Things to Do in St John's

Maiden’s Tower, or Kiz Kulesi, is an ancient site in Istanbul located on a tiny islet in the Bosphorus Strait that has a history of both practicality and folklore. The origins of the tower aren’t completely known, leading to legends such as one attesting that it was built to lock away a princess after it was prophesized she would die from a snake bite on her 18th birthday – hence the name Maiden’s Tower.

The origin of Maiden’s Tower is believed to date back over 2,000 years, though the tower itself has changed over the centuries. Originally built of stone, a wooden tower was added in the 12th century after the Ottoman Turks conquered the area. This led to the tower’s downfall when a fire ravaged it in the 1700s. The tower was rebuilt in stone and in the 1800s a light was also added to the top. During this time, Maiden’s Tower also switched from being used as a defense tower to being intermittently used as a lighthouse and as a quarantine facility for those affected with cholera.

Today, Maiden’s Tower is home to an upscale restaurant and bar. The bar is located on the top floor and has a romantic vibe with an outdoor balcony you can enjoy your drink on.

The Magic Water Circuit, located within the Parque de la Reserva, provides a fun and family-friendly option for those looking for something inexpensive to do in Lima. The municipal project—a series of 12 fountains choreographed to music and lights—was inaugurated in 2007 and has since become a favorite attraction in the capital city among locals and visitors alike.

While the fountains are open Wednesday through Sunday, beginning in the late afternoon, they’re undeniably most impressive at night, when the lights and laser effects are most visible. Each of the fountains has a different theme, and some are interactive (you’ll get wet), making them a huge hit with kids. The Maze of the Dream (Laberinto del Ensueño) is a major highlight of the Magic Water Circuit and challenges visitors to find their way to an inner circle through a maze made from vertical walls of water. After dark, the Fantasia Fountain (Fuente de la Fantasía) entertains with a choreographed show.

Dating back to 1785, Mahalakshmi Temple is among Mumbai's most popular Hindu places of worship, attracting pilgrims from around the world. While it's at its busiest during the annual nine-day celebration Navratri, dedicated to the goddess, a visit any time of year will give you a good introduction to Hindu beliefs and prayer.

 

Sometimes combined with a trip to the nearby Haji Ali Shrine, the Mahalakshmi Temple attracts more devotees than tourists, and people often come here to give offerings to the goddess in the form of jewelry, coconuts, and flowers. Inside the temple sit three idols to the Tridevi (triple goddess) in the forms of Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth), Kali (the goddess of destruction), and Saraswati (the goddess of music and education).

 

 

The Mahalakshmi Temple is located in the southern part of Mumbai, right on the coast and about a 10-minute drive or half-hour walk north of the Hanging Garden. The nearest railway station is Mumbai Central, a 20-minute walk or 10-minute taxi or auto-rickshaw ride inland. The train journey from Mumbai Central to the Churchgate station (near the Oval Maidan and Bombay High Court) takes about 10 minutes.

 

This temple is open early in the morning, just before sunrise, until well after dark. If you visit during the annual Navratri Festival, which is usually in September or October and honors the goddess Durga, be prepared for huge crowds (upwards of 100,000). If weather is your biggest concern, visit between December and February, when temperatures are mild by local standards. Mumbai is best avoided during the monsoon season (June through August).

Legend has it that the temple was constructed when a British engineer who was struggling to complete a seawall had a prophetic dream in which the goddess Mahalakshmi told him the whereabouts of a sacred idol and instructed him to build a temple in her honor. He did as instructed, and the seawall was finally built successfully.

Maienfeld is the picturesque town, in which the best-selling Heidi story by Johanna Spyri takes place. The famous novel tells of the life and adventures of a cheerful young girl growing up in the alps in her grandfather’s, the Alm-Uncle’s, care. The town of Maienfeld, which can be found in the canton of Graubünden in eastern Switzerland, embodies this image of a romantic and nature-oriented Switzerland and transports visitors back in time. Experience an emotional journey to the Swiss mountain world of the 19th century and visit the Heidi Village and Trail detailed in Spyri’s novels. The venue makes history come alive and displays everything from the goat barn, to Heidi’s house as well as a museum dedicated to the author and shows nothing but pure dedication to the story that has inspired children around the world.

