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Frolicking in a lavender field delivers that quintessential pinch-me-I’m-in-Provence sensation, and the next best thing may be browsing the area’s flower markets. Consider the stalls that pop up a few mornings a week in the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville in Aix-en-Provence, the town where Paul Cézanne painted and M.F.K. Fisher wrote. It’s a true pleasure—and reminder you’ve escaped your everyday routine—to slow down in admiration of the sunflowers, lilies, poppies, and other fresh flowers for sale.

The São Pedro de Alcântara lookout may not be Lisbon’s highest viewpoint—that honor goes to the Nossa Senhora do Monte lookout—but it’s certainly its most romantic, offering panoramas of the city’s signature fortress, Castelo de São Jorge, perched ominously on the opposite hillside. In addition to the vista itself, the area offers pleasant gardens, which are perfect for lazing about, and a kiosk that regularly hosts jazz and other live entertainment. Come here at sunset and enjoy a sundowner as the city lights up below, then head to nearby neighborhoods Bairro Alto or Príncipe Real for a night on the town.

Cañón de la Zorra (Fox Canyon) and its 40-foot waterfall are just north of Santiago, a sleepy yet charming colonial-style town 35 miles north of San José del Cabo, across the Tropic of Cancer. The hike to the waterfall takes you through oases with endemic plants and gives you glimpses into a Baja outback that existed before the region became a popular tourism destination. There’s a great area for swimming as you admire the waterfall and multicolored granite cliffs. Tip: On your trip back to Los Cabos, stop by the Agua Caliente, Santa Rita, and El Chorro hot springs about five miles south of Santiago.

Tastee and Juicy may be the two most popular brands of Jamaican patties, but one definitely should not miss out on the super premium patties on offer at Devon House Bakery. Set on the grounds of the historic Kingston mansion, just a few minutes from such notable area hotels as the Courtleigh, Jamaica Pegasus, and the Knutsford Court, Devon House Bakery espouses some serious Old World cafe charm. A fine selection of sinful sweets – brownies, butter cookies, cakes, muffins – awaits inside. So too does one of the most amazing Jamaican patties I’ve ever tried. Options go well beyond the usual beef with fish, pork, shrimp, and lobster elevating the typical Jamaican patty to new heights. The best choice, though, is the curry goat. Spicy and succulent, the Devon House goat patty melts in your mouth while warming your soul. Pure, delicious niceness and most certainly the very best Jamaican patty I’ve ever had. Don’t miss it!

Santa Monica is built for strolling, with groomed dirt paths along the coastal cliffs, a well-kept boardwalk and beaches, and a pedestrian promenade packed with stores and brand names. After hours on your feet, seek respite in one of the many restaurants or cafés—or for a real respite, a guided meditation class at one of the area’s studios.

The Maya Beach Hotel’s bistro is hands down one of the best restaurants in Belize—in fact, it’s been named Belize‘s restaurant of the year not once but twice. The food is a French spin on traditional Belizean fare, and the outdoor seating area is right on the beach, just steps from the Caribbean Sea. Order the coconut shrimp (served with a spicy mango sauce) and the roasted pumpkin-coconut-green chili soup to start, and lobster grilled cheese (with cheddar, brie, and brunoise) or layered veggies (roasted potatoes, onions, and plantains with a tomato vinaigrette and jalapeño-tofu aioli) for a main course.

Hands down the best place to stay in Mexico City’s Centro Histórico is the aptly named Downtown. Located inside a restored 17th-century casona (mansion), the hotel shares its property with a select group of Mexican businesses, including a chocolate boutique and a mezcal bar, as well as restaurants, cafes, and fashion and jewelry ateliers. Appropriately, rooms evoke a bygone era, with low lighting, brick ceilings, and tile floors somewhat reminiscent of a monastery. Amenities are spare but select (C.O. Bigelow toiletries, for starters), and service is unobtrusive but attentive. After a day spent exploring the city, head to the rooftop pool and bar, where you can sunbathe on a bright yellow chaise lounge or sit under an oversized umbrella while waiting for your cocktail to arrive.

Built in 1857, this historic, wood-beamed pavilion enjoys a park-like setting right on the beach. Folding French doors create the feel of open-air dining, and the simple but satisfying menu (salmon, filet mignon, duck breast, and burgers) gives you the impression that you’re dining at your own private club. One of the west shore’s most photographed locations, the outdoor bar at Chambers is also one of the area’s biggest party spots on summer weekends. Arrive by boat or car, but if you’re the designated driver, steer clear of the infamous Chambers Punch, a lethal concoction of rum, orange juice, and pineapple juice. Note: The restaurant is open May to September only.

If the city has you overwhelmed, whether by its chaos or its abundance of choices, and you want to take refuge in the familiarity of a hotel bar, you can’t do much better than St. Regis’s King Cole Bar. Sit inside at the bar or on one of its loungers and enjoy live music with your drink, or—better yet—head out to the terrace, where you can watch traffic zip by on the city’s main avenue, Paseo de la Reforma. You’ll also be looking out upon the Diana the Huntress fountain, a snapshot-worthy landmark in this city that has no shortage of them. In fact, you can also see the Angel of Independence statue and Chapultepec Castle from here. As for drinks, the must-try is the Sangrita Maria, a blend of mezcal, sangrita, and pasilla chile puree. Every St. Regis bar creates a signature cocktail, and this one is definitely representative of Mexico City. If you’re a smoker, ask to see the bar’s cigar selection.

