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The capital city of England and Great Britain, London, has numerous superb visitor attractions, from the amazingly ancient to very recent additions. Most of the visitor attractions are recognised across the planet (such as, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and the Houses of Parliament). Amongst the recently added are the London Aquarium, Millennium Bridge, Millennium Dome and the London Eye.

The Merlin Entertainments London Eye (it’s proper name), is more often named, just, the London Eye or,sometimes, the Millennium Wheel (because it was built as part of the Millennium celebrations). The London Eye was officially opened by the then English PM, Mr. Tony Blair, in the evening of 31 December however, alarmingly there were technical safety problems and it was not opened to the public until March. When it was erected it was the world’s highest Ferris wheel being four hundred and forty three feet in height.

The enormous wheel can be discovered in Jubilee Gardens on the South Bank peering down upon the Houses of Parliament below. From within one of the 32 pods towering above the whole of London you can view a large number of well known London landmarks, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s, Buckingham Palace, Hampton Court Palace and Westminster Abbey are just a handful, what an amazing way in which to see nearly all of London and, more than likely, one of the reasons it is one of the most visited tourist attraction in London.

The first flight on the London Eye is at 10 ‘o clock in the morning but the ticket office opens half an hour earlier. It closes at half past nine at night between August and July, 8pm between October and April and at 9 pm for the other months.

Those traveling by car will be pleased to know that there are 3 close by car parks. For coach parties there are parking facilities very close to the Eye (Telephone) +44 (0)870 990 8886) for info.

The simplest method to get to the London Eye is via the underground rail, simply get off at one of the following stations; Westminster, Charing Cross, Embankment, or the nearest Waterloo. You can also travel by boat, get off at Waterloo Millennium Pier.

Finding bed & breakfast in London is as simple as going over to Google, Yahoo or MSN (or another search engine you choose. Whichever you prefer you are certain to find the perfect accommodation in London because the city must feature the most hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts than any other. Boutique hotels to the huge corporate affairs, Luxurious accommodation to the cheap and cheerful and a host more.

Learn more about hotels in London. Stop by our site where you can find the best deals on cheap hotels in London.

Tags: Accommodation, city break, destination, destinations, holiday, hotel, hotels, london, London Travel, recreation, Travel, Travel and leisure, Travel Tips, vacation destinations, Vacations
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There are many different reasons why people choose to visit Paris France. According to the Globalization and World Cities study group, Paris is among four “full service world class cities,” which also includes London, New York City and Tokyo, ranked for their cultural, political and economic significance. Some people come to the location Paris for its architecture, monuments and historical significance. Others wish to soak in the culture of art, dance, music and fashion. Yet another class of people might wish to sample some of the best food the world has to offer. No matter why you come to Paris, you will find a wide variety of experiences awaiting you.

Architecture buffs have a number of places to see when they visit Paris France. You’ll see palaces like the Palace of Versailles, which was built in the French Renaissance tradition circa 1678; Chateau de Villette, another 17th-century palace, crafted in French Baroque style for Louis XIV’s ambassador, Jean Dyel; or the Palais de Chaillot, a stripped classical structure designed for the 1937 World Exposition. Other French Baroque palaces include the Chteau de Maisons, Chteau de Vaux-le-Vicomte, the Jardins des Tuileries, Palais du Luxembourg and Palais Royal-Muse du Louvre. In addition to palaces, there are churches in Paris that date back to the 12th and 13th Centuries, such as the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral (1163), La Sainte-Chapelle (1238), Basilique Saint-Denis (1136) and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres (1140). Mont Martre, St. Louis des Invalides, the Church of Saint-Sulpice and the Paris Pantheon are other beautiful, historic churches.

In addition to showcasing beautiful palaces and churches, Paris France is world-renowned for its impressive monuments. The Arc de Triomphe, at the western end of the Champs-lyses, was built in 1806 to honor soldiers who fought for France during the Napoleonic wars. The Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure in the world from 1889 to 1930 and is considered one of the most romantic spots on the planet. For architecture buffs who also are intrigued by history, the Invalides museum is the burial place for French soldiers like Napoleon, Turenne and Vauban, while the Panthon church holds the bodies of Voltaire, Victor Hugo and Marie Curie. There are two Statues of Liberty located on the le des Cygnes on the Seine and in the Luxembourg Garden, which was the prototype for New York’s famous monument. The Paris Opera house and the University of Paris in the Lation Quarter are other beautiful places to Paris visitors.