Heidi made the little town famous, but Maienfeld would have probably done just fine without her too. The village has become well known for producing the Maienfelder Beerliwein, a fruity red wine, in the vineyards surrounding the village. The excellent quality of the wine is based not only on the favorable climate, warm winds and a lot of sun, but also on the quality conscious work of the vintners. In the midst of these wineyards lies Salenegg Castle, a feudal mansion dating back to the year 950. The big estate has been producing wine since 1068, making it the oldest winery in all of Europe. 

Magere Brug is a bridge in Amsterdam that crosses the Amstel River. Its name translates as “skinny bridge” and comes from the original bridge that was so skinny, it was difficult for two people to pass each other while walking across it at the same time. Legend also has it that the bridge was built by the Mager sisters to make it easier to visit each other since they lived on opposite sides of the river. Though it is still called the Skinny Bridge, today it is no longer so skinny. The bridge was replaced with a wider one in 1871, and now pedestrians and bicycles can cross with greater ease. 

The bridge is a wooden drawbridge that is raised frequently throughout the day to allow boats to pass through. At night it is lit up by over 1,000 light bulbs. Day or night, the Skinny Bridge is a charming place to visit and enjoy views of the river and the city. 

The Maiden Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, is located inside the walled-city of Baku and known by locals as Giz Galasi. Built in the 12th century, this iconic structure, which rises up into the otherwise empty skyline, is one of the city’s most 

distinctive buildings. 

Travelers who head to the Maiden Tower can visit the museum that’s housed inside and learn about the walled city’s history, culture and revolution. Ambitious adventurers can climb the stairs to the top of the tower where they’ll be met with incredible views of the Caspian Sea and the surrounding city.

The Mafra National Palace, which once served as a Franciscan monastery, was one of the largest buildings in Europe when it was built in the 18th century. In 1717, King João V built the palace to celebrate the birth of his daughter. Its Baroque and neoclassical architecture draws from both German and Italian influences. The massive complex in total covers nearly 38,000 square meters, with around 1,200 rooms. The facade of the palace alone is 220 meters long. Visitors will find the structure divided into four areas today: the palace, the convent, the basilica, and the library.  

The marble and dark wooded library holds a collection of over 35,000 leather-bound books from the 14th to the 19th century. The basilica is another marvel, with eleven chapels, six organs, and one of the largest domes in the world. The Royal Apartments are divided into king and queen’s chambers, each with rooms ornately decorated with period furniture and artwork. At the edge of it all lies dense forest that once served as royal hunting grounds.

Situated to the west of Bangkok in Samut Songkhram, the Maeklong Railway Market is one of the most unusual markets in Thailand. At first glance it almost seems like any other local market, with vendors selling fresh vegetables, colorful fruit, and other foodstuff from tiny shops lining a narrow lane.

However, all is not quite as it seems at the Maeklong Railway Market. At regular intervals throughout the day, a loud train siren will sound and in a matter of moments, the shop owners will scoop up any stray produce, use long poles to hold up their awnings, and casually make way for the huge passenger train that chugs directly through the market!

Once the train has disappeared, the vendors will place their awnings back into position and the market will continue as usual. This occurs at the Maeklong Railway Market up to eight times a day, each and every day.

Madurodam, a mini-Holland on a 1:25 scale, lets you tour the entirety of the Netherlands in an hour. One of Holland’s most popular attractions since its development in the Hague in 1952, it highlights the epitomes of Dutch culture in scale-model replicas of perfectly ornamented bridges, canals, windmills, and major national landmarks.

 

This miniature park allows you to discover the Madurodamers working, relaxing, watching a football match, and just going about their lives. Check out Madurodam’s fully functionally harbor, trains, and airport. The model city even has carefully manicured gardens made with real flowers and plants at a quarter of real size. All of the important Dutch cities—including Rotterdam, the Hague (with its International Court of Justice), Delft, and Amsterdam (including the Peace Palace)—are rendered in accurate lifelike representations.

 

You can purchase tickets at the park or in advance. You can also make your way to the miniature town as part of a guided tour; popular options combine a visit to Madurodam with city sightseeing tours of Delft and the Hague.

 

 

Madurodam is located within the Hague (between Central Hague and Scheveningen). You can access the park easily by car; there is a small parking fee. Trains are available from within the Hague; use tram 9 or bus 22.

 

Madurodam is open every day of the year. Hours vary seasonally: Typical spring and summer hours are from 9am to 8pm; fall and winter hours are 11am to 5pm. Check the park’s website for exact times.

