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The Sydney Fish Market hosts the largest daily fish auction in the southern hemisphere. That means about 2,700 crates (or 50-55 tons) of more than 100 species of the freshest catch from Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands is sold every single day. Simply browsing the stalls or downing fresh tiger prawns and Sydney rock oysters on the Pyrmont waterfront is satisfying, but there are more unique ways to discover the market, whether it’s through a cooking class at the Sydney Seafood School—the city’s oldest culinary institution—or a 6:40am behind-the-scenes tour. The latter is the best way to see the daily auction in action and learn about the market’s efforts to promote marine stewardship.

Why we love it: A Mission Revival property that blends Hollywood history with hang-ten culture

The Highlights:
- A location just minutes from the secluded Cress Street Beach
- A rooftop lounge with sweeping ocean views
- Guest rooms designed by iconic surf brands

The Review:
Once the haunt of writers, filmmakers, and Hollywood celebrities, this historic hotel on the Pacific Coast Highway famously hosted a lobby backgammon game between J. Paul Getty and Howard Hughes in the 1930s. Today, the pet-friendly property maintains its original grace with Spanish-style stucco and domed arches, but 10 of its 41 suites have moved on to a decidedly different sort of California cool. Created in collaboration with iconic skate and surf brands like Etnies, Roxy, and Billabong, the Casa Surf rooms feature hand-painted surfboards, underwater photo murals, and George Nelson furniture, fully immersing guests in Laguna surf culture. For something more traditional, book one of the Spanish rooms, which include wrought-iron accents and ornately carved dark-wood furnishings.

La Casa sits just a stone’s throw from Cress Street Beach, where hotel guests enjoy access to chairs, umbrellas, and beach towels as part of their resort fee. Also included in the fee is daily breakfast, access to the nearby Art of Fitness gym and its juice bar, and reservations at the on-site Rooftop Lounge, where you can sip mojitos while watching the sun set over the Pacific. When you’re in the mood for something more substantial, head downstairs to K’ya Bistro, with offers small plates full of Mediterranean flavor.

Budapest, Hungary is brimming with art, culture and a touch of decadence. Nowhere is this more apparent than at the Hungarian State Opera House on the luxurious Andrássy Way. If you don’t have the time or money to take in a concert in this opulent theatre, you can still get a dose of culture by taking one of the daily guided tours. Crane your neck to take in the ceiling murals and twinkling chandeliers while you sit in the plush velvet seats, sweep down the grand staircase of the main hall and play out your fantasies of living life at court, or just learn about the theatre, without all of the dramatic bits. Tours are offered in Hungarian, English, German, Spanish, Italian and French everyday, and Japanese several times a week. You can also stay for a mini concert in the theatre. After the tour, pop next door to the Callas Restaurant, where you can sip champagne on the terrace while admiring the Opera House’s stunning facade.

Nestled in the jungle near the center of Ubud, Komaneka at Bisma is a minimalist boutique hotel that celebrates Balinese artistic expression. Local artisans made most of the wooden objects and furnishings in the suites and villas, which emphasize rich woods, cool marbles, and floor-to-ceiling glass walls that look out at emerald rain forests. Daily deliveries of fruit, flowers, and cookies make guests feel like family, but high-tech conveniences such as in-room Apple TVs help them stay connected with loved ones back home. The Komaneka Gallery at the Monkey Forest property showcases one of the world’s largest collections of art from the archipelago; Bisma guests can arrange a tour, which is included in the price of their stay. You can also stay on site and choose from a lineup of activities, including rice paddy cycling tours and wood-carving lessons.

Across the bay from Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island, Finch Bay is one of the few hotels in the Galapagos Islands located near a beach. While the hotel prides itself on its ecofriendly touches—such as its own water treatment plant, solar panels, a composting system, and the addition of 500 new mangrove plants surrounding the hotel—the atmosphere is more that of a contemporary resort than a rustic nature lodge. Outside, an oversized pool overlooks the ocean; inside, a Cordon Bleu–trained chef heads a modern restaurant. Dark volcanic stones line the walls in the suites, while standard rooms all come with hammock-slung wooden balconies. Like most hotels in the Galapagos, Finch Bay is all-inclusive, providing land and sea excursions to attractions like the highlands of Santa Cruz, to search for giant tortoises in the wild. Also included are daily excursions on the hotel’s private yacht to nearby islands like Bartolomé or North Seymour, national park highlights, which can be reached on day trips.

This formal garden is neatly contained within perfectly kept borders, but the extravagance of mature citrus trees and thick vegetation ensure it’s serenely cool even on the hottest days. To maximize your time here, book a traditional scrub-down in the hotel’s pretty hammam before settling at a table at the famed restaurant here, the Fez Café, for a lazy lunch or dinner—both of which change daily according to the seasons. The Moroccan food is good, but the highlights really lean more to the Mediterranean: maybe a magnificent gazpacho, grilled swordfish steaks with beurre blanc, or a top-grade fillet with mushroom sauce. It’s also one of the few places in the medina where you can treat yourself to a cheeky lunchtime Casablanca beer, a bottle of salmon-pink Moroccan gris (rosé), or a predinner negroni.

