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Once the hip newcomer, this craft cocktail lounge is now a King Street veteran that attracts a more mature crowd than the line-up-outside adjacent clubs catering to the college set. Locals meet here for half-price happy hour (Wednesdays feature bourbon) and before shows at the Charleston Music Hall nearby. The stock of spirits is impressive, as are the intricate ways they’re mixed, like a “Macho Man Dandy Savage,” with house-infused dandelion gin, honey, and yellow Chartreuse. The mixologists here have a history of winning local bartender competitions. Complementing the flavors are the gorgeous environs in an historic building that features exposed beams, leather furniture, and a swanky rooftop garden that’s a welcome respite just off the buzz of King Street below. It all sits atop The Macintosh, chef Jeremiah Bacon’s stunning seasonal fare restaurant that shares a mutual owner.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Roman Theater of Orange is the most well-preserved ancient Roman theater in Europe, complete with a magnificent stage wall and an imposing 340-foot facade that Louis XIV once called “the finest wall in my kingdom.” With seating for up to 10,000, the theater continues to host shows to this day, including the Chorégies d’Orange opera festival every summer. Sure, you could skip the entry free and sneak a peek of the theater from the adjacent hill, but this testament to the glory of the Roman Empire really merits an in-person visit, especially with the new 360-degree, virtual-reality headsets. Get a discounted rate one hour before the site closes, or buy a ticket that also includes access to the Art and History Museum of Orange.

Opened in 2017, Hayes Street Hotel may occupy a modern building in Midtown, but the boutique lodging has made every effort to highlight the area’s historic past and the local makers who adhere to its traditions. A nod to the city’s former life as one of the country’s busiest printing centers, the lobby features poster art from famed letterpress studio Hatch Show Print, which has created musical renderings for the likes of Led Zeppelin, Elvis Presley, and Loretta Lynn over its 140-year lifespan, while white porch swings invite you to sip a cup of joe from Bongo Java, Nashville’s oldest coffeehouse. Local bourbons, whiskeys, and microbrews make up the menu at the Hayes Street Bar, and guest rooms favor minimalism with hardwood floors and mint-green accent walls, their clean lines providing a serene backdrop for the city’s myriad pleasures.

Seoul’s War Memorial Museum is a massive complex that can easily eat up a history buff’s whole day. The big-ticket items—tanks, planes, missiles—are outside; inside is a complete history of military actions in Korea. One really cool thing is a replica of Admiral Sun-shin’s “turtle warships,” ironclad fighting boats used in the 16th century. The bulk of the place is taken up with the Korean War, with tons of films and photos that can get a little overwhelming for the unprepared. Korea was a suburb of hell from 1950 to 1953, and no punches are pulled here in showing just what it was like. It might be best to head for a park after your visit, to decompress and remember that it’s always business as usual for the trees.

If you find yourself in Asheville, NC (and you should, as AFAR’s recent feature pointed out - there’s a lot to love in Asheville); stay at The Grove Park Inn. This historic hotel is part art deco/part arts and crafts with rambling porches and a view of the mountains to rival other properties in town. The Horizons restaurant serves up Michelin-worthy meals and their sommelier will not steer you wrong. The spa buried in the depths of the property has salt water pools and heated waterfalls, with trained masseurs who can erase any ill your body is suffering. Rooms are spacious and comfortable with updated bathrooms. The elevator is built into a massive fireplace. It’s an incredible place that does an excellent job of showing off the quirky character of the Southern town it calls home.

Old Town Square, founded in the 12th century, is the center of Prague. In the middle of it all, the Old Town Hall (which also houses the famous Astronomical Clock), built in 1338, still provides the best 360-degree views of the city. For a fee, visitors can climb or take an elevator to the observation deck of the nearly 230-foot tower for views of the Adam and Eve towers of Tyn Cathedral across the square, the Jan Hus monument, Prague Castle, Strahov Monastery, the National Gallery, and the winding cobblestone streets and red-roofed buildings below.

Privacy and discretion reign supreme behind the iconic red door of this Jacques Garcia-styled hideaway between the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysées. The smallest of the capital’s Palace hotels, La Réserve Paris is set up in a former mansion that belonged to the Duc of Morny (Napoleon III’s half-brother). The hotel maintains the feel of a private home, thanks to a mix of Second Empire decorative touches, including parquet floors, crown moldings, cordovan leather paneling, and velvet drapery. It’s easy to linger in the public areas, including the library packed with 3,000 books reserved for guests during the day, the fumoir that looks out onto a leafy courtyard, and salons with plush banquettes and club chairs.

