The Individual Guide

We’ve been to various alpine ski resorts e.g. Le Grand-Bornand, Espace Killy, Luz Ardiden and La Rosiere, however all told through all the family’s ski holidays Chamonix Mont Blanc France constitutes our most loved area to go for skiing holidays Europe.

The provenance of European alpine history and home to the impressive Monte Bianco - at 4807m the EC’s highest point - Chamonix town sports a good historical snow register, a abundant winter season (Nov-Apr), unmatchable extreme skiing, and perspectives to die for. Indeed Chamonix France has an multinational reputation for a lot of the most striking, challenging, and stimulating snowboarding procurable anywhere in the planet.

Chamonix town is huge and every bit as daunting, and that is before one figure in the adjoining ski towns; including Flaine, Verchaix, Flegere, Risoul and Val Thorens.

The Mont Blanc Unlimited ski lift pass covers seven local, and 14 territorial skiing towns; on terrain equal to 3842m, more than 230 ski lifts, and 700 kilometres of skiing tracks - and the majority of the ski areas higher up than 2020 metres. They provides for every tier from beginners as well as expert skiers. See our skiing areas page for detailed look at each of the big fields: Brevent, Les Trois Vallees, Chamonix, La Plagne, Tignes-les-Brevieres and Araches-la-Frasse.

Accomodations in a 1700 large country Palace restored in 2005 but still maintaining its noble characteristics. This antique residence was the preferred setting for many notable artists, some of whose works are still to be found here.

THE BEDROOMS: The spacious bedroom suites include vaulted beamed ceilings, antique furniture, kitchen and full bath. Rooms open onto a veranda so guests may dine al fresco and enjoy the panoramic views. The rooms are all double.twin, but you can reserve also a single room at the price of Euro 45,00 per night, or a Triple room at Euro 87,50. In the winter time we charge Euro 3,00 per person for heating.

THE GARDEN: The property includes parking, a beautiful garden, a "Pallaio" (Bocciodromo )and a barbecue to enjoy quiet dinners outside under the stars. NEW 2008: in the garden will be also a SWIMMING-POOL!

LOCATION: Popolano (Marradi) is situated in the hillside area of the Tuscan-Romagnolo Alps in the province of Florence. We are easily accessible by bus, train or car.

NON STOP OPEN

Nightly rate per person Euro 35,00

Breakfast per person Euro 5,00

Daily charge per person for kitchen use Euro 3,00 (Meals and snacks); if more of 2 persons, we make a discount.

AMENITIES: From the residence it is easy to access other noteworthy cites such as Florence, the city of art (60 km); Faenza, noted for its ceramics (30 km); Ravenna, famous for its Roman and Byzantine mosaics (50 km); Bologna (60 km). Close by one may find Brisighella and Riolo Terme Centers equipped for all types of thermal treatments.

RELAX: For those who appreciate a more relaxing vacation, we offer the opportunity to luxuriate in the ambiance of another era far from the tourist crowds. The countryside offers a splendid setting to discover on foot or on horseback trails that lead to age old retreats and forests. Those who enjoy hiking adventures can make use of the detailed trails supplied by C.A.I. The residence is located in the heart of the Eno-Gastronomic zone of the Tuscan-Romagnola area offering gastric delights beyond imagination. Of particular interest during the month of October is the Festival of Chestnuts, a sample of the typical delicious local produce from the neighbouring area.

Near our B&B there are some little rivers where we can swimm.

If you are interested in a cheap hotel in Marradi, pls visit our catalogue of Hotels all over Italy, where you can find also a wide range of Bed and Breakfast in Rome and Hotels in Florence, from cheap to luxury, togheter with Sorrento Tours

Set in a quiet location in the center of Anacapri, one finds the small and charming Mediterraneo; a wonderful 3 star Hotel in Capri. It is family run and offers guests a gloriously peaceful vacation in perfect harmony with the surrounding countryside. The Schettinos have created the Mediterraneo to provide clients with the highest standards of hospitality in a friendly family atmosphere.
The rooms - individually designed and realised by the Schettinos - reflect the traditional architecture of Anacapri, whilst offering holiday makers all the necessary modern comforts.

