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On sunny days, Parisians head for the Luxembourg Garden, built by Marie de’ Medici in 1611 and modeled after the Boboli Gardens in her native Florence. In addition to the magnificent Medici Fountain, there are more than 100 statues arranged around the garden’s 20 hectares (50 acres), which encompass both formal French and English gardens. Here you’ll find chess players, puppeteers, children sailing tiny boats on the octagonal pool and sometimes a free concert in the gazebo.

Just east of the palace is the city’s vibrant fruit and vegetable market where farmers from the hinterland come to sell fresh produce every day from sunrise to lunchtime. This is where locals stock up on supplies for the family table, ranging from seasonal fruits and vegetables to local prosciutto, nuts and jams. Encircling the market are souvenir and clothing stalls.

Rivaling the colors you’ll see below the sea on the coral reefs of Bonaire, the rainbow of Dutch-colonial buildings that line the streets of downtown Kralendijk—and especially Kaya Grandi, i.e., Main Street—will be worth your while, even if you don’t intend to shop at the neighborhood’s stores. But so much the better if you do: This is a serious retail mecca, with everything from duty-free outlets to local boutiques.

Crawfish season is a big deal in Houston. But for a truly unique experience, head to Crawfish & Noodles in Chinatown. This easy-to-miss restaurant, tucked away in a strip mall on Bellaire Boulevard, is well worth the drive for its spicy mudbugs alone, served piping hot. If you want to eat like a local, order the blue crab, snow crab, or literally anything with noodles. There can be a wait during peak hours, so plan your visit accordingly. We also recommend taking the time to explore the rest of the neighborhood when you can. You simply can’t beat dim sum in Houston’s Chinatown on a weekend morning.

Cruising through Prince Christian Sound, passengers only see one sign of human habitation against the stark landscape: the tiny Inuit village called Aappilattoq, which means “sea anemone” in the local Greenlandic Inuit language. Aappilattoq sits perched at the edge of the water with towering mountains all around, making the village virtually inaccessible by land. The cluster of colorful houses is home to around 100 people, rugged individuals who mostly fish and hunt the harsh terrain as they live isolated from the outside world (except for the occasional arrival of a boat or helicopter).

Of all the reasons to hike in B.C.’s Coast Range, visiting a train wreck would not rank high elsewhere. This is Whistler, though, where a train derailment becomes a canvas for artists and a must-see novelty that remains well off the beaten track (sorry!), even for many locals. A new bridge spanning the Cheakamus River makes the hike legal and considerably less treacherous. The trail’s steel-meets-seedlings design is reminiscent of New York City’s High Line, and among the many spurs are a boardwalk into the coastal rain forest and a longer trek that leads to the Sea to Sky Trail. Once a hush-hush locale for graffiti artists and mountain bikers, the Train Wreck hike and suspension bridge route are now well-marked at the Sea to Sky trailhead, just outside of Function Junction.

This travel-inspired eatery got so popular that it moved to a larger space on University Avenue in August 2017. Once in the new location, executive pastry chef Kristianna Zabala was able to expand her menu (which changes daily) to include breakfast sandwiches and Montreal-style bagels alongside her usual blood-orange-Creamsicle and blueberry-lavender doughnuts. Available in a range of creative flavors, Zabala’s signature creations feature organic eggs and fresh ingredients from local farmers. Don’t leave without trying the classic ube-taro-coconut variety or the white-chocolate-mint-glazed doughnut with a passion-fruit-jalapeño drizzle, if they are available.

At Zupperia, it’s all about the soup—which makes this local favorite the ideal place to duck into after exploring Bergen on an icy cold day. Launched from humble beginnings, Zupperia is now one of Bergen’s most popular eateries, with four locations across the city. For a taste of Norway, go for the creamy fish soup or the reindeer and mushroom version, known as Rudolph Soup. International flavors are just as popular, including the creamy Thai favorite tom ka gai and the Eastern European–inspired goulash. Service is not the speediest, but the budget-friendly prices more than compensate. If you’re hungrier, a full range of main dishes is also available.

