Travel Guide

Ahmedabad

2011-02-24T13:55:00.000-08:00

Introducing Ahmedabad (Amdavad)

Ahmedabad (also called Amdavad) is Gujarat’s major city, and a startling mini-metropolis. Straddling the Sabarmati River, it’s one half old-world charm, and the other half new-world noise. Yet it’s also remarkably cosmopolitan, with a rich Muslim history, a tangled, beautifully restored old city, stunning museums, fine restaurants and fabulous night markets. Many travellers stop off briefly on route to Rajasthan or Mumbai, sneaking in a visit to Sabarmati Ashram (Gandhi’s former headquarters). However, those able to swallow the smog will discover a pulsating Indian city, with a media that preaches tolerance. Ahmedabad is a sky-scraping step-off point to the rest of Gujarat.

Each January, the city hosts Makar Sakranti, an international kite festival that’s well worth the stiff neck.

Getting there & away

Land

Bus

Private buses from the north drop you at Naroda Rd, about 7km northwest of the city centre – an autorickshaw will complete the journey for around Rs 50.

Leaving from the bus stand near Rani Sipri’s Mosque, State Transport Corporation (STC; 25463360) buses go to Vadodara (Rs 60, two hours, every 10 minutes), as well as hourly to Jamnagar (Rs 115, seven hours), Junagadh (Rs 120, eight hours), Bhavnagar (Rs 90, four hours) and Rajkot (Rs 95, 4½ hours).

If you’re travelling long distances, private buses are quicker; some offices are east of the STC bus stand. Punjab Travels (9am-9pm); Embassy Market (26589200; off Ashram Rd); Shefali Shopping Centre (26579999; Pritamnagar Rd) offers a number of intercity services, including to Ajmer (ordinary/sleeper Rs 200/320, 11 hours), Aurangabad (ordinary/sleeper Rs 320/420, 16½ hours), Jaipur (ordinary/sleeper Rs 250/360, 14½ hours), Jodhpur (Rs 210, 11 hours) and Udaipur (ordinary/sleeper Rs 130/220, seven hours).

New Limda Travels (Map p719; 26579379; 5 Shroff Chambers) is a recommended company (the sign is in Gujarati), with buses travelling to Palitana (Rs 130, 4½ hours), Bhavnagar (Rs 120, four hours) and Mumbai (ordinary/sleeper/deluxe Rs 350/500/700, 24 hours). Bonny Travels (Map p719; 26579265; Pritamnagar Rd; 6am-11pm) serves Jamnagar (Rs 220, six hours) and Rajkot (Rs 160, four hours) several times daily.

Train

There’s a computerised booking office (135; 8am-8pm Mon-Sat, to 2pm Sun) to the left as you exit Ahmedabad train station. Window 6 handles the foreign-tourist quota, and you could try booking with your credit card at Window 7.

Air

Two recommended booking agents are Parshwanath Travels (27544142; parshtrvl@wilnetonline.net; Ashram Rd; 10am-6.30pm Mon-Sat) and Express Travels (Map p719; 26588602; express@wilnetonline.net; 11am-6.30pm Mon-Sat), around the corner from Gujarat Tourism. Both places accept major credit cards.

Air India (26585382; Premchand House, Ashram Rd), near the High Court building, has flights to New York (US$740) and Chicago (US$850) via Mumbai and London (£278).

Indian Airlines (26585622, airport office 22867237; Relief Rd; 10am-5pm) is near the Nehru Bridge. It flies to Sharjah (Rs 14, 100), Kuwait (Rs 19, 225) and Muscat (Rs 14, 095).

Singapore Airlines (30012840), off CG Rd, flies to/from Singapore.

Jet Airways (27543304; Ashram Rd; 10am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm Sat & Sun) flies regularly to Mumbai (US$95 to US$140; daily connections to Goa) and Delhi (US$100 to US$190).

Money & costs

Money

For changing travellers cheques and currency, try the following:
Bank of Baroda (27541093; Ashram Rd) Gives cash advances on Visa cards.
Green Channel Travel Services (26560489; 5/6 Sun Complex, CG Rd; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat) Amex representatives.
State Bank of India (25506800) Near Lal Darwaja (the local bus stand).
Wall Street Finances (26426682; CG Rd)
There are many ATMs, including:
HDFC
HSBC
Standard Chartered

More Practical information in Ahmedabad (Amdavad)

Health & safety
Travel insurance

History

Over the centuries Ahmedabad (‘abad’ means ‘prosper’) has boomed and declined. Founded in 1411 by Ahmed Shah, at the spot where he saw a hare chasing a dog (he was impressed by its bravery), Ahmedabad was thought to be one of the finest cities in India in the 17th century, but by the 18th century its influence had waned. Its industrial strength once again raised the city to prominence, becoming a huge textile centre from the second half of the 19th century, which resulted in much immigration to man the mills. From 1915 it became famous as the site of Gandhi’s ashram. In 1970 the last mills closed and the subsequent economic hardship may have been a contributing factor in the communal unrest that split the city in 2002.

Agra

2011-02-09T15:39:00.000-08:00

Introducing Agra

Agra’s magnificent white marble Taj Mahal stands like a bulbous beacon, drawing tourists like moths to a wondrous flame. Despite the hype, it’s every bit as good as you’ve heard. While Agra itself is a sprawling, bloated and polluted industrial city that few travellers seem to have a good word for, the Taj is not a stand-alone attraction. The legacy of the Mughal empire has left a magnificent fort and a sprinkling of fascinating tombs and mausoleums, while the Yamuna River provides a suitably sacred backdrop. The Mughal emperor Babur established his capital here in 1526, and for the next century Agra witnessed a remarkable spate of architectural activity as each emperor tried to outdo the grandiose monuments built by his predecessors.

