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Inside the new Music City Center convention space, you can find the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gallery. The exhibit includes artifacts plus three touch screens for watching video, listening and learning about the history of songwriting in Nashville.

The cathedral, usually called the Duomo, is Florence’s most recognizable building. You are able to catch glimpses of its magnificent red-tiled cupola from just about anywhere in the city center. Construction on the church complex began in 1296 and the work—Brunelleschi’s dome and his Baptistery, and Giotto’s bell tower—was completed in 1426. The interior of this architectural is reserved in contrast with the exterior’s marble Gothic facade and its green, pink, and white stripes. Climb the 463 steps up into the dome for a close-up look at Giorgio Vasari’s fresco, The Last Judgment, and a bird’s-eye view of the city.

Le Diplomate brings France’s chic bistro culture to D.C.’s trendy U Street Corridor. Upon entering through its bright blue door frame, the high ceilings, antique decor, and bread-cart centerpiece will have you checking for your passport. The classic French cuisine is on display with colorful salads, juicy steak frites, and rich crème brûlée. The only reminders that you’re still in America are the generous portions and the warm, attentive service. Request a seat in the glass-enclosed and tiled sunroom, where the wall reads “Blanchisserie de Chemise,” an homage to the location’s former life as a laundromat. This District arrondissement certainly welcomes the tasty transformation. Bon appétit!

• Neighborhood: Sentosa Island
• Why we love it: A secluded off-mainland retreat with mahjong and feng shui lessons
• From $1,180

Refreshed in 2021 by Hong Kong designer André Fu, the 112-room Capella Singapore plays up its idyllic beachfront setting. The stylish, ultra-comfortable rooms have a palette of soothing sand, sage, and mineral gray and come with deep soaking tubs and window lounges that frame green jungle foliage.

Beyond the striking design, standout amenities include a three-tier infinity pool and an award-winning art collection (there are more than 900 pieces on-site). Also notable is the Capella’s Culturalist activity calendar, which offers lively mahjong lessons, farm-to-table cooking classes, and a sidecar tour with a feng shui master who explains how the ancient Chinese philosophy influenced the placement of Singapore’s iconic Marina Bay Sands and the mystical Merlion statue.

The absolute best way to explore the rolling hills and secluded beaches of southern Guam is on two wheels. Start in Tamuning, where you’ll find affordable scooter rentals at Scooter World on Pale San Vitores Road. Take Marine Drive to the capital city of Hagatna, then turn on Highway 4 through the villages of Sinajana, Chalan Pago, Yona, Talofofo, Inarajan, and Merizo, finishing up at the southern tip of the island. Along the way, you’ll encounter verdant mountains, dramatic cliffs, and sparkling black sand beaches. If you get hungry, fill up on burgers at Jeff’s Pirates Cove and soft-serve ice cream at the Mobil gas station in Talofofo; both are local favorites.

The main branch of the New York Public Library is one of the country’s grandest Beaux Arts buildings, a temple to learning on Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd streets. At the end of the 19th century, John Bigelow, who oversaw the Tilden Trust, decided that as New York was becoming a global financial capital, it required a grand public library. When the Astor and Lenox libraries faced financial difficulties, he convinced them to merge and, with the Tilden Trust, underwrite the library that now stands next to Bryant Park. The firm of Carrère and Hastings was entrusted with the design, and construction began in 1902 on the building that would be the largest marble structure built up to that time in the United States. The elegant main reading room with its soaring carved-wood ceilings is the highlight of its interiors. The library hosts temporary exhibitions related to literary and cultural topics that draw on its extensive collection of books and other printed materials. The two beloved lions in Tennessee marble—Patience and Fortitude—have stood at the entrance to the library since it opened in 1911 and were created by sculptor Edward Clark Potter.

Oaxaca is known for its moles. The most famous is mole negro, the black mole—a thick, rich mixture of ground chiles, nuts, chocolate, and other ingredients. But that’s not the only type of mole you’ll find here. Los Pacos specializes in these rich sauces and you can sample seven different kinds to compare and see which you like best. If you find one you really love, they sell mole paste to take home with you, so you can prepare Oaxacan mole yourself. Los Pacos has two locations. The original is on Belisario Dominguez in the Colonia Reforma (north of the city center). This location is more popular among locals, and has an outdoor children’s play area. The other is on Abasolo in the historical center. The centrally located one has a roof terrace, perfect for enjoying warm evenings in Oaxaca.

