Best Time to Travel

Friday, September 03, 2010

Saturday, August 08, 2009

We invite you to experience the traditional magic of Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean in the months of November through April. This is the perfect time of year to vsit. The climate is surprisingly often mild and the cities are less crowded than in the summer months, and prices are 30 to 40% lower than traveling during peak season.

Shop in the glittering Christmas Markets and Bazaars. Explore and soak up the atmosphere of Old World Charm. Our tours are priced much lower than during the summer season and the airlines are advertising some of the lowest airfares of the year. Now is the time to make your reservations.

Italy is still the leader of destinations and Spain is not far behind, but don’t discount Egypt. Egypt is an awesome destination for the winter season. Temperatures are more bearable than the hot, hot summer season. For Christmas Markets, Vienna Prague and Budapest are still most popular. Wherever you choose, you will not be disappointed in our winter seasons magical tour destinations.

Written by: C. Kennedy
kennedy@atlastravelweb.com

Monday, March 16, 2009

Venice shimmers with an essence as alluring as the visions of a romantic imagination. Mists rise on the canals and glimmer in the sunlight as if lifted from an impressionist's canvas. As improbable a city as ever was built, Venice is made up of 117 islands with 200 canals and over 400 bridges. Its dignified buildings and warm, confident people thrive now as surely as they did during 1,000 years of sovereignty over the seafaring world. Today, it isn't merchants who flood the canals and winding streets, but enchanted travelers from every corner of the globe. They come in search of that which has inspired artists, composers, writers, and poets for centuries. Vivaldi, Titian, Hemingway, and countless others crisscrossed the world to reach this Adriatic muse. Byron, with characteristic passion, literally threw himself into the heart of Venice, often swimming from his home on the Grand Canal to the resort of The Lido. Venetian creations, along with treasures looted from across the Mediterranean and Asia, adorn every surface you walk, rest, or gaze upon. Just about everyone who has seen it agrees that it is one of the most beautiful city in the world.

Summer is the most popular though the weather can be hot and sticky. Spring and autumn are shoulder seasons that are wonderful times to visit for good weather and medium crowds. Venice has begun promoting winter travel with a revival of Carnevale, and some travelers are finding the traditional off-season quite attractive because of the lack of crowds. Keep in mind that the weather is foggy and cold, and that's when rain most often creates the aqua alta - high tides that splash quays - though it usually recedes quickly and affects only the lowest areas.

Things to See:

Piazza San Marco: The unquestionable heart of Venice, where all of the best sights are free. Without paying a single euro to a museum, you'll see some of the world's best art in churches graced with the work of Tintoretto, Titian, and others. Fifteen centuries of architectural styles are represented by Romanesque, Byzantine, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, etc. Remember to look up! Many beautiful details hover overhead, like elaborate chimneys, altane (roof-top terraces and gardens), friezes, family crests, commemorative inscriptions, frescoes, mosaics, lamps, and even ancient shop signs. When Napoleon entered Venice with his troops in 1797, he called the Piazza San Marco "the world's most beautiful drawing room."

Stroll the Ancient Streets: By far, the best way to explore Venice is on foot, meandering through the winding alleys and passageways that lead you away from the tourist bustle and into the "real streets" where Venetians quietly carry out their daily lives. It's confusing, so carry a map! The rios (small canals) are spanned by numerous bridges, but the Grand Canal can only be crossed on foot at 3 points - Ponte degli Scalzi (near the train station), Ponte di Rialto, and Ponte dell'Accademia.

Ride a Gondola Down the Canal Grande: Recline in a sleek gondola and glide through the heart of Venice, with gracious palazzi flanking your route as a gondolier serenades you with a lilting aria. With his striped shirt and straw hat, the Venetian gondolier is a symbol of the city's traditions, maneuvering his craft by pushing on a single oar, an art passed on from father to son in this male-only, family industry. In the annual Regata Storica (Historical Regatta), gondoliers test their strength in grueling races up and down the canal.

Lions of Venice: The lion of Saint Mark has been the emblem of Venice ever since Saint Mark replacedSaint Theodore as its patron saint. Sometimes the lion holds a sword, sometimes a flag, and almost always carries a book with the words of an angel to Mark, "Pax Tibi Marce Evangelista Meus" (Peace unto thee Mark my Evangelist). Not all the lions look the same, however, because some were fashioned in Venice but many are war booty from all over the Mediterranean, and even as far as China. In fact, the 2 large lions placed at either side of the entrance to the Arsenale were "captured" in 1685 from the Parthenon in Athens.

St. Mark's Basilica: This church dates from 1063, but it is the "newer" version of the original 9th-century wooden chapel that housed the remains of Saint Mark, which were stolen from Alexandria. The church is embellished with Gothic arches, intricate mosaics, and decorative ornaments. Inside, gold glitters everywhere, reflecting off the 1,000-year-old mosaics.

