One of the oldest botanical gardens in Europe is not particularly large, but is still home to a myriad of various plant species from around the world. Its tropical glasshouse hosts more than 380 flowering species from tropical rainforests.

The beguinages of Flanders and the Netherlands are always oases of calm and stillness, where you might still expect to see an old beguine mumbling her prayers in a doorway. Two of Ghent’s three beguinages have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Although the Old St Elizabeth Beguinage, in Begijnhofdries in Ghent, is no longer enclosed by a wall, making it simply part of the city, it still has a unique atmosphere. Today the Old St Elizabeth Beguinage is known as ‘holy corner’, a place of religious tolerance, because it has no less than three different churches: one is Roman Catholic, one is Orthodox and the other is Protestant. From bleachfield to orchard This open beguinage grew into something of a ‘beguine city’ in the 13th century, with a church, the ‘Grootjuffer’s House’, an infirmary, a chapel, more than a hundred houses for beguines, a bleachfield (a field where linen was laid out to bleach) and an orchard. After the French Revolution, with increasing industrialisation, the inhabitants moved to their new beguinage in Sint-Amandsberg in 1873.

Dive into the state's diverse aquatic ecosystems at the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. Visitors can explore exhibits ranging from mountain streams to the ocean, with highlights including playful river otters, a touch tank with stingrays, and the rare albino sea turtle, Nimbus. The "Living Shipwreck" exhibit features a life-sized replica of a German U-352 submarine, providing a unique look at marine history. Open year-round, the aquarium combines education and entertainment, making it an ideal stop for families and nature enthusiasts.