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Overview

Overview

Overview

With divine pasta and funny putti, the handsome Duomo and the dreamy young Lotharios leaning on Vespas, with leather workshops and nonnas doing the weekly shopping, Florence offers visitors an urban experience that is equally rich in historic romance and everyday modern life. Join the parade of visitors to worship in the galleries of the Uffizi or watch the parade from a café table beside a busy piazza, but head to this Renaissance stronghold and make your own history.

Temples are wonderful places for exploring. Whether they are ancient ruins or an active place of worship with vibrant colors and smells, you can’t go wrong visiting any of these temples.

With 350 miles of coastline and sunny skies all year round, Qatar is a fantastic destination for sun-worshipers. Visitors will find inlets, islands, mangroves, and powdery desert sand that rolls right into the sea. This country abounds with peaceful, easy-to-access beaches. Be aware, however, that Qatar is not a place for scanty bikinis. Modesty is appreciated, and you will be expected to respect the local traditions.

Australians didn’t invent drinking but they may have perfected it. The national love of a good drink meets the sunny climate and lively culture of Sydney and is elevated beyond a tin of Foster’s into something magical. We’re talking sunny warehouse spaces devoted to beer worship and harborside terraces serving experimental wines and sophisticated cocktail lounges full of enthusiastic patrons. Cheers, mate!

Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple is a popular landmark in Little India, where much of Singapore’s sizable Tamil Hindu community works and worships. Originally a simple building on a plot of land, the temple became something entirely different in the mid-1960s with the addition of an elaborate five-layer gopura, or gatehouse tower. Each stepped level of the tower’s roof is crowded with vividly painted statues of royalty, dancers, and deities, as well as candy-colored architectural elements, all of which creates a remarkable celebratory effect. The temple has been granted protected status as a national monument by the government.

Founded in 859 by the pious Tunisian entrepreneur Fatima al-Fihri, the Qarawiyin is the oldest continuously operating university in the world. Originally the course of study was entirely focused on the Koran (prospective students still need to have memorized the religious text in its entirety before applying), but over the centuries, music, medicine, and astronomy were added to the curriculum, as well as practices like Sufism. This multidisciplinary place of learning is thought to have become the blueprint for universities everywhere—and it’s still possible for young Muslims to earn a first-class honors degree here. The mosque, which also boasts an area for women’s worship, has space for 22,000 people, making it the biggest in Africa. Though non-Muslims can only glimpse the interior of the complex through various doorways, there have been recent reports that the library may open to the public at some point. (Also note there are several spellings for the university’s name: Kairaouine and Qarawiyyin seem to be the most frequently seen.)

This Cuzco corner presents a notable juxtaposition between ancient Incan and Spanish colonial architecture. Since the Incas worshipped their sun god, Inti, above all others, this temple in their imperial capital was the most important of the entire realm. It was here that they brought the idols of all peoples they assimilated, to offer them representation as they demanded allegiance in Cuzco. When the Spanish arrived, they tore down much of the temple and built a monastery on top of it. However, the walls that do remain provide stunning examples of pre-Hispanic engineering, particularly the rounded outer wall that can be seen from Avenida del Sol.

From the outside, with its whitewashed facade and louvered windows, this Anglican house of worship in the center of St. George’s is a postcard British-colonial church. Its founding dates back to the earliest months of English settlement on the island (the town of St. George’s was established by the Virginia Company in 1612), though the oldest surviving portions of the structure are from 1620. It also claims the distinction of being the oldest continuously active Protestant church in the Western Hemisphere. Inside the ancient cedar doors is an homage to Bermuda’s maritime roots: The ceiling, also carved of cedar, echoes the ribs of a ship’s hull. A portion of the cemetery designated for the burial of slaves prior to the abolition of slavery in the British Empire in 1833 is part of the island’s African Diaspora Heritage Trail.

The sweet smell of plumeria floats on gentle trade winds into each guest room at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. When entering the room, you may be surprised that floor-to-ceiling picture windows and a beautiful private lanai (patio) beckon you to step back outside—closer to the rhythmic surf and paradise in nature. In the hotel’s main building, each morning you can wake up to warm accent colors in your room that recall the previous evening’s sunset. Natural light fills the entire space and you can brew a lovely cup of Kona coffee before leaving your room to face the world. A 2009 remodel of the main building rooms along with a 2013 beachfront wing renovation enable guests to unwind in the comfort of updated interiors that still remain true to Laurance S. Rockefeller’s original vision.

On this episode of “View From Afar,” Anne Sayers, the Wisconsin Secretary of Tourism, talks about the state as a four-season destination—and the warm hospitality of Wisconsinites.

Suburban Chicago isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think of major religious centers. But Wilmette, a small town located less than 10 miles north of the Windy City, is home to the only Bahá’í House of Worship in North America. Dedicated in 1953, the temple—one of seven in the world—took more than three decades to build and features symbols from different world religions in its intricate design, signifying that everyone is welcome. An ornate dome crowns the nine-sided structure and symbolizes the unity of all people and religions under God. Visitors are welcome to explore the temple and surrounding geometric gardens. You can also call ahead to arrange a group tour.

Delhi is brimming with temples, but the unique architecture of the Baha’i House of Worship blossoms above the rest. The temple resembles a lotus flower with 27 marble petals that shelter a central hall that can accommodate 2,500 worshipers. Many believe the land surrounding the site has an increased energy that raises self-awareness and vibrational frequency. Though not scientifically proven, I did feel a shift after spending 15 minutes of silence in the hall. The temple receives an average of 10,000 visitors each day, so be prepared to share the sacred experience. Note: Closed on Mondays.