Things to Do in Kelowna & Okanagan Valley

The hilly city of Lisbon might be home to the most beautiful elevator on the planet. The Santa Justa Lift was built in 1902 by Portugal-born French engineer Raoul de Mesnier du Ponsard (a student of Gustave Eiffel) as a way to connect Downtown Lisbon with hilltop Bairro Alto. The neo-Gothic wrought-iron lift — once powered by steam — is the only remaining vertical street lift in the city (the others are funiculars) and one of Lisbon’s most beloved landmarks.

Visitors can ride the 147-foot (45-meter) lift to the top of the structure for sweeping views of the city from a miradouro at the very top. From there, it’s possible to continue on foot to Largo do Carmo in Bairro Alto.

Best known for its Cornaro Chapel—home to Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s stunning masterpiece, The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa—Santa Maria della Vittoria has one of the most ornate marble interiors in Rome. Designed by baroque architect Carlo Maderno, the church is adorned with white and gilded stucco angels and putti, as well as 17th-century frescoes. 

Santa Maria della Vittoria (Saint Mary of Victory) was begun in the early 17th century, designed by Maderno and featuring a facade by Giovanni Battista Soria that is a near replica of Maderno’s nearby church of Santa Susanna, completed in 1603. In addition to The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, this relatively small church is decorated with a number of other sculptures by Domenico Guidi and Pierre Etienne Monnot, and paintings by Giovanni Domenico Cerrini, Guercino, Nicolas Lorrain, and Domenichino. The preserved remains of Saint Victoria are displayed inside.

Santa Maria della Vittoria is a popular stop on walking tours of Rome—especially those that focus on works by Bernini and landmarks mentioned in the popular novel Angels & Demons. You can combine a visit with stops at other city highlights like the Colosseum, the Vatican and Sistine Chapel, and the Spanish Steps.

Santa Maria della Vittoria is located on Via XX Settembre between Piazza della Repubblica and the Termini station, and Villa Borghese. Both of the city's metro lines and many bus routes stop at Termini.

The church can be crowded at peak times of year, especially due to L’Estasi di Santa Teresa being one of Bernini’s most famous sculptures in Italy. Try to visit in the early morning or late afternoon to enjoy this marvelous work in relative peace.  

Santa Maria della Vittoria was featured in Dan Brown’s bestselling novel Angels & Demons, a follow-up to the smash hit The Da Vinci Code. The church became a hugely popular tourist destination in Rome after the book was published in 2006 and the film version was released a few years later.

According to locals, the Biblical icon Saint Paul spent two years on house arrest living in the darkened crypt beneath Santa Maria in via Lata. While some claim it was Saint Peter or Luke or even Saint John who once called this church home, it’s clear that no matter who lived in the shadows of this stunning building’s lower levels, Santa Maria is a seriously holy structure.

Religion pilgrims make their way each year to the statue of the Virgin Advocate, which is said to have performed many miracles. Travelers can wander the nave and explore the chapels of Santa Maria, where alabaster, marble and lapis relief work, as well as stunning frescos and old canvas painting decorate the walls.

North of Medellin, in the mountains, there’s a little piece of the past that seemingly hasn’t changed in centuries. Santa Fe de Antioquia, founded in 1541 as a gold-mining town, seems to have changed little since then. In fact, due to its perfectly conserved colonial architecture, it was declared a national monument in 1960.

Many of the local residents make their living farming corn, beans and coffee. The town comes alive with frequent festivals and tourists who visit to see the town’s living history and the perfectly preserved architecture that gives it the feeling of being suspended in time. Cultural activities abound, such as food tours that introduce visitors to staples of the region like guandolo, orchata, tarmarind, tamal, arepa and empanadas. The Metropolitan Cathedral, the Archiepiscopal Palace and small museums also draw visitors. In addition, there are nearby vineyards and waterfalls as well as the fascinating Bridge of the West and Plaza Mayor Juan de Corral.

