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St. Vincent is home to several volcanic beaches, with dark, sometimes black, sand that’s especially striking against the pounding Atlantic surf on the island’s east coast. The Grenadines, on the other hand, have soft, white-sand beaches, surrounded by aquamarine, turquoise, and deep-blue waters.

A trip through Austin’s shops and boutiques will send you home laden down with great vinyl, used and new books, and top-notch vintage western wear, but you may be surprised by local designers, too, showing off their stuff, from fashion to housewares.

Jordan is home to a lot more than epic historic sites. Lesser-known but definitely deserving of wider exposure is the country’s collection of nature reserves, where you can splash through rivers, find oryx in the desert, go bird-watching in hidden green oases, or even hike through canyons on the back route to Petra.

Lisbon contains all of the usual international brands, especially along Avenida da Liberdade, but it is also said to be the least expensive of the major European cities. If you seek authentic souvenirs and goods, you’ll find unique local wares in the Feira da Ladra flea market or the shops of the central Bairro Alto district. Bring home jewelry, wine, cork products, leather, or traditional Portuguese delicacies.

Provence may be known for its sleepy villages, Roman ruins, and endless fields of lavender, but it’s also home to Europe’s Grand Canyon, a famed antique market, and a moving Holocaust memorial. Come for the impressive restaurants and delightful hotels, stay for the truffle hunts, cooking classes, and small-but-mighty museums.

The county of Fife and the northeastern district of Angus are both a short distance from Edinburgh. Fife boasts royal connections and the iconic St Andrews Links, while Angus is home to the up-and-coming city of Dundee, which has recently emerged from its postindustrial strife to become a hub of innovative art and design.

Alternative new venues underscore Hanoi’s status as the nation’s capital of understated hip. Hanoi has pop-up cafés in the homes of artists, cafés that strike the right balance between quality coffee and youthful atmosphere. Also, tucked-away you will find Hanoi’s bars and music venues purveying heady cocktails, and soundtracks covering all bases from Thai funk to hip-hop beats sampled from scratchy vintage Vietnamese records.

Known for its pink-sand beaches, pastel cottages, and rum swizzles, Bermuda is also home to some of the best hotels in the world. From a sleek glass box overlooking the Atlantic Ocean to a colonial-era manor nestled within lush gardens, the selection here is rich with possibilities.

Scottsdale has been a resort destination since the 1920s when painter Jessie Benton Evans turned her adobe home into a tearoom and guesthouse known as the Jokake Inn. You’ll find many of the world’s big-name brands here, along with a collection of smaller, independently owned properties.

Home to stunning parks, wilderness areas, and national forests, Southern Utah offers an otherworldly landscape for the adventurous traveler to explore. In every season, this dramatically beautiful part of the world will leave you breathless.

With designer boutiques offering leather, jewelry, fanciful underthings, and stylish menswear, and housewares stores with ultra-hip designs for the home, and shops and markets hawking antiques, vintage goods, and wine, you’ll be spoiled for choice in Buenos Aires.

A trip to Dubai can feel like a visit to another century. Or even another planet. From futuristic architecture to indoor skiing to camel races to stunning Arabian Sea beaches, Dubai offers lots of distinctive sights and activities.

Founder’s Note: Uncommon Travels

St. John is the least developed and most sparsely populated of the three main islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands. That’s not surprising, since more than half its land is protected as a U.S. National Park. Most visitors reach St. John by ferry from St. Thomas, landing at the dock in Cruz Bay, St. John’s main settlement. A village with only a few thousand residents, Cruz Bay has gained a reputation as an upscale retreat for movie stars and other high-profile people looking for a secluded getaway.

It all started back in 1956, when businessman and conservationist Laurance Rockefeller, who had bought extensive land holdings on St. John, opened the low-key but luxurious Caneel Bay Resort. It’s still going strong, and visitors can stop in for lunch and a swim in the beautiful bay. Rockefeller later donated much of his estate to the national park.

Snorkelers should make time for an underwater tour in Trunk Bay, where the National Park Service maintains a submarine snorkeling trail. And no sightseeing drive around the island is complete without a stop to see the fabulous panoramic view from the Bordeaux Mountain Overlook. Back in the town, the boutiques at Mongoose Junction offer one-of-a-kind souvenirs, while Cruz Bay Landing is a perfect spot to grab lunch and drinks.

Zurich’s first permanent covered market opened in 2010 in the Im Viadukt, marked by its striking century-old stone arches. At the market’s heart is this bustling restaurant, which offers a menu of homey meat-centric dishes like its signature veal meatballs.