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With over 20 lakes, Minneapolis is truly a water city—which is roughly what its name means in the Dakota language of the area’s original American Indian inhabitants. The 1555-acre Chain of Lakes district highlights the best of this water-filled landscape. From the active water and ice sports of expansive Lake Calhoun to the more leisurely picturesque shoreline of Lake Harriet, each lake glistens with its own unique personality.

One of Caye Caulker’s best beach bars is also its friendliest. Set right on the Split—a narrow channel dividing the island’s north and south portions—Caye Caulker’s most social corner invites tourists and locals to gather for a swim off an extended dock, or to enjoy a cocktail and music. Lazy Lizard’s recently upgraded look includes a variety of umbrella-covered wooden picnic tables, seating under palapas, and a new beach extension with steps leading into the shallow sea areas for easy entry. On the menu, you’ll find typical bar bites: burgers, fish tacos, and full meals like a lobster plate. The bar holds occasional full-moon parties, live music, family-fun days, and beach volleyball tournaments.

One of the most cost-efficient hotels in Montreal! Hotel ZERO1 is located in the heart of Montreal’s Festival District and minutes from Chinatown, Old Montreal, and the Latin Quarter - in other words, the location is unbeatable. Rooms are modest in size (it is a 3* hotel after all) but the decor is sober, yet stylish and very modern with apparent concrete walls and large windows. Some rooms even have a small kitchenette area. Good to know: the airport shuttle bus stops right across the street.

Blending a cheerful, laid-back spirit with a splash of formal elegance, The Reefs Resort & Club is uniquely Bermudian. Staff greets you with a rum swizzle upon arrival at the family-owned and operated property, then whisks you up to a room where bright botanical prints complement crisp white linens, deep wood tones, and tile floors, and windows offer views of the Atlantic’s turquoise-tinged waves. Days are spent indulging in frangipani salt scrubs and ayurvedic massages at the spa, sitting in on a sunrise yoga session on the beach and hitting the links nearby, or simply napping on a chaise at the freshwater infinity pool. Sited to capture awe-inspiring vistas of the water, limestone cliffs, and lush vegetation that surround the resort, three restaurants serve classic continental fare, but more adventurous types can rent a scooter across the street to sample the local food scene on a culinary tour of Hamilton and St. George.

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.

La Recoleta Cemetery is one of the most visited cemeteries in Latin America, mainly because Evita Peron is buried there, among other notable figures. The cemetery is built around a convent and a church, Our Lady of Pilar (Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Pilar), that was built in 1732. The order was disbanded in 1822, and the garden of the convent was converted into the first public cemetery in Buenos Aires. Occupied by mostly wealthy families of Buenos Aires. Highly recommended to have a guided map to find some famous graves.

The Culinary Institute of America opened in the former Copia building in 2017, and, in doing so, resuscitated a vision of a foodie attraction in downtown Napa that celebrates the valley’s long and colorful epicurean history. The facility, originally built by the Mondavi family as a food and wine center, now operates as a cooking school and gastrohub, complete with classes, tasting experiences, panel discussions, and art collections. There’s also a restaurant where visitors can dine on food prepared by CIA student chefs-in-training, and a store that rivals Sur La Table for its selection of kitchenware. In spring and summer, be sure to stroll the culinary gardens, which are so large they stretch across First Street.

True, it’s not much to look at, inside or out, but this humble shop produces the best handmade sandals in all of Puerto Vallarta. Samples of the various styles of leather sandals, or huaraches, hang on white pegboard; choose one you like and try it on for size. If it doesn’t fit, don’t worry; the resident zapatero can make a pair custom fitted to your feet.

In a city that inspired the most famous works by the winner of a Nobel Prize in literature, you’d be forgiven for expecting a place to buy novels on every corner. Cartagena’s book offerings are somewhat slim, but the best by far is Ábaco, a bookstore and café in the heart of the old part of the city. It draws local literati, but even if you don’t speak Spanish, you’ll find something here; there’s a small gift section, and, of course, Colombian coffee.