The central location of the Mediterraneo allows guests to reach various tourist attractions in just a few minutes including the Monte Solaro mountain top, which can be reached by foot or by chair lift, St Michael’s church with its fabulous Maiolic paving ceramics depicting the earthly paradise, the Villa of Axel Munthe from the terrace of which one can gaze out over the whole of the Gulf of Naples, and the Migliera viewpoint from where the majestic Faraglioni rocks can be seen.
The beaches and the center of the town of Capri are just a short distance away from the hotel Mediterraneo, easily reached by bus or taxi.
Just few metres from the bus station where you can reach the center of Capri and the beaches of the island.

How to get there: Upon disembarking on Capri, at the Port of M.Grande take a public bus or taxi to Anacapri (approximately 8km), in Anacapri we are 100 metres from the bus station for Faro and the Blue Grotto, follow the little road which leads to the “Belvedere Migliera”, the hotel is situated 300 metres from the bus stop in Piazza Vittoria.

Facilities
Breakfast, including a selection of homemade Capri cakes is served on a patio surrounded by a beautiful lemon grove.

The rooms have been created in the style of the traditional houses of Anacapri, a classically simple architecture, with maiolic ceramic floors and traditional “Sgusci” adorning the ceilings.
The rooms are equipped with:

The phenomenal region of Africa known as South Luangwa has been voted the greatest place to safari in Africa. The location has been made famous in various years by the worlds best safari experts. People will probably be able to see large groups of cheetahs as well as delightful zebras.

The safari region is well regarded for its stunning driving safaris and is a big seller with all British people. The changing seasons makes the safari region irrestible with a dry season during winter and a green pleasant jungle feel over summer. During the changes in season the exotic animals will probably differ giving people a different aspect. Visit the same place Frans Lanting takes his photography.

Identify the allure of Africa with a safari holiday and be at one with the amazing nature and wildlife. The spectacular rivers and tigers and lions can often make people feel alive with energy. UK Travellers will be able to take large volumes of photos and take back amazing memories.

South Africa has lots of animals in its regions and tourists will often easily see the perfect photograph of a hippo. If you are not used to a walking safari you can go on a driving safari and see huge amounts of the country within a short amount of time. When you have exhausted your safari by day you should then go back to your resort to clean up. Many resorts are three star and superb.

For those who want to buy Cuban Cigars for Christmas Gifts online thru a Canadian or Mexican source, you might wish to do it early, as Cuba’s tobacco crop is in crisis. Can you actually get Cuban Cigars this year and can other cigars compete for taste? Each year many Americans smoke Cuban Cigars as part of a tradition. This year the Cuban Cigars will be significantly higher priced due to reduced supply.

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/news/world/12965862.htm

The record breaking 2005 Tropical Hurricane Season has taken its toll on Cuba’s main exporting cash crop and it is now in critical crisis from catastrophic calamity. Many specialists in the Cigar Trade say it is crucial that Cuba fix the problem. Hurricane Wilma caused the evacuation of 367,000 Western Cubans and caused crops to flood. There were mudslides and deaths. Now Cuba is once again faced with similar torrential rain and flooding causing things to worsen. Economic crisis is a series issue as well as Cuban currency, as agricultural exports are of concern. Can Castro’s Cuba recover and what about your Cuban Cigars online in time for Christmas, as they could also be curtailed due to the critical calamity causing catastrophic crop concerns. Think on this.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Before you head off to your first or next traveling adventure, make sure your list of things to bring is not missing anything important. Of course you have remembered to pack changes of clothing, a second pair of shoes, and some extra money, but have you thought to include a phone card as you begin your trip? Unless you have the privilege of carrying a cellular phone that works internationally, a phone card should be at the top of your list of things to get. Many people forget to take a phone card on their journey because they are so used to just flipping open their cellular phone anytime they need to make a call.

Having a phone card is necessary for people traveling to any part of the world. Whether you will visit the most developed cities in Europe or the most undeveloped cities in South Asia, taking a phone card is a precaution no one can afford not to do. Most places in the world have calling centers that allow people to make domestic and international calls, however many of these places charge you much higher prices to make international calls than a phone card does. You can never be sure when a calling center will require callers to supply their own phone card for calls.

Even though many people travel the world to get away from family, friends, and work responsibilities, no one can know when an emergency that requires instant communication with the people back home will be required. Carrying an international phone card is a simple and easy way to be prepared for any emergency situation that might arise on your trip.

Taking a phone card on your trip is easy enough that there should be no excuse not to. Purchasing a phone card is as easy as stopping into most grocery stores, gas stations or convenience stores. A phone card can be purchased in a moment and at a relatively inexpensive price. You can buy a phone card and still have plenty of money to use on your trip.

