Five Museums You Won't Want to Miss

By Danielle Contray
October 17, 2012
GelatoinFlorence
Courtesy <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28791201@N03/7997615933/">Nalawriting/flickr</a>

Museums aren't always just about the art. Case in point: the new museum that just opened in Italy devoted to all things gelato. We found five museums in the works around the world that hold artifacts from musical groups and historic battles. And ok, yes, there is one art museum in there as well.

Carpigiani Gelato Museum
Anzola Emilia, Bologna, Italy
Eating is probably the number one tourist activity in Italy. And rightfully so. The new Gelato Museum was created by a gelato machine company and looks at the history of the frozen treat (it's said to date back to the 1530s). The museum is free to visit, but reservations are required. Alas, no free tastings are offered, but there is a gelato shop on site serving gelato based on recipes that are more than 200 years old. 

Jorge M. Pérez Art Museum
Miami, Florida
Set to open next year with a focus on Caribbean and Latin American art, this new museum in Miami will be housed in a 200,000 square-foot building designed by Herzog & de Meuron. Outside will be sculptures and gardens, plus views of Biscayne Bay. The museum will anchor a 29-acre museum complex that will include a science museum, set to open in 2014.

Seminary Ridge Museum
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Next year marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, and this new museum will open on July 1, 2013 as part of the commemoration events. Located in a grand brick building that served as a field hospital during the war, the 20,000-square-foot museum will be filled with exhibits on the soldiers and nurses and artifacts like letters, medicine containers, and even bullets. There will also be walking trails around the museum with historical markers.

ABBA Museum
Stockholm, Sweden
The quintessential 70s group is a national treasure in Sweden, and a museum devoted to the quartet will be part of the Swedish Music Hall of Fame when it opens next spring in Stockholm. Look for elaborate costumes, lyric sheets, and videos about the group.

M/S Maritime Museum Denmark
Elsinore, Denmark
This museums isn't technically new-the original dates back to 1915 and is housed in the town's Kronborg Castle. But the extensive collection of maritime artifacts will be housed in new digs starting in June 2013. The bulk of the new building, fittingly, will be underground at Dock 1 in the Elsinore Shipyard and the exhibitions will spiral downward.

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Where to Stay in Istanbul

Gumusyan Hotel &amp; Restaurant BeyogluThe folks behind this city-center newcomer, opened in October 2010, stripped the century-old residence to its elements. The original brick walls, wood-plank floors, and 130-year-old-walnut slab headboards now lend an authentic patina that newer hotels can only approximate. There's more to this property than just great bones, though. The owners also filled the 14 rooms with a stylish mix of modern furniture (lime-green sofas, Bertoia-style wire-mesh chairs) and classic Ottoman details such as suzani fabrics and Iznik tiles. The hotel has even begun luring locals to its ground-floor restaurant, an upscale take on a meyhane, a traditional Turkish tavern. 9 Asmali Mescit Cad., gumusyan.com, from $119.  House Hotel GalatasarayBeyogluA recent makeover at the hands of urban-cool Turkish design firm Autoban wed the best features of this 19th century building (a sweeping marble staircase, ornate plasterwork) with crisp, contemporary, Scandinavian furnishings. The hotel's 20 guest rooms don't skimp on the creature comforts: king-size, pillow-top beds with goose-down duvets; marble baths stocked with L'Occitane products. But guests may still find themselves haunting the top-floor atrium, where they can lounge on Chesterfield sofas in front of the fireplace or take in the views of Suleymaniye Mosque and the medieval stone Galata Tower. 19 Bostanbasi Cad., thehousehotel.com, from $142.Villa DeniseArnavutköyThe ancient fishing village of Arnavutköy, 30 minutes from the old city by bus, has served as a waterfront retreat for centuries. The last sultans of the Ottoman Empire chose this spot along the Bosphorus for their grandiose hillside homes, and today Istanbul residents make day trips to explore the district's winding cobblestoned streets and celebrated seafood joints. Villa Denise, with its narrow, wallpapered hallways, canopy-draped beds, and tufted fainting couches, evokes the area's haute history—just overlook the odd veneer side table or shabby fixture that tempers the elegance. Two of the five guest rooms have balconies, and all have at least partial views of the Bosphorus. 50 Birinci Cad., villadenise.com.tr, from $144.Ascot Hotel Büyükada At a glance, this 22-room hotel could be just another spruced-up Victorian mansion. Then you notice the neon lights that wash its Doric columns in blue and purple and the Hollywood Regency décor (damask wallpaper, lots of lacquer) in the lobby, and you realize: This hotel is no mere relic. Rooms aim for opulence—most have crystal chandeliers and private balconies—while the large pool, sundeck, and Finnish sauna underscore the resort-escape feel. It's a bit out of the way, on car-free Büyükada island; ferry rides from town take 35 minutes to an hour, depending on the boat. But that's the whole point: You won't find this kind of lost-in-time peace and quiet anywhere on the mainland. 6 Cinar Cad., ascot.com.tr, from $118.

