Things to Do in Monterey & Carmel

A ‘tekija’ is a Muslim Dervish monastery and the one found near the rural settlement of Blagaj near Mostar has probably the most spectacular location of any religious building in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Built between 1446 and 1520 while the country was under Ottoman rule, Blagaj Tekija is tucked in under a sheer, 200-m (656-ft) limestone cliff face overlooking the emerald-green source of the River Buna. It was constructed for a sect of soldier-monks somewhat akin to the Christian Knights Templar called the ‘bektašije’, and is a striking mixture of Bosnian and Oriental architecture, a whitewashed, half-timbered four-story structure leaning over the water’s edge. Today monks from the Naqshbandi order inhabit the monastery and Dervish ceremonies still take place there; the remains of two 15th-century Dervishes are interred under ornately carved wooden roofs and are the subject of Muslim pilgrimages. This lovely spot is backed by spectacular rock formations and a complex of caverns that lead well underground; boat trips make the journey to explore the subterranean  passageways. During snowmelt in spring, 43,000 gallons of water per second shoot over the weir in front of the monastery, sending spray high into the air; several open-air restaurants linked by wooden bridges peer over the river from under colorful awnings.

Dingle Peninsula lie a group of abandoned sandstone islands rise out of the Atlantic Ocean. The Blasket Islands (Na Blascaodaí in Irish) have all been occupied at one point or another, but it was the tiny community on the largest island, The Great Blasket, that gained fame for its tradition of folklore and storytelling. 

At its peak, the island boasted 175 residents; by the time the Irish government decided the islands were too dangerous for habitation and ordered a mandatory evacuation, there were only 22 people remaining.

Visitors to The Great Blasket find the ruined remains left behind by the island’s former inhabitants. An 8-mile (13-kilometer) walking path takes visitors past some of the island’s most spectacular scenery — sea cliffs and white sand beaches — with the opportunity to spot shorebirds and a colony of seals who now call the islands home.

Known for the blue tiles that cover its roof, Seoul’s Blue House (Cheong Wa Dae or Cheongwadae) sits at the foot of Mount Bugaksan and is the official residence of South Korea’s president. The house was built in the traditional Korean architectural style within a Joseon Dynasty–era royal garden.

The Blue House is an ideal spot to appreciate traditional Korean architecture and learn about South Korea’s tumultuous history. Seoul sightseeing tours often stop by the Blue House, allowing you to see the structure from the outside. City tours typically visit the Blue House along with other local attractions such as Gyeonbokgung Palace, Jogyesa Temple, and the National Folk Museum. Small-group and private tour options are available, and it’s also possible to visit the Blue House independently on a hop-on, hop-off tour.

To see the interior, a formal application must be sent via mail or email at least three weeks in advance. If you gain permission, you can stroll through the gardens, visit the main building where the president lives and conducts business, and see the Main Office Hall (Bon-gwan), the State Reception House (Yeongbin-gwan), the Press Hall (Chunchu-gwan), and the Secretariat Buildings.

 

 

The Blue House is located in the Jongno-gu area of Seoul, adjacent to the Gyeongbokgung Palace grounds. It is accessible by guided tour, taxi, and public transportation. To get there on the subway, take Line 3 to Gyeongbokgung Station and leave via Exit 5. Then, head to Gwanghwamun Gate parking lot (east gate).

 

You can see the house’s exterior year-round. Guided tours of the grounds take place Tuesday through Friday and every second and fourth Saturday of the month. Visit at 10am on Saturdays to see the Military Honor Guard and Band perform outside the Blue House. The presidential residence is closed on Saturday, Monday, and national holidays. 

 

The Blue House was deliberately located at the foot of Mount Bukhansan. It is flanked by two other mountains—Naksan (symbolizing the azure dragon), and Inwangsan (symbolizing the white tiger). To the south is Namsan, said to be the capital’s protective mountain, while the Cheonggyecheon stream and Han River flow in front of the building.

