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Until Toronto hosted the 2015 Pan Am Games, City Hall—two curved modernist office towers that look like a pair of parentheses surrounding a period—lacked tourist allure. But enter a photogenic, rainbow-hued, eye-catching TORONTO sign, and voilà! A star was born. Found in the square directly in front of City Hall, the illuminated sign, originally meant to be a temporary attraction, has become one of the city’s most photographed structures, along with the CN Tower. The sign’s O’s, in particular, are popular with canoodling couples.

Playa del Carmen’s winning charm emerges all along this wide pedestrian avenue, which runs parallel to the beach. Eateries here include everything from cheap fast food like Pizza Renzo to upscale restaurants and cafes; the best people-watching is from outdoor seating at the sports bar Tequila Barrel or Chez Céline bakery. The shopping scene offers international luxury brands side by side souvenir shops, but the most interesting Mexican handicrafts await at boutiques like Sin Pecado and Sol Jaguar. Since this part of town has little shade, it’s best to avoid the midday sun; instead, try an early-morning visit with some streetside coffee in hand, then revisit at sunset to kick off an evening of dining, shopping, and bar-hopping.

Two architectural wonders helped put Dubai on the map: the Burj Al Arab hotel, which resembles the sail of a ship out on the gulf waters, and the Palm Jumeirah, a residential development on a manmade archipelago that fans out in the shape of a huge palm tree. But in 2010, the sleek Burj Khalifa stole their thunder. Now the world’s tallest structure, the tower soars 830 meters (2,722 feet) into the sky. Visitors can zoom by elevator up to the 124th floor to experience incredible views and explore interactive displays on Dubai’s history and the tale behind the building of this futuristic marvel. Another observation deck is even higher, on the 148th floor.

With over 20 lakes, Minneapolis is truly a water city—which is roughly what its name means in the Dakota language of the area’s original American Indian inhabitants. The 1555-acre Chain of Lakes district highlights the best of this water-filled landscape. From the active water and ice sports of expansive Lake Calhoun to the more leisurely picturesque shoreline of Lake Harriet, each lake glistens with its own unique personality.

Looking like the graph of a boom-and-bust financial market, the Riverside Museum’s jagged tooth–like facade, designed by the late Iraqi-British “starchitect” Zaha Hadid, is an iconic bit of development on the banks of the River Clyde. Inside, you’ll find Glasgow’s extensive collection of all things related to transportation, from skateboards and locomotives to prams, cars, and an Imperial Stormtrooper. Wander through the interactive displays to visit city shops, bars, and subway stops, then climb aboard a train, tram, or bus and get a feel for old public transportation. Visitors can also discover Glasgow’s rich shipbuilding history, explore the car and motorbike walls, and help put out a blaze with an interactive fire engine. Before leaving, head outdoors to the quayside to see the Tall Ship Glenlee—one of only five Clyde-built sailing ships that’s still afloat.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985, the Jardin Menara was created in the mid-12th century by the Almohad dynasty. Since then, its gardens have been added to and embellished by varying degrees for other sultans but always centered around a huge, flat reflecting pool, which captures the Atlas Mountains in the most sensational way on a clear day and forms the focus of a space that covers nearly 250 acres. An elegant pavilion was installed during the Saadian rule of the 18th century and proved a popular summer escape from the heat among city dignitaries. Unlike other, more formal gardens of the city, Menara’s vast olive groves, orange orchards, and cypresses feel more natural and create a true escape from the fray. Although extremely popular with picnicking Moroccan families in the afternoons, the place is blessedly free of tourists and a lovely, peaceful place for a stroll.

Go shopping at Villagio Mall, an opulent Venetian-style shopping mall traversed by water canals and a fleet of gondolas offering rides to the shoppers. The Mall is inconspicuously partitioned into two sections: one geared to cater to middle class patrons which resembles an elegant shopping mall in the USA, and the exclusive side with high-end boutiques (Cavalli, Roles, Versace, Louis Vuitton, etc), French restaurants and designer jewelries, all under a lavish glass dome and flanked by balconies evocative of an old Italian town.

