As tourism arrivals increase, Sri Lanka is upping security -- perhaps to an uncomfortable degree.

A new nationwide security plan will force all hotels in the country to submit information about their foreign guests to the police. 

Each week, hotels must hand over passport numbers and visa details of foreigners.

While this may perturb some tourists, police say the measures are being taken in order to better protect visitors. 

"It's not about monitoring the tourists at all, but more to know who to protect," a marketing representative for a top hotel in Colombo told CNN.

The hotel was notified of the new plan earlier this week.

Huge growth

Tourism has played a significant role in Sri Lanka's economic growth since the end of the country's 26-year civil war in 2009.

Last year, the island country saw a 17% growth in arrivals and welcomed its millionth tourist of 2012 (she was Chinese). Total tourism revenues also exceeded $1 billion for the first time. 

The new plan is a response to concerns about safety. 

Despite increasing numbers of tourists, the country's image as a safe destination took a blow after British national Khuram Shaikh was killed at a Tangalle resort in 2011 and two European travelers were attacked last month. 

Neverthess, British Airways resumed flights to Colombo this week after 15 years. 

The reopening of the Gatwick-Colombo route made headlines throughout Sri Lanka and the inaugural flight was met by high-ranking dignitaries and a flurry of local TV crews and journalists. 

More on CNN: The Gathering: Sri Lanka's great elephant migration

Billing itself as India's first and only theme park of an "international" standard, the $294 million AdLabs Imagica opened its doors to thrill seekers this week.

Bollywood personality Manmohan Shetty poses with daughters Pooja and Aarti Shetty in front of the AdLabs Imagica theme park. Inspired by the Indian legacy of storytelling, it's made up of six "lands": Viva Europa, Arabia, Asiana, Americana, India and Jambo Africa. The park is located in Khopoli, about 70 kilometers southwest of Mumbai.

There's no hiding who the target audience is -- Indians. Many of the attractions have a Hindu or Bollywood theme, the latter of which will go over the heads of those unfamiliar with India's cinema scene.

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For instance, the "Mr. India" motion simulator is based on the popular Bollywood film of the same name. The "Curse of Salimgarh" is a haunted fortress filled with dungeons, torture rooms and a princess trapped for eternity.

Seen here at night, the $294 million AdLabs Imagica features 21 attractions. "We had to set up a theme park which was affordable to Indian families," said Manmohan Shetty, chairman of Adlabs Entertainment.

"I think we have succeeded in doing that."

Spread over 80 acres, the park is big enough to hold 10,000 to 15,000 visitors a day. Planned additions include a water park and hotel. 

"We have started with 21 attractions," said Shetty, who's credited with bringing India its first IMAX dome. "We plan to add one attraction every year. If people like it, this will encourage us more." 

More on CNN: Joyland: China's 'Disneyland' for the digital masses

Catalunya's roasted suckling pig with lemon puree: a modern dish that helped Spanish cuisine conquer the world.What's your favorite tapas?

Garlic shrimp? Stuffed mussels? Ham croquettes? Bravas potatoes?

Chances are even if you don't have a single fave, you know exactly what we're talking about and why we're asking. And, no, it's not because it's your turn to decide where to eat dinner.

You don't have to be the director of a gastronomic trade organization to see that Spanish cuisine is on the rise.

But since we happen to have one handy, why not let her tell the story?

"Spanish food exports to the rest of the world in 2012 recorded an increase of 11.9% and a total value of over €30 billion -- which in turn represents 16% of Spain’s total exports," says Ines Menendez de Luarca, director of Gastronomy of Spanish Trade and Investment (ICEX). "These figures certainly indicate a significant growth."

Where Spanish food thrives ... besides everywhere

Given its world-city reputation, it's little surprise that Hong Kong has become a hotbed of Spanish cuisine.

With the highly anticipated Catalunya Hong Kong opening earlier this week, local foodies have yet another reason to fiesta.

Catalunya Hong Kong joins a fierce competition with fellow Spanish places in the city -- popular Spanish places include 22 Ships by Maze former executive chef Jason Atherton, View 62 by Ferran Adria disciple Paco Roncero, Boqueria (you might know its sister tapas bar from New York) and Vi Cool from Michelin-starred chef Sergi Arola.

Despite the boom in supply, the demand for Spanish food appears limitless. After a soft opening earlier this week, Catalunya says its tables are fully booked into May.

Alain Devahive Tolosa opened two Spanish restaurants in Asia within a year. The restaurant has assembled a team of celebrated experts from five-time San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurant list-maker, elBulli, as well as three restaurants -- El Celler de Can Roca, Mugaritz and Arzak -- that consistently rank among someone's top 10 world's best restaurants.

Headed by Barcelona chef Alain Devahive Tolosa, an elBulli veteran, Catalunya serves authentic Spanish cuisine with a modern twist.

Hong Kong isn't the only city with an insatiable demand for Spanish food made by Spanish chefs.

"Countries ranging from Brazil to Hong Kong, Poland and the United Kingdom have seen Spanish chefs opening restaurants in the last five years, along with foreign investors in different countries -- London, New York, Melbourne -- opening Spanish restaurants," says Menendez de Luarca.

According to Menendez de Luarca, Spanish chefs have opened more than 30 restaurants abroad in recent years and a few Spanish companies have opened worldwide franchise tapas bars, such as Lizarran, which operates in the United States, from New York to Florida to California.

More on CNN: Best new restaurants in Hong Kong

Evolving cuisine

Food is tastier when shared. In Singapore, 10 new tapas bars opened last year alone, including chef Alain Devahive Tolosa's Catalunya Singapore, which debuted nine months before Catalunya Hong Kong.

“When we were sourcing and researching the trend before the opening of Catalunya Singapore, we could see a big trend of Spanish cuisine also in Hong Kong,” says Tolosa. “That’s why we opened Catalunya Hong Kong (shortly) after Catalunya Singapore.”

“From the traditional tapas scene when we opened the city’s first Spanish restaurant 21 years ago, we’ve seen a big change in the Spanish food scene,” says Anna Chau, CEO of King Parrot Group in Hong Kong. “Now people are expecting great presentation, new cooking methods and skillful details instead of just straightforward Spanish cuisine."

King Parrot Group owns four Spanish restaurants in Hong Kong, including View 62 by Paco Roncero, which opened in 2012, and its 21-year-old Spanish flagship, El Cid.

In gastronomic capitals of London and New York, critics are also reporting on the evolution of modern Spanish cuisine.

The New York Times has called Spanish cuisine a major trend, thanks to its intense flavors and the technical skills of its leading chefs.

New restaurants keep opening in the States, as well.

Owned by Boqueria founder Yann de Rochefort and led by acclaimed Spanish chef Dani Garcia, modern Spanish restaurant Manzanilla opened last month in New York to great excitement.

Often credited with bringing the tapas concept to the United States, awarding-winning chef José Andrés operates his four Jaleo restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area and Las Vegas -- each continues to do brisk business.

London's luxury Halkin hotel recently opened its own Basque restaurant, Ametsa with Arzak Instruction (that's a bigger mouthful than you'll get on some tapas plates).

“The Spanish food scene [in London] is evolving -- foodies continue to expect innovative cuisine but with top quality and locally sourced produce,” said a hotel spokesperson, explaining the decision to go Spanish.

More on CNN: Small plates, big appeal: Tapas craze hits Singapore

Surpassing French and Italian cuisines?

Just some vegetables at elBulli, the leader of a modern culinary revolution. Those looking for an explanation of the tapas boom need only look at the noisy tables.

“The way that tapas allows sharing among a group of friends helps boost its popularity,” says King Parrot Group CEO Chau. “In recent years, people are looking for ambiance more than just the food. We often see people coming to eat in groups of eight or 10.”

More on CNN: Insider Guide: What to do in Barcelona

Menendez de Luarca attributes the rise of Spanish cuisine around the world to a culinary revolution that began in Spain.

"The evolution of the restaurant sector in Spain -- the rise of a modern cuisine built on tradition and prime fresh produce -- and the international fame of Ferran Adrià and many others after him, all contributed to the success of Spanish food in the last 10 years," says Menendez de Luarca.

“Spanish food has been the leader of world cuisine for the last 15 years,” says Tolosa. "Spanish and Catalan cuisines have advanced to a much higher level than other cuisines, like French and Italian. Just look at the list of the top 10 restaurants in the world ... three of them are Spanish."

Tolosa's former employer, elBulli, a five-time winner on San Pellegrino’s World’s Best 50 Restaurants list, may be the most obvious example. The temporarily closed restaurant in Roses, Catalonia, was the leader of a culinary revolution, known for its molecular gastronomy.

“A culinary revolution is not just creating 100 new dishes, but a new way of cooking,” says Tolosa. “It began in Spain and has given Spanish cuisine very good marketing.” 

As long as those marketing efforts continue to pay off, we'll continue trying our luck booking a table. Anyone got the number for Catalunya Hong Kong? Oh, yeah, right here.

During its soft opening (now through the end of April), Catalunya Hong Kong will serve dinner only; G/F, Guardian House, Morrison Hill, 32 Oi Kwan Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; +852 2866 7900; reservations@catalunya.hk; catalunya.hk

The best movie theaters always make the movie better.

You could be watching the third re-run of your own birth, but if you're snuggled into a soft seat with buttery popcorn in your lap and a sound system that feels like its channeled directly into your temporal lobe, somehow you'll come out feeling like you had a good time. 

For the global jet-setting movie junkie, these are some movie theaters that take a good experience and make it great. 

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1. Cine Thisio, Athens, Greece

Movie magic.

Athens is home to multiple outdoor movie theaters that crop up during the summer but none provide as majestic a view as Cine Thisio.

From your seat at Cine Thisio you not only get to view the latest blockbuster but also the Acropolis, and the Parthenon that sits on top. The best view is at night.

Cine Thisio is the oldest outdoor movie theater in Athens, built in 1935, and is usually open from April to October. Cine Thisio shows both first-run studio releases and classic movies.

Apostolou Pavlou 7, Thission, Athens 11851, Greece; +30 210 342 0864; www.cine-thisio.gr

2. Alamo Drafthouse, Texas, United States

Don't worry, you don't have to dress like a hipster wrestler for all Alamo events.

It shouldn’t make sense that a movie theater chain has such street cred, but Alamo Drafthouse does. Think of it as the cool kid brother movie theater.

Alamo Drafthouse started out in Austin, Texas, and hosts a whole series of events including Heckle Vision, Quote Alongs and nights where experts rip apart Michael Bay popcorn blockbusters.

But what makes the Alamo theaters really cool are its policies: no children under the age of six, no talking, an extremely strict no-cellphone policy (as this curse-laden voicemail left by an unhappy customer demonstrates) and no ads before the movie.

This is a movie theater experience as it should be: the movie you pay for, zero annoyances and great food and beers being served to your seat.

1120 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, Texas 78704, United States; +1 512 476 1320; www.drafthouse.com

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3. Raj Mandir Theatre, Jaipur, India

Housing 1,200 seats, the show place for the nation.

Come here for the ultimate Bollywood experience: the national anthem at the start, a choice of expensive and cheaper seats, the three-hour Hindi flick bisected with an interlude and applaud along with the locals whenever the hero shows up on screen.

With its pink Art Deco-inspired exterior made up of waves and asymmetrical shapes, the Raj Mandir is a symbol of Jaipur, a city laid out beautifully from its founding in the 18th century.

It opened in 1976, seats around 1,200 and usually fills up. With ticket prices around Rs100 (US$1.90), this won't be your most luxurious movie outing, but it will definitely rank among the most memorable.

