Things to Do in Dunedin & The Otago Peninsula

Located in the seaside town of Strelna, the Constantine Palace today forms part of the National Congress Palace complex of St. Petersburg. Strelna was originally chosen by Peter the Great to be the site of his summer residence in 1714, but the palace stood unfinished until the early 19th century. It served as a residence for the Romanov grand dukes until falling into decay after the Russian Revolution. Later, all interior decorations were stripped during the German occupation of St. Petersburg.

In 2001, Vladimir Putin ordered the palace to be renovated and converted into a presidential residence. It hosted more than 50 heads of state during St. Petersburg’s tercentenary celebration in 2003 and recently held the qualifying draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Visitors to the palace today can see exhibitions of Russian painting, decorative and applied arts and the history of Russian glass production from the 1700s. The palace also boasts a thousand masterpieces of Russian art from the 17th to 20th centuries, based on collection of Russian musicians Rostropovich and Vishnevskaya. 

Bora Bora is one of the most famous islands in French Polynesia. The main island is surrounded by a lagoon, a barrier reef, and tiny islets that help keep the water calm most of the time. On Bora Bora across from the main island, you'll find the fascinating Coral Gardens. This coral reef is not far below the surface of the water, so it makes for easy and fun snorkeling. Visitors will get to see colorful coral as well as a variety of fish that live in the area. Some of the fish you could see include butterfly fish, parrot fish, puffer fish, Picasso trigger fish, snapper, tang, goat fish, grouper, trumpet fish, zebra unicorn fish, wrasse or Japanese moray eels. In some areas, it's possible to even see sharks and stingrays. 

There aren't many public beaches on Bora Bora since the resorts own them privately. This makes access to the Coral Garden reefs a bit limited depending on where you're staying. Many companies operate boat tours, shark and stingray feedings, snorkeling, and scuba diving excursions. These tours are especially helpful in bringing visitors to see parts of the coral reef located farther from shore. 

Cospicua, known in Maltese as Bormla, is one of the beautiful villages that makes up the Three Cities (Cottonera). With Greek, Roman, and Turkish influences, it's a fascinating look at just how integrated Mediterranean history has made such a unique culture. 

When seen from the sea, as Cospicua should be at least once, visitors are looking at a port that dates back to the Phoenician era – although it was not declared an actual city in the early 18th century, when the dockyards were built. These dockyards are still a vital part of commerce (and political squabbles) today. The original city gates and fortifications are perfect for a walking tour of Cospicua to further understand its history. And as it is the largest town of the Cottonera, visitors are often treated to many festivals and events throughout the year.

When Constantine established his new capital of the Roman Empire, he commissioned a grand circular forum with a monumental column at its center. Carved from red porphyry stone, the 115-foot (35-meter) column was topped with a golden statue of Apollo bearing Constantine's face.

A storm toppled the statue in 1106, and a fire in 1779 damaged the base (earning it the nickname 'Burnt Stone'). Periodic restoration work has reinforced cracks in the marble, and in 2003, the column underwent a more thorough restoration, though the statue on top has never been replaced. Visitors can see the historic Constantine Column near the Çemberlitas metro station in Istanbul, where city tours often pass by.

With six holes running right along the ocean and tee shots that shoot over cliffs, Corales Golf Course in Punta Cana is often considered amongst the Caribbean’s most exclusive and scenic courses. Designed by Tom Fazio, Corales Golf Course is famously known for its final trio of holes, which collectively are known as “the Devil’s Elbow” and require shooting up over the bluffs past waves that crash on the coast. Compared to the surrounding courses in the area, Corales is arguably the most scenic but also the most user friendly, which makes it accessible to a wider range of visiting golfers and travelers. Need to warm up before teeing off? A putting green and driving range are both available for use.

In the remote Sierra Tarahumara Mountains, Mexico’s Copper Canyon system is longer and deeper than the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Native Raramuri people live in and around the canyons. The Raramuri are famous for their long distance running abilities, and there is a maze of foot trails all around the canyons, where visitors can hike with the help of a guide. Adrenaline-pumping adventures abound in the Copper Canyon, from white-water rafting the Ulrique River to visiting an adventure park along the canyon for ziplining and rock climbing. Or simply take in the spectacular views. The scenic train ride from Chihuahua offers opportunities to stop and sightsee along the canyons.