Deep in Berlin‘s Grunewald Forest, Teufelsberg (literally, Devil’s Mountain; the name comes from the nearby Teufelssee, or Devil’s Lake) was once the site of a Nazi technology college. After the war, it was decided that the school would be buried beneath rubble and debris left in the city after the war, and the resulting man-made hill rose to more than 300 feet; during the cold war, American troops built a base on top from which to spy on East Germany. Since the wall fell, the base’s radar domes have become graffiti-spattered ruins and a haunting pilgrimage for urban explorers, street-art fans, and those seeking great views over the Grunewald and the Havel River. The hill is also used as a ski slope and sled run in winter; paragliding aficionados and picnickers enjoy it in summer. The website has official tour options.

The Botanical Garden was established in 1600, but moved a few times before settling on its current central site in 1870. The beautiful grounds are particularly noteworthy for the extensive complex of historical glasshouses. There are 27 in total, ranging from the grand Palm House that dates from 1874 to a specially cooled greenhouse used for growing arctic plants. It’s very much a working garden, used for scientific research, but for visitors it’s a beautiful—and free—spot to spend an afternoon.

For ages, Manhattan’s Midtown East was a wasteland as far as great coffee was concerned, with options limited to drips from delis, Starbucks, or Dunkin’ Donuts. Then Pennylane opened on an unassuming side street about a block from the United Nations, and the upscale coffee shop became a hotspot for diplomats and UN employees, upping the ante for coffee in this neighborhood. You won’t see the cafe’s name outside; only a sign with philosophical sayings that change daily will signal you to the artfully pulled espresso drinks waiting inside. A limited selection of Bien Cuit pastries is available, as are only a few seats and decent WiFi.

A devastating fire on April 15, 2019, has closed the interior of the cathedral to visitors. Plans to rebuild and reopen the structure are being made, but at present, visitors are not allowed near the site.
For a first-time visitor to Notre Dame, investing in the audio guide is essential to understand this overwhelmingly significant Paris icon. There’s a lot to see and absorb—history, architecture, artifacts, theology—and the audio guide gives a much-needed sense of direction and context. Even without spiritual ties, the awe-inspiring grandeur of the cathedral is not to be missed from every angle—tour the naves, stroll around the entirety of the exterior, take in the city from the top of the towers, walk along Quai de Montebello to view it from across the water, or admire it from a river cruise down the Seine. The Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris is everything everyone says it is and more.

As you enter Barcelona‘s famous Mercat de Sant Josep de La Boqueria from La Rambla, one of the first stalls you encounter is Tocineria Marcos, purveyors of Iberico ham and a stunning array of other cured, cooked, and fresh meats. It’s just one of the dazzling displays of delicacies in this, the most famous of Barcelona‘s 40 or so food markets. (Another favorite, and slightly less touristed, is the beautifully remodeled Mercat de Santa Caterina, short walk away.) La Boqueria dates back to 1217; a pig market was conducted here starting in 1470; and the current metal roof was built in 1914. There’s no better place to shop for a taste of Catalan culture.

If the formal name of this temple—Sri Sri Radha Vrindavanchanda—is too difficult to pronounce, just say ISKCON. That’s short for “International Society for Krishna Consciousness,” which you’re more likely to know as the Hare Krishna. Inside, the temple is decorated with statues and images of Lord Krishna, with vivid pops of color everywhere. Outside, visitors who have worked up an appetite can get sated with South Indian street food thanks to a number of vendors in the nearby park.

Kiyomizu-dera on Mount Otowa is one of the most famous temples in Japan, a place that appears in every sequence of Japanese travel photos. The landscape is all cherry trees and forest; it is among Kyoto‘s loveliest spots. The current structure dates to 1633 and is one of 33 temples on a pilgrimage circuit in the Kansai region dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy. The circuit runs from the south of Wakayama north to the Sea of Japan. You’ll see pilgrims carrying nokyo-cho—books stamped to record the visit—and monks busily inscribing in calligraphy. The temple, set against a steep hill and constructed on huge pilings, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Toby’s Estate Coffee has several outposts around the city, but a favorite is their Flatiron Espresso bar on Fifth Avenue. In addition to being surrounded by plenty of shops (and a stone’s throw from Eataly), it shares space with a branch of Strand Books and Club Monaco‘s flagship store. The cafe’s own space is small and doesn’t invite lingering, so grab your latte or espresso to go and head for nearby Madison Square Park, which is known, among other things, for its ambitious public art program.