Ashok Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India; +91 141 260 5267

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4. Kino International, Berlin, Germany

There's beauty in the straight lines and right angles.

A remnant of the Cold War, Kino International dates back to Germany's socialist period. Today Kino International boasts a well-rounded art-house program and hosts a strong list of premieres, festivals and parties.

The movie theater is situated along Karl Marx Allee, where entire blocks of buildings carry heritage status and are protected by the Denkmalschutz in Berlin.

This heritage status means that the outside façade of Kino International, along with its interior furnishings, cannot be altered.

33 Karl-Marx Allee, Berlin 10178, Germany; +49 030 24756011; www.kino-international.com

5. 4DX, Seoul, South Korea

All the latest in movie technology housed in one theater.

4DX bills itself as the first 4-D movie theater in the world that screens studio releases, taking 3-D movies to the next level by introducing movement and scent, as well as wind and water effects.

Sitting through amusement park-type effects for such a long time may not be suitable for everyone, and people with heart disease, back pains, pregnant women and children under one meter are discouraged from entering.

4DX aims to “free” the moviegoer by connecting with the characters on screen, placing them into the shoes of the protagonist by feeling what he feels.

4DX theaters are now part of 14 CGV locations all over Korea. Tickets for the 4-D screenings start at ₩14,000 (US$12).

4DX CGV Theater in Gangbyeon; 10F TechnoMart, 546-4 Guui-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 광진구 구의동 546-4 테크노마트 10층); 1544-1122 (Domestic calls only); www.cgv.co.kr

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6. Uplink X, Tokyo, Japan

Only in Japan can space constraints be sold as a plus.

Uplink X calls itself the smallest movie theater in Japan, with 40 seats. It's housed in a multipurpose building managed by Uplink Co. alongside Uplink Factory, a multipurpose theater space and Uplink’s café Tabela.

Its standout feature is its "social seating" plan -- the 10 various types of seats are not screwed into the ground, but can be moved around within the space, making the movie-watching experience more interactive and social.

2F, 37-18 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0042, Japan; +81 3 3485 6821; www.uplink.co.jp

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7. Prasads, Hyderabad, India

A multiplex can be interesting if it offers something new for moviegoers.

You might mistake Prasads as just another entertainment complex in Hyderabad -- but take a look at its cinema screen; it's the largest IMAX 3-D screen in the world.

Measuring 72 x 92 feet, and running since 2003, it receives more than 1,500 calls a day to the telephone booking line. 

Sydney may have the largest IMAX in the world at 97 x 117 feet, but throw in the 3-D technology and you get yourself on this list.

The biggest grossing films in IMAX 3-D for Prasads so far have been "Avatar," "The Polar Express" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1."

NTR Gardens, LIC Division P.O., Hyderabad 500063, India; +91 40 23448888; www.prasadz.com

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8. Cine de Chef, Seoul, South Korea

Nothing dissonant about pairing French-made seats with the latest Matt Damon thriller.

Korean movie theater company CGV claims another spot on this list with its Cine de Chef theater, which gives a luxury spin to the “dinner and a movie” concept.

Many other movie theaters also provide food and beverage options to moviegoers, but Cine de Chef stands out with its upscale French-Italian cuisine, courtesy of a former Park Hyatt chef. 

After dinner, patrons can relax for the duration of the movie in the Quinette Gallay seats, specially designed for Cine de Chef. The seats are by the same people who make private movie theater seats for United Arab Emirates royalty.

This meal and a movie doesn’t come cheap, however; prices start at ₩38,000 (US$34) for a lunch and a movie ticket. The dinner prices start at ₩60,000 (US$53). 

B5 CGV Apgujeong, 602 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 강남구 신사동 602 CGV압구정 지하5청); +82 2 3445 0541; www.cinedechef.com 

9. Secret Cinema, Worldwide

Even the term "movie theater" is now a malleable term.

This may be stretching the concept of the movie theater since Secret Cinema does not host events in a single physical space -- the location is determined by the movie screened.

Secret Cinema is a London-based group that organizes monthly movie events shrouded in mystery. Patrons are told not to reveal the location or even the movie screened.

Once you register, you are told the day of the screening to gather at a predetermined location. From there hired actors put on a live-action version of scenes from the movie before the finale, a theatrical showing of the movie itself.

Tickets from US$50; +44 0207 739 6055; www.secretcinema.org

10. The Castro Theatre, San Francisco, United States

Sometimes old school is still cool.

The term “movie palace” was coined to describe the elaborately designed theaters that sprung up in the first half of the 20th century in the United States.

Opened in 1922, the Castro Theatre is one of the last vestiges of that bygone era still in operation. Its Mexican cathedral-inspired façade continues to captivate tourists and moviegoers.

With the decadence of its lobby and auditorium, and the attention to detail in the wet plaster motifs on either side of the screen, the Castro presents simply what new technologies are attempting to mimic -- the pleasure of the movie-watching experience.

429 Castro Street, San Francisco, California 94114, USA; +1 415 621 6120; www.castrotheatre.com

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First published February 2012, updated April 2013

Here's another reason anything from a beach makes for a terrible holiday souvenir.

A U.S. tourist has been arrested for trying to bring home rocks and what he thought was debris from a beach in Turkey.

Jason Dement, 30, from Mississippi, was stopped and questioned at Antalya Airport when airport security found a piece of marble and what may be a piece of old masonry in his luggage.

The Turkish authorities charged him with trying to "smuggle historical artifacts," reported the Telegraph.

While his wife was allowed to leave the country, Dement now faces up to 12 years in prison.

Theft by travelers has been in the headlines various times over the last year. Travelers looking for unique souvenirs will stuff almost anything they can into their luggage from pieces of the Great Wall to live penguins.

At Boracay Island in the Philippines, the magnificent white beach sands are suffering “blatant extraction” at the hands of the kinds of tourists that give the rest of us a bad name.

Responding to the threat to its most valuable natural resource, local officials passed an ordinance last September that greatly toughened the existing law for being caught carting off sand or pebbles from the Philippines’ top tourist destination.

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This part of the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall of China, in Hebei province, is in good shape. But other sections of the Wall have been diminished over the years by brick and stone looters. As reported by the Manila Bulletin, the ordinance stated that: “Boracay Island, a masterpiece of nature endowed by the Almighty with powdery white sand, is being gradually dissipated by man’s selfish interests without due regard to the consequences.”

The new penalty for first-time sand thieves in Boracay was set at 2,500 pesos (US$60) or a prison sentence of not less than one month and not more than six months. Subsequent offenses will bring stiffer minimum penalties.

The new punishments may or may not be effective, but one thing is certain: greedy tourists will continue to commit selfish acts around the globe.

Last June, The Telegraph reported that visitors in Italy have been pinching cobblestones, marble mile markers and mosaic pieces from ancient Roman sites.

Italian officials have reported an increase this year in cases of theft of Roman relics, with pieces of 2,000-year-old stone and other artifacts often discovered in travelers’ luggage at major airports.

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A year ago, the Daily Mail reported that three British citizens had been accused of stealing a penguin from an Australian marine park, though, surprise, a night of partying may have been involved in that absurd heist.

Exhausted but unharmed, the seven-year-old fairy penguin, named Dirk, was discovered and returned to his park home and mate, Peaches.

Officials and archaeologists in China have long been concerned about major destruction and diminution of large sections of the Great Wall due to casual looting.

Regrettably little, it seems, is off limits to the dedicated souvenir hunter.

In Plaza Garibaldi, a strolling mariachi group will play a concert just for you.
Driving toward Plaza Garibaldi at dusk, the square confronts you before you even arrive.

Men in bright outfits and tight trousers with buckles running down the legs flag down your car and offer you a song.

Being accosted in the car makes for an unusual encounter for first-timers here, especially as the plaza is still a few blocks away.

Mexico City’s mariachi mecca is tinged with a late afternoon glow and there are already crowds of people gathering for an evening of song.

Around a thousand mariachis play in the square at different times, serenading couples and small families with aching ballads for a price. People are drawn by the unique experience of having an entire band play and sing directly to them -- if only for a few minutes.

Violinist Cesar Coronado has been playing for 30 years. He arrives at 5 p.m. and his work -- paid for by various comers and goers in the square who pay for song or two -- ebbs and flows throughout the evening.

“We don’t have a specific timetable, there is no pattern,” he says. “What we want is for people to leave happy -- especially the tourists from abroad so they can get to know our music.”

Tenampa: Mexico's mariachi mecca

Unlike most other mariachis, Coronado has a residence inside the legendary Salon Tenampa, which proudly dominates one side of the plaza.

The roots of mariachi music in Mexico City can be traced to this bar. It was opened in 1925 by Juan Hernandez, who began luring mariachis from his native Guadalajara to play what was then an obscure regional genre.

They began a habit of having one band play outside in the square while another entertained inside -- and Garibaldi’s tradition was born. Later, when Mexican cinema began making films featuring famous singers, the music became ingrained in the nation’s culture.

Walk inside Tenampa and you're immediately hit by a deep sense of history.

The walls are covered in murals of onetime mariachi heroes and the bar area is preserved from its golden era, with red leather booths and waiters in bow ties.

On Plaza Garibaldi, Salon Tenampa has been featuring live mariachi bands since 1925.

You'll also get frisked for weapons on your way in.

The pat down alerts you to the underside of Garibaldi Plaza. The area has been in slow decline for decades and is need of regeneration.

For some, its contemporary image is of a seedy square full of drunks, where crime has made the atmosphere dangerous.

The plaza is adjacent to a neighborhood known for being unsafe, but a heavy police presence shows the government is taking steps to secure a tourist icon.

“For many years free consumption of alcohol was allowed in the square,” says Isaias Muñoz, a manager at Tenampa for 15 years. “That created a bad image because sometimes you would have 3,000 people in the square drinking at the same time and that will create problems.”

Last year, a law restricted alcohol consumption in public places.

“The image has changed,” Muñoz continues. “We are turning it around again, to what Garibaldi once was: a place for leisure, family and culture.”

Others strongly disagree and the alcohol issue has become a flashpoint.

“The mariachi is in crisis right now,” says Antonio Corrubia, leader of the local mariachi union.

“When the authorities made the decision that people can’t walk around with a beer or rum, fewer people come and the musicians have less work. I have colleagues who work here all night and make 10 dollars.”

In 2012, new regulations limited the consumption of alcohol in Plaza Garibaldi. Some say the new rules have led to fewer mariachi fans coming to the square.
On a recent Saturday night in Garibaldi, the square was dry and only half full. But some tourists still came to take in the experience -- with or without alcohol.

“I love the atmosphere,” said one French tourist. “It's fiesta.”

Inside Tenampa -- a licensed bar -- the party was in full force.

Cesar and his nine-piece band were engaged by a long table of well-heeled Mexican men for an hour. Intensity was poured into every song, which the band members have been playing for decades

At $10 a song, money was clearly not a consideration for the group of revelers -- Bacardi bottles littered the table and men downed 50/50 Cuba libres in one gulp.

Drunken hugging and singing inevitably followed -- a show of genuine love of the music, not an ironic appreciation of its sometimes kitsch image.

Lots of smiles, not many earplugs -- that's Mexico City's Salon Tenampa.
At the bar, staff poured drinks with the battle-hardened demeanor of Fallujah veterans. Draft beer, Cuba libres and, of course, tequila.

There was an even mix of men and women in the room and the bar is one of the few places in Mexico where rich and poor share a Saturday night out together.