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Staff Picks: What's The Weirdest Foreign Candy You've Ever Tasted?

'Tis the season for Halloween candy. And if you think America has cornered the market on weird sweets, think again! What might seem totally standard abroad—something like salty licorice in Scandinavia—can often feel downright bizarre and alien to an American palate.While visiting Hong Kong last year, I bought a bag of assorted candy from a Japanese snack shop called Aji Ichiban. I was expecting the oddest flavor to be something like lychee hard candy. What I found instead were "supreme salted kumquats," preserved mandarin peel, and preserved tomatoes! All of which exceeded my taste expectations. (Luckily, soy sauce duck tongues, which were also being sold in the store as a snack food, hadn't made it into my combo bag.) Here are our staff picks for the weirdest candies from around the world:  Gillian Telling, Editor: My favorite: Plum-flavored chewing gum from Japan. It's tart yet sweet and almost tastes like a perfumed flower. I know I'm not selling it very well here, but it's amazing. If someone nearby is chewing it, you'd be able to smell it's distinct scent within half a block. It's my favorite gum in the world. My other favorite candy in the world is Turkish peppers from Finland. Sweet and salty on the outside, salty and burning hot on the inside.Kaeli Conforti, Digital Editorial Assistant: I couldn't resist a giant colorful lollipop I found in a gelato shop in Rome featuring a smiling, waving Pope Benedict. It was surprisingly sweet with a lemony flavor and made for the perfect souvenir for my friends back home. Danielle Contray, Senior Digital Editor: Wasabi Kit Kats from Japan! A friend brought them back as a souvenir and they were surprisingly delicious.Katharine Van Itallie, Art Director: The weirdest candy I ever ate were chocolate covered ants that my mother brought home—from somewhere—not sure where! She had a great sense of fun. Now it's your turn! Think we missed something truly wacky? Share your favorite weird candy in the comments section below.

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Hawaii Vacation Ideas: Tips For Visiting Maui