 

Madurodam is a natural fit for a family-friendly day trip. Kids of all ages will enjoy the variety of hands-on activities, including managing a miniature Dutch port, discovering Dutch cheese, generating wind energy, and playing with water. A fully equipped playground helps kids burn off excess energy.

Often called the Bordeaux of South America, Maipo Valley is home to a number of Chile’s most beloved wine producers. In the 1800s, wealthy travelers headed off to France and returned with international vines that they planted in Chile’s mineral rich soil. Today, these Maipo estates are among the nation’s top vineyards and an ideal place for travelers looking to sample the nation’s favorite reds and whites. 

Wines with acidic sweetness and true balance can be found in Alto Maipo, near the eastern edge of the Andes. The area, which is home to Pirque and Puento Alto, is among Maipo Valley’s top destinations for fruit-forward vintages. Crisp whites and bold Cabernet Sauvignons come from Maipo Bajo, near the town of Talagante. Wine-loving travelers will also find Merlot, Chardonnay and Carmenere varieties on a tour through what is, without a doubt, one of Chile’s most iconic wine regions.

Scenic Mag-Aso Falls in Antequera is tucked into a hilly jungle forest of giant tropical ferns and towering trees. There, a meandering stream rains down a 25-foot drop over boulders and pours into a compact sea green pool. Adventurous swimmers can ply the water around the fall’s base, though must be careful of the pool’s outlet, which continues on over rocky boulders.

The water that feeds the falls fills a man-made pool on a ridge; there’s also limited overnight accommodation in rustic cottages nearby. The falls are located below at the base of the ridge and accessed via a flight of concrete steps with a metal handrail. On the approach, there is an overlook and popular photo stop before continuing on along the stream to the falls.

Several natural caves and groundwater spring attractions are also within a few kilometers of Antequera in the vicinity of the falls. Removed from the usual tourist route—which runs from Tagbilaran to Loboc and on to the Chocolate Hills—you may need to hire a taxi or request a tour stop at the falls.

Bursting at the seams with produce, nuts, seeds, spices, wines, meats and cheeses, baked goods, fish, housewares and clothing, Mahane Yehuda Market, informally called The Shuk, teems with locals and tourists who come for a bargain or simply to take in the frenetic atmosphere.

The history of the market dates back to the Ottoman Period, when locals began selling produce there in the early 20th century. It soon expanded into an organized market thanks to its convenient, centralized location. The local government attempted to add much-needed infrastructure — proper sewage, running water and garbage disposal to start — to the market during the British Mandate period, but it wasn’t until the 1930s that conditions began to improve.

Hungry travelers will find plenty of street food stands in and around the Mahane Yehuda Market, including some of Jerusalem’s best burekas. The market also offers a Shuk Bites card, which includes a self-guided tour map of the market and vouchers for a variety of market products.

The Maisel Synagogue was built in 1592 in the heart of Prague’s Jewish Ghetto. It was funded by Mordecai Maisel, the Mayor of Jewish Prague, and its original design was Renaissance in appearance; the synagogue burnt down during a ghetto fire in 1689 and was rebuilt in its current, spindly Neo-Gothic form by architect Alfred Grotte (who died in Terezin in 1944) between 1893 and 1905.

During World War II, the Maisel became the storehouse for thousands of priceless artworks stolen from synagogues across former Czechoslovakia — most were restored to their rightful owners in the 1960s. Today the synagogue is administered by the Jewish Museum in Prague (Židovské museum v Praze), which also overseas the Pinkas, Spanish and Klausen synagogues, the Old Jewish Cemetery and several other sites of importance to Prague’s Jewish community. It can be visited on many walking tours of Jewish Prague and one admission ticket covers entrance to all.

The elaborately carved, vaulted interior of the synagogue doubles as a museum by day and a music venue by night; the permanent exhibition showcases the history of Jews in Bohemia between the 10th and 18th centuries, which is illustrated by displays of Torahs and menorahs, Hebrew manuscripts and models of the Jewish Ghetto, complemented by touch-screen panels providing historic context and a fascinating computer-generated audio-visual tour of Jewish Prague in the early 19th century. At night the synagogue becomes a popular location for concerts and plays.

