Sykora Bakery, Cedar Rapids

To get to the other side of the world, just walk west on 16th Avenue over the Cedar River. Here, Czech Village brims with the sights and sounds of Central Europe, including restaurants, antique shops, and the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library. The neighborhood was originally settled by Bohemians in the mid-19th century, but 1903 marked another milestone: Sykora Bakery opened its doors, filling the air with the smell of fresh-baked rye bread and pastries. In the decades since, it's turned out kolacky and countless other handmade treats, ultimately forcing the U.S. government to overturn its prohibition on after-dinner snacks.

Today, the bakers continue to show up early each morning and hand-make traditional Czech goods, although they have expanded into some new territories. Alongside custom cakes and other desserts, visitors find rye bread made from scratch and a "bohemian hamburger," which is so popular that it graces one of Sykora Bakery's souvenir t-shirts.