Basilica San Clemente

The highlight of the Basilica San Clemente isn't the present day church itself, but what it was built on top of. A first century pagan temple is in the basement of the church, as is part of a 4th century church. It is fascinating to see the evolution of this location and what it was like 2,000 years ago.

The spaces down in the basement can be a bit tight, so be aware of this on crowded days.

Culinary Arts Museum

The Culinary Arts Museum is a part of Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. For anyone that is an aficionado of the culinary arts, this will definitely keep you entertained for about an hour. You'll get to see how restaurants have evolved over the years, as well as how kitchens have evolved, both at home and in restaurants. A favorite exhibit of ours was showing how the diner has evolved. There is also a display of where some of the more popular diner slang came from.

There is plenty of parking in front of the museum and a Mr. Potato Head statue in the lobby as well.

Colosseum & Forum Ruins

Not much really needs to be said about the Colosseum and the Forum Ruins. Their history and stories are legendary and they are must visit places when in Rome. A ticket for one includes the other, which is convenient.

However, be aware the line to get tickets can get extremely long, even in the off season. We highly recommend getting tickets online prior to coming to expedite the process. We were able to purchase the tickets on our phone while waiting in the line for the Colosseum.

There are signs in the in the queue with a QR code that takes you to the ticket website, however, you are charged a nominal fee for the convenience. That said, the extra couple of Euros was OK with us to not have to stand in the very, very long line. Tickets can be bought in advance and printed at home as well so you're not fumbling on your cell phone while in line.

Museum of Work and Culture

Located in Woonsocket, RI, the Museum of Work & Culture is an interesting walk through the history of labor in our country, with a focus on the mill towns of Rhode Island in the 1800's and 1900's. This is a great way to learn how our ancestors fought for the rights we enjoy as workers today. It takes about one hour to walk through the museum. In addition, if you collect the National Park Passport Stamps, there is one at this location.

Irish National Stud with Japanese Gardens

The Irish National Stud is a breeding ground for the best racing horses Ireland produces. You'll be able to see various horses here, including seeing the racing history of some of the studs. The grounds are well manicured and a pleasure to walk through. In addition, there is a Japanese Garden, which is the best one we've ever visited. As you walk through the "path of life", you'll be entertained to see the interpretation of a man's life as told through a garden.

Herreshoff Marine Museum

Rhode Island is one of the sailing capitals of the world. The Herreshoff Marine Museum celebrates this by showcasing various sailing vessels used. In addition, the America's Cup Hall of Fame is located here.

You'll probably spend about an hour here. You can stroll the the museum at your own leisure or ask for a free guided tour. We opted to do this on our own. If you're a true aficionado of sailing, you'll probably want to take the guided tour and plan to spend extra time here.

The location is easy to get to for people staying in both Providence and Newport.

Castletown

Castletown, located just outside of Dublin in County Kildare, was one of the best castle tours we did in Ireland. The tour guide was informative and friendly. While walking through the house, you'll get to see some really neat plaster art work in the walls, a room that has photographs painted on it to make for conversation pieces and even a room that was never restored to show you what it looked like. This is a place that Mick Jagger spent some time in and it is well worth the admission.