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The peak called Monserrate towers over central Bogotá and lends its name to the church that tops it. Perched more than 10,000 feet above sea level, the sanctuary—dedicated to the Passion of Christ—has beautiful gardens showcasing marvelous highland vegetation, and the city views from here are spectacular (sunsets are especially recommended). Ascend Monserrate by cable car, via railway, or on foot (this last is only for the fittest and those already acclimated to the altitude). That beautiful white house on the mountainside is Casa Santa Clara restaurant, a better-than-expected, special-occasion-suitable venue at which to try traditional Bogotá favorites like ajiaco, a thick potato-and-chicken soup.

While modern Halifax has grown beyond its nautical roots, the 109-room waterfront Muir—a member of Marriott’s Autograph Collection of independent hotels and part of the city’s new $200 million Queen’s Marque district—offers a peek into its maritime past. In the lobby, walls of glass from an art installation glow like a lighthouse, and more works continue the theme throughout. Rooms are outfitted with midcentury modern–inspired furniture and custom-designed tartan blankets that nod to the province’s Scottish history. The restaurant serves Nova Scotia classics such as hodge podge, a hearty stew, and the hotel’s speakeasy BKS references the region’s rum-running past in cocktails like Her Majesty’s Displeasure.

In 2016, Ace added another link to its chain of ultracool hotels when it opened an outpost in a renovated 1928 building in the Central Business District of New Orleans. While the Ace employees here are just as edgy as their counterparts elsewhere, they temper that cool with the warm ease of New Orleans’s locals.

Guests enter the hotel through a lobby of mismatched low-slung sofas and vintage coffee tables set in conversation-friendly groupings beside a lovely and ornate wooden bar. Most of the furnishings and artwork complement the hotel’s dominant forest green hue, which itself seems to have been inspired by the color of the streetcars that trundle past on Carondelet Street. Afternoon and evening and late at night, the lobby bar is kept busy by hotel guests as well as a stream of others drawn here by the stylish vibe.

Uformel is run by Kristian Arpe-Møller and Rune Amgild Jochumsen, who are the minds that brought Copenhagen formel B, one of the city’s most popular Michelin star restaurants. Uformel describes itself as Formel B’s “cool and edgy younger brother”. The restaurant is run by sommelier Martin Iuel-Brockdorff Bek and head chef Frederik Alexander Rudkjøbing. Martin served as sommelier for formel B since 2003 and Frederik has served as sous chef at formel B for more than two years. While this restaurant is born out of the New Nordic tradition its menu is not strictly confined to Nordic Cuisine.

This outdoor ceramic school in the Coyoacan neighborhood is located close to the Museo de Frida Kahlo. The head instructor is a ceramic artist whose simple, Japanese-inspired designs can be found in some of the city’s best restaurants. They also have a booth at the Bazaar del Sabado, but I recommend stopping by the studio so you can catch a glimpse of the pros at work. Watch your feet, because the owner’s cats and crazy-looking Mexican hairless dogs (the breed is called Xoloitzcuintli) have the run of the place.

Puerto Vallarta, on Mexico’s Pacific coast, no longer lacks small, design-driven hotels. Located in the city’s Old Town, Amapa has 55 guest rooms that display Mexican weavings by fiber artist Mariella Motilla and hammocks handmade in the Yucatán peninsula. From $200. This appeared in the May/June 2018 issue.

For most of its history, the Whitney Museum, originally founded by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney in 1931, was located on New York’s Upper East Side, in the building that now houses the Met Breuer. In 2015, it reopened in a new, larger space designed by Renzo Piano in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. The institution’s permanent collection is especially strong in works by leading artists from the first half of the 20th century, and as you might expect from its official name, American artists are particularly well represented—Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, Stuart Davis, Edward Hopper, and many others. Visiting exhibitions tend to focus on living artists who are still producing new pieces; the museum’s Whitney Biennial (now taking place in odd-numbered years) is arguably the preeminent showcase in the United States for young contemporary artists. In addition to the galleries, the building has a number of outdoor terraces dotted with sculptures and offering views of Lower Manhattan and the Hudson River.

