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Parisa Restaurant is located in Souq Waqif, and makes for a perfect lunch or dinner spot when you’re shopping at the market. A long, mirrored entryway took us from the bright desert sun into the most opulent and sparkly dining room I’ve ever sat in. The over-the-top decor alone is worth a visit, meanwhile the authentic Persian food is equally delicious. Traditional dishes with a contemporary twist were served in rapid order–and as with every single meal in Qatar–we pretty much rolled out of there, having eaten way too much ; ) >>>A heartfelt shukraan شكرا to the Qatar Tourism Authority and our knowledgeable and amazing guides for 4 unforgettable days in Qatar. #visitqatar @visitqatar #ourqatar Visa & Free Stopover Program Qatar is visa free since 2017 for more than 80 nationalities, you can find more information here. The +Qatar program is also running in 2018 giving the opportunity for Qatar Airways passengers to explore Qatar with a range of stopover options including a free hotel stay (!!) or two-night stay for $100, click here for more info.

Though the foundations go back hundreds of years prior, Grafenegg Castle as we know it today was constructed in the 19th century and is a fine example of historicism. The interior is open April through October. It’s particularly known for music events throughout the year and a Christmas market.

The beloved Dar Ahlam resort has taken its show on the road with Route du Sud, a six-night driving tour to five destinations with three private retreats that showcase the shape-shifting landscapes of isolated southern Morocco, one property at a time. The first stop is the hillside Maison des Arganiers, two and a half hours from Marrakech, in a rocky landscape facing miles of argan groves; next comes La Maison de l’Oasis, nestled in an oasis of palms; and the final private destination is the dramatic La Maison Rouge, which sits at the edge of a red canyon. Along the way you have beach picnics, nomadic campouts, and scenic drives through dramatic desert dunes.

Opened in 1998, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park is home to animals, animated attractions, and thrilling rides for the entire family. The animal lovers in your entourage will swoon over the fun, informative Kilimanjaro Safari Rides, during which you’ll take an open-air vehicle across the “savanna” to spot herds of giraffes and elephants, while thrill seekers will love the roller coasters, rafting rides, and character meet-and-greets. There are also exhibits on everything from gorillas and okapis to hippos, flamingos, and living coral reef, as well as the new Pandora—The World of Avatar area, which features 3-D rides and other, milder attractions for little ones. Standard admission tickets include enough to keep you busy for two days, plus you can add on experiences like evening safari rides, dining packages, and behind-the-scenes tours with naturalists to learn about the day-to-day care of the African elephant herd.

You know there’s something worth checking out when this in-town farm attracts farmers from farther afield to come learn best practices. Not only is this urban goat dairy a working farm, it also offers field trips, tours, summer-camp programs, cheese-making classes, and an oft-sold-out goat yoga (yoga with goats) session. (And to guard the goats, there’s a llama.) With all those Zen goats, there’s plenty of milk flowing, and in addition to the goat cheese, the farm sells shares of the goat herd for access to the raw goat milk. It’s located on the historic Long’s farm property along with a local community garden manager, Growing Gardens.

The Ponte dei Sospiri was given its English name by part-time Venice resident Lord Byron, who wrote in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage: “I stood in Venice on a Bridge of Sighs, a palace and a prison on each hand.” Byron’s travelogue nails it: When you stand on the famous crossing, the Doge’s Palace and a public prison are on either side. A local myth (that turned into the plot line for the film A Little Romance) says that lovers who kiss on a gondola at sunset beneath the Bridge of Sighs will be granted eternal love. Access to the bridge itself is through the Secret Itinerary tour of the Doge’s Palace.

Founded in 1954, La Cueva, in the seaside town of Barranquilla, gained renown as a favorite watering hole of some of Colombia’s most famous artists, writers, and intellectuals, most notably the so-called Barranquilla Group—which included Gabriel García Márquez—and painter Enrique Grau. All-night affairs were said to be equal parts pontification and house party, with a dollop of boogie. Today’s La Cueva serves a varied menu and invites visitors to relive the bohemian spirit of the artists who put this place on the map (some of their faces adorn a portrait that takes up an entire wall). Jazz bands play here on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Mandarin Oriental’s first Caribbean resort has all the amenities you’d expect from the luxury brand—with the price tag to match. Nestled within lush greenery overlooking the white sands of Godahl Beach, the 26 suites and villas, which sit on the grounds of a 1,200-acre estate on the island of Canouan, are elegantly appointed with modern furnishings, marble baths, and rosy accents befitting the hotel’s name. Here, though, it’s all about the public spaces, including a Jim Fazio–designed golf course overlooking sparkling blue waters, a hilltop spa specializing in island-themed treatments, and four elegant restaurants serving every kind of cuisine, from pan-Asian to Italian. At Turtles, a cocktail lounge straight out of the Hamptons, opt for the Pepper Bliss, made with rum, bell pepper syrup, and pineapple juice.