With its spectacular mountainside setting looking out over the Gulf of Corinth, the ancient city of Corinth is one of the most impressive in the Peloponnese. The remarkably preserved Roman ruins are the star attraction for visitors, while the modern town of Corinth sits on the coast, a short drive from the famous Corinth Canal.

 

Most visitors head straight for the archaeological site of ancient Corinth, where the most memorable monument is the Doric Temple of Apollo, which dates back to 540 BC. Other highlights of a walking tour include the Peirene Fountain, the ancient theater, the Peribolos of Apollo, and the Roman Odeon.

 

It’s possible to explore on a half-day tour from Athens, but full-day tours often combine a visit to Corinth with the nearby acropolis of Acrocorinth, the Byzantine monastery of Daphni, the ancient city of Mycenae, or the seaside town of Nafplio.

 

 

Corinth is located along the coast of the Gulf of Corinth on the Peloponnese Peninsula. Cross the Corinth Canal if you’re driving from Athens. Buses run from Athens to the modern town of Corinth, and there are also direct trains from Athens airport. From Corinth town, regular buses run up the short distance to the ancient city, around 4.5 miles (7 kilometers) away.

 

It’s possible to visit Corinth year-round, but the busiest period is during the summer months of July and August. Making an early start is advisable, but not only to escape the crowds—the ruins offer little shade and the midday sun can be unbearably hot.

 

Linking mainland Greece to the Peloponnese Peninsula, the Roman-built Corinth Canal is an impressive feat of engineering. A hugely important navigational route during the 19th century, modern cruise or freight ships no longer use the narrow isthmus connecting the Gulf of Corinth and the Saronic Gulf today. However, the dramatic cliffs provide a thrilling backdrop for sightseeing cruises, and the canal bridges are a popular spot for bungee jumping.

Designed by Juan Pelaez de Berrio, this popular town center has been attracting locals and travelers since it first opened back in 1529. The lively town square, known as Constitution Garden, has become a gathering space for those looking to find respite from the hustle of Oaxaca’s streets. Cobblestone sidewalks and a pristine marble fountain lend a touch of old world charm to this urban green space, and easy access to several museums, galleries and shops make it the perfect place to circle up before exploring city streets.

Travelers in search a slice of local life will find it at Constitution Gardens, where street vendors gather to sell fresh local fare, and a central bandstand framed with laurel trees proves the ideal stage for live music, including the state’s own marimba band. 

Coral World is considered one of the top family attractions in the US Virgin Islands. Much of this integrated marine park displays the true habitat of its subjects, with both indoor and outdoor observation facilities meant to exemplify the diverse and plentiful nature of the area’s marine life. The park’s major attractions include a touch pool with hermit crabs, starfish, and sea cucumbers; nearly two dozen aquarium exhibits; and its 50,000-gallon Deep Reef Tank, sporting some of mother nature’s deadliest carnivores, such as moray eels, tarpon, and plenty of sharks.

A general admission ticket to the park grants access to all five acres of the facility, including outdoor pools, aquariums, nature trails, and the Undersea Observatory Tower. Other interactive activities are available for additional costs, offering chances to cruise in a semi-submarine for views of the sea floor, snuba dive in the Caribbean Sea, or view endangered sea turtles alongside an expert instructor. While sea lion encounters are offered onsite for an additional fee, Viator does not offer this activity.

Making your way to the park is fairly easy provided you either rent a car while visiting St. Thomas or spend a bit extra on a cab. The ride from downtown typically takes 20 to 30 minutes and is easily navigable on the island’s major roads. It's also possible to take a short boat ride from Water Bay and Coki Point to dock right at the park.

Coral World is open year round, but the best time to visit is early in the morning right when the park opens, particularly on days when there are no cruise ships in port. The park hosts feedings and presentations throughout the day, so check the schedule ahead of your visit to ensure you don’t miss your favorites.

Travelers with extra time before or after a visit to the park can bring along a beach towel and spend some time on beautiful Coki Beach, located right next door. This white-sand beach is one of the best in the area for snorkeling thanks to the high concentration of tropical fish in the clear waters. It’s also possible to rent paddle boards and explore the nearby shoreline.

Perhaps the most important thing to understand about Cork is that it’s not another Dublin. As the second largest city in Ireland, Cork and its residents have a sense of independence and identity all of their own, and if there’s one way to upset a local it’s with comparisons to the Irish capital. When visiting what locals call “the real Irish capital,” ring the famous Shandon Bells in the church looking over the city, or go deep into an Irish prison in the dungeon-like Cork City Gaol.

