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You will likely see Bronzino’s famous portrait of Eleonora (or Eleanor) de Toledo, in the Uffizi, during your visit to Florence. The Spanish noblewoman who became the duchess of Florence in 1539 when she married Cosimo I de’ Medici was unusual for her time, playing an active role in politics and as a patron of the arts. Her patronage extended to garden design, in its infancy (at least in Europe) in the 16th century. Eleonora commissioned the Boboli Gardens behind the Pitti Palace as a green escape from the city; they continue to provide a retreat for travelers today.

Among the earliest examples of the formal compositions that would dominate garden design through the 20th century, the grounds are dotted with classical statues and fountains while straight axes run up and down the hillside with an apparent disregard for topography. A moment in design history can be experienced first hand here. There’s a feeling that the man who planned the gardens (Niccolò Tribolo) conceived a formal plan and then simply laid it atop the site. Principles of garden design were later to shape city planning. The allées of the Boboli Gardens were early models for grand boulevards leading the eye to distant monuments. One of the pleasures of gardens, however, is that you don’t need to know their histories to enjoy the flowers in bloom or the sounds of birdsong and splashing fountains.

For iconic hotels in Athens, there are multiple addresses to call into, including sister property King George next door, but the Grande Bretagne is the city’s grande dame. The King and dame share an unbeatable location on Syntagma Square, requisite views of the Acropolis, a long and storied guest list, and all the upscale comforts associated with a five-star hotel. The Grande Bretagne has a bit more old-world grandeur than boutique sophistication, with more gilded frames, heavy-luxe drapery, and antique furnishings. It also has a few added amenities: a health and beauty spa, the Winter Garden lounge for high tea with live piano music, and the pièce de résistance: a rooftop pool facing Lycabettus Hill. The rooftop restaurant is also top-notch, serving a new mediterranean menu of scallops and kimchi and grilled salmon with parsley root cream. Guests staying on the sixth and seventh floors may enjoy 24-hour butler service, and all guests can request a chef-prepared picnic to take along for a day of Athens sightseeing.

Bangkok’s most iconic site is a massive palace complex that served as the royal residence until 1925. Of its many buildings, the one with the most architectural interest is Chakri Mahaprasat. It was designed in 1882 by British architects, in a style that could be described as traditional Thai meets Italian Renaissance. Nearby is the 1784 Wat Phra Kaeo, or Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Thailand’s most sacred Buddhist place of worship. Go inside to see the Emerald Buddha, carved not of emerald but of semiprecious green stone, robed in gold and just 66 centimeters (26 inches) high.

Napoléon and his armies marched through it; revolutionaries and Nazis gathered beneath it; the Berlin Wall ran right behind: It’s safe to say that Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate, completed in 1791, has pretty much seen it all. Designed by Carl Gotthard Langhans, who drew inspiration from the entrance to the Acropolis in Athens, the gate is best approached via Unter den Linden, the tree-lined boulevard that runs between the gate and the former Royal Palace. You can combine a visit here with nearby sights such as the Reichstag, Tiergarten Park, and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Since 2016, an impressive high-tech museum at the gate has offered a history of the city through the perspective of the iconic structure.

The red brick building that houses DeSoto Central Market has lived many lives over the course of its 90-plus years—first as a car dealership, then an antiques shop, and at one point, an advertising firm. Today, the sprawling structure is a market and gathering space where locals go for oysters, burgers, Mexican-Asian fusion spreads, community events, and more. DeSoto is both a retail beacon to the modern-day consumer (there’s a cold-pressed juice bar and a kiosk selling ethically sourced stone jewelry, for instance) as well as a stunning reflection of Phoenix history, complete with exposed brick walls and rustic beams overhead.

Irena Kaštela, third-generation jewelry designer and store owner, is so incredibly personable that shopping here is like visiting friends. A block down the main street from the South Gate, her store might just have more international fans than the island itself. Shop here for unique pieces featuring semiprecious stones and, of course, coral.

Reykjavík’s Settlement Museum was established in 2001 after archaeological remains were discovered during an excavation. Said remains turned out to be the oldest relics of human habitation in the city, with some fragments dating to before 871 C.E. Today the museum has many of those finds on display, including the largest element from the historic haul, parts of a 10th-century longhouse, whose main hall and wall fragment form the focal point of a compelling exhibition about the nature of local life during Viking times. Mixing multimedia technology such as holographic dioramas with original artifacts from various excavations around the city (farming implements, sacrificial cow bones), the exhibition does a great job of bringing the Viking era to life.

Atop Cap Diamant (Cape Diamond), at the city’s highest point, the Citadelle overlooks Old Québec, the St. Lawrence River, and the Plains of Abraham. There have been defensive structures here as early as the French period—in fact, the location of Québec City was chosen because Samuel de Champlain saw the strategic advantages that Cap Diamant offered. The fortifications you see today, however, date to the 19th century: They were built after a failed attempt by Americans to conquer Québec City during the War of 1812. Students of World War II history may be familiar with the Citadelle as the site of the Québec Conferences, when Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Canada‘s prime minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King, met to plan their countries’ strategies during the war. The Citadelle is still an active military base; the museum inside is devoted to the 22nd Regiment, which makes its headquarters here.

This city is laid out in a grid system—seven streets by seven streets. Although established in 1751, Frederiksted was rebuilt in 1878 in a Victorian gingerbread style following a great fire due to a labor revolt. St. Patrick’s church, which was constructed in the 1840s, is an impressive sight. Other buildings of note include the Customs House and the eponymous fort. Steps from the pier, Frederiksted Beach has chair, umbrella and paddleboard rentals.

