Things to Do in Kelowna & Okanagan Valley

As the main railway station of the city of Rotterdam and one of the most important transportation hubs in all of the Netherlands with over 110,000 daily passengers in 2007 (as many as Amsterdam Schipol airport), Rotterdam Centraal was just recently renovated and reopened in March 2014. Because it is 

now connected to several high-speed networks in Europe and because of its proximity to Schipol airport, it is expected that the numbers of daily passengers will increase to 323,000 by the year 2025.

In terms of architecture, the station has already received the acclaim of the industry thanks to its bold yet efficient design – a nod to the city’s architectural heritage, which is famous for being edgy and resolutely non-traditional. One of the main changes from the recent renovations works is the difference 

between the north and south entrances; one faces the residential Provenierswijk neighborhood and the other, a futuristic, skyscraper-ridden commercial district. The station was designed so that commuters feel the gradual evolution from a more modest northern entrance with plenty of natural light and green 

spaces merging into a metropolitan, dramatic allure to the south as the stations opens up onto a large and lively public square and a 5000-bike parking.

Rotterdam Zoo is the largest in the Netherlands and one of the most active in Europe, running both conservation and breeding programs. A rare Indian rhino, an Asian elephant, Asian lion cubs and baby polar bears have all been successfully bred here. 

There are many species to see in the zoo’s themed enclosures, ranging from the lions, gazelles, ostriches and giraffes of the African savannah to the tigers and elephants from the Asian rainforest, plus polar bears and Arctic foxes from more wintery regions. Cute otters splash in pools, penguins dart around their aquarium and gorillas play on African Gorilla Island at Rotterdam Zoo.

Even on a rainy day there’s plenty to do undercover; visit the sharks and rays in the Oceanium or admire the thousands of butterflies in Amazonica, a climate-controlled pavilion that opened in 2013. The zoo is also home to Crocodile River, where visitors can follow the pathways to get up close with the crocs.

Dominica is a sports-enthusiast’s paradise. From its hiking trails to its epic rivers, Dominica is definitely to be experienced while working up a sweat! The island also boasts a colorful, cultural heritage and is home to one of the few remaining enclaves of Caribbean indigenes.

The Roseau ship terminal is located right near downtown Roseau and is an easy walk to all the shops and town attractions. From there, it’s best to hire a car or use a taxi to get around the island.

Although there are lots of fun things to see and do in town, the island highlights are more inland in the mountains, where you can see spectacular waterfalls and untouched nature. Unfortunately, these remote locations are a bit difficult to get to and are best taken in during a ship-orchestrated tour.  

Enjoy a Half Day Jeep Safari or a leisurely tube down the river with the River Tubing Safari. Kids will love the ropes course adventure at the Wacky Rollers Adventure Park. At the end of the day, kick back with a cocktail at one of Rouseau’s many pubs and restaurants.

The official language of Dominica is English, and while the official currency is the East Caribbean Dollar, most businesses accept American Dollars. Dominica is not as highly trafficked by cruise lines than many other Caribbean islands, so you may enjoy fewer crowds.

One of Manila’s best-known streets, Roxas Boulevard hugs the waterfront for most of its length and includes Rizal Park, the historic Manila Hotel, and the popular promenade Manila Baywalk. It’s backed by the lively Malate district, with its open-air bars and restaurants, while Manila Bay sunset views make it a popular early evening stop.

You don’t need a tour to visit Roxas Boulevard. If the traffic fumes aren’t too much, it’s easy enough to head here for a sunset stroll along the Baywalk. A number of Manila city tours drive along Roxas Boulevard, enabling you to soak up the marine sights without the traffic fumes. The street is at its most attractive when seen from Manila Bay, and many visitors opt to view it on a sunset cruise.

Roxas Boulevard runs along the Manila waterfront from Rizal Park until Paranaque, when it becomes the Manila-Cavite Expressway or Coastal Road. As such, many tours will simply pass along the boulevard. There are numerous bus stops along the boulevard itself, while its starting point is an easy walk from Intramuros.

Weekends are the best time to visit Roxas Boulevard, when the yacht clubs and restaurants that line it are liveliest and the traffic on the road itself is lighter. Visit around sunset to soak up enviable views of Manila Bay, to embark on a Manila Bay sunset cruise, or to join the locals on a sunset stroll along Manila Baywalk.

First planned out over 100 years ago, Roxas Boulevard was originally called Cavite Boulevard, then became Dewey Boulevard and Heiwa Boulevard before acquiring its current name during the 1960s. Manuel Roxas was the fifth president of the Philippines, but the first president after the islands achieved independence from the US. 

