Things to Do in St John's

The Vienna Prater is both a huge outdoor area and an amusement park. Once the Emperor Maximilian II's hunting ground in the 16th century, in 1766 Emperor Joseph II declared it open parkland for everyone. Coffee-houses and cafes sprang up and nobody seemed worried that it continued to be used for hunting until 1920! It was also around the 18th century that the Wurstelprater began - an amusement park which continues to this day and includes the giant ferris wheel, the Riesenrad, one of Vienna's famous sights. There are also bumper cars, a roller-coaster, and carousels.

The Prater also houses a planetarium and the Prater Museum, a little disappointing as museums go although the antique slot machines are worthwhile.

Across the water from Reykjavik lies Videy Island. Once the main harbor until Reykjavik took over in 1943, the first settlement on the island dates from the 10th century. These days birds are the main inhabitants of the island with around 30 species coming to breed there. For humans, there is a restaurant, located in Videyjarstofa house, the first stone and cement building in Iceland, which dates from 1755. The island was once home to Augustine monks until 1539 when the reformation began in Iceland. There are also walking tracks and horse-riding.

Videy Island has another unusual function - it houses the Peace Tower memorial erected for John Lennon by Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon. First lit in 2007, the memorial is a huge laser which beams into the sky from the 9th of October (Lennon's birthday) until December 8th (the date of his assassination) each year. Iceland was chosen as the site due to its peaceful nature and cheap, natural electricity.

The heart of ancient Aix, the Vieil Aix, or Old Town, is marked out by the ruins of its medieval ramparts and remains one of the liveliest areas of Aix-en-Provence. Home to the city’s historic marketplace and sprinkled with grand buildings, there are plenty of things to do in the Vieil Aix. Stroll through the pedestrianized Cité Comtale, the former City of the Counts; admire the opulent 17th and 18th century mansions lining the Rue Gaston de Saporta, many of which have now been converted into luxury hotels; check out the striking 16th century Clock Tower and the Church of the Madeline; rummage through the Saturday flea market at Place de Verdun; or join the locals at the legendary food and flower markets that take over the neighborhood each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Don’t miss a visit to the exquisite Cathedrale Saint Sauveur, a masterpiece of design that blends elements from the 5th century through the 18th century, and houses the famous Burning Bush Triptych by Nicholas Froment. Next door, the equally impressive Archbishop’s Palace was the former residence of the archbishops of Aix-en-Provence and now houses the popular Tapestry Museum. Finally, catch your breath on the central Cours Mirabeau, a tree-lined avenue dotted with cafés and patisseries that runs between the boundaries of the old and new city.

Vieux Fort, as its name implies, was settled as a French fort, an installation which dates to the 17th century and can still be visited today. The town later came to prominence as the center of the agriculture industry and it remains a busy commercial center to this day.

The surrounding area is of more interest than the town itself. Start your explorations with stunning views at Saint Lucia’s southernmost point, where a lighthouse looks south towards Saint Vincent.

And on the Atlantic coast you’ll find the long Anse des Sables beach. Be prepared for bigger waves, stronger winds and fewer facilities than you’d experience in west coast resorts, but also far fewer people. The beach faces the Maria Islands, and there’s a meeting point at the southern end of the beach for expeditions to this protected off-shore habitat.

The Vidhana Soudha houses the legislature of the state of Karnataka and as the biggest legislative building in India. The locals are particularly proud of this important city landmark. This imposing building is made of granite in a neo-Dravidian style with a few Indo-Saracenic architectural elements thrown in, like its golden dome. Surrounded by gardens, it stands on a 60-acre site.

The construction of the Vidhana Soudha started in 1951 and was the ambition of the then Chief Minster Sri Hanumanthaiya who wanted the building to symbolize the people’s legislative sovereignty, like the House of Commons in London or the Capitol in Washington DC. Construction on the building started with the foundation stone being laid by the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1951 and was completed four years later.

On Sunday evenings and public holidays the building is lit up between 6pm and 8:30pm. Just south of the Vidhana Soudha is its replica, the Vikasa Soudha. This building was opened in 2005 to house additional legislative and ministerial offices of the Karnataka government.

Named after Queen Victoria in 1897, Victoria Glacier created the iconic Lake Louise over 10,000 years ago and continues to feed the lake with the glacial waters that gives it its famous emerald hue.