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The Place Royale in the Lower Town is a modest cobblestoned square lined with some souvenir shops and restaurants, in restored buildings that span the 17th to 19th centuries, as well as Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, which dates from 1688 (making it the oldest stone church in North America). While it may be small in scale, it looms large in terms of its symbolism: This is where Quebec City was founded, in 1608, so it’s a symbolic heart not just of the city but of the province. The church, which sits in the middle of the square, has been rebuilt several times over the past three centuries; its interior has been extensively restored in recent decades to bring it closer to its original French colonial character. On the north side of the square, the Musée de la Place-Royale covers the long history of the square and its inhabitants, beginning with Samuel de Champlain.

Located about an hour northeast from Reykjavík and part of the famed Golden Circle tour (along with Gullfoss), the Geysir hot springs area consists of around a dozen hot water blowholes, including the eponymous Geysir. The Strokkur blowhole is the most popular, principally because it regularly (every few minutes, usually) spouts its boiling water up to 100 feet into the air. It’s still worth looking around at the other pools, even if they haven’t erupted for years or even decades, since they usually offer interesting colors and bubbling geothermal activity. The site also has a hotel, souvenir shop, café, and a related exhibition.

Founded nearly 50 years ago, the elegant Rang Mahal offers fine dining with prices to match—a bowl of cauliflower soup runs S$20, and it’s S$40 for a plate of chicken tikka. (The lunch buffet available Sundays through Fridays is more reasonably priced.) Choose from a menu of North and South Indian favorites, from lamb kebabs to tandoori chicken or salmon, as well as paneer, the Indian cheese. There’s raarha gosht, lamb chunks in a spicy gravy, and Kadhai prawns, which are stir-fried with roasted coriander seeds and Kashmiri chilies. Vegetarian highlights are avocado kebabs, dals, and delicious dishes like clove-smoked eggplant. Rice dishes, Indian breads—including puffed-up phulkas—and classic desserts (sticky-sweet jalebi and soft spongy ras malai) round out the feast.

Just south of Termini train station and Piazza Vittorio, Trattoria da Danilo is easily overlooked as another typical Roman trattoria—and hence its charm. Rustic wooden furniture and framed photos of local celebs converge to reveal the real scene: The city’s best cucina romana, with a menu of classics like carbonara, cacio e pepe, gricia, trippa, abbacchio, and bacala. Some seasonal surprises include a mind-blowing carbonara estiva (summertime carbonara). Unpretentious and reliably delicious, Da Danilo is the Roman restaurant you’ve been waiting for.

The colorful Po Lin Monastery was built more than a century ago in the secluded mountains of Lantau Island. In 1993, the 112-foot-high bronze Tian Tan Buddha, also known as the Big Buddha, was erected to face the monastery and north toward the Chinese people of the mainland. Since then, Po Lin has been on the tourism map. Seated on a lotus flower and with a raised hand delivering a blessing to visitors, the Buddha welcomes visitors to climb the 268-step base to share some expansive mountain and sea views. Have a walk through the grounds of the monastery, which include the new Grand Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas and a popular vegetarian restaurant. Though you can take a bus, train, or taxi, the 3.5-mile Ngong Ping cable car is a thrilling way to get there.

Praia da Luz is about a 10 minute drive from Lagos. After ancient historic times passed, it was a little fishing village. In the 15th & 16th centuries, there was a large sardine fishing industry in the area of Praia da Luz beach. As I walked along the promenade in front of the beach, I appreciated the low rise development of the area. The view was of the beach, the walkways, the sea, and the palm trees. There are shops, restaurants, cafes, and the beach sheltered under the “Black Rock”. Market and artists’ stalls are prominent. Behind a gate near the Galley Restaurant, there are Roman ruins of a Roman spa and fish salting tanks. At the beach there is horse riding, kayaking, surfing, swimming, and diving. In the village, you can sign up for ballooning or golf. The village has it all: accommodations, shops, a church, and a bank or two. If you are interested in walking and hiking, you can take the trail three km. east to Porto do Mos Beach (Lagos). If you want to view the fantastic Ponta da Piedade, you will walk another five km. (If you want to return to Praia da Luz there is a bus). The Lagos Zoo is a short drive from Praia da Luz. The zoo has small animals and many birds. A stay at Praia da Luz would be a good choice in the Algarve. Or it is a great day trip from Lagos. We enjoyed the day trip with a delicious dinner on the beach at sunset. Info:www.praia-da-luz.com

Centrally located in Stockholm, the King’s Garden is a lively urban garden/park/plaza that connects the harbor with one of Stockholm’s main shopping districts. It contains a series of “outdoor rooms” including a formal entrance, fountain with planting parterres, stage for performances, a lawn area (was that artificial turf?) and a plaza with a sunken pool surrounded by steps ideal for people watching, oddly focused on a TGI Friday’s Restaurant as a focal point. There is lots to do here and this popular space is bordered by restaurants, galleries, cafes and night clubs. The King’s Garden has been dubbed “Stockholm’s outdoor living room” and there is a full schedule of concerts and performances throughout the summer (when I visited) as well as an ice skating rink in the winter.

