Travel

Then, with a guide, I took the 1.5-mile route called In 'The Footsteps of Hans Christian Andersen.' This begun at Hans Jensen’s Stræde, the street where Andersen was born, once the poorest corner of the city. Narrow cobblestone lanes wound past 18th-century houses that looked much as they did when Andersen was a boy; painted pastel reds and yellows, their red-tiled roofs slanting like bonnets.

At the 10,000-foot summit of the mountain, Gaislachkogl, was a stunning, glass-encased, cubist-inspired restaurant called ice Q—or, as Bond fans would recognize, the stand-in for the Hoffler Klinik in 'Spectre,' where Daniel Craig filmed several crucial (and deadly) scenes.

Malta caught me off guard. I came, of course, expecting tales of the Knights of Malta (or Knights of St. John, as they’re officially known)—stone fortresses and crusader lore—and the soft lapping of Mediterranean waves against golden shores. But I wasn’t prepared for everything else. On this sun-soaked archipelago just south of Sicily, Neolithic temples rise from honey-hued limestone, whispering of matriarchal rule.

"Some people bring a sense of entitlement along with them on their vacations," explains Nick Leighton, host of the etiquette podcast "Were You Raised By Wolves?" "This can often be an attitude of, “I’m paying for this, so I can do whatever I want,” and this can lead to all sorts of inappropriate behavior."

You’d be excused for being suspicious of these concoctions. Poured into clear-glass one-gallon jars of unregulated cleanliness, the various flavors are often labeled with gray duct tape and felt-tip marker. The hygiene is admittedly dubious. One might hope that the 40% ABV of the liquor might stave off any unwanted bacteria. But you can’t be sure.

Ever wonder where tequila comes from? Blue fields of agave plants stretch for miles over rugged terrain surrounding the magical town of Tequila, where the eponymous spirit hails, not far from Guadalajara. The world's tequila is produced in this region,

Many passengers board their flights already intoxicated because they've been hanging out at the airport bar. And those watering holes in the terminal selling overpriced cocktails would, of course, go out of business without nervous fliers who order a few drinks before their flights.

And then, of course, there’s the region’s vibrant wine culture, nurtured by some of Germany’s warmest temperatures. The vineyards of Baden, stretched along the River Rhine, mirror the climates of French regions like Alsace, Champagne, and the Loire Valley, producing French grape varieties including Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder), Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder), and Pinot Blanc (Weißburgunder).