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A brother-sister expat duo has opened this chic slice of Brooklyn in Colonia Juárez, the neighborhood currently angling to be Mexico City’s hippest. No complaints on that account at Cicatriz, whose open, industrial-styled storefront is a forum for several daily moods. No-compromise coffee and a variety of alternative baked goods form the morning agenda; lunch means a major emphasis on locally sourced greens in great salads and roasted iterations; the meatball and fried-chicken sandwich are both major crowd-pleasers as well. After five, it’s time to get your drink on; the bartenders deliver superior, crafted quaffs, but free from all the fuss you’ll see at other haute mixology spots. The earnest, healthful menu is enhanced by an overall vibe of do-it-yourself chic.

You have to be a little bit loco to want to visit Central de Abasto, much less actually go there, but it is the ultimate market experience. Central de Abasto is the market that supplies all of the other fruit and vegetable markets in the city and many others throughout the country. More than 30,000 tons of fresh produce enter and leave the market daily, or the equivalent of 80% of the fruits and vegetables consumed in the capital. It’s not for the faint of heart, though; this market is all business and hustle is the name of the game. Browsing and taking photos of towers of colorful vegetables are not recommended because aisles are crowded and fleet-on-their-feet workers moving hand trucks of goods don’t tolerate dawdling slowpokes.

As with most structures and sites in Mexico City, the Estadio Olímpico, or Olympic Stadium, located on the grounds of the university (UNAM), has played an important role in several historic episodes. First is its role in mid-20th-century Mexican architecture. Built in 1952, it is a marvel- designed to resemble a volcano in structure. It also has some important historic design elements, namely the decorative Mexican symbolism added by Diego Rivera. Second is its role in the 1968 Olympic Games. Even the spectators and viewers at home who had not paid much attention to the Games knew that the stadium was the site where American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos gave the Black Power salute during a medal ceremony. The image of the athletes standing next to Australian silver medalist Peter Norman (who wore a badge in support of Smith and Carlos), is an iconic image of the Games. Today the stadium is the home of the Pumas soccer team, and during home games, the stadium often fills to capacity.

Chef/owner Aaron Silverman’s farmhouse restaurant, in the heart of Barracks Row, serves creative (and Michelin-starred) cooking inspired by his travels and culinary training in the American South, Mexico, the Mediterranean, and Southeast Asia. Pork sausage and lychee salad is a menu mainstay; most other dishes are rotated out frequently to make way for “new stuff,” anything from grilled cucumber with coconut and anchovy to jumbo lump crab with squash blossom. Groups of six to 12 can make online reservations, all others should be prepared to wait a while. Line up before the 5 p.m. opening time to snag a seat at the counter facing the open kitchen and wood-burning stove.

Perched on a steep hill in the lovely neighborhood of Alfama, you will in no doubt leave with a great souvenir or gift. Sellers throw down blankets or rugs in rows and sell a variety of hand-made goods, antiques, books, clothes, military objects, etc. I took home two wonderful brass bottle openers and a couple of old world maps. Getting to the market is easy and the trip there is quite beautiful; take the Tram 28, or Tram 12 up the hill through the tight, and narrow neighborhood streets (becos). After you’ve spent all of your Euro, take a short walk over to the Santa Engracia Church, Museum of Decorative Arts, or the National Pantheon. Oh, and don’t forget to take in the views and snap a few pictures.

This 23-room hotel has colonial charm even though the building is relatively new. The word “sotano” means basement in Spanish and the Hotel Casa del Sotano is thus named because the building’s first story is below street level. The lower level has a central patio with water features and lots of plants, so it’s both cheery and tranquil. The colonial furnishings, wrought iron, Mexican tile and artistic touches throughout the property add to its appeal. In the morning you can enjoy a cup of coffee on the terrace while you enjoy the view of the towers of Santo Domingo over the rooftops of Oaxaca city.

This leather workshop is hidden away in a former Franciscan monastery next to Santa Croce. The Scuola del Cuoio was originally founded to provide skills and work for some of the city’s orphans after World War II; masters and apprentices still produce wallets, purses, journals, and jackets. Take a quick tour of the beautiful cloisters, frescoed corridors, and workspace, or sign up for a full workshop and try your hand at making something of your own. Everything is crafted on-site using traditional methods. Be sure to get your purchases personalized with a gold-stamped monogram.

