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The Cerro Alegre/Cerro Concepción neighborhood is wonderful for walking, with many promenades and terrific views of the bay. The hilly area still conveys the culture of the European immigrants, mostly German and British, who settled here in the 19th century. Visitors are often surprised by the non-Spanish influences in Valparaíso; street names, businesses and popular restaurants in this barrio bear testament to the multiplicity of cultures in the seaport.

On the banks of the river Zaan, time stopped three centuries ago at Zaanse Schans. In this recreation of a Dutch village in the 17th–18th centuries, stroll down streets lined with typical green wooden houses, manicured gardens and graceful bridges. Poke into tradesmen’s workshops, historic windmills and tiny boutiques. See how wooden clogs are made and watch pewter jewelry fashioned before your eyes. Discover how artisanal Dutch cheese is crafted and purchase a wheel of Gouda or Edam to take home. Refuel with coffee and apple pie in one of numerous restaurants within the village. Explore a few museums and round off your visit with a boat trip on the river. Although several museums at Zaanse Schans charge for admission, there’s no entry fee at the popular tourist attraction created by relocating houses, windmills, storehouses and barns to form a replica of a typical Zaanse village. Alongside clusters of windmills, characteristic wooden houses and unique shops, traditional Dutch crafts are showcased and the lifestyles of people who lived in Holland long before sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll entered the picture are revealed.

Restaurants abound in the heavily touristed Gothic Quarter, but few of them are particularly good. Irati is one of the exceptions, a bustling spot popular with locals thanks to its excellent pintxos, traditional Basque tapas served on bread and speared with a toothpick. There’s seating in the back, but you’re really here for the experience of eating pintxos, which means standing shoulder-to-shoulder at the bar and helping yourself to the buffet of bite-size offerings. A sure bet is the jamón, lightly drizzled in olive oil, and the blue cheese topped with quince paste and walnuts. Save room for the hot snacks, like ham-and-cheese croquetas, which are brought out at regular intervals from the kitchen. And don’t toss your toothpicks—that’s how the bill is tallied.

The resort town of Mondello, just a short drive from Palermo, is a popular escape for visitors and Sicilians alike. Cerulean waters lap a beach of soft white sand. Visitors staying in nearby villas spend much of their time relaxing on the beach, with occasional breaks for arancini and panelle bought from street vendors. For a serious meal, stroll down the pier to the Charleston, a landmark restaurant and bar in an Art Nouveau building over the water.

The place of choice to watch the sunset is the quarter of Little Venice—a clutch of balconied fishermen’s houses dressed in colorful paint and reflecting the waters of the sea beside them. Numerous charming tavernas live here, too, so it’s a great place to end up after a walk. The narrow alleys can get crowded when ships are docking, and the restaurants and bars sometimes overcharge, knowing they’re in an enviable location.

In 1923, the artist Jacques Majorelle acquired a four-acre plot of land just outside the center of Marrakech. Inspired by numerous travels around the country to paint scenes of village life, and funded by painting more illustrious portraits such as that of Pasha Thami el Glaoui, Majorelle was able to build a small studio and house, with enough land to indulge his other passion: ethnobotany. As his career grew, he added a splendid villa, and the garden took on a life of its own, featuring innumerable exotic species from around the world; he added pools and fountains, and, of course, the now iconic, eye-popping Majorelle blue that was lavished on the architecture. The property became so expensive to maintain that the artist was forced to open it to the public until his death in Paris in 1962. The garden gradually fell into a state of disrepair and was slated for development by a hotel chain until French designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé happened upon it during one of their many trips to the Red City. In 1980, they decided to buy it and restore it to its former glory, adding irrigation and doubling the number of plants and gardeners to look after it. They moved into the villa and set about transforming other buildings into what is now the legendary Berber Museum and a boutique. The latter is especially noteworthy for creative director Stephen di Renza’s commitment to reflecting Majorelle’s lesser-known passion for the decorative arts (which is manifest in the exquisite artisanal pieces, leather goods, and jewelry) and Saint Laurent’s inspired use of traditional Moroccan dress, such as the kaftan and djellaba, in haute couture fashion.

Located in historic downtown Williams, Arizona, just outside of Grand Canyon National Park, Red Raven Restaurant is cozy and casual with a brick exterior painted fire-engine red. The kitchen is small but sends out gourmet comfort food to diners seated in its high-ceilinged dining room. They tuck into dishes such as portabella and zucchini fries with a balsamic reduction sauce, broiled pork medallions topped with cilantro pesto and tempura-style broccolini, and a lamb and vegetable stew made with Guinness. Seating at this husband-and-wife–owned establishment is limited, so definitely call ahead.

