The Church of Our Lady of the Pillar is near the River Ebro in the province of Zaragoza, west of Barcelona on the coast of Spain. It is reputed to be the first Church dedicated to Mary in history. The location is considered the birthplace of Christianity in Spain and has been the destination of pilgrims for hundreds of years.

The architecture is of baroque style, and the present building was predominantly built between 1681 and 1872. Zaragoza is some Islamic architectural influence which means there are more mosaics and more colors.

The statue and pillar have been preserved however for almost 2000 years. Numerous healings throughout the ages have been attributed to the Virgin by those visiting the site seeking her help.

According to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared miraculously to Saint James the Great in the 1st century, standing on a pillar.This legend is commemorated by a famous Catholic basilica called Nuestra Señora del Pilar (”Our Lady of the Pillar”). Her feast day is also celebrated every 12th of October.
For centuries, rivers of pilgrims have continued to visit the Shrine of Saragossa.

The Museum of Quai Branly is a hybrid museum mixing post-colonial and postmodern. The museum is an attempt to merge art and ethnography. It is neither the Louvre nor the Musée de l’Homme. Quai Branly plays a role in transmission not only of knowledge, but also of testimony and emotion, offering visitors a choice of possibilities for taking part in a dialogue of cultures.

The museum boasts with an unusual profile from Jean Nouvel’s sienna-toned cubes piercing the postured exterior to the anti-gravitational plant wall by Patrick Blanc,. Entering through a Jurassic garden, the visitor commences on a winding tour through Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.

Shows, music salons, master classes… the museum of Quai Branly is ready to transport you to all four corners of the world, from Morocco to Brazil, from India to Mexico, to discover other cultures and unique artists. As well as a school for documentary filmmaking in the tradition of the direct cinema of Jean Rouch, Richard Leacock and Fred Wiseman, Varan proposes an evening of screenings every three months at the museum.

The gallery installation (one critic dubbed the spotlit cases “monster lighting”) can be disorienting, swiftly shifting between tribes and continents with hidden text panels and interactive stations. That said, the 3,500 objects (out of a total 30,000) on permanent display are incredible. With a little perseverance, you might actually learn about them.

Getting there: The location of the museum Rue 37 Quai Branl 75007 Paris and there is easy access to the museum, by car/metro/bus. Entry to the museum is via rue de l’Université or via Quai Branly.

Suomenlinna or Viapori (Finnish), or Sveaborg (Swedish), is an inhabited sea fortress built on six islands, today within Helsinki, the capital of Finland. The Sea fortress Suomenlinna is a unique architectural monument, a popular recreation area and museum. Although the island is located off the coast of Helsinki, it is part of the city. The Fortress was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage in 1991!

Suomenlinna Sea Fortress was built over 250 years ago and once had a population of 4600, larger than the population of Helsinki at the time. The Swedish crown commenced the construction of the fortress in 1748 as protection against Russian expansionism. All the effort didn’t hinder the Russians taking over in 1808. Finally in 1918 the Fortress became Finnish. Nowadays it is a popular park with museums, interesting flora and beaches.

Today, the island is inhabited by 1000 residents and so you will see some kids biking around. There is a big Visitor Center, which has a 25 minute “multi-vision show” and computers about the fortress.

There are plenty of nice spots for a picnic and you can also swim and sunbathe in various locations on the island – be prepared to walk a bit though. The trip to the fortress in Suomenlinna could be carried out by using the inter-island connecting motor boat from the Port in Katajanokanlaituri.

Tycho Brahe Planetarium, is hard to miss. A statement to everything galactic, the Planetarium is where you go if you have an interest in space rocks, interstellar light beams and the planetary rings of Saturn. With one word Tycho Brahe Planetarium is Denmark’s most advanced centre for popularizing astronomy and space research and promoting knowledge on natural science.

All day round they present the spectacular IMAX films – the largest film format in the world and digital 3D films – that show you nature’s magnificence, whether they take you below the surface of the sea, out in space or into the jungle. The films are displayed on 1000 m2 dome-shaped screen which gives you the impression of being part of the on-screen action. Each film starts with a brief description of the actual night sky. Seated in the comfortable flight seats you can look forward to an hour with no time or space limitations.