During World War II, Terezín was the largest of the concentration camps constructed by the Nazis to imprison Europe’s Jews; while not an extermination camp in itself, more than 30,000 prisoners died here due to the appalling, disease ridden and cramped conditions, while 80,000 more were shipped to the death camps in eastern Europe such as Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen.

The Magdeburg Barracks were originally constructed in 1780 in Baroque-style and formed part of a military fortress commissioned by Habsburg Emperor Franz Josef II to protect the Austro-Hungarian Empire from invasion by Prussia. During WWII they became part of the Terezín complex, housing countless Jewish families in primitive, freezing conditions in ramshackle, ghetto-like dormitories.

Thanks to the Soviet Army, liberation finally came to the Magdeburg Barracks in May 1945; ironically Terezín ended up as the prison and execution site for many Nazi war criminals. Today the barracks are a place of reconciliation and hope, restored and reopened in 1997 as a conference center run by the Holocaust Education Trust; also displayed are the replica prison dormitories and heart-wrenching exhibitions showcasing the art, literature and music produced by Jewish inmates during the Holocaust.

With two levels of more than 400 wax statues of historic figures, the Madrid Wax Museum is an excellent introduction to periods of history and those who impacted the world at that time. An incredible range of wax figures from all eras is on display, from Napoleon, Cleopatra and Christopher Columbus to modern day celebrities like Brad Pitt and Antonio Banderas. The museum is constantly updated with figures of the world old and new.

In other rooms, a collection of Spanish monarchs and Catholic leaders brings history to life. There is a section dedicated to children’s figures such as Snow White, the Simpsons, and Harry Potter. Those interested in a scarier experience will appreciate the ‘Terror Train’ journey through a dungeon of figures such as Dracula and Freddy Kruger. Beyond the wax figures, there is even a Simulator ride that takes visitors on a journey through modern space, and a telling of the History of Spain by an animatronic Emperor Charles I.

Maipú is a small city in the Mendoza province of Argentina, with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. It is located about 10 kilometers from the city of Mendoza. Maipú is one of the most important wine-growing regions in Argentina, and produces up to 2/3 of the country’s wine. It is located on the eastern side of the Andes, and specifically, in the shadow of Mount Aconcagua, which is the tallest mountain on the continent, at over 22,000 feet. Mendoza has wineries at altitude of between 2,000 and 4,000 feet above sea level, assuring the warm daytime temperatures and cool nighttime temperatures essential to wine production.

Maipú represents the greatest concentration of wineries is in Argentina, with more than 150 wineries, nearly 30 of which accept visitors.  It is also where the oldest winemakers in the region, such as Trapiche, which dates back to 1883, are located. 

The area around Maipú is warm and dry, and is of great historical importance, having been named for a famous battle with Chile. It is also home to a museum to wine and the wine harvest, called the Museo Nacional del Vino y la Vendimia.

Located southwest of Mandalay Hill in Myanmar, the Mahamuni Pagoda (also called the Mahamuni Buddha Temple) honors the Mahamuni (Great Sage) expression of the Buddha. The temple, arguably the most important to the residents of Mandalay, was built to house a 12-foot (3.8-meter) tall statue of the Buddha that was already ancient when King Bodawpaya conquered Arakan and claimed it in 1784.

According to local legend, the statue was cast while the Buddha was still alive, but it was more likely cast some six centuries after his death, somewhere around 150 AD. No matter its origins, the statue is highly venerated by devotees — evidenced by the inches thick layer of pure gold leaf that has been added to the metal statue over the centuries.

The pagoda courtyard houses six more statues, Khmer bronze pieces of lions, elephants and warriors, that were taken as war loot from Angkor Wat during the fifteenth century. It is believed that rubbing these statues imparts healing.

Located in Central Java about 29 miles (47 km) north of Yogyakarta, the town of Magelang is the closest major town to the UNESCO-listed ancient Buddhist temples of Borobudur. Due to its proximity to the temple, many visitors stop for a night or two in the town to catch the sunrise at Borobudur 7 miles (12 km) away.

Apart from the famous temple, Magelang also serves as a convenient base for explorations of Mount Merapi National Park, home of one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes as well as the beautiful Kedung Kayang Waterfall, and Ketep Pass, where travelers find spectacular views of both Mount Merapi and Mount Merbabu.

Back in town, Magelang is most famous for getuk, a sweet local specialty made with cassava, sugar and grated coconut.