Like a scattered string of pearls, the islands of the Bahamas stretch from their most northerly point (less than an hour's flight from Miami) south across 500 miles of the Caribbean Sea. The still-relatively-young commonwealth, which achieved independence in 1973 after 325 years of British rule, encompasses 700 different islands-each with its own character. But whether they're havens of unspoiled wilderness, decadent celebrity-studded oases, or glitzy gambling and entertainment meccas, all are suffused with the same laid-back, carefree, distinctly Bahamian attitude. See the Bahamas slideshow.

Privacy, isolation, seclusion
if these are words you use to describe your ideal vacation, then these three resorts are perfect for you. Luxury accommodations await.

One of the largest landfalls in the Caribbean, Jamaica is ringed with some of the world’s most spectacular beaches. But there are plenty of other ways to amuse oneself in paradise. Adventure sports from mountain-biking to diving to fishing abound. The tropical vegetation attracts a stunning array of exotic birds (and bird-watchers). A food renaissance has elevated island cooking into a compelling nouvelle cuisine, albeit one that retains a traditional local flavor. And, of course, the inimitable range of musics pioneered here—from ska to reggae to dub to dancehall—endure and echo down every lane and on every fragrant ocean breeze.

First-time visitors tend to associate Buenos Aires with tango, steak, and wine—that trifecta of local passions—but the Argentine capital’s French buildings, Italian food, and Spanish nightlife also tell the story of a city with one foot in Latin America and the other in Europe. Beyond the “Paris-of-South-America” clichĂ©s, this is a city of world-class art, exceptional cuisine, and internationally acclaimed design. After a 2001 crisis battered the nation’s economy and the value of its currency, B.A. became one of the world’s few high-gloss/low-cost travel destinations; the resulting influx of visitors and expats transformed the city, in some ways arguably saving it from an even worse downturn. In recent months, however, acute inflation has confounded the country’s once-robust recovery. The days of Buenos Aires as a bastion of bargains have passed—at least for now—yet its physical and cultural charms have never been more evident.

Onetime home to legendary tango crooner Carlos Gardel, Buenos Aires's Abasto neighborhood is—like the music—experiencing a revival. Immerse yourself in the history of tango culture at Gardel's former residence, Museo Casa Carlos Gardel.

Intimate, design-driven "hotelitos" are opening throughout Buenos Aires. We've uncovered four neighborhood favorites that deliver style without sacrificing value.

Home to the ïŹery tango and the passionate culture that invented it, Buenos Aires has a soul that's wonderfully lost between Europe and South America, between the past and present.

Though its grand boulevards and Belle Époque–stylish palaces give Buenos Aires a genteel air, underneath lies an unmistakably bohemian heart.

The cinematic giant sets down roots in Buenos Aires while filming Tetro, his newest film. Here, his favorite spots.

You can't blame other cities if they cast a covetous eye upon London and grumble, It isn't fair. How can a 2,000-year-old settlement with such a deeply entrenched history-and such familiar-to-the-point-of-predictable iconography-stand at the leading edge of design, architecture, fashion, cuisine, fine art, and pop culture? By embracing international styles and influences (and people) as much as its own. The city's millennial resurgence resulted from a blend of clear-eyed preservation, savvy reinvention, and bold innovation. Only here could a brash new landmark like the Tate Modern so swiftly find its place in the old cityscape; only here could the cutting-edge gastropub (an alien term just 15 years ago) so readily slip into local parlance and routine. Perhaps that's because behind all this novelty, the London that always was endures, unperturbed by these curious new arrivals, or just slightly bemused.

Dress up for a white-linen-and-lashings-of-cream tea at Fortnum & Mason's, pay tribute to Tiny Tim with a visit to Dickens's house, and go to a Victorian music hall to see a pantomime of "Cinderella."

The city’s incomparable sparkle could put any Scrooge in touch with his inner Cratchit. Watch a pantomime at the Hackney Empire—a thousand rotten jokes and a happy ending guaranteed. Tour Charles Dickens’s holly-swagged house. And take care of your gift list at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s new state-of-the-art shop.

As restaurateurs, like their customers, become more conscious of the carbon footprint what we eat leaves behind, the British are becoming more alert to seasonal foods: asparagus, strawberries, oysters, and especially game. Alongside this awareness is a revived interest in British food itself.

Once considered a backwater of crusty Old Master dealers, London is now a contemporary art powerhouse, with more creative and commercial artistic clout than anywhere outside New York.

Serving up more than just pub food, this easy eating itinerary saves money for a Harrods spree.

Visions of firelit Cotswolds country inns, shopping at Harrod's, and carols in the Royal Albert Hall make England—especially London—a potent draw at Christmastime.

Locavore restaurants, eco-boutiques, and even a solar-powered city hall are a testament to Britain's long-standing commitment to clean living. For this trip, T+L partnered with Greenopia, the leading publisher of eco-guides to U.S. cities (greenopia.com), applying Greenopia’s environmental criteria to hotels, restaurants, stores, and sites in London.

Despite being right in the heart of London, the thriving neighborhood of Marylebone (pronounced mary-le-bone) maintains a fairly low profile. Those who do discover a world of independent cafés, homegrown designer shops and markets, epicurean emporiums, and lovingly restored Victorian pubs.

So what if the euro is up and the dollar is down?That doesn’t mean you should skip a trip to Europe. You can still find great deals, even in pricey places. In London the secret is simple: knowing where the bargains are. It’s common knowledge that many of London’s greatest museums-the British Museum, V&A, National Gallery, Tate Modern-don’t charge admission, but there are some lesser-known freebies too.

Vintage style is back all over town, from old-school candy shops to the speakeasy scene.

On an antiques-shopping adventure, discover one-of-a-kind jewelry and accessories at too-good-to-believe prices.

Eat your way through the top pubs in London and beyond for authentic Scotch eggs, fish-and-chips, and pints.

In Asia’s most cosmopolitan city, everyone seems to be in a rush—dashing off to work in some soaring highrise, hurrying to catch a tram or a subway, speed-shopping through the countless shopping malls, hastening to make a date at one of the myriad glassed-in restaurants and chic cocktail bars. Beyond the 21st-century cacophony and the accelerated tempo, however, the savvy visitor can find glimpses of old-world tranquillity: incense-wreathed Taoist temples; polished hotel lobbies serving afternoon tea in the English style; rustic remote walking trails; graceful tai-chi practitioners in tidy city parks. Hong Kong’s relatively small size—the city “only” holds seven million people—superb public transportation system, cheap taxis, and bilingual signage make it a cinch to navigate. Just remember to slow down every now and then.

Asia's most glamorous city has always been home to some of the world's most glamorous hotels. With three new additions and a major renovation, the bar is being raised.

Asia is to the 21st century what Europe was to the previous three, and its influence touches every aspect of life in the West—culturally, politically, demographically, not least economically. Asian design, cinema, fine art, fashion, cuisine, medicine, and even spirituality have come to permeate and (re)define our own.

From the free candy you get upon landing at immigration to the noodle-soup station at the business-class lounge dishing out shrimp wontons at dusk, a trip to Hong Kong is framed by sustenance. The relative compactness of the city, the tight embrace of its subtropical climate, the excellent subways and cheap taxis—everything conspires to move you about until you find the perfect little air-conditioned hole-in-the-wall where, at three in the morning, a small family will be slicing up mangoes. Food is personal here, bad food an insult, good food a blessing, and the best way to see Hong Kongers at their most communal and animated is to follow them directly to the table.

Centuries-old stone facades, traditional bistros, elegant boulevards, and a certain Gallic je ne sais quoi make Montreal's reputation as an Old World city manqué well-deserved. But this Francophone metropolis is no fossilized relic. Step beyond the cobbled lanes of Vieux-Montréal, and you're surrounded by thoroughly of-the-moment buildings from the likes of I. M. Pei; innovative, globally inspired cuisine served in cunningly designed restaurants; boundary-pushing music from bands such as Arcade Fire and The Dears; and a dizzying blend of cultures that includes not just French but Italian, Chinese, and Caribbean. What binds all this together are the Montrealers themselves, who embrace their dualisms with relish.

Take a spin at an outdoor ice-skating rink, plunge into your hotel's outdoor heated pool, and shop for maple candies and chestnuts in Montreal's bustling outdoor markets.

North America’s City of Light has made the jump from historic to hot, with a slew of stylish hotels, shops, and restaurants. Here, even laundromats compete for inspired design awards, in the aptly named contest CrĂ©ativitĂ© MontrĂ©al.

Lapped the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, Bali is but one of 17,500 islands in the Indonesian archipelago, yet even among its colorful neighbors—and even after decades of tourism development—it stands alone in its lushness and incomparable beauty. Long, sugary beaches lead inland to hillsides terraced with jewel-green rice paddies; forests dotted with ancient temples abound. These centuries-old shrines—there are thousands scattered across the island—are evidence of Bali’s deep, enduring spirituality. For the island’s three million, mostly Hindu residents, daily routines are punctuated by prayer, blessings, and rituals—and it’s these traditions, even more than the spectacular landscapes, that make Bali such a compelling, authentic, and utterly singular destination.

This holiday, trade in pine trees for rice paddies, carols for the haunting sound of the gamelan gong, and snow for a Christmas Eve sunset at the island temple of Tanah Lot.

Grace is evident across this island: in sarong-clad men carrying an elaborate cremation tower down a busy Kuta street; in children practicing intricate dance movements along a rural road; and, everywhere, in the delicate, flower-filled canang sari baskets the Balinese offer to their gods. After two blows to the island’s tourism industry, the residents are more determined than ever to win back the confidence of travelers.

Asia is to the 21st century what Europe was to the previous three, and its influence touches every aspect of life in the West—culturally, politically, demographically, not least economically. Asian design, cinema, fine art, fashion, cuisine, medicine, and even spirituality have come to permeate and (re)define our own.

This is a land of impossible beauty: wide beaches, elaborate Hindu temples, and terraced rice paddies unfolding in a checkerboard against the mountains. The resorts in Bali are tailor-made for escaping into the landscape.

With its gleeful bombast, over-the-top showmanship, and extravagant deployment of dreams as quotidien entertainment, Orlando may be the most "American" city in the nation. It's also the most popular family destination on earth; some 50 million visitors a year flood its theme parks and hotels in ceaseless pursuit of childhood fantasy (or regression). While the vast majority of the crowds orbit the big-ticket amusements furnished by Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Florida, and SeaWorld, more determined travelers will uncover a surprisingly sophisticated, albeit lesser-known city rooted in Old Florida values if they take the time to seek it out.

New Mouse-less playland diversions include a slide that plunges riders through a dolphin lagoon, stepping into the world of The Simpsons, a "Chardonnay" for all ages, and whimsical Dr. Seuss-themed suites.