This pub was made famous in Jeannie Gunn’s book We of the Never Never and a 1980 film of the same name. Gunn’s husband, Aeneas, is buried in the local cemetery, and the town has completely embraced the slogan “Capital of the Never Never,” even starting a Never Never Festival in honor of the story that put Mataranka on the map. The mock-up of the homestead used in filming is next to the bar’s car park. After you’ve explored the town and swam in one of its many thermal pools, cool down with a frosty beer in one of the outback’s most famous rooms.

An ornate late-Victorian heap of red sandstone, the Kelvingrove (located within a lovely park of the same name) is Glasgow’s signature museum—and one of the most popular attractions in Scotland. Free to enter, it features a full house of historic exhibitions on everything from animals to Ancient Egypt and Charles Rennie Mackintosh, plus a wide range of important Scottish art (like Colourist Samuel John Peploe’s Roses), several French and Dutch works, and Salvador Dalí’s iconic Christ of Saint John of the Cross. Visiting exhibitions, such as Leonardo da Vinci drawings, round out the offerings. There are also regular organ recitals and free tours on weekends, making the Kelvingrove a perfect family attraction.

I must have missed PROSPECT on my last visit to Park City, when truth be told, Main Street felt a bit generic, ‘ski-town anywhere’ to me. I’m not a big shopper, but I love seeing well executed, new ideas in retail, that stay true to their environment. PROSPECT, with its contemporary urban mountain town feel scores on all fronts. It’s a vivid commune of retail, barber, and coffee bar. Who would’ve thunk, but it works and helps re-energize Main Street. And best of all, it clearly aligns itself with brands that share a serious environmental vision. Sister store Park City Mercantile is just a few doors away.

It’s easy to miss Garza Marfa’s showroom on a brief visit, because it is located a few blocks off the beaten path. Usually open by appointment (call (432) 729-1946 or email [email protected]), and sometimes–in typical Marfa fashion–just randomly open, it is a space that is definitely worth checking out.

Jamey and Constance are the husband and wife team behind the vibrant furniture line; pillows, blankets and home wares. Their interpretation of ‘Midcentury Modern meets Wild West’ will put a smile on your face and probably make you wish you’d taken an empty truck to Marfa with you to fill up. Their colorful pieces can be hard to find outside of Marfa, except for a limited selection at the Heath Showrooms in San Francisco and LA.

>>>Warmest thanks to the awesome team at El Cosmico for another unforgettable Trans Pecos Festival of Music and Love–an annual gathering of friends, music, art, camping, sandlot baseball and a night sky full of stars in Marfa, Texas. Love you guys.

Despite being so close to the harbor and the ocean, Reykjavík’s city lake has a charm and atmosphere all its own. Bordered by a main road on one side and a string of pretty, colorful residences on the other, the natural, stone-edged Tjörnin is home to a community of ducks, swans, and geese that hang out here even in winter. A popular strolling spot to clear the cobwebs after a night out, it’s also often busy with local families and visitors, who come armed with bread for the waterfowl (but beware of the seagulls—they can be aggressive). The nearby Reykjavík City Hall is also worth a look for its huge 3-D relief map of Iceland, featuring clearly marked glaciers, volcanoes, and fjords.

Rock ’n’ Bowl is where to go to find sharps, flats, spares, and strikes all hanging out together. It’s a bit unclear whether this is a nightclub hiding out in a full-size bowling alley, or a bowling alley out enjoying a secret nightlife. Either way, it’s a very New Orleans destination, located near the upriver edge of the city. (It’s about a $15 cab ride from downtown.) After Katrina and a parting of the ways with his earlier landlord, the owner moved a few blocks down to this former paint store, installed new lanes, added a bigger stage, and hauled much of his original funky decor to the new spot. Check the website for forthcoming shows—there’s always plenty of space for dancing, which is especially fun during Thursday zydeco nights.