For Cesar, a long evening of playing still awaited -- things at Tenampa normally wind down at 4 a.m.

“We have a saying in Mexico,” he said, placing a plug into his ear (he stands next to the trumpeter). “Do it until the body gives up.”

Despite a shifting culture and more stringent local rules around this traditional art form in a classic Mexico City plaza, no one appears to be giving up any time soon.

Salon Tenampa, Plaza Garibaldi # 12 Col. Centro, Mexico City, D.F.; +52 55 26 61 76; www.salontenampa.com

Men were turned away from one of Dubai's popular beaches on Sunday under new "women-only" regulations.

The Dubai Municipality has launched more women-only days at the emirate's top beach parks, popular with families and tourists for the stretches of sand and connecting gardens that can all be accessed with a small entry fee. 

Under the new decree, Jumeirah Beach Park and Al Mamzar Beach Park are setting aside two days each week -- Monday and Wednesday at Jumeirah, Sunday and Tuesday at Al Mamzar -- as women-only days. 

The only males allowed in are those under the age of four. Even the lifeguards and park staff will be female on those days, reported Dubai daily newspaper Khaleej Times. 

"The move is part of the civic body’s plan to make the leisure destinations more women-friendly to encourage them into more physical activities and keep fit," said the Times report.

Monday was already a women-only day at Jumeirah Beach Park and the Dubai Municipality's decision to add more was a result of positive feedback from female customers.

Bikinis remain tightly controlled

Men must head to the open beach areas away from the enclosed parks. 

Note to female foreign tourists: bikinis remain subject to a strict dress code and are limited to the beach areas only. 

The Municipality also separated areas by activity. There are now designated beach areas for barbecuing, sun-bathing and other activities. 

Designated spaces for ladies is an ongoing trend in the city. 

Last year, the emirate's first women-only dance night --  launched as an event to allow Arab women to "let their hair down" -- was held at the Gloria Hotel, while a number of Dubai hotels including the Tamani Hotel Dubai Marina and the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel have opened ladies-only floors. 

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Grand palaces, ancient ruins, magnificent mosques -- there are many things that can pique a traveler’s interest in Turkey.

But get past the popular spots and you’ll find several destinations that even the greatest Turkophiles may not have visited.

Urla: Slow food, slow life

Try an olive with your calm. We have plenty.

Urla is a slow-paced town a 45-minute bus ride away from Izmir, dominated by the blue waters of the Aegean and grayish-green olive trees.

Unlike Çeşme and Alaçatı, two nearby spots that attract crowds in the summer, Urla has a coastal serenity.

Urla’s history dates back more than 5,000 years. It’s home to the oldest known olive oil press.

It was formerly the ancient Greek city Klazomenai and one of the oldest known ports of the Aegean. Today Urla is a quiet escape and a leader in the slow-food movement and organic farming in Turkey.

Urla offers a variety of activities including scenic drives and swimming in the clear waters of the Aegean from May to September.

A full day here might include a wine-tasting and vineyard tour at Urla Şarapçılık after trying some local specialties at Beğendik Abi, located at the town center.

A walk by the harbor (Iskele) in the afternoon can be followed by a seafood dinner at Yengeç. We recommend Kemal Bey Range for an overnight stay.

Urla Şarapçılık: Kuşçular Köyü, 8028 Sokak No:12, Ukuf Mevkii, Urla/Izmir; +90 232 759 01 11; www.urlasarapcilik.com.tr

Beğendik Abi: Cami Atik Mahallesi, Tatar Cami Sokak No:12, Urla Merkez/Izmir; +90 232 754 2071; www.begendikabi.com.tr

Yengeç Restaurant:İskele Mahallesi, 2121 Sokak No: 6 D:1, İskele-Urla, Izmir; +90 232 752 11 52; www.yengec-restaurant.com

Kemal Bey Range: Kaz Deresi Mevkii, 35440 Urla/İzmir; +90 232 759 05 14; www.kemalbeyrange.com

Polonezköy: A Polish village in Istanbul

Poles apart from the hectic pace of Istanbul.

If you stick to Istanbul's city center, you'll miss out on what the outskirts of the city have to offer.

An hour’s drive from the historical peninsula is Polonezköy, formerly called Adampol, a Polish village that features breathtaking greenery, impressive architecture and an intriguing history.

After fleeing their homeland in the 1840s, Polish refugees settled in the area, creating a distinctively Polish village within easy reach of the city.

Although the Polish population is now less than 100 people, the village still carries its Polish features and serves as a charming getaway, especially for weekenders with a more active nature.

The important sights include the Polish cemetery, Our Lady of Częstochowa Church and the historic home of Zofia Rizi.

Visitors can trek or cycle through the woods and picnic. Fall brings fantastic photo-worthy colors. If you go during summer, try to coincide with the Cherry Festival in June when Polish culture is celebrated with traditional folk dancing.

Hotels in the village include the Polka Country Hotel, a historic building with distinctively Polish features.

Alternatively, Saklıköy Country Hotel & Club, set in Ishaklı Köyü Plain, is a 15-minute drive away and has an authentic country setting with outdoor activities like horseback riding, ATV drives and paintball.

Note: Public transport is not available to the area so visitors need to arrange transportation.

Polka Country Hotel: Polonezköy/Istanbul; +90 216 432 32 20

Saklıköy Country Hotel & Club: Bayramköprü Mevkii No: 6/A, Ishaklı Köyü, Beykoz/Istanbul; +90 216 434 55 22; www.saklikoy.com.tr

Tepeköy: An old Greek village in Gökçeada

The population has dwindled, but the magic is still there.

Gökçeada, Turkey’s largest island and formerly known as Imvros in Greek, is a short ferry ride from Çanakkale.

A popular summer getaway for locals, the island’s quiet village Tepeköy is undisturbed by concrete developments and is peaceful and uncrowded even in the peak of summer.

The island’s history dates back nearly 2,500 years, having been ruled by the Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans. Until recently, the village’s population was in the thousands, now it barely has 30 residents.

Most of the residents migrated in the 1960s, but it has seen a reawakening in the past 20 years thanks to Barba Yorgo.

This Tepeköy-native began reviving his hometown by restoring his old house, turning it into a guest house that includes the island’s only Greek tavern.

He has inspired other residents to also run guest houses in the village.

One of the main attractions of the village is the 19th century church, now restored. The old Greek cemetery also attracts visitors but the real attraction here is the view.

The best way to enjoy Gökçeada is by taking a drive to admire the stunning views of the sea, photograph the now-restored old Greek houses, have a picnic at Çınaraltı where a 600-year-old oak tree stands and an antique fountain still functions.

During summer there's the Festival of the Virgin Mary, held each year on August 15. Crowds of Greeks come to Tepeköy on that day for the Orthodox service, which is followed by a communal lunch and a big party with traditional Greek music in the evening.

You can sample local life at Barba Yorgo’s guest house where he'll happily chat with you while sipping his home-made wine.

Barba Yorgo: Tepeköy/Gökçeada; +90 286 887 42 47; www.barbayorgo.com

Gito Yaylası: The Black Sea’s cloud land

Back to basics.

If the bustle of Istanbul tires you out, you can find peace and quiet in Gito Yaylası, a plateau nestled between the Kaçkar Mountains.

It's difficult to get to, but this untamed piece of rural Turkey is worth the effort. Visitors need to fly to Trabzon then drive for an hour to Çamlıhemşin dictrict of Rize, then drive for another two hours.

There is not much to do except wake up to beds of clouds, take scenic walks, go on photo safaris and enjoy the local delicacies.

Koçira is the area’s only guest house and it is a testament to the hospitality of the local people. It's worth bringing your camping gear along too as there are some great treks to be done.

Koçira: www.kocira.com (Note: The guest house provides pick-up services for travelers without a vehicle)

A trip to Finnish Lapland to see Santa Claus, his reindeer and the elves is the stuff of childhood dreams. The irony is, you’ll probably enjoy it even more as an adult.

When the Yuletide bubbly has fizzled out and those rich, childish imaginings fade, this Arctic region that caps the northern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula offers a wintry, European experience that’ll provide enough tales for many a future Christmas dinner.

1. Gold

Get lucky and you could go home in profit.

There's gold in them there Lapland river valleys. It was first discovered in the Ivalojoki river valley in 1868, prompting a mini-gold rush.

But there's still a little to be found by lucky and/or determined prospectors.

When the rivers thaw, locals and tourists alike get panning, hoping to come upon a life-changing nugget.

A 251-gram nugget was once found in the Miessijoki river, but many tourists head for the museum at the Tankavaara Gold Village, where the Finnish Open Goldpanning competition takes place every July and visitors can pan for gold all year round.

2. Lip-licking Lappish food

Cold outside, delicious inside.

Fans of Rudolph look away now -- reindeer features heavily in the local cuisine.

It's fat free, healthy and wonderfully gamey, but if eating one of Santa's beloved sleigh-pullers is a step too far, there are plenty of other Lappish delicacies to explore.

There’s reindeer food -- lichen -- which, when dried, makes a light, crisp garnish for all kinds of arctic fish, baby root vegetables, herbs, berries and even liquorice.

For a full expression of local flavors with a modern twist, head for Lapland Hotel Sky Ounasvaara's restaurant in Rovaniemi, where TV chef Tero Mantykangas pushes the boundaries of an ancient cuisine.

3. Gorgeous lakes filled with fish

Where there's water, there's dinner.

Lapland is home to hundreds of lakes, the biggest of which is Lake Inari, in the far north, which covers more than 1,000 square kilometers.

Even when the lakes are frozen, Lappish fishermen can be found with their ice fishing augers drilling through the ice by hand to catch pike, perch, rainbow trout and whitefish.

Ice fishing safaris are available to tourists, which often include scooting off to a frozen lake by snowmobile.

There's often more chance of catching a cold than a fish, though, so warm clothes are recommended.

Grayling Land offers ice fishing safaris from October to May.

4. Wildlife (and the not-so-wild life)

Try and resist those big blues. Just try.

There are wolves, wolverines and brown bears roaming around the wilderness of Finnish Lapland. So it's a good idea to whistle while you're exploring to let them know you're coming.

Locals have the right to hunt small numbers of these beasts without a special permit. Many keep herds of reindeer, which often fall prey to such predators.

Luckily, there are some 200,000 reindeer in Lapland -- and only 180,000 people.

Huskies and white Samoyed were brought in from Siberia too, as working dogs to pull sleds. These days they pull tourists, but it gets them out of their kennels.

Nordic Visitor provide dogsled tours and other activities in Finnish Lapland. 

5. Brag-worthy winter sports

Posturing guaranteed.

There's nothing you can do in Val D'Isere or St. Moritz that you can't do in the ski resorts of Lapland.

There's downhill, cross-country and freestyle skiing and snowboarding, you can walk the forest trails with snowshoes or have your face whipped by the fresh mountain air courtesy a snowmobile.

From Yllas to Levi, Luosto to Pyha, the resorts are quiet with a laid-back, family-friendly feel, ideal for beginners, experts and posers alike.

6. Aurora borealis

Santa's not home, but the lights are on.

Since most of Lapland is situated within the Arctic Circle, it's an ideal spot to watch the northern lights. According to ancient legend, an arctic fox, whose swishing tail sends sparkling lights into the sky, creates the aurora borealis.

Dancing displays of green, red and blue lights can be seen on clear, dark nights when conditions are right.

Authentic Scandinavia offers tours specifically for viewing the lights.

7. Sami culture

The traditional drum of the Sami.

Not many places in Europe still have a thriving community of indigenous people.