To understand why Iceland's Blue Lagoon is so popular, just imagine bathing in steaming milky-blue waters, sipping a cocktail at a swim-up bar, and looking out over an otherworldly landscape of jagged peaks and black lava fields. This geothermal pool, the most visited of Iceland's many such oases, boasts mineral-rich waters, a luxurious spa, and a magnificent setting, all just minutes from Reykjavik.

A soak in the famous Blue Lagoon is a must for visitors to Reykjavik, and its close proximity to Keflavik International Airport makes it a perfect spot to relax and unwind pre- or post-flight. Booking ahead is required, and there are a number of options and extras to choose from, including towels, bathrobes, spa treatments, and special face masks. On-site facilities include a hotel, restaurant, cafe, bar, and spa shop. Tours make experiencing the lagoon complex a cinch, as most include hotel pickup and round-trip transport from Reykjavik, and some combine a Blue Lagoon visit with other activities such as a city sightseeing tour, a Golden Circle tour, or a whale-watching cruise.

The Blue Lagoon is 29 miles (47 kilometers) southwest of Reykjavik, along the Reykjanes Peninsula. It's about 50 minutes by road; the public bus takes a bit longer. Many visitors choose to visit en route to or from Keflavik Airport, 14 miles (23 kilometers) north of the Blue Lagoon, or a 20-minute drive.

The Blue Lagoon is open year-round, and the busiest times are from May to September. To avoid the biggest crowds and highest prices, visit outside the peak months of July and August. If you do go in summer, arrive in the early morning, late afternoon, or evening for a somewhat quieter experience.

The geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon are typically heated to between 98°F and 104°F (37°C and 40°C), and are famous for their high levels of silica, algae, and minerals, which make up the reason for the lagoon's cloudy blue appearance. The mineral-rich waters have long been reputed for their healing properties and are reported to help skin conditions including psoriasis and eczema. If you'd like to do more than soak, there is also a sauna, steam room, man-made waterfall, silica mud masks, and in-water massages.

Built in the early 18th century, this stately home is one of Britain’s grandest historical estates. It was gifted by Queen Anne to the Duke of Marlborough, General John Churchill, for his role in defeating the French at the 1704 Battle of Blenheim, and Britain’s beloved wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill was born here in 1874. 

Visitors can choose between two tickets: One provides access to the park and gardens only, while the other grants access to the park, gardens, and palace. The latter includes guided tours of the Palace State Rooms and access to the Untold Story interactive exhibit, which traces the palace’s long history. The Churchill Exhibition explores the life story of the former English prime minister through photographs, letters, and artifacts and is also included with palace admission.

Audio guides are available for a small extra fee, as are special seasonal tours. Visitors can explore the palace independently or go as part of day tours from London, Oxford, or Bournemouth. Day tours typically combine a visit to Blenheim Palace with trips to nearby Cotswolds villages, such as Bampton, Bibury, and Bourton-on-the-Water. 

Blenheim Palace is situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, about a 20-minute drive from Oxford city. To get here, ride the S3 bus from Oxford, or the Oxford Bus Company’s 500 service from Oxford Parkway. 

Blenheim Palace is open all year, and tours take place every day except Sunday, when visitors can explore independently and guides are stationed in most rooms to answer questions. Summer weekends are busiest, so come midweek or outside of peak summer season (June, July, and August) to avoid the crowds. 

While the palace itself is the main attraction, there is just as much to see in the surrounding gardens and park, portions of which were designed by the famous landscaper Lancelot “Capability” Brown. Ride a minitrain to the Pleasure Gardens, where you’ll find a butterfly house, an adventure playground, and the Marlborough Maze, comprised of thousands of yew hedges. Walking trails around the park lead to other sights, such as the Temple of Diana, where Winston Churchill proposed to his wife, and the Grand Cascade waterfall. 

Belize’s Blue Hole National Park (officially St Herman’s Blue Hole National Park) sits near the capital city of Belmopan and is home to two cave systems (Crystal and St. Herman’s), along with nature trails and the jungle pool that gives rise to the park’s official name.