For those looking for action, there are opportunities for horseback riding, walking, rafting down the Cauca River, cycling, paragliding, tennis and paintball, as well as a free Theater under the Stars and plenty of parties. 

Santiago, or Santiago de los Caballeros, is located in the Cibao Valley, and with nearly 1 million residents, it’s the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic. Santiago’s origins date back to 1495, when Christopher Columbus built a fort on the banks of the Yaque del Norte River. Santiago was once named Santiago de los Treinta Caballeros (Saint James of the 30 Knights), a nod to the 30 Spanish aristocrats who helped form the original community.

Many people refer to Santiago as the “heart city,” as it’s located at the center of what was once Hispaniola. Santiago has a large arts and culture scene. Do not miss the Museo del Tabaco (Cigar Museum), where visitors can learn about the art of making cigars and purchase some of the most famous brands. Other museums of note include Museo Folklórico Yoryi Morel, which features exhibits related to Santiago’s Carnival, and Museo Histórtico Fortaleza San Luis, which once served as a municipal prison.

Sports are also a popular aspect of life in Santiago. Baseball and basketball are the most popular sports in the city. A number of notable Major League Baseball players are originally from the Dominican Republic. Fertile lands in the region support Santiago. Items like cigarettes, rum, furniture, soaps, leather goods and pharmaceuticals are produced in this region. Foods like cacao, dairy, coffee and milled rice are also staples in Santiago. While not typically a tourist destination, the city is seeing a slight increase in tourism. 

One of the most important churches in the center of Naples, Santa Chiara is part of a larger religious complex housing a monastery and archaeological museum. Its most remarkable feature is the beautiful cloister, with elaborately painted Rococò majolica decorations covering the columns, benches, and garden walls.

Santa Chiara was built in 1310 in the Gothic style by King Robert of Anjou for his second wife, Sancha of Majorca, and included two adjacent convents, one for nuns and one for monks. In the mid-1700s, the church was remodeled in a Baroque style; however, most of Santa Chiara was destroyed in 1943 during World War II bombings. When it was rebuilt 10 years later, it was returned to its original Gothic design. The spectacular 18th-century cloister survived intact, and today it’s the highlight of a visit to what is officially known as the Monumental Complex of Santa Chiara. The complex also includes the Museo dell’Opera Francescana, a traditional Neapolitan Nativity scene, and the archaeological area with Roman remains discovered in the aftermath of the war.

A visit to Santa Chiara is a highlight of any tour of Naples’ historic center, as it sits right along the famous Spaccanapoli thoroughfare just across from the Church of Gesù Nuovo. Join a walking or Segway tour of this vibrant city that also includes stops at Via San Gregorio Armeno, Sant’Angelo a Nilo, and the Castel Nuovo fortress. Foodies can opt for a Naples food and sightseeing tour to sample some of the city’s famous street food, and history buffs can combine a visit to Naples with a tour of the Roman ruins at Pompeii, just outside the city.

 

 

Santa Chiara is located in the square of Gesù Nuovo along the pedestrian Spaccanapoli thoroughfare. Much of the historic center of Naples consists of narrow alleys and tight corners, so walking is the easiest mode of transport from the city’s port and main train station. Naples is a major transportation and cruise ship hub, with direct trains from major Italian cities and ferries from Salerno and Sorrento.

 

Naples can be uncomfortably hot in summer, so try to visit in spring or fall months or schedule your tour to begin in the early morning before the temperatures soar. The complex is open daily, although it’s closed on Sunday afternoons. 