The Sami originated in the Sapmi region of Lapland -- a far-northern area comprising parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia -- making them Europe's northernmost indigenous people.

There are thought to be just under 10,000 Sami living in Finnish Lapland and you can learn about their culture, customs, costumes and languages at the Arktikum museum and science center in Rovaniemi.

8. Awesome art and architecture

Rebuilt, re-engineered and green.

Lapland isn't all lakes, forests and wilderness. Rovaniemi, the “capital city” and gateway to the region, is a busy urban center packed with modern buildings, from the functional to the fascinating.

Ninety percent of the old town was destroyed in World War II, but a redesign was led by famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto.

The new town plan followed a reindeer antler plan, and today's Rovaniemi features many meticulously designed, environmentally friendly buildings that have inspired architects all over the world.

One building that survived the war is a 1930s mail truck depot, which has been converted into the Korundi House of Culture.

This is where Rovaniemi's heart turns into art, with exhibitions of local artists and a small but perfectly formed concert hall, playing host to the Lapland Chamber Orchestra

9. Forests and huts

You can go camping without a tent.

The great swathes of birch, pine and spruce trees in Finnish Lapland are vitally important to the local economy.

Exploring the forest is a Finnish Laplander's favorite pastime. A network of open wilderness wood huts stretches across the national parks of the area (www.outdoors.fi/Huts).

Many have provisions for a campfire and are free to use for a night while you trek through the forest trails.

Like many buildings in Lapland the huts are made of wood, which is one reason sustainable forestry is so important to the region.

Visitors can learn more about Nordic forests at the beautiful wooden Pilke Science Centre in Rovaniemi.

10. Real saunas

Make yourself comfortable. If you're doing it properly, you'll be here a while.

There's an old saying in Finnish Lapland: "If it's a cold sauna, it's a Swedish sauna."

Sauna has a very special place in the hearts of the local people, to the point of fierce rivalry. A real Finnish sauna is insanely hot, can last for hours and is most commonly enjoyed completely nude.

Locals meet in saunas, relax in saunas and some even give birth in saunas. They thrash each other with birch twigs in saunas.

They jump into frozen lakes after saunas. There are electric saunas, hot stone saunas, smoke saunas and even an ice sauna at the Arctic Snow Hotel in Rovaniemi.

Just be careful to pronounce it right (“sow-na”) or they might lock you in a sauna.

Getting there

Reach the Finnish capital Helsinki with Finnair and fly onwards to Rovaniemi. There are some direct flights to Rovaniemi from some European airports.

VR (Finnish Railways) runs splendid double-deck overnight sleeper trains, with comfortable compartments, free Wi-Fi and a superb restaurant car, from Helsinki to Rovaniemi.

Stay there: Rovaniemi is the gateway to Finnish Lapland, so Lapland Hotel Sky Ounasvaara, on a mountain overlooking the town, makes for a great base to go exploring. Lapland Hotels also has properties in resorts around the region, from Levi to Luosto.

How honest a traveler are you?

And how honest were you when answering that question?

Those are just two things to think about when looking over a recent poll from Hotels.com, which found that Danes are highly unlikely to steal from hotels, while Colombians will often check out with more that they checked in with.

“While we all love that holiday feeling, it seems travelers in some countries are taking this a bit too far by removing a wide variety of items from their hotel room to take home with them,” said Alison Couper, senior director global communications at Hotels.com.

The survey asked 8,600 people from 28 countries and cities about their holiday thieving.

Also on CNN: Stealing, lying and other outrageous things you do while traveling

Some 88% of travelers from Denmark said they have never taken anything they shouldn’t from a hotel room, while 43% of Colombians said the same.

Brazilians were the most honest South Americans polled, Hong Kongers the most honest Asians and Canadian Quebecers the most honest from North America, all tied in fourth place at 81%.

Just behind Italians and Russians, Taiwanese tied with South Koreans in ninth place -- 78% said they never removed anything they shouldn't.

The United States and China tied in 23rd place with 66% of tourists from both countries saying they never pilfer.

The most commonly taken items are magazines and books according to the report. Some nationalities prefer linens and towels, while the Chinese prefer to help themselves to furnishings, such as lamps, clocks and artwork.

Hotels take security seriously enough to invest significantly into devices such as secure key cards and CCTV. Some even plant RFID chips in their towels and robes.

Also on CNN: World to tourists: 'Stop stealing everything!'

Most honest travelers

Percent who say they've never pocketed hotel property:

1. Denmark 88%
2. Netherlands 85%
3. Norway 84%
4. Brazil 81%
4. Canada (Quebec) 81%
4. Hong Kong 81%
7. Italy 80%
8. Russia 79%
9. Taiwan 78%
9  South Korea 78%
11. Argentina 77%
11. Singapore 77%
13. Ireland 75%
14. UK 74%
15. Switzerland 73%
15. New Zealand 73%
15. Japan 73%
15. Finland 73%
19. Germany 72%
19. Australia 72%
21. France 71%
22. Canada (excluding Quebec) 70%
23. United States 66%
23. China 66%
25. Sweden 65%
26. Spain 64%
27. India 62%
28. Mexico 60%
29. Colombia 43%

Have you taken things from a hotel room? What? Tell us below.

You thought your grandfather was a train buff?

Sorry to break the news to you, but ol' gramps would have been a mere caboose in the train of railway geeks in Japan, where hard-core train aficionados are referred to by the somewhat affectionate term “densha otaku,” or train nerds.

They're famous for feats like memorizing phonebook-size timetables and visiting every single one of the country's almost 10,000 stations.

When they aren't trying to increase their encyclopedic knowledge of all things rail, they're out looking for like-minded people to impress with it.

As it turns out, Tokyo offers the densha otaku a wide selection of railway-appropriate watering holes -- or perhaps we should call them bar cars? 

1. Ginza Panorama

Who says otaku joints have to be dodgy? This place has class by the carriage load. Ginza Panorama is the model train lover's dream bar.

Not only does the counter have four separate built-in electric tracks, allowing patrons to watch trains zipping by while sipping their cocktails, but a large glass case directly opposite displays about 700 model train carriages for sale. 

The drink menu has the standard beer, wine and liquor options, but visitors will likely be tempted to splurge on a train-themed cocktail, like the Romance Car, named after the Hakone-bound express, or Doctor Yellow, the nickname for the diagnostic high-speed test trains used on shinkansen routes.

There's also a full food menu.

With its mellow ambiance, mature crowd and the gentle clacking of trains as they whirl around the bar, Ginza Panorama is a relaxed place for a drink -- even if you don't get giddy debating the relative merits of the Tokaido and Tohoku Lines.

Ginza Hachikan Building 8/F, 8-4-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku; +81 (0)3 3289 8700; Monday-Friday, 6 p.m.-3 a.m., Saturday, 6-11 p.m., closed Sunday; 420 yen seating charge; www.ginza-panorama.com

2. Kiha

All aboard for canned food and sake in a jar. There are two things all visitors need to know about Kiha.

One, the second floor has been lovingly kitted out to look exactly like the inside of a Tokyo subway car, complete with advertisements, hand straps, emergency call buttons and luggage racks.

Two, the only thing on the menu is canned food and one-cup sake.

From salted pork to seafood to curry, Kiha stocks an impressive selection of things to eat right out of the can. This is meant to recreate the nostalgic experience of a long train journey in the days before meal services were offered.

Most of the customers are dyed-in-the-wool otaku, as evidenced by the closet full of timetables and the rare ticket stubs adorning the tables. Like all train obsessives, of course, they're more than happy to chat with newcomers. You've been warned.

1-6-11 Horidomecho, Chuo-ku; nearest station: Ningyocho; +81 (0)3 5651 5088; Monday-Saturday, 6-11:30 p.m., closed Sunday; Kiha-sake.com

More on CNN: Japan's riveting Railway Museum

3. LittleTGV

Service of a maid cafe, ambiance of a train. The world is already familiar with Japan's maid cafes and those are certainly popular with otaku of every stripe.

Real rail buffs have their own version at LittleTGV near the geek paradise of Akihabara.

The restaurant bills itself as the world's first rail-themed, moe-style pub. Instead of a pretty girl in a maid costume calling you “Master," you'll get a pretty girl in a conductor's uniform telling you to board her train. No joke. And no jokes (please).

The walls are covered with train photos and memorabilia, so even if you don't know your SLs from your JRs, the girls will be happy to chat with you and teach you a bit about their world.

LittleTGV offers a full food and drink menu with foreigner-friendly pictures, including several different courses that include all-you-can-drink options.

Isamiyadai 3 Building 4/F, Sotokanda 3-10-5, Chiyoda-ku; nearest stations: Suehirocho, Akihabara; +80 (0)3 3255 5223; Monday-Friday, 2-11 p.m., Saturday-Sunday, noon-11 p.m.; Littletgv.com

More on CNN: Best Tokyo maid cafes

4. Mistral Bleu (Train Bar)

Soundtrack? Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train," naturally. Often referred to simply as "Train Bar," Mistral Bleu isn't just a hang-out for train nerds, but it is a bar made out of a train.

Somehow a train carriage was crammed into the first floor of the ROI Building close to Roppongi Crossing and transformed into a hole in the wall bar for classic rock fans.

As the Aerosmith blasting out the front door might attest, the bar is a nostalgic pleasure for drinkers of a certain age.

In addition to the novelty of boozing in a converted train car, you can keep yourself entertained by checking out the international currencies plastered all over the walls and ceilings.

It's the kind of place where it's easy to strike up a conversation with the person sitting next to you -- a rarity in Japan. 

ROI Building 1/F , 5-5-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Roppongi station; +80 (0)3 3423 0082; Monday-Saturday, 6 p.m.-5 a.m., closed Sundays; www.trainbar.com

5. Cafe & Bar Steam Locomotive

Even buttoned-up salarymen can't resist the appeal of choo choo trains.Not every train nerd likes to booze it up. Indeed, some of them aren't even old enough to do so.

Luckily, there's a family friendly option called Cafe & Bar Steam Locomotive, which is appropriate for train lovers of all ages.

Located on the ground floor of a Yurakucho office building, this venue is more suited to a coffee over a lunch break than an after-work bender, though the place does serve alcohol.

The center of the cafe is dominated by a massive model train display that includes several tracks and recreations of famous sites like Tokyo Tower.

The endless details -- tiny pedestrians crossing the street, a little grove of cherry trees in bloom -- will keep the youngsters entertained while the grownups enjoy a latte or glass of sake.

Shinyurakucho Bldg 1/F, Yurakucho 1-12-1, Chiyoda-ku, Yurakucho station; +81 (0)3 3211 0610; Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; www.steamlocomotive.jp

More on CNN: 16 hours on a train, from Tokyo to Sapporo

Put any kind of meat on a stick and roast it over a flame and it immediately becomes food fit for gods.

No country understands this sacred rule of seared meat like Turkey.

Turkish kebabs are the incarnation of the meat lover’s most exotic fantasies, with grilled lamb, beef and chicken as skewer MVPs.

Most kebab restaurants also have a long list of Turkish starters called meze that are as delicious as the main dishes.

Turkey's best alcoholic complement for all that meat is rakı -- an aniseed-flavored drink that’s often diluted with water and chilled with ice. Frothy, yogurt-based ayran is a great non-alcoholic complement to heavy dishes. 

But who are we kidding -- you just want the meat. Here's where to get it in Turkey.

Hamdi Restaurant, Istanbul

Hamdi Restaurant in Istanbul offers extraordinary views of the Golden Horn.
Located just steps from the Egyptian Bazaar in Eminönü, Hamdi Restaurant isn't just a stop on the way to the bazaar but a destination itself.