There are four Disney theme parks to tackle: Magic Kingdom (kiddie rides and the iconic castle), Epcot (World’s Fair fare), Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Tinseltown celebrated), and Animal Kingdom (lions and tigers and mice, oh my!). How to take on the town—and avoid the mousetraps?

Okay parents, we’ve got the best places to stay in Florida thanks to the thousands of Travel + Leisure readers who took our annual poll. And because these spreads are fully loaded everyone can find their fun.

Few cities have honed their swoon-inducing skills as well as this one: every cobbled lane, every streetside cafĂ©, every patisserie window seems to have been art-directed by some impossibly savvy set designer; every passerby apparently costumed by a couturier. Paris spoils you for everywhere else—yet somehow, despite centuries at the epicenter of global tourism, it has never spoiled itself. (No city has so successfully navigated the tricky business of historic preservation.) And although Paris does grandeur and drama better than any place, its greatest pleasures are arguably its simplest ones: the rustic charm of a humble neighborhood bistro; the tranquility of a churchyard; the lilt of a jazz combo; the crunch of a perfect baguette. Best of all, such indulgences are easily accessible and affordable (and often outright free). When was the last time your heart quickened by the mere act of walking down the street?

Several years past its third millennium mark, the warmest of European capitals is more captivating than ever. Rome’s dramatic physique, from her majestic antiquities to her sinuous baroque curves, has been thrown into even higher relief by a modern trend that has made its presence felt in a major way: in hotels, restaurants, and shops that have adopted a more current, international aesthetic. Traditionalists needn’t worry, however—Rome is still very much enamored of her past, and you can find old-school establishments all over town if you know where to look. While the Colosseum and the Vatican still loom large in the skyline and identity of Rome, you’ll discover the true soul of the city away from the big sights—in neighborhood coffee bars and trattorias, and from riders of Vespas exchanging boisterous greetings while passing on cobblestone backstreets. For a city this stylish and accomplished, Rome’s remarkable accessibility, even for first-time or short-term visitors, is her most generous asset.

La dolce vita gets updated as a clutch of hip bars and boutiques put their stamp on the baroque Eternal City.

The annual Rome Film Fest offers screenings at the Parco della Musica, the Piazza del Popolo and the legendary Via Veneto—and the chance to see noteworthy titles overlooked by Cannes and Venice.

They boast no Pantheon, no St. Peter’s, but thanks to several centuries’ accretion of buildings both noble and humble, their mazelike streets are rife with happy accidents of space and beauty: All you have to do is turn a corner, and a crooked, eight-foot-wide lane suddenly gives onto a sun-washed piazza; or a cacophony of revving Vespas fades into a silence broken only by the trickling of a wall fountain. Lately these rioni have attractions of a wholly contemporary sort.

So what if the euro is up and the dollar is down?That doesn’t mean you should skip a trip to Europe. You can still find great deals, even in pricey places. In Rome, the secret is simple: knowing where the bargains are. For example, Italy's biggest city has more than 900 churches displaying great works of Renaissance and Baroque art and architecture--and all of them are free.

Zigzagging from Rome to Piedmont, T+L takes a tasting tour of the country’s artisanal offerings.

Sydney perennially occupies the upper ranks of T+L readers’ favorite cities. And why not? Impressively cosmopolitan, almost embarrassingly handsome—but as breezy and casual as any sunsoaked harbor town—Australia’s largest city could win any visitor over on looks and climate alone. But you’ll also find a surfeit of cultural riches, from first-rate museums to colorful ethnic enclaves (and, of course, that famous opera house). Add innovative restaurants, verdant parks, and glittering beaches, and Sydney feels worlds away from the hardscrabble British penal colony of two centuries ago.

While Baz Luhrmann’s film Australia is set mainly in the Top End, Sydney makes an important appearance. Here, the star of the 2008 movie, Hugh Jackman, shares his favorite hometown spots.

Sydney's siren song is a carefree lifestyle, secret beaches, a dazzling harbor, and endless summers.

In a city so blessed by climate and geography, hyperbole comes naturally. And to the long list of Sydney superlatives, add this: dish for dish, it has the finest Asian food on the planet. No other city—not Singapore, not Hong Kong, not Bangkok—offers such assured cooking or such a wide range of cuisines. Why? Immigrants from East and Southeast Asia have formed a major demographic in Australia for more than a century, and in Sydney they have access to superb ingredients—fabulously fresh organic produce, renowned Australian beef and lamb, and seafood from the Sydney Fish Market, the world’s second largest, after Tokyo’s.

The northeastern-most state in the nation is a bastion of extremes-a place where the feisty, flinty Yankee spirit is arguably at its purest; where one of the sea's greatest delicacies, lobster, is on virtually every menu; and where no fewer than 5,000 miles of craggy Atlantic coastline beg to be explored. Along that shore and deeper inland are temptations for every visitor and interest: farm-fresh food in Portland, Maine's largest city (with more restaurants per capita than New York City); remote Adirondack hiking trails and kayak-luring rivers and lakes; kid-friendly beaches and honky-tonk boardwalks; world-class art museums and a Relais & Chateaux resort. And despite the state's postcard-ready, Old Tyme New England appearances, a modern, can-do creative spirit permeates the state, ignited by a new generation of creative artists, chefs, and artisanal producers. If you thought you knew Maine, maybe it's time to come back.

America’s most intimate metropolis, or its biggest small town? Depending on where you happen to be standing, Boston can easily feel like either (and here a single block can make a world of difference). While ghosts of the nation’s early days—of Paul Revere’s ride, the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Tea Party—still linger along its many twisting, cobblestoned streets, this is no Ye Olde Colonial Theme Park: alongside the heirloom townhouses, stately museums, and white-steepled churches you’ll find surprisingly chic hotels, edgy shops, a rollicking nightlife, and cutting-edge restaurants rivaling those in New York and Chicago. Unlike those cities, however, Boston is compact and accessible enough to navigate with a pair of comfortable shoes and a subway Charlie Card.

Three days is all you need to check out the contemporary design highlights of Manhattan and Boston—and to stop along the way to visit pieces of iconic modern architecture in Connecticut.

This historic New England hub has undertaken some truly modern green initiatives—including hybrid-vehicle airport trams, a solar-powered visitor center, and a slew of environmentally conscious hotels and restaurants.

The ghosts of America’s colonial roots—Paul Revere’s ride, the Battle of Bunker Hill, and the infamous Tea Party—still linger among the cobblestone streets of Boston. But this is no Ye Olde Colonial Theme Park; alongside the art museums, heirloom buildings, and cultural landmarks you’ll find slick hotels, stylish shops, and cutting-edge restaurants rivaling those in New York and Chicago. Unlike those more sprawling cities, though, Boston is small enough to navigate with a pair of comfy shoes and a subway Charlie Card.

When Boston’s “Big Dig” replaced the elevated highway, it reconnected downtown to the isolated North End peninsula, bringing fresh energy to the city’s oldest residential neighborhood.

The capital city that John F. Kennedy once panned for its "Southern efficiency and Northern charm" continues to rebuild itself into the world-class cultural and culinary capital it was always meant to be. Always revered for its astonishing collection of museums and historical troves, D.C. has lately become a burgeoning music hub and-more surprisingly-a foodie's playground, with hotter-than-thou restaurants opening seemingly every week. Of course, amidst all the upheaval, the nation's capital is still enthralled and defined by power-only now, with a new, younger guard ensconced, Washington's political establishment all the more accurately reflects the city's remarkably vibrant and diverse population.

Depending on where you happen to be standing / walking / eating / sleeping, New York is either the most overwhelming and chaotic city in America or the warmest, most romantic town on earth. For all the bright-lights-big-city grandeur (Midtown’s twinkling canyons, Wall Street’s warp-speed intensity), one can always find a charmingly quiet neighborhood where the world feels no wider than a sidewalk stoop—and all these lie within mere blocks of one another. The trick is balancing the city’s outsize spectacle with the intimate experiences that New York so improbably sustains.

Welcome to one of America's most exciting, sophisticated, and expensive destinations. But don't let that last point put you off a family trip. Here, the best low-cost hotels, restaurants and attractions around—on a budget that won't blow anyone's allowance.

The art dealers started it all. Priced out of Soho in the 1990's, they migrated to the old industrial area north of West 14th Street and transformed warehouses and garages into stunning showcases for contemporary painting and sculpture. Despite all the changes, some streets are still paved with cobblestones—stick to the sidewalks with those Heelys!

The Big Apple can't be beat for dramatic moments: shopping on Madison Avenue, strolling hand in hand through Central Park, or basking in the megawatt glow of Times Square.

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, when residents head for the beach, most big cities empty out, enabling you to score tables at top-notch restaurants, snag choice theater tickets, and take advantage of free cultural offerings. Many hotel rooms are also deeply discounted through the end of August.

Take a spin around Manhattan's only traffic circle to view the nearby museum, shops, and restaurants.

From uptown’s bustling avenues to the quiet, cobblestoned streets of downtown, New York is a study in contrasts.

It’s not especially modest to call New York City the center of the modern world—but then, as New Yorkers are the first to admit, their hometown has never been shy about tooting its own horn. The buildings are soaring, look-at-me towers; crowds are boisterous and diverse; zillion of restaurants and shops cater every conceivable taste; museums and performance spaces offer everything from masterworks to avant-garde creations. Around almost any corner is a commingling of energy, congruous and clashing at the same time. The result is messy, beautiful, and very New York.

Three days is all you need to check out the contemporary design highlights of Manhattan and Boston—and to stop along the way to visit pieces of iconic modern architecture in Connecticut.

With its Park Avenue triplexes, brass-buttoned doormen, and Madison Avenue boutiques, the Upper East Side is the Apple at its most polished. And this pricey territory east of Fifth Avenue is certainly well situated: the restaurants, the museums, Central Park—it's all at your feet.

No one can agree precisely when it started, let alone where it starts. South of Houston Street? 14th? 23rd? Does it include the farther-flung galleries of Chelsea? The Financial District? The one thing New Yorkers can agree on is that Downtown just feels different. You sense it the minute you cross that disputed border. Few cityscapes have such recognizable iconography—the cast-iron façades of SoHo, the Belgian block–paved lanes of TriBeCa, the water towers punctuating rooflines like squat wooden rocket ships, the hoardings plastered with dance-mix ads, the congee joints and Puerto Rican bodegas, the bodega that last Tuesday became a bistro. Here's we've compiled the best of this iconic and ever-changing locale.

Food-loving New Yorkers aren’t letting Wall Street shocks scare them away from great meals. Even reports of white-tablecloth dining’s demise seem somewhat exaggerated. Certainly these picks are doing well.

Who says midtown Manhattan has no culinary edge? Something is cooking along Gotham’s new restaurant row.

