Things to Do in Piedmont & Liguria

Samana Bay is the heart of the Samana region in the far northeast of the Dominica Republic. Along its shores, you’ll find the famed Los Haitises National Park, protected tropical forest where you can explore caverns adorned with native Taino petroglyphs, spectacular tree covered islets, and idyllic mangrove lagoons. The bay itself is also a popular attraction for divers and snorkelers, and during the winter months it becomes a gathering point for migrating humpback whales, which come here from cooler climes to mate and birth their calves. During this time, whale watching tours practically guarantee sightings of these massive marine mammals as the jump and play at the water’s surface.

San Anton Gardens are the most beautiful of the few public parks in Malta. They surround an ornate palazzo built by Grand Master of the Knights of St John, Antoine de Paule, as his summer residence in 1636 – it’s now the official residence of the Maltese President – and were bequeathed to the public in 1882.

A sweet-smelling citrus orchard lies at the heart of the walled gardens, a tranquil haven in the middle of busy Attard. They are landscaped in a formal Italianate fashion, dotted with elaborate follies, sculptures and fountains, dissected by shady paved walkways giving shelter from the mid-summer sun. Some of the trees here are more than 300 years old and the twisted trunks of ancient jacarandas, cypresses and Norfolk pines line the paths, palm trees soar upwards and flowerbeds blaze with color all year around.

A small aviary and a petting farm enchant children, while bubbling ponds are full of flashing koi and turtles; ducks, geese and peacocks wander the grounds at will and lizards dart through the undergrowth. The gardens are a summer venue for open-air theater, including a Shakespeare season every July, and host Malta’s biggest horticultural show in May.

There once was a time when Sale’aula was a thriving Samoan village, but all of that changed in 1905 when Mount Matavanu rumbled to life and covered the village in lava. While a couple of hardy families have built atop the hardened black rock, much of Sale’aula today is what lies in ruins, partially covered, unseen but not yet forgotten. A popular stop on Savai’i day tours, the Saleaula lava fields are most commonly known for the haunting church that rises up out of the lava—a building that somehow, despite the odds, continues to stand here today. Riddled by tree trunks and twisted old branches, the roofless church is close to the spot that’s known as the “Virgin’s Grave,” which locals believe was spared by the lava because of its sacred past.

Just inland from Willemstad’s city center, Punda, is a historical section of the city called Scharloo, which is included on the UNESCO World Heritage list, along with the Punda, Otrabanda and Pietermaai neighborhoods. Scharloo served and something of a colonial-era suburb, and today you can still stroll the streets to marvel at the abundance of beautifully restored mansions that sit within easy walking distance of what was the central business district of colonial Willemstad. Some of these restored homes have been converted to hotels and guesthouses.

Take a trip through Curacao’s history at the Savonet Museum, located within one of the island’s oldest plantations at the heart of Christoffel Park. The museum’s exhibits include depictions of local life starting from the original Arawak inhabitants who came to the island about 4,000 years ago, through the Dutch colonial era and modern day. Choose the audio tour to get in-depth details about life on the plantation, or ask for a guided tour from one of the museum’s docents. As you explore, you’ll see historical artifacts, documents, and pictures, and after you’ve looked around the museum, you can take a hike through the surrounding park to spot local wildlife like the Curacao white-tailed deer or the Palabrua, a native barn owl.