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The Chuzenji Temple in Oku-nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, was originally founded in 784 by a Buddhist monk known as Shodo-shonin and is located on the shore of Lake Chuzenji, which is approximately 1,300 meters above sea level. In the middle of the Meiji and early Showa periods, many European embassies built vacation houses around the lake, lending a unique atmosphere to the environs. There is something to do or see all year round here: cherry-blossom viewing in the spring, bird watching, marine sports and hiking in the summer, autumn colors in the fall, and the Snow and Ice Festival as well as cross-country skiing and ice skating in the winter. You can either rent a car or catch a bus from Tobu-nikko Station, about a 40-minute ride.

We had been to Gollem for a drink and a snack (note: the meat platter is hearty) the evening before, but when we found ourselves on Overtoom after visiting Vondelpark, with Gollem just opening for lunch, we went for it again. After all, it was our last day in Amsterdam and there was beer to be drunk. The servers are very knowledgeable and helpful, and will guide you to specific styles or rhapsodize over undiscovered breweries. Fries, fried in beef tallow, were wonderful. Sweetbread croquettes tasted mostly like any other croquette, with perhaps a whiff of sweetbreadiness. The ham and Chimay cheese sandwich was good. It was all fresh, and all went very well with the wide selection of Belgian beers they offer. And for dessert? Gueuze.

When in Antigua, definitely stop by the Casa Santa Domingo. First off, this place ain’t no ordinary casa! It is a large hotel (convention center, spa, museum etc) but executed well. There is a lot of history and guides standing out front would happily show you around. We were in the mood for just soaking it up on our own. You will enjoy the colorful tropical birds, the beautiful fountain and the historic ruins. It was the bastion of one of the grandest convents of the Americas (according to them.) If you like every amenity at your fingertips then this is the place for you in Antigua. At the very least stroll the grounds and have a Gallo, Guatemala’s national beer.

Continental Europe’s largest shopping department has been supplying well-heeled Berliners with fine foods and upscale fashion for over a hundred years. Eight floors specialise in different goods, but the two most impressive are the ground floor and its ‘Luxury Boulevard,’ which features stores by the likes of Chanel, Bulgari and Tiffany & Co., and the sixth floor’s food hall, where regulars and visitors alike can be found perched at the champagne and oyster bars. More modestly-priced meals and some impressive views can be found in the glass-ceilinged cafe-restaurant on the seventh floor.

There’s no better place to practice yoga than a tropical setting tempered by constant trade winds, and at Manchebo Beach Resort’s two open-air studios, you’ll find just that. Located right on pristine Eagle Beach, the idyllic spaces welcome both hotel guests and outside visitors for all levels of classes, from Morning Vinyasa Yoga to Sunset Stretch. The 72-room resort also hosts private retreats from time to time.

Opened in 1915 as Tent City—a string of luxury canvas tents along Lac Beauvert, with vistas of Whistlers Peak and Pyramid Mountain—the iconic Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge was possibly North America’s first “glamping” site. The destination proved wildly popular, and in 1922 a main lodge was opened, as well as a series of luxury log cabins spread across 700 acres in the heart of Jasper National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Bristling with Douglas firs and pine trees, the property sees herds of elk nibbling the grass, chipmunks scurrying through the trees, and even the occasional bear. The 442 rooming options—all of which were renovated between 2015 and 2017—include cozy spots in the main building, fireplace-equipped Junior Suites, and bring-the-whole-family Signature Cabins, all with views across the lake or the forest and mountains. The newly introduced Estate Cabins, located near the golf course, feature a private gated entrance for a more residential feel. Classic lodge-style interior design is the order of the day in the cabins, with wood beams and a combination of earthy and granite tones, while rooms and suites are clean-lined and decked out in fresh white bedding and light wood accents.

Previously the home of Peruvian sculptor Victor Delfin, who still keeps a studio and gallery on-site, Second Home Peru is the guesthouse everyone would want to know about (but doesn’t). The beautifully maintained Tudor mansion is one of the first boutique hotels to open in Lima, though being hidden away in a residential section of the Barranco arts district, few realize it is there. Its neighborhood location is ideal—a few blocks from the lively plaza and from a cobblestone walkway down to the beach, the Bajada de los Baños, that is lined with restaurants. The highlight, however, is the ocean view, as the house is set near the edge of Lima’s coastal cliffs, and several rooms have balconies that look right over the water. The vistas are better from here than from the often-gray skies of the more posh hotels in Miraflores up the coast, and guests can enjoy them from the small outdoor pool, gardens, and shared terraces as well. The eclectic décor includes wood floors, Louis XV–style claw-footed bathtubs, and a small contemporary art collection that lines the halls and stairways. The family-run property isn’t flashy or ultra modern by any means, though flat-screen TVs and Wi-Fi come standard.

If you want to get in touch with nature, spend an afternoon in Piedmont Park, Atlanta’s answer to New York’s Central Park. Spread over 189 acres, the sprawling park boasts a running track, bocce and tennis courts, a swimming pool, a lake, and a dog park. It’s also the site of countless concerts, local events like the Dogwood Festival, and the finish line for the annual Peachtree Road Race. It’s not uncommon to see a movie or television show being filmed here, so grab a picnic from a nearby restaurant and plan to spend a few hours lounging in the shade.