Sure, Denver has morphed into a city of top-notch hotels, edgy architecture, and great restaurants, but much of the action remains in the year-round playground of the Rocky Mountains. Some of America’s most gorgeous terrain has long been a wealth-magnet for towns like Vail and Aspen, but celebrated chefs and high-end shops are making their way into smaller hamlets as well. And every place from Boulder to Telluride wants a piece of the action. After all, it’s nature that people come for, whether to carve fresh tracks on a ski slope, bomb down a hill on a mountain bike, or just sit on a balcony and watch as the red fingers of dawn reach out over massive mountain peaks to grasp a new day.

Energy capital, rodeo town, biotech and medical research center, aerospace innovator, international arts destination: America’s fourth-largest city is many things to many, many people—2.2 million in the greater metropolitan area. Like Texas itself, Houston transcends its own clichĂ©s and stereotypes and is increasingly impossible to pin down. In a city untamed by zoning laws, these multiple personalities exist side-by-side, and the sheer randomness of the place is sometimes appealing, sometimes appalling, yet always exhilarating. Three separate skylines jagged with audacious towers—by the likes of I. M. Pei, Cesar Pelli, and Philip Johnson—tower over prim, leafy residential neighborhoods. Exquisite museums, fine restaurants, and fashionable shops lie just off the pristine avenues of downtown. You never know what awaits around the next corner, but therein lies the appeal of this unpredictable and in comparable city. See the slideshow.

The nation's fourth-largest metropolis is many things all at once: energy capital, rodeo town, biotech and medical research center, aerospace innovator, and international arts destination. Its multiple personalities exist side by side in a city untamed by zoning laws, and the randomness of the place is sometimes appealing, sometimes appalling, but always exhilarating. Three separate skylines full of audacious skyscrapers—from the likes of I. M. Pei, Cesar Pelli, and Philip Johnson—tower beside leafy residential neighborhoods. Exquisite museums, fine restaurants, and fashionable shops lie off the pristine streets of downtown.

Once known as the land of big oil fortunes, Houston has emerged as the Gulf Coast’s cultural capital, with a world-class art scene—and a slew of hotels, restaurants, and shops to match.For a true Texas experience, go between February and March for the Houston Rodeo, the world’s largest.

Last year was rough for Houstonians, but having recovered from Hurricane Ike, they’re back to the business of eating well—and local chefs are indulging them with new zeal.

The bustling capital of the New South is in a near-constant state of flux. Once a sultry antebellum outpost, then a charred ruin in the wake of General William T. Sherman’s 1864 march to the sea, Atlanta today is a thoroughly modern cityscape of glittering towers (more of which seem to pop up every week), and a center of both world news (CNN is headquartered here) and international business (the airport is the nation’s busiest). See the slideshow.

It may be a landlocked city, but with the recent opening of the Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta is now awash in more than 100,000 fish swimming in 8 million gallons of water.

Whether they’re in Atlantic Station or Inman Park, Atlanta restaurants—many with homegrown chefs— have hit their stride.

Atlanta's green draws include the LEED-certified World of Coca-Cola museum, Segway tours, and Green Seal-designated hotels.

Widely known as "the capital of the New South," bustling, modern Atlanta is a city that constantly redefines itself. Once a sultry antebellum outpost—and then a charred ruin in the wake of General William T. Sherman’s 1864 march to the sea—Atlanta is today a cityscape of glittering high-rise towers (more of which seem to pop up every week), and both a center of world news (CNN is headquartered here) and international business (the city’s airport is the busiest in the country).

Even after a century of existence, Miami still has the feel of a place that went up last night. From the beginning, climate and geography-sultry air, lush tropical vegetation, the glistening waters of Biscayne Bay-have dictated the character and demeanor of this languid, sexy city devoted to pleasure, one far more Latin American/Caribbean than North American in tone. Today's Miami, full of sophisticated hotels, restaurants, museums, and architecture, may be America's most modern metropolis: unfettered by historical baggage, eminently multicultural, and always up for trying something new.

Welcome to round-the-clock thrills—suntanned, G-string-wearing rollerbladers, wild clubs, and celebrity-packed parties. Wait. For 16-year-olds there are no nightclubs, no celebrity bashes, and no G-strings, and instead Miami is all about great beaches and pools, adventure (ultralight flight, anyone?), and the American ideal—a true melting-pot city.

Miami was founded on the fun-above-all principle of nightclubs, and the idea that the august Swiss art fair would pick the city as its sole satellite has a certain loopy logic. Despite the fair’s focus on edgy contemporary art, Basel itself was (and remains) the polite embodiment of old-line Europe, with Miami the tropical frontier--and the ideal blank canvas.

Even after a century of existence, Miami still has the feel of a place that went up last night. Still, pockets of Art Deco, Miami Modern (MiMo), and Spanish Revival remain in neighborhoods like Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, and Key Biscayne. The Miami of today, full of sophisticated hotels, restaurants, and museums, may be America’s most modern city: multicultural, unfettered by the historic baggage of other cities, and always up for trying something new.

To create her perfect matrimonial meal, Miami chef Michelle Bernstein looked to people, places, and flavors from all over the world.

Ever since Elizabeth Arden opened Maine Chance spa on Camelback Mountain in the 1930's, Phoenix (and its tony satellite sister, Scottsdale) has been a prime R&R destination for the wealthy and well-bred-and not much else. (Cue the local joke: What's the difference between Phoenix and yogurt? One has culture.) While the Valley of the Sun still has its priorities straight-warm desert breezes, swaying palms, chaise longues by the pool-something has shifted of late. The city's contemporary arts scene has finally achieved critical mass. Cool boutiques are launching; chefs are redefining southwestern cuisine; and-although malls and fairways continue to overtake the surrounding desert-civic-minded residents have preserved plenty of evocative landscape for nature enthusiasts. (Pinnacle Peak, a beloved local hiking spot, reopened after being closed for eight years.) And although Arden's Maine Chance is long gone, the resort scene is rife with ever-revamping hotels and state-of-the-art spas. See the slideshow.

Who needs groundhogs and robins to tell you that winter is almost over when you’ve got Pitchers and Catchers—the day the first baseball players report to camp to get ready for the season ahead? For fans, the start of exhibition games in late February is practically a national holiday. Throughout March, 30 Major League teams draw nearly 2 million people to intimate fields in Florida, home to the Grapefruit League, and Arizona, the Cactus League’s turf. The latter is a home run if you’re trying to pull off an easy, affordable trip: seven of the nine ballparks sit close to one another in the Phoenix metropolitan area; hotel rooms are plentiful; and tickets can be snagged online for $5 to $25, or even scalped—it’s legal. The Cactus League has a trip planner and ticket information on its extensive Web site, CactusLeague.com. The grass here is achingly green, the sky blazingly blue, the ball a white meteor. And it’s hot—night games are a big plus. Bring your mitt and arrive early to take part in a great spring ritual: standing outside the warm-up field and scurrying after balls hit over the fence. Chances are you’ll also catch an autograph.

After a night at your environmentally-consicous hotel and a sustainably grown restaurant meal, take a geologist-led walking tour to check out 12-million-year-old rock formations.

Warm temperatures and swaying palms have always meant poolside leisure, but lately even locals have stopped teasing (What’s the difference between Phoenix and yogurt?Yogurt has culture), and recognize that the city is growing into its contemporary art scene.

No city in the world has the power (or the will) to transform itself like Las Vegas, a sales-savvy amusement park that unapologetically changes themes whenever it likes. When entertainment revenue began to eclipse gambling proceeds in the 1990’s, the city’s marketing gurus declared it the ultimate family destination. When celebrity chefs moved in, it became the world’s culinary hot spot. Its brash and brassy clubs and discos, many of them originally copped from Los Angeles and New York, now serve as the nightlife templates for the rest of the country. And then there’s the ever-new (but ever-iconic) skyline, a four-mile stretch of neon and borrowed architecture. Beyond the Strip, it may surprise the visitor to learn, an entire, seemingly self-contained city exists. This is where to uncover some of Vegas’s most transformative experiences: the mammoth new Las Vegas Springs Preserve; legendary local restaurants like Lotus of Siam; and cool events like First Friday, when gritty downtown turns into a giant art party. See the slideshow.

Sin City has surprising attractions for the non-drinking, non-gambling, no-nightclub teen set

No longer a stage set masquerading as a metropolis, Las Vegas has finally grown into a real global city, offering a diversity of experiences to rival any other’s—from intimate to over-the-top, ersatz to authentic and (more likely) something in between. These days, Vegas is all about making the rarefied accessible—and usually more affordable. Vegas specializes in this sort of nonexclusive exclusivity, making mere mortals feel like high-rolling VIPs.

The king of the Strip, who just added Encore to his portfolio of high-end casino hotels, tells T+L about his favorite places around the city—and beyond.

No city in the world has the power to transform itself like Las Vegas, a sales-savvy amusement park that unapologetically changes themes whenever it likes. But beyond the Strip, an entire city exists. This is where to find some of Vegas’s most transformative experiences: the mammoth new Las Vegas Springs Preserve, legendary local restaurants like Lotus of Siam, and events like First Friday, when gritty downtown turns into a giant art party.

Under attack in its homeland, grand French dining is finding an unlikely refuge in Sin City.

Las Vegas casinos all look pretty much the same once you're parked on a vinyl stool with a scotch in hand, but the pools are a different story. Some are inventive expanses with sandy beaches, pounding waterfalls, and bubbly hot tubs. Others are obligatory water-filled holes. We've found the most fun, and the most family-friendly options.

After indulging in Sin City's guilty pleasures, take a two-hour drive to Utah's Red Mountain Spa for couples' massages, tai chi, and hiking in gorgeous national parks.

The heady aroma of burning piñon logs permeates the air every night in Santa Fe, where the altitude-nearly 7,000 feet-ensures that even summer evenings are crisp enough for locals to light up their kiva fireplaces. The smoky scent is a constant presence in this ever-changing city, where thick-walled adobe buildings four centuries old stand cheek-by-jowl with avant-garde art galleries and lively new restaurants. It's a reminder that, despite its vibrant population of skiers and hikers, painters and photographers, alternative healers, hippies, gays and lesbians, and émigrés from seemingly every one of the other 49 states, this city remains strongly connected to its Spanish-Native American heritage-and to the pristine landscape that surrounds it. See the slideshow.

The heady aroma of burning piñon logs permeates the air every night in Santa Fe, where the altitude—nearly 7,000 feet—ensures that even summer evenings are crisp enough for locals to light up their kiva fireplaces. The scent is a constant presence in this ever-changing city, where thick-walled adobe buildings nearly 400 years old stand cheek-by-jowl with avant-garde art galleries and edgy modern restaurants.