Paris France is known for its wine, brie cheese, beets, asparagus, mushrooms and chocolates. Cakes and pastries like Niflette, Paris-Brest, Puits d’amour and tart bourdaloue are popular at the cafes. Breakfasts usually consist of croissants, coffee and fruit. Lunch is the big meal of the day around noon and dinners are eaten late at night, usually around 8 p.m.

If food is your passion, then you can come to Paris and request a food tour from www.edible-paris.com, www.viator.com/paris-food-tours, www.poshnosh.com/tbkaf/foodlover-paris.html, www.meetingthefrench.com or circatours.com/tours-wine-cuisine/paris-food-fairs.htm.

Whether you stay for a romantic weekend at hotels in Paris or you spend several weeks soaking it all in, you’ll find Paris outweighing most European cities in what it can offer you.

Want more information Luxury Travel. LuxuryTravel.Info-Specials.com is devoted exclusively to the sophisticate, perfect for those travelers who appreciate the finest things in life and don’t mind paying for them. Get the latest on Luxury Travel Specials.

Tags: paris, Paris architecture, Paris Art, Paris France, Paris France Modern Art, Paris Travel, Travel, Travel and leisure
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We all have to pay tax on pretty much every purchase we ever make, and every wage packet we ever receive, it is what makes our economy work (when it is working) and what gives the government money to distribute to those areas that need it.

A slice of the profit from every purchase we make and a percentage of every wage packet we receive goes to the government in tax and it is that which allows our economy to flow.

Ironically, it is for these same reasons that everyone hates paying tax! And why shouldn’t we? We know everyone has to do it and we know if we didnt then there’s a good chance anarchy would ensue, but why should that stop us having a good old moan about it?

However, if you reside and are an official citizen of a country outside the EU and you are visiting the UK (or few other EU countries) then there are select stores from which you can claim back any tax you’ve paid on your purchases!

Here are the five steps you should take to ensure that you can claim back your tax:

1. Look for the sticker in shop windows indicating that they participate in the tax free shopping scheme.

2. Check what the minimum purchase amount is to qualify you for a tax refund and purchase at least that amounts worth of goods.

3. Once you’ve bought your items (ensuring that collectively they are worth over the minimum amount to qualify) and then request and fill in the tax refund cheque form.

4. When you get to customs on your way home, display your passport along with your completed tax refund check form.

5. There will be a tax refund office nearby in the airport, or if you are in a hurry, you can send your tax refund form off to the tax refund company via post and the full amount of tax you paid on your qualifying purchases will given to you in the form of a cheque or credited to your credit card.

Tags: advice, finance, legal, london, London Travel, misc, services, shopping, tax, tax free, taxes, Tourism, tourist, Travel, uk
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The Fourth Plinth is located in Trafalgar Square, London and is traditionally used to display statues. This year it is being transformed into a space for living art as Antony Gormley shows off his ground-breaking “One and Other” project (until October 14th 2009).

The well-known artist has asked anyone who lives in the UK to come forward and “perform” on the plinth for one hour with the eyes of the world (via tv and webcam) gazing at them.

Many thousands of people applied for the 2,400 available places which have all been chosen at random. One person is standing on the plinth every hour (24/7!), for 100 days in total.

Each individual is free to do as they please on the plinth, providing it’s legal. A lot of participants are taking the opportunity to show the world everything they’ve got!

The artist’s own description of the project is shown on the London Hotels Insight blog (link below), which also links you to the live webcam showing the 24/7 “performance” in progress.

It is a truly path-breaking project and gives tourists visiting London an awesome perspective on Britain’s diverse, eccentric and fun-loving population. You can’t miss the opportunity to see it if you’re visiting London in summer or autumn 2009!

To allow you to stay as near to the event on Trafalgar Square as possible, here are a couple of suggested hotels that rate highly on TripAdvisor. They cover all possible budgets:

A 5 star hotel with great reviews

If you come to London with someone you wish to impress, you would be wise to consider One Aldwych. This is a hotel with amazing contemporary design (later copied by many others) but which also thrives on friendly and down-to-earth service.