The city has a lively but chaotic chowk (marketplace) and plenty of places to stay and eat, but the hordes of rickshaw-wallahs, touts, unofficial guides and souvenir vendors can be as persistent as the monsoon rain.

Many tourists choose to visit Agra on a whistle-stop day trip – made possible by the excellent train services from Delhi. However, Agra’s attractions are much more than can be seen in a day, and if you have the time you can enjoy several days’ sightseeing with side trips to Fatehpur Sikri and Mathura

History

While Agra's heyday was as the capital of the Mughal empire between 1526 and 1658, the city was founded much earlier. The earliest reference to Agra is in the ancient epic, the Mahabharata, while Ptolemy was the first person to call it by its modern name. The recorded history of Agra begins around the 11th century, and over the next 500 years, the city changed hands between various kings, both Hindu and Muslim.

In 1506, Sultan Sikandar Lodi, the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, moved his capital from Delhi to Agra. His son Ibrahim Lodi was the last ruler of the Lodi dynasty, as he was defeated in 1526 by Babur, the first Mughal ruler, in the battle of Panipat. Agra fell too, and became the capital of the Mughals, whose rule over Agra was uninterrupted except for a brief period between 1540 and 1556. In 1540, Sher Shah Shuri overthrew Humayun became the ruler of much of North India, including Agra. After Sher Shah Suri's death his descendants proved unequal to the task of ruling the kingdom, and Hemu, a Hindu general of Suri became the effective ruler who would later crown himself King Hemachandra Vikramaditya just as the kingdom was facing an assault from the reinvigorated Mughals. In 1556, Hemu would be defeated and killed in the second battle of Panipat, and the Mughals regained Agra.

Mughals were great builders. Babur built the Aram Bagh (garden of relaxation) modeled after the garden of paradise, where he was eventually buried after his death. His grandson Akbar refurbished the Agra fort and built the Fatehpur Sikri, an entire city just on the outskirts of Agra. He also renamed Agra after himself, and the city was known as Akbarabad while it was in Mughal hands. Akbar's grandson Shah Jehan would give Agra its most famous monument, the Taj Mahal, which is the mausoleum of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj is constructed in white marble. It took 20 years to construct, and is now universally known as a monument to love. Legend has it that Shah Jehan wanted a replica of the Taj constructed in black marble that would be his final resting place. There is no actual support for this theory, but even if it were true, it would have been unlikely to be eventuated. His son Aurangzeb was austere and pious, and had no time or inclination for the ostentation of his forefathers, preferring to spend his money on wars in South India. In any case, even during Shah Jehan's reign, which was the period when the Mughal empire was at its height, the construction of the Taj put a strain on the resources of the empire and caused a min-famine around Agra. Shah Jehan was eventually buried in the white Taj, next to his beloved Begum.

Shah Jehan, in addition to giving Agra its greatest claim to fame, was also responsible for beginning its decline, as decided to shift his capital to Shahjehanabad, which we now know as Old Delhi, in 1658. Though Aurangzeb ordered a move back, this too was short lived, as he moved his headquarters down south to Aurangabad to be focus on his wars. Agra declined, and so did the Mughal Empire. The city was eventually captured by the Marathas, who renamed it back to Agra. In 1803, it came under the British, who situated the Agra Presidency there, and when India gained independence, the city was incorporated into the state of Uttar Pradesh, and did not gain even the limited honour of being the state's capital, that distinction going to Lucknow, further east. It is now a tourist town, known for the Taj and a couple of other monuments.

Literature

Anyone interested in reading a novel based on the remarkable story behind the Taj Mahal's creation should consider Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors. Beneath a Marble Sky is an international bestseller, has won multiple awards, and is being made into a movie by Hollywood. Other book (historical fiction) is The Taj by Colin De Silva.

Get in

Agra is 200 km southeast from Delhi and is one of the points of the tourist's Golden Triangle of Agra-Delhi-Jaipur. Agra is also very well connected via rail and road with other nearby cities and tourist destinations.

By plane

Service to Agra's Kheria Airport (IATA: AGR ICAO: VIAG) is seasonal. As of November 2008, the city is served by Kingfisher Airlines and Air India Regional, who both fly on the Delhi-Agra-Jaipur tourist triangle route. The flight time to either is less than an hour. Travelers have had trouble with extreme lateness, and for that reason a hired car may be a safer (and probably cheaper) alternative.

By train

Agra is on the main train line between the Delhi-Mumbai (Bombay) and Delhi-Chennai routes, and many trains connect Agra with these cities every day. Some east-bound trains from Delhi also travel via Agra, so direct connections to points in Eastern India (including Kolkata) are also available. There are close to 20 trains to Delhi every day, and at least three or four to both Mumbai and Chennai. Agra and Delhi are notorious for their thick winter fog which reduces visibility to almost zero. If traveling in late December or early January (the fog season), travelers should be aware that, because of the reduced visibility, all trains slow down and travel time goes up. The Bhopal Shatabdi, for example, may arrive in Agra well after 10AM, and might return to Delhi well after midnight. There are three stations in Agra:

Stations

Agra Cantt (Station Code : AGC) is the main railway station and lies southwest of the Taj and Agra Fort, both of which are a short ride from the station by car, auto-rickshaw, or cycle rickshaw. There is a prepaid taxi stand right outside that charges a flat Rs 150 to any hotel in the city.The station has a pretty good Comesum food court that also sells cheap, hygienic takeaway snacks (sandwiches, samosas, etc).