The country’s oldest state capital celebrates its 400th anniversary in 2009. Spend a day catching up on the city’s most compelling sights.

The old story on Detroit resembled a Greek tragedy—the once mighty Motor City rusted, blighted, and abandoned. In its recent incarnation, Detroit enjoys “it” city status and is now celebrated for its gritty urban cachet as well as its downtown, dramatically spruced up when the city hosted the Super Bowl and World Series in 2006. While the streets see their share of tattooed indie kids wearing hoodies, defining Detroit by its hipster renaissance is too simple. For one thing, poverty and decay are still abundant outside the well-maintained core. For another, Detroit clings tightly to deep-rooted traditions, particularly its storied automotive heritage (2008 marks the 100th anniversary of the Ford Model T and the founding of General Motors), its marquee pro-sports franchises, and a rich music scene that’s been the stomping ground for everyone from Aretha Franklin to Eminem. See the slideshow .

In its recent incarnation, Detroit enjoys “it” city status and is now celebrated for its gritty urban cachet as well as its downtown, dramatically spruced up when the city hosted the Super Bowl and World Series in 2006.

Known to outsiders mainly for grueling winters, the Twin Cities are remarkably vibrant no matter what the temperature. Lush urban parks, dedicated bike lanes, outdoor festivals, and nearly two dozen lakes (many fringed with beaches and dotted with sailboats) draw the entire city outdoors in summer. In cold weather, although the streets may appear empty, the two downtowns still bustle, thanks to 8 miles of climate-controlled skyways that connect office building to office building and parking garage to shopping center. Spring and fall are the time to celebrate the thriving culinary scene, which reveres local ingredients above all else, and employs them with startling creativity. The cities' 100-plus theater companies keep the cultural scene hopping, and the two architectural powerhouses-the expanded Walker Art Center and the Jean Nouvel-designed Guthrie Theater, completed in 2006-add star power throughout the year. See the slideshow.

Even though the Republican Convention is over, these hot spots still remain in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

It's no secret anymore: The Midwest is home to some of the most innovative contemporary architecture in America. Our five day self-guided tour includes stops in Toledo, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and the architectural mecca of Chicago.

Chicago feeds on extremes, and on its own uncanny knack for reinvention—a trait that likely began with the Great Fire of 1871, which devoured one-third of the city. It’s hard to think of another American city that so gracefully and seamlessly combines extreme urbanism (the rattling El, the astonishing 110-story Sears Tower) with tranquil green space (sandy beaches, the glorious Millennium Park); whose cuisine ranges deftly from cutting-edge (Alinea, Avec) to casual (Windy City dogs, the namesake deep-dish pizza); or whose cultural offerings include not just world-class museums and a superb theater scene (Steppenwolf, the Goodman) but gritty blues joints, comedy landmarks (Second City), and two beloved baseball teams (yes, in Chicago baseball is culture). All this in a prime location on the shores of shimmering Lake Michigan. See the slideshow.

Blessed with a crop of sustainably-minded restaurants, energy-efficient public transportation, and the wide green oasis of Milennium Park, Chi-Town is a green traveler's haven.

Today, Chicago mixes innovative architecture with green spaces, cutting-edge cuisine with hot dogs and pizza, and world-class shopping with independent boutiques. Its cultural scene boasts great museums, celebrated blues joints, and a superb theater scene that includes Steppenwolf, Second City, and the Goodman—all of this in a prime location on the shores of shimmering (and often windy) Lake Michigan.

A short drive from downtown, you'll see everyone from lobster-red Ditka fans to bronzed, buff young professionals swimming, sunning, and spiking volleyballs.

There’s just no stopping Chicago on its march toward the title of America’s Dining Capital. As restaurants elsewhere flounder, the Windy City hits it out of the park in every category.

Taste the Windy City’s cutting-edge cuisine, explore the Obamas’ neighborhood, and be wowed by Renzo Piano’s new modern wing at the Art Institute.

You could spend all your time in San Francisco strolling the familiar visitor zones of Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39, hopping the crowded tour boat to Alcatraz, or taking snapshots on a cable car, and have a perfectly blissful time-few other cities, after all, can match this town's charms, even the obvious ones. But what makes San Francisco so incomparable is the sheer breadth of its neighborhoods, its distinct pockets of ever-more-local culture. Within a relatively compact 40 square miles one can find showy Victorian manses and elegant Art Deco skyscrapers; the sprawling, verdant oasis of Golden Gate Park, along with some shockingly good museums; and funky boho bastions filled with independent bookstores and galleries, free-trade coffee shops, and indie-designer ateliers. Oh, and restaurants where everyone's wearing jeans (if that)-but where the food, much of it made with sustainable, local ingredients, is simply sublime. See the slideshow.

LEED-certified hotels, restaurants using organic produce, and iconic (and very energy-efficient) cable cars make The City by the Bay one of America's greenest.

San Francisco is green, clean, and organic—the architecture is high-tech and eco-friendly, and the food is excruciatingly fresh and local. Is this the world’s first true 21st-century city?In the future, San Francisco will likely have a plethora of green landmarks.

On Sundays, a large stretch of Golden Gate Park is closed to cars and turns into a sea of cyclists and in-line skaters. Cable cars are for tourists. Locals use the city's bus and streetcar system, Muni.

Welcome to San Francisco 2.0. Nearly a decade after the dot-com bust, the city is getting ready to unveil its upgrade. The astonishing slew of rising towers comes thanks to the latest in superflexible (read earthquake-friendly) materials. These sudden heights are complemented by inventive, headline-grabbing restaurants. But what feels newest is the city's sprightly pace - so much the better for taking it all in.

In its physical landscape (from glittering beaches to shrouded canyons to funky urban quarters), demographics (140 countries and 224 languages are represented here), and culture—yes, culture—Los Angeles is far more varied than it's ever given credit for being, and way more complex. Yes, L.A. often feels like a city planner's nightmare, and, at least in certain locales, it can come off as maddeningly superficial. Yet even a single day reveals the city's myriad, wide-ranging charms: surfing Malibu at sunrise, hitting the Farmer's Market in late morning, lunching at Lucques, shopping on Melrose, watching the sun set from the Getty Center, sipping cocktails on a rooftop lounge beneath the stars.

Like an ageless starlet, Los Angeles beckons the world west. Tastemakers from New York, San Francisco, London, and Paris have been heeding the call, opening outposts all over the city. As always, L.A. absorbs these foreign influences and infuses them with showbiz sparkle, ever secure in its own plastic-fantasic identity.

Take an eating tour of Los Angeles' restaurants that serve killer comfort food.

In a groundswell of appreciation for historic buildings, revitalized neighborhoods, and seasoned practitioners of modest arts, the city of forever young is flouting the old clichés.

Sampling the latest (some say greatest) Wolfgang Puck outpost; a French-Japanese-Spanish fusion restaurant; and authentic Chinese cuisine.

Perhaps against its salty old wishes, Seattle is morphing into a true cosmopolis. Luxury hotels, high-end restaurants, and art galleries are proliferating, and the city's vaunted music scene never went away (even though grunge did). But beneath the new gloss, Seattle is rather charmingly faithful to its former self, and even to its celebrated stereotypes: this is still a place where outdoor nuts fashion whole wardrobes out of Gore-Tex and fleece; where unreconstructed hippies on Broadway rail on about The Man, man; where the whirr and hiss of espresso machines is a near-constant backdrop to conversation. It's this enduring familiarity, along with the shock of the new, that makes Seattle so compelling.

Recession?Seattle never got the memo. The aerospace and tech industries keep this town firmly fixed in the 21st centruy. And flush: a vast network of urban neighborhoods--rife with all things new, from hangouts to highrises--is poised for action when the city's light-rail system revs up. But Seattle hasn't forgotten where it came from: alt music, farm-to-table dining, and genuinely great coffee are still what it's all about.

You don’t need a crystal ball to divine that American restaurants of the future will probably resemble Seattle’s new crop: quirky spots defined by chefs’ personalities and the region’s agricultural bounty.

Home base for edgy chefs, alternative rock bands, progressive environmentalists, and urban-planning junkies, Portland has developed major-league hipster cachet over the past decade. Visitors will find Portlanders a friendly, easygoing bunch happy to share their terrific restaurants and bars, burgeoning arts scene, and gorgeous parks. And who can blame them if, in their hearts, they'd rather keep their small (pop. 500,000) city small?

Going green is serious business in Portland, where hotels are Energy Star–certified and restaurants have their own roof gardens and water wells.

Though its sweeping beaches and weatherbeaten, shingled facades recall Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket has a blustery island spirit all its own-and its colonial heritage is still far more in evidence than on the mainland, just 30 miles away. Over the past decade the island has become a favored destination for sea- and scene-loving urbanites (and the swanky retailers and restaurateurs who cater to them). But outside of "town" (such as it is), the island's windblown, starkly beautiful dunes and moors feel almost as remote as they must have a century or four ago.

Nantucket isn't just for preppies with deep pockets. To enjoy this classic getaway, all you need is a pair of wheels and a sense of adventure.

For Ming dynasty emperors—who presided over the creation of masterworks like the Temple of Heaven, the Forbidden City, and the later stages of the Great Wall of China—Beijing was nothing less than the center of the universe. In August of 2008, when it hosted the Summer Olympic Games, China’s capital once again had the eyes of the world upon it. In preparation for its global coming-out party, the city embarked upon a flurry of development—the results of which include several striking, architecturally innovative projects such as the China Central Television Tower headquarters, the National Center for the Performing Arts, and the world’s largest airport terminal. And if these new icons don’t quite match the ancient marvels that are still at the heart of this city, they are certainly evidence of Beijing’s continuing cultural relevancy and enormous ambition.

Asia is to the 21st century what Europe was to the previous three, and its influence touches every aspect of life in the West—culturally, politically, demographically, not least economically. Asian design, cinema, fine art, fashion, cuisine, medicine, and even spirituality have come to permeate and (re)define our own.

T+L tackles one of the world's most mystifying destinations with ideas to help you plan a successful trip to China.

Beijing's vibrant arts scene has gone from underground to big-time as the city rushes to transform itself. In the last dozen years, Beijing has stretched its borders; what used to be the periphery is now prime real estate, and some of the most interesting galleries and studios have had to migrate outside the city proper. Just inside the Fifth Ring Road, the tourist-friendly "art district" Dashanzi is still the best place to see what Beijing artists are doing today.