 

Santa Chiara is located in Naples’ historic center of Naples, which consists of more than 10 distinct neighborhoods along the Spaccanapoli. Highlights include the 13th-century Castel Nuovo, the Teatro di San Carlo (the oldest opera house in Italy), and Piazza Plebiscito. Roman and Greek ruins lie below the center, and the National Archaeological Museum houses artifacts unearthed at Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Ancient grapes and full-bodied wines are a huge part of Chile’s culture—and no place is this more apparent than on a visit to Santa Rita Winery, located in the scenic foothills of Alto Jahuel. Travelers can wander the grounds through thick groves of old-world vines, sample some of Santa Rita’s world class wines or tuck into delicious fare at the Done Paula restaurant or the more casual La Panaderia Café. 

A tour of the vineyard offers travelers a perfect opportunity to get in touch with the country’s deep roots while learning more about the tradition of wine making that started in Chile hundreds of years ago. The nearby Andean Museum showcases some 2,000 pieces from the nation’s past, rounding out any traveler’s voyage through the country’s ages. 

Football fans won’t want to miss a visit to the magnificent Santiago Bernabéu, home to the legendary Real Madrid football team. Despite boasting a capacity of 81,000 spectators and reaching a 5-star rating as a UEFA-classified Elite Stadium, Santiago Bernabéu is actually Spain’s second-largest football stadium, after Barcelona’s Camp Nou.

Watching a match at the famous stadium, a 4-time European Cup finals host, is a memorable experience for any football fanatic—especially Real Madrid fans, who want to see iconic players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, and Karim Benzema in action. But if you’re not lucky enough to score tickets for a match, you can still visit the grounds. Fan tours allow behind-the-scenes access to the stadium, where you can take the elevator to the top of the stadium towers for an impressive panoramic view and then walk in the footsteps of your heroes across the pitch. You’ll also get to sneak a peek into the locker rooms, presidential box, press room, and trophy room—and even walk through the players’ tunnel. The stadium is also a stop on many Madrid city sightseeing tours. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or in advance.

The easiest way to reach Santiago Bernabéu is by taking the metro (Line 10) to Santiago Bernabéu station. Several city buses also stop outside the iconic stadium.

The stadium is open for tours daily throughout the year. On match days, tours stop five hours before kick-off.

Nothing quite matches the excitement of seeing a live Real Madrid match inside their historic stadium. If you want to snag tickets, keep in mind that it’s easier the earlier in the season you plan to attend. High-profile matches against rivals F.C. Barcelona are very difficult to acquire (and often very expensive). Plan to buy tickets at least two weeks before the match to avoid the disappointment of a sold-out stadium.

This bustling urban center named after the famous 2nd century hero, Saint Thecla, is home to roughly 133,000 residents. Travelers to this thriving metropolis, which is tucked at the foot of San Salvador Volcano, can explore the nation’s unique arts, rich culture, deep-rooted religion and eclectic local life while wandering the streets of Santa Tecla.

From the famed halls of the Santa Tecla Museum—built as a prison in 1902—to the neo-classical architecture of the Municipal Palace, to the iconic El Carmen Cathedral, it’s the historical landmarks of Santa Tecla that make this city truly worth a trip. 

After exploring the history and architecture that makes Santa Tecla famous, visitors can unwind in Daniel Hernandez Town Square, where locals lounge on grassy patches of land under shaded trees to escape the heat. Travelers will find the three malls that make up Plaza Merliot to be the perfect place for purchasing local food, handicrafts and even designer items. 

The Santa Rosa Wall is one of Cozumel’s most famous dive sites, with coral formations up to 40 feet (13 meters) high, massive rock overhangs, a deep drop-off, narrow tunnels full of sea creatures, and hundreds of species of tropical fish—including nurse sharks, sea turtles, angelfish, manta rays, and barracuda. 

With a depth ranging from 50 to 120 feet (15.24 meters to 36.6 meters), the Santa Rosa Wall is a good spot for both novice and experienced divers. Diving tours typically leave from Cancun or Cozumel, often visiting other dive sites including Tormentos Reef, Palancar Gardens, or La Herradura. Round-trip transportation to the reef, lunch, and diving equipment are provided on some tours. 