From the moment you step into its impressive lobby, the hotel seems to caress you with its natural warmth.

I’ve been lucky enough to meet the hotel’s founder, Gordon Campbell Gray, who told me his goal is to make every guest’s stay “as exquisite as possible”.

There is more on One Aldwych at the London Hotels Insight blog, where you can also get the best rate from more than 30 different travel websites with a single click.

A cheap hotel with good reviews

If you’re on budget but still want to stay in this amazing area in the heart of Theatreland, you might want to consider the Travelodge in Covent Garden. It is only 10 minutes walk to Trafalgar Square.

You’ll feel smug about getting a functional, clean room in an amazing location for much less than other tourists with accommodation in the same area!

Guest reviews on TripAdvisor suggest that Travelodge Covent Garden is a steal for its modest room rate and unbeatable location.

The location of either of the above hotels is handy for checking out the Tate Modern gallery or to take a ride on the London Eye.

If you stay in this area you will also be in a convenient location for the fantastic markets and street performers in Covent Garden.

So if you intend to go to London in the summer or fall of 2009, make sure you visit the fourth plinth on Trafalgar Square!

Tags: europe, london, London hotels, London Travel, London trip planning, Travel, travel ideas
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If you are visiting the UK and are not a resident of the EU, then you can claim back all the tax (VAT) that you would have paid on your purchases during your stay.

Therefore countries that are in the EU do not qualify for this. These countries and regions include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, The Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Different companies will usually offer different percentages of the VAT back and as the much valued international customer you will more often than not be able to choose how you VAT is refunded.

There are three easy steps to making your claim.

Step one: Pick up a VAT receipt when you make a purchase at any store.

Step two: When you’re leaving, present your VAT receipts, along with the actual shop receipts, the goods themselves and your passport to Customs so they can validate it.

Step 3: After validation from customs at the airport, collect your VAT refund from a cash refund office in the currency of your choosing.

As a non-EU resident you have a whole world of savings open to you with all of the UK’s leading brand names available free of tax, enabling you to generate massive savings.

The stores that use this tax free service also benefit in the following ways;

-A totally free tax refund service.

-Larger transactions through your cash registers.

-Increased profit because we return a portion of the VAT to you.

-Free online advertising and sales promotion.

-Easy and instant way to refund more money to your customers.

-Additional customer loyalty, the more money they get back, the more likely they will be to shop with you again.

-No VAT invoice we deal directly with HM Customs.

Tags: Britain, finance, legal, london, London Travel, misc, services, shopping, tax, tax free, taxes, Tourism, tourist, Travel, uk
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Sfida dei Borghi (Challenge of the Wards) - Monte Compatri. Imagine a medieval-style archery contest, people dressed in period costume surrounding the contest area and an attentive crowd following every shot of the competitors. This is what you will see if you go to Monte Compatri, a small town in the vicinity of Rome, in the middle of August. The interest of the townsfolk is particularly keen because each archer represents one of the towns 5 wards and a victory will enhance the “status” of a ward for the coming year. Before the actual contest starts, a long, sumptuously dressed procession easily wins the spectators admiration, thanks to the beautiful costumes worn by its 300 participants, who parade through the local streets packed with enthusiastic crowds. Street artists and other performers complete a truly interesting programme that is always enjoyed by the local population as much as by visiting tourists.

Mercatini del 600 (17th century Markets) - Bassano Romano. This is a town in the vicinity of Rome that, though already existing in Etruscan (i.e. pre-Roman) times, actually grew to become a sizable town in the Middle Ages and had its heyday in the 17th century. The event we are referring to is organized early in the month of July to recreate the atmosphere typical of a 17th century market day in Bassano. The whole town turns into an open-air museum, as a result of accurate scenic effects that are intended to reproduce the daily life and activities of the local people at the time. A number of people wear period costumes, while standards, banners, torches, flowers and a host of other decorations help to complete a lovely setting that has been drawing ever increasing crowds of visitors, particularly among those who are interested in history from the late Middle Ages onwards.