Cape Town is the most European of African cities–a true melting pot, molded by Dutch and English imperialism (and a Malaysian population originally imported for slave labor) and deeply infused by indigenous Khoisan and Xhosa culture. Here, you're likely to hear the muezzin's wailing call to prayer from a Bo-Kaap mosque as well as a time-keeping noon cannon blast, a daily custom since 1806. Such traditions—along with the city's colonial-era, wrought-iron–trimmed Victorian architecture—lend an old-world flavor, but make no mistake: today's Cape Town is a thoroughly modern metropolis, with glittering skyscrapers that seem to stretch toward the cloud-wreathed peak of Table Mountain, an international art community, and dazzling chefs who make the most of the area's produce and vineyards.

Cape Town's grassroots art and design movement is growing with the help of design conferences and art collectives. Gallery hop and explore the city's emerging aesthetic.

Driving through South Africa’s arid and once forbidding Karoo region, one discovers a landscape now filled with artist pioneers, revitalized Afrikaner towns, and vibrant vineyard oases. The Groot, or Great, Karoo is the desolate expanse stretching deep into the provinces of Western Cape and Eastern Cape. And yet, drenched by springwater, the Klein Karoo is filled with fruit farms. Spring (September–November) in the Karoo is ideal, with sunny days and cool nights, though the hot summer months (December–February), when temperatures can reach 100 degrees, are livelier. Just make sure you have an air-conditioned car.

Berlin is a city that has risen, fallen and dusted itself off so many times in the past centuries that it could be called a StehaufmĂ€nnchen (a Weeble; it wobbles but it doesn’t fall down). Sprawlingly large, home to 3.4 million and still divided—at least mentally—along east-west lines nearly two decades after German unification, Berlin still isn’t always sure what it wants to be. Which is precisely what makes it so exciting. World-class museums join a lively contemporary arts scene, historical monuments abut new starchitect structures, legendary watering holes exist alongside chic new restaurants and the west’s lush parks and lakes meet the east’s factory parties in a multilayered synergy that mayor Klaus Wowereit calls “poor but sexy”—but any visitor could simply say is electrifying. See the slideshow.

Berlin has cold-war mystique, ambitious contemporary architecture, and booming gallery and restaurant scenes. With its cosmopolitan, east-meets-west edginess, it’s no wonder the city has become the cultural capital of central Europe; a destination that continues to attract creative types and in-the-know travelers.

Berlin has become an electrifying international cultural scene, with a 21st-century brand of unpolished, after-hours glamour thriving under the weight of 20th-century history.

Mayor Klaus Wowereit’s description of Berlin in 2003 as “poor but sexy” still holds, but these days the city is much more than shabby chic. Massive construction has brought bright new spaces to the Mitte district, mainly consisting of upscale restaurants and watering holes clustered around Friedrichstrasse. Meanwhile, the latest evolution of Berlin’s cherished cheap-thrills aesthetic is centered in the Kreuzberg neighborhood, where a buzzing, multicultural scene is drawing clusters of creative types.

Like sequins on a dress of powder-fine sand, the Riviera Maya’s resorts dot 80 coast-skimming miles of the YucatĂĄn Peninsula, topped by the showiest sparkler of all—CancĂșn, glittering brazenly on a flat limestone slab that divides the Gulf of Mexico and the turquoise-blue Caribbean Sea. The draw has always been the region’s natural assets—that sky, those waves—but don’t mistake this 40-year-old for a city with no heritage. Remnants of Mayan civilizations endure, as does the tranquillity of the Riviera Maya’s fishing villages, thanks to restrained development policies. The result: a rare, near perfect balance of comfort and traditional simplicity, at least for now.

Tropical Ho Chi Minh City (still called Saigon by most residents) is arguably Asia’s most dynamic boomtown—the epitome of the Wild, Wild East. Vietnam’s largest city (population 8 million) is also the engine of its economy and in every respect the brasher younger sibling to the buttoned-down capital, Hanoi. Still, the gracious cityscape that the French once knew—traditional Chinese shop houses, Art Deco cafés—endures. But as incomes rise, a new generation is making its mark; high-end boutiques and exclusive candlelit boîtes now cater to status-hungry Vietnamese as well as tourists and expats. Increasingly cosmopolitan, the city’s burgeoning fashion-and-design, dining, and nightlife scenes await those who can keep up with the Saigonese.

Spectacularly sandwiched between the Strait of Georgia and the soaring Coast Mountains, Vancouver is Canada’s most westerly metropolis. The city plays dual roles—it’s both a luxury resort town and a bustling industrial seaport—and it mixes a dynamic high-rise skyline with expanses of natural beauty. Vancouverites are a genial bunch, and it’s no wonder—when they’re not relaxing at coffeehouses, they can be found rollerblading along the ocean around Stanley Park or doing yoga on the beach. The greater Vancouver area is home to a diverse mix of cultures—traditional Native/First Nations and European heritages mix here with Chinese, Japanese, and Indian communities—and the international spirit will only be reinforced in 2010, when the city will host the Winter Olympic Games.

The star picks his favorite places around the 2010 Olympic city.

There’s one overwhelming reason travelers flock to this tiny Italian city (pop. 365,000) amid Tuscany’s rolling green hills: Florence has more than one million works of Renaissance art—among them Michelangelo’s David and Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. A hub of Italian fashion since the 1950s, Florence is the birthplace of global brands like Gucci, Pucci, and Roberto Cavalli, and the city’s most influential fashion clan—the Ferragamo—has turned its renowned sense of style to four hip hotels across town, breathing new life into the previously staid lodgings scene. Add to that succulent Florentine steaks, some of the world’s greatest wines, the traditional artisan workshops of the Oltrarno, and Brunelleschi’s famous masterpiece dome, and it’s not so hard to see how Firenze remains as popular as top European cities five times its size.

While Renaissance art, history, and a stunning riverside location remain the city's main draws, a slew of hot hotel and bar openings has added a 21st-century buzz.

Florence, Italy has produced some of the world's greatest painters—from Masaccio to Michelangelo. Visit one of its best-known drawing schools and discover that it's never too late to become a Renaissance man, or woman.

The Four Seasons is one of a handful of hotels in a part of Florence the Florentines still consider relatively unspoiled, on the right bank of the Arno. The city has warm, pleasant weather in the spring and fall. Many stores and restaurants close in August, when Italians flee the city heat for the coast.

Today, a new generation of hotels has arrived in the region, just in time to keep the experience fresh. One of them is part of the recent borgo phenomenon—the transformation of ancient rural hamlets into one-of-a-kind, all-in-one properties that include restaurants, shops, and vineyards. Two others are stand-alone villas with rich histories and important architecture. All offer sublime creature comforts and aspire to a level of crackerjack service that is off the charts. They’re so sophisticated they would not be out of place on the poshest stretch of the Amalfi Coast. As Tuscany grows up, it’s time to go back.

Its appeal is unquestionable, but with 10 provinces, navigating this vast region isn’t easy. From exceptional restaurants and stylish hotels to artisanal treasures and renowned wineries, our complete guide brings you the best of Tuscany now.

The Catalan city is saturated with art; the influences of the artists Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, and Joan Miró, and architect Antoni Gaudí can be seen nearly everywhere. Even so, this Mediterranean port was overlooked for decades, until the 1992 Olympics set off a chain reaction that reinvigorated Barcelona. The city’s tradition of experimentation with design and cuisine helped set the stage for its bold fusion estaurants and cutting-edge design shops. Today, Spain’s second largest metropolis is buzzing.

Described by a Catalan poet as "the great enchantress," Barcelona has been the muse to artists Salvador DalĂ­, Pablo Picasso, and architect Antoni GaudĂ­.

Barcelona is Europe at its most dynamic and compelling, full of boundary-pushing food, art, and style, but grounded in centuries of culture. Where to begin? Here, our all-in-one guide to Catalonia’s seaside capital.

Bounce from tapas bar to tapas bar without bouncing a check.

Spain's reigning city of style peaks in the summer, when long siestas give way to dining at midnight, dancing until dawn, then sleeping until lunchtime. Once you land, there's no need to shift the body clock. Those in the know head to the hip El Born district, where centuries-old buildings house all-night bars and edgy shops.

From the high-end boutiques of Passeig de Gracia to hidden shops in the Barri GĂČtic, here is an exhaustive guide to getting your shopping fix in the Catalan capital of Barcelona. Be forewarned, however, the locals take their four-hour naps seriously. L'Eixample is home to plenty of shops that actually stay open after 2 p.m. for shoppers not interested in a siesta.

The crescent-shaped city on the Garonne River has been the region’s wine capital for decades, its illustrious past on display in the ornate buildings in the Golden Triangle area. In recent years, however, Bordeaux had been plagued by pollution, traffic jams, and decaying docks. But a civic overhaul has spruced up many of the 18th-century buildings, pedestrianized much of the city center, and rebuilt the waterfront area with sweeping promenades that are now lined with chic boutiques and cafés. Today the port city is one of France’s most exciting destinations.

A friendlier, more welcoming France? In Bordeaux, the country’s oldest and most iconic wine-growing region, the answer is yes. Falling sales among its many bottlings (due to a large increase in worldwide production) have caused many Bordelais to embrace—not just tolerate—visitors. Once top producers here sighed when the tour group arrived; now they are gussying up their chĂąteaus and actively courting enthusiasts, conducting animated tastings, and offering patient explanations of viticulture and classification. Suddenly, it’s downright pleasant to amble through the celebrated wineries of St.-EstĂšphe, St.-Julien, Margaux, and Arcins, and to explore the nearby regions of St.-Émilion, Graves, and the MĂ©doc peninsula.

The Old Town of this ancient Croatian city maintains a precarious equilibrium between Then and Now. Few scars remain of its 15-year-old attacks by Serbian forces; its shrapnel pocks have been so expertly repaired, the city looks almost too new in places. Walk down the marble-smooth cobbled streets looking out over the jewel- blue Adriatic and you’ll feel lost in time—until you spot the Benetton and Diesel boutiques lining the medieval lanes or the pushcart vendors proffering mousepads along with handmade olive soaps. Yet it is precisely such anachronistic clashes that define Dubrovnik’s charms

Touring the Dalmatian Coast by car lets you explore Dubrovnik's Old Town, the pebble beaches on the island of Hvar, and farmer's markets in the mountain town of Split.

The only city in the world that encompasses both Asia and Europe, Istanbul also straddles the ancient and modern worlds. The ghosts of marauding Crusaders and marching janissaries haunt the city’s historic alleyways—but this is no museum: the Bosporus is still a buzzing artery for maritime trade, and the sounds of building construction play a constant counterpoint to the shouts of street hawkers and the call of the muezzin. The skyline here is a glittering ribbon of palaces, mosques, and minarets, but also of sleek skyscrapers, where the sybaritic restaurant and nightclub scene easily rivals New York’s or London’s.

Istanbul's university is built high above the Bosporus around a greensward that looks a lot like Princeton, which isn't surprising since it was built by an American, Cyrus Hamlin, as Robert College in the 19th century, when it was directed by a board of American trustees. In 1971, when the trustees could no longer afford to keep the school running, it was taken over by the Turkish government, and is now the most distinguished state university in Turkey.