The Santa Rosa Wall is located off the island of Cozumel near Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. To get there, you can opt for a private charter boat or a guided tour. 

You can visit the Santa Rosa Wall year-round, but it’s busiest from December through April, when the weather tends to be sunny and warm. There are fewer crowds during hurricane season (May through October), but be sure to check the weather for storms. If you’d like to beat the crowds, consider diving this spot in the afternoon, when most other divers have moved on. 

Cozumel is best known for its expansive coral reefs, some of the largest in the world. Paradise Reef and the Palancar Gardens are ideal spots for novice divers and snorkelers due to their shallow depth, and offer a chance to glimpse marine life such as sea turtles, moray eels, colorful fish, towering coral spires, and gently waving sea fans. The Palancar Caves are probably the most famous dive site, with huge brain corals and swim-through tunnels. The Palancar Horseshoe is another massive formation of corals.

The ancient basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati is dedicated to four unnamed saints, all martyred. The name means “four crowned saints,” meaning they were martyrs.

The church was first built in the 6th century, but mostly destroyed in the 11th century. The rebuilt church was much smaller, preserving the original apse. In the 13th century, the Chapel of San Silvestro and a cloister were added – the former decorated with frescoes, and the latter with intricate inlaid stonework designs. The four saints to whom the church is dedicated are buried in tombs in the crypt.

Not far from the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is the little Santa Prassede, a 9th-century church with stunning mosaics inside.

The Basilica of Santa Prassede was started in the late 8th century (there’s an even older church dedicated to Santa Prassede underneath it) and completed in 822 AD. The saint entombed here, Santa Prassede (or Saint Praxedes), was the daughter of the first Roman who St. Peter converted to Christianity.

The mosaics on the interior of the church are Byzantine, dating from the early 9th century, and are reminiscent of those in Venice’s St. Mark’s Basilica and the churches of Ravenna. They’re dazzling in gold and bright colors.

Among the other things to see inside the church is a bust for a tomb that was sculpted by Bernini when he was only 17 years old, and the original crypt near the altar. This is where the bones of Saint Praxedes (and her sister, Saint Pudenziana) were placed when the church was completed. There is also a reliquary containing what is said to be a piece of the pillar on which Jesus was flogged before being crucified.

The Baroque church of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte—while small—houses impressive religious artifacts and artworks worthy of a visit. The 17th-century church is home to a single nave and three chapels that include paintings by Borgognone and ornate frescoes and stuccoed angels by Marini. Of particular note are the sculpted angels on each side of the presbytery, created by Bernini.

The church's striking dome and tower, designed by Borromini, contrasts its modest interior, and serves as a beacon to those traversing Rome's top attractions. Located between the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain, the church is a highly-recommended stop along the way.

You can visit the church, which honors St Andrew, as part of a city walking tour of sites dedicated to Mary and different saints.

Santa Maria Sopra Minerva is Rome’s only Gothic church, but it’s a Michelangelo sculpture and a stunning interior—not its architectural design—that attracts travelers from across the globe.

Visitors will find colorful frescos inside the 13th-century church, as well as the tomb of Pope Pual IV and the famed Michelangelo sculpture, Christ Bearing the Cross. Travelers call Santa Maria Sopra Minerva the greatest place you’ve never heard of, thanks to its impressive basilica and a vast collection of artwork that's unmatched in its quiet and reflective setting.

Combine your visit to S. Maria Sopra Minerva with a skip-the-line ticket to the Pantheon on an informative guided tour.

Tucked away in a piazza just off one of Rome’s busiest thoroughfares in the Centro Storico, the Baroque church of Sant’Andrea delle Valle was designed by Giacomo della Porta and eventually completed by a succession of other Baroque masters—including Carlo Maderno and Borromini—in 1663. It is famous for providing the setting for the opening of Puccini’s opera Tosca.