The caves are the main attractions in the park, with the cave and hole connected by an underground stream. The Blue Hole pool was formed by an underground limestone cave that collapsed, creating the sapphire blue pool at the bottom of the cenote. Visitors also typically visit Crystal Cave, also called Mountain Cow Cave, which can be seen on a guided tours through the Mayan underworld known as Xibalba. 

The park has a series of small trails, many of which are good for birding, as the forest canopy is low-lying. Birds spotted in the region include jacamars, blue-crowned motmots, scarlet-rumped tanager, nightingale wren and the long-tailed hermit hummingbird. 

Things to Know Before You Go

• Come prepared with layers for Ireland's famously unpredictable weather.
• Prepare to wait in line if you’d like to kiss the stone.
• Stone kissing is best suited for those who are able-bodied, as the line winds up steep staircases to the castle’s top.

How to Get to Blarney Castle
Located only 6 miles (10 km) northwest of the city of Cork, the Blarney Castle and Gardens are easy to reach on a simple afternoon trip from the city. The castle is also often experienced as a stop on a trip from Dublin to Cork, or vice versa. Blarney is 385 miles (620 km) from Dublin.

When to Get There
The castle is open daily from 9am to sunset; as with most popular attractions, it’s best to get there early to beat the crowds. Although chilly, Christmas time is lovely at the castle, which is sumptuously decorated for the season.

Exploring Cork City
A Cork day trip often includes time in the city as well as a visit to Blarney Castle. Stroll down St. Patrick Street and stop for lunch at the English Market, which hosted a visit from Queen Elizabeth II of England in 2011, or do some tax-free souvenir shopping at Blarney Woollen Mill. The Irish countryside throughout County Cork is picturesque and makes for a lovely drive.

Often referred to as the “ship that never sailed,” Blackness Castle is a 15th century fortress sitting on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, not far from Edinburgh. With a long, narrow shape resembling a ship, the castle has been used as a residence, prison, artillery fortification and fortress over the centuries. Technological innovations were made in the 16th century and a cast iron pier with a gate and drawbridge was added in 1868. When the castle was restored between 1926 and 1935, most of the 19th century additions were removed and the medieval era features of the castle were restored.

Though most of the buildings are empty today, the castle is open to the public as a historic monument. An exhibition provides insight into the history of the castle, including information about the powerful Crichton family, for whom it was built. Visitors can also climb the towers or the curtain wall of the castle for sweeping views of the Firth of Forth; the best views are from the central tower. The castle has also been featured in the “Outlander” television series and is a stop on many “Outlander” themed tours.

Blackfriars Bridge is the busiest of the four bridges located in central London. It crosses the River Thames bringing both road and foot traffic from one side to the other. The bridge has been updated several times, but the current bridge is 923 feet long, 105 feet wide, and has five wrought iron arches. Stone carvings decorate the piers of the bridge. On the east side the carvings show marine life and seabirds, and on the west side the carvings depict freshwater birds. This reflects the tidal turning point in the river. Most river boat tours along the River Thames will sail underneath the Blackfriars Bridge along with Millennium Bridge, Southwark Bridge, and London Bridge.

In 1982 the bridge gained international notoriety when the body of Roberto Calvi, a former chairman of Italy's largest private bank, was found hanging from one of the arches of the bridge. Five bricks were attached to his body, and around $14,000 in three different currencies was found in his pockets. It was concluded that he was murdered by the mafia. 

A distinct Istanbul landmark, the world-famous Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii in Turkish) opened in 1616 and is renowned for its slender minarets and collection of domes. The Sultan Ahmet I conceived the structure as a project to rival the nearby Byzantine Hagia Sofia—formerly a church and now a museum—which stands opposite the mosque in the city's busiest square. The Blue Mosque was constructed over the site of an ancient hippodrome and Byzantine palace, and although much of the original complex was torn down in the 19th century, what remains today is one of the most beautiful mosques in Turkey.

