Things to Do in Anaheim & Buena Park

With its succulent meat markets, charming Old Town, and easygoing pace of life, Montevideo is one of the most underrated cities in South America. Far less crowded than Buenos Aires across the Rio de Plata, Montevideo has a leisurely vibe as relaxing as it is welcome. This isn't to say it's slow, however, as the bustle of people on the waterfront is one of the city's highlights. Officially, the Rambla de Montevideo stretches 13.5 miles along the city's waterfront. Here you'll find joggers, walkers, and skaters all enjoying the riverfront parks, or maybe children just flying a kite while their parents sip mate in the shade. It's the public gathering place to take in the sun or simply go for a stroll, and on the warmer days of summer and fall, is the place to pack a bikini or board shorts and spend a day on the beach. Given its length, the Rambla is broken into many zones for different parts of the city, and one of the most popular is Rambla Sur which runs the length of the Old Town. Head to the section by Playa Pocitos for the popular, wide sandy beach, and if you like to start your day with the sun, there's nothing better than a sunrise jog along the Uruguay coast. 

Founded in 1648, this Franciscan Convent features four cloisters and 11 rooms. The structure represents a range of architectural styles, from Romanesque to Neo-Gothic. Moreover, a visit to Recoleta Convent is an all-in-one pass to check out the collections of the Archaeological and Anthropological Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Religious Arts Museum. Along with religious works, visitors can explore pre-Columbian and Amazonian art, as well as paintings showing Cusco and Arequipa influence.

If you're interested in expanding your knowledge, the library houses more than 20,000 books, with the oldest volume dating back to 1494. Some points of interest in the convent include Porter Cloister, which features a brick vault, 17th-century furniture, a spacious courtyard and the Cloister of San Francisco, embodying a Franciscan atmosphere through its architecture. The Mission Senate stands as a tribute to Convent Arequipeño Franciscan missionaries, while Senate Alcantarino symbolizes reliquary convent architecture and features white roofs symbolizing the cradle of the Franciscan (Assisi).

Punta del Este is a sophisticated and fashionable beach resort reminiscent of the French Riviera. Impressive mansions line the coast and wealthy tourists come from all over South America to enjoy the beaches and nightlife.

How to Get to Punta del Este
Once your cruise ship docks, you will be taken ashore by tenders. The city center is about 10 blocks from the pier. Taxis may be hard to come by, so you may need to be prepared to walk into town if your ship doesn't offer transportation.

One Day in Punta del Este
Without a doubt, the main attraction in Punta del Este are the outstanding beaches. Mansa Beach, Brava Beach and Gorriti Island are some of the most popular and many visitors simply spend their time in Punta del Este enjoying the surf and sun. Brava Beach is ideal for surfing, while Gorriti Island is great for windsurfing and diving. Bikini Beach is the place to go if you're trying to spot a celebrity or two.

If you are looking for cultural attractions, start by visiting the Casa Pueblo, a museum-residence just outside of town that somewhat resembles a giant sculpture. Then head back into town to visit your pick of the Museo del Mar (Marine Museum), the Uriburu Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum Ralli, which also showcases contemporary Latin American art, or Maam, a museum featuring the private art and archaeology collection of Uruguayan artist Paez-Vilaro. You might also stop at the Candelaria Church, the most important Catholic church in the city.

Regardless of how you spend the earlier part of your day, don't forget to do a little shopping before you leave. The main shopping area centers around Avenida Gorlero, with shops specializing in leather goods and jewelry. If you are looking for art, pay a visit to the Plaza Artigas, where you will find a variety of arts and crafts, or head to La Barra to check out its galleries.

Port Information
The local currency is the Uruguayan peso. Credit cards are widely accepted, but ATM's may reject foreign cards. Spanish is the official language, but you may find a few English speakers within the city.

Part of the Smithsonian, this intimate museum is dedicated to crafts and decorative art created in America from the 19th to 21st centuries. Originally built in 1859 to house D.C.'s first art museum, the Corcoran Gallery - which soon outgrew these digs and moved down the street - this ornate Second Empire building had become a moldering, almost-lost cause by the mid-1960s, when it was saved from demolition by President Lyndon Johnson and declared a National Historic Landmark.

In 1972, the museum was spruced up, re-named for its famous architect, James Renwick (designer of the nearby Smithsonian Castle), and re-opened as the home of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's craft collection. The Renwick has since become renowned for its rotating exhibits of inventive, detailed and even whimsical works of American art.