Agra Fort station (Station Code : AF) near Agra Fort, is infrequently serviced by the interstate express trains. The station serves trains to the east (Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Kolkata) some of these trains also stop at Agra Cantt.

Raja Ki Mandi (Station Code : RKM) is a small station. Some of the trains which stop at Agra Cantt also stop here. The station has a laid-back and lazy atmosphere, but springs into life at the arrival of Intercity exp and Taj express.

Agra City is in the heart of Agra. A relic of the meter gauge era, this station is not particularly useful.

Idgah Railway Station is the first station if you arrive in Agra from Jaipur.

Lines

Delhi to Agra - Close to 20 trains connect Delhi and Agra each day with journey times varying from 2 hours to 5 hours. The best options are the Bhopal Shatabdi Express (departs New Delhi at 0615 arriving Agra Cantt at 0812; departs Agra Cantt at 2030 arriving New Delhi at 2230, daily except Friday) and the Taj Express (departs Delhi Hazrat Nizamuddin at 0715 arriving Agra Cantt at 1007; departs Agra Cantt at 1855 arriving Delhi Hazrat Nizamuddin at 2200, daily).

Agra to Jaipur - The journey to Jaipur (Station Code : JP) takes around 4 hour by train no. 2988 which leaves Agra Fort Railway Station at 6:25 PM and reaches Jaipur at around 10:20PM.

Also train number 2965 from agra cantonment to Jaipur at 5:40 PM. The train arrives at 10:15 PM. 300 Rs AC chair.

The Luxury train - Palace on Wheels stops at Agra on its eight day round trip of tourist destinations in Rajasthan and Agra.

A Day's Excursion from Delhi to Agra

It is easy to visit Agra as a comfortable day trip by train from Delhi. Rise early in the morning and hop on to an AC chair car seat on the Bhopal Shatabdi (6:15AM) at New Delhi Railway Station (conveniently close to the backpacker hangout of Paharganj). Breakfast is served on the train (included in the fare), usually an omelet with a couple of slices of bread and coffee or tea. Arrive refreshed in Agra and, depending on your budget, either rent a car for the day or use rickshaws to get around. A visit to the Taj, followed by Agra Fort does not take a great deal of time. Add a visit to Akbar's tomb and/or itmad-ud-daulah (auto-rickshaw or taxi required), and you will still have time for a comfortable lunch and some r&r before catching the return train at 8:30PM where you can dine in the comfort of your seat (dinner is included in the fare). With a hired car, it is even possible for the hardy soul to swing by for a visit to Fatehpur Sikri for the complete Agra visit!

By bus

A number of buses connect Agra with Delhi. It takes around 4-5 hours to reach Agra by bus. There are basically three interstate bus stands:

Idgah Bus Stand is the primary bus stand for intercity travel, in the heart of the city, 8 km from the Taj.
Bijlighar Bus Stand (also called Powerhouse Bus Stand) located near the Red Fort, 6 km from the Taj.
New Bus Stand at transport nagar, 12 km from the Taj, is only for other state's bus services (i.e. all except U.P. Roadways).

By road

From Delhi: NH2, a modern divided highway, connects the 200 km distance from Delhi to Agra. The drive is typically 4-5 hours, a large chunk of which includes navigating the clogged roads around Delhi to get to the highway. The primary access to the highway is along Mathura Road in Delhi but, if coming from South Delhi or Delhi Airport, it is easier to take Aurobindo Marg (Mehrauli Road) and then work up to NH2 via Tughlakabad. While the highway is divided, it is important to keep an eye out for trucks, cars, and bullock carts heading the wrong way!

It is possible to hire a car with a driver (a big car for five persons from/to the Delhi airport costs Rs 3500). But beware! If you need to get from Agra to the airport in order to catch a flight, be sure to allow plenty of time for the trip, as traffic conditions may increase the drive time significantly. Also, it is wise to know your driver. There are situations when he may take over five hours to cover the distance, and you cannot force him to drive any faster than an autorickshaw (tuk-tuk).

From Jaipur: National Highway 11, a four lane divided highway, connects Agra with Jaipur via the bird sanctuary town of Bharatpur. The distance of around 255 Km can be covered in around 4 hours.

From Gwalior: A distance of around 120 km, takes around 1.5 hours on the National highway 3 (Agra- Mumbai Highway)

From Lucknow / Kanpur: NH2, the divided modern highway, continues on to Kanpur (285km, 5 hours) and from there to points East ending in Kolkata. From Kanpur, NH25 heads for the city of Lucknow (90 km, 2 hours).

Get around

Tongas, electric buses and electric tempos are readily available, and the best way to get to the Taj where no cars are allowed. Auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws are available every where, remember to agree on fares clearly in advance.
The best way to experince the city is to take a walk on the Mall Road (Sadar). The street is full of handicraft and leather goods shops. You will also find plenty of food items quite unique to the city.

By car

Cars are not allowed near the Taj Complex, but the rest of Agra is easily discovered by car. Rental is available from the following companies, Enterprises Car Rental and Hertz.
You can either book a taxi from hotel or directly book one outside the railway station. There is government authorized taxi stand. 950Rs/day for 12 hours. It maybe more costy to book through hotel. It is better to negotiate with the driver directly

See

Agra's top two sights by far are the incomparable Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. When planning your sightseeing, take heed of the convoluted entry fee system: for Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Itmud-ad-Daulah, Sikandra and Fatehpur Sikri, you must pay a Rs 500 levy to the Agra Development Authority in addition to the prices mentioned below. Once paid, the levy is valid for all sights, but only for one day. However, If you are not going to the Taj Mahal or happen to turn up on a Friday, then you do not have to pay the Rs 500 levy but a smaller one if you are going to the other sites. Eg Rs 50 for Red Fort

Do

Adlabs multiplex. Interactive Theatre, which is the first ever interactive cinema theatre in the world, each viewer holds a wireless remote unit with push buttons and a small LCD screen, enabling them to participate in a trivia game about the theme of the film. The show is called India in Motion, a 25 minute show where the audience will pass through today's India in, or on, a variety of typical vehicles and see the historical events at sites like Mohenjo Daro, Indraprastha and the Taj Mahal, experiencing the bumpy elephant rides with the wind blowing through their hair, or the swaying boat with salty spray on their faces. Before the actual show there is a interactive quiz on various topic relating to India. Rs 150 for a Hindi Show & Rs 450 for a show in English.