Bloody Mary’s, entertaining tourists since it opened in 1979, is one of those Bora Bora experiences that simply must be done. The ambience is beach-bar hip, with sand floors, colored lights, and coconut stools in a dining room under a thatched roof and surrounded by tropical foliage. Even if you don’t eat here, at least come for a cocktail to experience the vibe and mingle with the crowd of local pension, or guesthouse, owners, visiting celebrities, and other travelers. The food’s quite good, too: Fresh fish, seafood, and meats are grilled, American-barbecue style, with tasty results.

North Star Pinball (or North Star Machines à Piastres, if you were wondering how to say pinball machine in French) is pretty much what you would expect from its name, a bar with a collection of about two dozen vintage pinball machines, most dating from the 1960s to the 1990s. There’s a long list of beers in bottles and on tap, cocktails (including seasonal specials), housemade ginger beer, and a short menu of bar snacks—pickled eggs, pepperoni, mixed nuts. Right on “the Main,” as locals refer to boulevard St-Laurent, the bar draws a loyal group of regulars who appreciate this no-attitude place.

Opened by local restaurateur Lisa Wong in 1992, Rosario’s started as a neighborhood café, where San Antonio residents came to satisfy their Tex-Mex cravings. Today, it’s a city institution, known for its south-of-the-border specialties and house favorites. Don’t miss the tantalizing albondigas con arroz (Mexican meatballs braised in a spicy broth and served with rice and queso fresco), or the flavorful enchiladas Mexicanas (three queso-filled enchiladas smothered in a fragrant chile-infused sauce). And be sure to wash it all down with a perfectly crafted margarita.

To get a feel for Kerala’s rich and layered history, head to Fort Kochi. Once a small fishing village in pre-colonial times, this area—now the historic old town neighborhood of the city of Kochi—belonged to the Portuguese for much of the 16th and 17th centuries, then to the Dutch for a little over a century, then to the British until India’s independence in 1947. For all that time, the waterside spot served as an important port along the spice route, with Chinese and Arabian traders sailing through to pick up sandalwood, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, and other local goods. Today, Fort Kochi features myriad reminders of all who have lived and worked here: the Dutch cemetery, Koonan Kurish Old Syrian Church, and the 16th-century St. Francis Church, the Mattancherry Palace (aka the Dutch Palace), colonial Parade Grounds, still-in-use Chinese fishing nets, and the painted tiled-lined Paradesi Synagogue, built in 1567 and considered the oldest active synagogue in the commonwealth. The Indo-Portuguese Museum and Southern Naval Command Maritime Museum provide more context, while Fort Kochi Beach—with its colonial-era bungalows, Arabian Sea strand, and food stalls peddling the day’s fresh catch—draws both locals and tourists. Architecture buffs will love historic sites like Thakur House, Bastion Bungalow, and David Hall, many of which can be spotted from a stroll along breezy Church Road.

Even though Thailand is thousands of miles from Telluride, Siam has perfected an edible ode to the country. In fact, the food here is so good that 5280 magazine named Siam one of the best Thai restaurants in the entire state of Colorado. At this downtown spot, Thailand-born and -raised chefs cook the dishes of their home country, using as much local and organic meat as possible. The king crab and lobster tempura, pineapple-and-red-curry mussels, and peanut-dusted pra ram stir fry will have you so besotted with Thai cuisine, you’ll be digging for your passport to take the next flight to Bangkok.

With ancient traditions and a rich history, Mayan society is a fascinating, integral part of Mexican culture and history. While immersed in the Museo Maya de Cancun you’ll forget all about the resorts outside and instead find yourself transported back onto the Mayan trade route. The sleekly modern museum is situated conveniently near most hotels and is definitely worth a visit.

One of the most famous restaurants in Venice, the Michelin-starred Da Fiore occupies an understated-yet-elegant space in what was once an old Venetian tavern. The food is a modern take on traditional Venetian, with lots of fish and seafood, but the menu changes constantly based on what is fresh and locally available. Everything is wonderfully prepared with a lovely fusion of flavors and textures and comes out perfectly plated. There’s also an excellent wine list. You can order à la carte or choose a six- or seven-course tasting menu at dinner.