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While this complex for the Cao Dai religion—which was founded in Vietnam in 1926 and combines elements of a number of other faiths—includes offices and a clinic, the real draw for tourists is the great temple. The giant, bright, surreal building is located some 50 miles northwest of Ho Chi Minh City and it is the most important shrine for the religion’s 2 million followers. The temple has an eclectic design, with front towers that resemble those of a mosque coupled with pagoda-style roofs along the sides. More striking still are the interiors, with brightly colored dragons wrapping themselves around columns and the ubiquitous symbol of a giant eye (the movement’s emblem is an eye inside a triangle), including on the large, orblike main altar.

Mantova may sound familiar. It’s where Romeo was exiled from fair Verona in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. It may not sound like an obvious choice as an artistic hidden gem, but when Shakespeare wrote his play Mantua was a swamp land. The Palazzo del Te was built in 1526, commissioned by Duke Frederigo II Gonzaga and designed by Giulio Romano. The Palazzo itself is an embodiment of Gonzaga’s desire for love and struggle for power. It was built in two phases: The first phase of the Palazzo is rife with frescos of passion, love, and a whole lot of naked gods and goddesses. It was in these rooms where he would probably make believe he was as well endowed as Zeus and play out the sexual scenes with mistresses, of which he had many. The second phase was built in 1530 and in those 4 years Duke Gonzaga got his priorities in order. This time he meant business and aligned himself politically with Charles V—Holy Roman Emperor, aka Charles I King of Spain. Aside from its history, what makes the Palazzo del Te “quality travel” is its location off the beaten track, away from the crowds of tourists blocking your view of the Sistine Chapel or the colosseum. You get an intimate experience with a work of art, or in this case an entire building without being shoveled out (which was my experience at the Sistine Chapel). Give the small towns of Italy a chance, and help preserve lesser-known works of art that deserve it as much as the famous sights in Rome, Florence, and Venice.

Forget Google Maps: You’ll quickly locate this venerable tapas bar in El Poble-Sec by the line out the door. With standing-room-only space for just 20 people, this sliver of a spot fills up fast—and stays that way until closing time. In a room lined floor-to-ceiling with bottles of wine, liquor, and pricey vinegar, you can sample a dizzying variety of tapas and montaditos (small bites served atop slices of bread). Many of the ingredients—namely the mussels, sardines, and tuna—come from cans, which sounds suspect, but Spanish conservas (tinned food) is actually of the highest quality. The cheeses—all fresh—are also top-notch.

Had the tastiest Laing Pizza during a trip to CamSur (Camarines Sur), Bicol Region, Philippines. This is a great example of fusion food which combines an Italian pizza with a very local Filipino dish called Laing. Laing is a dish made of gabi (taro) stem and leaves and coconut milk, which originated from the Bicol Region. Since Bicol is one of the few regions in the Philippines that love to eat spicy food, Laing is heavily spiced with siling labuyo (red hot chilies). Different versions have come about adding a bit of bagoong (fermented shrimp) or meat to the dish. With the Laing Pizza we ate, the spicyness of the Laing combined with the gooey cheese of the Pizza simply wakes up those taste buds! I would definitely want to go back for more :-) You can try this at the cafe inside Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC) in Camarines Sur, which is a popular venue for several world events involving wakeboarding. You can also do some wakeboarding yourself or get some lessons if you’ve never tried it. It’s fun! There are several accommodation options inside the complex from budget to high end.

The biodiversity of Madagascar is staggering: It’s home to more than 11,000 plant species, and close to 90 percent of the wildlife in this African island nation can be found nowhere else. Even the top eco-lodges here were rough around the edges until the arrival of Miavana, a private island resort off the northeastern coast. Miavana is undeniably over-the-top (the sustainably designed villas start at nearly 5,000 square feet), but the wildlife encounters are the real draw. Along with snorkeling and marine safaris, the resort offers guided treks to see native species such as jeweled chameleons and silky sifaka.

When it comes to safari experiences, South Africa is filled with luxury lodge selections. But what sets Jaci’s Safari Lodge, and the adjacent Jaci’s Tree Lodge, apart is their location in off the radar Madikwe Game Reserve (Big Five territory), their amazing hospitality and their perfectly on-point style. Magnificent Madikwe is located in the North West Province, on the border with Botswana, and the southern edge of the Kalahari Desert’s famed red sands. It’s a stunning landscape for a safari that looks quite different than what you find in the reserves like the luxe Sabi Sands around Kruger National Park and is just as accessible. Arrive via car on paved roads from Johannesburg in just about 4 hours or hop on a quick hour long scenic flight with the excellent Federal Airlines that will take you to an airstrip about 15- minutes drive through the park from the lodge — you’ll be greeted by a safari vehicle and on the way may just encounter a herd or elephant or pride of lions as we did.