Japan has some of the fastest, most reliable trains in the world. One measure of how much locals appreciate them is the glee in kids’ faces when a Shinkansen glides past their commuter train. Or they line up in front of the sloped nose of a parked bullet train for a photo before taking off on a trip. That excitement has naturally created a market for train souvenirs. You can find socks, shoes, even chopsticks shaped like any number of specific Shinkansen trains. Local train lines also sell their own branded train gear across Japan. The Shinkansen souvenirs are all over Tokyo Station, but a big cluster of them can be found near the underground Yaesu central exit. Leave the turnstiles, and the omiyage shop is immediately on the left.

In 2016, Ace added another link to its chain of ultracool hotels when it opened an outpost in a renovated 1928 building in the Central Business District of New Orleans. While the Ace employees here are just as edgy as their counterparts elsewhere, they temper that cool with the warm ease of New Orleans’s locals.

Guests enter the hotel through a lobby of mismatched low-slung sofas and vintage coffee tables set in conversation-friendly groupings beside a lovely and ornate wooden bar. Most of the furnishings and artwork complement the hotel’s dominant forest green hue, which itself seems to have been inspired by the color of the streetcars that trundle past on Carondelet Street. Afternoon and evening and late at night, the lobby bar is kept busy by hotel guests as well as a stream of others drawn here by the stylish vibe.

The former residence of Würzburg’s prince-bishops, this UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the most important Baroque palaces in Europe. It was—remarkably, given its scale and level of detail both inside and out—built almost entirely within a single generation. Court architect Balthasar Neumann oversaw the construction, while leading architects from Germany and France created the fabulous ornamentation. Woodcarvers, sculptors, and artists from Italy—including Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, regarded as one of the greatest fresco painters of the 18th century—also contributed to the design.

Rebuilt after World War II, the palace now features a bevy of architectural styles, from German and Viennese Baroque to French château. Inside, the White, Imperial, and Garden halls are can’t-miss attractions, as are the grand staircase and ceiling fresco by Tiepolo and the Mirror Cabinet. Before leaving, be sure to take a walk in the court gardens, which feature fountains, charming yew trees, and a group of cherub statues by Johann Peter Wagner.

La Virgen de Guadalupe-Our Lady of Guadalupe–is revered by Mexicans, and her image is ubiquitous, found in every form imaginable, from traditional statues to bumper stickers. She also lends her name to any number of businesses and buildings, including the Basilica to which faithful flock–many on their knees or carrying crosses–each December 12. The arrival of the pilgrims is a sight to behold, but so is the basilica, an architectural marvel, which you can visit any time of the year. Completed in 1976, the present basilica is not the first one to have sat on this site; an older one, which needed to be replaced because it was sinking, remains on the grounds and is open to the public after renovation and rehabilitation. The principal architect, Pedro Ramiréz Vázquez, who died in 2013, is responsible for some of the most compelling modern buildings in Mexico City, including Estadio Azteca and the National Anthropology Museum, as well as a number of buildings throughout the country and abroad.

There’s more to the Botanical Gardens in Denver than just the pretty face of its landscaped grounds and beautiful flowers. It’s also a world-class research center with a mission to connect people with plants (especially the plants endemic to the Rocky Mountains) and to encourage understanding of the ecosystems in which they thrive. The 23-acre location on York Street has a variety of gardens (many based on typically western climates like mountains and plains), popular exhibits, and a shop; it additionally hosts a summer concert series and nighttime events. The institution’s second main location, at Chatfield Farms on the southwest edge of greater Denver, focuses on native flora and agriculture; there’s a working farm on its 700 acres. Both spots offer extensive educational opportunities as well as incredible events like York Street’s Blossoms of Light holiday show.

Just 25 minutes from Cancún’s international airport is Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa, surrounded by 200 acres of preserved jungle. Guests here still enjoy direct access to the Caribbean Sea and its powdery, white-sand beach, as well as to a wide variety of physical fitness and wellness activities and services. Rooms are generous in size and are filled with sunlight, let in through large windows. Tile floors and design accents—throw pillows and furniture, for instance—have an earthy color palette. Many rooms feature indigenous artwork and handmade furniture. Though it might be tempting to stay within the confines of the resort, the area is home to a number of worthwhile attractions, including the Maya site of Tulum and a biosphere reserve; the concierge can provide information about both, as well as tips for guided excursions and reputable outfitters.

One of Montréal’s most iconic landmarks was designed by an American, R. Buckminster Fuller. The Biosphere, an enormous geodesic dome, sits in Parc Jean-Drapeau on St. Helen’s Island in the St. Lawrence River. Now considered one of the most important examples of futuristic architecture of its period, it was originally built as the U.S. Pavilion for Expo 67, the world’s fair that took place in Montréal in 1967. It quickly proved to be one of the most popular attractions of the event. An acrylic skin originally covered the building, but that was destroyed in a fire in 1976 and never restored. The skeleton building remained intact, however, and it is arguably even more dramatic and elegant than before the fire. Today the Biosphere houses a kid-friendly Environment Museum, with interactive displays that introduce environmental concepts and address the issue of climate change.

A good start to your visit to Québec City is a stop at the Observatoire de la Capitale, just past the Parliament Building. The observation deck on the 31st floor of the Marie-Guyart Building stands 725 feet high and offers 360-degree views of the city. From here, the highest building in the city, you can get a sense of the lay of the land—Old Québec jutting out into the St. Lawrence River, Cap Diamant to its south, the Louise Basin marina and St. Charles River to its north. New signage added in 2016 provides cultural, economic, and historical background on the sights below. After you have surveyed the city, descend and explore it on foot.