The current stellar constellations are shown on the screen, which prove to be a good come down, as they also own a star projector that is able to project more than 4000 stars, complete with the different planets of our solar system.

In their permanent exhibition, The Active Universe, you’ll find the answers to some of the mysteries of space. Most of the shows are narrated in Danish. If you would like to hear the English narration, headphones are available e for DKK 20. If you are interested in our planet, in the universe or in the twinkling stars, the exhibition on natural science, astronomy and space travel is a must.

Just a few meters away from the famous Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao is located Gran Hotel Domine. It is a luxury five-star accommodation, comprises 145 rooms. Its designers are Javier Mariscal and Fernando Salas with their respective teams. The hotel was designed, in the same spirit as its neighbor – the Guggenheim Museum – one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. Amongst the dining options count the Buena Vista Terrace that offers a spectacular view over the museum from the hotel’s rooftop terrace.

A mixture of colorful gateway into Paris’ ancient and arty Marais, the Pompidou stands out among the crowd; Renzo Piano and Richer Rogers’ winning design exposes, literally, the guts of the museum cultural center for all to see. Lovingly referred to as “Beaubourg” by many Parisians and the “gerbil cage” or “cruise liner” by foreign visitors, the Pompidou testifies to France’s surprising sense of architectural adventure, and bien sûr the lasting personal marks of its presidents.

The museum’s collection contains over 50,000 works from across the 20th century—only a fraction of those are exhibited at the huge gallery. Start your journey with contemporary art on the fourth floor and work your way up—and back in time—through Ono, Klein, Calder, Dufy, and Picasso. Canonize your visit with a new classic: une coupe de champagne on the sixth floor terrace café, aptly dubbed, Georges.

Named after Aeolus, god of the winds, the Aeolian Islands are a volcanic archipelago not far from Sicily’s northern coast in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Also emerged as the Lipari Islands and Isole Eolie, the principal islands of the chain are Lipari, Salina, Filicudi, Alicudi, Stromboli, Panarea and Vulcano. Between them the islands boast beautiful scenery, great beaches, castles, thermal resorts, water sports, good fishing and, of course, some live volcanic activity. Photo by: adam butler photography

These beautiful islands are quite rugged, with deep caverns, extraordinary rock formations, steep cliffs and splendid views. The volcanoes of Stromboli erupt fairly frequently. Rossellini’s 1950 film, Stromboli, was inspired by this volcano, which still regularly sends molten lava down its scarred rocks. This however, hasn’t prevented these islands from becoming popular smart resorts for well-headed Italians, so expect crowds in summer. Photo by: adam butler photography

Lapri is perhaps the most fascinating of the islands from the historical point of view, with its citadel and archeological remains. It is from there, the most of the boat trips to the beaches and other islands start out. Buoyant pumice and smooth black obsidian litter the beaches, and Lapri is well-served by restaurants and cafes. Filicudi with its basalt shoreline, is much less developed as a tourist resort – the water is magnificently clear, you can hire a boat or scuba dive, and the beaches are often empty. Photo by: afewscoops

Panarea offers a lovely scene of rocky hills, ancient settlements, green slopes and pretty buildings characterized by columns and arches. There can be found the Hotel Raya, opened in the 1960s by artist Paolo Tilche, which has given Panarea the reputation as a party island. Photo by: adam butler photography

The garden islands of Salina offers tranquility, perfect if you are looking for a hideaway. It is one of the greenest of the islands, producing capers, delicious fish and octopus and a golden dessert wine, Malvasia. It was there, that the film Il Postino was shot in the 1990s. There is a museum in Lingua, an interesting church in the post town of Santa Marina and spectacular rock formations at Pollara. The stone beaches are clean and rarely crowded, and the views over other islands are breathtaking. Stomboli has become island of choice for a select fashionable crowd. The Volcano is still main attraction, and is best viewed from an evening boat trip from where you can see the fiery show. Volcano’s other great attraction is the open air pool of volcanic mud, which attract bathers looking for a cure for skin complaints and other ailments. Photo by: adam butler photography

When to go: May, June or September. Population: 13,431. How to get there: By boat, ferry or hydrofoil from Milazzo, Palermo or Naples. You should know: The archipelago is UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its geology and vulcanology. Photo by: Ithip.com Hotel Collection

The Smithsonian Museum in Washington is the largest museum in the world with a huge variety of exhibits. It hosts 19 museums and galleries such as the National Museum of American History, National museum of African art, National Zoological Park, Anacostia Community Museum and etc. The exhibits rang from insects and meteorites to locomotives and spacecraft. You can not see everything in one visit – the museum’ collections offer more than 137 million objects, works of art and 9 research centers with special programs. There truly is something for everyone.

