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When in Oporto in Portugal, don’t miss the most famous of the city’s markets: The Bolhao Market. Established in 1839, this colorful, noisy market is located in the heart of the city of Oporto. The market consists of a huge two story building. This market carries every imaginable type of fruit, vegetables, beans, olives, Portuguese specialty cheeses, wonderful home made breads, and deserts. Of course there is fresh fish, poultry, and meats. Don’t miss the flower ladies who carry a huge selection of flowers. An afternoon spent in the market is just an adventure you shouldn’t miss. Walk out with your favorite ice cream flavor at the end of the day.

The oldest bar on the island, Flor de Oriente was established in 1935 and remains a favorite for both island natives and repeat visitors. It’s a great spot to grab a happy hour drink away from the crowds at the beach, as well as a bite to eat, like locally caught fish, burgers, and bitterballen (a deep-fried Dutch meatball and the perfect accompaniment to the lengthy beer list). There’s usually live music on the outdoor patio, too, from jazz to oldies to the ever-popular house band Flor de Oriente Social Club, which plays merengue and salsa every Friday.

In the Caribbean’s Windward Islands, a string of some 600 islands and islets dot the sea between St. Lucia and Grenada. It’s a paradise for yachters, where you can drop anchor off an uninhabited island and live out your Robinson Crusoe fantasies. A handful of these islands are home to resorts, including the private Palm Island, first leased to an American couple in 1966 for $1 per year. They established the ten-room Palm Island Beach Club, which over the years has grown—though there are still only a total of 43 guest rooms on this single-resort island.

Located in the northern mountain ranges of Dominica, Morne Diablotin National Park was established primarily to protect the habitat of the endangered sisserou parrot. Spanning 8,242 acres, the park is also home to Dominica’s highest peak, which looms at an impressive 4,747 feet. While the active volcano still keeps hot springs bubbling, its higher elevations are constantly swathed in cool mist, along with cloud forest moss, ferns, and spindly trees. Start your exploration on the Syndicate Natural Trail, which winds through tropical rain forest and serves as a prime birding location.

This university for music was established in 1875 by, you guessed it, renowned Hungarian composer Franz Liszt. The building is of course primarily a school—but its lively in-house concert series, including chamber music, student ensemble performances and classical works for larger orchestras in several halls and spaces—assures a lot of public interaction with this place’s wonderful classical music tradition. This gorgeous, recently refurbished Art Nouveau building is packed with lovely tapestries and gold-leaf decoration, making it as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the ears.

Über restaurateur Michel Péclard made waves in Zurich when he took over the iconic Café Schober in the Niederdorf a few years ago. In 2012, Péclard set his eyes on another classic establishment, Milchbar, which had sat tucked away in a quiet square off of Paradeplatz for over three decades. Now in its new incarnation near the Zurich Opera House, the café is as alluring as ever with Edison bulbs hung from the ceiling, long wooden communal tables, single origin coffee and super smooth espresso made with an exclusive blend by Fresh Coffee in Rüschlikon.

Following the American Civil War, Falls Church has been home to the predominantly African-American Tinner Hill neighborhood. Named for Joseph and Mary Tinner, who owned a portion of the land as well as the granite quarry, they went on to become prominent civil rights activists fighting against segregation. In 1999, the Arch was erected memorializing the site where in 1915, Tinner established the first rural branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (N.C.A.A.P.) in the United States.

Goblin Valley State Park is famous for its series of mushroom-shaped rock formations, also known as hoodoos. While there are a few established trails within the park, the namesake attraction offers three square miles of open landscape, which visitors are free to explore on their own. Beyond the Valley of Goblins, there are seven miles of easy-to-moderate mountain-biking paths, which make five separate loops in various corners of the park. Since it’s so far from any population centers, the area also offers incredible stargazing.

