Travel Tips and Facts

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Traveling to Venice, Italy can be a truly amazing trip to go on. There are many different things that you can do while traveling through Venice. Whether you are looking to get involved with some outdoor sports, experience the nature, history or culture, or venture into the arts and entertainment, there is always something to see and do in Venice.

One of the very first things that everyone should do when traveling to Venice is take the time to get lost in Venice. I know this sounds weird because you are specifically getting lost, but you should. There is much to see in Venice, and walking around with no set direction or destination can allow you to see so much more. You can see things that many tourists may have never experienced before and avoid all the crowds of tourists that seem to hit up all the hot spots right away.

A must see, is St. Mark's Basilica. This is one of Italy's most elegant churches throughout with the large domes and marble pillars outside and then floor to ceiling mosaics in the interior. There are three museums located inside the Basilica. These each have their own admission fees. Plan on experiencing all three before you leave Venice. Each museum is different and has its own amazing beauties.

Just about everyone who travels to Venice is bound to go to St. Mark's Square at some point. One of the best times of day to really see and experience St. Mark's Square is early morning or evening. This will help you avoid all the tourists and see all the amazing architectures that St. Mark's has to offer. With Venice not being much of a "night out on the town" kind of place, there are not many people out at night, which is why it's the perfect time to go experience the Square.

Venice is full of many places to see and experience. You won't find yourself getting bored at any point with the vast amount of things to do. If you are planning on traveling to Venice then make sure you experience everything you can, whether it is a tour of the Doge's Palace, taking an elevator to the top of the Campanile, wandering through the streets of Burano Island, hiking through Torcello Island, or window shopping at the Rialto Market, there is always something to do.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Italy has been witness to the birth of two of the most powerful and influential forces in not only Europe, but the Western World. The mark the Romans left on the world is not only cultural but the evidence of their highly sophisticated society is no more abundant than in the heart of the former Empire itself, Rome.

Almost 1000 years after the fall of the ancient Roman Empire, Italy again (this time with Florence leading the way) became the cultural capital of the world, the Renascence (not just an art movement, but an intellectual awakening, an explosion of science, technology and discovery that changed the way the people of Europe operated and saw themselves) flourished here.

Florence is still today the undisputed capital of Renascence Art, fueled by the Medici Family in the late 1400’s and into the 1600’s the city was host to Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Donatello and a who’s who of art science and philosophy legends . People still visit the city today to witness for themselves the beauty and perfection in painting, sculpture and architecture that was created during this time. Some of the cities most famous and visited museums include the Accademia and the Uffuzi.

Rome was never far behind Florence in this cultural awakening and is home to the Vatican City, home to the Vatican Museums and the roof of the Sistine Chapel so famously painted by Michelangelo as well as his ‘Last Judgment’. People also flock to Rome from every corner of the globe for religious pilgrimages, to St. Peters Basilica, home of the Catholic Church and the Vatican City, located in the heart of Rome.

Venice also provides a totally unique experience with it’s canals, bridges, gondolas, the Basilica of St Mark and the square, reputed to be one of the most beautiful and romantic in the world.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Lipari is the largest of the seven major islands making up the Aeolian Islands. They were originally named after Aeolus, the mythical god of wind who the ancients believed made his home in a cave here. Recently renamed the Lipari Islands, they were created by volcanic eruptions thousands of years ago and have a primitive rocky beauty accented by Mediterranean greenery. Their natural beauty and easy lifestyle have made the islands increasingly popular for those who wish to escape the modern world and its stresses. The crystal clear aqua-blue waters and the volcanic beaches are some of the most inviting in Italy. Many are inaccessible except by fishermen's boats. An abundance of fish and shell fish makes for some very good restaurants specializing in seafood.

Monday, September 21, 2009

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Saturday, July 18, 2009

Tuscany is indeed the very essence of Italy, with its backdrop of medieval hilltowns, rows of slender cypress trees, vineyards and olive groves, and artfully sited villas and farmhouses.

The national language evolved from Tuscan dialect, thanks to Tuscan writers like Dante, who wrote the Divine Comedy in the vernacular of his birthplace, Florence.

Florence was the most active center of the Renaissance, which flourished, at least in part, through the patronage of the Medici dynasty. Every eminent artistic figure from Giotto onwards – Masaccio, Brunelleschi, Alberti, Donatello, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo is represented in Tuscany, in an unrivaled gathering of churches, galleries, museums.

Tuscany is filled with treasures of architecture, paintings, and sculptures that are renowned worldwide.

Siena is one of the great medieval cities of Europe, almost perfectly preserved, and with superb works of art in its religious and secular buildings. Its beautiful Campo – the central, scallop-shaped market square – is the scene of Tuscany's most unmissable festival, the Palio, which sees bareback horse riders racing around the narrow cobblestone streets.

It’s the brightest display of pageantry this side of Rome.

Other major cities, Pisa and Lucca, have their splendors, too – Pisa its Leaning Tower, Lucca a string of Romanesque churches. To the west and south of Siena are dozens of small hilltowns that, for many, epitomize the region – tourism has yet to undermine their vibrant local characters.