Located in the middle of New York harbor, less than half a mile from Manhattan (and even closer to Brooklyn), 172-acre Governors Island feels like a world unto itself, far from the bustling city. It has played a key role in the defense of New York at various points and two fortifications here, Fort Jay and Castle Williams, reflect that history. From 1966 to 1996, the island was a Coast Guard station; since it closed, the city, state, and federal governments have discussed various plans for the island’s development. In the meantime, it is open to the public for six months each year, from May 1 to October 31, when it is possible to wander among the Coast Guard barracks, visit the commander’s house, and bike around the mostly car-free island. Ferries depart from both Manhattan and Brooklyn starting at 10 a.m. and running until 6:15 p.m. on weekdays and 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. During many weekends in the summer, art fairs, food festivals, and other events help draw visitors to the island, but even if you go on a day without anything special scheduled, a journey here provides a refreshingly different perspective on New York.

When you’re ready for a proper pisco, Miraflores’s PiscoBar is a capital choice, both for traditional cocktails as well as heady new creations. As is to be expected, owner Ricardo Carpio is a celebrated pisco expert, which makes this the ideal laboratory for personal tastings of some of the country’s premier brands. Happily, it’s also a fabulous place to eat, whether you’re craving tapas or a full-on meal. Dishes like the seafood risotto and the beef with tacu tacu (Peruvian refried beans and rice) make you wish you had a Peruvian grandmother; the welcoming staff provide a warm facsimile.

Located in Manhattan’s “Curry Hill” (a play on the neighborhood’s formal name, Murray Hill) and surrounded by Indian restaurants frequented by taxi drivers for quick to-go plates, Kalustyan’s is a must-stop for nuts, spices, and other specialty foods sourced from around the globe. It’s easy to lose yourself among the bins, boxes, and bags, and you may end up bringing home new finds—say, French de Puy lentils or hibiscus flowers in their own syrup (great for DIY cocktails). Head upstairs for a bite at the modest in-store restaurant.

There’s no better place to stop and smell the roses (and the dahlias and the begonias) than Christchurch Botanic Gardens. From New Regent Street, hop on the renovated tram, which stops near the entrance to the 80-plus acres of majestic oaks, water gardens, and rose beds. Rolleston Ave. and Worcester Blvd. This appeared in the January/February 2015 issue.

The Te Papa museum combines New Zealand’s dramatic history with its high-tech present. Don’t miss the traditional greenstone and wood carvings or the 60-foot wall of constantly changing images, videos, and words manipulated by remote-control-wielding visitors. 55 Cable St., 64/(0) 4-381-7000. This appeared in the October 2012 issue.

With headquarters in Portland, Oregon, the Ace Hotel brings a dose of Pacific Northwest cool to the Flatiron District of Manhattan. Located in a turn-of-the-century building, the Ace has become a hub for stylish visitors and freelancing New Yorkers—locals often set up shop in the hip lobby to work and sip Stumptown coffee. The aesthetic is laid-back yet creative, with fun local art, free Wi-Fi, and quirky touches like tabletops made from discarded Hubble telescope lenses. The Ace is unpretentious and inviting, with a social and interactive lobby and two destination restaurants. Rooms range from small bunk rooms to spacious loft suites—offering a match for a variety of price points.

Find cool pieces by an array of new and noteworthy Australian brands at this small concept store, founded to showcase independent designers in an artistic shopping environment. The Melbourne space stocks a monthly edit of men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, with original and limited-edition pieces by around 100 local lines. With so many unique options on offer, you’ve got an excellent chance of finding something that perfectly suits your aesthetic, be it a little black dress by Ella Fashion, or attention-grabbing earrings by Plain Janes. If you can’t find what you’re looking for downtown, you can always check out the other Design a Space locations in Fitzroy and Windsor—the selection is different at each store.

With the Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire, Iberian overlords set about imposing their customs on the subdued populace, eliminating traces of pre-Hispanic religions they deemed heretical by demolishing major temples and building churches and other structures atop their ruins. Centuries later, in 1978, workers laying electrical lines happened upon the remains of the Templo Mayor, the Aztecs’ most important ceremonial center (and, yes, the location of their notorious human sacrifices). Subsequent excavations have revealed superimposed pyramid foundations and priceless artworks, many now displayed at the on-site museum. Thrillingly, treasures keep turning up—including the spring 2017 discovery of a stone box containing some of the finest Aztec gold ever found, just off the Templo Mayor’s steps.