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At the Big White Ski Resort there is more to do than ski and snowboard which is especially useful to know when you’re not a skiing Canadian like myself. Instead of hitting the slopes there are snowshoe excursions, ice wall climbing, sledding with inflatable tubes, ice skating, sleigh rides, dog sledding, and, even more importantly, delicious restaurants and bars full of beer and locally produced wine.

Visitors take their best Chicago photographs in front of the iconic Millennium Park sculpture called Cloud Gate (known colloquially as the Bean, for its shape). Conceived by British artist Anish Kapoor and constructed from 168 stainless steel plates with no visible seams, the polished surfaces of this 33-foot-tall sculpture reflect infinite variations of the Chicago skyline. The work’s design was chosen from among more than 30 others commissioned by the city, and it was inspired by liquid mercury.

Wide paths and a laid-back cycling culture make bikes a great way to explore Vancouver. Rent one from Cycle City Tours, which offers self-guided maps as well as outings run by expert storytellers. One tour takes a 5- to 7.5-mile spin through Stanley Park, cruising along Vancouver’s seawall and venturing onto its trails. All throughout, guides explain the biodiversity of the temperate rain forest and the history of the coastal First Nations people. For something livelier, hop on the rolling Craft Beer Tour, which visits three breweries and the excellent Belgard Kitchen. If you’re keen to keep going, you can extend your riding time until the end of the day for another $10.

Le Petit Collectionneur Museum is something of an ode to the nautical history of St Barths, and not a place to do all your island shopping, though you’ll find a few trinkets for sale here and there. Instead, spend your time brushing up on colonial, island, and Caribbean history.

This former royal palace is one of the largest museums in the world, and its art collection is considered one of the most comprehensive. It contains around 400,000 works, although—mercifully, perhaps—not all are on display at any one time. There are some pieces that never get taken off the walls. The Mona Lisa and her smile attract millions of visitors each year. Other must-see masterpieces include the sculptures Winged Victory of Samothrace and Michelangelo’s Rebellious Slave, and the Eugène Delacroix painting The Death of Sardanapalus. There’s no real trick to avoiding crowds at the always-packed museum. The best you can do is try to go in the off-season, early or late in the day, and on a weekday. Your chances of being alone with the Mona Lisa will still be slim to none, but you might be able to actually see that enigmatic smile behind the Plexiglas.

This pink-marble waterfront edifice in Piazza San Marco dates back to the 14th century, when it was the residence and seat of government for the doges (rulers) of Venice. Today the ornate Byzantine- and Moorish-influenced Gothic Palazzo Ducale is a symbol of the city, and serves as a museum hosting some of Venice’s most important art, including the famous Bacchus, Venus, and Ariadne masterpiece by Tintoretto. It also runs the popular Secret Itinerary and Doge’s Palace Hidden Treasures tours. After you’re done, treat yourself to a glass of wine in the small on-site bistro, with windows looking onto the Grand Canal adjacent to the Bridge of Sighs.

The mysterious rooftop of Casa Mila both charms and haunts visitors. The glorious October sky above frames the organic forms, each sculpted face watching as I creep up and down the rolling ramps. Children can’t resist playing here, and fortunately there are now fences all around. In my mind, I erase all of those pesky safety features to envision the smooth sculptures growing towards the sky from a scrolling sandy field. Once a site for a scene from Star Wars, the rooftop is now a destination for lovers of Barcelona and Antoni Guadi’s “Modernisma” style. When you visit, you’ll learn the secret behind those long vertical faces rising up above the mystical rooftop.

Markets offer great insights into a country’s culture, and in Taiwan the night markets are a mandatory stop for observing local life. Sometimes spanning entire city blocks, the markets are an amusement park of sorts—complete with a midway of mahjong and basketball games—where friends and families gather at colorful communal tables to feast on gastronomic discoveries from a clutter of stalls. Whether you’re at one of the nine markets in Taipei (such as the famous Shilin market or the more intimate Ningxia market) or visiting the big Da Dong market in Tainan, you won’t go hungry! From savory pork on a stick and crispy chicken chop (chicken that is fried and then grilled) to sweet, custard-filled wheel cake and sugar cane lemonade, market fare surprises and delights. Distinctively Taiwanese grab-and-go snacks include stinky tofu (which tastes exactly as it sounds) and the surprisingly appealing pig’s blood cake—a hearty dessert-on-a-stick consisting of rice and pig’s blood dipped in a pork soy broth and coated with peanut flour. A cultural immersion at its finest, the markets and the surrounding scooter-filled chaos will create a memory of Taiwan that will stay with you forever. AFAR Ambassador Natalie Taylor traveled to Taiwan as a guest of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau.