I had one goal for the trip to Australia: hugging a koala. This was a little more difficult than you might think; it’s only legal in Queensland province, and there are strict rules about how long the koalas can work per day and how much rest they’re permitted away from the affectionate public. My dream came true in Brisbane’s Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, which has 130+ koalas as well as kangaroos, wallabys, wombats, platypus, Tasmanian devils, kookaburras, and many other exotic (to us) animals. Presentations and demonstrations happen all day long, but don’t forget to set aside a few minutes for the extremely popular koala-hug photos. My koala was a smallish, woolly female who rested comfortably against my chest and calmly looked at the camera like a true pro. Lone Pine is absolutely a must-do day trip if you’re in Brisbane — as the Aussies say, you can’t go past it!

The founders of Soho House and the developers behind such buzzy hotels as New York City’s The NoMad teamed up to turn the historic Midland Bank building into—what else?—a one-stop lifestyle hub that’s drawing regulars of both the suit-and-tie and hipster variety. Part-hotel, part-member’s club, The Ned (named for the moniker of legendary, 19th-century architect Edwin Lutyens, who first envisioned the building) features eight dining options set around the former banking hall, from Italian, French, and Californian spots to a New-York-style deli, Pan-Asian favorite, and lounge for an overflowing, British-style Sunday feast, complete with a Bloody Mary bar and mimosa trolley. Hotel guests also have access to a downstairs bar, and a wellness level with a nail bar, gym, separate hair salon and barbershop, Cowshed Spa, traditional Moroccan hammam, and vitamin IV drips by The Elixir Clinic. The spa level also features an indoor pool, while the Ned’s Club Upstairs offers a rooftop pool and restaurant (with views out to St. Paul’s Cathedral) to Club members or those staying in higher-category rooms.

The entire property is done up in cool, vintage-inspired design, including the 250 guestrooms, which range in category from Crash Pad and Cosy to Heritage and six types of suites. All feature 1920s flair, such as mirrored cocktail cabinets, wingback chairs, and Jazz Age motifs, as well as marble-mosaic bathrooms stocked with rainfall showers and 10 full-size Cowshed products. Suites have bonus perks like dining areas, bathtubs, and upgraded views. Take all the pictures you want in your room, but Insta-addicts may want to leave their phones behind when in select public areas: there’s a photo ban in any place that’s part of the Club membership, including that stunning rooftop.

Zurich’s Old Town has one foot firmly in the past and the other very much at the forefront of Swiss culture. Wandering through the pedestrian-only cobbled streets of the Altstadt (which you can do for hours!), you’ll find Switzerland‘s highest concentration of clubs, as well as theatres, comedy troupes, street performers and young fashion designers selling their wares in small, elegant shops on medieval streets. Landmarks include the Grossmünster’s double towers, built by Charlemagne, and the Peterskirche, which has the distinction of being the church with Europe’s largest clockface. Don’t miss Limmatquai, along the Limmat River, one of Zurich‘s most thronged shopping sites where restaurants and shops are housed in Baroque gilded houses from the 1700s, something like the canalside houses of Amsterdam. It’s a great place to actually walk into the past and have the vibrant present all around you! Check out the Artistry and Craftsmanship itinerary to Switzerland, created by Bob Preston of Swiss Panache, on AFAR Journeys.

The Edgewater made its mark in Seattle history as the place The Beatles stayed when they came through on tour in 1964. Other rock stars (and those who like to travel like rock stars) have since stayed at the Edgewater, choosing it for its singular location on Pier 67 perched over the waters of Puget Sound. The public spaces make design references to the Pacific Northwest, with natural wood and stone everywhere. Waterfront rooms have sunset views that are nothing short of spectacular, and all the rooms are well-appointed, with gas fireplaces and spa-style bathrooms.

On a weekend morning, hop on Metro Line 10 to the Panjiayuan station and take exit B. Just down the road is the sprawling Panjiayuan Market, where hundreds of vendors sell their wares. It’s essential to bring cash, patience, and a willingness to bargain. While there aren’t authentic antiques here, you will find loads of curios from the 1950s onward, including a superb selection of colorful propaganda posters at a fraction of what they sell for in central Beijing shops, as well as lacquerware, teapots and cups, jewelry, chopsticks, and textiles. Larger items, like traditional carved-wood furniture and substantial framed paintings, can easily be stowed in one of the taxis that wait patiently near the entrance for happy shoppers.

Wood and ferns, creping vines, and abundant natural light abound in this new outing from the owners of Galanga Thai Kitchen. The menu features Thai classics like tom kha gai soup and green papaya salad, as well as Vietnamese favorites like rice noodles and beef broth with galangal ginger and lemongrass, pok-pok wings, and bahn mi. The gastronomy is notable not just for proven comforts, or even because of freshly harvested ingredients from the garden they maintain in the town of Hidalgo, Morelos; you’ve also got Chef Somri “Anna” Raksamra’s hand when it comes to seasonings. Start out with chicken, beef, pork, and shrimp skewers that you charcoal-roast on a colorful, open-air cart (an homage to food carts that abound along Thai streets). For dessert you’ve got a sweet potato tart—something you won’t find anyplace, anywhere in Mexico City.

Conquistador Pedro de Valdivia founded Santiago here on February 12, 1541. Eventually two Spanish fortresses were erected on the hill, alongside early hermitages and Chile’s first astronomical observatory. You’ll also find one of the capital’s oldest public promenades, originally from the Spanish-colonial period—lined by the statuary, fountains, and gardens of subsequent centuries—twisting uphill through gardens and past trees that have been preserved over the centuries. These days, couples and students favor the park for long afternoons spent beneath the boughs. Don’t miss the monumental entrance, as well as a Spanish escutcheon in stone, the park’s castle, and the 360˚ city views. For those who like traditions, a blast from an 1824 cannon announces the stroke of noon to Santiago residents each day.