Taj Mahotsav,. 10 day festival held in February every year at Shilpgram, near the Taj Mahal. It start from 18th of every February and continues till 27th of February. It is a festival of art, craft, culture, etc

Buy

Agra has many shops selling various stone products, from jewellery to small boxes and plaques with inlay work resembling that on the Taj. The best of these are wonderful, and even the run-of-the-mill ones are rather pretty. Agra is also famous for its leather goods. Consider spending time in Sadar Bazaar for some shopping and enjoying cheap food.
Beware of being overcharged. Do not let anyone lead you to a shop, lest the price go up to cover their commission, typically 50%. Be very wary of the promises these people make. Bargain hard. Be prepared to walk away, you can nearly always get the same items in another shop. Also remember that in these globalized times, you can always order stuff you liked in your visit over the internet after you return.
Be careful with the jewels: Lots of stones are fakes and the price is very high!

Eat

Agra specialities are petha, a type of very sweet candy, and Dal Moth, a spicy lentil mix. Both are also popular souvenirs.
Chaat. Agra is a heaven for any Chaat lover. Chaat can be of various types but there is one thing common among them all is that they are spicy and you will find crowd outside virtually every chaat stall, especially popular places like Double Phatak (near Sikandra) for Mangores. You'll find quality Bhallas and Panipuri at Sadar and Belangunj. Samosa and Kachori are found at every sweet shop that flood the city. Some typical chaat items are Aloo Tikki (made by roasting mess made out of boiled potatoes), paneer tikka (cubes of cottage cheese baked in a tandoor with spices), pani puri or golguppa (small round hollow shells filled with a potato-based filling and a spicy sweet blend of sauces), mangores, Samosaes, Chachori etc. If you want to savour the typical Agra Breakfast do remember to have a bite of one of those spicy Berahi and round it off with sweet Jalebies.
Sweets. There are quite a few good sweets shops all round the city. The best stores for buying the famous petha of Agra are at Hari Parwat, a short ride from Agra Fort. Amongst the well-known stores are Panchi's , Bhimsain BaidyaNath and The Pracheen Petha store. There are many types of petha available but, for the authentic experience, try either the plain one (ivory white) or Angoori Flavored (rectangular and yellow pieces soaked in sugar syrup). Other stores in Agra include: Bikanervala, Deviram, Munnalal Petha, Gopaldas, and Ajanta Sweets, Kamla Nagar. Do remember to round off your meal with a Joda(Pair) of Pan unique to the city.
There are several restaurants in the Taj Ganj area, catering for the many tourists staying around the Taj Mahal.

Treat Restaurant, South Gate Taj Mahal, ☎ 9319697497 (treatagra@yahoo.co.in). breakfast, lunch and dinner. 20-60 for main dish, great Indian food..

Silk Route Restaurant, 18-A/7-B Fatehabad Road (Opposite Howard Park Plaza), ☎ 0562 4002786,

Only Restaurant, ☎ 0562-2364333 / 2266508, . 600-800 for main dish of 2.

Journey's place Taj ganj. Perfect for early breakfast, when you want to wake up early to visit the Taj at 6 Am. 10 Rs Toast, 10 Rs coffee, 15 Rs cornflakes.

Kamat Hotel Roof top restaurant with view on the Taj. Correct quality. Beer available. 70 Rs for a vegetable curry.

Drink

Most hotel staff will be happy to find you a warm bottle of Indian beer for around 70-100 rs, but there is virtually no nightlife in Agra outside of cultural shows at some of the larger hotels and restaurants. After getting off the streets of Agra and into your hotel, you will not want to go back anyway.

Budget

The main number of the budget hotels is situated around Taj-Mahal. From one point of view it is very convenient, but at the same time it is the most dirty district of the city (with monkeys on the roofs, rats inside the buildings and waiters who can not read and write). While choosing where to stay, be very careful! In the most places there is no hot water (you will get it only by ordering beforehand). It is necessary to check everything, including the presence of bed-linen.

Hotel Amba Inn, 1/51, Delhi Gate, Near Raja ki Mandi Railway Station (2 mins from railway station), ☎ 91 562 2520779 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 91 562 2520779 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, 91 9412720194,. checkin: noon; checkout: noon. Offers facilities for 22 rooms in total. There are both double rooms, single rooms, as well as facility for an extra bed. All the rooms are air conditioned/air cooled, with television. Single Rs 550-800, double Rs 650-900.

Col Lamba Indian Home Stay, 58 Gulmohar Enclave, Shamshabad Rd, ☎ 0562-3298921, . This B&B is run by Col.Lamba, a retired army officer, and his wife. There are 7 rooms which are very clean, airconditioned and with TVs. Home cooked lunch and dinner available on request. Guest Kitchens also present. Highlight of the B&B is the hosts who are very warm and hospitable and will assist you with their local knowledge. Around Rs 700 per person.