Upon arrival at Jaci’s Safari Lodge you’ll be greeted by the beyond friendly and professional staff and offered a welcome drink in the gorgeous, vibrantly colored lounge and dining room area while your luggage is whisked away to your tent or suite. Jaci’s Safari Lodge offers six vintage posh Tented Suites, two privat eFamily Suites and two ultra luxe Starbed Suites, which have the option of sleeping al fresco under the stars listening to the sounds of nature — a rhino was just below us against the fence when we stayed making noise as he stomped and munched. But if sleeping al fresco isn’t for you, don’t worry as the Starbed Suites are in proper glass, steel and concrete structures with interior bedrooms completely closed off from the outside. There are more options at the adjacent Jaci’s Tree Lodge, which offers eight Treehosue Suites on custom wooden stilts connected by raised walkways that appear to float above the ground.

The food here is delicious and Madikwe Game Reserve is a hidden secret among South African parks and filled with dozens upon dozens of big cats (so many they had to remove a number of lions over the years) as well as two packs of rare wild dogs and a healthy rhino and elephant population. The guides are amazing and the bush dinners truly special. They even have a program that allows you to rent high end Canon DSLR cameras for your safaris that will bring out your inner wildlife photographer — we used these and the experience was a highlight of the trip.

At 185 acres, the Montréal Botanical Garden is less than a third the size of Mount Royal Park, but it manages to fit a remarkable collection of some 22,000 plant species and cultivars into that space, organized into 20 thematic gardens and including 10 exhibition greenhouses (ideal if you are looking for some tropical warmth in the depth of a Montréal winter). Everyone will have his or her own favorites when it comes to the different spaces—Alpine, Chinese, Japanese—but the First Nations garden stands out. Wandering alongside its pond and following its forested trails, you’ll feel like you are far from the city and instead in the northern reaches of the province of Québec—at least until you catch sight of the swoop of the nearby Olympic Tower, with its distinct incline. You can continue the naturalist itinerary at the Biodome, also nearby, where five different ecosystems of North America are re-created with flora and fauna—auks, lynx, penguins, and more.

The thermal hot springs in Rincón de La Vieja at Rio Negro (Black River) may not be as well known as those in the Arenal area, but we had the pools and surrounding forest to ourselves. From where we stayed at the Hacienda Guachipelin Rincón de La Vieja, the springs were accessible by horseback or vehicle, followed by a short hike and crossing a rather dubious hanging bridge. The pools are heated by the Rincón de La Vieja Volcano, so you definitely want to test the steaming water. There are seven pools to sample of different shapes, sizes and temperatures. The first pool was too hot to plunge more than our toes into. And the pool that was “just right” was the last one, which happened to be ideally situated next to the churning river. After two days of horseback riding, hiking, canyon ziplining and rappelling, it was great to unwind at this private oasis. If a rainforest/volcano adventure beckons you, I recommend staying at Hacienda Guachipelin Rincón de La Vieja and getting an adventure pass from Adventure Tours--both are at Rincón de La Vieja National Park.

Designed by 19 of the world’s top architecture and design firms (three of which have already won the Pritzker Prize), the Hotel Silken Puerta América Madrid may be the world’s ultimate design hotel. A colorful, towering ode to the best of modern design, the hotel is unlike anywhere else, with each distinctive floor imagined by a different creative, including the likes of Zaha Hadid (her vision is an undulating space-age den of all-black or all-white rooms and smooth fiberglass surfaces) and Jean Nouvel (his gradient exterior is just the tip of a vibrant, imaginative iceberg). John Pawson imagined the Zen-like, all-wood lobby, while architect Teresa Sapey created what may be the world’s only whimsical, design-conscious parking garage, a brightly colored and well-lit space inspired by Paul Éluard’s poem Freedom, which adorns the building’s facade.

Despite each floor’s unique and avant-garde aesthetic, the Hoteles Silken group refused to compromise on luxury, guaranteeing top-notch service and every modern amenity one would expect from a five-star hotel. And don’t forget the acclaimed restaurant, two trendy bars (one on the rooftop, with postcard-worthy views), and the indoor rooftop pool.

