60 sec.

Go to Hell, so named for the underworld-evoking field of jagged, blackened limestone formations that crop up in this tiny Caymanian town, where iguanas handily outnumber human residents. While you’re there, stop into Hell’s Gift Shop to browse the quip-covered stickers, mugs, and T-shirts (HAVING A HELL OF A DAY!), and send loved ones postcards from Hell’s one and only post office. You’ll be greeted by an octogenarian Lucifer, aka Ivan Farrington, who’s been dressing the part for decades—as he’ll happily demonstrate with his 1980-something star turn on Inside Edition (rest assured—he’ll have the tape all cued up in the VCR in anticipation of your arrival).

The ruins of Lubaantun, a Maya city that thrived from around AD 700 to 900 but was abandoned soon after, are somewhat unusual in a country where Maya ruins are almost common. Black slate is the primary building material. There’s a noticeable lack of mortar and a large collection of miniature ceramic objects has been found over the years. It is the largest Maya site in Southern Belize and has become well known for its strange style of construction. Lubaantun is also where the controversial crystal skull was supposedly discovered by Anna Mitchell-Hedges (though that’s since been almost entirely disproved). Visitors are free to wander the site, where there is a small visitor center and an admission fee of $10.