Dayal Lodge, 25 New Agra, Dayalbagh Road (Towards Dayalbagh), ☎ +91-9219606365 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +91-9219606365 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, +91-562-2524560 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +91-562-2524560 end_of_the_skype_highlighting (dayallodge@gmail.com, fax: +91 562 2524560). checkin: 12 Noon; checkout: 12 Noon. Established in the early 60s, with 10 well furnished AC rooms/and Dormitories equipped with basic amenities. 24 Hrs. made-to-order kitchen, in-house laundry facilities, local airport/railway station transfers. Rs 450-750.

Hotel Jaiwal, 3 Taj Road, Sadar Bazar, ☎ +91 562 2363153 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +91 562 2363153 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Rs 75-325.

Hotel Kamal, (by the south gate of the Taj Mahal), ☎ 0091-562-2330126 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 0091-562-2330126 end_of_the_skype_highlighting (hotelkamal@hotmail.com). Rs 300-850.

Hotel Neel Kanth, Fatehabad Road, ☎ +91 562 2362039 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +91 562 2362039 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Rs 100-00.

Youth Hostel, Sanjay Place, M. G. Road, ☎ +91 562 2154462 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +91 562 2154462 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Rs 50-125.

Saniya Palace, Chowk kajziyan, South Gate, Taj Ganj, ☎ +91 (0562) 3270199 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +91 (0562) 3270199 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Good budget hotel with some A/C rooms. 24 hr room service. Friendly staff & fantastic views of the Taj mahal from the roof top restaurant. rs 600

Shanti lodge South Taj gate. From 400 Rs economic room, non AC. Hot water, TV. Restaurant on the roof top. Be careful with the bed sheets, not very clean. Cloak room available.

Mid-range

Hotel Mandakini Villas, Fatehabad Road, Purani Mandi, Taj Ganj (Next to Western Gate of Taj Mahal), Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, ☎ +91 5626453854 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +91 5626453854 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, [ checkout: noon. 200 meters from the Taj Mahal's West Gate. It offers air-conditioned rooms each with cable TV with 100 channels, broadband Internet connection, private bathroom with cold water and direct-dial phone. You might get a little bit warmer than cold water by requesting it from the reception a few times. It is not possible to sleep without ear plugs in the first floor because of the noise coming from corridor and reception all night. Get a room from higher floors. Rates start at Rs 2,690.

Laurie's Hotel, Mahatma Gandhi Road, ☎ +91 562 2364536 (fax: +91 562 2268045). An old colonial hotel from the British era (some say it hasn't been upgraded since!), Laurie's retains some of the charm of traveling in India in days of yore. Rooms with impossibly high ceilings (fans, no aircon), lead off from verandahs with nice lawns outside. A swimming pool from yesteryears graces the lawn (unfortunately closed in the winter). But you can get British era service with 'bed tea', excellent freshly made chicken curry and rice to order, and creaky plumbing. Some people will love it, others hate it, but you can't be indifferent to Laurie's!

Hotel Raj. Directly in front of the central entry of the Taj Mahal, simple but clean. About Rs 800.

Splurge

Thanks to heavy competition, Agra's five-star hotels are pretty good value compared to most other cities in India.

ITC Mughal, Taj Ganj, ☎ +91-562-4021700 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +91-562-4021700 end_of_the_skype_highlighting,. Formerly the Sheraton Mughal, this is one of Agra's top hotels, with views of the Taj from the roof viewing pavilion. Large pool. The hotel's age is starting to show, but the rooms are in fine shape. Popular with tour groups Rooms from US$160.

Oberoi Amarvilas, Taj East Gate Road, ☎ +91 (562) 2231515 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +91 (562) 2231515 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, . The best (and most expensive) hotel in Agra. Its is consistently rated among the top 10 hotels in the world

Trident Hilton, Fathebad Road, ☎ +91 (562) 2331818 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +91 (562) 2331818 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Solid Hilton quality, but poor location. Outdoor pool, gym. Rooms from US$89..

Contact

Agra comes under Uttar Pradesh (west) circle as per TRAI. BSNL ,Airtel are the two main providers of terrestrial telephone lines in Agra, while BNSL , AirTel Vodafone and Idea provide GSM (triband) and Reliance and Tata provide CDMA services.

Internet

There are several internet cafes / Cyber Cafes from where you can access the internet for sending email or uploading your digital photos.

Reliance World has broadband connectivity at many location across the city.
Sify Iway also offers broadband connectivity at different locations spread all over the city.

India

2011-02-03T03:51:00.000-08:00

Introducing India

India offers myriad flavours mingling in the steam of a country coming of age.

Teeming with over a billion people who voice over a million concerns in fifteen hundred different languages, India is where people live with variety, thrive on diversity and are too familiar with largeness to let it boggle them.

Travellers and tourists to India may however not find it so undaunting. Mud huts and mansions face off across city streets and lurid luxury and limp living are inhabitants of the same lane. Just like in the ''masala'' box in every Indian kitchen, measures of Calm and "Kaam" (work)craft the people of India. In this beautiful and bountiful land that is India, events, experiences and sensations heap themselves on the tourist at every step. India will be one of the most stimulating places you’ll ever visit, so you must visit.

Some interesting facts about India you probably didn''t know:

The game of ''chess'' was invented in India. India as a country has the largest number of post offices in the world! The Indian Railways is the single largest employer in the world - 1.6 million employees at the last count.

Historically Speaking

Indian history can be roughly divided into the 6 periods of Ancient India, Medieval India, the years of the Company, colonial times as part of The Raj, the struggle for Independence and finally, post-Independence. India, the geopolitical entity as she stands today is a post-Independence phenomenon. It was as recently as "the stroke of the midnight hour" on 15th August 1947 when Nehru pronounced her "tryst with destiny" that India woke "to life and freedom".

