Photo by @francescolastrucci | Italy’s Dolomites have been at the top of my list of favorite mountains to hike and climb since I was a teenager, but I had always missed one iconic spot: Lake Braies, a jewel of the Italian Alps, nestled around 4,900 feet (1,500 meters) above sea level by the imposing 9,200-foot (2,810 meters) Seekofel. The turquoise-emerald lake attracts people both in winter, when you can walk on the thick ice, and in summer, when you can row a boat or dare to swim in the ice-cold waters. Beyond the popular ring path around the lake, several more challenging hiking routes, including the legendary Dolomites High Route N. 1, head up the mountains, starting from the lake. Follow me @francescolastrucci for more places, daily life, and stories around the world.

Photo by Acacia Johnson @acacia.johnson | Presumpscot Falls flows toward the sea in Maine’s Presumpscot River Preserve, home to woodlands and ravines minutes from downtown Portland. This roaring waterfall is only a short walk from a residential neighborhood. In Maine, the easy access to nature always makes an impression on me. Here in this forest, with the rush of the river and the cries of birds filling the air, the falls seemed a world away from the city. | From quaint, coastal cities with vibrant art scenes to camping under the stars, Maine offers an abundance of charm, history, and adventure for all types of travelers looking for the perfect escape. #MaineThing @visitmaine

Photo by @paoloverzone | The meteorite room (Hall 5) of the Natural History Museum Vienna offers an exciting exhibition. The world's most extensive meteorite collection features about 1,100 specimens. Among them are 650 distinct meteorites, comprising 300 falls and 350 finds, many of which have significant historical value. The museum is dedicated to preserving, expanding, researching, and presenting its extensive collections covering biology, earth sciences, anthropology, and archaeology. Housed in a meticulously designed building in Vienna that embodies a holistic artistic vision, the museum showcases the remarkable diversity of nature, the evolution of our planet, and the development of life and culture throughout human history. Read the full story about how early cultures used meteorites at the link in bio. Follow @paoloverzone for more images and stories.

Photo by Acacia Johnson @acacia.johnson | Evening falls over the waterfront in Kennebunkport, Maine. First settled in the 1600s, this picturesque seaside town was once a fishing village and an important shipbuilding hub—a history that lives on in its buildings, boats, and food traditions. When traveling through Maine’s coastal towns, places like Kennebunkport are a striking reminder of just how closely people have lived with the sea. | From quaint, coastal cities with vibrant art scenes to camping under the stars, Maine offers an abundance of charm, history, and adventure for all types of travelers looking for the perfect escape. #MaineThing @visitmaine

Photo by @justin.jin | Performers entertain a rural crowd at a traditional storytelling festival in Majie, Henan Province, China. For centuries, farmers in Henan have gathered in wheat fields during the Chinese New Year to listen to bards singing and recounting old tales.

Words by @acacia.johnson | One of the most revitalizing aspects of travel, for me, is sensory immersion in a new landscape—and the diversity of sensory experiences in Maine has always made an impression on me. In a single day you can go from inhaling the sweet smell of a pine forest warmed by the sun to hearing the crash of waves against the rocky Atlantic coast to seeing the silvery sheen of a mountain lake at dusk. Paying attention to the natural world—and all of its contrasting forms of vitality—is what helps me unplug and truly be present where I am. | From quaint, coastal cities with vibrant art scenes to camping under the stars, Maine offers an abundance of charm, history, and adventure for all types of travelers looking for the perfect escape. #MaineThing @visitmaine

Photo @stephen_matera | Waves crash along the Big Sur coastline in spring. Big Sur is a rugged section of the Central Coast of California, between Carmel in the north and San Simeon in the south. Highway 1, also called the Cabrillo Highway, works its way along the entire 90-mile (145-kilometer) route but is often closed because of landslides. Follow me @stephen_matera for more images like this from California and around the world.

Video by @daisygilardini | My job brings me to the most remote areas of our planet. I am blessed to be fully immersed in and surrounded by the raw beauty of Mother Nature. Sometimes, though, I can’t believe my eyes and ears! During a Zodiac cruise in Svalbard this past spring, we came across this “singing” iceberg. At first we thought a beluga whale might have been trapped somewhere. We followed the noise and, to our great surprise, discovered that the source was this very old iceberg that was grounded at the bottom of the fjord. The friction and pressure caused by the wind and stiff currents made the iceberg “sing.” We circled it many times, recording the beautiful melody, taking pictures, and creating videos of this amazing piece of natural art.

Photo by @MartinEdstrom | Camping on one of the Röder islands in Stockholm’s archipelago. Visitors to Stockholm shouldn't miss out on the vast band of islands outside the capital, as the archipelago offers a beautiful experience that feels unique to Sweden and the Baltic Sea. If you're visiting, be sure to at least schedule a boat ride to the archipelago—or better yet, rent a kayak for the day. Follow @MartinEdstrom for more travel stories from Sweden and the Nordics.

Words and photos by Kiliii Yuyan @kiliiiyuyan | There’s something about traveling to a new place and figuring out what photographs I can make there that excites the creative in me. I traveled to Austin, Texas earlier this year, and one of my first stops was the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum. It was filled with human-scale sculptures, and there was greenery all around. I visited in the afternoon, and finding ways to frame images in the midday light was a fun challenge. Next, I wandered around the shops on South Congress Avenue and did some street photography. With all the vibrant activity there, from musical performances to magic tricks, it was hard to know where to point the camera. In the end, as always, when I slowed down and spent some time absorbing my surroundings, I started to capture the buzzing energy of the neighborhood. Revival Cycles, a custom motorcycle shop, was an absolute feast for my lens. Everywhere I turned, there were vintage bikes and posters, and the doorways made frames for arresting photographs. You never know what you’re going to encounter when you visit a new place, but it’s always worth it to let your camera guide you. | From outdoor adventures to big-city skylines, there are a million different trips to @traveltex, but the only one that matters is yours. Get your own trip to Texas.

Photo by Muhammed Muheisen @mmuheisen | Meteora, a UNESCO World Heritage site in central Greece, is best known for its clifftop monasteries. For more photos and videos from different parts of the world, follow me @mmuheisen.

Photo by @juancristobalcobo | A street vendor offers a variety of goods in the city of Ciénaga in the department of Magdalena, Colombia. For more photos and stories from Colombia and elsewhere, follow me @juancristobalcobo.