Day Trip to Murano: The glassblowing artisans of this island have been famous since the 13th century for the quality and creative beauty of their work. The elaborate, multicolored chandeliers in many Venetian palaces came from this island.

Day Trip to Burano: Artisans here are as renowned for their lace-making as the glassblowers of Murano are for their skills. Shops sell their exquisite creations, and the Scuola dei Merletti welcomes you to watch women working in their lace-making school, founded in the 19th century to rescue the ancient craft from near-extinction. Its success has been phenomenal.

Day Trip to Torcello: The first settlement in the lagoon was founded here in the 5th century, and it once rivaled Venice itself for power and prestige. It is quite rural now, and all that remains of its long history are 2 beautiful churches with splendid wall and floor mosaics.

Day Trip to The Lido: One of the long sand spits that protect Venice from the fluctuations of the Adriatic Sea, The Lido is one of the world's most famous beach resorts. The Belle Époque resort hotels and casinos attest to its long-standing position as the playground of the rich. Venetians come in summer to ride horses, golf, and take a respite from their daily routines.

Day Trip to Padua: Linked to Venice by the Brenta Canal, this makes a wonderful day trip of cruising along the water to view and visit the palatial villas built as summer homes by wealthy 16th-century Venetians.

Museo Marciano: This museum is housed at the top of the staircase leading from the atrium in the Piazza San Marco, displaying carpets, tapestries, and mosaics. The most dramatic artifacts are the bronze horses dating from the 4th century, brought from Constantinople in 1204.

Palazzo Ducale: The heads of state, the Doge, ruled Venice for 1,000 years until it was conquered by Napoleon in the 18th century. As the city's power and influence grew, the nobility built themselves the Palazzo Ducale. The architectural style combines the Moorish, Gothic, and Renaissance influences that dominated throughout the several centuries of construction.

Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs): Venetians suggest that if you cross only one bridge, it be this one. Built in 1600, it joins the ancient prisons and Hall of Justice in the Palazzo Ducale to the prisons on the other side of the Rio del Palazzo. It is named for the tortured sighs of despairing prisoners. In 1755, Casanova escaped his cell here through a hole in its roof.

Gallerie dell' Accademia: Housing the greatest collection of Venetian art in the world, this gallery fills 3 former religious institutions: a 15th-century church, a convent, and the Scuola Grande della Carita, the oldest seminary in Venice. Visitors take a journey through 5 centuries, with the art arranged mostly chronologically from the medieval Byzantine period through the Renaissance, and through the Baroque and Rococo periods.

What to Pack:

Winters are cold and damp but rarely drop below freezing, so while you should dress in sufficiently warm clothes, you don't need very heavy clothing unless you plan to go up to the Dolomites to ski. Summer brings a good deal of rain, so pack an umbrella. When it isn't raining, the sun is very strong, so layer with cool clothing. Spring and autumn are mild, requiring no more than a light jacket. Bring modest clothing for churches and something dressy for upscale activities.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Sicily, also known as the "football being kicked by Italy's boot,"  is Italy’s largest Island, & is steeped in history, & possesses an extraordinary range of art, archaeology, culture and folklore.  Sicily offers visitors an extraordinary range of art, archeology, culture & folklore. You will come back surprised with the beauty of the island, history of the ancient world & touches of every Mediterranean culture.

Make sure & visit the archaelogical sites. Sicily has some of the best preserved temples from the ancient Greek & Roman times. This combination of civilizations has created a unique culture with a charm of its own.  Palermo is the regional capital of Sicily, & has some of the region's most important tourist attractions. The city revolves around the Piazza Vigliena, a Baroque square in the city center.  Other highly visited cities include Messina, Catania, Agrigento, Syracuse & Trapani. Mt. Etna, is Europe's highest & most active volcano. The mountains make Sicily perfect for adventure travel including mountain biking, camping & hiking. 

The dining-table is the place of introspection of all the different civilizations that have passed through the island. Popular dishes include locally caught seafood, eggplant, veal & of course olive oil & cheeses. Pastries & desserts are famous for their richness & stuffed with cheese, chocolate & fruit. Sicilian gelato is excellent, & you cannot leave without trying a cannoli which are tubular crusts with creamy ricotta & sugar filling. Sicily with it's warm temperatures, hilly terrain, sea breezes & rich soil, is very similar to the growing conditions seen in the best wineries of California or Australia. Marsala is Sicily's most well-known wine.

You can visit Sicily year round, but April through mid-October are the most popular months. Most coastal resorts close their hotels from November through March. Be careful with July & August, as they can be quite hot.