Things to Do in Noosa & Sunshine Coast

Designed by Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar in the mid-16th century and later extensively remodeled under Grand Master Manuel Pinto da Fonseca – who also commissioned the original warehouses that now form Valletta Waterfront – the Auberge de Castille has pride of place at Valletta’s highest spot and owns one of the most strikingly ornate Baroque façades in the city. It was built for the powerful Spanish and Portuguese members of the Knights of St John when they were constructing the fortified city of Valletta; it was customary to have separate lodging for each nationality within the order.

Following the enforced departure of the Knights of St John from Malta in 1798, the Auberge became headquarters to occupying French forces and then British troops. Symmetrical and well proportioned, the elegant façade was badly damaged during the bombing raids of WWII but has been beautifully restored; it now houses the offices of the Maltese Prime Minster, Joseph Muscat, and is beautifully floodlit at night.

Also known as Attendorn Dripstone Cave, Atta Cave is located in Attendorn, Germany, and is the country’s largest dripstone cave. Filled with stalagmites and stalactites that appear to be dripping from the ceiling, visitors can meander the cave’s 262-foot (80-meter) natural corridor below ground. It’s fun to think about what these otherworldly formations resemble: People, animals, castles and anything else your imagination can come up with.

You’ll be immersed in a bizarre yet beautiful world of stalagmite and stalactite striped curtains, pillars and forest, with the highlight being the otherworldly Kristallpalast (crystal palace) chamber. The startlingly beautiful natural attraction is thought to be over 400 million years old, formed when impure carbon dioxide-rich waters covered the water-soluble rocks. Interestingly, Atta Cave is thought by some to have therapeutic properties for certain ailments like asthma, bronchitis and insomnia.

At over 400 sq km (154 sq mi) and dense with pine, spruce and deciduous trees, Aukstaitija National Park is a real breath of fresh air.

The park’s forests attract deer, elk and wild boar but its biggest appeal, is its large number of lakes and rivers that make up 30% of the park’s total area. There are 30 rivers and 126 lakes in total and it is possible to explore many of them by boat or kayak. One of the prettiest lakes is Lake Baluosas, which has seven islands, one of which has a lake of its own.

There are over one hundred villages within the park, six of them protected as architectural monuments. Sights of interest within the villages include, the 19th century Ginuciai watermill, the bizarre Beekeeping Museum in Stripeikiai and an old wooden church (1750) and bell tower at Paluse.

AT 175m (574ft) the Ladakalnis peak offers breathtaking panoramic views of the forests and lakes below.

This alien-looking and vast silvery sculpture near the Bruparck was created in 1958 for the Expo 58 and represents a iron molecule magnified 165 billion times. A mesh of nine corridors leading to nine giant spheres, it was destined to be demolished after the exhibition but proved such a hit with the Bruxellois that it was reprieved and has become a national icon.

Reaching up to 335 feet (102 m) the Atomium underwent a much-needed and rigorous facelift in the early 2000s; the spheres were originally made of an aluminum skin but this has been replaced by stainless steel. An elevator shoots up the central column to the five spheres that are currently open to the public; three provide a permanent record of Expo 58 and two host temporary interactive art and science displays.

The highest sphere stands at 300 feet (92 m) above the ground and now has a glass roof, allowing 360° views across the Heysel Plain towards Brussels; on a clear day Antwerp’s cathedral spire can be spotted on the horizon. This level is also home to Atomium Restaurant, which serves brasserie-style dishes with the finest views in Belgium. At night all nine orbs are illuminated with nearly 3,000 twinkling lights.

Nestled in the hills above Aix-en-Provence, the Atlelier Cézanne, or the Cézanne Studio, is a museum devoted to the life and works of its namesake. The studio, the upper floor of a Provençal country house, was commissioned by the artist in 1902 and remained his place of work until his death in 1906, a tranquil retreat with a blooming garden and expansive views over the surrounding countryside.

Since opening its doors in 1954, the museum has set to preserve the studio as left by Cézanne, with many of the artist’s personal effects and inspirational objects laid out around the room. Cézanne’s easel and paints lie in the spot where masterpieces like Les Grandes Baigneuses (The Large Bathers) and La Femme à la Cafétière (The Woman with the Coffee Pot) were created; elsewhere, vases, scarves and fruits are laid out into carefully construed still art creations. Fans will recognize many of the seemingly mundane objects, like the skulls from Cézanne’s iconic 1901 painting, Pyramid of Skulls, or the coffee pot that inspired La Femme à la Cafétière.

While art lovers may bemoan the lack of actual artwork on display at the studio, the museum’s allure lies in its simplicity – an evocative space that feels as though the artist himself could return at any moment. The effect is further dramatized by the use of the space for video screenings, most notably the atmospheric films shown in the garden during summer evenings.