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Lesser-known ski fields are often run by clubs and have the benefit of thinner crowds and the opportunity for skiers and boarders to glide and carve where others haven’t. Rainbow Ski Area near Nelson on the South Island is great for boarders and offers lessons from novice to expert. Further south, Porters Ski Area outside Christchurch features such runs as the appropriately named Big Mama and other trails that cater to intermediate and advanced riders. In the North Island, try the Manganui Ski Area on Mount Taranaki for cheap no-frills skiing (meaning no gear rentals on-site). And on the eastern side of Mount Ruapehu, there’s the friendly club-run Tukino ski field, which is often open when the rest of the mountain is shrouded in clouds.

The 6km range of mountains jutting out on the Atlantic Coast of Table Mountain are known as the “Twelve Apostles”. The 18 peaks located between Camps Bay and Llandudno make for a very scenic route by which you can travel from Cape Town to Hout Bay. If you have time, continue on all the way down to the Cape Peninsula. The 12 Apostles Hotel, an exclusive, five-star property, is nestled in these mountains. Dine at the on-site restaurant, Azure, where approximately 95% of their ingredients are sourced from the Western Cape. If a meal or overnight stay is beyond the reach of your budget, you can always stop by for a drink or book a spot at their afternoon “Tea by the Sea”.

I love cheese. I also love goats. So when I learned of a dairy goat farm just outside of Durbuy, Belgium, open to the public, I had to visit. The Ozo Goat Farm consists of around 200 happy Alpine goats. They produce delicious cheeses available to purchase in the on-site cheese shop. The farm produces about 20 types of cheeses, both fresh and aged. The varieties of the soft cheeses include: cracked peppercorn, rose, chives, nuts and dried fruit. Seeing these goats relaxed and happy, not to mention friendly and eager for head scratches, was the icing on the cake. This is Belgian local produce at its best! More information at: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/07/chvrerie-dozo-goat-farm-durbuy-belgium/

Dongdaemun, the old East Gate of Seoul, has been the site of a market for generations. Today, the double-roofed stone arch no longer marks entry into the city, but the capital’s residents still come here to haggle over everything from shoes to plumbing supplies and electronics. Food is not left out of the equation; although large produce markets are not found immediately by the gate, roving merchants wheel seasonal fruit in and around the incessant traffic. As evening rush hour neared, this particular cart was almost empty of its offerings, and the vendor seemed ready for the day to end... To get there by subway: Line 2, exit Dongdaemun Stadium Station, or Line 1 or 4, exit Dongdaemun Station.

A step through Tío Pepe’s swinging saloon doors is a walk back in time indeed, to a classic cantina (dating to the 19th century) that, while skewing divey, harbors no ill will toward thirsty people of all stripes. Some regulars prefer to just stare into beer mugs, but you’ll also see mixed groups of colleagues from nearby offices popping in for attitude adjustments. Leave the haute mixology for another venue; but do take in the long, elaborate bar and whimsical beer-barrel light fixtures—something you just don’t get much anymore. Note that unlike many traditional cantinas, you’ll find zero food here, so BYO peanuts or potato chips if you’re feeling peckish.

Montauk State Park sits at the head of the Current River, where seven springs converge to form a breathtakingly beautiful area. The park is popular with anglers who come to fish for rainbow trout in the cool waters, but also offers ample opportunity for hiking, biking, and picnicking in shady groves. Visitors can even learn a bit of history during tours of the old gristmill, built in 1896 at the center of what was once a thriving community. For a relaxing day in nature, follow the locals to the river, where they float in canoes with coolers of cold drinks in tow, then spend the night at one of the modern campgrounds, rental cabins, or motel rooms that dot the park grounds.

Changuu Island, also known as Prison Island, is about a 30-minute boat ride from Stone Town. The water around the island is crystal-clear and cerulean blue, which makes snorkeling here hard to resist, but a visit also lets you gain an understanding of a grim period of Zanzibar history. In 1860, the small island was used as a prison for disobedient slaves. By 1893, construction of an actual prison complex was completed, but instead of housing prisoners, it was used to quarantine yellow fever cases. Nowadays, the island is home to some endangered Aldabra giant tortoises, given to the island in 1919 by the British governor of the Seychelles. Some of those original tortoises are supposedly still alive here to this day!

Few dishes exude more Swiss tradition than raclette. For more than 700 years, locals have been gorging on this smoky, often nutty cheese in mountain chalets across the country. For a deep dive into the dish’s history, head to tiny fromagerie La Tzoumaz, where Yohann Magnin works for four months every summer making the drool-inducing cheese. Visitors can watch the entire process, from swirling and heating the milk to packing the cheese into a mold, then venture into the back room to get a sense for the aging process (don’t forget to grab a sample). Magnin is the only cheesemaker in town and his factory sits opposite Maison de la Forêt (House of the Forest) as you enter the village from the valley.