The collections include 30 million insects carefully pinned into tiny boxes; 4½ million plants pressed onto sheets of paper in the Museum’s herbarium; 7 million fish in liquid-filled jars; and 2 million cultural artifacts, including 400,000 photographs housed in the National Anthropological Archives. The National Museum of Natural History is dedicated to inspiring curiosity, discovery, and learning about the natural world through its unparalleled research, collections, exhibitions, and education outreach programs.

Admission to all of the Smithsonian museums is free and they are open from 10:00am-5:30pm every day.

Andalucia Museum of Memory is located in Granada and is very good attempt of creating the interesting spatial experience through an elliptic central court which is designed to connect 3 levels spaces via the featured circular ramp. The architect of the museum is Alberto Campo Baeza, who said that ” The new building, silent in its forms, is resounding in its elements to communicate the messages of the new millennium in which we are already immersed.”

The museum transmits the entire history of Andalusia. As early as Roman times, Strabo described the inhabitants of Andalusia as “the most cultivated of the Iberians, who have laws in verse. Everything is arranged around a central courtyard, in elliptical form in which circular ramps rise, connecting the three levels and creating a very interesting spatial tension. The dimensions of the elliptical courtyard have been taken from the courtyard of the Palace of Charles the V in the Alhambra.

And to complete the entire operation, a large horizontal platform all the way to the River, the MA open FIELD that will serve as a public space in that new area of the city of Granada. The new building, silent in its forms, is resounding in its elements to communicate the messages of the new millennium in which we are already immersed.

Paula Rego Museum, is located just outside the Portuguese capital by the beaches of Cascais. The museum includes paintings and drawings by Portugal’s most acclaimed living artist. The museum is named after Paula Rego, who was born in Lisbon but has been living between Cascais and London since the 1970s. In the British capital she married artist Victor Willing and was appointed the first associate artist of England’s National Gallery. She’s also considered one of the best living painters in Britain, and her works can be seen in several museums around the world, from the British Museum in London to the MoMA in New York.

In Lisbon, you can see a couple of her art examples at the Berardo Museum and at the Modern Art Centre of the Gulbenkian Foundation, as well as in the Chiado Museum’s current exhibition “Modern Art in Portugal – From Amadeo to Paula Rego.” In the past, there have been retrospective exhibitions of her work in Madrid’s Reina Sofia Museum, Porto’s Serralves Museum, and at the Tate Britain.

Nowadays there is a permanent home for much of her art, with the upcoming museum housed in a brand-new building designed by the renowned architect Eduardo Souto Moura. It features two conical towers that bring to mind the famous gigantic chimneys of Sintra’s National Palace, while inside it will show a total of 121 works by the artist. The 750 square meters of space will also include an area for temporary exhibitions, a cafeteria, a bookshop, and an auditorium.

The Walt Disney Family Museum opens very soon in the Presidio in San Francisco. Only here and there veering into uncharted terrain, and children will quickly pass by many sections that will fascinate their elders, there are more than enough thrills for everyone. Who needs Fantasyland, Caribbean pirates, when the story being told touches the experience of anyone who had contact with the 20th century.

The museum will leads you through 19,000 square feet of galleries in this new museum complex, a $110 million transformation of an Army barracks and two neighboring buildings, devoted to telling the story of Disney’s life and work.

“The motivation behind the museum did not seem to promise much more excitement. As the decades passed since Disney’s death in 1966, his daughter Diane Disney Miller discovered that fewer and fewer children had any idea that her father was more than a corporate logo.”

Jars of paint used in Disney cartoons. The museum also includes materials and a two-story-high “multiplane” animation camera that was used to create three-dimensional effects for “Pinocchio” and “Fantasia.” A 114-seat theater at the museum will host concerts and screen Disney films.