The frescoed dome was the handiwork of Carlo Maderno and at 528.5 ft (16.1 m) it is the second largest in Rome after St Peter’s. Underneath this mighty cupola, the church is liberally scattered with the extravagant marble chapels and tombs of wealthy 16th-century Italian aristocrats, including the Strozzis, the Barberinis and several popes. Great names like Michelangelo and Bernini had a hand in designing these sarcophagi, and together with the gilt ornamentation and nave frescoes from the greatest artists of the day adorning the walls, plus the marble patterning of the floors, they come together in creating a highly decorative church interior awash with color.

Sant’Andrea delle Valle is within an easy stroll of the lovely ancient squares of Campo de’ Fiori—a lively morning market is held here—and Piazza Navona, famous for its Baroque fountains by Bernini.

Historically, Toledo is noted in Spain for having once flourished as a cultural crossroads, with three religions – Judaism, Islam and Christianity – coexisting together peacefully. And there is perhaps no better physical representation of this time than the Santa María la Blanca Synagogue. Claimed to be the oldest synagogue in Europe, it was built during Christian times by Moorish architects for Jewish use.

You can see this complex intersection of history and styles all represented in the small space. For example, there are the Mudejar horseshoe arches, the 16th-century Christian altarpiece, and the layout, which, while it has elements reminiscent of a mosque, was constructed as a synagogue. Though its original purpose was, of course, to be a synagogue, come the early 14th century, it was converted into a church, serving various purposes since. The space may be small and simple compared to some of Toledo’s grander sights, but there’s certainly more than meets the eye here in terms of history, making it a worthwhile place to see and contemplate.

With a history dating back to the 4th century, the Church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo is among the oldest in Rome and, despite its rather unremarkable façade, boasts a fascinating history. The church was built on the site of the Case Romane, allegedly the former home and burial site of Roman soldiers and converted Christians John and Paul, who were beheaded at the hand of Emperor Julian the Apostate. 

Today, the fabled church, extensively restored in the 12th century, stands atop Celian Hill and is acclaimed for its lavishly decorated interiors, adorned with striking frescos and glittering chandeliers. The real highlight though, lies beneath the church – the excavated ruins of the ancient Claudianum and the Case Romane, which offer a fascinating glimpse into Roman life.

Not far from the busy and popular Piazza Navona in Rome is the Santa Maria della Pace church, which has a Baroque facade on a 15th-century church.

The front of the existing church was redesigned in the mid-17th century at the behest of Pope Alexander VII, including the lovely semicircular entrance lined with columns. The architect, Pietro da Cortona, also had some neighboring buildings destroyed to open up the little piazza around the church more.

Inside, the main attractions are artistic and predate the 17th-century work on the facade. A large Raphael fresco of the “Four Sibyls” is over the altar in the Chigi Chapel, painted in 1514. The Ponzetti Chapel contains a Peruzzi fresco of the “Madonna and Child,” and Antonio da Sangallo the Younger designed the Cesi Chapel.

Behind the church is the rest of the complex, including a large cloister built by Bramante between 1500-1504. Today, part of the cloister serves as an exhibition space for which tickets are required. Exhibitions rotate regularly.

The 15th-century church Sant’Anna dei Lombardi, also known as Santa Maria di Monte Oliveto, is home to some of Naples' best art. With Baroque paintings and an impressive collection of Renaissance sculptures, the church's unassuming exterior gives way to intricately-decorated ceilings and elaborately-adorned walls that evoke feelings of marvel and beauty like a small-scale Sistine Chapel.

Don’t miss the elaborate sacristy, which was done by Giorgio Vasari, or the beautiful chapel at the back of the church—a crowd-favorite. Walk through the building to enter the courtyard, which is adorned with a bronze sculpture of Charles II of Spain and what is considered to be one of the most beautiful fountains in Italy.

There are many churches in Naples, and many of them are worth a visit. Consider livening up your visit to Sant'Anna dei Lombardi on a private Vespa or Fiat 500 tour of Naples' most famous sights.