Gara dei Giochi di Bandiera (Flag Wavers’ Competition) - Piansano Romano. Ever seen a live show of flag wavers dressed in medieval costume drawing fantastic designs in the air, throwing their flags up above them, catching them as they fall back and exchanging them with those of other performers, all this being done to the rolling of drums or the blare of trumpets? If you haven’t had an opportunity of watching a similar show, we recommend you take a short trip to Piansano Romano in July. You wont regret it, we promise. This team, like many others, has taken part in many exhibitions and contests with other teams elsewhere in Italy as well as abroad. Among the countries where they have held their performances, we might mention Britain, Germany, France , Spain, Hungary and the United States.

Cena Medievale (Medieval Dinner) - Vignanello. Summertime in Italy spells night and day festivities and celebrations. Because the days are usually so warm, people normally tend to go out at night. So, quite a number of events take place in the evening. This is just what happens at Vignanello, a town located fairly close to Rome. On the third week of July a medieval dinner is held in town to enable guests to taste dishes prepared in accordance with old recipes of local cuisine. The setting definitely harks back to the Middle Ages and the sensation of having for a moment reverted to an ancient past is enhanced by a historical procession, where the participants wear period costumes. As a final touch, flag-wavers provide a splendid exhibition in which folklore and ability are equally matched.

Infiorata (Flower Petal Art Display) - Genazzano. This is one of Italy’s most famous street art displays. It consists of the artistic arrangement of millions of flower petals along the streets of Genazzano, near Rome, in such a way as to create all sorts of delicate designs on a variety of subjects. The whole display, which dates from over a century ago and takes place on the first Sunday in July, is well over half a mile long and demands great ability and dedication on the part of the artists involved, who plan their work well in advance. On Sunday afternoon, a solemn procession will follow the route of the infiorata to celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart. The procession too is extremely interesting from an artistic point of view. Over 400 participants are dressed in carefully prepared costumes to represent men, scenes and topics from the Old Testament, the New Testament and the history of the Church. Pharaohs, queens, maids, Jews, high priests, slaves and many other figures parade to portray a living picture of great visual impact.

Sagra dei Bucatini all’Amatriciana (Festival of Bucatini all’Amatriciana) - Nerola. You are no doubt familiar with many types of pasta. Have you ever tasted bucatini, though? This variety is quite common in Central Italy, particularly in the amatriciana version. The sauce is absolutely divine and its ingredients include pancetta, which is similar to bacon. The Festival that takes place at Nerola in late July/early August focuses on this specialty and the result is invariably superb. We suggest that, if you are in the Rome area on the date of the Festival, you visit Nerola and see if you agree with our opinion. If you have tried bucatini all’Amatriciana back home, you will probably notice a considerable difference in taste, which is mostly due to the ability of the housewives who prepare the pasta with their own hands, according to traditional recipes that have been handed down for generations.

Tags: Italian festivities, Italy, Rome, Rome Travel, Tours in Italy, Travel, Travel Suggestions, Travel Tips
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Are London hotels as expensive as people say?

Visitors to London often complain about the high price of hotels. Are they right to do so?

Expensive is a relative term. You can have a wonderful priceless experience or spend little and find it poor value. Value is not easy to define.

What then does the hard data say? London apparently has the 5th most expensive hotels in the world, after Moscow, New York, Dubai and Venice (source: Hotels.com survey).

Another survey by Hogg Robinson showed London hotel prices in 10th place (not as dear as New York, Mumbai and Stockholm among others).

London is only expensive because lots of people want to visit the city for business and pleasure, which naturally keeps prices high. That is the bad news.

But there is good news too. You can still grab value for money in London hotels but only if you search carefully. To achieve this, you should use independent blogs (such as London Hotels Insight) rather than hotel or booking websites which just want you to reserve any hotel as quickly as possible.

Ready for more good news? A separate survey (from the Economist) looked at the most expensive cities for all spending (beyond just hotel prices): this discovered that Paris and Copenhagen for example are a lot more expensive than London.

Hence although London (and its hotels) may appear quite pricey to visitors, this must be understood in comparison with other benchmark cities.

The most important advice is to always book your hotel in London after searching out the best price on the internet. If you book based on just one website’s pricing, you will almost always be missing out on the best rate.