The best reason to get a phone card before your next trip is that there is no good reason not to. There are few things as simple and inexpensive to buy and there are even fewer things that will come in handy during an emergency than an international phone card. Stop making excuses and get a phone card for your next trip today.

Analeese Burnabaker has authored several articles on simple things like phone cards that makes life a whole lot easier. Learn more about the benefits of a phone card at www.coolphonecard.info

When you think of castles, such places as Windsor, Sterling, and London come to mind. One might not expect that San Francisco, California should be added to this list. Julius castle on beautiful Telegraph Hill is a little known secret; a treasure hidden away at the end of a secluded San Franciscan lane.

This castle was never used to defend a city. No King or Queen ever ruled from a throne here. However, a feast fit for royalty is prepared every night within this modern fortress. Looking out on the water from the Golden Gate to the Bay Bridge and beyond, Julius Castle provides one of the most amazing views in the city. If the food were not quite so delicious you could easily find yourself lost in a trance staring out at the rolling hills, slow moving ferries, and untouched islands.

Built to resemble a castle using Redwood trees, and maples from the Pan Pacific Expedition, Julius Castle dates back to the 1920’s. An Italian immigrant Julius Roz envisioned a “castle on the hill”, and his vision became reality when the doors opened in 1922. Patrons of the castle have watched the scenery outside its windows slowly change since then as the Bay Bridge began construction in 1933, and Treasure Island was literally built from the earth at the bottom of the bay for the 1939 World’s Fair.

In 1947 the film “Dark Passage” displayed the castle’s neighborhood for the world to see as Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall sought to help the falsely accused character Vincent Parry evade police, former friends, and small time crooks. The movie’s setting takes place only feet from where the castle stands and to this day a cut-out of Bogart watches diners as they approach the entrance.

If you find that you have enjoyed too much of the fine food and wine within the castle you may seek some after dinner activity by either venturing further up Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower, or down the hill via the Filbert Stairs. Located at the very peak of the hill Coit Tower overlooks the city both from its base, and even more spectacularly from the tip of its tower, another 63 meters high. The tower, which was built in 1933 with funds donated by Little Hitchcook Coit, offers more than just the scenic views outside. Painted murals adorn the interior of the structure depicting scenes from California during the great depression and other historic periods.

If climbing the hills of San Francisco has quickly lost its charm then traveling in the opposite direction down the Filbert Stairs may be a good choice. These stairs wind down to Sansome Street, right off of the famous Embarcadero through pristinely kept gardens and beautiful homes. As you marvel at the views on your 377 step journey down the hill make sure and appreciate that you are taking the only means of arriving at the 19th century cottages you pass, as there is no road access! Once you reach the bottom you are a short walk to the San Francisco ferry building, or Fisherman’s Wharf.

As you go off to explore these other exciting attractions, try not to forget that you just dined at a world class castle, right in the middle of modern California.

Nate Soule is a travel enthusiast and helps maintain the travel website AcrossDistance.com (http://www.acrossdistance.com).

So you know you’re going on vacation. You know you need to find a good hotel that isn’t going to break the bank. You figure that you can use the internet to find that perfect hotel choice, but what’s the best way to go about finding it online? Read on for some tips for making your online research most profitable.

In the first place, I am assuming you’ve chosen a destination for your vacation. Unless the price of the hotel will be one of the factors that will help you choose between two vacation alternatives, you’ll most likely know where you are going. With this information, you’ll want to start your search at one of the main search engines online. Your choices will be either Google, Yahoo or MSN.

The most basic hotel search you could do would be to enter your destination along with either the keyword hotel or motel. So if you are going to Orlando, Florida, you’d enter a search like ‘Orlando Florida Hotel’. This kind of search will give you a list of websites that either are hotels or are listing hotels worth checking out.

When making a search, it is important to be creative with your keyword selections. Instead of simply typing in something like ‘Orlando Florida Hotel’, you will want to try other combinations. One good way to get a quality list of hotels is to type in the name of some of the attractions you plan on visiting in the city you’ve chosen. To continue with our example of Orlando, you could use ‘Universal Studios Orlando Hotel’. This will help you to find listings that are near Universal Studios.

Don’t be afraid of using Hotel directories to help you scope out a good potential match. For our example city, using an
Orlando Hotel directory could yield just the right hotel for your needs. Many of these directories include either reviews and maps on their site or easy to find links to these kinds of resources.

