There are plenty of cities and towns in the state named after foreign locales, and several have attractions harkening back to those far-flung inspirations. Right here in Albany County, you can channel the Holy Land in Bethlehem by visiting a mosque, synagogue or Christian church.

Other local places call to mind great cities of Europe, even if we say them “wrong”: Berlin in Rensselaer County (pronounced BERlin, instead of the German capital’s BerLIN); Galway in Saratoga County (GALway instead of the Irish GAWLway); and Washington County’s Greenwich (GREENwich instead of the Greater London pronunciation of GRENitch).

And there are so many more like that across New York’s 62 counties. Journey with us, won’t you, as we take you Around the World in One State, highlighting places that share names with global destinations, and the their attractions that might trick you into believing you flew thousands of miles away — without the jet lag.

ALLEGANY COUNTY: Cuba (town and village) — Known as “Cheese Center of the World” in the early 20th century, it’s still a big business in Cuba, N.Y. It’s even home to the Cuba Cheese Museum. Go there and see if you can find any Nabacoa cheese, a specialty originated in Havana.

Belfast (town) — Bare-knuckle boxing originated in England, but not surprisingly, Irish fighters and then Irish-Americans came to dominate the sport. Fitting, then, to have the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame located in Belfast, N.Y., where you can learn all about legends like John L. Sullivan, William Muldoon, Paddy Ryan and Jake Kilrain.

CATTAGAURUS COUNTY: Versailles (hamlet, pronounced VerSALES, mon dieu!)  — It might not be the legendary gardens at King Louis XIV’s royal residence, but the Palm Gardens Motel does advertise itself as less than two miles to two correctional facilities, so… pretend it’s the Bastille?

CAYUGA COUNTY: Genoa (town) and Venice (town) — It’s an Italian two-fer in Cayuga. Stop in either town for an Italian meal or glass of wine.

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY: Dunkirk (city) — In 1946, Dunkirk put itself on the international map by providing aid and assistance to its World War II-ravaged namesake and sister city in France. Its efforts inspired many other similar U.S. campaigns. Search out some historical markers and signs of this relief milestone.

Poland (town) — The connotations are strange on this one, but Poland, N.Y., does have a park that refers to its same-named European country’s foreign occupier — Russia Town of Recreation Park.

CLINTON COUNTY: Peru (town) — Babbie Rural & Farm Learning Museum teaches you all about agriculture and farm life in northern New York. But while you’re there, look for examples of quinoa, blueberries, artichokes or asparagus. The South American country is the world’s largest producer of the first and in the top five for the others. 

DUTCHESS COUNTY: Dover (town) — If you want to feel closer to the British royalty, you could always make a trek to the Crown Maple Estate at Madava Farms. It’s all about maple syrup, which is quintessentially an American thing, but hey, we were once ruled by England.

ERIE COUNTY: Holland (town) — If you find yourself away from Albany during the second weekend of each May, here’s hoping you’re in Holland, N.Y., to attend its Tulip Festival.

ESSEX COUNTY: North Pole (hamlet) — This one’s kind of obvious and intentional. After all, its main attraction is an amusement park called Santa’s Workshop. But this North Pole is one of the best places in the entire Northeast for snow, with a 98 percent chance of having a white Christmas. 

FRANKLIN COUNTY: Bombay (town) — India’s capital is now called Mumbai, but this Franklin County town was named after it when it still called itself Bombay. Don’t let the awkward proximity to the Indigenous-owned Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort keep you from playing some games of chance. 

JEFFERSON COUNTY: Antwerp (town) — Named after the Belgian city, its best-known native might be artist Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, painter of the iconic “Dogs Playing Poker.” But back to Belgium. If you stop into the Zider Zee Restaurant for breakfast, lunch or dinner you’ll be honoring the Zuiderzee, which is in the Netherlands, but you might be able to get some Belgian waffles.

LEWIS COUNTY: Copenhagen (village) which is in the city of Denmark — The Danish capital is known as “the City of Spires.” You’d be hard pressed to find any spires as towering and majestic as those across the Atlantic, but St. Mary’s Catholic Church from 1902 has a nice solid, traditional wooden one. 

MONROE COUNTY: Greece (town, suburb of Rochester) — Sinbad’s Mediterranean Cuisine. ‘Nuff said. 

ONEIDA COUNTY: Verona (town) — If you’re staying at Turning Stone Casino Resort anyway, you might as well visit Opal’s Confectionery located within for some Italian desserts like cannolis.

ONTARIO COUNTY: Naples (town) — Make plans now to attend the annual Naples Grape Festival in September. Not only can you sample some vino but you just might be able to convince someone to let you re-enact the classic “I Love Lucy” scene where Lucy stomps grapes in a vat, and while in Italy is asked to act in a movie titled “Bitter Grapes.”

SUFFOLK COUNTY: Babylon (town) — The ancient city of Babylon, in what is now Iraq, has come to symbolize evil for some cultures. Much like a certain village in Long Island’s Babylon — Amityville. Yup, the “horror” house is situated in the town limits. 

WAYNE COUNTY: Palmyra (town) — Another ancient city, this one now modern-day Syria. Its American counterpart was where 14-year-old Joseph Smith was allegedly visited by God in 1820 and founded the Mormon religion. Mormons in Utah famously welcomed Syrian refugees fleeing their war-torn country in 2016, seeing parallels with the ancestor’s plight. 

YATES COUNTY: Jerusalem (town) — Ironically, the Yates County town claims no, or next to no, Jewish or Muslim population, according to recent demographic studies. It might be hard to find much evidence of either Israel or Palestine, both of which claim the original Jerusalem as their capital. Might be a good place to broker some peace.

That’s a good start for your “world” travels. If you want to continue on and earn more stamps in your imaginary passport, look into New York’s many other “foreign” enticements icluding: Persia, Panama, Delhi, Milan, Hamburg, Angola, Bagdad (a deviation from Baghdad), Perth, Corfu, Norway, Mexico, Carthage, Turin, Lima, Sparta, Lebanon, Sweden, Egypt, Vienna, Liverpool, Palermo, Madrid, Stockholm, London, Java, Bohemia, Warsaw, Zurich.