Never be fooled by a best online rate guarantee. It is often hard to enforce this in practice (just try to read the small-print!) as well as being time-consuming.

This article’s writer is a London hotel market “insider” who personally meets hoteliers and regularly compares online hotel rates for London. There is no doubt that there is wide variation between London hotel rates between different websites so you can easily lose money.

There is just one way to ensure that you obtain the very best London hotel deal: you need to use a “meta-search” tool which compares lots of different websites at the same time (preferably more than 20 or 30 sites). It is now as easy to do a one-click search of many websites for the best deal as it is to search a single website.

For example, London Hotels Insight has a price comparison tool which checks more than 30 of the world’s most trusted hotel booking sites to find the best rate in one click.

A hotel meta-search engine lets you feel secure that you’re getting the best possible deal. It also means you’re left with more money to enjoy London’s amazing bars, restaurants and theatres!

Tags: Cheap Hotels, cheap travel, destinations, hotels, hotels in london, jobs in hotels, london, London accommodation, London hotels, London Travel, metasearch, price comparison, Travel
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Museo Nazionale Romano - Crypta Balbi (Roman National Museum - Crypta Balbi). When it was opened 9 years ago, this museum created a sensation since it approached the life of the ancient Romans from a somewhat different angle, compared to ordinary museums. In a historical and social sequence, it gives a true-to-life illustration of living habits and conditions of Roman families during the Imperial period and the Middle Ages. A section is also dedicated to commercial and manufacturing activities.

Musei Capitolini (Capitoline Museums). Suppose you are in Rome and you wish to visit a museum exhibiting some of the art treasures that you have always wanted to see, where would it be best for you to go? The answer is extremely simple. Take your pick. Rome has been called an open-air museum, with so many ancient buildings, monuments and archaeological remains to be admired everywhere around the city that you have an embarrassingly wide choice. However, if you are near the Capitoline Hill, we suggest you pay a visit to the Capitoline Museums. They are a complex of buildings hosting a fantastic collection of Egyptian, Greek and, above all, Roman sculptures, Roman artefacts, such as jewels and medals, as well as other works of art, including a bronze equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, which was restored in recent years.

Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery). Located inside the park by the same name, this is one of the most interesting museums in Rome. Its ground floor houses a collection of ancient statues and renowned sculptures by Bernini and Canova. Among the most celebrated of these works we might mention Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne and Canova’s Venus Victrix, representing Pauline Bonaparte. On the upper floor you will find famous paintings by Raphael, Titian, Botticelli, Caravaggio, Bernini, Canova and Rubens. Caravaggio’s Boy with a Basket of Fruit, Titian’s Sacred and Profane Love and Raphael’s Entombment of Christ are only some of the masterpieces on show.

Museo della Civilta Romana (Museum of the Roman Civilization). It is difficult to imagine a museum that may encompass the whole span of Roman civilization from its very start up to the 4th century (in other words, the complete story of the rise and decline of Rome). Yet, this is exactly the period of time covered by the exhibits at this museum. Of its three sections, the first one shows all the main stages of Roman history, the second one concentrates on all major themes of historical, social and religious interest and the third contains a model of the city of Rome in the 4th century A.D. Among other interesting exhibits you will find horizontal casts of the reliefs of Trajan’s Column.

Mercati di Traiano (Trajan’s Markets). The site offers an excellent opportunity to see how an urban area can over time be developed in completely different ways. This particular place was, at various times, a market, an office area, a residential suburb, a fortification, a religious building and military lodgings. Efforts have been made to illustrate as well as possible the different stages in the use of the area. In particular, archaeologists and researches have endeavoured to render everything clearly understandable to modern visitors.

Museo di Roma in Trastevere (Museum of Rome in Trastevere). This museum was opened 32 years ago to collect many paintings, prints and watercolors made between the latter half of the 18th century and the end of the following century. The overall picture of the city that you will gather from a visit to the museum will probably surprise you. The pre-industrial Rome was a picturesque, colorful city that had little to share with the bustling city you will notice all around you at present. The general arrangement of the museum is intended to reconstruct scenes of daily living in the Trastevere area of Rome. Among other exhibits, there are copies of some so-called “talking statues”. These statues were used by the Roman populace to pin leaflets containing biting lampoons and sharp criticism of Government officials and their administration.

