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Batik is traditionally from Java, and the art varies from tribe to tribe. Shop a huge selection (the shop spans three stories) of attractive pieces at this craft and souvenir store in the city center. Batik clothing, furniture, home décor and ornaments can also be purchased here, and prices are fixed so you don’t have to worry about bargaining.

After marching within 100 miles of London to restore the Stuart monarchy to the British throne, Jacobite supporters, led by Bonnie Prince Charlie, retreated to this site near Inverness in 1746. Here at Culloden, they were slaughtered by forces loyal to King George I and the House of Hanover during one of the most harrowing battles in British history. The aftermath was equally brutal, as a massive military crackdown across the Highlands followed in order to prevent further uprisings from disaffected Scots.

Today, travelers can tour the richly researched Culloden Visitor Centre, which features artifacts from both sides of the battle as well as interactive displays that detail the background of the conflict. You can also walk the front lines where the Jacobites made their final stand, then look inside the newly restored Leanach Cottage—the only surviving building from the battle.

Before Columbus arrived in the West Indies, indigenous tribes had lived on Puerto Rico for at least 2,000 years. The Igneri were the oldest recorded inhabitants, followed by the Taino, and artifacts from both peoples have been found at the Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center, a settlement just outside of Ponce that flourished from roughly 400 C.E. to 1000 C.E. Many of the artifacts are on display at the on-site museum, and a replica Taino village shows how native Puerto Ricans lived in the pre-colonial era.

A trip to the Land of 10,000 Lakes wouldn’t be complete without spending some time on, well, a lake—even if you’re only visiting the cities. In Minneapolis, everyone heads to Bde Maka Ska, the largest of five in the city’s Chain of Lakes. Located in the Uptown neighborhood, the 401-acre lake is surrounded by parkland and trails, making it a favorite of locals for everything from ice fishing in the winter to swimming, biking, and volleyball games in the summer. Along the shore are rental options for nearly every water sport, from sailing and kayaking to paddleboarding, plus lockers for stashing your stuff when you’re out on the water. For those who prefer dry land, there are also several Nice Ride stations where you can access the city’s bike-share program, and a seasonal restaurant serving sandwiches, wings, and tacos.

Formerly Blue Sydney.

Carefully constructed around support beams and pipes from a 100-year-old wheat and wool wharf, this hotel offers a beautiful mix of old and new that juts out into the Woolloomooloo harbor. The Heritage Level is where you’ll find original wooden pier pilings, metal wheels, and conveyor belts that date to 1910, but classic touches such as early-20th-century photographs of Sydney are scattered throughout the property. Goose down bedding, plush furnishings, walk-in showers, and in-room iPads make modern travelers feel right at home, and the bar that runs the length of the central atrium—hanging Swarovski crystals shine pink and purple in the evening candlelight—often hosts fashion shows and cocktail events. Most rooms have sliding glass doors that take advantage of the hotel’s over-water location between the Royal Botanic Gardens and Rushcutters Bay; they open to either the city skyline or the Potts Point naval base. Maritime history buffs should book the latter and check out the site on the wharf from which sailors boarded ships for Gallipoli.

Ask someone who’s stayed at Number 31, a downtown Dublin house-hotel, what it’s like and he or she likely won’t get past the breakfast: the pears poached in vanilla syrup, Wexford strawberries, eggs scrambled with smoked salmon from the west coast, and slices of zesty cranberry loaf. Such homey food served in a sunlit dining room is part of what makes Number 31 feel less like a hotel and more like the pied-à-terre you’ve always dreamed of. Comfortable rooms and unobtrusive staff add to the urban townhouse vibe; the hotel owners, Noel and Deirdre Comer, manage to be warm and welcoming while also leaving guests to make themselves at home around the peat fire in the sunken lounge.

A wild garden separates the hotel’s two buildings, a Georgian terrace house and the coach house, and the overall modernist-meets-classic design owes to architect Sam Stephenson, who lived in the house as he renovated it in the 1950s. Number 31 is a favorite of Dublin insiders, from artists to architects to the designer John Rocha.

Situated in the suburbs just outside Copenhagen, Charlottenlund Beach Park is a small oasis in one of Denmark’s wealthiest areas. The old fortress retains several naval artillery batteries in a space that has been converted to a park and overlooks a small, but beautiful, Danish beach. Just behind the park you can head into the park itself, which is a richly forested area that is absolutely stunning in fall. Head to the nearby Charlottenlund Palace, built by Christian the VI in 1733, as part of your stroll through the park. There’s also a lovely cafe down by the beach which is open to visitors and offers a view over the water.

The most beautiful square in Spain is the Plaza de Espana in Sevilla. Huge, filled with intricate mosaic work depicting the history of the different regions in Spain and waterfalls, lakes and imposing architecture, in summer, it is also filled with one of the most famous and intoxicating scents in Sevilla, Jasmine. Stand and breathe in the fragrance that inspired a thousand lovers on hot summer nights..