Copenhagen’s Rosenborg Slot, or Rosenborg Palace, is a Danish castle built in the early 17th century in the Dutch Renaissance style—typical of Danish buildings of the time—by architectural innovator King Christian IV. Originally the king’s summer home, today the castle contains a museum exhibiting the Royal Collections, impressive heirlooms representing the span of royal Danish culture from the late 16th to 19th centuries.

The Rosenborg Slot is impressive in and of itself. But even more remarkable are its collection’s highlights, including the Danish Crown Jewels—particularly Christian’s IV’s dazzling crown and Christian III’s jewel-encrusted sword; the Royal Regalia; coronation furnishings; and family portraits. The royal heirlooms displayed in the castle’s upper rooms are chronologically arranged by monarch. To beat the lines, which can get quite long in summer, purchase advance tickets. You can also visit the palace as part of a half-day or full-day city tour of Copenhagen, or stop by while doing a hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tour.

Rosenborg Palace is only 650 feet (200 meters) from Norreport Station. There is an entrance at Oster Voldgade 4a and via the bridge over the moat from King’s Garden. It can be reached by S-trains, metro and regional trains, and several bus lines.

Rosenborg Palace’s opening hours vary throughout the year. It is most popular with tourists between April and September, and can get quite crowded. To beat the crowds, try to arrive first thing in the morning.

Rosenborg Palace is surrounded by Copenhagen’s oldest public park, the King’s Gardens, which is free to visit. Also nearby is the Botanical Garden—with about 13,000 plant species and its extensive complex of historical glass greenhouses—and the Botanical Museum.  Another worthwhile experience is the changing of the guard at Amalienborg Palace: the Royal Guard marches from their barracks near Rosenborg Palace through the streets of Copenhagen to Amalienborg in time for the ceremony at noon.

Rotterdam is famous around the world for its modern architecture, but this quirky feature came about by obligation rather than by imagination. The vast majority of the city was turned to ashes during the destructive Rotterdam Blitz by the German Air Force of 14 May 1940, but one building miraculously survived: the City Hall. Built between 1914 and 1940 as per Queen Wilhelmina’s request, it has a symmetrical design and a sober Renaissance style that is not without resemblance to other Dutch city halls. It features and four wings and a small interior courtyard, as well as two statues on either side of the main entrance: the ‘Portier’ (doorman) and the ‘Fiscus’ (tax collector); there are ten other statues scattered around the city hall’s gardens, each representing Rotterdam’s values and virtues. The most striking part of the building, however, is the 70-meter high tower featuring a clock, a bell, and an angel of peace. During the holiday season, Rotterdam's biggest Christmas tree is set up in front of the City Hall.

While the town of Rosslyn is most famous for its Chapel, it’s also the site of a beautiful ruined castle. Rosslyn Castle sits on a tree-covered cliff on the north bank of the North Esk River, and while a castle has occupied the grounds since the fourteenth century, the current ruins mostly date back to 1622, when finishing touches were completed. In 1650, the castle was besieged by Oliver Cromwell’s troops, and what was left after cannon and mortar fire is what you see today.

A few of the castle’s more habitable rooms were fully resorted and furnished by the current Earl of Rosslyn during the 1980s. Today, visitors can rent out the rooms as vacation accommodation through The Landmark Trust.

More popularly known today as Istvan Szechenyi Square, Roosevelt Square was originally named after U.S. president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It was renamed in 2011 for the founder of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and developer of the adjacent Chain Bridge. The square is lined with notable buildings such as the art nouveau Gresham Palace, which is now home to the Four Seasons Hotel, one of the top hotels in Europe. It is worth stopping into the lobby to see the exquisite stained glass, mosaics and ironworks.

As you explore the small square, notice the Ministry of Justice building and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, as well as a statue of Hungarian minister Ferenc Deak, who was responsible for negotiating the Compromise of 1867, which resulted in the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary. Another statue on the west side of the square depicts Austrian and Hungarian children holding hands in peace.

Modest from the outside, yet stunningly ornate and garnished with gold on the inside, the Capilla del Rosario of Puebla stands as a brilliant example of Mexican Baroque architecture and style. Walking in, you’re completely surrounded by elaborate decoration covered in gold leaf, talavera tile, and onyx stone, often bathed in natural light. Its highly detailed artistry is not just overwhelming to see, it is considered a masterpiece of craftsmanship. Sculptures of angels and saints adorn the walls alongside golden vines framing oil paintings. The paintings depict the life of Jesus Christ as well as the mysteries of the rosary. The centerpiece of it all is a beautiful altar dedicated to the Virgin Mary. 

In all of its splendor, the chapel is considered by many to be the eighth wonder of the art world. Joined to the larger Iglesia de Santo Domingo, the chapel is the first dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary in Mexico. For many, it is a primary draw to the historic town of Puebla, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Renamed in 1998 in honor of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan, this urban airport opened its doors in 1926 and is the hub for US Airways. The airport provides travelers with easy domestic escape from the nation’s capital.