One of man’s oldest civilizations was the settlement at the Indus Valley. The degree of sophistication that archaeologists found in their settlements almost belies the fact that these people lived almost 4000 years ago. The civilization had meticulously planned cities; streets met at right angles, the sewage system puts present day India to shame, and the tools and large granaries show that they knew more than a thing or two about agriculture. Seals of the Indus Valley have on them the only ancient script that is yet to be deciphered. The most important Indus Valley cities of Harappa and Mohenjodaro are in present day Pakistan.

The civilization died out

in the 1500 BC. The reasons are a still a matter of contention and they range from the coming of the central Asian Aryan tribes to the changing of the course of the Indus River. While both these are true, it’s difficult to ascertain that these are what brought the end of the Dravidian civilization in the Indus valley. By 300 BC the previously nomadic Aryans had settled down in the region of north India. They had brought with them Sanskrit, a member of the Indo-European family of languages akin to Latin and Greek. They also brought the spoken literature of the Hindu life-philosophy, horse-driven chariots and a social system of caste differentiation.

The following millennium saw the waxing and waning of empires. In the north the great dynasties were those of the Mauryas (300-200 BC) during which period Buddhism received royal patronage, and the Guptas during whose reign the subcontinent is said to have enjoyed a "golden period" (300-500 AD). The intervening period had new settlers like the Shakas and Kushanas forming lesser kingdoms in the area around the Ganges. The influence of these Aryan kingdoms rarely reached the south. Regional dynasties like the Andhras, Cheras, Pandyas and Cholas ruled kingdoms in the south of the Deccan Plateau and lower down the peninsula. When unable to withstand the pressures of central Asian invaders the Gupta Empire crumbled, the north got divided into strong regional kingdoms (except for a brief period from 606 to 647 under the poet king Harshavardhan). This was the time that the Rajputs grew to prominence in the west.

Within 300 years of being founded in the 7th century, Islam had reached the western parts. But it wasn’t until the coming of Turkish-Afghan raiders like Mahmud of Ghazni (997 to 1030 AD) and Muhammad Ghauri (in 1192) that Islam made significant inroads to the heart of north India. The first Muslim empire was set up by a general of Ghauri’s, Qutb-ud-din Aibak, which is when the Delhi Sultanate came into being. The temptation of privileges extended to the faithful, and Hinduism’s own severe caste system made many convert.

The Delhi Sultanate was ridden with internal strife and saw no less than 5 dynasties come to power between 1206 and 1526. In 1526 a young Central Asian warlord who had already captured Kabul, set his eyes on the vast land that lay to the south. Tales of riches had reached his ears and Babur, descendent of Genghis Khan and Timurlane made good his ancestral legacy by defeating the Sultanate’s armies in the Battle of Panipat.

In a land of oppressive heat, and such a variety of people that he could hardly make sense of it, Babur founded the Mughal dynasty. Babur began the work of bringing the delicate patterns of Islamic art, the detailed craft of miniature painting, the severe symmetry of formal garden craft to Delhi. Till Aurangzeb, the 6th king of the dynasty, the Mughals had a liberal policy of religious tolerance and that helped them weave together a largely stable and tight knit kingdom that spanned a larger territory than any previously had. It was a time of plenty and emperors like Jehangir (1605-1627) and Shah Jehan (1628-1657) could focus their attentions on art, architecture and culture. It was the time when the Taj Mahal was built, as was the Red Fort, and the coffers contained the Koh-i-Noor and the ruby and emerald studded Peacock Throne. Aurangzeb’s religious zeal won him widespread resentment. The Mughal Empire began unravelling, unable to withstand the Maratha chieftain Shivaji’s guerrilla warfare. The last really effective Mughal king was Bahadur Shah (1707-1712). After him Mughal power and prestige declined steadily.

The first British East India Company officials landed in India in 1602. Eventually their interests ceased to be purely mercantile as they assumed more political roles. After the Revolt of 1857, the Crown took over the reigns and India officially came to be a part of the vast British Empire. The Raj settled into ruling this vast dominion and did so till in 1947 when the country was handed back to the leaders of the freedom movement. Gandhi and Nehru led the largely non-violent movement from the front with the backing of Congress and the entire nation. However, partly because of the British ‘divide-and-rule’ policy and internal contradictions in the national movement itself, a communal divide came to be. When India finally achieved freedom, it was combined with the trauma of partition and the formation of Pakistan.

Nehru became the first Prime Minister of India on 15th August 1947 at the head of a Congress government. The Congress hegemony ended in the late 60s, but it came to power intermittently through the 70s and 80s. The Nehru legacy was strong enough to make both his daughter Indira (who declared the infamous internal Emergency), and grandson Rajiv, Prime Minister. In the 90s the era of coalition politics had begun and democracy had come of age.

Habitat

From the highest point of the Kanchenjunga peak at 8598 meters to the lowest point at 0 meters at the Indian Ocean, India is the land that spells variety.

The 7th largest country in the world, it covers a total area of 3,287,590 sq km in area. It lies in south Asia jutting into the Indian Ocean in its south, undulating over the frozen wasteland of the Himalayas in the north, braving drought in its desert-like west and surviving fierce floods in its east. A substantial portion of northern India is the fertile plain where the great Gangetic riverine system irrigates vast expanses of the land bringing agrarian well being. The Deccan Plateau in Central India is rich in minerals. The Western and Eastern Ghats fringe the southern peninsula and are the setting for coffee, tea, cashew plantations, the Nilgiri langur and gaur, and the silversmith Toda tribal.