Outerlands is an Outer Sunset institution. The small restaurant near Ocean Beach serves local, organic cuisine in a rustic-chic setting. Covered floor-to-ceiling in warm, rough-hewn wood, the interior invites lingering over an artisan cocktail or a ginger-lemon apple cider. Lunch and dinner feature such refined but hearty options as cast-iron grilled cheese brushed with garlic oil and slow-cooked lamb shank with nasturtium leaf pesto. The weekend brunch draws a crowd and is worth the often lengthy wait. Standouts include the Dutch pancakes and the house-roasted turkey. You can always make the most of waiting for a table and head to the beach for a quick jaunt before you indulge.

No beer company has left more of an impact on Australia than XXXX, established as Castlemaine Perkins Brewery in 1878. Since then they’ve become a national icon, creating some of the most clever advertisements. You can visit their Brisbane brewery, where all of their selections are made before ending the tour in the Ale House. In addition to their famous XXXX Gold, try the XXXX Summer Ale and XXXX Bitter, as well as more craft selections from James Squire.

Brewery tours at XXXX are 90 minutes long and end with a beer tasting with four beers. The brewery recommends visitors make an advanced reservation, due to COVID safety measures. The tour costs $32 AUD per adult and are available Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays.

This two-level Cantonese palace—connected by an escalator—is lined with tanks of live fish, crustaceans, and bivalves, which the staff will stir-fry, steam, salt-and-pepper, and douse in XO sauce to your heart’s delight. There are many reasons the Chinatown establishment is beloved among in-the-know locals and hospitality veterans, and they extend from the warm, welcoming service all the way through the exquisite live abalone sashimi, mud crab hot pot, and private reserve range of wines. For a Chinese food adventure, arrive late (this place is open until 4 a.m.) and order straight from the live tanks. At least, that’s what the rock stars, politicians, and CBD chefs just getting off work do.

Ever wondered what it’s like to race alongside Usain Bolt? Switzerland’s Olympic Museum lets you to sprint against the fastest human on earth...well, his record time anyway. Fresh from a two-year renovation, the highly impressive museum in Lausanne takes you on a trip through the greatest games on earth. Impressive movies, an array of medals, torches and champion’s jerseys fill the multi-floored establishment. Among the highlights is a reaction test, race track, meditation chair, equipment from Olympic greats such as Michael Johnson, Chris Hoy and of course Usain Bolt. Entrance is a reasonable 18CHF (18 dollars) with an audio guide costing 5CHF. Afterwards, warm-down with a meander along the stunning Lake Geneva waterfront.

Having recently opened its doors to the public, the Factory on Grant Avenue in Norwood aims to be a destination for promoting the arts, crafts, design and a bit of individuality as it hopes to inject some renewed interest in the old neighborhood. The Factory features an artisanal bakery, a glass blowing studio, a screen printing workshop, an art gallery, boutique clothing stores and even a flower shop. Over the years, the popular Grant Avenue in Norwood has declined somewhat, with a proliferation of massage parlors and mini supermarkets. With the new Factory having opened early in 2014, Norwood seems to have a new buzz about it which, hopefully, will lead to other new ventures and establishments popping up too.

You probably won’t head out to the Hipódromo de las Américas unless you’re a devoted horse racing fan, but if you do consider yourself a betting and racing aficionado, you’ll probably be glad you visited. Hipódromo de las Américas was established in 1943 and can accommodate 10,000 fans. The infield’s artificial turf is the largest such extension in Latin America, one of several superlatives attached to this venue. Cost is no barrier for fans, either: entry is as low as 10 pesos, depending on where you want to sit, and betting starts as low as 1 peso. Check the schedule to see if any major events are on during your visit; this venue is home to the Mexican Derby.

Port Maria offers a glimpse of Jamaica’s colonial past, and is one of the most scenic towns on the north coast. The area is believed to have been one of the first Taino settlements, before it was established by Spanish settlers who gave it much of its still-standing colonial era architecture. It’s a contrast of the old—with centuries old architecture—and the new, with bustling local activity. Architecture buffs will enjoy a slow drive along the coast to admire ancient buildings like the 1861 St. Mary Parish Church, towering over a postcard-perfect bay and winding coastline. There isn’t much to do here, but it’s worth passing through for a sense of Jamaica‘s past. And for the scenery, of course.