Specializing in southeastern cuisines, the venue affords a magnificent view of the Golden Horn, the Galata Tower and Eminönü.

Since window-side tables are in high demand, making a reservation in advance is highly recommended.

A signature dish is the testi kebabı. Cooked over charcoal in a clay jug covered with dough for three to four hours, the dish is made with veal, tomatoes, onions, garlic, pepper, oregano, tomato paste and butter.

It’s quite a ceremony to watch this extraordinary dish being served -- waiters break the jug in front of you to reveal the meal inside.

Another must is the haşhaş kebabı made with minced veal and lamb, and mixed with capsicum, salt and pepper.

Tahmis Caddesi, Kalçın Sokak Number 17, Eminönü, Istanbul; +90 212 528 03 90; approximately $15 for a main dish; www.hamdi.com.tr

Kebapçı Halil Usta and İmam Çağdaş, Gaziantep

Halil Usta’s küşleme attracts crowds.

Two kebab restaurants reign supreme in the southeastern city of Gaziantep: Kebapçı Halil Usta and İmam Çağdaş.

Open since 1972, Halil Usta is a humble establishment with a dedicated following.

Its tender meat has made such a name over the years that this lunch-only restaurant runs out of meat by 3 p.m. almost every day.

Most notable is küşleme, a velvety soft lamb kebab served in copper pots. Although a side dish, the salad (greens, tomatoes, mint, thyme, red pepper, pomegranate molasses and spices) can stand proudly on its own.  

İmam Çağdaş is one of the best kebab restaurants in Gaziantep. Unlike Halil Usta, İmam Çağdaş is large and modern.

Standout dishes include Ali Nazik, lamb served on top of a bed of char-grilled yogurt-eggplant purée, and Altı Ezmeli Tike Kebabı, a stew-like kebab made with lamb served on top of a tomato and pepper mash.

The restaurant’s flaky, pistachio-filled baklava is as celebrated as its kebabs.

Kebapçı Halil Usta, Karşıyaka Semti, Gaziantep Mozaik Müzesi Arkası, Tekel Caddesi, Öcükoğlu Sokak, Şehitkamil/Gaziantep; +90 342 323 16 16; approximately $7 for a main dish; www.kebapcihalilusta.com

İmam Çağdaş, Eski Hal Civarı, Uzun Çarşı Number 49, Şahinbey/Gaziantep; +90 342 231 26 78; approximately $10 for a main dish; www.imamcagdas.com

Onbaşılar, Adana

Onbaşılar has beautiful lake views. Adana kebap is one of the most famous of kebabs -- visitors should try to savor it in its hometown.

Grilled over charcoal, this spicy, minced-lamb kebab is best enjoyed here alongside charred tomatoes, peppers and onions with sumac and lavaş (thin flatbread).

A regional drink called şalgam, made with fermented pickled carrot juice, is good alongside it, while the kadayıf, a pistachio-filled shredded pastry in syrup, is the best choice for dessert.

Recommended: a table with a view of the Seyhan Lake.

Onbaşılar, Karslı Mahallesi, 82046 Sokak Number 3, Çukurova/Adana; +90 322 215 00 00; approximately $8 for a main dish; www.onbasilar.com.tr

Koç Cağ Kebabı in Erzurum

Cağ Kebabı is an Erzurum specialty best enjoyed at Koç Cağ Kebabı.

The eastern city of Erzurum is home to Koç Cağ Kebabı, a modest eatery where the unique cağ kebabı originated.

Cağ kebabı is made of lamb marinated with onions, salt and pepper for 12 hours and then placed on a large, horizontal skewer and cooked over a wood fire.

The traditional way to eat this succulent meat is with your hands or wrapped in lavaş.

Travelers who can’t make it to Erzurum can try Şehzade Cağ Kebabı in Sirkeci.

Koç Cağ Kebabı, Kongre Caddesi, Kongre Binası Karşısı, Merkez/Erzurum; +90 442 213 45 47; approximately $5 for a main dish; www.cagkebap.com

Şehzade Cağ Kebabı, Hocapaşa Sokak No.3/A, Sirkeci, Istanbul; approximately $8 for a main dish; +90 212 520 33 61

More on CNN: Insider Guide: Best of Istanbul

For some travelers, visiting China with children is a non-issue.  

Their kids are curious about the world. Eager to try new things. They don't complain, not even during four-hour guided tours of Beijing's Forbidden City or visits to the Shanghai Museum to gaze at historic Ming vases. 

We're just kidding. Children like that don't exist.  

Here's a list of kid-friendly destinations and activities to try in China that will delight even the hardest to please teenager. 

1. Great Wall joy ride

Walking is overrated.

Standing atop the Great Wall is one of those amazing travel experiences that needs no gimmicks attached. In theory.

But for kids who are especially hard to impress, the Mutianyu section of the Wall has a 723-meter-long ski lift to the top (640 meters above sea level) and a toboggan ride down to the valley via a 1,580-meter track.

Mutianyu is about 75 kilometers northeast of central Beijing.

Great Wall admission: RMB45 ($7.20) for adults, RMB25 for children 12 and under. Round-trip ski lift/toboggan ticket: RMB80; open April-October 7 a.m.-6 p.m.; November-March 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

More on CNN: Beijing's big 4 sites: The ultimate weekend guide

2. Panda cuddle

A hug from China's national icon. The ultimate photo op.

For animal lovers, Chengdu is the place to hit with children.

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding has been raising the country's biggest stars since 1987.

Visitors can see the animals in a park-like setting or pay RMB700 ($113) to be an intern for a day, feeding the pandas and scooping up their poop.

For anyone who has dreamed of hugging a panda, this is the chance. For RMB1,300 ($210), you can don gloves and a gown and briefly hold one in your arms. 

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, 1375 Bei Xiongmao Da Dao, Chengdu, Sichuan; +86 28 8350 7814; open daily 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; admission RMB58 ($9). www.panda.org.cn

More on CNN: 'One panda is worth 10 of our lives'

3. Princess makeover

Everyting matches, right down to the flowers.

At Disney World, parents can spend $189 to have their daughters dress up as princesses, get their makeup done and take part in a photo shoot.

Tourists in Tongli, a canal town outside Suzhou, can pay just RMB10 (about $1.60) for a slightly less VIP experience.

Girls are lent silk embroidered gowns, have flowers pinned in their hair and pose for a photographer in an ancient courtyard. Boys can dress up as mini-emperors.

Similar rent-a-costume stands exist throughout China for children -- and adults -- in popular tourist spots. 

Tongli is about 18 kilometers southeast of Suzhou and 80 kilometers west of Shanghai. Shanghai Tourism Distribution Center (2409 Zhongshan Nan Er Lu) organizes day trips to Tongli for RMB130; +86 21 5351 4830

More on CNN: 6 tips for traveling with kids in China

4. Scorpions on a skewer

The perfect shot for a kid's holiday scrapbook.

If you're in China with children and looking for a quick source of entertainment, new food could be the answer.

In Beijing, you can hit Wangfujing Snack Street and take photos of all the funny food you can't get at home, such as scorpions, centipedes and even weirder fare like sea horses.

Australian Lynette MacDonald, managing editor of Shanghai Family magazine and mother of two boys aged eight and 12, says she remembers taking her kids here and hearing a vendor call out, in English, "Have you ever eaten sheep's penis?"

The market also serves dumplings, steamed buns and fried noodles, which MacDonald says are tasty and prepared fresh in front of diners.

Beijing's Wangfujing Snack Street, Dong'anmen Dajie, at the north end of Wangfujing; open daily 5:30-10:30 p.m.

More on CNN: Bugging out: 5 extreme foods at Beijing's night market

5. Chinese superheroes in action

Somebody has been practicing.

Chinese acrobats are akin to living superheroes -- they usually do their stunts without ropes or nets.

Both Shanghai and Beijing have affordable shows that will amaze even hard-to-impress teens.

Shanghai's main show, "Era, Intersection of Time," has live music, artistry and polish, while its Beijing counterpart has cheesier costumes and crazier stunts.

Both shows run no longer than 90 minutes. Both culminate with motorcyclists zigzagging upside-down and all-around inside an on-stage globe. Even the cheap seats are good.

Era, Intersection of Time, 2266 Gonghe Xin Lu, near Guangzhong Xi Lu, Shanghai; +86 1 6652 5468; daily 7:30 p.m.; tickets from RMB 190-590;www.era-shanghai.com/era/en/

Beijing’s Chaoyang Theater Acrobatics Show, 36 Dongsanhuan Bei Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing; +86 10 6507 2421; shows daily at 5:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.; tickets from RMB 280-880. www.bjcyjc.com

More on CNN: Joyland is China's 'Disneyland' for the digital era

6. Yangshuo float

Yangshuo fishermen use cormorants to catch prey.

Yangshuo County in southeastern China has long inspired artists with its tranquil river scenes and otherworldly rock formations.

If you're in China with children, you can make the excursion more lively by renting water guns and cruising down a bamboo raft on the river, squirting people in other boats.

Yangshuo offers plenty of opportunities to burn off kids' energy. They can bike through rice paddies, explore caves, go rock climbing or take a mud bath.

Most travelers reach Yangshuo from Guilin. Buses bound for Yangshuo leave every 15 minutes from Guilin Bus Station on Zhongshan Lu and Guilin South Railway Station. The journey takes around 90 minutes and the fare is about RMB 15 per person.

Yangshuo County; yangshuotour.com

More on CNN: 40 beautiful places to visit in China

7. Kung fu class

What kid doesn't want to act out their Bruce Lee fantasies? Many China hotels can arrange affordable, kid-friendly private lessons in a wide range of subjects, ranging from Mandarin to kung fu.

Travelers heading to Beijing with kids can check out The Hutong, a cultural exchange center that offers classes and outings geared toward older children and teenagers.

Families can make hand-pulled noodles together, tour a food market or join a theatrical walking tour in which historical characters pop out of the landscape and interact with visitors.

For RMB625 ($100), The Hutong can also set kids up with a private 90-minute lesson with a kung fu master who trained at Shaolin Temple.

The Hutong, 1 Jiu Dao Wan Zhong Xiang Hutong, Beijing; +86 159 0104 6127; www.thehutong.com

More on CNN: Video guide to Beijing's best street foods

8. Kite flying

Families visiting China’s big cities will likely need a break from the noise, concrete and traffic.

Parks are a great place to let children run around without worrying about cars. Small kids will easily make friends, giving parents an opportunity to meet local families.

In Shanghai’s Fuxing Park, families can picnic, fly kites or ride on retro carnival equipment.

Adults won’t be bored either. The people-watching opportunities are endless but our favorites are the retirees, who can be found ballroom dancing or slapping themselves (it’s good for circulation) as they stroll.

Fuxing Park, 516 Fuxing Zhong Lu, near Huaihai Zhong Lu, Shanghai; +86 21 6372 0662; April 1-June 30, 5 a.m.-6 p.m.; July 1-September 30, 5 a.m.-7 p.m.; October 1-March 31, 6 a.m.-6 p.m.; open daily, free admission

Have you visited China with children? Share your travel tips in the comments box below. 

In Istanbul, you're never stuck for something to do, see, eat or drink -- no matter what time of the night or day it is.

But even the most energetic travelers need somewhere to take a breather.

In a city packed with more hotels than you could visit in a lifetime, finding the best isn't easy. But these eight -- ranging from five-star palaces to quirky boutique retreats -- are arguably the best the city has to offer.