Open-air restaurants, crowded bazaars, and a swoon-inducing location on the Bosporus—this is a city made for wandering. You’ll find Istanbul at its most alluring in the quaint neighborhoods on the European side of the strait.

After a period of neglect in the 1980’s, Beyo_lu is now reclaiming its status as Istanbul’s favorite playground, thanks to an influx of young Turks and international entrepreneurs. And while Starbuckization is taking its toll on Beyo_lu’s famed pedestrian artery Istiklal, East and West and past and present still clash vividly on the backstreets: grungy boutiques, hipster clubs, and sleek lounges with glamorous Bosporus vistas sit cheek by jowl with tatty kebab dives and gritty meyhane (traditional drinking houses).

Explore the bustling Turkish neighborhood amidst its renaissanace.

So what if the euro is up and the dollar is down?That doesn’t mean you should skip a trip to Europe. You can still find great deals, even in pricey places. In Istanbul the secret is simple: knowing where the bargains are. The Turkish city's major state-run museums charge hefty admissions, but the Great Palace Mosaic Museum, just behind the Blue Mosque adjacent to the Arasta Bazaar, costs only $3. These and other affordable activities await.

Spend a day in Sultanahmet, then explore what else the city has to offer.

Its proximity to some of the top cultural, religious, and natural attractions in Turkey makes Kusadasi one of the best ports to use as a springboard for sightseeing trips. The ancient Roman city of Ephesus—a half- hour drive away—is widely considered to be the most well- preserved Classical city in the Eastern Mediterranean. Just outside of Ephesus, the provincial town of Selçuk is home to the Basilica of St. John and the House of the Virgin Mary. Drive the 40 minutes from the port to Sirince, a rural area dotted with wood-and-mortar houses, olive groves, and lush vineyards. 

Portugal’s once-sleepy capital has awakened, and it now attracts lovers of food, music, and design in throngs. Since 2001 nearly one-third of Lisbon’s abandoned buildings have been renovated on the government’s dime, and the work continues. CafĂ©s, restaurants, and boutiques from independent fashion designers are popping up on every corner of the adjoining Bairro Alto and Chiado neighborhoods. In a place this hip, even the Prime Minister,  JosĂ© SĂłcrates, wears Prada.

A generation after Salazar's fall, Portugal's once-sleepy capital has officially emerged from its former malaise. Experience the old-world charms and high-design energy of a city that is seducing both travelers and native Lisboans alike. Just as Lisboans have enjoyed their city's renaissance, so has the international party circuit.

With a provocative mix of forward-thinking design and centuries-old architecture, the Portuguese capital is moving into the spotlight. Here, all the addresses you need to know right now.

Until quite recently, the Costa del Sol’s busiest port was no more than a transfer point to other Andalusian attractions, most notably the Alhambra in Granada, about 80 miles away. However, the city that produced Picasso (he was born here in 1881) is experiencing a renaissance. New museums, music and dance spaces, and even an internationally acclaimed short-film festival are transforming Málaga into an exciting venue for the arts.

Driving along this rugged, windswept shore, you'll find an extraordinary Picasso Museum in MĂĄlaga, citrus groves and grassy dunes, and the best-preserved ruins of a Roman township on the Iberian peninsula.

Tracing Frances southeast coast from Marseilles to Nice—and stopping in at centuries-old castles-turned -inns, seafood restaurants, and wineries along the way.

A playground for the rich, famous, and fabulously chic since the late 19th century, the former fishing village remains one of the most exclusive locations on the Ligurian coast. Behind all that glitz, however, you  can still uncover the area’s local traditions in the nearby villages.

Long considered to be the most romantic Greek isle— which explains its appeal for honeymooners—Santorini also has a unique natural environment. The crescent- shaped island is the world’s largest caldera (the result of volcanic explosion in 1500 b.c.). There is a still-active volcano, thriving villages (Fira and Oia), as well as pristine black-sand beaches and views from every corner. The highlight of each day is sunset: Picture a gold medallion dipping beneath the placid water.

Whether you’ve been to Venice two or 20 times, there’s always something new to discover. Indeed, even the most seasoned visitors get lost in the city’s labyrinthine network of islands, bridges, pedestrian alleys, and canals. And therein lies the beauty of the destination: afternoons spent wandering from palace to piazza, exploring the small art museums, shopping the stalls that line the streets, and encountering a fresh side of Venice, a fascinating amalgamation of influences—Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Italian—every time you round a corner.

A backdrop for assignations since long before Casanova's time, Venice has fairy-tale palazzi, gondola-filled canals, and who-cares-if-you-lose-your-way winding streets.

Carlo Scarpa was one of the few 20th-century architects to make a mark on Veneto. T+L steers toward his best surviving designs.

To most visitors, Belize City is simply a jumping-off point for other destinations in the country. But the low-slung coastal town, with a population of just 50,000, has plenty to keep you busy, from colonial-era museums to low-key cafés. Once a hub for 17th-century pirates and the 19th-century mahogany trade, Belize City has a great history as a rafïŹsh port. The nation didn’t gain independence from the British until 1981, and its Creole, mestizo, African, and Mayan descendants share a culture that’s part prim-English style and part no-worries island attitude. Wooden gingerbread cottages crowd the city’s narrow streets, and a jumble of motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists provide a constant buzz. Though slightly gritty, Belize City has its own brand of character to spare (there is not a strip mall or a fast-food joint around).

Prim houses line tidy cobblestoned streets and canals, and the kitschy Tivoli Gardens forms the city’s centerpiece. But beyond these postcard-perfect moments, Copenhagen is an ambitious city with much to explore. First, there’s the design: sleek Scandinavian functionalism as championed by Arne Jacobsen in the 1950’s has developed into a citywide aesthetic. And then there’s the food: some of Europe’s most creative chefs are turning Nordic cuisine on its head in surprisingly delicious ways. And ïŹnally, there are the neighborhoods. Central Copenhagen has plenty of charms (historic buildings and pedestrian shopping zones), and its peripheries, ïŹlled with style-conscious Danes and their local haunts, are also worth a detour.

In Denmark’s environmentally minded capital, the bicycle is king. A system of free rentals and dedicated lanes has more than a third of Copenhagen’s residents commuting daily on two wheels—all part of the city’s goal to reduce carbon emissions and become the world’s eco-capital by 2015.

This is famously a pedestrian- and bike-friendly city—a model for many others—and its recent reclamation of the harbor area signals a new phase for what may be the ultimate 21st-century metropolis.

Vesterbro has retained undertones of its previous lives: Istedgade is still dotted with halal markets and denlike student bars; and at Ricco’s, a doorway-wide coffeehouse, you might sip your faultless caffù corretto while squeezed in between a retired bricklayer and a fashion major from Seoul. Granted, there’s no proliferation of cobblestones and steeples here; but as truly authentic neighborhoods go, it doesn’t get better

No nation on earth is more sensible, reasonable, healthy, tidy, virtuous, nice. The Danes were the first to prohibit slave trading, the first to make school compulsory and free, early pioneers in social welfare. And where else in the 21st century do you find freshly baked breads and good wine for sale at highway service stations?The utopian community of Copenhagen's Christiania and the aristocratic world of Valdemars Slot represent cultural fringes of Danish society.

Vivid remnants of the past are still present in the city that has served as Scotland’s political and cultural capital for nearly a thousand years. Medieval Old Town’s hilly and cobblestoned streets contrast with 18th-century New Town’s modern shops, Georgian architecture, and pleasant squares, which are at once both intimate and grand. From volcanic crags and charming narrow lanes (called "closes”) to the massive stone fortiïŹcations of Edinburgh Castle, the city maintains a decidedly ancient quality. It’s still evolving today, thanks to newly vibrant neighborhoods like Leith, the once-dingy port on the North Sea’s famed Firth of Forth, which is emerging as an exciting epicurean center.

Don your kilt (or have one custom made) and ring in the holidays with fireworks over Edinburgh Castle and bagpipers playing "Amazing Grace."

This is a city that can never be entirely separated from its fun-and-sun mythology and the raucous spring-break hijinks immortalized in such 1960’s movies as Where the Boys Are. Many visitors never leave the promenade, with its signature white wave wall, or Las Olas Boulevard, the Rodeo Drive of Fort Lauderdale. But ambitious day-trippers can ïŹnd examples of the city’s rich cultural mix in the elegant 1920’s bungalows along Sailboat Bend and a slew of Jamaican and Brazilian restaurants. Port Everglades is international and quite lively— after all, it’s the second-busiest cruise port in the world. Better still, the port is close to the center of Fort Lauderdale. In minutes, you can be eating Bimini bread in atmospheric locals-only joints, channeling spring-breaks past in hallowed bars, or watching wild Brazilian squirrel monkeys scamper through lush estates.

From the lively beach scene in Fort Lauderdale to the often-empty Rosemary Beach, three don't-miss sandy spots in the Sunshine State.

Welcome to round-the-clock thrills—suntanned, G-string-wearing rollerbladers, wild clubs, and celebrity-packed parties. Wait. For 16-year-olds there are no nightclubs, no celebrity bashes, and no G-strings, and instead Miami is all about great beaches and pools, adventure (ultralight flight, anyone?), and the American ideal—a true melting-pot city.

Elements of high design abound in this stylish capital, where Eliel Saarinen and Alvar Aalto, the fathers of Finnish modernism, are revered the way sports heroes are in other cities. Their legacy lingers in the buildings they left behind, all low white blocks and unadorned granite. The onion-domed Uspenski Cathedral may be a landmark—and a reminder of Russia’s former inïŹ‚uence—but it’s the architecture from the 1960’s and beyond that really
deïŹnes the streetscape. The vibe on the sidewalks is youthful, the restaurants are fashionably furnished, and the cafés in Kallio, an emerging artists’ neighborhood, are ideal for dark winter nights and long summer evenings when the sun never quite sets.

The southernmost city in the continental United States is, in fact, an intimate six-square-mile island that feels like a Caribbean getaway. Key West was the lone city south of the Mason-Dixon to remain with the Union during the Civil War. To this day, that freethinking sensibility remains intact, and the city’s location—closer to Cuba than to Miami—results in an eclectic cultural mix. This is a place where people go barefoot, chickens roam the streets, and epitaphs like DEVOTED FAN OF JULIO IGLESIAS are found in the cemetery. Though it may be best known for Hemingway and Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, you’ll ïŹnd the real essence of the place in its very particular style of Victorian and Queen Anne architecture, and in its eclectic residents: quirky but classic, and ready to welcome everyone.

