Barcelona is a no-brainer when
it comes to architectural inspiration with Park Guëll and other
Gaudí masterpieces such as La Sagrada Familia and La Pedrera
looming at almost every turn. What can’t be dismissed, however, is
what’s going on behind the city’s ornate facades. Ranging from
Barcelona’s ultra-modern restaurants, such as Disfrutar and Alkimia, to low-key spaces with classic Spanish
facets, scour the place for inspiration and return to your
apartment with a distinctly Catalan aesthetic in mind.

One of the coolest cities on the travel circuit at the moment,
Tel Aviv has it all:
impossible-to-get dinner bookings, world-class nightclubs and
Instagram-friendly cafés, hotel lobbies and bars. The city’s
creative scene has a lot to do with it, with countless local
designers coming out of the woodwork and putting a new twist on Tel
Aviv’s trademark style – think bright colour-block interiors to
contrast the city’s stark white bauhaus buildings. We’re also very
invested in local designers and brands repurposing city spaces –
such as former maternity wards, convents and auto-repair shops –
and turning them into earthy boutique hotels and restaurants.

Copenhagen can do no wrong when it
comes to fashion, and it’s not too far off on the interior design
front either. While
Stockholm has long held the IKEA-branded torch in the furniture
production stakes its Danish cousin is now a main player on the
scene. One of the best parts about visiting this city for design
geeks? A slew of dreamy design boutiques such as HAY and
Normann make it dangerously easy to take home a
part of the city – from an understated print to a knitted throw you
simply can’t part ways with. You’ll need to get extra luggage for
that multicoloured glassware set too.

A city as over the top as Tokyo is bound to have
mind-blowing design standards, so if you’re looking to be awed,
look no further. Whether you’re seeking extreme kawaii inspo or
want to give your eyes a break from the neon lights in a Zen oasis,
you can find an environment tailored to any mood in this
megalopolis. For takeaway goodies (or pieces you might have to ship
overseas) check out Somewhere Tokyo. When it comes to
hotels, the more far-out the better. We suggest looking into
BnA Hotel, where each room is an actual art piece
conceived by a local creative.

Known for its vibrant colours, medley of architecture and
sprawling proportions, Mexico
City is undeniably an aesthetically charged city. Ahead of the
curve in terms of environmental footprint and clued up in the way
in which design can affect people, the city’s numerous young
designers and architects are busy creating sustainable kitchenware,
crafting furniture that harnesses Mexican heritage and, like young
designer Olga Hanono, dreaming up unparalleled spaces to call
“home”. Showcasing the city’s ultra-cool vibes, nomadic design
gallery Masa’s inaugural show was held in a sexy 1970s mansion
decked out with hot-pink walls and carpets.