Pera Palace Hotel

Luxury spanning three centuries.

If you’re an Agatha Christie fan looking for luxury and 19th-century grandeur, the Pera Palace Hotel is home.

Re-opened three years ago following a €23 million renovation, the hotel was originally opened in 1892 to cater to passengers who arrived in Istanbul on the Orient Express.

With 115 rooms (including 16 suites), a spa, Agatha Restaurant, tea lounge, patisserie and views over the Golden Horn, the hotel is a two-minute walk from the city’s main thoroughfare, Istikal Caddesi.

Pera Palace Hotel, 52 Mesrutiyet Caddesi, Tepebasi, Beyoglu; +90 212 377 4000; from €160 (US$210) per night 

W Istanbul

One couple's overkill is another couple's chic.

In a hipster neighborhood, the W Istanbul occupies one of the attractive Akaretler Row Houses, which were built in a distinctly Western style in the 1870s.

Here you'll find 20- and 30-something hipsters taking advantage of free Wi-Fi in the lobby lounge, Sip, and downing cocktails before dinner at one of the many area restaurants.

A short taxi ride (depending on the unpredictable traffic) from Istanbul’s major sites, the W Istanbul is the focal point of a quiet and very European neighborhood.

W Istanbul, 22 Suleyman Seba Caddesi, Akaretler, Besiktas; +90 212 381 2199; from €180per night (US$235)

More on CNN: World's 15 most expensive hotel suites

Georges Hotel Galata

Neighborhood cool with great Bosphorus views.

Forget shabby chic.

This 20-room boutique property with its high ceilings and exposed brick entry located on a cobbled alleyway is just plain chic.

Several of the rooms have balconies offering Bosphorus views and guests can enjoy in-room yoga sessions and massage.

From the terrace of the hotel's French restaurant, Le Fumoir, you get uninterrupted views of the historical sites of Sultanahmet. The hotel is a short walk from the Galata Tower.

Georges Hotel Galata, 24 Serdar-I Ekrem Sokak, Galata, Beyoglu; +90 212 244 2423; from €135 (US$175) per night

The Istanbul Edition

Istanbul is hectic -- your room shouldn't be.

Trekking the streets of Istanbul can be tough on the feet.

With its color palette of light and dark woods, grays and golds, the Istanbul Edition is designed to help you rest and recover from your exertions.

A 15-story tower in the upscale Levent district, near luxury shopping malls, the property has 78 rooms, including a full floor penthouse suite, three-story ESPA spa, Cipriani restaurant, Gold Bar, nightclub and a screening room.

The Istanbul Edition is ideal for the visitor who has seen the sites and simply wants to enjoy the city’s many pleasures, from eating and drinking to shopping and nightlife.

The Istanbul Edition, 136 Buyukdere Caddesi, Levent; +90 212 317 7710; from €195 (US$255) per night

More on CNN: Meet the boss of the world's most luxurious hotel

Ciragan Palace Hotel

Palatial. Literally.

A former Ottoman palace built by Sultan Abdulaziz, the five-star Ciragan Palace Hotel has lost none of its regal opulence.

The Sultan’s Suite is one of the most expensive in the world. Guests staying in any of the 11 Palace Suites can arrive by private helicopter to be greeted by their own butler.

On the shores of the Bosphorus, located between the quiet neighborhoods of Besiktas and Ortakoy, just a 10-minute taxi from Taksim Square, the property isn't just for the super rich. There are a number of marginally cheaper but only moderately less luxurious rooms, many with views over the Bosphorus.

Ciragan Palace Hotel, 32 Ciragan Caddesi, Besiktas; +90 212 326 4646; from €570 (US$740) per night

Hotel Ibrahim Pasha

Location. Location. Location. And minarets.

The selling point of the Hotel Ibrahim Pasha is its location in Sultanahmet -- the historic area of the city where most of Istanbul’s tourist sites are located.

On a peaceful side street, the boutique property puts you in the heart of the action while providing a cozy escape from the tourist hubbub nearby.

The four-story hotel, a combination of two turn of the century houses, operates a strict no-smoking policy. The guest-only rooftop terrace bar offers fantastic views of the Blue Mosque. In winter, you can warm yourself in front of one of the lobby fireplaces.

Hotel Ibrahim Pasha, 7 Terzihane Sok, Sultanahmet; +90 212 518 0394; from €120 (US$155) per night

More on CNN: Insider Guide: Best of Istanbul

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul

Bosphorus calling.

Four Seasons operates two properties in Istanbul.

The Four Seasons Istanbul at Sultanahmet is ideal if you want to be close to the city’s major tourist sites

In the calm but centrally located neighborhood of Besiktas, however, the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus steals the show.

A converted Ottoman palace just meters from the shore of the Bosphorus, the hotel has everything you'd expect from a luxury property, from a fine dining Mediterranean restaurant to a spa and indoor and outdoor pools. With 24-hour babysitting services, a child-friendly attitude and everything a parent could require from strollers to cribs, it's perfect for a relaxing family holiday.

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus, 28 Ciragan Caddesi, Besiktas; +90 212 381 4000; from €370 (US$480)

The House Hotel Nisantasi

A novel hotel, at least according to Turkish author Orhan Pamuk.

The House Hotel Group is an extension of the popular chain of excellent House Cafes that frequent visitors may have enjoyed across the city. This 44-room boutique property -- one of three House Hotels in Istanbul -- has a faultlessly contemporary design.

The affluent district of Nisantasi is famed as the home of Turkish author Orhan Pamuk, and for providing the setting for many of his best-selling novels.

It's also home to Istanbul’s most expensive shopping street, Abdi Ipekci Caddesi, and most of the city’s designer stores, as well as a vibrant night life.

The House Hotel at Nisantasi, 34 Adbi Ipekci Caddesi, Nisantasi; +90 212 224 5999; from €169 (US$220) per night 

More on CNN: 6 insanely opulent hotels in the Mideast

Paris doesn't conjure images of co-working spaces and iPads as much as rustic sidewalk cafés and tattered newspapers, but the city has eagerly implemented technology in recent years.

There are apps for everything from 19th-century public drinking fountains to finding the closest pastry shop, and with two fully automated driverless metro lines, free public Wi-Fi in most parks and countless inventive public installations around town, the city is becoming a place where tech start-ups and the geeks that love them can thrive.

“Where else can you find a citywide swipe-card bike rental system, as well as a region-wide swipe-card electric car rental system and cellular data access through the subway system?” says Thibaut Thomas, former communications director at the high-tech gallery Gaîté Lyrique.

Here's where to go to get a taste of the digital advancements in the City of Light. 

1. Nintendo 3DS at the Louvre

See Mom? Nintendo can be educational.
The Louvre often feels like a labyrinth and perhaps that’s what prompted this odd-sounding pairing.

Nintendo audio guides, inaugurated last year, help visitors navigate the world’s second largest museum while learning about major pieces and more than 700 other works of art in seven languages.

For just €5 ($6.50), it’s the best way to enjoy the Louvre without a private guide.

Musée du Louvre; +33 1 40 20 50 50; open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays; 9 a.m.-9:45 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays; closed Tuesdays

2. LCD floor at Pavillon de l’Arsenal

Who knew a center for urban planning could be so interesting?
Architecture, technology and history buffs can spend hours retracing the city’s history at this free gallery. The standout is the 37-square-meter mosaic of 48 LCD screens that project the future of the city with stunning Google Earth images.

Visitors can explore the projects by using one of four adjacent touch screen panels.

Pavillon de l’Arsenal, 21 Boulevard Morland; +33 1 42 76 33 97; open 10:30 a.m.–6:30 a.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Sundays

3. Video game workshops at Gaîté Lyrique Gallery

A wide array of film screenings, talks, conceptual art and experimental concerts are available.
Whether it’s music, art or video games, this former 19th-century theater is the premier gallery for cutting edge digital experiences.

Even its roots are techie: it used to be theme park dedicated to Inspector Gadget.

The gallery is also a stop for international DJs and musicians, such as German techno du Booka Shade and English electro musicians Nathan Fake and Wesley Matsell.

The library hosts video game workshops that pair seniors with a youngster who will introduce them to the latest game craze.

Gaîté Lyrique Gallery, 3 bis rue Papin; +33 1 53 01 52 00; open 2-8 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 2-6 p.m. on Sundays

4. Apple stores in cool locations

The Apple Store under the Louvre.
As if it didn’t have enough draws, the Louvre also boasts the city’s first Apple Store located beneath its inverted glass pyramid (a la "The Da Vinci code").

Over by the Opera, the newest Parisian Apple store opened in 2010 in a gorgeous 19th-century building that once housed a bank.

The juxtaposition of the building's high ceilings, glass atrium ceiling and wrought iron balconies and the latest Apple products is an apt representation of modern Paris. 

12 Rue Halévy, open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Wedneday, open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; Carrousel du Louvre, open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily; www.apple.com

More on CNN: Best of Paris shopping: The street market guide

5. Google's History Galleries at Versailles

Google takes on a palace.
Louis XIV’s massive palace was never fully equipped for the eventual 6 million visitors that would pass through its doors each year. 

Most just follow the tourists in front from room to room without really knowing what they are looking at in Louis XIV’s grand estate.

Google’s Culture Institute stepped in and joined forces with Versailles to renovate the former prince’s chambers, creating 11 new rooms dubbed the "History Galleries."

Extensive Google Mapping and modeling along with 3D films present a step-by-step history of the chateau from hunting lodge to present-day glory, helping to put the rest of the visit in context.

Chateau de Versailles; +33 01 30 83 78 00

6. La Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie

The Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie is Europe's largest science museum.
Located across from the old slaughterhouses in the Parc de la Villette, this science museum is the place for large-scale geek exhibits.

Traveling themed exhibits highlighting topics from da Vinci to "Star Wars" join permanent galleries on energy, health, innovation and transportation issues in the world today.

Visitors can also check out the Geode, a plus-sized movie theater showing the latest IMAX and 3D films, the 360-degree planetarium to experience the stars and a 1950s French submarine. 

La Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, 30 Ave. Corentin Cariou; +33 1 40 05 70 00; open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Sundays

7. 'The Last Bar Before the End of the World'

It’s geeky, it’s fun and you won’t have to worry about any snarky waiters.
For coffee or cocktails, geeks and friends head to the Le Dernier Bar Avant la Fin du Monde ("The Last Bar Before the End of the World") for drinks, such as the Death Star or Proton Pack.

Opened in 2012, this bar is, of course, the hangout for lovers of sci-fi, manga and any other category that self-defined geeks can imagine.

Dozens of board games are free to play, while three floors feature futuristic and steampunk-inspired décor and restrooms with flatscreens above urinals for nonstop entertainment.

Tech geeks will also love Touch’in Paris, where patrons can order food and cocktails directly from their tactile tables. Using interactive Resto-Touch technology, modern French dishes and an array of cocktails are just a tap away. 

Le Dernier Bar Avant la Fin du Monde, avenue Victoria; +33 1 53 00 98 9519; open 10 a.m.-1 a.m. daily

Touch‘in Paris, rue Vignon; +33 1 40 06 02 64 20; open 6 p.m.-1 a.m. Monday-Saturday

More on CNN: 10 best French restaurants in Paris

In New Zealand’s capital, wildlife sightings are a part of daily life, thanks to the city's green policies and development of countless parks, nature reserves and walking tracks. 

Here’s a case -- or a few cases -- for why Wellington may be the best city in the world for spotting wildlife. 