Terminal A, which opened in 1941, is newly renovated, while the brightly lit and gilded halls of Terminals B and C are home to 35 gates that lead travelers to planes departing for dozens of cities across the country. Travelers on extended layovers can enjoy the artistic touches of the ever-changing Gallery Walk exhibits in Terminal A, and updated food options mean there are more places than ever for those on the go to grab a bite.

With a history dating back to 1768, the Royal Academy of Arts is Britain’s oldest arts society as well as the home to one of the country’s most prestigious art schools. For art lovers, however, the main attraction is its world-­class art gallery and regular rotating exhibitions, which include the hotly-anticipated Summer Exhibition – an annual showcase of the year’s best contemporary art and architecture.

The gallery’s permanent collection also offers an impressive variety of British art, from the 18th century to present day, with highlights including works by Leighton, Reynolds, Constable, Gainsborough and Turner. Also on­-site is the RA Grand Café and the Keeper’s House, home to a bar, garden lounge and restaurant.

Propelled into the limelight by Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, this 15th-century chapel is well worth a look, even for those with no interest in Knights Templar conspiracy theories. The Gothic exterior—with its flying buttresses, pinnacles, and pointed arches—hides an elaborate interior, full of stone carvings rich in symbolism. 

Rosslyn Chapel is a popular day trip from Edinburgh. Organized day tours often venture south from Edinburgh, stopping at Rosslyn Chapel, Melrose Abbey in the Scottish Borders, and—in some instances—at Hadrian’s Wall across the border in England. Other organized tours plot courses north from Rosslyn Chapel, making stops at Stirling Castle, the National Wallace Monument, and Dunfermline Abbey (the burial place of Robert the Bruce). Other day tours to Rosslyn Chapel stick to historic sites in and around Scotland’s capital, such as the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, and Glenkinchie Distillery.

The modern, on-site visitor center at Rosslyn Chapel helps day-trippers decode the enigmatic carvings using interactive displays, as do the informative talks, which take place at the chapel several times daily.

Rosslyn Chapel is in the Lothians, about a 30-minute drive south from Edinburgh city center. 

To get there by public transport, take the 37 Lothian bus (marked via Roslin) from Queensferry Street and get off at the Roslin Hotel stop. The chapel is a 2-minute walk from there. 

Rosslyn Chapel is open throughout the year. If you want to explore the grounds, go in summer when the weather is more likely to comply. Weekday mornings are especially peaceful. 

Rosslyn Chapel’s intricate carvings are the its star attraction, and have spurred many theories regarding their meaning. The carvings feature flowers and biblical scenes, tsymbols supposedly associated with the Freemasons and the Knights Templar, and mysterious native American plants that were made before Colombus’ discovery of the New World. Some posit that the Knights of Templar hid in parts of the chapel and that its vaults may hold the Holy Grail or even the body of Christ.

It is still possible to visit the supposed site of the Last Supper, known to some as the “Cenacle” (Latin for ‘dining room’) and also the “Upper Room.” The Last Supper is the Passover meal Jesus and his disciples shared the night before his death. The New Testament of the Bible writes that the Apostles gathered in the upper room here to pray after Jesus’s ascension into heaven. 

The room then became a gathering spot for first-century Judeo-Christians. Some consider it “the first ever Christian church.” The room became known as the Church of the Apostles after it was spared in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The stone structure that now stands was built by the Crusaders in the 12th century, though parts of the original wall can still be seen. The great hall is divided into three naves by large Romanesque pillars, imbued with a true sense of Biblical history.

Although Roseau is the largest city in the island nation of Dominica, it is still small by most international standards. Visiting this capital city provides both a charming retreat into cozy island life and a peek into the bustling culture that is life in Dominica’s main city.

Activity in Roseau centers on its French Quarter, where the French-Caribbean meets West Indian architecture in splendid fashion. Visitors stroll through the cobblestone streets, which are far from idle and instead active places of bartering, conversation and regular social gatherings. You can spend your time visiting the Old Town Market to haggle for handmade goods, learning at the Historical Museum or hiking up into Roseau’s splendid backdrop: the lush Caribbean mountaintops that make Dominica famous.

