An explosion of colorful, engaging painting shows provide a welcome antidote to the short days and general lack of sunshine that can make winter in London a tad dreary. Here are six essential art exhibitions to visit over the next month.
08.01.2024 - 07:41 / lonelyplanet.com
Fittingly shaped like a tropical fish, St Kitts packs a lot to see and do in its lush and historical expanse.
One of the Caribbean’s best stone forts dominates the north, while a string of beaches dot the south. Distinct mountain ranges – and an extinct volcano – add texture.
Besides the fortress, the island’s other unique attraction is its former sugarcane railroad, now repurposed for sightseeing. St Kitts is a major cruise ship port, and there’s plenty to fit all budgets, from a free day on a beach to wandering the characterful streets of the main city, Basseterre.
Whether you’re just here for a day, on a visit from neighboring Nevis or settling in for a longer stay, you’ll find plenty of extraordinary things to do in St Kitts: here are the very best.
St Kitts is home to one of the best stone fortresses in the western hemisphere. The British laid the first huge, black volcanic stone in 1690.
Over the next centuries, the fortress was fought over by the Brits and the French, who occupied it from 1782 to 1794 after an intense siege.
Imagine invaders sailing your way as you revel in the views out to sea. Exhibits detail the harsh lives of soldiers stationed here, and the even harsher lives of the enslaved people forced to construct the 2m-thick (7ft) walls. If you only make one excursion to northern St Kitts, make it this UNESCO-recognized fort.
Cheerfully billing itself as the “last railway in the West Indies,” this rattling, narrow-gauge train offers a leisurely 29km (18 miles) tour around a northern portion of St Kitts.
Opened in 1926, the railway once fully circled the main part of the island and allowed intensive sugarcane production to continue until the last crop in 2005.
The trains have unusual double-deck cars with shaded, open-air top decks – an ideal perch for taking in the island’s natural beauty. The circular tours also include a 19km (12 miles) portion by bus that returns you to the terminal near the airport.
The Atlantic-facing beach on the isthmus southeast of Basseterre gets pounded by waves from the open ocean for much of the year. The breakers can offer thrilling swimming, although they also demand respect and caution. Offshore reefs moderate the action slightly, but still, this is the beach to come to for pounding surf.
Local tip: Head to the north end away from resorts and condos to escape the crowds.
Few tours circle the north of the island without a stop at Romney Manor, which offers an intriguing mix of old and new attractions. The historic part of this lushly landscaped site is the partial ruin of the Wingfield Estate sugar plantation.
Dating to the 17th century, the manor house and bell tower were the hubs of a large estate that grew rich off the forced labor of hundreds of enslaved
An explosion of colorful, engaging painting shows provide a welcome antidote to the short days and general lack of sunshine that can make winter in London a tad dreary. Here are six essential art exhibitions to visit over the next month.
In Canada, a visit to the beach doesn't just mean ice cream, basking in the sun and a bracing dip in the ocean.
Mark your calendars: On April 8, 2024, a rare total solar eclipse will cut a path across the continent beginning with Mexico, passing through the US, and exiting through Canada. The line of totality for this celestial phenomenon will cross through 13 US states with some areas seeing a maximum totality of over four minutes (including Bloomington, Indiana, and Mesquite, Texas). So, there are plenty of chances to observe the eclipse as it arches from Texas to Maine, hitting Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire on the way.
Can't decide between visiting dive sites and tropical beaches, hiking through mountains or exploring swish city centers? Deliberate no more – Malaysia has you covered with its amazing array of things to do.
Bern has been rated the most liveable city in Europe again, according to one expert ranking.
If you're ever wondering aloud where the hottest mid-winter celebrations take place, those in-the-know might quietly respond, “St. Barts.” The island's luxe air of mystery and remoteness are part of what makes it a seasonal staple for jet setters and superyachts as they follow the sun to the Caribbean in winter. The festivities rage on until the St. Barths Bucket Regatta in mid-March, but what most visitors don’t realize is that the island is practically a year-round one, since the only time hotels typically shut is at the height of hurricane season (late summer).
Global campaigner the Conservation Collective is making waves across the Mediterranean, helping visitors protect the region’s increasingly under-pressure ecosystems. Its Sicily Environment Fund supports local hiking company Astrid Natura and Collettivo Rewild Sicily to train more walking guides, who will focus on the benefits of rewilding. Walking tours with qualified naturalist guides can also be booked with federescursionismosicilia.it.
There’s something magical about a journey by train.
With a pedigree rooted in classical Greece and a fair claim to the mantle of France's second city, Marseille is an intense, high-octane place that never stops moving. In the last decade, this noisy, once-notoriously unglamorous port has morphed into a quietly cool influencer. With its eclectic choice of museums, churches and coastal parks in a sprawling metropolis famously stitched from 111 wildly diverse “villages,” Provence’s all-consuming capital deserves far more time than a quick weekend.
With Valentines Day just around the corner, rediscover romance with the finest wellness retreats to suit the preferences of any couple. Whether you’re an adventurous, outgoing fitness duo or partners looking for a more holistic experience, Health and Fitness Travel, the wellness holidays specialists has amassed a variety of wellbeing breaks to rekindle that deep, intimate connection with your significant other. From setting out together to discover the vast landscapes and rich culture of Qatar, to exhilarating fitness breaks in the UK, or whisking your partner away to Italy for a romantic and revitalising mindfulness retreat, there is truly something to suit every couple.
You can listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify each week. Follow this link if you're listening on Apple News.
Rather than a city with a single, unified style, London is a collection of distinct neighborhoods, each with their own unique character. One walk around the British capital and you’ll discover the distinction is marked by the architecture of each—from the pastel flat facades of Notting Hill to the stately, stark white townhouses of Kensington to the 19th century, industrial brick buildings of the South Bank.