The metal-and-glass ribbon structure of this Frank Gehry−designed hotel—not too far from Bilbao—creates an ethereal silhouette that contrasts dramatically with Elciego’s medieval landscape. Opt for a guided tour to learn more about the history of winemaking in the Basque countryside.

When someone tells me they’re traveling to Spain and looking for recommendations, San Sebastian (Donostia, in Basque) is my first thought for city destinations in the northern part of the country. It’s charming, beautiful, and steeped in history. Mount Urgull, the hill that stands on the right side of the bay, epitomizes all those characteristics in one easy to explore package. Mount Urgull is an easy walk from anywhere along the Promenade, and you can either walk up from Parte Vieja or walk around by the aquarium and the point to see views of the Bay of Biscay. I’ll recommend that you start with the second way and, coming back down, drop right into Parte Vieja. That way you get the best of both.

Pella is the place to put on your archaeology hat. There may be no triumphant temple remains or grand Roman roads here, but if you like history, Pella is one of Jordan’s most important archaeological sites. Excavations here reveal a staggering 6,000 years of continuous settlement from the Neolithic age right up to the 14th century. The scattering of ruins strewn across the hilltop include a Canaanite temple, Umayyad residential houses, and a Byzantine church (built over an earlier Roman structure) which are fun to poke around in. The real joy of a visit here, though, is the lonely, windswept setting amid the hills, where you’ll rarely encounter another visitor except maybe a shepherd grazing his sheep.

This funky boutique hotel on the edge of the Britomart shopping district goes way back in Auckland history. Built in 1841 as The Commercial Hotel, the DeBrett building survived two fires and two rebuilds plus a stint as a hostel before becoming the quirky place guests experience today. The Housebar has always been the center of hotel life, and today, the intimate wood-and-mint venue exudes its original art deco style and serves classic cocktails and local beers and wines alongside refined pub snacks.

In addition to restoring the bar and adding a glass-roofed atrium that houses the hotel restaurant, DeBretts Kitchen, the current owners affixed contemporary artwork and photography throughout and sheathed the entire building in candy-striped carpeting, custom designed from 100 percent New Zealand wool. Besides the carpet and small-batch minibar selections, no two rooms are the same. Each features unique furnishings from the 1930s on, and every bed has an original screenprinted throw. Two of Hotel DeBretts centerpieces, the chandelier and water sculpture in the restaurant, were crafted by Auckland artists from materials salvaged during the latest renovation. The result is a local experience from top to bottom that gives guests a real taste of New Zealand.

With his high-concept McCrady’s and his more rustic Husk—both in Charleston—chef Sean Brock transformed perceptions of Southern cooking from heavy, simple fare to a culinary tradition that is rich, complex, and filled with history. He worked with experts to resuscitate countless heirloom vegetables and grains lost to the agriculture industry, many of which reflect the region’s deep immigration roots (rice varieties from China; spices from Africa). He also changed the game with this simple rule: No ingredient north of the Mason-Dixon may enter the kitchen. Husk Nashville, which Brock opened in 2013, applies the same philosophy, but this time the menu is a nod to the bounty of inland Tennessee. In a 19th-century former residence in downtown Nashville, the James Beard Award–winning chef serves up his modern spin on classics such as pimento cheese, paired here with benne wafers, pickled jalapeños, and chipped beef. The Tennessee-raised pork prime rib, paired with cabbage, pecan butter, and molasses vinegar, is impossibly tender. Leave room for the vegetable plate, which highlights the best of the season’s produce.

Hungry hikers (known as hill walkers in Scotland) will find refuge at Monachyle Mhor, a 2,000-acre farm located deep in the middle of Trossachs National Park, just past the grave site of folk hero Rob Roy. The main draw of the 14-room pink farmhouse is the food: Chef-owner Tom Lewis, a rising star on the U.K. culinary scene, prepares meals sourced from the farm. The hotel also offers classes on baking bread and churning butter, and coordinates hunting trips and mushroom-foraging excursions. After a day exploring the land, retire to one of the comfortable rooms, equipped with fireplaces, steam rooms, and views of a loch.

In addition to providing a peaceful green space, this remarkable terraced garden near the Ponte Vecchio offers terrific views of the city. Its scale—much smaller than that of the Boboli Gardens—gives it a more intimate feel. In spite of its size, it includes an incredible diversity of garden styles. Climb the grand central staircase and wander from woodlands to an Anglo-Chinese garden, with fountains and sculptures in the mix, as well as visible fragments of the garden’s original medieval walls. The famed 19th-century art dealer Stefano Bardini lived in the Villa Mozzi (now the Villa Bardini) and it is his unique taste and vision that continues to shape this ornate attraction.