For those of us used to seeing chicken cut into parts, wrapped in plastic, and cooling in supermarket refrigerators, a trip to a local Peruvian market is fascinating and a bit daunting. At the biggest market, San Pedro, just up the street from the Plaza de Armas, you’ll find fruits, vegetables, alpaca charqui (the Quechua source of our word jerky), pig’s heads, herbs, fruit juices, weavings, and much, much more. You’ll see a fair number of foreigners wandering here as well, so for an experience that feels more authentic, try San Blas Market or Rosaspata, both off the tourist track.

New York, Tokyo, and other major cities are home to startling numbers of authentic Neapolitan pizzerias, many with ovens handmade by Neapolitan craftsmen. In those places, pizza making is definitely considered an elevated craft. Perhaps Neapolitans do not think of their cooks as artists because so much of the city’s cuisine is rooted in cucina popolare, or people’s food. What strikes me most about the food of Naples is the uniformly high standards in even the humblest restaurants. That goes for pizzas as well, which makes it impossible to single out one pizzeria. Or so I thought until I visited La Notizia, located up in the hills on the edge of the gritty working-class borough of Fuorigrotta (too far from central Naples to be reached on foot). Owner-chef Enzo Coccia is as obsessed with the details of materials and technique as any Neapolitan tailor.

From my first bite, Coccia’s pizza struck me as something categorically different and decidedly better than anything I had tasted in Naples—or anywhere else in the world. It was feather light but still chewy, the way Neapolitan pizza should be. The thin middle crust didn’t dissolve into a soupy blend of cheese and tomato. When I asked Coccia about his technique, he formed two small test rounds of dough. He flattened one by hand; the other he rolled out with a can. He threw them both into the wood-burning oven and pulled them out 30 seconds later. The hand-formed dough was light and airy. The can-leveled dough was dense. “I prepare my dough at seven in the morning,” said Coccia. “It needs 14 to 16 hours to rise. I make only 300 pizzas’ worth of dough, and when that’s done, we close. Of course it takes the best and freshest ingredients—artisan mozzarella and local extra virgin olive oil—but it’s more than that. You need a passion for the traditional way. Then pizza can be as artisanal as a suit. 39/(0) 081-714-2155. This appeared in the September, 2012 issue.

Why we love it: Local history and culture abound at this Atlanta newcomer

The Highlights:
-15 bunk rooms for fun and practical lodging
-Proximity to Atlanta’s vibrant Poncey-Highland neighborhood
-Welcome beers upon arrival

The Review:
Originally operating as a motor hotel in the 1920s, this Poncey-Highland property reopened in 2018 under the ownership of Oliver Hospitality, the same team behind hip locales like The Fairlane (Nashville) and Station House Inn (Lake Tahoe). New York-based studio Reunion Goods & Services spearheaded the design, imbuing the space with modern-day details while reviving its retro vibes with bespoke murals, custom wallpaper, and vintage-inspired artwork. Walls get a particularly feminine makeover within each of the 95 guest rooms, thanks to Atlanta artist Sharon Shapiro’s colorful depictions of women in everyday life. While the hotel caters to solo travelers and couples aplenty, it’s fun to bring a group: 15 bunk rooms welcome the cool kids here, and each of them sleeps up to four. Bring that crew downstairs for dinner at Tiny Lou’s, where executive chef Jeb Aldrich puts forth French-American fare like Tennessee rabbit cassoulet and black cocoa foie gras.

Located on the Samaná Peninsula, 300 feet above Playa Cosón and the Atlantic Ocean, this 18th-century, plantation-style home impresses with Victorian trim and wraparound terraces perfect for sipping cocktails in the shade. Inside, antiques from Asia, Europe, and Turkey; rugs from Istanbul; and details like Brazilian hardwood floors and French doors add further charm. The six guestrooms, all housed on the second floor, feature four-poster beds, mahogany soaking tubs, and private terraces—rooms 5 and 6 have the best ocean views.