Museo di Roma (Museum of Rome). Founded in 1930, the purpose of the museum was twofold: to link the increasingly more forward-looking city of Rome with its past and to ensure that ample evidence of its past be collected and handed down to posterity. You will find that the collection of works of art, ceramics, costumes, paintings, photographs, furniture and even trains and carriages illustrates the significant changes that have marked the life of the city from the Middle Ages right up to half-way through the 20th century. Obviously, the paintings and sketches will provide an ongoing description of the changes that affected the architectural structure of the city itself as well as the surrounding countryside.

Museo Barracco (Barracco Museum). This museum is located in an elegant Renaissance palace that a high French church official built in 1523 as his living quarters during his frequent visits to Rome. After a history of sales by various owners and finally a purchase by the Italian Government in the late 19th century, it became the seat of the Museum after World War II. The Museum houses a rich collection of ancient sculptures (Assyrian, Egyptian, Phoenician, Etruscan, Greek and Roman). The Museum is named after a wealthy gentleman from Calabria who donated the collection to the Municipality of Rome.

Tags: Antiquity, art, Culture, History, Italy, Painting, Rome, Rome Museums, Rome Travel, Tour of Rome, Travel, Travel Suggestions
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Rome and Venice are sure to find a place in almost every living man’s list of places to see before he dies. The scenic beauty and archaeological excellence of these places have been responsible for the unbelievable growth of tourism in Italy. Italy has been a tourist favorite for the longest time now. All the globe trotters swear by the kind of services the yare offered in the luxury hotels of Italy. When the mention of the best hotels in the world comes up, these Italy luxury hotels find place amongst the top few hotels.

Letting these Italian luxury hotels cater to is the closest you can ever get to being treated as royalty. There are innumerable Italy luxury hotels, which promise to make your trip to Italy a memorable one. No other hotel staff in the world can be as warm, helpful and friendly as the Italians. Besides this, the hotels have breathtaking views and offer you the best of all the luxury facilities you have ever come across.

Staying in the Italy luxury hotels is an experience of a lifetime. The decor, the lighting, the flower arrangements and the overall look of these five star luxury hotels is so enticing that leaving the hotel will take you some amount of self convincing. All these luxury hotels of Italy have a wide selection of restaurants and bars to choose from. Each ones of these is built on the basis of different themes and they dish out some of the most exotic dishes that you have ever sampled.

For people out on business trips, these Italy luxury hotels help you with all the high end technology you need to carry out your operations effectively. The business centers and conference rooms of these luxury hotels of Italy are also done up very tastefully and they are spacious enough to provide room for close to three hundred people. To add up to these services, the hotels are also disable-friendly. There are arrangements made for wheelchair bound people to look around the place without any kind of difficulty. The rooms that are made available to guests are also spacious and comfortable with a good view of the surrounding areas.

These luxury hotels in Italy are built keeping all kinds of guest needs in mind. Along with the various recreational activities that are made available to guests on a holiday, there are also provisions for people who are in Italy for business purposes. For the help of such guests, there are special arrangements for holding business conferences and meetings. These conference rooms are fully equipped with all the modern amenities, which are required in order to hold the conference comfortably. People, who are wheel chair bound, can also easily move around in different sections of the hotel due to its disable friendly nature. With regards to rooms, the rooms of such luxury hotels are not only spacious and comfortable, but also beautiful and inviting.

Long journeys and extended sightseeing tends to tire most guests. To refresh the senses of all these tourists, there are spas which are a part of the Italy luxury hotels. These spas provide the guests with a large number of options in the form of massages and alternative therapies. There is also the presence of a salon in all the luxury hotels, which offer all the services that the tourists can possible look out for.

While on a vacation, guests are always looking for ways to get out of their work mode and get relaxed. What better way of relaxation than an indulgent massage. The Italy luxury hotels have their own spa, which means that you don’t have to travel in order to get some pampering done. These spas employ the best masseurs, who are not only skilled but also qualified to relax every nerve in your body. Along with the spa, there are salons for people, who want to look good all the time. These salons offer a whole wide range of aesthetic services that you can choose from.