Once the general summer tourist season finishes, a different and more sombre sort of tourism begins in Belgium. Autumn is a time of remembrance and there is no more poignant place to remember the Great War than the Flemish city of Ypres. Ypres (or Ieper, in Dutch) is home to the Menin Gate. The enormous marble walls of this monument contain the names of 54,896 Commonwealth soldiers who have no known grave. Every evening at 8pm, buglers close the road leading to the gate and perform the Last Post. Each year, on Remembrance Day (November 11), thousands of poppy petals are dropped through the ceiling of the Menin Gate and flutter to the ground below. Also well worth visiting is the In Flanders Fields Museum, which tells the story of the soldiers and local residents who lived during the war, through interactive displays. Mixed in with the photographs, the history, the artefacts, and displays, there are quotes from soldiers, wives and parents, politicians, and writers. Several short films also illustrate the impact of the war on the area, the people, and the soldiers. Ypres is an easy day-trip from Brussels, by car or train, and is an un-missable destination, particularly during the autumn, Remembrance Day season. For More Information: http://cheeseweb.eu/2011/06/ypres-world-war-museums/

Mount Kilimanjaro is a treasure of Tanzania and a popular attraction for tourists wanting to conquer Africa’s tallest mountain. Because of its fame and relatively easy ascent—if you don’t count the altitude sickness—this hike attracts more than 16,000 climbers a year. If you want to climb in relative peace, take the Northern Circuit detour, which avoids the busiest trails.

Sitting pretty on seven acres below Canyons Resort, the Waldorf Astoria is one of Park City’s preferred stays thanks to its elegant suites, sleek spa, and signature service. Opened in 2009, the stone-and-log lodge projects alpine grandeur. Interiors mix natural elements with posh details like a Baccarat crystal chandelier, an Italian marble fireplace, Oriental rugs, and leather furnishings. Outside, the hotel’s private gondola whisks skiers to the slopes and back, after which they can take a soak in the heated outdoor pool or indulge in a massage at the sunny, 16,000-square-foot spa—one of the finest in the Wasatch Mountains. Come dinnertime, guests head to onsite restaurant Powder, an antler-lined spot offering locavore fare and stunning mountain views.

The 174 guestrooms and suites all feature gas fireplaces; many also have balconies. Available with one to four bedrooms, the Bi-Level Suites even include fireplaces and gourmet kitchens outfitted with Viking appliances.

It has been a decade since the major museums on the Museumplein—a grassy square connecting Amsterdam’s main art centers—have all been open at the same time. Here’s what to check out at the Van Gogh Museum. Sunflowers, The Bedroom, and The Potato Eaters are just a few of the masterpieces on display as part of the “Van Gogh at Work” exhibit.

One of the most widely sold mineral water brands in Argentina comes from Villavicencio, a private nature reserve located on the way to Uspallata, about an hour from downtown Mendoza. It is a historic route because General San Martin took it on his way to Chile to free Argentina from the Spanish crown. The road leading up to Villavicencio has a dizzying 365 curves and has been given the name “Camino del Año” or “Road of the Year”. On the reserve is a picturesque hotel and spa built in 1940, where the wealthiest families in Mendoza used to summer vacation, bathing in the crystal mountain waters and natural hot springs. Today, the hotel has been named a National Historic Monument. It’s closed to the public, but you can hike around the hotel and surrounding nature reserve. There’s a $25 peso entrance fee that includes a guided visit. It’s open from Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Vilakazi is perhaps the most famous street in Soweto—or all of Johannesburg, for that matter. It’s the only street in the world to have produced two Nobel Prize winners—His Excellency Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela and The Most Reverend Desmond Tutu. It’s also where 13-year-old Hector Pieterson was shot dead, sparking the riots on June 16, 1976.

At the corner of Vilakazi and Ngakane streets, you’ll find the Mandela House, which serves as a beautiful testament to Madiba as well as to the greater fight for equal rights in South Africa and around the world. The rest of Vilakazi Street, however, is pretty average—a place where people live and work every day. In its simplicity, it proves that greatness can come from the most ordinary of places. Since it’s still home to so many people, approach the street with respect. Hire a local guide and take care when exploring the surrounding neighborhood of Soweto.

Hidden away in the lush jungle south of Siem Reap, the sleepy village of Treak is home to one of Cambodia’s best-kept secrets. In such a tourist-flooded destination, it’s easy to get swept away in the sightseeing infrastructure—both luxury and backpacker—and miss out on local Cambodian culture. But this palm tree–filled oasis of just 10 villa-style rooms has the answer. The hotel is staffed almost entirely by villagers, the sleek modern decor comes from local artisans, water is heated through solar energy, and the restaurant sources its fresh ingredients from nearby farms. Sojourn even has its own NGO, Husk, which works with local families on everything from health to education, providing opportunities for guests to educate themselves and engage with the community in a positive way.

Best of all, Sojourn encourages this responsible tourism without sacrificing a modicum of luxury, from its glassy saltwater pool with a swim-up bar to its custom-made destination dining experiences. The secluded, romantic suites have private gardens, and the decadent spa is the perfect way to bliss out after a day of exploring the dusty ruins.