There’s so much to see at Montserrat, the picturesque mountain located a few hours outside of Barcelona. Nature lovers will enjoy the wide range of hikes while, non-sporty types can bask in the breathtaking views available from almost any vantage point. Take the two funiculars, Santa Cova and Saint Joan, to visit the corresponding difficult to reach chapels. With travel, plan to spend a whole day at Montserrat. Between the mountain, basilica, museum, and monastery. Food is available from several shops and cafeterias, but many visitors plan ahead with a picnic. On Sundays local vendors sell cheese and honey outside the monastery. Purchase a ToT or Trans Montserrat card in Barcelona, they include transportation and funicular rides to different parts of the mountain. The ticket is good for a certain length of time, no need to specify a specific day, so wait for nice weather. Barcelona’s transit system is very easy to use, but trains to and from the mountain can be busy. Arrive early to guarantee a seat for the two hour journey.

There are many places to view Flamenco in Granada. There are large shows in Sacramonte that cost 25-35 Euros and have a flare for showing the dramatics and storytelling of the dance, and there are shows that have no dance and play in dark underground pubs. There is every range of Flamenco played and performed. Le Chien Andalou is easy to find, unlike some places father into the Albycin, it is cheap at 7 euros, and the food and drinks are neither life changing nor horrible. The music changes every night, I have been a few handfuls of times and have witnessed a sampling from slightly better than mediocre to quite incredible performances. It is often wise to stop by and make a reservation as the space is limited in this little wine cellar room full of short stools and low tables. I recommend this place for those wanting to experience Flamenco to either be intrigued by it, to fall in love with its depth and soul, or to walk away at least saving 20 euros while discovering it was not to your taste. For those with a bit more adventure to explore the streets of the upper Albaycin, and a with a bit more of a budget for delicious food (or if Le Chien Andalou has left you wanting to experience more flamenco) then I recommended: Restaurante, Flamenco Jardines de Zoraya(from a past highlight, and one of my favorite spots for Flamenco, Food, and the best Sangria!)

Tucked away in Cartagena’s Old Town, Casa de Indias combines colonial architecture with vibrant eclecticism. Though the villa dates to 1693, when it was owned by the then-governor of Cartagena, its purchase in 1979 by the family of famed Colombian figurative artist and sculptor Fernando Botero set the tone for its current iteration. His interior designer daughter Lina Botero redecorated the guesthouse and opened it to travelers in 2013, keeping old-world features like terra cotta–hued stucco walls and black-and-white marble tile floors while adding colorful textiles and pottery, rough-hewn wood furniture, and works by her father to create an artsy lived-in feel. Individually decorated rooms are likewise warm and distinctive, some showcasing original brick walls and all offering iPod docks and flat-screen TVs. The 16-guest maximum capacity helps ensure a quiet atmosphere where you’re free to roam between palm-shaded patios, lounge around the outdoor pool, or take in panoramic city views from the rooftop terrace and hot tub.

Located next to the picturesque Sant Felip Neri Square in the atmospheric Gothic Quarter, the Hotel Neri Relais & Châteaux comprises two historic mansions, one dating to the 12th century. The modernist aspirations of the hotel are immediately apparent, though, from the front entrance’s elegant combination of glass and metalwork to the stone walls of the lobby. Rooms are crisp and subtly decorated in grays and greens offset by the wooden floors, and they’re filled with high-tech features such as satellite TVs and Bluetooth speakers, as well as desks. Bathrooms feature natural stone and rain showers, and most rooms look out onto the Gothic Quarter’s cobbled streets. The hotel also has a romantic restaurant with 12th-century inspiration, and a roof terrace complete with hammocks and a beer-and-wine bar.

A village unlike any other in the world, Combarro is a mystical seaside town that has a single narrow road winding through it. On both sides of this souvenir alley are different witch objects for sell, along with the city pride and joy: Orujo - a type of Brandy - which is sold in flavors from rice pudding, almond, coffee, and black cherry. It is said this is a magical city where witches still reside, the people all have a twinkle in their eye and are friendly from the bottom of their hearts. It’s a truly warming experience to visit Combarro. Photo by Guillen Perez/Flickr.

What could be more enchanting than sitting over the Puerta de Sol in the heart of Madrid? Why, enjoying the view with a pastry and cafe con leche in hand, of course. Let Mallorquina’s hustle and bustle of the downstairs leave you feeling like a local, sipping caffeine at the bar, but for a quiet moment of indulgence take the spiral staircase up to the dining room and enjoy the view and white linens for only a few cents more. Rumor is, they serve the best napolitana chocolate in Madrid, but you’ll have to try it for yourself to be sure.