Things to Do in Anaheim & Buena Park

In ancient times, the Roman town of Gerasa grew rich from iron ore as well as agricultural products which flourished in this comparatively lush temperate region. This wealth in turn endowed the town with architectural treasures: the unique oval Forum, Hippodrome, Amphitheater, Agora, and the proud columns of the Temple to Artemis. The majestic Hadrian’s Arch dates from the eponymous Roman Emperor’s visit, an event which signaled the town’s importance.

Not long after the spread of Islam into the area, Gerasa was devastated by an earthquake and for centuries lay buried in sand. This accounts for the remarkable state of preservation in this, one of Jordan’s most important Roman sites. Significant sections of all the above-named sites can still be seen next to the modern town of Jerash, as well as colonnaded streets and city walls which precisely delineate the town’s contours, giving a vivid sense of life in an ancient Roman town.

Jebel Shams is Oman’s highest peak, and at around 10,000 feet (or 3,000 meters) it makes a cool contrast to the baking coast. The regular road runs out about two-thirds the way up, so from there on in it’s 4-wheel-drive or, for the adventurous, hiking. Either way you’ll have stunning views of Wadi Nakhr, a dramatic canyon whose sheer walls drop down to a valley floor of tiny villages and date palm plantations.

Colorful rugs made using goat hair and natural dyes are a specialty of the region. There are also a number of eerie village ruins which testify to the difficulty of living in this fascinating yet challenging area.

Just outside the city of Al Ain, straddling the border of the United Arab Emirates and Oman, Jebel Hafeet rises 4,068 feet (1,240 meters) above the desert landscape. It’s the highest peak in the emirate and the second highest in the country, making it one of Abu Dhabi’s most popular natural attractions.

The views, once you reach the top of the sandstone mountain, are well worth the journey. You’ll have unobstructed views of Al Ain below and Oman in the distance. The caves winding through the mountain have yielded abundant fossil discoveries and the foothills have served as a burial ground dating back more than 5,000 years—some of which you can still see.

The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road, known as one of the most scenic roads in the world, is also a popular training site for road cyclists working on their ascents. The Green Mubazzarah park at the base of the mountain houses a complex of natural hot spring pools for both men and women where you can relax after conquering the mountain.

The Jewish Museum (or Židovské muzeum) operates over several sites, including the Old Jewish Cemetery, the Spanish Synagogue and the Maisel Synagogue. Together this cluster of sites - which you can visit as a tour with an English-speaking guide - gives you a rounded picture of the history of the Jewish people in Prague.

The various exhibitions center on Jewish customs, artifacts such as Torah covers and synagogue silver, and memorials to those lost in the Holocaust. The Old Jewish Cemetery, with its ancient tombstones all packed in together, is a reminder of the ghettoization of Jews in the medieval city.

This religious and spiritual destination is one of four historic quarters that make up the famed city of Jerusalem. Travelers seeking a touchstone to the past will find just what they’re after on a visit to this place that dates back to the Roman Empire. 

Amsterdam is justly proud of its long-standing reputation for tolerance and with Ashkenazi Jews finding refuge in its borders throughout the 17th century, Jewish traditions have played an important part in the city’s heritage.

To honor this, the award-winning Joods Historisch Museum (Jewish Historical Museum) opened in the 1930s, and despite being shut down during the Nazi occupation of WWII, reopened in 1955. Its present location sprawls throughout the 17th-century buildings of 4 Ashkenazi synagogues on Jonas Daniël Meijerplein; as impressive outside as it is inside. Today, it remains the country’s only dedicated Jewish museum, exploring the history, culture and religion that have shaped so much of its population.

A vast collection of artwork, short films and photography accompanies the three permanent exhibitions, which showcase over 11,000 objects and focus on ‘Jewish traditions and customs’, the ‘history of Jews in the Netherlands’ and the harrowing tales and written testimonies of persecution under Nazi rule.

The modern museum also puts a twist on the storytelling in the adorning ‘JHM Children’s Museum’, where all ages are welcome to take part in Jewish-themed activities – if you’ve ever wanted to learn how to bake matzo, play traditional Jewish music or write in Hebrew, this is the place to learn. There’s even a café onsite, where you can recover from the day’s explorations – all kosher, of course.

Set on the south bank of the Tidal Basin amid the cherry trees, the Jefferson Memorial honors the third president of the United States, drafter of the Declaration of Independence and founder of the University of Virginia: Thomas Jefferson. Designed by John Russell Pope to resemble Jefferson's library, the memorial's columned rotunda is similar in style to the Pantheon in Rome.