Breakfast and dinner are served on vintage china in the main house, while lunch takes place a seven-minute shuttle ride away at the Beach Club. This is where you’ll also find the inn’s pristine beach, a nearly 90-foot stretch of sand that’s mostly empty, great for swimming, and considered one of the country’s best places for kiteboarding. When you’re not lounging here, visit the town of Las Terrenas (just 10 minutes away) or try to spot the humpback whales that migrate from as far off as Greenland and Iceland to mate and calve in the warm waters surrounding the Samaná Peninsula (every January through March).

While most of the Grenadines’ most luxurious hotels cater to the one percent, Salt Whistle Bay, on Mayreau, offers a blissfully pared back—though no less exclusive—experience. You’ll feel like a modern-day Robinson Crusoe when holed up in one of the 22-acre property’s eco-friendly bell tents or stone bungalows, each outfitted with colorful rugs, fans, and plush linens, and positioned to capture ocean breezes. By day, swim with sea turtles, sting rays, and tropical fish in the surrounding reef-filled waters—snorkeling masks are free to guests, as are stand-up paddleboards—or try kiteboarding on the resort’s designated beach. By night, share those adventures over a dinner of grilled lobster at the on-site restaurant and bar.

In the Palmerie neighborhood outside of town, ethno-botanist Gary Martin and his wife, interior designer Meryanne Loum-Martin, have created a fairytale oasis—whose name translates to “big garden”—with five houses, five pools, and beautiful green spaces spread over nine lush acres. Set in three different villas, the 24 uniquely designed, boho-chic rooms range from the Small (which can be tight and somewhat dark) to the more spacious Standard, Large, Garden, and Pavilion options, which feature plenty of light and perks like fireplaces, terraces, king beds, and artisan details.

When not lounging around one of the pools, guests can play a set on the clay tennis courts, wander around the botanical gardens, take a Moroccan cooking class with Chef Bahija, or explore the surrounding area by bike, vintage sidecar, or camel. Kids are more than welcome here and can look forward to such programming as calligraphy and magic classes, while adults can expect in-room massages and outdoor yoga classes. Breakfast is included in the room rate and, like all meals, can be enjoyed in various spaces around the hotel. Dinner is particularly magical when served underneath countless glowing lanterns.

When this wine country–style restaurant opened in the Laguna Hills in 2016, it was instantly embraced by locals. Maybe it’s the hillside location—no bikinis in sight—that allows diners to breathe easy and indulge. Maybe it’s the warm wood-clad dining room with its lively open kitchen. Or maybe it’s the craft cocktails and 25-plus international wines poured by the glass. Regardless, Ironwood is not the place to come while on a diet. The biggest reason: the house-made giant meatball, served with fresh, made-from-scratch herb pappardelle, spicy pomodoro sauce, and ricotta salata. Limited numbers are made each night, so it’s worth going early (the dinner-only restaurant opens each evening at 5 p.m.). The menu also features American Wagyu burgers, mac and cheese skillets, and pork shanks with fried green tomatoes and fresh burrata—plus colorful, palate-cleansing salads incorporating handpicked local ingredients. When the weather’s good, a retractable roof is pulled back from the heated patio to reveal views of the picturesque Saddleback Mountains. Must-order: the warm fromage blanc brownie with Nutella ice cream.

White Elephant has been a Nantucket landmark for nearly a century, with more rooms than a typical inn but without sacrificing the intimacy and personal service of a small property. Located on the waterfront a short walk from Brant Point Light, the inn has a sprawling lawn with chaises for relaxing, as well as shuttle service to the area’s beaches. Accommodations range from king-bedded guest rooms (each with a private balcony or patio) in the main inn building to spacious garden cottages (some with kitchens and fireplaces) and penthouse-like lofts in downtown Nantucket. A small spa offers therapeutic massages, facials, and body treatments. A luxury resort that is truly family-friendly, kids and babies can get fully kitted out for bath time, mealtime, or beach time with a wealth of amenities and toys. The Brant Point Grill is a local favorite for an al fresco lunch, lobster dinner, or Sunday brunch (complete with Bloody Mary bar). The White Elephant also provides regular transfers on the 21-passenger boat, Lady Wauwinet, to the Wauwinet Inn’s restaurant TOPPER’S, which cultivates its own oysters.