At first, the museum (Page & Turnbull are the architects) seems to be precisely what it promises to be: a family institution designed to undo anything negative and celebrate the man. But secondly the family attic on display is resisted, and as overseen by the founding executive director, Richard Benefield, the Disney Museum is far from being an air-brushed portrait.

Photos by: Noah Berger

The Verla Groundwood and Board Mill is a well preserved 19th century mill village. Only a handful of such settlements survives to the present day. It’s now a museum and one of the sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Hugo Neuman founded the Verla Groundwood Mill in 1872, but was destroyed by fire in 1876. Wilhelm Dippell having died in 1906, Verla became a limited company called the Verla Groundwood and Board Mill.

Throughout its unbroken 81-year history Verla Mill produced about 150,000 tonnes of board.

The historical machines were preserved in their places, except for several pieces brought from other buildings.

From stylish hotels, retro-chic bars that resemble cold-war bomb shelters to boutiques that elevate kitschy East German goods to high design, Berlin is still divided. The city is a mixture of past and future. Take a stroll into the twisted backstreets and you might bump into building, a courtyard or a block that looks frozen in 1989. The art mile in the Mitte district, in drab contrast to the slick galleries and Ikea-fied apartments.

Berlin is extremely rich in music and art. The music, as eclectic as the beer selection, is played by a rotating cast of floppy-haired D.J.’s. For modern beats in a retro lounge, climb the rickety scaffolding to Klub der Republik, or K.D.R. , a grungy hangout in Prenzlauer Berg named after the Palace of the Republic, the dismantled East German parliament building.

Berlin has 170-plus museums, but only one examines how ordinary East Berliners lived under Communist rule — another example, perhaps, that reunification is a work in progress. The small, privately financed DDR Museum opened in 2006 and offers a playful trip behind the Iron Curtain with authentic artifacts and archival film.

Berlin was a huge city even when it was divided. To cover more ground, see old East Berlin behind the wheel of a Trabant, the plastic car that was a symbol, for better or worse, of the Communist regime. See also how the other side lived. While East Berliners were scouring markets for fresh fruits and vegetables, Iggy Pop and others were drinking absinthe and ordering entrecote at the Paris Bar , in the upscale Charlottenburg district of what was West Berlin.

The city has coolest night life. whether it’s the urban beach bars that seem to wash up wherever there’s open space or the perpetually long lines outside the Watergate Club. Vintage drink carts. For groovy East German goods at moderate prices, bring your tote bag to Arkonaplatz, a little park at the edge of Mitte that becomes a retro-trendy flea market on Sundays. Cute cafes ring the park. Bring your sunglasses.

Photos by: Denny Lee

There really is no way to describe the uniqueness of this island – very romantic and picturesque. Burano is a little, very pretty island, located about 30 minutes by ferry from Venice. It’s famous for its lace making and the colorful fishermen’s houses. No cars, just boats, clothes hanging out on lines from the windows…

It is very interesting to see the older women working on the lace and visiting the lace museum. There is very little business or shopping here, as it’s almost all residential. On the main street, you will find a shop filled with masks.

Near San Agustin one finds some of South America’s greatest, and most mysterious, archaeological sites. The remains of a mysterious civilisation are found there. There are eagles, snakes, men with clenched teeth and fists, monkeys, salamanders, women giving birth and men worshipping the sun.

The area is dotted with freestanding monumental statues carved of stone left behind by a mysterious pre-Colombian civilization.About 500 statues can be found spread out in groups in the region.

These beautiful sculptures, carved as far as 3000 BC at the Valley of the Statues. San Augustin is actually a collection of ceremonial and burial sites scattered over an area of 250 square miles.

These huge statues are characterized by their great design and dimensions, some measuring up to 5 meters. Most of the statues share a mixture of man and animal features.

There are various Asian and African influences in some of the sculptures – for example statues of Gorillas, statues showing African Elephant, statues wearing Indian head-pieces statues with clearly Asian eyes – which has led the academic community to believe that this culture was so advanced it had extensive contact with Africa and Asia.

Archeologists have uncovered a mere 10 percent of the statues and ruins, and it is theorized that huge mayan-like pyramids and other structures remain buried throughout the area. There is a small museum at the park headquarter and it provides information like literature and maps.