Docent-led tours of the Renwick's highlights meet at the Information Desk in the lobby, offered
Monday - Friday at 12 p.m. and Saturday - Sunday at 1 p.m. Scavenger hunt materials for children are also available free of charge at the Information Desk. Set across the street from the Old Executive Office Building and the White House, the Renwick attracts a great deal of foot traffic; it's advisable to arrive early or late in order to have the most elbow room.

The wilds of Roatan are as diverse as they are romantic. From beautiful beach vistas to dense jungles teaming with macaws and monkeys, Roatan is indeed a special place. And while the time seems to just slip away on the white sand beaches, there's little more intoxicating than seeing the natural jungles that make Roatan the beautiful nature preserve it is.

The Roatan Butterfly Garden is this serene escape. Full of wildlife, the Roatan Butterfly Garden is home to boa constrictors, parrots, lush tropical plants and, of course, the beautiful butterfly. Let the tame deer lick your hand, feed some toucans, and have your guide show you around the grounds as you'll get an experience here like no other.

A rectangular eye at the center of the urban hurricane that is Sao Paulo, Praça da República might have seen better days, but the plaza still holds on to its importance as a focal point for cultural life in the city. Built in 1889 to commemorate a new era in the city's expansion and development, Praça da República served as the primary location for concerts, political protests, and other large gatherings. Perched within the otherwise tree-shaded plaza is the former Caetano de Campos School, now site of the Sao Paulo State Department of Education, a handsome structure of yellow brick that"”at over 120 years old"”contrasts greatly with the mid-20th century glass and steel towers fronting the park. Just across AvenidaIpiranga from the plaza is one of the city's oldest Modernist residential buildings, the Edifício Esther, inaugurated in 1938, and overlooking the park from the southwest corner is the nearly 500-foot-tall EdifícioItália, Sao Paulo's second-tallest building.

On weekends, the plaza hosts a large crafts fair and flea market, with over 600 vendors selling everything from colorful landscape paintings from Brazil's northeast to woodcarvings and other household knickknacks. Despite 24-hour police presence, the area can get sketchy after dark, when hustlers and the homeless make their way into the park.

Just as Dublin has Trinity, so Belfast has Queen's. It's the city's top university and a center of green and calm. Neo-Gothic and neo-Tudor buildings mingle with less majestic fare. Over 20,000 students attend, so if you come in term-time there's plenty of people-watching to be done as the campus goes about its business.

It was founded in 1849 and its main building was designed by Charles Lanyon. However, the main pleasure for the visitor is less its history and more just strolling around the grounds enjoying the tranquil enclave and the toney streets surrounding the campus. 

With its ring of canals extending over 62 miles (100 km) and featuring an incredible 1,500 bridges, it's no surprise that Amsterdam's canal ring has earned itself the nickname "˜the Venice of the North'. The 17th-century canals, including the most famous waterways of Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht and Jordaan, achieved UNESCO World Heritage status back in 2010, and remain key landmarks for visiting tourists.

The Prisengracht, or Prince's Canal, is the longest of Amsterdam's four main canals, measuring around two miles, and one of the liveliest in the city. Here, colorful houseboats float by the riverbanks and the surrounding streets are crammed with cafes, shopping boutiques and landmark buildings. Admire the famous Eenhoornsluis (Unicorn Lock) at the entrance to the Prisengracht, then Cross over the Papiermolensluis (Paper Mill Lock') to explore sights like the Anne Frank House; Amsterdam's tallest church, the Westerkerk (Western church); the 17th-century Noorderkerk (North Church) and the quirky Houseboat Museum. Stock up on goods at the nearby Noordermarkt flea market, snap a few photos of Amsterdam's narrowest house (measuring in at a tiny three feet wide), then stop for coffee at one of Amsterdam's longest established brown cafes, Cafe Papeneiland, dating back to 1642. If you get chance, sneak a look at the cafe's secret basement tunnel, built to aid fleeing Catholics in the 17th century and running all the way to the Posthorn Church.

The Rundetårn (or 'Round Tower' in English) is perhaps the best place in Copenhagen to enjoy panoramic views of the city's skyline with its fairytale old town and many spires. The observation deck is located 35 meters (115 feet) above street level, offering an expansive view of inner Copenhagen

The tower was built by King Christian IV, the famous architectural innovator of Denmark, to be an astronomical observatory. A wrought iron lattice runs along the edge of the platform, featuring Christian IV's monogram. The Rundetårn was mentioned in two Hans Christian Andersen fairytales and is commonly used as a metric to compare heights of buildings in Denmark.