Finally, when doing searches with a search engine, try to think of different ways you can say the same thing. Don’t just search for Orlando hotel but search for Orlando motel, Orlando accommodation, Orlando vacation spot and so on. Substitute your intended city destination for Orlando in these example.

Using these techniques and a little time to explore the hotel websites, there is no reason that you can’t find that perfect hotel at the price you expect.

Joe Duchesne is one of the webmasters for hotels-online-in-orlando.com. This site specializes in information on Orlando Hotels. Reprint freely as long all the links in this article are live.

Yesterday I woke up at 5:00 am Chicago time and I figured I
might as well get ahead of the crowd at the Arlington House
Youth Hostel and take an early shower. At 6 am I was already on
the Internet, recording my first impressions of this exciting
city and by 6:30 am I had left the hostel. It was still pretty
dark outside and the sun was just slowly starting to come up.

I walked through the quiet Lincoln Park neighbourhood all the
way to the Lake Michigan Shoreline where the cool wind was just
howling off the lake. Joggers, bicyclists and power walkers were
already out in full force. I strolled around for about 15
minutes, but when the wind got too strong I decided to take a
bus and head south to a neighbourhood called “Old Town”, near
North Street and N. Wells Street. It’s a tidy, well-kept
neighbourhood of historic homes and the location of the Second
City Comedy Club, a place that has spawned so many comedic
talents.

After a brisk morning walk around Old Town I hopped back on the
el-train and went to check out downtown. I got off in the Loop
and headed out towards the openness of Michigan Avenue and Grant
Park. Interestingly the wind in between the buildings in the
Loop was much stronger than in the open areas just off the Lake
Michigan Shoreline.

Michigan Avenue and Grant Park are one of the areas where
Chicago’s beauty is most striking. Daniel Burnham’s city plan of
1909 that preserved a huge amount of green space right on the
shoreline of Lake Michigan was a brilliant decision, and
visitors and local residents alike benefit from the huge green
zone between the Loop and the lake. Grant Park’s beginnings
actually date all the way back to 1835, when foresighted
citizens, fearing commercial lakefront development, lobbied to
protect the open space. Burnham’s vision of the park as a formal
landscape with museums and civic buildings became reality: today
Grant Park holds 3 of the city’s most distinguished museums: The
Field Museum of Natural History, the Shedd Aquarium and the
Adler Planterium.

The Buckingham Fountain is the centerpiece of Grant Park, the
city’s grand “front yard,” and it is set within a handsomely
landscaped garden, one of the city’s finest examples of a
Beaux-Arts-style landscape design. It is an exact replica of the
fountain in Versailles, just twice as large, and with those
measurements it is one of the largest free-standing fountains in
the world.

At the north end of Grant Park is Millenium Park, at an
investment of $495 million Chicago’s most ambitious public
undertaking. Unsightly railroad tracks and parking lots were
turned into a multi-media outdoor entertainment area during the
last few years. Among Millennium Park’s prominent features are
the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the most
sophisticated outdoor concert venue of its kind in the United
States; a winding mirror clad bridge over Stetson Street,
designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry; and “Cloud
Gate” (”The Bean”), a hugely popular sculpture inspired by
liquid mercury, designed by British artist Anish Kapoor. On this
beautiful sunny morning, the reflections of the city’s
skyscrapers had an almost surreal feel to them.

I still had about an hour and a half before my friend Linda
would arrive at the Randolph Street Station, so I decided to
head north on Michigan Avenue towards two of my favourite
buildings: the Wrigley Building and the Chicago Tribune Tower.
The Wrigley building serves as the headquarters of the Wrigley
(chewing gum) company and was built in 1920 by the company’s
founder, William Wrigley Jr. It was the first of a series of
landmarks at the southern end of the Magnificent Mile.

The design of the Tribune Tower was the result of an
international competition for “the most beautiful office
building in the world,” held in 1922 by the Chicago Tribune
newspaper. The various competition entries proved extremely
influential for the development of skyscraper architecture in
the 1920s. The winning entry, with a crowning tower with flying
buttresses, is derived from the design of the French cathedral
of Rouen and gives the building its striking silhouette.

The area around the Michigan Avenue Bridge and Esplanade looking
westwards along the Chicago River is an absolute mecca for an
architecture buff like me. You’ll find a mixture of classic
skyscrapers, many of them built in Art Deco Style, as well as
more modern skyscrapers built over the last 30 years. This has
to be one of the most impressive urban vistas in existence
anywhere.