On a cool night in November, walking alone from an outdoor food market in the center of Florence, I decided to indulge my sweet tooth yet again. I stopped for a “snack,” one that I would never eat just before dinner back home yet couldn’t get enough of in Florence...gelato. Eating gelato, with its creamy texture and multitude of vibrant flavors, is certainly one of the food highlights of being in Italy. Florence has plenty of excellent gelato shops, or gelaterie. Perché no! was my favorite choice because of its convenient location right in the historic center, between Piazza della Signoria and Piazza della Repubblica, and because of its flavors. This combination of persimmon and dark chocolate made eating gelato outside in the cold just before dinner seem perfectly normal.

Founded in 1971 as the first women-owned and operated community center in the country, the San Francisco Women’s Centers has been working to guarantee a safe space and reliable social services for women and girls in the city. And since 1979, they’ve done it from the Women’s Building—or El Edificio de Mujeres—in the Mission, a women-led community space advocating self-determination, gender equality and social justice. Through education, cultural arts activities, and economic services (all available in both English and Spanish), the Women’s Building helps more than 20,000 low-income women and their families every year. Looking to take part? Visit the website to see their list of events, rental spaces and equipment, and volunteer opportunities.

Giorgio Armani chose the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, as the site of his first namesake hotel, which is swathed in the Milanese designer’s sober minimalism and signature bronze, brown, gray, and taupe color scheme. Guest rooms occupy the first eight floors, plus levels 38 and 39 of the soaring 163-story tower; the hotel’s curving floor-to-ceiling windows show off panoramic views of Dubai’s surreal desert-meets-skyscraper skyline. Armani-clad “personal lifestyle managers” assist guests with everything from delivering cappuccino and complimentary Armani/Dolci chocolate to arranging art gallery tours and desert safaris. The top-to-bottom branding is an inseparable part of the experience: Nearly every object in the hotel—toiletries, pencils, even sugar cubes—bears the Armani logo. For guests who want to take the look home, it’s easy to hit the in-house Armani Privé boutique. For those seeking more brand variety, Dubai Mall, one of the world’s largest shopping malls, sits right next door.

Panama’s extensive, sinuous coastline provides some of the world’s most delicious seafood. Options are infinite, especially at the capital city’s Mercado de Mariscos. The offering is downhome, traditional and absolutely scrumptious. Pick up something to cook later or just plop down at one of several in-market restaurants for instant gratification. Savoring your ceviche and an ice-cold brew as the market roils around you is pure Panama.

Though the photos are quite beautiful, you really have to see the Water Mirror for yourself to appreciate its grandeur. The world’s largest reflecting pool—and a contemporary UNESCO World Heritage site—the attraction features 11,000 square feet of granite covered in less than an inch of water. The effect is truly magical, especially when the stunning Place de la Bourse reflects off the surface. Visitors come here to frolic in the cool water during the hot summer months, or steal a kiss behind the sheets of mist that spray every 15 minutes.

Tournai is the perfect place to spend a Saturday afternoon. Visit the amazing Notre Dame Cathedral, go up in the Belfry which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List or just have a coffee at a cafe in the square and watch the world go by. Looking forward to the next visit.

Opened in 1915 as Tent City—a string of luxury canvas tents along Lac Beauvert, with vistas of Whistlers Peak and Pyramid Mountain—the iconic Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge was possibly North America’s first “glamping” site. The destination proved wildly popular, and in 1922 a main lodge was opened, as well as a series of luxury log cabins spread across 700 acres in the heart of Jasper National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Bristling with Douglas firs and pine trees, the property sees herds of elk nibbling the grass, chipmunks scurrying through the trees, and even the occasional bear. The 442 rooming options—all of which were renovated between 2015 and 2017—include cozy spots in the main building, fireplace-equipped Junior Suites, and bring-the-whole-family Signature Cabins, all with views across the lake or the forest and mountains. The newly introduced Estate Cabins, located near the golf course, feature a private gated entrance for a more residential feel. Classic lodge-style interior design is the order of the day in the cabins, with wood beams and a combination of earthy and granite tones, while rooms and suites are clean-lined and decked out in fresh white bedding and light wood accents.

Back in 1992, Portugal hosted the Presidency of the European Union, which was the reason for building this center that nowadays holds conferences and professional meetings. It is also a cultural center, with three rooms of different sizes equipped to host theater, dance, jazz, opera, film, and classical music concerts. Speaking of classical music, a festival called “Dias da Música” lasts a whole weekend and is the biggest annual event taking place here. But there is more. You’ll find art at Berardo Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, and stores in the building include a bookshop and a Portuguese-design shop. And for dining, you have a restaurant/café with a terrace outside overlooking the river.