Downtown Cork is a maze of bridges that span the River Lee and connect the marshlands and small island where the city center was built. It’s a city that’s best explored by foot, where sights like the towering St. Finnbarr’s Cathedral literally spring from the streets. It’s also a city that’s often used as a base for visiting the Blarney Stone—the famous stone that’s believed to bring eloquence to anyone who gives it a kiss. By night, Cork is a hotbed of trendy cuisine and hip, artsy pubs, and since it’s also a university a town, a place where youthful enthusiasm and energy carries deep into the night.

In recent years it has undergone a major restoration, and has recently reopened. Exhibits include textiles, frescoes, stonework, woodwork, manuscripts, glass and ceramics. There's a pleasant enclosed garden and a small café.

In many ways the ideal of a medieval castle, the imposing Conwy Castle was built for Edward I in 1289, during his conquest of Wales. Featuring crenelated towers and soaring defensive walls, it stands on the River Conwy, near the rugged splendor of Snowdonia National Park. Today, Conwy Castle holds UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

 

Conwy Castle is typically included as a stop on coach tours through the British countryside. For those looking to visit independently, its proximity to Manchester, Liverpool, Chester, and Snowdonia National Park makes it a popular stop-off point, whether you plan to travel by car or by train. Joint admission tickets to Conwy Castle and Plas Mawr, an Elizabethan townhouse in Conwy Town, are available to purchase at a discounted rate.

 

 

Guided coach tours offer the simplest form of transit to Conwy Castle. Visitors can also travel by train to Conwy Station, which is located just steps from the landmark. It can also be reached by car via the A55 or B5106.

 

Conwy Castle is open daily throughout the year, with the exception of December 24, 25, 26, and January 1. Typical visiting hours are between 9:30am and 6pm, with last admission 30 minutes before closing. Conwy Castle also hosts a series of special events for the whole family throughout the year, which feature costumed characters, archery demonstrations, and other medieval-themed entertainment.

 

Conwy isn’t the only castle in North Wales that’s worth your while. If your tour of the castle has inspired you to explore the region’s other medieval highlights, set your sights on nearby Beaumaris Castle, Caernarfon Castle, and Harlech Castle. All hold UNESCO World Heritage Site status, and all were designed by military architect James of St. George, who worked closely with Edward I.

With sweeping plains, rocky mountain trails, and glassy lagoons, Ecuador’s largest and most-visited national park is a spectacular setting for an outdoor adventure. Located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, Cotopaxi National Park is most famous for the much-photographed Cotopaxi volcano, the highest active volcano in South America.

Located an hour from Ecuador’s capital city of Quito, Cotopaxi National Park makes for an ideal day trip for those looking to take advantage of the region’s exceptional hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. A full-day tour typical includes a drive along the scenic Route of the Volcanoes, views of Cotopaxi Volcano and Limpiopungo Lake, and a choice of short hikes or downhill biking. An overnight Cotopaxi National Park tour affords more time for exploring or allows you to extend your trip to include the nearby Quilotoa Lagoon.

The Cotopaxi National Park is located 31 miles (53 kilometers) southeast of Quito, about an hour’s drivel. There are no public transport options for reaching the park; the easiest way to get there is to join a guided tour or arrange a private tour from Quito. 

You can Cotopaxi year round; in fact, there is little variation in temperatures throughout the year. The most popular time for hiking and outdoor activities is during the dry months (July to September). 

Scaling the 19,000-foot (5,900-meter) high Cotopaxi Volcano is a bucket-list activity among hiking enthusiasts. With high altitude and technical sections that require crampons and ice axes, it’s a challenge suitable only for experienced hikers or climbers, and it’s recommended you hire a reputable guide. Most hikes (which last about five hours) set out late at night or early in the morning in order to summit in time to catch the sunrise.

Specifically designed for cruisers, Costa Maya Cruise Port sits on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, south of Riviera Maya and the Yucatan region, and just north of Belize. While the port’s resort–like atmosphere draws many tourists, visitors can also venture out on shore excursions if they would like to get out on the water or visit ancient Maya ruins.

