Things to Do in Piedmont & Liguria

Paris has been around for millennia; but it wasn't until 1605, when King Henry IV built what was then-called Place Royale, that a public square was planned into the city's landscape. It's now known as the Place des Vosges, and to this day remains largely unchanged since its inauguration in 1612.

It's easy to call any public area in a major city an “oasis,” but Place des Vosges truly lives up to the description. It's in Le Marais, which is already a relatively quiet arrondissement; but once you step through the arches, the stately residences seem to absorb any city noise and the arcades that cover the sidewalks add to its hushed ambiance. It's a good place to go to take a load off after trekking around the city all day.

How to Get to Oranjestad 

One of the most striking of Paris’ public squares, Place Vendome's historic architecture meets luxury shopping in a large octagonal space located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. The majestic ensemble of early 18th-century buildings designed by architect Jules-Hardouin Mansart encircles the plaza. At its heart, the 43-meter Vendome Column towers overhead, topped with a regal statue of Napoleon perched on a white marble pedestal. The landmark statue was erected by Napolean himself, replacing the previous monument to King Louis XIV that had once dominated the square.

The plaza’s houses boast their own historic importance: Polish music composer Frédéric François Chopin died at No. 12 where a museum in his honor now resides; Italian Countess de Castiglione-Virginia Oldoini once inhabited one of the exquisite mansions nearby; and the world famous Ritz hotel, the brainchild of Cesar Ritz, opened its luxurious abodes at No.15 during the early years of the 20th century.

Today a cluster of luxurious hotels, including the Bristol and Park Hyatt, have joined the Ritz, lending the square an air of grandeur and the surrounding buildings dazzle with exclusive jewelry showrooms. Famed for its designer boutiques, car-free avenues and opulent window displays, the plaza’s atmospheric surrounds make it the perfect venue for a Parisian shopping spree.

If you like the idea of getting marooned for a day on an idyllic desert island in the Caribbean, join a boat trip to the Prickly Pear Cays. This pair of uninhabited islets sits six miles northwest of Anguilla, boasting exquisite white-sand beaches, and fringing reefs protected as one Anguilla’s marine protected areas. A day here can include snorkeling among the colorful corals and shipwrecks that are scattered around the cays. Then you can swim ashore to spend a lazy afternoon enjoying the sun and sand, along with a lunch of barbecue ribs and cold cocktails from the on-island restaurants.

Enormous and austere, Bogota’s broad, bricked central plaza was designed in 1553 to be the gathering place for tens of thousands at the hub of the federal government. Once known simply as the Plaza Mayor (Main Plaza) and serving as home to the city market, the plaza is a classic example of monumental Spanish civil engineering. Some of Bogota's most important edifices sit in the area: the soaring neoclassical national cathedral; the appropriately federalist capitol building; French neoclassical Edificio Liévano, seat of city government; and the ultra-modern stylized arches of the imposing Palace of Justice, most recently rebuilt after a 1985 terrorist attack.

If you’re looking for an off-the-beaten track beach on Curacao, but don’t want sacrifice on amenities, try Playa Lagun. This protected beach within a deep cove flanked on either side by sheer cliffs is near the northern end of the island, far enough from Willemstad that you can avoid the cruise crowds, and with a small beachfront restaurant that does double duty as a dive shop. Playa Lagun is also well known as one of the best spots for diving and snorkeling from the shore, and you can get scuba tanks or snorkel gear from the dive shop to explore the nearby reefs. And there are plenty of picnic tables where you can relax and have lunch after a morning of swimming, snorkeling and sunbathing.

Paris’ Arts Bridge, or Pont des Arts (sometimes known as the Passerelle des Arts), runs across the Seine River, linking the Cour Carrée (central square) of the Palais du Louvre on the North Bank with the landmark Institut de France on the South Bank.
The famous pedestrian bridge was first erected in 1802 under Napolean I, but today’s design dates back to 1984 when it was rebuilt following a series of boat collisions and collapses.

Designed by Louis Arretche, the metal arched bridge has not only become an important landmark of old age Paris, but a popular vantage point, affording spectacular views along the Seine. With its wide walkway and picnic benches, the bridge has long been used as more than just a crossing point – artists, photographers and painters flock to the area, and the bridge is regularly used for small-scale open-air art exhibitions. In summertime, the bridge is a popular picnic spot and whatever the weather, a nighttime stroll along the Pont des Arts offers up a dazzling panorama of Paris, framed by the magnificent façade of the neighboring Louvre.

A more recent tradition is the hanging of padlocks from the bridge’s metal fencing – a symbolic gesture carried out by couples who seal the padlock then throw the keys in the river. While the custom is hardly endorsed by the Parisian government, the bridge is nevertheless adorned with hundreds of lovingly clasped padlocks, many inscribed with the names of their one time owners, and many see it as a fitting tribute to the famous city of romance.