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Every April, thousands of visitors descend upon Augusta, Georgia for The Masters golf tournament. While the azaleas and dogwoods that line the fairways are beautiful, the streetscape outside the Augusta National Golf Club is a car-dominated aesthetically unfortunate collection of chain restaurants and strip-mall-churches--not exactly what you’d expect if you were to believe the city’s official nickname of “The Garden City.” Drive just ten minutes away, however, and you’ll end up in the Augusta Downtown Historic District, set aside by the National Park Service due to its collection of architecture from the 1780’s to the present. (Sherman didn’t march through this part of the state, sparing it the Civil War damage that destroyed Atlanta.) Georgia’s second-largest and second-oldest city might not be a ‘destination’ in the way that Savannah and Atlanta are (unless you love golf), but if you’re in town and architecture interests you, it’s worth spending some time down by the Savannah River. One of the tallest structures is the Lamar building--built in the 1910’s. In the mid-1970’s it was topped by a glass penthouse, designed by...I. M. Pei--the same architect who is perhaps best known for the now-iconic glass pyramid that dominates the courtyard of the Louvre in Paris. Augusta’s piece of Parisian-linked-architecture-fame is locally known as “the toaster.” Just slightly irreverent...

It appears small from the outside, but Gale South Beach manages to pack a lot into a modest space, including Italian restaurant Dolce, a cocktail lounge, and a nightclub. These attractions, and its prime location on Collins Avenue, just a block from the beach, make the Gale a social hot spot. The landmarked art deco building is, like many of its neighbors, protected from structural changes; as such, the hotel harks back to the golden age of American architecture. Inside, the decor evokes 1940s–1960s style, with throwback typography, black-and-white family photos, newspaper clippings, and mid-20^th-century memorabilia providing atmospheric design touches. The rooms are on the smaller side but tend to let in lots of natural light. The color scheme is nautical, with blue carpeting and white walls, and crisp, bright white linens embroidered with the hotel name in blue. Guests can take advantage of an outdoor bar on the fourth floor, and a rooftop pool. An annex of the hotel is set to open just a few feet away in December 2014. The Gale Suites at Kaskades is a 25-suite complex with a focus on luxury and privacy. It features rooms with Jacuzzi tubs and rain showers and has its own rooftop deck with cabanas.

One of the longest-standing restaurants in Chinatown’s Yaowarat Road area, Tang Jai Yoo fits the template of many of the dining venues in this part of town. The decor is faded and the harsh lighting would cast a sickly glow on even the most glamorous diner. Unlike glitzy restaurants elsewhere in the city, people come here solely to eat. Superstar TV chef Anthony Bourdain is among those to have lauded its signature whole roast suckling pig. Other choice items on the Thai-Chinese menu include steamed crab with black olives and ground pork, and deep-fried mantis prawns with chili and salt.

Don’t let the umlaut throw you off. Vestibül restaurant occupies an original vestibule in the Burgtheater, known for having one of Vienna’s most gorgeous interiors. And the space is not just any vestibule, but includes both the porte cochere for the Hapsburg coaches that would arrive at this famous imperial theater and the marble-lined hallway leading to the guests’ private loges. Located across from City Hall on the Ringstrasse, Vestibül is under the guidance of one of Austria’s most celebrated chefs, Christian Domschitz. His menu is not flashy, but rather rests on superb takes on traditional dishes, such as his signature Hummerkrautfleisch—creamy cabbage with lobster.

For years, the easternmost section of the Marais, one of the city’s most beloved districts, was a sleepy, underdeveloped neighborhood. That all changed for L’Arsenal in July 2022 with the arrival of the design-driven SO / Paris, located at La Félicité, a massive urban revitalization site overhauled by British architect David Chipperfield. The hotel occupies one side of the 1960s-era complex (which includes the Terroirs d’Avenir green market and bakery and the Atlas art gallery). The design from Paris-based architects RDAI is retro-futuristic, with rounded couches and soaring ceilings, while decorative touches are nods to the neighborhood (the tiles of the hotel entrance mimic cobblestone streets).

After five years of filling seats at Avondale’s modern Korean restaurant, Parachute (and earning the kitchen an annual Michelin star, as well as sharing last year’s James Beard Foundation award for the Best Chef: Great Lakes category), Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark had proved they definitely had what it takes to open a second venture, right down the street. Wherewithall, a 50-seat restaurant, is intimate and inviting, thanks to felt-lined banquette seating, light wood details, and an open kitchen. Unlike the a la carte option at Parachute, Wherewithall offers a four-course prix-fixe menu that changes nightly, and has included matcha-tinged onion beignets with sherry-glazed Norwegian trout, and bavette steak with hollandaise and gooseberry-laced semifreddo. Those seeking just a few bites can sit at the bar, where cocktails are just as exciting as the eats (try the 50/50 martini, made with flavors of coriander, cardamom, and apple from New York-based Neversink Gin).