Orcas and other dolphins

Another day, another orca in Wellington Harbour.
In February, at Wellington Harbour, 100 dolphins spent a week hanging out with residents before moving back out to sea.

Then in March, several pods of orcas came to visit the harbor as they hunted stingrays, drawing out high profile visitors, like “The Hobbit” director Sir Peter Jackson. 

For rentals and tours, try Fergs Kayaks, 6 Queens Wharf, +64 (0)4 499 8898,www.fergskayaks.co.nz

Fur seals

Fur seals -- recognizable by their external ears and large, rotating flippers -- are endemic to New Zealand and southern Australia.
New Zealand fur seal colonies can be spotted just minutes from downtown at the southern Red Rocks or on a longer day trip to eastern Cape Palliser. 

While local colonies are mostly comprised of large males, the cuter sights of mothers with pups are common from August through October.

Wild horses and goats, a legacy of New Zealand’s earliest settlers, also frequent the Red Rocks. 

Visit the fur seals with Seal Coast Safari, 32A Leftbank, Cuba Mall; +64 (0)4 801 6040; www.sealcoast.co.nz

Little blue penguins

The little blue penguin is the smallest penguin species in the world.
Little blue penguins, the smallest penguin species in the world, can be found nesting all around the coastline of Wellington’s suburbs.

The slate-blue, flightless birds with white bellies weigh a little more than a kilogram.

The best time to see them is at dusk when the parents come home to tend to their chicks and sleep in their burrows.

Not all Wellington residents love them. While the birds may be cute, they do have the annoying habit of crawling underneath homes and making lots of noise during mating.

Visiting drivers should take note of the penguin crossing signs dotted along the coastline -- the birds often waddle across the street to reach their nests.

In an effort to allow penguins to raise their young in relative safety by the sea and eliminate the need for them to keep crossing roads, Places for Penguins, a program by the conservation group Forest and Bird and the Wellington Zoo, has placed more than 200 nesting boxes along the southern coast.

For optimal penguin viewing, walk or drive along the coastline at dusk. Be sure to observe any signage and instructions so as not to disturb nests or protected colonies

Kapiti Island Nature Reserve

Kaka (forest parrots) are plentiful on Kapiti Island.
Five kilometers off the western coast, Kapiti Island is New Zealand’s most important island nature reserve.

Human impact on the island is kept to a minimum to prevent introduction of pests to the closed ecosystem -- just 160 people are allowed in per day.

Visitors can access only two areas of the island and require a permit from the Department of Conservation.

Flightless kiwi, weka and takahē as well as kaka (forest parrots) and the rotund but beautiful kereru (New Zealand pigeon) are among the many bird species plentiful in the area.

Overnight stays are possible at a private lodge on the island.

Boats to the island depart from the Kapiti Boating Club at Paraparaumu Beach, an hour north by car from Wellington.

Zealandia: The Karori Sanctuary

Tuatara, also known as the "living dinosaur," has a third eye under its skin and can be spotted at Zealandia.
Zealandia is a beautiful sanctuary valley located minutes from downtown.

Rare and highly endangered animals such as tuatara (a "living dinosaur" with a third eye under its reptilian skin), flightless takahē and little spotted kiwi live in the 225-hectare park. A secure fence keeps out invasive non-native species like stoats, rabbits and rats.

Birds such as the kaka and morepork (New Zealand’s only surviving native owl) fly in and out of the area freely.

Visitors can encounter friendly wildlife up close via trails open to hikers of all levels and also accessible by wheelchair.

Recommended: guided night tours to see nocturnal species, such as the kiwi.

Zealandia, End of Waiapu Road, Karori; +64 (0)4 920 9200; www.visitzealandia.com

Te Papa’s colossal squid

Te Papa's colossal squid display will do wonders for your diet. While dead specimens on display behind glass wouldn’t normally rate in the wildlife category, Te Papa, New Zealand’s national museum, possesses an exception.

The museum’s 495-kilogram colossal squid is the only intact specimen in the world, which are shorter but much bulkier and heavier than giant squid.

Originally caught off Antarctica in 2007, the specimen is 4.2 meters long, but is believed to have been a bit larger before it was frozen during the preservation process.

Also at the museum are exhibits of moa, a group of flightless birds that grew up to 3.7 meters tall and weighed more than 227 kilograms. 

Moa were then the largest flightless birds in the world before they were hunted to extinction about 600 years ago.

Te Papa, like all of New Zealand’s public museums, offers free admission.

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, 55 Cable St., Wellington, New Zealand;  +64 4 381 7000; 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. daily (until 9 p.m. on Thursdays)

Coming up: Ocean Exploration Centre

Wellington recently announced plans for a new NZ$36 million ($30.2 million) New Zealand Ocean Exploration Centre to be built at Lyall Bay. 

The aquarium will feature the largest undersea viewing window in the southern hemisphere, and lead visitors through reefs, a sunken ship, a whale skeleton and a jellyfish tunnel before bringing them back to the surface.

More on CNN: World's 20 cutest wild animals -- and where to find them

Frankfurt not only has the most skyscrapers of any European city, they're also packed together like architectural sardines. And every year the city’s Skyscraper Festival opens up these boisterous buildings to visitors.

From May 25-26, at least 18 buildings open to the general public free of charge, allowing them to explore the architecture and enjoy views across Frankfurt.

Only 80,000 tickets are allocated for high-rise access, but there will be a number of fringe programs too.

Visitors can see base-jumpers parachuting from rooftops and demonstrations by Frankfurt Police Department's SWAT team, the state’s Airborne Police Squadron and the fire department’s high-level rescue team.

There will also be a world record attempt -- Reinhard Kleindl, a pro athlete from Switzerland, will attempt the highest urban highline walk at Tower 185.

Tickets are now available from www.ffh.de. More information and a program is available on www.wolkenkratzer-festival.de.

The unfinished Ryugyong Hotel has dominated Pyongyang's skyline for more than two decades. This was going to be the year.

The year that the infamous North Korean "hotel of doom" would finally open, allowing the world's more adventurous tourists to gawk at whatever ridiculous or bewildering or extravagant interior North Korea dreamed up for the colossal glass-plated money drain that has stood empty on the Pyongyang skyline for nearly three decades.

The year that the hotel would start becoming a "money-printing machine," as Kempinski Hotels group CEO Reto Wittwer predicted at a Seoul business forum in 2012, when it was announced the company would be managing the 105-story property.

But despite speculation that swept through the travel world about an official opening as early as this summer, it looks like Pyongyang's 330-meter Ryugyong Hotel will keep its Guinness World Record as the tallest unoccupied building. At least for a while.

Kempinksi's entry 'not currently possible'

Following recent tensions with North Korea, the Geneva-based Kempinski Hotels chain issued a statement earlier this month distancing itself from the project.

"Kempinski confirms that KEY International, its joint venture partner in China with Beijing Tourism Group (BTG), had initial discussions to operate a hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea, however no agreement has been signed since market entry is not currently possible," reads a statement Kempinski provided to CNN via email.

When asked about possible future entry, a Kempinski representative said, "you just never know what might happen in the future."

Also on CNN: Gallery - The unseen face of Pyongyang

Reporting from the inside

The projected 2013 launch seems to have been optimistic in the first place.

Despite its flashy exterior, the hotel's interior showed no sign of being close to completion in December, according to Simon Parry, a Hong Kong-based freelance journalist who took an unauthorized look inside the hotel last year.

After entering North Korea as a tourist on a four-day trip from China, Parry lied to his North Korean minder that he was going for an early morning jog, ran straight to the Ryugyong Hotel and made it into the lobby.

He looked around and took pictures before being spotted by a North Korean soldier.

"When I stepped through scaffolding into the lobby and looked inside, there were no completed surfaces, just bare concrete and one electric light hanging down," Parry told CNN.

A few days prior to his secret visit, Parry's tour group had seen lines of soldiers with shovels marching in and out of the hotel complex.

"From what I saw of the inside, it's a concrete shell," said the journalist, who added that his hotel foray was a "foolish thing to do."

"Hotel of doom" awaits its launch. Fortunately, no one pursued Parry as he made his way back to his hotel. When he returned to his tour group, he was reported to the tour guide who demanded to see his camera but didn't follow through with any punishment.

Despite the unfinished interior, Parry describes the hotel as “fantastic from the outside -- it's dazzling, coated in expensive glass tiles.”

The juxtaposition of the spaceship-like building with its humble surroundings is dramatic, he adds.

"In the morning and evening the effect of the sun's reflection blazing down over the rest of the city is extraordinary," said Parry.

Delayed for decades

The North Koreans started erecting the 330-meter Ryugyong Hotel, the tallest hotel at the time, in 1987, with the opening scheduled for 1989. It's estimated to have so far cost $750 million, or 2% of the nation’s GDP.

But the 1989 completion was delayed, reportedly due to construction method and material problems, and then delayed again in 1992 because of funding issues.

The project ground to a halt completely in 1993.

Construction re-commenced in 2008 when Egyptian telecommunications company Orascom shelled out $180 million to complete the building’s glass façade.

The investment was reported to be part of a $400 million mobile phone license that the company won from the North Korean government in 2008.

Also on CNN: The happiest place in North Korea

Did you grow up singing “Waterloo”? Saw “Mamma Mia!” and fell in love? Or just always wondered why everyone makes such a big deal about the Eurovision Song Contest?

Then congratulations -- you’ve been alive for at least 30 years.

Now there’s an ABBA museum that chronicles the most important band of your lifetime -- or at least the 1970s. (Sorry, but someone had to break the bad news to all those Zeppelin, Clash and Foghat fans.)

ABBA has become a little like Woodstock -- millions of people who never made out inside a roller rink now claim a special connection to the era of “Dancing Queen,” lutfisk bell bottoms and quadraphonic Swedish couples dysfunction played out in sunshiney, four-four grooves.

Or something.

Anyway, back to that song contest that most of the world still doesn’t care about but that hard-core ABBA fans never fail to reference.

“Next year marks the 40th anniversary of ABBA’s break as winners in the Eurovision Song Contest of 1974 with the song ‘Waterloo,’” says Mattias Hansson, CEO of ABBA The Museum. “And time has shown that ABBA songs probably will live on forever.”

Laying their love on you

Opening May 7, Stockholm’s new ABBA museum allows fans to take an interactive journey through the musical career of Sweden’s most famous export (keep dreaming, IKEA).

Exhibits explore the complicated dynamic of the four already successful artists as they journey from breakthrough sensation to major world artists to their turbulent demise in 1983 and evolution into international heroes who laid the groundwork for Ace of Base.

Curated by the band’s former stylist, Ingmarie Halling, the exhibition has taken two years to put together. Input and help has come from band members themselves.

The ABBA museum will include numerous ABBA stage costumes, a 180-degree cinema and a studio where visitors can try their hand at mixing music.

An audio guide features each member of ABBA telling their own stories about their career.

“We are working with settings from the life of ABBA so (almost) everything has a place,” says Halling. “Obviously, I have a lot of items that won’t go in now, but I might use them for other small exhibits, like one about scriptwriting, where I can use all of Björn's old scripts and notes.”

Halling has curated ABBA exhibitions in the past, including ABBA World at Earl’s Court in London in 2010.

She says ABBA exhibits are popular with all ages, but especially those from the UK and Australia, as well as with families.

“They come as families because mum and dad were old ABBA fans from younger days, granny was a grownup at the time and loved the music and the children love “Mamma Mia!” the musical and the film,” says Halling.