Frenchmen Street is, more or less, the local-music version of Bourbon Street. It also has its share of tourists trundling about with go-cups in hand, but they’re drawn more by the music than the drink. Plan to spend an evening (things start to pick up around 8 p.m., earlier on weekends) along a three-block stretch of small, informal clubs where there’s often no cover (give generously and give often when the bucket comes around), or at most $5 or $10. Notable clubs include the Spotted Cat, the Maison, Blue Nile, D.B.A., the Apple Barrel, and Snug Harbor. Earlier in the evenings, there’s often an impromptu brass band at the corner of Chartres and Frenchmen. Between sets, take a moment to browse the night art markets, the largest of which is next to the Spotted Cat.

When it opened in 1889, the Jerome lured New York City socialites and European aristocrats with its mix of rough-and-tumble mountain swagger and “modern” amenities (plumbing and electricity). In December 2012, the 94-room property emerged from a five-month renovation overseen by designer Todd-Avery Lenahan. The original front desk remains, and the tile floors have patterns inspired by Ute Indian weavings. The new lobby bar, the Living Room, serves craft cocktails amid mounted deer heads, mining artifacts, and a framed antique American flag. The rooms and common spaces feel inspired by a Ralph Lauren men’s collection, with lots of plaid, leather, and rich fabrics. Even the elevators are lined with old leather belts. Minibars are stocked with complimentary snacks such as organic chocolate peanut butter cups, and downstairs, guests can dine in the Living Room, the signature restaurant Prospect, or the legendary J Bar, which once poured pints for 10^th Mountain Division soldiers and Hunter S. Thompson. The new Jerome proves that a hotel can step into the future while completely respecting the past. This grande dame remains the epitome of mountain town luxury.

You’ll never sleep anywhere closer to Machu Picchu than Belmond Sanctuary Lodge—it’s adjacent to the site entrance, and the only hotel on the mountain. In fact, the lodge is built on the former staging area for American explorer Hiram Bingham, who rediscovered the “Lost City of the Incas” in 1911. You’ll pay a pretty penny but consider the price a once-in-a-lifetime splurge. If you arrive the day before your visit to Macchu Picchu on the bus up from Aguas Calientes, you can be at the gates right when they open at 5 a.m. and get a head start on most of the crowds—and the sunrise. And if you’re coming off a days-long hike on the Inca Trail, the spacious showers and plush robes will be the best you’ve ever experienced.

There are only 31 rooms here, some with terraces and mountain views but all with exquisitely comfortable beds and marble bathrooms. The light-filled restaurant—only open to guests—serves both international and Peruvian dishes, and the bar is a great place to enjoy a pisco sour after a day of exploring the ruins. If you really want to stay in style, consider arriving by the elegantly restored Belmond Hiram Bingham train from Cuzco—the hotel offers packages.

A year ago I had dinner at the Clifton, then under the supervision of Tucker Yoder. Mr. Yoder was elsewhere that evening, but I spent several hours at the “chef’s counter” in the kitchen, watching executive sous-chef Jarad Adams work his own delicious magic. Naturally Mr. Adams was meticulous with his food prep, but he was also surprisingly generous with his time for me. Imagine my delight when I returned this year to find Mr. Adams had been promoted to Executive Chef. On this visit, Mr. Adams’s tasting menu showed the same attention to detail as I remembered, but with a greater sense of adventure — even whimsy. From the amuse bouche (a spoonful of polenta topped with pork belly, apple, and a sprig of fennel) all the way through to the sticky toffee pudding with candied pecans, dates, and caramel ice cream for dessert, I was enchanted. The tasting menu consists of four courses and varies by the season. My first course was a toss-up between the butternut squash and apple soup and the shaved winter vegetable salad with hazelnuts, black cocoa, and a buttermilk dressing. I had no regrets about my choice of the salad, especially as butternut squash was the foundation of my next course: the most perfectly seared sea scallop I can remember. From there it was onto monkfish with beluga lentils, with Brussels sprout leaves dancing on top. Mr. Adams knows what he’s doing in the kitchen, and the Clifton — and Charlottesville — is lucky to have him.

The Museum of Glass is in Tacoma, about a half-hour away from Seattle, and it’s well worth the trip for art glass enthusiasts. The permanent collection includes some Chihuly pieces, work by 20th and 21st-century artists, and a charming collection of sculptural pieces interpreting children’s drawings. The temporary exhibits often feature a Northwest theme, and a theater features a rotation of short films about glass art. The real highlight of the museum, though, is the Hot Shop, where resident glassmakers and their assistants blow glass all day long for the entertainment of visitors. Often, their work is being filmed, and a narrator is on hand to explain what you’re seeing. You can walk all around the Hot Shop via overhead walkways, and photography is allowed throughout the museum, so it’s a great opportunity for photographers as well. The museum isn’t huge and takes only a couple of hours to go through, so it’s an ideal destination for a rainy afternoon. But don’t miss the striking outdoor art, like the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, outside the museum (free).

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!

This bowed silver building stands out among the skyscrapers of Downtown L.A. (though it now has an equally interesting-looking neighbor in the Broad). Those stainless-steel curves have a purpose, though. Architect Frank Gehry designed the Walt Disney Concert Hall with top-notch sound quality in mind, and the result is an architectural landmark that doubles as one of the most acoustically advanced concert halls in the world. The venue is home to the always impressive L.A. Philharmonic, a 100-piece orchestra that puts on concerts ranging from classical to jazz, contemporary, and world music throughout the year.