I continued to walk west on Wacker Drive and walked past a
number of the north-south streets that connect the Loop with the
areas north of downtown. I wanted to capture another fascinating
building: Merchandise Mart, an impressive building at the north
bank of the Chicago river between Wells and Orleans street, was
built in 1931. At that time, when it was constructed by Marshall
Field and Company to replace H.H. Ricardson’s Marshall Field
Wholesale store, it was the building with the largest floor area
in the world and today it is the second largest building in the
United States after the Pentagon.

A short hop on the el-train later I got off at Randolph Street
to pick up my friend Linda who was scheduled to arrive at 10:25
am on the South Shore Railway Line. We have known each other
since we are 10 years old (almost 30 years!) and grew up in
Austria, and Linda herself moved to the United States a few
years ago. We hadn’t seen each other for 2 years and this was
the time to reconnect.

Linda arrived a few minutes late and after a heart-felt greeting
we headed off to the Chicago Cultural Center to try to pick up a
3-day transit pass. Much to our surprise we were told that the
closest location for multi-day transit passes was the Marriot
Hotel at 549 North Michigan Avenue, about 20 minutes walking
north of where we were. We were a bit surprised that it would be
so inconvenient for visitors arriving in the Loop to purchase
transit passes, but off we went with Linda’s suitcase in tow and
we were finally able to pick up our coveted 3-day transit pass
at the 2nd floor gift shop of the Marriot Hotel.

We decided to get rid of Linda’s luggage and headed north
towards the youth hostel on the bus. By that time it was about
noon and we were both voraciously hungry. So we plunked
ourselves down at a cozy spot called the “Pasta Bowl” on Clark
Street and I had a really delicious gorgonzola pasta that I
absolutely devoured.

>From there we went back to the Arlington House, dropped off
Linda’s luggage and rested for a bit since we were both pretty
tired after this hefty lunch. At 4 pm we got going again and
headed down to the Golden Mile, Chicago’s main shopping area
along Michigan Avenue, north of the Chicago River. The place was
absolutely hopping with people. We picked up a little gift for
Linda’s daughter at H&M and then headed up into the John Hancock
Centre, Chicago’s third highest building.

The view from the John Hancock Centre was amazing and the sun
was just getting ready to set. Chicago’s skyline is impressive,
crowned as it is by the Sears Tower. After our high altitude
excursion we strolled along Michigan Avenue and for dinner we
headed back into the Lincoln Park area where we had a very
filling Mexican vegetarian burrito dinner on Lincoln Avenue.

Exhausted from all this exploring and eating, we went back to
the Arlington House to crash in our bunk bed…

Wyoming is a state of great scenic beauty. Grasslands, mountains, forests, deserts, rivers and lakes present tourists with some of the most breathtaking scenery. Panoramic mountain views, rushing trout streams and sky-scraping aspen, spruce and fir trees provide a stunning backdrop at Wyoming’s national parks, forests and monuments. Wyoming boasts of having America’s first national monument, Devils Tower, which is popular for its hiking and climbing expeditions. It is also home to the country’s first national forest, Shoshone National Forest, which is one of the largest forests in the country. Visitors will get to see the better part of Wyoming wildlife in these forests. Yellowstone National Park is the world’s first national park. It also happens to be America’s second largest. Even though the park is home to hundreds of species of birds, game fish and mammals it is most famous for its black and grizzly bears.

Every region of Wyoming has its own unique vegetation, wildlife, weather and geologic formations. From Old Faithful to Devils Tower, nature has sketched amazing landscapes and geo-thermal features for people to enjoy. Yellowstone National Park and Hot Springs State Park have many geo-thermal attractions. It offers a variety of out door tourist activities like float trip on the Snake River, herding cattle in the Big Horn Mountains, biking in the Snowy Range or climbing the Tetons. Tourists will also find wonderful trail, which allow them to hike, backpack or fly-fish. Wildlife photography or bird watching is also another good way to pass time, as the state is teeming with animal and bird wildlife. For tourists who enjoy physical exercise, Wyoming offers rock climbing, kayaking, snowboarding, parasailing, hang gliding, windsurfing, jet skiing or spelunking. Water sports like Boating, water skiing, fishing and other recreational activities associated with Wyoming’s many rivers are also popular. Camping is also popular. It is allowed in both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

Some other tourist attractions are horseback riding, golf and game hunting. From the thrill seeker to the nature lover, Wyoming has something to offer everyone.