In the north-west, Pakistan borders India, and to the east lie China, Nepal, Burma, Bhutan and Bangladesh. To the south lies the teardrop shaped island nation of Sri Lanka. Beyond the peninsula the waters of the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the

west and the Indian Ocean at the very south wet the shores of India’s 7000 km long coastline. Great vanquishing rivers are worshipped. The Narmada, Godavari, Krishna, Cauveri, the Brahmaputra, Ganga and Yamuna criss-cross the terrain bringing prosperity and fertility and often wreaking havoc in flood. They inspire songs and they bring misery; increasingly they are bringing hydroelectric power to millions across the country.

The Tropic of Cancer splits India in half. Sub tropical jungles house the Royal Bengal tiger, multiple species of deer and antelope, the Asian elephant, the Common, Golden and Nilgiri langurs, the one horned rhino in the forests of Assam, prides of Asiatic lions in the dry wilds of Sasan Gir in the west. And there is much more: river dolphins in the Ganges and Brahmaputra, crocodiles, waters that are teeming with mahseer, trout, carp, fresh water prawns, woods with fishing cat, civets, leopard, the cobra, krait and python, the grey mongoose, the gaur, the sloth bear.

There are over 1200 bird species including the Great Indian Bustard, the Malabar hornbill, Paradise Flycatcher, cormorants, egrets, darters and migratory Siberian cranes in the winter. India’s jungles, rivers, streams are simply bursting with wildlife, much of it protected in her 80 National Parks and 441 Sanctuaries. Camels in the deserts of Rajasthan, stoic yaks, sure-footed Himalayan Tahr and mountain goats in the north extend the scope beyond just that which is typical to Asian sub tropical forests of sal, shisham and teak. There are mangrove forests in the east and evergreen conifers in the upper climes of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Common flowers include roses, bougainvilleas, sunny marigold, water lilies, lotus and fragrant jasmine. In the breathtaking Valley of Flowers a sea of lilies, poppy, daisies, holly, pansy, geranium, zinnia, petunia, fox, caryopsis dianthus, saxifrage and calendula stretches out in the shadow of towering snowbound Himalayan peaks.

People & Language

The fabric of Indian society is woven with myriad threads. The result is multi-textured, many layered and though this diversity has fuelled some dissension, it continues to be India’s strength. One of the most marked things about Indian society is the great diversity. This applies to religion, ethnicity and language as much as to the economic situation. The yawning gap between the rich and the poor is bridged by a large middle class of small businessmen, professionals, bureaucrats etc.

Most Indians actively practice their religion, and despite the creeping westernisation, most of India is socially orthodox. That means that caste distinctions have not been forgotten, man-woman interaction may be frowned upon, and the public display of affection is strictly no-no. The cow is sacred and ‘all ye who forget that-be doomed’. The left hand, which is an indispensable tool for Indian ablutions, is considered impure and isn’t used in passing things around.

On the whole the Indians are a warm welcoming people. The guest is next only to God and crooks and touts notwithstanding, and curious looks and probing questions
notwithstanding, you’ll find that they are great hosts. Their idiosyncrasies just make it all the more interesting; be patient and you will learn to love the complete package.

The national language of India is Hindi, which in one form or another is spoken all over the north. In the Deccan (south India), the languages are completely different. The states were formed on the basis of language so each has its own. On the whole though, dialects, accents, idioms and linguistic flourishes change every few miles. There are 18 official languages but over a thousand recognised dialects. English is widely spoken
India probably has the most religious diversity in any country. It’s the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. It’s among the few places to have a resident Zoroastrian population. The Syrian Christian Church is well established in Kerala; the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa, old churches in Calcutta and Delhi, synagogues in Kerala, temples from the tiny to the tremendous, ‘stupas’, ‘gompas’ and the Bodhi tree, the Ajmer Sharif and Kaliya Sharif in Bombay, all reflect the amazing multiplicity of religious practice in India. Tribal people in the northeast, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat practice forms of nature worship.

Secularism is enshrined in the Constitution.

Food

From DC to Dakota, Warwick to what-have-you, Indian spices are letting off steam everywhere in the whole wide world. And you come to India and realise......hey, there’s nothing authentic about it! Every kitchen, every man, woman, cook, chef does it different.

A meal in the north would typically constitute chapattis or rice with dal (lentil curry) and a dish of vegetables or meat. Pappads (wafers fried or toasted to a crisp), yoghurt and pickle are usual accompaniments. The chapatti is a round flat unleavened bread of which you tear bits to scoop the curry. Variations of the chapatti are paratha, poorie, bhatoora, and Tandoori naans.

Idli, dosa, vada, sambar, uppama! In the south, too, a meal centres on a base of rice, or as in the South –Indian case, semolina preparation. The idli is a steamed rice cake and the crisp salty pancake often stuffed with potatoes is the dosa. Eaten alongside is the South-Indian dal - "sambhar", sour, hot, souped -up with vegetables. The Brahmins are vegetarian, but the rest consume sour-hot fish, mutton, and chicken with gusto. In Kerala seafood is simmered in coconut milk and

Culture & Crafts

Music: Much of India’s classical music is devotional and a lot of that, devoted to the flute playing god, Krishna. The North Indian Hindustani and South Indian Carnatic streams are distinct and both have a complex ‘raga’ framework. Ghazals in Urdu reflect on life and are light on the ear. Every region has a distinctive folk tradition too. Instruments that would typically accompany Indian music are the stringed veena, sitar, and the Indian drum: tabla or mridangam in the south.