While many cities have rivers, few take advantage of their waterways quite like San Antonio does. One of the city’s most popular tourist attractions, the River Walk runs along the San Antonio River and features both quiet stretches for jogging and livelier areas lined with colorful bars, restaurants, and shops. For an immersive experience, take a boat tour and learn more about San Antonio’s history and architecture.

Nestled between pristine beaches and lush forest, the peaceful town of Watamu is ground zero for water sports in Kenya. One of Kenya’s most renowned kite-surfing schools, Tribe Watersports, is based here and offers three–day courses to get you skimming the warm waves of the Indian Ocean in no time. If you’re happier underwater, Watamu will also appeal. A maze of rich coral reefs skirts the shoreline, so giant turtles and exotic fish can be seen year-round, and at certain times of the year majestic whale sharks pass through this region, making it a snorkeling and diving haven. For accommodation, check out the eccentric and charming Watamu Treehouse.

Formerly Belcampo.

Each of the 16 rooms at Copal Tree Lodge is a spacious villa-style suite set on the edge of the jungle, which gives a sense of privacy and peacefulness. Guests shouldn’t be surprised to see coatimundi, agouti, and other wildlife while showering in the spa-style bathrooms with their floor-to-ceiling windows. Tile floors, comfortable beds wrapped with gauzy mosquito nets, and private verandas are standard in every suite, as is Wi-Fi and complimentary laundry service, and the hotel has a pool and a restaurant/bar. The numerous outdoor activities include exploring Copal Tree Lodge’s chocolate trail and kayaking or canoeing on the Rio Grande River at the base of the property; various trips can be organized off-site, too. The hotel is closed from mid-September to late October.

Shopping passages were built in the 19th century to give Parisians protection from muddy streets and horse-drawn vehicles. Galerie Vivienne is a beautiful restored 19th-century passage with entrances at the Rue des Petits-Champs, Rue de la Banque, and Rue Vivienne. Built in 1823 in a neoclassical Pompeian style that includes a gorgeous canopy and is decorated inside with mosaics, paintings, and sculptures, Galerie Vivienne’s most famous resident is the Jean-Paul Gaultier shop. Some passage entrances are easy to miss, so be on the lookout! A stroll through these fascinating galeries is a fun and free activity on a rainy day.

A few years back, when Lima’s Central Restaurante was closed because of zoning issues, Peru‘s celebrity chef, Gastón Acurio, was one of many who petitioned for it to be reopened. I knew that meant the young chef at Central, Virgilio Martinez, must be doing something truly special. Virgilio’s restaurant is located in Lima’s hip Barranco neighborhood. I stopped in solo one afternoon for lunch and was dazzled by the dishes his servers put in front of me: charred purple corn with scented octopus, lentils, yuzu, and bok choy; “mask of the suckling pig” (or pig face) with tart green apple, baby tomatoes, and galangal; and suckling goat with chickpeas, goat cheese, and lemon verbena. Each course was plated like a work of art and was a beautiful riddle on the palette. My enthusiasm for my food earned me a tour of the open kitchen and the rooftop garden, where servers pluck flowers or clip herbs for dishes like the citrus gelée with edible flowers (pictured above). Chef also gave me a tour of his incredible chocolate cellar, where he shows off his favorite chocolate bars from around the world.

A Hawaiian fantasyland on Oahu’s more remote leeward coast, about 40 minutes from Waikiki, Aulani is so seductive—for all ages—that many guests are loath to leave the property at all. And who can blame them? The beach is an idyllic cove (albeit a man-made one) stocked with kayaks, boogie boards, and everything else little beach bums could want. Then there are the three pools, including one for adults only and one filled with tropical fish for snorkelers-in-training, two impressive waterslides, and the biggest crowd-pleaser of them all, a 900-foot-long lazy river where guests, big and small, splash around on inner tubes as they meander around a faux-rock grotto. Goofy, Minnie, Mickey, and the rest—all in their vacation outfits—make occasional cameos at the breakfast buffet or by (sometimes, in) the pool. But while Aulani is most assuredly every kid’s dream, it is not every parent’s nightmare. The resort decor is more traditionally Hawaiian than obnoxiously Magic Kingdom; the lobby is built to recall an old canoe house, on a grand scale, and is covered in murals, painted by local artists, depicting island life. Hawaiian storytellers gather around a fire pit at night, and rooms have warm woods, with a single subtle reference to the Mouse King—a wooden carving of Mickey with a surfboard and ukulele that doubles as a desk lamp. Perhaps best of all, the Aulani has an outstanding, supervised kids’ club that’s free to guests ages 3 to 12. Babysitters are available for kids as young as six weeks old.

This tiny island is north of Isla Mujeres and Cancun and is only 26 miles long and offers visitors in search of a “Robinson Crusoe” experience the perfect escape. Long, sweeping beaches beckon with water sports, snorkeling, sport fishing, and total R&R. A shallow lagoon gives sanctuary to thousands of flamingos, pelicans and other exotic birds and creatures, allowing visitors the perfect spot in which to commune with nature. Several good restaurants and hotels are available and tours to area attractions can be arranged by ferry and small plane. Getting around the island is via bicycle or golf cart.