Undeniably cosmopolitan, Peru’s capital gives the impression of a frenetic city full of skyscrapers and shopping malls. But it also holds thousands of years of history. Fourth-century Pre-Columbian ruins hide in the long shadows of ofïŹce towers, and Spanish Colonial buildings line the historic central square. Despite the poverty, pollution, and a chilly coastal fog that lingers throughout the winter months, vibrant neighborhoods like MiraïŹ‚ores and Barranco ïŹ‚ourish, and their fashionable bars remain full long past midnight. Equally dynamic is the food. Chefs are introducing complex ïŹ‚avors from the PaciïŹc Ocean and the Andes, resulting in one of Latin America’s most interesting restaurant scenes. 

Lima is a modern metropolis with skyscrapers designed by internationally known architects like Hans Hollein and Arquitectonica. The city sprawls along new roadways lined with gigantic shopping malls, cineplexes, and Starbucks. But despite these developments, the peculiar mood of Lima persists: its unexpected rhythms, its air filled with the weight of humidity, the scent of its lush flowering trees, its extreme contrasts between affluence and poverty.

Though it is the capital city of the Bahamas’ 700 islands, Nassau is more often associated with the mega Atlantis resort on adjoining Paradise Island than with its own colorful past. In fact, this was once a stronghold for pirates—Blackbeard among them—who used it as a base for intercepting Spanish galleons. Reminders of a past existence as a British colony are everywhere, from its pastel colonial buildings to the driving conventions (on the left). The island’s West African heritage shines through in the colorful Junkanoo parades and traditional foods like johnnycakes. And thanks to grand gated communities and ambitious new restaurants helmed by celebrity chefs like Nobu Matsuhisa, the island’s glitzy future seems assured.

Its praises have been sung in lyrics familiar the world over. Those girls (and boys) from Ipanema—and Copacabana, Leblon, Lapa, and fast-gentrifying Santa Teresa—are proud to call themselves Cariocas. And no wonder: despite its problems (the notorious favelas, or slums, are plagued by drug- and gang-related unrest), the city has myriad charms. Peaks swathed in emerald jungle rise up between shining apartment towers, and the ultra-rich and the very poor mingle on Rio’s beaches. Culture mavens ïŹnd bliss among Centro’s Modern-architecture masterpieces, while fashion  fans get their ïŹx from homegrown designers. After dark, the entire city pulsates with samba and bossa nova.

Brazil's most famous city is at once a big and bustling metropolis (population 6 million) and a romantic waterfront paradise, with 25 powdery beaches. Although it's technically winter in July, Rio's highs hover in the seventies. Overnight flights out of Miami and Atlanta mean you can start the day on the beach. And with just a one-hour jump on Eastern time, jet lag isn't an issue.

From everything that you might have heard about St. Bart’s (short for Saint-Barthélemy), you’d half expect a red velvet rope to be strung up at the airport. The Caribbean’s most elite, most expensive island lives up to its reputation as an adult sandbox, where the rich and famous air-kiss over glasses of rosé. But it still has charms that make it attractive to regular folk, from its uncrowded white-sand beaches to its distinctly Gallic ïŹ‚air. The tidy capital of Gustavia, with its gingerbread-trimmed cases (cottages) and designer shops, surrounds a yacht-ïŹlled harbor. On the opposite side of the island, near the airport, St.-Jean is a diminutive strip of colorful boutiques and beach bars that has been compared to St.-Tropez.

This 37-square-mile island, ringed with white-sand beaches, has been living with a split personality since 1648, when it became the smallest parcel of land to be peaceably shared by two countries: France and the Netherlands. Other than a modest sign declaring “Bienvenue Partie Française,” you’d never know you were crossing an international border as you pass from one side of the island to the other. Dutch St. Maarten, in the south, bustles with sprawling resorts, wide boardwalks, lively beach bars, and late-night casinos. Meanwhile, sleepy French St. Martin, in the north, with its harbor full of brightly colored boats and houses built up into the cliffs, is reminiscent of a Mediterranean ïŹshing village. Thanks to the French inïŹ‚uence, you’ll also ïŹnd some of the best food in the Caribbean.

A product of the imagination—and iron will—of Peter the Great, the city is a busy tableau of architectural whimsies (Neoclassical colonnades, palaces of yellow and mint green). Peter envisioned his imperial capital as a window into Europe, and it has long been a center of culture and sophistication, with some of the world’s best art and ballet. The Soviet years were hard on St. Petersburg, and its ties with Europe were cause for ofïŹcial suspicion—and neglect. Ever since native son Vladimir Putin took ofïŹce, however, the city has been getting a face-lift. Streets  are newly landscaped, and a $2 billion refurbishment of the urban center—sparked by the 2003 tercentennial celebration—has created a ïŹ‚ashy backdrop for the nouveau-riche residents.

This former seat of imperial Russia has a surreal beauty, especially in the colder months when its fairy-tale architecture—the mint-green Winter Palace, the multi-striped onion domes of the Church on Spilled Blood—stands in sharp relief to the crystalline snow.

Home to the biggest cruise port in the Caribbean, St. Thomas seems at ïŹrst glance a place with little to offer beyond duty-free shopping. In reality, this 32-square-mile island has more texture than meets the eye. Along the narrow streets of capital Charlotte Amalie, you’ll ïŹnd reminders of the 17th-century Danish settlers, such as the 99 Steps, constructed of old ships’ ballast bricks, and the 1679 Blackbeard’s Castle Tower (named for that legendary pirate). Beyond town, hilly roads with staggering views of untouched coastline lead to little hamlets like Frenchtown, where some of the residents still speak Creole. But the real appeal of this island is found along its perimeter: miles upon miles of white-sand beaches.

Sweden brought Ikea and H&M to the world, and the country’s capital is packed with equally innovative shops, glass-walled art galleries, and stylish boutiques. But it’s the quiet beauty that gives Stockholm an edge over its Scandinavian neighbors. Water surrounds you at every turn, and trafïŹc-clogged streets are practically nonexistent. Instead, canals and pedestrian bridges connect the 14 islands that make up the city. Each isle is distinct in character and mood: there’s shopping in posh Östermalm; narrow, historic streets in medieval Gamla Stan; and a thriving bohemian culture in Södermalm.

Stockholm has a reputation for being one of Europe’s most expensive cities. T+L hits the streets of the fashionable capital and proves otherwise. Summer weekends are ideal: the days are long, the weather is perfect, and hotel prices are at their annual low.

Scandanavia is Europe's greenest region, and Stockholm is its urban heart. From its enormous peaks to its fashionable streets, the city pulses with eco-options. For this trip, T+L partnered with Greenopia, the leading publisher of eco-guides to U.S. cities (greenopia.com), applying Greenopia’s environmental criteria to hotels, restaurants, stores, and sites in Stockholm.

Among the wealthiest isles on earth, this land of coral walls, pastel cottages, and pleasant locals in shorts hasn't changed much since Queen Elizabeth II first visited, in 1953. "It's a place that can erase your memories of the modern world," says one New Yorker who retreats to this British colony throughout the year.

Once the most important port in all of South America—full of globe-trotting European residents and their riches—this city long served as the Continent’s glamorous link to the rest of the world. When the Panama Canal opened in 1914, Valparaíso lost its status as an international power but retained the air of its regal past. Locals (known as porteños)— an incongruous mix of artists, sailors, and students—still gather at the same century-old bars, and Edwardian villas and Art Nouveau palaces balance on hilltops. Citywide restoration efforts are now rescuing crumbling landmarks; historic houses are being transformed into sophisticated restaurants; and notable galleries are heralding the work of native talent.

Walking through Tallinn’s Old Town, with its 13th-century castles built by crusading knights, you half expect to encounter characters from a fairy tale. Cobblestoned streets curl into alleyways, artisans craft their wares behind Easter egg–hued façades, and classical music drifts out of stone churches. It seems unreal, but it only takes one visit to the Museum of Occupation to discover the tension residing beneath the picturesque surface. Subjected over the ages to Danish, Swedish, and—most recently—Russian rule, Estonians have long grappled with their identity. Since gaining independence in 1991, however, the fast-growing economy has fueled the burgeoning restaurant and nightlife scenes.

Jurmala is made up of a series of beaches stretched out over a small peninsula, bordered by the Lielupe River on one side and the Baltic on the other.The main promenade, Jomas Iela, sits next to Majori, the most popular beach, and is surrounded by thick trees, beneath which is an interesting amalgam of 19th-century wooden villas built for vacationing Russians - some are very beautiful, with towers, spires, and elaborate porches - alongside new structures with minimalist Scandinavian architecture.

Just the name Monte Carlo conjures visions of a glamorous bygone era. And in modern Monte Carlo, the tax-free principate surrounded by France and the Maritime Alps, that glamour is not lost. Along with European hideaways like
Lake Como, Gstaad, and Ibiza, this cliffside Mediterranean port is a timeless playground for the see-and-be-seen crowd. But amid all the hubbub, it’s still possible to while away the afternoon over a café crème, amble along the harbor among the yachts, and experience the slow-paced, yet refined, Monégasque savoir vivre.

The largest of the Dodecanese islands has the best of Old and New Greece: historic architecture meets a thriving café and restaurant scene. Anchored by Rhodes Town, the popular destination is also beloved for its outlying villages, such as labyrinthine Lindos. Add powdery beaches, hidden coves, and remnants of an Islamic and Jewish past, and you get a taste of the entire Mediterranean on a single isle.

Poised on the Bay of Biscay’s most picturesque coves, Santander looks more like Scotland than Spain. Lush green hills are silhouetted by the jagged Picos de Europa mountain range. And indeed, a strong Celtic heritage, not to mention a maritime link to the United Kingdom, has infused its customs and style with a British flavor. Today, the small city maintains a refined cosmopolitan air and attracts a large share of the country’s highborn and high-earning citizenry with its golden beaches, cooling Atlantic breezes, and understated luxury.

Bordered by the Thau Basin on one side and the Mediterranean on the other, Sète, an hour and a half from Toulouse, is southern France’s second largest port—and gateway to the Languedoc. It’s also the birthplace of singer-songwriter Georges Brassens and poet Paul Valéry. Today, a new generation of local artists finds plenty to draw inspiration from in the town: covered markets, picturesque seaside restaurants, and enough canals to earn Séte the nickname “Little Venice of the Languedoc.”

Once an essential stop-over for Grand Tour travelers—including Herman Melville and Charles Dickens—Sorrento is as happening now as it was a century ago, thanks to the recent opening of several artisanal restaurants and well-edited boutiques. The port town is also a great jumping-off point for exploring the Amalfi Coast, including the cliffside village of Positano (a 40-minute bus ride from Sorrento), and the island of Capri, a 25-minute ferry  ride away.