Founded in 1859, this 79-acre oasis is the nation’s oldest continuously operating botanical garden and a National Historic Landmark. Built by Henry Shaw, whose estate still sits on the grounds, the garden boasts one of the world’s largest collections of rare and endangered orchids, as well as more than 48,000 trees, including a few specimens that date back to the 19th century. Also on-site are Japanese, Chinese, English Woodland, and Ottoman gardens, plus a Victorian district with a labyrinthine maze. After touring the grounds, guests can get their hands dirty with cooking and gardening classes, while senior citizens and those with special needs can take part in a therapeutic horticultural program that provides stimulating nature-based activities.

Crete has an abundance of shoreline, and its Elafonisi Beach is one of the best in Greece. This sprawling piece of pink and white sand opens up to the turquoise sea. Lifeguards keep a constant watch, and so the beach is suitable for all ages. You can come here on a day trip from Chania. Also nearby is the Chrysoskalitissa monastery, and the Agia Irini lighthouse.

As with many other natural wonders in Puerto Rico, there isn’t a clearly defined marker. Normally, to find Gozalandia, you would first have to visit it with a local, because getting directions there can be complicated. Lately, there is talk of turning the waterfalls into an ecoresort). Parking is cheap, but get there early to avoid crowds. There are several muddy paths leading to two beautiful waterfalls. I recommend going on weekdays in the morning. Forget going on weekends, as it will be way too crowded to enjoy it peacefully. If you go during the wet season (August to October), be prepared to just go barefoot. Shoes lose grip, you slide everywhere, and you eventually take them off anyways. I always start by hiking to the top waterfall first, as this one usually has fewer people around it. There’s a rope swing for the adventurous and a nice cool water pool for the rest of us. This is definitely a beautiful place to relax in nature.

Zum Schwarzen Kameel’s unusual moniker, which means At the Black Camel, grabs your attention. It’s a play on the name of founder Johan Baptist Cameel, who opened the establishment back in 1618. Appointed a spice purveyor to the Hapsburg court in 1825, Zum Schwarzen Kameel is today a restaurant, with a separate delicatessen that makes good sandwiches and a gourmet shop selling fine cheeses and wines. The Kameel interior is justly famous as well, with a wood-paneled art nouveau dining room that (of course) postdates the era when Beethoven frequented the restaurant. The area around its Bognergasse location is now a stone-paved pedestrian zone with luxury shops, which makes the Kameel’s front terrace a delightful place to stop for a drink or meal.

After a couple of days in Mexico City, once you’re well-rested and adjusted to the altitude, why not try a little street eating? After all, some locals do it every day, and the techniques vendors use have been in place for centuries, if not millennia. A good jumping-off point is the sometimes-grilled sandwich known as a torta. The ingredient combinations are endless, ranging from egg, shredded chicken, and pork loin to the Mexican piece of breaded beef known as a milanesa—and the list goes on. String cheese and chipotles or pickled jalapeños add a lot of flavor, but do it your way. A lot of customers at a stall is good sign both in terms of taste and cleanliness. With a torta under your belt, start thinking about tacos. Or that spot with the caldo de pollo chicken soup, perfect for all kinds of add-ins. Soon enough you’re a seasoned streeter.

The Milan Cathedral, or Duomo, occupies a site that’s been holy since the time of the Romans, but it wasn’t until the early 19th century when the finishing touches were finally placed on this massive building. The Duomo is the fifth largest cathedral in the world and one of the top tourist sites in the northern Italian city. Entrance is free, but a small fee is requested if you wish to take photos. Inside the church is even more magnificent then the outside, with scores of shrines and altars dedicated to saints and notable Milanese. During the Christmas holidays the city’s night market takes up residence next to the cathedral, adding one more reason to visit this central site.

In the southwest of Providenciales, this national park encompasses the tranquil Chalk Sound lagoon, a large expanse of shallow water connected to the ocean by a small channel. Check out the fringe of jagged limestone, called ironshore, along the shorelines of the lagoon and its small islets. You can rent a car and explore scenic Chalk Sound Drive, or you can stop at Las Brisas Restaurant to rent kayaks for a paddling adventure. See if you can spot stingrays and small sharks finning through the water, or the local rock iguanas foraging on the islands.

Don’t be fooled by the simple-sounding menu at this top-notch Portree restaurant. The dishes here are complex but well balanced, featuring the soils and foams that have come to define haute cuisine. Chef Calum Munro uses local, seasonal products like freshly caught seafood and Glendale lettuce to create his modern Scottish cuisine, with dishes ranging from cod with lemon butter, cod’s roe, and caviar, to venison with red cabbage, juniper, and chestnut. For pairing with the menu, Scorrybreac also offers a varied selection of wines, Scottish single-malt whiskies, and local, artisan-roasted coffees, best enjoyed while gazing across the harbor to the dark, rocky cliffs in the distance.

Defu Lane is peppered with eateries and bars, but aside from being a good option to enjoy Xi’an’s nightlife, it’s also home to Fubaoge, a five-story traditional Chinese teahouse. Rest your feet after a long day of exploring and sip hot cups of Chinese tea like Longjing and chrysanthemum. Fubaoge’s crosstalk comedy shows are also popular with the crowds.