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Miami SightseeingSpanish Monastery CloistersBizarrely, this monastery was built in Segovia, Spain in 1141, designed to then be moved to William Randolph Hearst's residence in California. After running out of money and because the U.S Government would not allow the monastery to be moved to California, the monastery remained in New York Harbour until 1954. It was then, when two businessmen bought the property and had it assembled in Miami. The monastery is now an important Miami landmark, a church and also a place where many travelling visitors get married. www.spanishmonastery.com, 16711 West Dixie Highway. Tel: 001 305 945 1461 Miami Holocaust MemorialThis powerful memorial to Miami Beach Holocaust survivors was opened to the public in 1990 after six years of planning and designing. Designed by sculptor Kenneth Treister, the memorial's centrepiece depicts Holocaust victims climbing up a giant arm (which includes an Auschwitz style prisoner tattoo on it) that reaches to the sky. It also features a haunting sculpture of a mother and her children perishing, surrounded by quotes of Anne Frank's. Behind the arm is the Garden of Meditation, which is dedicated to life itself and includes a history of the Holocaust carved into granite. Also incorporated into this formidable memorial is a tunnel which features a single eternal flame surrounded by the names of the different concentration camps and the names of the victims who died under the Nazi's barbaric regime. www.holocaustmmb.org, 1933 Meridian Avenue. Tel: 001 305 538 1663 Coral CastleCoral Castle is arguably Miami's strangest attraction. The story attached to this collection of odd stone structures tells of a 26 year old lovelorn Latvian man who yearned for a 16 year old who left him standing at the altar in his homeland. After moving to Miami in 1923, he spent the next 25 years of his life carving huge boulders into a castle-esque structure. Although this seems impossible given the size and weight of the large boulders used to construct this bizarre creation, the castle features stories on display from people of the neighbourhood who have sworn this happened. Experts have even studied Coral Castle to help them discover how Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Giza were built. www.coralcastle.com, 28655 South Dixie Highway. Tel: 001 305 248 6345 Adults $9.75, children $5. Jewish Museum of FloridaThis fascinating museum collects more than 230 years of Jewish heritage and experiences in Florida, exploring religion and culture through films, lectures and various exhibits. You will also find more than 500 photographs and artefacts too; all contained in what was once a synagogue. www.jewishmuseum.com, 301 Washington Avenue. Tel: 001 305 672 5044 Adults $6, children free. Bass Museum of ArtAfter receiving a dramatic makeover, the Bass Museum of Art is without question Miami's most progressive art museum. The new facility was designed by renowned Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, who has tripled exhibition space and also added an outdoor sculpture terrace as well as a cafe. The museum's permanent features focus on European paintings from the 15th century through to the 20th century, celebrating everything from the Renaissance and baroque periods to the Dutch Masters. Previous exhibitions have included works by Picasso, Francois Marie Banier, Frida Kahloand Rubens. www.bassmuseum.org, 2121 Park Avenue. Tel: 001 305 673 7530 Adults $8, children free. Wolfsonian Florida International UniversityIn the 1930s and 1940s, this very building was used by the Washington Storage Company, where the wealthy would hide their possessions whenever they were away from Miami. The famous cinema heir Mitchell Wolfson Jr.stored so much valuable artwork here at any one time, he decided to buy the storage company and later give the building to Florida International University. On display in the 21st century is a vast collection of modern art across three floors, which includes paintings, posters, propaganda and touring exhibits. www.wolfsonian.org, 1001 Washington Avenue. Tel: 001 305 531 1001 Adults $7, children $5. Lowe Art MuseumThe Lowe Art Museum can be found on the University of Miami campus, where you will discover a fantastic collection of over 15,000 works that include American Paintings, Latin American art, Renaissance and baroque period works as well as Navajo and Pueblo Indian textiles. One of the museum's biggest draws is Rolling Stone magazine's photo collection which regularly stops here, displaying some of the most iconic music photographs ever taken. www.lowemuseum.org, 1301 Stanford Drive. Tel: 001 305 284 3603 Adults $7 Venetian PoolThis beautiful and unusual swimming pool is an iconic and celebrated part of life in Miami. The pool dates back to 1924 and is masked behind beautiful art deco style pastel-coloured walls and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The pool is fed by wonderfully ornate artesian wells, which is also characterised by incredible fountains and waterfalls. 800,000 gallons of water are drained out of the pool and then refilled every day, ensuring year-round cleanliness. A wonderful way to relax out of the hot Miami sun. www.gablesrecreation.com, 2701 DeSoto Boulevard. Tel: 001 305 460 5356 Adults $6.25, children $3.25 between Nov-Mar. $9/$5.24 Apr-Oct. Miami MetrozooAlthough the Miami Metrozoo is a 45 minute drive from downtown, it is well worth the journey. This 290 acre zoo is completely cage-free, meaning the animals are free to roam the grounds. However, this doesn't mean you'll be watching your back at all times, there are cleverly designed lakes and moats around the zoo to keep the animals and humans segregated! Some of the animals you are able to see here are extremely rare such as the two white Bengal tigers that call the zoo home, as well as the number of rare koala bears. The zoo makes for a fantastic family day out, perhaps best underlined by the excellent Zoofari Monorail tour, which offers visitors a succinct and pleasant overview of this vast zoo. www.miamimetrozoo.com, 12400 S.W 152nd Street. Tel: 001 305 251 0400 Adults $13.95, children $9.95 Miami SeaquariumAlthough perhaps not as impressive as SeaWorld in Orlando, the Miami equivalent covers an expansive 35 acres and includes four daily shows akin to those featured at its aforementioned Orlando park, featuring both dolphins and killer whales. One of the best parts of a visit to the Seaquarium is the Water and Dolphin Exploration Program which allows visitors to touch and swim with dolphins in Flipper Lagoon, although it is rather pricey at $140 per head, or $32 if you only want to observe. www.miamisequarium.com, 4440 Rickenbacker Causeway. Tel: 001 305 661 5705 Adults $26, children 3-9 $21, children under 3 free.
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