Things to Do in Monterey & Carmel

Katong District is one of the more noticeable neighborhoods in Singapore, lined with 19th century villas and mansions belonging to some of the richest folks in the country. With many of its inhabitants coming from the Far East, the town is also known for its restaurants and cafes, which offer Peranakan cuisine as well as spicy local foods.

A taste of old Singapore, the history of Katong features the stories of businessmen from England, Portugal, China and France, who all made their wealth there. Because the town fell under the rule of British colonialism nearly 200 years ago, a lot of the structures that stand today were built using British architecture. Luckily, what does exist is in pristine conditions as Katong is known as one of the cleanest areas in Singapore.

As a known destination that is also conveniently located by the sea, there are a number of modern accommodations as well as lovely souvenir shops and shopping centers.

Kaunas, Lithuania's second biggest city, sits at the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris rivers. Formerly serving time as the country’s temporary capital when Vilnius was annexed to Poland in the early 20th century, Kaunas grew to become Lithuania’s industrial powerhouse.

Kaunas is also a cultural city and there are over 40 museums and an Old Town, whose buildings featuring Gothic, Renaissance, and baroque architecture. Most notable sights include the 14th century Kaunas Castle, Vytautas’ Church and Kaunas Cathedral Basilica - the largest Gothic building in Lithuania.

Kaunas center is defined by 2 pedestrian streets: tree-lined Liberty Avenue (Laisves aleja) and Vilnius Street, the latter leading to the Old Town.

Wawel Cathedral - or Katedra Wawelska - has witnessed most of the coronations, funerals and entombments of Poland's monarchs and strongmen over the centuries, and wandering around the grandiose funerary monuments and royal sarcophagi is like a fast-forward tour through Polish history. The cathedral is both an extraordinary artistic achievement and Poland's spiritual sanctuary. The building you see is the third church on this site, consecrated in 1364. The original cathedral was founded sometime after the turn of the first millennium by King Bolesław Chrobry and was replaced with a larger Romanesque construction around 1140. When it burned down in 1305, only the Crypt of St Leonard survived.

The present-day Katedra Wawelska is basically a Gothic structure but chapels in different styles were built around it later. Before you enter, note the massive iron door and, hanging on a chain to the left, huge prehistoric animal bones. They are believed to have magical powers; as long as they are here, the cathedral will remain too. Once inside, you'll get lost in a maze of sarcophagi, tombstones and altarpieces scattered throughout the nave, chancel and ambulatory. Among a score of chapels, a highlight is the Holy Cross Chapel (Kaplica Świętokrzyska) with its unique 15th-century Byzantine frescoes and the red marble sarcophagus (1492). The showpiece chapel, however, is the Sigismund Chapel (Kaplica Zygmuntowska) up the aisle and on the southern wall. It is often referred to as 'the most beautiful Renaissance chapel north of the Alps' and recognized by its gilded dome from the outside. Diagonally opposite is the Tomb of St Queen Hedwig (Sarkofag Św Królowej Jadwigi), a much beloved and humble 14th-century monarch whose unpretentious wooden coronation regalia are on display nearby. In the centre of the cathedral stands the flamboyant Baroque Shrine of St Stanislaus, the bishop of Kraków, who was canonized in 1253 and is now the patron saint of Poland. 

Kaymaklı is a city dug deep into the soft volcanic rock in the Cappadocia region. There are around 100 underground cities in the area although only a few are open to the public. Kaymaklı is the largest of them. It is estimated that around 3,500 people once lived here.
 
Built under a hill known as the Citadel of Kaymaklı, the city consists of 8 underground levels made up of low, narrow, sloping passageways. The city is arranged around the ventilation shafts which bring in air. Early inhabitants chose to live some of the time underground as protection against the heat and the marauding tribes who regularly passed through the region looking to attack and plunder.
 
The city was opened to visitors in 1964 although only 4 of the 8 levels are accessible. The first level was meant for stables, the second level had a church and some living areas, the third level was kitchens and storage. Current inhabitants of Kaymaklı still use parts of the undergound city for storage, stables and cellars.