All these larger than life services that are extended by Italy’s luxury hotels are in exchange for a price. As expected, these luxury hotels can cost you a large amount of money. However, with a little bit of looking around, you can manage to find yourself a good bargain. If you know how to search for good offers, then you can make use of all the services at these Italy luxury hotels and still not end up emptying your bank balance.

Tags: cruises, destinations, europe, Hostels, hotels, Italy, leisure time, Rome, Rome Travel, Travel, travelling, trip, vacation, Venice
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Amalfi Coast - The most famous stretch of the Italian coastline lies south of Naples. It takes its name from the town that during the Middle Ages was one of the Italian Sea Republics and vied for supremacy at sea with Venice, Genoa and Pisa. The area is dotted with tiny little villages and larger towns like Positano, Ravello and Sorrento, located on hilly slopes facing the Tyrrhenian Sea. The visual impact is breathtaking as the colors of the houses create a unique contrast with the deep blue color of the sea.

Pompeii - Just imagine: its late in the evening, people are either going to sleep or doing their ordinary chores at home and all of a sudden there is a terrible noise, ashes and gas invade streets and houses; in a matter of minutes the whole city is dead. People have been caught unprepared and their bodies will remain forever in exactly their position at that time. This is what happened in Pompeii about 2000 years ago and now you can see casts that have been made of both men and animals, in addition to whole streets with buildings particularly well preserved.

Rome - The name is a synonym for ancient history, Christianity and beauty. Its impossible to describe in a few lines the marvels you can admire in the city. No doubt you are familiar with the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Bocca della Verita, Navona Square, the Pantheon, St. Peters Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums. These, however, are just a few of the magnificent sights that are waiting for you when you come to Rome. You have to see it to believe it!

Florence - Piazza della Signoria, the Uffizi, the Academy Gallery, the Old Bridge, Palazzo della Signoria, Michelangelo’s David and a host of other places and artistic masterpieces are probably familiar to people all over the world. All this and much more is Florence, a city that, together with the rest of Tuscany, gave the world so many magnificent artists who created the Renaissance and as many scientists who contributed immensely to the progress of Western Civilization. Think of astronomer Galileo Galilei, scientist and painter Leonardo da Vinci and 15-16th century navigator Amerigo Vespucci (he called America, after his own name, the newly discovered continent).

Chianti Region - A flask or bottle of Chianti may be found anywhere around the world. Its flavour is appreciated by millions of enthusiasts everywhere. This is really where the action is. A tour of the Chianti area will reveal to you what its vineyards look like, how the vines are trained and looked after and what wine production techniques have been developed to achieve such excellent results. Needless to say, the tour must comprise a wine-tasting event so that you may savour the best quality Chianti wine at its very origin.

Pisa - Piazza dei Miracoli, or Miracle Square, is a Unesco World Heritage Site. Once you are there, you realize why. In addition to the world-known Leaning Tower, three other marvelous buildings share the privilege of looking on to the square. They each represent a stage in mans life: the Baptistery, birth, the Cathedral, maturity, the Cemetery, death. The whole picture is extremely impressive and leaves visitors absolutely stunned for its impeccable layout and design.

Siena - Siena and its famous Palio, or Horse Race, are one and the same thing in peoples minds. Its true, the Palio is so important for Siena that the people from the various contrade, or wards, support their horses and jockeys to the extent that sometimes a wife and a husband will have disputes over their reciprocal representatives. However, there is much more to Siena than just the Palio. Its layout and the style of its buildings are typically Medieval. So, if you wish to see a city that is as close as possible to what it was like centuries ago, simply go to Siena.

Venice - Known the world over on account of its canals, Venice was established in the early Middle Ages and since then it has grown on the strips of land that, jutting out into the sea, form its canals. Venice had its heyday between the late Middle Ages and the 18th century. Small wonder that most of its finest buildings date from that period. It is really pointless to make an extensive list of them, but we must at least mention St. Mark’s Square which is the heart of the city and offers a splendid spectacle, with its Basilica, Clock-tower and Bell-tower.

Tags: Chianti, Florence, History, Rome, Rome Travel, Sightseeing, Tour of Italy, Touring, Travel, Vacations, Venice, Wine Tasting
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