Guadeloupe’s outdoor markets are an important part of daily life and a sight for sore eyes. Fragrant cooking spices compete with colorful bottles of homemade rhum, women in traditional madras head ties smile at passersby, zouk music or gwo-ka drums blast in the background, and the calm Caribbean Sea is the backdrop. Saint-Anne Market, on Grande-Terre Island, is a favorite. It borders a beautiful white-sand beach, steps from a row of casual restaurants and bars.

“Dini Mueter” translates to “your mother,” so it’s no surprise this is the most inviting restaurant on bustling, seedy Langstrasse, with a chalkboard wall, and the kitchen windows that overlook the long wooden communal table and the green-and-white gingham curtains. There are two daily changing specials—often incorporating seasonal, organic ingredients—plus a terrific brunch menu with eggs Benedict and fluffy pancakes topped with vanilla yogurt. Photo © Katja Granzin.

Located on the shores of Lake Zurich, Fischer’s Fritz restaurant is located on Zurich’s only campground—a favorite camping destination for the well-heeled city dwellers on holiday. The catch comes straight from Lake Zurich; the restaurant employs a fisherman to cast his net daily. Expect whitefish, trout, perk, pike, wels catfish, burbot and jellyfish to dot the menu. Try the fischknusperli (Swiss fish & chips) or Lake Zurich freshwater sushi prepared by a Japan-trained chef.

Cora’s Coffee Shoppe just off the coast is a cozy cafe with refined comfort-food brunch and lunch. The retro interior is lined with black and white tiled floors, daily fish specials are on a chalkboard and the flowered iron arbor covered patio creates a romantic tunnel for dining outdoors. Discerning dishes include the Orange Pancakes, RIgatoni with White Truffle Oil Meat Sauce and Egg White, Feta and Arugula Omelette.

A favorite for weekend brunch, this French-inspired bistro in Inman serves flaky croissants, avocado toast, and brioche topped with scrambled eggs and smoked trout. Later in the day, it also offers ratatouille, beef tartare, and steak frites. Complete with stamped ceilings, bistro tables, and green-tiled walls, the intimate spot is even great for dessert and a drink, whether you’re after a negroni, a glass of chenin blanc, or a locally brewed beer. For drink specials, come during the week when B&B offers its version of happy hour, called L’Apéro. Note: Bread & Butterfly does not take reservations.

Completed in 1994, the Oriental Pearl TV tower was the tallest building in Shanghai until 2007 and is still arguably one of the most recognizable towers in Shanghai’s skyline. The tower actually has 15 observation floors but the highest is at 350m and is affectionately known as the “Space Module”. The tower also includes a revolving restaurant, a shopping mall, a museum and even a 20+ room hotel. There’s also a glass-floored observation deck for the brave-footed. Open 8:30-21:30 daily Ticket prices vary (depending on what you’d like to see/do) from RMB 120-220

The world’s largest indoor amusement park, Lotte World gets more than 7 million visitors annually. Seasonal festivals like the Rio Samba Carnival and the Happy Christmas Party dictate the themes of the daily parades and performances, while tons of rides—both indoors and out—keep guests entertained all day long. Other highlights include mega playgrounds, an ice-skating rink, a monorail, a folk museum, and, of course, lots of shopping. Visit on a weekday when it’s less crowded and lines are shorter, and remember to grab a map at the entrance in order to navigate the multilevel complex.

Bordered on the south by its eponymous deep-red cliffs, the national monument is home to broad plateaus, endangered California condors, and some of the oldest petroglyphs in the United States. But the area’s greatest hit is the Wave, a dramatic, undulant orange rock formation. There are trailheads, maps, and minimally marked checkpoints along the trail leading to the famous spot, but unless you opt to hire an authorized guide, you’ll have to pick your way carefully across relatively untouched desert—that is, if you manage to snag one of the 20 daily hiking permits. Apply online four months in advance or enter the daily lottery at the visitor center in Kenab, Utah. Didn’t make it? Grab a map, make sure you have a spare tire, and explore the monument’s lesser-known slot canyons and gulches, or head to the Grand Canyon or Zion National Park; both are within a two-to-three-hour drive. You can always try again the next day. Permits are $6 and $7.

This historic market has been in operation since 1892, and is beloved by locals as a destination for lunch, grocery shopping, or buying regional gifts at the Pennsylvania General Store. More than 70 businesses sell fresh wares here, including ice cream, cookies, meat, seafood, produce, Mexican cuisine, and artisanal grilled-cheese sandwiches—just to name a few. Philadelphians line up daily for just-baked goods from the Amish-owned Beiler’s Bakery, which also runs a separate doughnut stand in the Pennsylvania Dutch section of the market. The market’s location, across the street from the Pennsylvania Convention Center, can mean throngs of visitors on convention days; try to get to the market as early as possible to avoid the crowds.