St. Tropez was once a center of post-Impressionism, and you can still see works from that period in the main art museum and galleries. Today, the former fishing village is best known as international party central. At night,  St. Tropez transforms into a playground for the famous and soon-to-be famous—with prices to match.

The French Riviera is a premier resort destination for good reason: It has clear water bordered by stretches of white-sand beaches, rocky cliffs, and hidden coves—and it’s only a 90-minute flight from Paris. The bustling city of Nice, the legendary waterfront town of Cannes, and the once-sleepy village of St.-Tropez are the main attractions.

One of the oldest cities in Europe, Cadiz was settled by the Phoenicians some 3,000 years ago, and has been highly prized by Greek, Roman, Moorish, and Spanish sailors ever since for its unique location—a peninsula jutting into the Atlantic. The embarkation point for Spain’s trade with its American colonies, Cádiz was the last bastion of Spanish culture for sailors heading abroad and the first sign of it upon their return home. Today, visitors can still witness the links to the former colonies (notably in Cádiz’s architecture, which was much copied in the New World), while in the neighboring Jerez de la Frontera, 21 miles away, they can experience true Andalusian culture.

Driving along this rugged, windswept shore, you'll find an extraordinary Picasso Museum in MĂĄlaga, citrus groves and grassy dunes, and the best-preserved ruins of a Roman township on the Iberian peninsula.

Andalusia is Spain’s premier olive-oil region, with endless rows of trees planted beneath the bright Mediterranean sun. Many mills here have recently shifted from selling low-grade oil in bulk to making quality artisanal olive oils. Take a drive through the groves to experience both the ancient traditions and artisanal innovations.

France’s second-largest city has always attracted a motley crew: a mix of sailors and free spirits, immigrants and artists, including Cézanne and Le Corbusier. Thanks in part to its varied population, Marseilles has evolved in the past decade into a surprisingly sophisticated urban center, with a culinary and art culture that rivals anything in the Mediterranean. Combining Arab and Gallic flavors, scruffy dockworkers with chic designers, the quintessential port city is a true melting pot.

Once known as a gritty seaport, this coastal city has recently spruced up its waterfront and is attracting a more sophisticated crowd from Paris.

At once quaint and edgy, Amsterdam is a place that’s utterly at ease with its multiple identities. Looking for the picturesque views and pealing church bells of a typical European capital? You’re good to go. Want to explore the world’s most vibrant contemporary furniture and product designs, or the most venerable portrait and landscape painters of the 17th century? Great, you’re in the natural habitat of both. Always been curious about the amiably gritty realities of an “open society”? Head for the source—there’s only one Red Light District, after all. And perhaps best of all, this thriving metropolis with world-class museums often seems like an overgrown village, a place where the whoosh of bicycle tires on asphalt still overpowers the hum of car traffic during rush hour.

In the past 15 years, the Netherlands has given Italy a run for its money as one of the world’s most prominent design centers. This is also a country that knows a fair bit about recycling (a good portion of its land was reclaimed from the sea, after all).

New Yorkers can say what they like: Madrid is the true city that never sleeps. The energy in this nocturnal town, where even grandmothers jostle for taxis at 4 a.m., is infectious. It’s also decidedly European: designer names from across the continent fill boutiques; big-name chefs whip up tasting menus at see-and-be-seen restaurants; and glamorous hotels dot the skyline. Though the afternoon siesta is losing ground, tradition remains in the tapas bar and in the warmth of Madrileños, who are as proud—of their royal family, their cuisine, their art—as they are generous: they want you to love Madrid too.

As Spain’s favorite designer of Pop Art–patterned clothes and accessories for kids and grown-ups alike, Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada knows fun—she’s spent 28 years at the helm of a vast design empire, leaving her fanciful imprint on everything from ball gowns to Band-Aids. Ágatha showed us her family’s key corners of their city. Get ready to romp amid the pomp.

Throughout the 20th century, while Barcelona skimmed the cutting edge, Madrid hugged Castilian conventions tight. But over the past decade, as avant-garde restaurants rocked the culinary landscape and the immigrant population swelled, the old-fashioned capital of Spain said hola to a cosmopolitan future. Travel + Leisure went people-watching in the Plaza de Vázquez de Mella, in Chueca, the Bourbon-era barrio turned center-of-all-things-hip; today the neighborhood’s Belle Époque buildings house so many boutiques, bars, and restaurants that the narrow cobblestoned streets literally buzz 24 hours a day. There, we found a diversity of looks—eclectic but somehow classic, casual and always cool—that define 21st-century Madrid.

In the city center, this once-gritty passage is becoming a nexus of Spain’s new urban style.

Navigating the world’s largest metropolis—home to almost 13 million people—can be a daunting prospect for visitors. Tokyo’s maze of neighborhoods seems to offer up every imaginable sight and sound—some of them cacophonous and modern (speeding bullet trains; herds of hurrying, be-suited businessmen; bizarrely futuristic toilets), and some of them ancient (centuries-old shrines and temples; the waddling combat of sumo wrestlers). The trick here is to explore one enclave at a time; for instance, starting in Ginza or Shibuya for shopping, then heading to Shinjuku or Roppongi for nightlife. And if you get lost, just ask for help—Tokyo residents are some of the politest city-dwellers in the world.

Navigating through the one-of-a-kind boutiques, must-have souvenirs, and fashion-forward streets of Japan's stylish capital city.

Asia is to the 21st century what Europe was to the previous three, and its influence touches every aspect of life in the West—culturally, politically, demographically, not least economically. Asian design, cinema, fine art, fashion, cuisine, medicine, and even spirituality have come to permeate and (re)define our own.

Japan’s capital may be the most food-crazed city on earth. Whether it’s kaiten sushi or kanten jelly, cone pizza or collagen-packed soft-shell-turtle meat, this city devours it all. In Tokyo, the sublime meets the ridiculous, and handmade collides with high-tech—sometimes all in one bite. Hungry?Here, some tasting notes from the edge.

The best hotel choices for business travelers, scenesters, traditionalists, modernists, and luxury-lovers.

Tokyo's hottest, hyperdesigned new restaurants up the wow factor in both food and decor.

Named “the rich coast” by Spanish conquistadors who first made landfall here in 1502, Costa Rica is one of the planet’s most naturally splendid and biologically diverse regions.  Though largely undeveloped until the mid-20th century (due to its lack of traditional “riches”—gold, silver, spices), the country is today drawing new generations of explorers with more lasting treasures: smoldering volcanoes, misty cloud forests, rare wildlife and bird species, and a surfeit of beaches that are the gateway to world-class surfing, diving, and sportfishing.

Have you ever felt that the endless planning, maneuvering, and (not least) paying required for a relaxing vacation tends to cancel out the "relaxing" part?Problem solved: journey to Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, where a blissfully uncomplicated, $100-a-night, thatch-roofed resort lets you unwind in easy style.

Planning a trip to Costa Rica—where your choices are virtually endless—can be overwhelming. Here, some options for Central America's jungle-and-beach paradise, whatever your interest.

With its exotic wildlife, sun-soaked coasts, and dramatic mountains, this Central American playground offers trips for all types of explorers.

From snowcapped volcanoes to rainforests to lava-rock deserts, Hawaii is much more than the parade of high-rise hotels that hug glorious Waikiki Beach. The push and pull between highly developed tourist apex, ancient Polynesian culture, and natural paradise is palpable in the complex 50th state. Add to that the vestiges of “old” (pre–1959 statehood) Hawaii—the one where mai tais are poured in a salty seaside shack to the tune of hapa haole (Hawaiian music with English lyrics), and you have a destination with a rich, complex identity. But everywhere the generous spirit of “aloha” is infectious, making lifetime repeat visitors of many who set foot on these exotic, yet very American, islands.

Cruisers can be choosers. Here, seven splashy options, whether you have your sights set on Alaskan glaciers, Caribbean beaches—or simply the kiddie pool on the top deck.

Two active volcanoes, a tropical rain forest, and beaches as far as the eye can see. This is the biggest, most ecologically diverse island in the chain, with every climate zone represented and waterfalls galore.

Until recently, tourists would dash into Athens for a quick visit to the Acropolis and the Parthenon before heading for the islands. But, with no disrespect to Pericles, Athens isn’t all about the Acropolis anymore. A major makeover prior to the 2004 Olympics added squares and pedestrian walkways, revamped hotels, even created subway stations that double as museums. Today this ancient city is a vibrant megalopolis with nonstop nightlife, creative cuisine, and sites both ancient and modern. In the thousands of sidewalk cafĂ©s, courting teenagers, young professionals, and old men shuffling their worry beads all bask in Athens’s modern-day renaissance.

The twin valleys that constitute California’s most famous wine country are, together, the second most visited attraction in the state (only Disneyland is more popular). Though they’re just an hour’s drive northeast of San Francisco, the regions’ vine-covered hillsides—lush green in spring and summer, golden in fall—are reminiscent of Tuscany, and home to nearly 400 wineries (producing mostly Chardonnay, Pinot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot varietals). You could easily spend a week here flitting among tasting rooms, but that would mean forsaking some of the area’s other sensory pleasures—which include spas, idyllic sightseeing, and some of the country’s best locally sourced cuisine.

When it’s time for a break from Italy’s art museums, Roman ruins, and churches filled with Old Masters paintings, sunseekers flock to the Amalfi Coast to hobnob with the glitterati in Positano, drink in the maritime memories of the proud old republic of Amalfi, and get lost in the fragrant hilltop gardens of Ravello. These pastel fishing villages cling to hillsides or lie in deep green valleys, strung along a dramatic coastline of plunging cliffs connected by the breathtaking Amalfi Drive: a gravity-defying thrill ride of a road stretching from the Bay of Naples to the Gulf of Salerno.

Despite being roughly a thousand years old, Dublin is most definitely a 21st-century town. The cobblestoned streets, the splendid towers of Trinity College, and the gracious squares of Georgian Dublin still echo with history—but the high-tech boom of the past decade has radically changed the face of the city, particularly in the shining new Docklands area. Today’s Dublin is a confident, cosmopolitan hub filled with excellent restaurants, world-class theaters, and raucous nightlife—and, of course, storied old pubs, where you can encounter funny, gregarious locals in their natural habitat.

Home to the world’s biggest Hindu temple, the country’s largest mosque, and South Asia’s largest shopping mall, India’s capital (population 17 million) is nothing if not outsized. But though its sprawl and chaos can pose a challenge for any visitor, Delhi can also be disarmingly intimate, even tranquil. Despite its recent metamorphosis into a cosmopolitan hub for global business, media, technology, and fashion, it’s also a shockingly green city, where whole swaths are given over to gardens, parks, and protected woodlands. It is also remarkably diverse, with dozens of languages, ethnicities, and influences coexisting—not just Indian but increasingly international ones as well.