It's hard to choose which Hawaiian Island to visit, especially if you only have a few days to spare. Growing up on the island of Oahu had its perks, best of which was its proximity to the other islands—we could hop an inter-island plane and be in Kauai, Maui, or Lanai in less than 30 minutes, or, God forbid, 45 minutes to the Big Island of Hawaii. I recently wrote about the best things to do on Oahu—here are my tips and recommendations for can't-miss spots on Hawaii's beautiful Valley Isle. CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR READERS' BEST PHOTOS OF HAWAII Pick a beach, any beach Beaches are probably the first thing that come to mind whenever people mention the Hawaiian Islands, and Maui has its fare share of picturesque options. We stayed primarily on the western side of the island, where the big attraction is Ka'anapali Beach, located just outside the historic whaling village of Lahaina. If you actually hit the point where you need a break from sun and sand, try a day of shopping at nearby Whalers VIllage or take some time to check out the art galleries and historic trails in the area. In the mood to snorkel or dive the coral reef? Try a day-trip to Molokini, a submerged crater and marine preserve only accessible by boat. Take a whale watching cruise from Lahaina Harbor December thru April is prime whale-watching season in Maui, when humpback whales migrate from the cold waters of Alaska to Hawaii's warm waters to breed and raise their young. The Pacific Whale Foundation says whale sightings can start as early as late September and last as long as mid-May. We were lucky enough to visit in early May both times, and took a whale-watching cruise from Lahaina for a better look. There's nothing quite like having a mother whale and her baby swim up alongside your boat for a look at you! Visit Mt. Haleakala with all the other tourists Maui's most popular attraction is definitely Haleakala, the 10,023-foot-tall dormant volcano that rises above the island—the only other point taller in all of Hawaii is Mauna Kea on the Big Island, which you can see from the top of Haleakala. You will need a car to visit this popular tourist spot (unless you're part of a tour group) and be warned that it takes at least two hours to drive the long and winding road up to the summit. We learned the hard way that it's pretty cold at the top of the mountain—as in 35 degrees cold, because of the altitude—so bring along a jacket! There are several lookout points on the way up, but nothing beats the view from the top. Some people recommend driving up in the very early  morning to be there in time to watch the sun rise from the summit for the most stunning view, but we have yet to do that (our family prefers to do things a little later in the day.) Haleakala National Park offers horseback riding and a number of hiking trails through the crater. There's also the opportunity to bike down the volcano, something I'm definitely doing the next trip. Experience Hawaiian Culture at a Luau If you get a chance, don't miss a night of traditional Hawaiian food—kalua pork cooked in an underground imu oven, anyone?—music, and of course, hula performances that will make for one of the best memories of your trip. We went to the Old Lahaina Luau, but there are others throughout the island as well. Don't be shy, since most luaus have a tradition of welcoming visitors up on stage to learn the hula—shed your inhibitions and shake your hips to the rhythm of the islands, enjoy the music, and make sure someone is snapping photographic evidence of your new dancing skills. Brave the Hana Highway The scariest, most scenic road in the islands is the Hana Highway. Located on the easternmost side of Maui, it is a long, winding, one-lane road that stretches the length of the coastline from north to south, giving you gorgeous views of the Pacific, and all the mountains, cliffs, and valleys Maui has to offer. A number of lookout points, waterfalls, and natural pools are available road-side, and you'll take on 620 curves and 59 bridges, making the drive about two to four hours long one-way for those brave enough to try it. The views and bragging rights alone make this trip worth it.

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12 Most Iconic Rivers on Earth