The Blue Mosque can be visited on a small-group or private tour of the Sultanahmet neighborhood and is often paired with tours of Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sofia and the Hippodrome. Full-day options may cover the rest of Istanbul and also include a Bosphorous cruise, lunch or visits to sites such as the Grand Bazaar and the Yerebatan Sarayi (Basilica Cistern).

The Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra) is one of the most famous attractions on the beautiful island of Capri, located in Italy’s Bay of Naples. This unique sea cave gets its name from the bright blue light filtering through the water by way of an opening below sea level. To enter the cave, visitors board a small rowboat and duck as they enter through a low opening. Once inside the cave, you’ll marvel at the glowing turquoise light.

A visit to the Blue Grotto is a must for visitors on a day trip or shore excursion from the Amalfi Coast, Naples, or Sorrento. You can reach the cave by water or land, but to enter the cave, you must board an official rowboat. Due to the high number of visitors, wait times can stretch for hours, though passengers of private boat tours are often given precedence. Book your boat transfer to and from the Blue Grotto in advance to avoid long lines, or reserve a private tour with a boat ride around Capri and the Faraglioni rock formations.

You can reach the Blue Grotto by sea from the Marina Grande port or by land from the town of Anacapri.

The cave is most crowded in summer and during the midday hours, so plan to visit first thing in the morning to avoid a long wait to enter. Note that the Blue Grotto is open only when sea conditions permit, so when the waters are rough or there are high winds, the cave may close with no advance warning.

The Blue Grotto can only be visited by sea, but the island of Capri has a number of attractions on land, as well. Take an island tour of Villa San Michele, with its sweeping views over the Mediterranean, the lush Gardens of Augustus, and the 14th-century Charterhouse of San Giacomo.

Reflecting more than 700 years of Scottish history, the 13th century Blair Castle is a must see for anyone visiting Scotland. Spread out over 30 rooms, the castle’s collections provide a broad overview of Scottish life over the centuries. Displays include furniture, artwork, arms and armor, porcelain, embroidery, lace, relics and various family treasures.

Visitors touring the castle learn about the history of the building and its owners, the Dukes and Earls of Atholl. The Picture Staircase is home to the family portrait gallery, while the Tapestry Room features tapestries that once belonged to King Charles I. The 18th century Dining Room showcases local landscape scenes and ceiling plasterwork depicting the four seasons and the Ante Room commemorates the life of the 10th Duke, who gave the castle and grounds in trust to the nation of Scotland. The largest room in the castle, the Ballroom remains unchanged from when it was completed in 1876 and is still used for balls, wedding receptions and private dinners.

The castle grounds are well worth a stroll as well. Laid out in the 18th century, they include a walled garden, a wooded grove, and an adventure playground for children.

The Blue Hole—alternatively known as the Cool Blue Hole, Secret Falls, or Island Gully—is a natural limestone sinkhole near Ocho Rios. A deep cavern within the tropical mountains of Jamaica, the Blue Hole gets its name from the deep azure hue of the water. Travelers visit to swim, cliff dive, and make their way through the lush rain forest to Secret Falls.

The Blue Hole features majestic waterfalls pouring into it from the sides and thick rain forest vegetation growing around its rocky perimeter. Since it's not an official tourist board attraction, the site lacks the vendor kiosks and organized queues typical to other natural attractions such as the busy Dunn’s River Falls. As such, the Blue Hole feels like a hidden gem. For thrill seekers, its blue waters are an excellent place to go swimming, try cliff jumping, or use the rope swing.

A tour guide can provide advice on the safest places for jumping and swimming, as well provide intel on local flora and fauna. Most travelers arrive on a group tour or shore excursion from Negril, Ocho Rios, Falmouth, or Montego Bay. The Blue Hole is often a stop on tours that include river tubing on the nearby White River, a visit to Dunn’s River Falls, or shopping in Montego Bay.

 

The Blue Hole is located on Thatch Hill Road, deep in the forested hills of St. Ann Parish. It is a a 20-minute drive from downtown Ocho Rios. It can be difficult to find, so most travelers arrive as part of a guided tour.