From its beachfront locale to the sweeping terraces and sliding-glass doors, everything about this hotel is aimed at maximizing views of Bali’s most sought-after shoreline. Local stone and wood put an Indonesian twist on the resort’s Thai design, which incorporates a dark-wood color scheme, a mini waterfall, and lattice screens. The hotel offers one-of-a-kind experiences, including special-occasion dinners on the beach and spice-infused cooking tours that introduce guests to regional flavors (don’t miss Spice Spoons, in which you’ll sample exotic fruit and other local ingredients, or the seaside Indonesian cooking class with a master chef). Bustling Seminyak lures travelers to its restaurants, bars, and nightclubs—often early into the morning—but Anantara’s spacious sundecks, refreshing pools, traditional spa suites, and umbrella-shaded beach chairs are waiting to revive you the next day.

You don’t have to play golf to enjoy the Innisbrook Golf Resort located in Palm Harbor, Florida about 30 minutes northwest of Tampa International Airport, Innisbrook is a respected golf club with four golf courses, driving range, and golf school, But for members and non-members alike there is more to enjoy at Innisbrook than playing the back nine. There is full-service resort at Innisbrook. . There are 600 units (studio to 2 bedroom, with fully equipped kitchens) spread out over the resort in clusters of low-key two and three story buildings designed to merge into the natural surroundings of large oaks, palms, landscaped grounds, and golf courses. There are six restaurants,cafes, and bars. Packard’s Steakhouse specializes in premium beef steaks and seafood including local Grouper in season. There are six pools including the Loch Ness pool which is a family-oriented pool complete with sandy beach, shallow play areas, slides, and a waterfall. There is the luxurious and rejuvenating full-service Salamander Spa and adjacent Fitness Center. There are 11 clay tennis courts. If you forget your tennis gear, you can rent it. If you don’t have a partner, the resort has a pool of members who will gladly come play with you. There are paths throughout the 900 acres of the resort perfect for jogging, walking, and biking. Didn’t bring your bike? There are bike and surreys for rent. Lake Innisbrook is stocked with fish and fishing equipment is available to rent. Catch a bass? One of the restaurants will cook it up for you for dinner. The resort provides shuttles to nearby attractions including the beaches of Honeymoon Island. The Salamander Spa and Packard’s Steakhouse restaurant are open to guests from outside the resort with prior reservations.

I walked into my hotel room and there on the bed was my personal invitation to rock. I picked up the turquoise blue and white Fender Telecaster (already plugged into a floor amp and head phones), strummed a few chords and in a flash I was Joan Jett: Live and In Concert! Hard Rock Hotels are all about comfort, excitement, relaxation, and most definitely about the music. Their latest experience offering is the AMPLIFIED package born from their deep connection and commitment to music especially rock and roll. The experience is available at all 23 Hard Rock Hotels worldwide. As part of the package, guests pre-reserve a guitar out of a collection of Fender telecasters, starcasters, stratocasters, and jazz bass guitars. The guitar is guaranteed to be in the room ready to play when guests arrive. To add to the music experience, AMPLIFIED guests are given a VIP behind-the-scenes tour of the extensive music memorabilia collection within the hotel which is part of the Hard Rock collection, the largest music memorabilia collection in the world. Each guest also receives a limited edition “I Got Plugged in @ Hard Rocks Hotels” hat and collectible pin. At the HRH Orlando, after rocking with their Fender guitar, guests are just a short 5-minute walk from Universal Studios/Island of Adventure where all HRH guests are entitled to early admission and an express fast pass on theme park rides. When it’s time to relax, the HRH Universal Orlando offers a palm-lined pool and oasis-like rooms perfect to recharge in for the next round of fun whether that is checking out the music scene at nearby CityWalk, dinner at The Palms located within the hotel, or a bit more rockin’ on the Fender.

This airy poolside restaurant serves up Curaçao classics like iguana soup, goat stew, and fried funchi, a crispy (and addictive) polenta. But the menu has something for even the pickiest of travelers. In the mood for a regular ol’ burger? Rancho El Sobrino offers one of the best on the island. Can’t get enough fajitas, like Michael from The Office? You’ve got four varieties to choose from here, including a veggie option. After your meal, stroll through the adjacent garden or order your favorite cocktail from the veranda bar—and gaze up: You’ll see a bed frame hanging from the wooden ceiling. Because why not?

Nothing is a more powerful symbol of the City of Light than the Eiffel Tower. Designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 Paris Exposition, it’s one of the world’s most-visited monuments, with nearly 7 million people ascending the 1,062-foot wrought-iron structure each year. Glass elevators spirit you to the top—hardy souls can take the stairs part of way—where in addition to unparalleled panoramic views of Paris, you can toast your arrival with a glass of bubbly at the Champagne bar. Evenings there’s a grand light show: every hour on the hour, the tower sparkles for five minutes with 20,000 bulbs.

Founded in 1838, Amsterdam’s zoo, just east of the Canal Ring, is one of the oldest in Europe, with a parklike setting that also houses an aquarium and planetarium (entrance to both is included in the price of admission). The grounds, while not large, are home to around 700 species, including giraffes, gorillas, penguins, pelicans, sloths, and reindeer. A highlight is Lemur Island, where the freely roaming long-tailed creatures scurry and hop all around you. The zoo also recently updated its Asian elephant and jaguar enclosures. The aquarium, which dates from 1882, was fully renovated in 1997 and counts tropical fish, sharks, and sea horses among its residents; it also boasts an underwater scene of a typical Amsterdam canal, complete with a sunken bicycle.