Chef Michael Solomonov, a 2017 James Beard Award winner, presents his take on modern Israeli cuisine at this Society Hill destination. Zahav is the Hebrew word for “gold,” which is reflected in the beautiful golden decor of the restaurant. Menu highlights include the fabulous hummus, halloumi with strawberries and peas, and any of the mezes or small plates. Try the restaurant’s signature cocktail, the refreshing Lemonnana—Jim Beam, muddled mint, fresh lemon, and verbena—served by the glass or by the pitcher. Save room for dessert; the coffee custard is divine. The bar at Zahav is a popular weekday spot for happy hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Dinner reservations are a must.

Al Mahara, whose name means “the oyster shell,” has long been one of the most popular restaurants in Dubai’s renowned Burj Al Arab, the iconic hotel shaped like a sail out in the gulf waters. You reach the restaurant, on the hotel’s ground floor, by walking through a tunnel to emerge into a space with floor-to-ceiling glass walls. You’ll feel as if you’re in an aquarium, because those walls enclose countless colorful and exotic fish of all species. A new restaurant opens in this space in October 2016, and while the chef and even name will change—Britain’s Nathan Outlaw is behind the new seafood menu at the restaurant which will soon be known as Nathan Outlaw at Al Mahara—the aquarium will remain. After your meal, be sure to head up to the Skyview Bar on the 27th floor for jaw-dropping views of the gulf and the city.

Niçois chef Nicolas Rondelli has earned a Michelin star for this fine-dining restaurant by the sea. Reigning over a private beach with a view of the Lérins Islands in the distance, the kitchen honors the riches of waters below by serving line-caught fish from local fishermen, whose names occasionally appear on the menu. It’s not all fish—meat eaters will find entrées of pigeon, lamb, and beef. All vegetables are sourced from small local farms. Sailcloth canopies protect diners from the sun at lunch, and in the evening the stars twinkle above.

The same people who brought you the parrilla at La Carnicería are bringing you Chori. This restaurant, named after the term for choripán, which is essentially an Argentinean hot dog, is located in Palermo Soho in Buenos Aires. There’s no table service at this casual order-at-the-bar spot, instead, the attention is on the choripán, with five different chorizo sandwiches, one morcipán (blood sausage), and a vegetarian sandwich with eggplant.

Just north of the city center, Töölö was built in the 1920s in response to Helsinki’s explosive population growth and the result of the first-ever urban planning competition in Finland. Architect Gustaf Nyström’s winning design (which was later revised) established Nordic classicism, with wide main thoroughfares and imposing public buildings, as the prevailing style. Historically an upscale area, Töölö has been experiencing a renaissance of late with the opening of new cafés, restaurants, bookstores, galleries and fashionable shops.

While White House Bay is becoming more widely known since SALT Plage restaurant opened on its shores, it’s always had a reputation for offering the best snorkeling on St. Kitts. Off the rocky beach, you’ll find calm waters and two notable wrecks—a sunken tugboat and an 18th-century British troop ship—to explore. A popular anchorage, the beach also features a chic bar, making it a favorite of the yacht set.

This shop, down a tiny sunny alley off a sidestreet in Colonia Roma (Córdoba 67 interior 7), is like many other Mexico City’s shops that support women’s crafts collective, but it’s slightly different in that it carefully curates its inventory—made using the local traditional crafts of weaving, embroidery, jewelry-making—choosing only those pieces that complement a more modern lifestyle. Yes, that’s a traditional huipil, or pullover tunic, from Guerrero, but while this simple embroidered piece would work for your abuela, it would also look cool at your graphic design gig in LA. The shop has outlets at Hotel Condesa DF and its products are carried by stores in Puebla and Tulum.

First opened in 1893 as Grunewald Hotel, this historic building stretches an entire city block and has a storied past that’s equally expansive. The Roosevelt has played host to presidents and senators, duchesses and dignitaries, actors and actresses. Huey Long kept a suite here in the 1930s and could often be found propped up at the Sazerac Bar (where his go-to cocktail was the Ramos Gin Fizz). Entertainers from Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra to Tina Turner and Ray Charles have performed in the Blue Room.

A $145 million rehab, completed in 2009, restored the hotel to its former glory. Now part of the Waldorf Astoria Collection, the property combines the grandeur of yesteryear with all the trappings of a modern luxury hotel—including a lavish Waldorf Astoria Spa and a hip Italian eatery.