With amazingly clear emerald waters, the calm sea off of Santa Margherita and Portofino is perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving (May-September is the best season, although it has been known to stretch!). Il Grande Blu provides all you need to enjoy the waters - instructors, equipment, even towels! And if you prefer to stay on top of the water, they have kayaks for rent, as well as a beautiful full-service beach. (If you are up for even more of an adventure - head even further around the bay to San Fruttuoso to scuba dive - there is a sunken Christ figure just a few meters out into the bay that is really gorgeous to view up close!)

Mérida is, with every year, an increasingly popular destination among travelers to the Yucatan peninsula, as well as with expats who are settling in the city. What it has largely lacked,when compared to many of Mexico‘s other colonial cities and towns, are stores with curated items representing the best of the region’s crafts. Casa T’hō is helping to change that. The small shopping center has a half-dozen shops featuring local textiles, guayaberas, soaps, fragrances, and more. There’s also a café/restaurant serving light dishes and cold drinks. The boutiques are located in the rooms of one of the 19th-century mansions that line Paseo Montejo, now meticulously restored with a lovely courtyard dotted with several towering palms.

Manifiesto Café is known for its wide-ranging menu of coffees and careful brewing methods. Order a cup with beans grown in Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, or a handful of varieties from Europe. No matter which coffee you choose, it will be freshly-roasted. Manifiesto doesn’t serve coffee that was roasted more than 48 hours earlier. But that’s not the owners’ only rules for the coffee they serve. They also prefer beans harvested at plantations that are about 4200 feet above sea level. If you’re looking for a quick cup of coffee, go elsewhere. Manifiesto takes its coffee very seriously and uses a variety extraction methods. The payoff? Quite easily the best cup of coffee you’ve had in a good long time.

Sunny as it is, Cabo has never been known for its beaches because of its rough surf. Not so at adults-only ME, however, which sits on the area’s only swimmable stretch of shoreline, in view of the famous El Arco rock formation. While the 162 rooms are the picture of tranquility (deep soaking tubs, private balconies), the hotel itself boasts a party atmosphere—a house DJ spins by the pool, and bottle service is available in the cabanas on the pool terrace. Thankfully, there’s also a spa specializing in traditional Aztec and Mayan-inspired treatments (don’t miss the temazcal cleansing ritual), so you can rejuvenate before returning home.

Get it? Play on words right there. Ha. This beautiful water lagoon is a playground for the awkwardly beautiful pink flamingo, a honking, goofy, loveable bird that is all legs and beak. I didn’t expect to see flamingos in the Galapagos, so this was quite a nice surprise, given the spectacular setting and all. Santa Cruz is one of the most stunning of all the islands in the Galapagos, marked by tortured volcanic terrain, pretty lagoons, and spiraling mountain peaks.

Biking the boardwalk is the best way to experience the beaches and coastline of L.A. Rent a bike in the middle at Dockweiler Beach and either go the 10 miles north through Marina Del Rey, Venice, and the Santa Monica Pier (or keep going to Malibu) or go three to six miles south to the more relaxed local life of Manhattan, Hermosa, and Redondo Beaches. Whichever way you choose, make sure you have the stamina to bike back.

Since 1974, Starr Interiors has showcased a handsome array of Zapotec Indian (Indians of the Oaxaca Valley in Mexico) weavings, which the owner hand-selects. Expect a great selection of gifts from coasters, place mats, wood carvings, Oaxacan Masks, hammocks and hand crafted sterling silver.

I love mountain biking! I am basically obsessed with the activity, have been racing for half my life, and spend the majority of my disposable income on bike related activities. I would do it every single day if I could and at times I do. There are a lot of places in the United States that get a lot of hype for mountain biking like Fruita, Colorado and Moab, Utah, and I love visiting these places, but if you live in the south then I would recommend stopping over in Albuquerque, New Mexico on your way out west. Yes, there are some great things about the ABQ besides “Breaking Bad”! Just outside of Albuquerque is one of the coolest trails I have ever ridden called White Mesa. They call it White Mesa because of the gypsum that makes up most of the trail system. And gypsum makes for a great surface for single-track! Get ready to shred! It is also a paleontological experience because of the dinosaur bones sticking out of the eroded rocks here. There is also an amazing sinkhole at the top of one of the largest climbs on the trail. This place is hella cool! The geology here is amazing and the desert sky always sets a dramatic backdrop. The trail is single-speed friendly and the climate is great year-round! Although the trail is primarily geared towards mounting biking, hiking and horseback riding is welcomed here too. Don’t forget your mountain bike on your next trip to ABQ!