In the shadow of El Yunque, The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort is situated on 486 acres of former coconut plantation and native maritime forest. There are still plenty of palms here, but now the flora also includes all manner of tropical flowers and trees, positioned around numerous trails for walking, running, and biking. Families love the resort for its many amenities, from four tennis courts and a Robert Trent Jones Jr.-branded golf course to a luxurious spa and state-of-the-art fitness center. A new partnership with Aquavento Water Sports provides equipment for everything from kayaking and paddle-boarding to fishing and sailing on nearby lakes, while the Soul of Bahia program gives guests the opportunity to volunteer with a rescue organization for local cats and dogs or help maintain a turtle sanctuary during hatching season. Still, the most popular activity might just be lounging at the pool or on the two-mile-long golden beach.

Part of a $60 million renovation following Hurricane Maria, the hotel now features a design by celebrated Puerto Rican designer Nono Maldonado and San Francisco-based firm Hirsch Bedner Associates. The plantation-style dark woods and warm browns have been swapped out for more modern, sea-inspired colors, and the 139 rooms have a chic, residential feel, with sprawling bathrooms, private terraces, and glass bar cabinets that can be stocked to your personal tastes by a 24-hour butler. Occupying a two-story building overlooking the ocean, the Casa Grande lobby is the place to go to experience the hotel’s daily Champagne sabering ritual, enjoy live music from a Steinway piano, admire the mural over the St. Regis Bar, or enjoy Greek-inspired fare at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Paros. The poolside restaurant and beach shack have also been redone to ensure uninterrupted views over the water.

The most famous and popular beach in Busan, picture-perfect Haeundae Beach boasts a gentle curve of white sand that extends an impressive kilometer and a half (roughly a mile) and is up to 50 meters (165 feet) wide in some places. A shallow bay and clear waters make it ideal for swimming and families, and it has plenty of other attractions besides the sand and sea: You’ll find everything from casual guesthouses to luxurious hotels, plus cultural events, festivals and entertainment throughout the year. There’s also an aquarium nearby, and Dongbaekseom (Dongbaek Island), at the south end of the beach, is a popular fishing area.

Unlike most hard-to-navigate Norwegian cities, the streets of downtown Kristiansand form a grid pattern known as kvadraturen. At the northern end lies Posebyen, Kristiansand’s old town, whose interconnected wooden houses occupy fourteen blocks. The best preserved building is the old post office, which dates back to 1695. For a self-guided walking tour, pick up a copy of the Kristiansand Guide from the tourist office at Rådhusgata 18, just a few blocks to the south. The residents who occupy this former commercial area are proud of their homes, so expect well-tended flower boxes and friendly greetings.

On the Dominican Republic’s northern coast, near the tip of the Samaná Peninsula, this unpopulated Atlantic beach stretches three miles from Cape Samaná to the cliffs of Cape Cabrón. To get here, you’ll need to take a four-wheel-drive vehicle or a boat charter from the small fishing village of Las Galeras, but once you arrive, you’ll find a nearly empty stretch of sand. The west end of the beach features calm waters ideal for swimming and snorkeling, while the east end has great waves for surfing. You’ll also find spots to rent kayaks, snorkeling gear, chairs, and umbrellas, as well as a few food vendors serving rice, beans, and seafood cooked over an open-hearth fire. This is the place to go when you want to get away from the crowds.

A stay at the adults-only Rachamankha feels like an extended visit to a supremely stylish friend’s home. Designed by interiors maven Rooj Changtrakul and renowned Thai architect Ongard Satrabhandu (who happens to be Changtrakul’s stepfather), the 24-room boutique hotel is inspired by 15th-century Lanna and features crisp white walls that offset Chinese antiques, vaulted wood ceilings, and colorful Thai silks. Serene courtyards give way to a library, an art gallery, and a poolside massage pavilion for low-key relaxation. Even the restaurant is primed to make you feel at home, serving regional comfort food like Burmese curry in an alfresco setting that reminds you why you booked here in the first place.

Some find this narrow, neon-lit French Quarter street appealing, others appalling. But it’s worth a stroll either way. It’s as if all the sins of mankind and then some were rounded up and corralled here—tawdry strip shows, cheap and potent drinks, the coveting of neighbors’ wives, petty larceny, big-ass beers, bad cover bands, and so on. (Bad cover bands were not technically mentioned in the Old Testament, but to many they’re the street’s most shameful sin.) The heart of the party zone stretches eight blocks from Iberville Street to St. Philip Street, with the thickest concentration of bars on the Iberville end. New Orleans allows alcoholic drinks outside, as long as they’re in plastic cups, or “go-cups"—meaning you can roam the length of Bourbon Street with your beer or hurricane in hand.