The ABBA museum forms part of the new Swedish Music Hall of Fame, a 2,000-square-meter exhibition space that features a mix of permanent and temporary exhibitions from 1920 to the present. Two other permanent collections, “The Story of Swedish Popular Music” and the Hall of Fame itself will open at the same time.

In addition to the exhibitions, the building will house Melody, a 50-room boutique hotel, and an American steakhouse-inspired restaurant.

ABBA The Museum and the Swedish Music Hall of Fame open May 7.

ABBA The Museum, Djurgårdsvägen 68, Stockholm; www.abbathemuseum.com

They're the darlings of architecture and design publications, to say nothing of fashion magazines and Tripadvisor reviews.

Although they remain relatively under the radar for luxury travelers (this may have to do with the fact that most aren't associated with loyalty programs even though they're run by the big hotel groups), fashion-branded hotels and suites are big business around the world.

Australia's Palazzo Versace Queensland was the world's first fashion-branded hotel. It opened in 2000.

Since then, other designers and fashion brands have followed suit on a smaller scale, with Karl Lagerfeld, Christian Dior and Diane von Furstenberg creating designer suites for large hotels.

This designer hotel trend appears to be no fad.

Now in its eighth year of construction, Palazzo Versace Dubai is one of the most anticipated hotel openings of 2014.

Here are some of the hautest of haute hotel designs you can check out and check into.

Armani Hotel Dubai

Armani hotel in the world's tallest building.

The Armani Hotel Dubai takes up 11 floors in the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest manmade structure. It has seven restaurants and a spa and eight different types of rooms and suites.

The hotel upholds Armani's reputation for commitment to detail. Touches include everything from signature-scented bathrooms to an en suite gym for Armani Dubai Suite guests.

A peek at Armani architecture plans reveals a perfect use of space -- both Armani hotels are housed in buildings shaped in an "A."

Armani Hotel Dubai, Burj Khalifa, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai; +971 4888 3888; from 2,000 dirhams ($550) per night

Armani Hotel Milano

When will they start producing Armani wines?

Armani’s Milan hotel is designed along the same clean, minimalist lines as its Dubai sister property.

Along with a stylish lounge, guests in the Presidential Suite have their own fully serviced cocktail bar. For those without personal bars, Armani/Bamboo Bar shows off double-volumed ceilings, louvered window walls and backlit onyx features.

The hotel extends its superior service outside the hotel. The Culture Journey "lifestyle team" can round up tickets for museums, city tours and exhibition.

At your request, they can also hunt down the best seats for the theater and opera, as well as prime tables at the hottest restaurants.

Journey prices start from €1,410 ($1,830).

Armani Hotel Milano, Via Manzoni 31, Milan, Italy; +39 02 8883 8888; from €495 ($640) per night

Bulgari Resort Bali

Cliff-top dining with a Balinese sunset? Sign us up.

Bulgari Resort Bali is a hedonist heaven. If you're not content with a private plunge pool (each villa has one), your personal butler can drive you to the infinity pool to mingle.

Art buffs won't have to go far for a sense of Balinese culture. The resort displays a collection of Balinese antiques and art pieces.

Furniture, decorative tableware and fabrics were designed and produced by local artists in collaboration with Bulgari architects.

Bulgari Resort Bali, Jalan Goa Lempeh, Banjar Dinas Kangin, Uluwatu, Indonesia; +62 361 847 1000; rooms from $1,000

Bulgari Hotel London

Having a bartender in the middle of the room makes for easy access to drinks.

Bulgari Hotel London pays tribute to the brand's silversmith origins. The hotel balances sleek silver architecture with chiseled marble. Silver-patterned silk curtains take inspiration from an 1800s silver brooch by Sotirio Bulgari.

The rooms are no less stylish. Italian silks feature elaborate designs inspired by the Bulgari Chatelaine. The mini-bar is made to resemble a classic travel trunk.

The hotel claims that its rooms and suites are the most spacious in town. One thing that isn't in dispute: it certainly has a fashionable address, surrounded by Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

Bulgari Hotel London, 171 Knightsbridge, London SW7 1DW; +44 0207 151 1010; from £510 ($780) per night

Bulgari Hotel Milan

Teak and oak warms up an already irresistible room.

To sculpt the best designs, Bulgari Milan imports stone from Vicenza and Afyon, which is complemented by black marble from Zimbabwe. The result is a juxtiposition of textures throughout the hotel.

A highlight of this urban hotel is the 4,000-square-meter private garden, an extension of the nearby Botanical Gardens.

Available for patio dining and drinks, the lounge is a perfect place to watch Milan's most fashionable crowd.

Bulgari Hotel Milan, via Privata Fratelli Gabba 7/b, Milano 20131, Italy; +39 02 805 8051; from €610 ($790) per night

Dior Suite at St. Regis New York

Louis XVI-style living room with white carved wood and gold leaf accents.

The Dior Suite reflects Dior's avenue Montagne headquarters in Paris, with high ceilings, deeply carved crown moldings, wainscoting and ornate crystal chandelier.

Living room furniture with white carved-wood framing and gold leaf accents is inspired by Louis XVI style. A dramatic chainmail chandelier and expansive map of Paris adorn the dining room.

This is more than a just a pretty room. At guests' disposal: a personal butler and the St. Regis custom-designed Bentley. The city’s best shops and attractions are a short ride away.

St. Regis New York, 12/F, 2 E. 55th Ave., at Fifth Avenue, New York; +1 212 753 4500; suite from $9,500

Grand Piano Suite by DVF at Claridge’s Mayfair, London

No shock of colors in the bedroom.

Iconic hotel meets iconic designer in London's fashion neighborhood.

“Claridge’s is the most glamorous hotel in the world,” said Diane von Furstenberg when she was called to design the suite.

The room displays photos taken by Diane von Furstenberg during her travels through Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

All glasswork is from Murano and boxes and trays are handcrafted from Bali.

Claridge’s Mayfair, 3/F, Brook Street, Mayfair, London; +44 (0)20 7629 8860; suite from £6,500 ($9,960)

Grunewald by Karl Lagerfeld at Schlosshotel

Karl Lagerfeld's personal furnishings in the Grunewald suite.

Karl Lagerfeld originally designed Schlosshotel Im Grunewald’s interior in the 1990s. The hotel kept original pieces from his designs through renovations in 2006, but the hotel's Grunewald Suite is the only suite fully furnished by Lagerfeld.

“I love the idea of having a suite in Berlin that is totally furnished to my own personal taste,” said Lagerfeld when he was first commissioned.

The bathroom is the pièce de résistance. The romantic French-style bathroom is an artwork of handmade tiles and white marble floor.

Schlosshotel, Brahmstrasse 10, Berlin 14193, Germany; +49 30 895840; suite from €2,000 ($2,600)

Maison Moschino Milan

Maison Moschino -- inspired by fairy tales. And roses.

Moschino reinterpretes the neoclassical railway station by keeping the classic facade while giving interiors an imaginative twist.

The 65-room boutique hotel takes inspiration from fairy tales, such as "Alice in Wonderland" and "Little Red Riding Hood."

Alice's room is characterized by an oversized teacup table, while Little Red Riding Hood has a Big Bad Wolf print sitting on the bed.

Maison Moschino Milan, Viale Monte Grappa 12, Milan, Italy; +39 02 2900 9858; from €159 ($205) per night

Missoni Edinburgh

Missoni touches brighten up the bar.

In an often-gloomy city, Missoni’s bright colors can be a cheerful change.

“We wanted the Edinburgh hotel to be unmistakably Missoni in its mixing of color, pattern and furniture,” said the brand's co-founder Rosita Missoni when the hotel opened.

Circular couches and deep soaking tubs mark Missoni's stylish-meets-ergonomic design.

Guest favorites include Missoni brand bathrobes and towels, as well as slippers and toiletries.

Missoni Edinburgh, 1 George IV Dridge, Edinburgh, Scotland; +44 0131 220 6666; from £90 ($140) per night

Missoni Kuwait

Is that Missoni towel for sale, please?

This is one of the few fashion-branded hotels that fits a lower budget.

The cheaper price tag doesn’t mean compromising quality though.

Recent guests have raved to us about how staff members remember names, where guests prefer to sit and their tea/coffee orders. Top-notch service also includes complimentary valet and airport pick-up.

Missoni brand indulgences -- bathrobes, towels, toiletries, slippers-- are at the ready near the Missoni striped swimming pool.

The hotel's gold, turquoise and mosaic stylings reflect Kuwait's desert and sea.

Missoni Kuwait, Symphony Complex, Gulf Road, Salmiya, Kuwait; +965 2577 0000; from KWD 63 ($220) per night

Palazzo Versace Dubai

Can't wait to lounge in here.

Palazzo Versace Dubai's 2014 opening will bring an oasis of old world tradition to the new world-class city.

Gold details will be featured through hotel ceilings, with an oversized chandelier lighting up the foyer. The designs merge classic European palace style with Arabic elements.

Motifs such as the Greek key and Medusa head are used throughout the furniture, flooring and fabrics.

A preview of Palazzo Dubai's showroom reveals a lighter color palette than is employed at its Versace Queensland counterpart. The 214 rooms will be styled with Donnatella Versace-designed furniture.

Guests can enjoy Rosenthal Versace tableware inside the suites with their room service.

Palazzo Versace Dubai, Dubai Creek, Culture Village, Dubai; +971 4 409 2900

Palazzo Versace Queensland

Where's the palm waving and grape feeding?

Palazzo Versace reflects the environment that inspired Gianni Versace when he founded the fashion house in 1978.

Hand-crafted mosaics feature iconic meander, Medusas, cornucopias and Greco-Roman decorative borders. An antique chandelier that once shone in the grand State Library of Milan winks at the gold hand details on vaulted ceilings.

To please fashionable guests, the world's first fashion-branded hotel recently launched Fashionista High Tea in the lobby bar. The set incorporates the trends, colors and designs inspired by Versace's latest collection.

The Couture Champagne upgrade features a glass of Dom Perignon with brightly glazed eclairs, macarons, white chocolate mouse clouds and Bakewell tarts (AU$110 ($124)).

Palazzo Versace Queensland, Sea World Drive, Main Beach, Australia; +61 7 5509 8000; from AU$332 ($350) per night

Portrait Suites Rome

Shoe heaven, complete with shoe receipts, retail and artwork.

You want a Ferrari to cruise in, but don't know where to find one? The Portrait Suite's lifestyle team can plan a vacation as extravagant as your wallet will stretch.

The tribute hotel to Ferragamo adds wonderful touches of nostalgia. Receipts from Marilyn Monroe and golden-era celebs are displayed showing what they paid for their Ferragamo shoes.

Guests love the Honor Bar. No chance of losing your wallet after a few drinks here. Wine, spirits, liquor and straight-up booze are available for you to fix yourself a drink. The bills are added to room tabs after patrons honorably report what they've had to drink.

Portrait Suites Rome, Via Rocca di Leone, 23, Rome; +39 06 6938 0742; from €620 ($800) per night

More on CNN: World's 15 most expensive hotel suites

Tortuga Bay at Punta Cana Resort and Club by Oscar de la Renta

Because it's just a little too far to the ocean.

Tortuga Bay stands out amid Punta Cana's resorts and hotels for its high design.

Oscar de la Renta uses a palette of natural island colors with authentic combinations of wicker and wood furnishings and luxurious Frette linens.

It's far from stuck-up though.

The friendly staff are always happy to help, especially in finding ways to skip airport lines. Your villa manager is only a phone call away, the complimentary cell phone available should you need anything from transportation to nanny services.

Punta Cana Resort and Club, Higüey, Dominican Republic; +809 959 2262; from $820 per night