The Rosengart Collection is Lucerne’s newest museum addition and houses the extensive and once private collection of Angela Rosengart, a Swiss art dealer and good friend to the famous Spanish painter Pablo Picasso. Rosengart, who has collected one of the biggest private art stashes of the classical modernist era, wanted to make these paintings, which would normally just be passed from one private collector to the next, more accessible to the public. The museum, which now draws art lovers from all over the world, has earned international recognition for its focus on the works of Pablo Picasso and Paul Klee, a Swiss German painter famous for his unique style of cubism, expressionism and surrealism. While the Klee collection consists of 125 watercolor pieces, paintings and drawings showing the artist’s whole career, the Picasso part of the exhibition mainly focuses on his older works that were created after 1938, with a couple sketches from earlier eras thrown in to compliment the paintings. A third floor houses more than 20 other world famous artists of the impressionist and classical modernist eras, such as Monet, Matisse, Miró and Léger. 

The collection is located in the center of Lucerne in an empire style building originally constructed for the Swiss National Bank. The simple but well-built palazzo is a fitting place for the museum, as the neo-classical structure was built in the same time period when many of the great pieces of art it houses themselves were created. The inside is an interface between old and new, with high walls and an open floor plan to give the art more than enough room to breathe. Some more light sensitive works have even found their home in the old bank vaults. 

Also known as Praça Dom Pedro IV, Rossio Square sits at the heart of Lisbon and has been a popular meeting spot since the Middle Ages. The square bustles with life as cars, buses, and pedestrians speed around it, intermixed with those leisurely sitting on benches or in cafes. Cobblestone walkways are arranged in wave patterns, a style that has since spread throughout Portugal and parts of Brazil.

It is surrounded by two identical Baroque fountains, with a column monument of Pedro IV, king of Portugal and the first emperor of Brazil, standing tall in the center. Allegorical figures of Justice, Wisdom, Restraint and Courage can be found at the monument’s base. Both the fountains and the monument are spectacularly lit up by night. The Dona Maria II National Theater sits at the northern end of the square with Ionic columns of the Church of St. Francis, which was destroyed in the earthquake of 1755.  

The square is lined with traditional cafes, restaurants, and shops — many with outdoor seating. It is a great place to sit down and simply watch the city pass by. Café Nicola and Café Suiça are two particularly classic cafes to enjoy, dating back to the 18th century.

The Grand Dame of Bluffton, Rose Hill Mansion, drips with period grandeur. The Gothic style Lowcountry plantation house was erected by cotton magnate and town founder, John Kirk, in 1858. It retains much of its original charm and architectural features from the columned porch and gabled peaks with cathedral-style windows to the Spanish moss-draped leafy grounds. Though the residence has a storied history—including a devastating 1987 fire, its role as a setting for several B-rated movies and a John Mellencamp music video, as well as rumors of hauntings that make it a popular Halloween season stop—its restored antebellum artifacts keep visitors streaming through this portal to the past.

Still operated as a private residence (and popular wedding venue with rentable carriage house for overnights), day visitors can take a one-hour guided tour of the first floor. On the tour docents will highlight original Kirk memorabilia—furniture, paintings and heirlooms—restored after the fire and visit the gentleman’s room and parlor with its 1870 Shaw grand piano. One of the highlights is the entrance hallway with its chandeliered curved staircase; its banister connects to the railings that ring an overlook from the second floor. Following the tour, visitors can enjoy locally made cakes and jams, peach tea and lemonade in the historic dining area.

The Rose Hall Great House is a grand estate built in the late 18th century in Montego Bay, Jamaica. One of the area’s most popular historic attractions, the Georgian mansion is the centerpiece of a 650-acre (263-hectare) plantation that is most notable for its famous occupant, Annie Palmer—better known as the White Witch of Rose Hall.

The greatest of Jamaican great houses sits high on a hill with views of Montego Bay and beyond, serving as a testament to the wealth, pomp, and grandeur of plantation-era Jamaica. Learn about Rose Hall’s slave history while taking in its antique splendor and original fittings, originally built by owner John Palmer and restored in the 1960s. 

While daytime tours of Rose Hall Plantation focus on plantation history and historic insight into Jamaica’s era of slavery, night tours recount eerie tales and chilling stories involving murder, ghost sightings, and countless lovers. Said to have dabbled in black magic, Annie Palmer allegedly poisoned three husbands while living there, and her activities are the crux of the haunted night tour.

Rose Hall Great House is located off the A1 on Rose Hall Road. Some tours include transportation from downtown Montego Bay; if you’re driving, you can park on the property.

The plantation is open during the day for tours from 9am to 5pm. Great House night tours focusing on Annie Palmer take place after 6:30pm.

Stories allege that, after the murder of her three husbands, Annie Palmer routinely took slave lovers and had them killed when she grew tired of them. Allegedly a vengeful slave smothered her to death with a pillow in her bed in the 1830s. Musician Johnny Cash recorded a song about the legend, “The Ballad of Annie Palmer.” If you need to steady your nerves and quell your goose bumps after a candlelit night tour, the on-site Annie’s Pub serves up the famous rum cocktail Witches’ Brew.