The Blue Hole and Secret Falls are open from 7am to 5pm. A popular destination for those staying in Ocho Rios, it can get crowded, so the best time to arrive to beat the crowds is first thing in the morning. Jamaica's rainy season, in May, October, and November can make the rocks slick and difficult to climb. 

Many tours that stop at the Blue Hole often combine the excursion with tubing on the nearby White River. This lazy river tubing experience is a great alternative to the cliff-jumping and swimming in the waterfalls at the Blue Hole. Even small kids and non-swimmers can enjoy a float down a river through the tropical rain forest.

A bronze statue on a hilltop fronting the sea commemorates The Sandugo, a traditional tribal trust ceremony shared by regional chief Datu Skiatuna and Captain General Miguel López de Legazpi of Spain shortly after his arrival in Bohol in 1565. The symbolic gesture formed the foundation for lasting peace between the Spaniards and the Island residents.

The statue, near the site of the original ceremony, sits on small raised pedestal and depicts the two men seated in their period regalia and clanking glasses while three Spaniards look on approvingly. The blood compact required both men to create a small incision in their forearms, sprinkle blood in a glass of wine, exchange cups, and drink, thus solidifying the compact.

Taking place daily in the canals of Amsterdam, the Bloemenmarkt is the only floating flower market in the world. Dating back to 1862, traders once would sail directly in to sell their flowers. Today it consists of more than fifteen local florists as well as other small vendors. The boats lining the waterways have the scenic canal houses as a backdrop. Stretching over a block long, the floating barges carrying colorful flowers is a unique sight to behold.

Aside from its multi-colored visuals, the market is also incredibly fragrant. Vendors tend to sell flower bulbs for cultivation, though there are also freshly cut flowers and bouquets. The country’s famous tulips and geraniums are the most common flowers, but indoor plants and greenery are also for sale. Bulbs are a popular gift that can be taken home, and many other traditional Dutch souvenirs are also on display.

The market is mostly visited by locals, but is also a stop on many city tours of Amsterdam both on foot and via the canals.

The most famous of Malta’s cave complexes, the Blue Grotto is a series of nine caves whose rocky sides glow green, purple, and orange according to their mineral content. Surrounding the caves are some of the clearest, brightest cobalt-blue waters imaginable. The natural wonder got its name from British soldiers stationed in Malta in the 1950s who thought the caves were reminiscent of the Blue Grotto off the Italian island of Capri.

For a comprehensive experience of the Blue Grotto and the surrounding area, book a half-day tour that includes a stop at the Marsaxlokk Market, or a full-day tour around Malta that might include sights such as the Hagar Qim Temples. Most visits to the Blue Grotto depart from Valletta and last anywhere between four and nine hours. If not combining a trip to the caves with other Malta attractions, it’s possible to buy tickets for a 20- to 3-minute boat tour upon arrival at Wied Iz-Zurrieq, the harbor closest to the caves.

The Blue Grotto is on Malta’s south coast, just east of the fishing harbor of Wied Iz-Zurrieq, in the village of Qrendi. To get to Wied Iz-Zurrieq, take bus 201 from either Rabat or the airport; the ride takes about 30 minutes. Many Malta tours stop at the Blue Grotto, including a hop-on, hop-off bus.

The best time to visit the Blue Grotto is first thing on a sunny morning, when the sea is calm and the crowds have not arrived yet. Cave views are best between sunrise and 1pm, with several caverns mirroring the phosphorescent colors of underwater flora and others reflecting deep shades of blue.

The Blue Grotto is commonly visited as part of a full-day tour of Malta starting in the capital city of Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and European Capital of Culture. Whether touring with a guide or solo, be sure to visit the catacombs of St. Paul and St. Agatha in Rabat and check out the walled city of Mdina, as well as the charming fishing village of Marsaxlokk, with its popular market. Comino Island is a good stop for swimming and snorkeling in the blue lagoon, and the Dingli Cliffs—the highest point on the island—offer superb views.