Trace the great rivers of the world and you'll find you're tracing much of human civilization. Throughout the ages, these watercourses have provided sustenance for crops and have kick-started exploration, enterprise, and even empires. Of course you've heard of these rivers before—they've shaped the world as we know it and played a starring role in stories, songs, and spiritual beliefs along the way. But did you know that even today one of the best ways to learn about a region is to start with the nearest river? These waterways not only linked major cities and remote villages, but they also hold the secrets to everything from the local culture to the local cuisine. We've also outlined 12 incredible river cruises that will reveal their secrets to you. These trips might not come cheap, but they will take you on a once-in-a-lifetime journey through some of the most pivotal places on earth (plus meals and drinks are usually included). Read on and discover the rivers that have made the biggest splashes in the history of mankind. TAKE A PHOTO TOUR OF THE RIVERS Amazon The longest river in South America, the Amazon winds its way through six countries,  three time zones, and an incredible 4,980 miles. The 300-feet-deep "river sea" also boasts the world's largest reservoir of fresh water—approximately one fifth of the planet's running water, and an incredible abundance and diversity of flora and fauna. Spanish explorer Francisco de Orellana was the first person known to navigate the length of this gushing goliath in the 1540s, looking for the "Land of Cinnamon." Instead, he found turtle farms, advanced settlements with complex irrigation canals, and the fierce fighting women that subsequently gave the river its name.River cruise: Follow in Francisco's wake on the five- to 10-day Amazon Dream river cruise through the Brazilian Amazon on board the 18-passenger M/Y Tucano, a traditional wooden riverboat. Round-trip from Santarem, Brazil, 727/498-0234, rainforestcruises.com. From $1,295 per person for a five-day cruise.   Mississippi The Big Muddy is mighty: It boasts the second-largest watershed in the world, covering more than 1.2 million square miles, plus tributaries from 33 states and two Canadian provinces. Its banks have been home to humans for 5,000 years and have witnessed history in the making, from Civil War battles to Civil Rights milestones. Explorers, fur traders, and settlers battled their way up and down this occasionally cantankerous river, changing the face of America as they went. The advent of the steamboat in 1812 cranked these changes up several knots and cut travel time between Louisville and New Orleans from as much as four months to just 20 days.River cruise: American Cruise Lines' 150-passenger Queen of the Mississippi paddlewheeler journeys along the river, stopping at historic sites including Civil War battlefields and antebellum mansions. Round-trip from New Orleans, 800/460-4518, americancruiselines.com. From $3,995 per person for a seven-night cruise. Nile Egypt sits amid the most desolate desert on earth, the Sahara. But the 4,225-mile-long Nile turned this area into an oasis. The Egyptians became a rich agricultural society and the wonder of the ancient world by controlling the waters of The River and building the Valley of the Kings, the Ptolemaic Temple, and the Pyramids of Giza on its banks. By the year 3,100 B.C., this rich Nile Valley and Delta society had become the world's first large nation state. Today, Egypt remains one of the most important African countries.River cruise: Sonesta's six luxurious river boats ply the waters of the Nile with cruises taking in temples, tombs, and ruins. Round-trip from Luxor, 800/766-3782, sonesta.com. From $500 per cabin per night for three- to seven-night sailings in 2013 on the St. George I. Yangtze Asia's longest river flows south from the Tibetan Plateau to the South China Sea, watering more than 700 tributaries along the way. The river has seen human activity along its banks for millennia, and acted as a border between warring kingdoms and as a transportation and commercial thoroughfare for centuries—it's essentially China's east-west highway. Imperial palaces, cities of canals, and intricate temples dot its banks. Its most famous sites include the incredible Three Gorges and the gargantuan Three Gorges Dam. River cruise: See the Three Gorges—25-mile-long Qutang, 25-mile-long Wu and 49-mile-long Xiling—and this mindboggling feat of engineering from Victoria Cruises' 268-passenger Victoria Anna on the eight-day Three Gorges Explorer. Round-trip from Chongqing, 800/348-8084, victoriacruises.com. From $1,820 per person for a seven-night cruise. Ganges The 1,557-mile Ganges gushes from a Himalayan ice cave, coursing eastward through the heart of Northern India to the Bay of Bengal, providing water for farming, industry, energy, transportation, drinking, bathing, and religious ceremonies from baptisms to burials. Sacred to Hindus who consider the river a goddess, its banks are home to pilgrimage sites, funeral ghats, yoga ashrams, and holy cities such as Varanasi and Allahabad. River cruise: Assam Bengal Navigation's Holy Ganges river cruise spends six nights following the Ganges on the ABN Sukapha, 24-passenger expeditionary ship. Patna to Calcutta, 714/556-8258, assambengalnavigation.com. From $295 per person per night for the six-night cruise. Mekong The world's 11th-longest river runs through 3,000 miles of Chinese, Burmese, Lao, Thai, Cambodian, and Vietnamese rice paddies, fish farms, and orchards. Its delta has been the site of countless battles—during the Vietnam War, the Indochina War, and the fight against the Khmer Rouge. Today, the peaceful, fertile 15,000-square-mile Mekong Delta is confettied with river galleys and slender sampan boats, carrying cargo from rice to potbellied pigs.River cruise: Avalon Waterways' 14-day Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Mekong River Cruise visits the Angkor temple region, tunnels left by the infamous Viet Cong, and provincial Cambodian capital Siem Reap. Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City, 877/797-8791, avalonwaterways.com. From $3,269 per person including a seven-night cruise and hotel nights in Bangkok, Siem Reap, and Ho Chi Minh City. Danube The Danube has been a trading river since at least the 7th century, when Greek sailors did brisk business along its course. Before that, the Romans used the "Danuvius" as the northern boundary of their empire, building settlements such as Vindobona (Vienna), Aquincum (Budapest), and Singidunum (Belgrade) on its banks to keep out the barbarians. This once-vital medieval trading route can also claim responsibility for the rise of two great empires, the Austrian and the Hungarian. From its source in Germany's Black Forest, the Danube flows to the Black Sea via Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria.River cruise: Ama Waterways' 12-day Legendary Danube trip includes three nights in Prague before you embark on a cruise along the Danube from Nuremberg to Budapest. Prague to Budapest, 800/626-0126, amawaterways.com. From $3,089 per person. Columbia Tumbling 1,200 miles from the Canadian Rockies to the Pacific Ocean in Oregon, the Columbia is best known for its part in Lewis and Clark's 1805 expedition westward, for the gold rush of the 1860s, and for being such a formidable obstacle for pioneers on the Oregon Trail. Today, the Columbia divides Washington and Oregon for its final 309 miles, reaching Astoria, Oregon, at the treacherous Columbia Bar, once known as the "Graveyard of Ships". Wineries abound on both sides of the torrent and midday winds from the craggy Columbia River Gorge power a busy windsurfing scene on the river at the city of Hood River.River cruise: Take to the water on American Cruise Lines' seven-night Columbia and Snake river cruise on the Queen of the West, a 120-passenger paddleboat. Portland, Ore., to Clarkston, Wash., 800/460-4518, americancruiselines.com. From $3,695 per person for a seven-night cruise. Rhine Sometimes known as the "heroic Rhine" for its fairytale castles, terraced vineyards, and dramatic cliffs, this historic river flows from the mountains of Switzerland, through Western Germany to the North Sea near Rotterdam. The Rhine's central location has caused it to be fought over and used as a border since Roman times—Julius Caesar himself crossed the Rhine in 53 B.C. Today, its stunning scenery and spectacular wines make it a popular tourist destination.River cruise: Get your fill of castles, cathedrals, and canals on Uniworld's 164-passenger Super Ship Antoinette with the Castles Along the Rhine cruise.  Basel to Amsterdam, 800/733-7820, uniworld.com. From $2,349 per person for a seven-night cruise. Orinoco The 1,300-mile Orinoco was first documented by Columbus in 1498, but its elusive source was not found until 1951. Situated in present-day Colombia and Venezuela, the Orinoco Delta covers more than 340,000 square miles and branches off into literally hundreds of off-shoot rivers and waterways. This watery wonderland is home to more than 1,000 species of birds, plus a huge variety of fish, from gargantuan 200-pound catfish to carnivorous piranhas.River cruise: Orinoco Delta Tours will get you close to this wealth of wildlife with its three-day river trip and lodge vacation on the Delta. Tucupita to Orinoco Delta Lodge, 011-58/295-249-1823, orinocodelta.com. From $260 per person for a two-night trip. Volga Europe's longest river is Russia's principal waterway. A crucial trade route since the Bulgars and the Khazars settled along it in the Middle Ages, its banks have since been invaded by Mongol hordes, Cossacks, revolting peasants, and anti-Putin demonstrators. Known as "Mother Volga" in Russia, the river has carried Russian colonization to the east, transported freight, and watered the vast steppes.River cruise: The 13-day Waterways of the Czars Cruise glides through Russia and the Ukraine, taking in majestic sights from the Kremlin and Red Square to Catherine the Great's Palace, the Hermitage, and the Golden Ring towns of Yaroslavl and Uglich. Moscow to St. Petersburg, 800/706-1483, vikingrivercruises.com. From $4,496 per person for a 12-night cruise. Thames Although archaeological evidence shows that people were trotting along the Thames as far back as 400,000 years ago, the Romans founded the river's most significant settlement, Londinium, a mere 2,000 years ago. The Thames may be short, but it's mighty. In fact, the 220-mile-long Thames could probably claim to be the river that's had the most powerful impact on the world: The British Empire was explored and claimed by ships that sailed from it. In 1589, Sir Walter Raleigh set off for the New World from here. By the 1700s, London was the world's busiest port as commodities were shipped up the Thames from all over the British Empire. Today, it's a slow-flowing river with 44 locks, several royal palaces, innumerable English villages, two famed university towns, and, of course, the one-and-only London.River cruise: See the Thames that flows outside London with a four-night cruise on the 12-passenger African Queen, which passes through quaint English villages like Henley-on-Thames and traverses the Goring Lock. Round-trip from Mapledurham, travel.saga.co.uk. From $886 per person for a four-night cruise.