Costa Maya Port has everything you need to kick back and relax:  restaurants, bars, shopping, pools, a swim-up bar, and a beach club. Alternatively, head into Mahahual, a former fishing village that’s becoming a lively tourist town, where you can stroll along the boardwalk (malecón), get some fresh ceviche, or plop down at a beach club to swim and relax. Popular shore excursion options include scuba diving with marine life on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef and visiting the Chacchoben Maya ruins, an archaeological site dating back to the year AD 700. The site is 43 miles (69 kilometers) from Costa Maya, so booking a tour is the easiest way to get there.

 

 

Ships dock right at Costa Maya's purpose-built facilities. The pier is long, but a free shuttle bus ferries passengers back and forth. The fishing village of Mahahual is located just south of the port, five minutes by road.

 

Costa Maya’s dry season lasts from November through May. While rainy season visitors risk cloudy weather and potential hurricanes, they can benefit from lower prices and fewer crowds. 

Mexico’s currency is the peso, although US dollars are often accepted around the port area.

A rugged, forested island around 30 miles (48 kilometers) from Manila, Corregidor Island is perhaps the Philippines’ most important World War II site. General Douglas MacArthur’s headquarters until 1942, Corregidor was occupied by Japanese forces until January 1945, and most visits focus on WWII-era relics rather than natural attractions.

Unless you’re staying overnight in the island’s only hotel, the Corregidor Inn, or camping, it’s not possible to explore Corregidor independently. Corregidor Island’s single ferry operator offers a welter of day-trip options, however, from walking tours, tram tours, night tours, and bike tours to yoga classes, painting workshops, specialized photography tours, and team-building. All include lunch.

Most Corregidor Island tours visit MacArthur’s headquarters, the Spanish Lighthouse, the Japanese Cemetery, the barracks, and a gun battery or two. It’s worth booking ahead, especially on weekends and public holidays.

Corregidor Island ferries leave from the Esplanade Seaside Terminal, around 4 miles (7 kilometers) from downtown Makati. The ferry terminal is tricky to reach by public transport, so most opt either to take a taxi or to book a Corregidor tour that includes the convenience of door-to-door round-trip private transfers.

As with anywhere in the Philippines, Corregidor Island is at its busiest around Christmas and Easter. It’s popular with day-trippers on weekends, so visiting during the week is recommended. Be aware that typhoons can impact travel to Corregidor, as to any part of the Philippines, during typhoon season, which peaks in August.

Sometimes known simply as “The Rock,” Corregidor (Corrector) Island has long stood as the first bastion of defence of Manila. After the Japanese invaded the Philippines in the wake of Pearl Harbor, American and Filipino troops held out here for six months before surrendering. Many would die on the Bataan Death March. American forces, led by Douglas MacArthur, retook the island during the Second Battle of Corregidor, which ended in 1945. 

Since opening its doors in 2005, the Copenhagen Opera House has quickly secured its place as one of the capital’s most iconic buildings, with its futuristic roof canopy looming over the waterfront of Copenhagen harbor. The award-winning design, which spans 41,000 square meters and 14 stories, was created by local architect Henning Larsen and features equally captivating interiors, including a striking marble foyer and a gold-plated auditorium roof, shimmering with 24-carat gold leaf.

The opulent surroundings are the home stage of the Royal Danish Opera but the Opera House’s varied schedule includes everything from classical, ballet and opera performances to jazz concerts, held on the 1,500 seat main stage, alongside a roster of experimental works held on the smaller Takkelloftet stage. The principal opera season runs from mid-August until June, when guided tours of the impressive building are also available.

Flying neatly under the radar of most non-Portuguese visitors, Costa da Caparica is one of the most popular coastal regions for locals, stretching almost 19 miles (30 km) down the Atlantic coastline south of Lisbon’s Tagus River. It is a region of powerful surfing waves, long sandy strands backed by dunes and pine forests plus a few low-rise resorts that have grown from traditional fishing villages.

In summer the beaches are a haven for surfing or sun-worshipping Lisboans, and families with young children content to play on the sands; most beaches have a couple of simple wooden beach bars, while summer weekends see beach parties carry on late into the night. The town of Caparica itself is overlooked by a 16th-century monastery and has a colorful array of stores selling lilos and souvenirs along the pedestrianized esplanade Praça da Liberdade, as well as seafood restaurants and a tourist office at Frente Urbana de Praias. A mini-train chugs six miles (10 km) down the coastline from Caparica, giving day-trippers the chance to reach less-crowded beaches as they head south. At the southernmost reaches of the region around the Arriba Fóssil da Costa nature reserve—where fossils have been discovered to be more than 15 million years old—gay and nude beaches proliferate.