Dance: The legacy of dance in India is tremendous. On temple walls, on an urban stage, in impromptu bursts by a mellow evening fire, men and women twinkle their toes in expression of joy. The classical dances of India are numerous. Characterised by stylised movements and elaborate costumes, these dances communicate age-old tales of love, longing and rage. Kathakali of Kerala, Bharatnatyam of Tamil Nadu, Kuchipudi of Andhra Pradesh, Manipuri and Odissi from Orissa are the prominent dance forms in this country that sways to an altogether novel beat. The robust bhangra of Punjabi men, the graceful whirling of Rajasthani women,

the gentle sway of northeastern dancers, vigorous tribal dances, every corner has developed it’s own unique form.

Theatre: There is a robust theatrical tradition. The Yakshagana, nautanki and puppetry are ancient folk forms that live on till date. This tribe of wandering performers is on the decline but there still are occasional performances on the rudimentary stages of the rural areas. Rustic and coarse the flavour might be, but the techniques are surprisingly sophisticated. There is a growing body of contemporary work both in English and in the vernacular.

Art: The earliest specimens of Indian painting are the ones on the walls of the Ajanta Caves dating back to 2nd century BC. The typical ‘figures in profile’ art of India came to be when the Jain manuscripts were being illustrated. The Mughals had a huge impact on Indian art. The miniature, which had been only on palm leaves in the northeast, came into prominence. The influence of Persian art brought placid garden scenes, illustrations from myths, legends and history into Indian art. Later schools include the Bengal School of Tagore and the Company School of European influence. More recently the opulent paintings of Raja Ravi Varma, the paintings of M.F. Hussain, Jamini Roy and Ganesh Pyne among others rule the art scene.

Crafts: Word craft, handicrafts, architecture and sculpture all contribute to this rich and varied domain. Indian literature, both in English and in the vernacular, is ever more popular around the world. Handicrafts are as varied as the country itself. The Mughal and colonial structures and the temple architecture across the length and breadth of the country are testaments to the lands exciting past. Sculptures adorn temple walls, stupas, street junctions and ancient caves. The oldest schools are the Gandhara and the Mathura.

Movies: The Hindi movie industry is the most prolific in the world. Based in Bombay, hence Bollywood, this spool-spitting machine takes on the onerous responsibility of fuelling India’s prime passion. There is sheer joy in the easy stereotypes of muscle-flexing machismo, leering villainy and leading ladies of Hindi filmdom, but not all Hindi films are a simmering brew of action, romance, and song and dance. There is a parallel stream of "art" cinema though it’s not nearly half as popular as the "commercial" stream. Giving competition to the Bollywood masala film is the equally spicy south Indian fare. Regional cinema is fairly popular in its local context and with serious cinema-goers.

Cricket! Oh for the love of a six-er! India grinds to a halt when the country’s eleven don their colours. In cricket-crazy Calcutta, old folk gather to trash the ‘new fangled’ limited-overs format; in front of a million TV sets, four million pray for victory (often knowing they’re praying for a miracle!) tirelessly. It’s a mad-mad-mad world and in India cricket stars adorn the doors of innumerable cupboards.

Where to Stay

There’s enough variety in tourist accommodation in India for the visitor to always find comfort; degrees of luxury though will be directly proportionate to the degree of the depth of your pocket. Hotels are graded on the star system: 5-star being fully air conditioned, with a coffee shop, multiple speciality restaurants, pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, health centre, in-house shopping and all the razzmatazz. Down to hostels, ashrams, and Public Works’ guesthouses at the other end of the spectrum: dormitory style living with rationed hot water (just about enough for a decent shave!), no-smoking no-drinking restrictions and curfew!

There are numerous other options and you’ll never be stuck in a heap because there isn’t a choice. Even the smallest tourist destination has mid-rung establishments. Some have common bathrooms but there usually will be the option of renting a room with an attached bathroom. Some mid-rung establishments are better than others. There are many that have cosy atmosphere and make up in character what they lack in frills.

In many wildlife sanctuaries, there is accommodation in the park’s buffer

What to Pack

Carry a combination plug that will feed into a round-pin socket: across the subcontinent plug point sockets are round rather than flat. Winters in the north are cold but days in the plains are sometimes sunny. Carry a combination of heavy woollens and light jumpers. It’s coldest from mid-December to mid-January. Get yourself an umbrella or raincoat. It’s always raining some region or another. In the summer be armed with sun protection: sunglasses, cap/hat, cream with a minimum SPF of 20.

Bring prescription medicines and an extra pair of spectacles/contact lenses (though opticians abound in cities). A sleeping bag and a bed sheet are a must for budget travellers.

Travel Documents

All visitors are required to carry a passport valid at least for the next 6 months. Visa exemptions include:

1. Bhutanese and Nepalese visitors who are staying for less than 3 months.

2. Nationals from the Maldives, if they are staying for a maximum of 90 days (this includes any periods they may have spent in India up to 6 months prior to the visit in question).

3. Transit passengers who have a follow-on ticket within 72 hours of arrival as long as they are not going to leave the airport.

Special restrictions apply to Pakistani and Afghan nationals. Its always wise to check updated visa requirements prior to travel.

Tourist info Centers

Government of India Tourist Office (GITO), 88 Janpath, New Delhi 110001. Tel: (11) 23320342, (11) 23320005, (11) 3320008 and (11) 23320266 Fax: (11) 23320109 India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), L 1 Connaught Place, New Delhi 110001. Tel: (11) 23320331 and (11) 23322336 Fax: (11) 23320331 States have their own individual tourism boards that promote and organise travel within the state.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit India is between October and March. The summer heat has abated by then in the northern plains and in Rajasthan’s arid landscape. The wet Northeast becomes somewhat drier, the south becomes a breathtaking scene of swaying coconut palms and rain showers spray Tamil Nadu. Most of India’s colourful festivals are in this period. Dussehra, which is celebrated like Guy Fawkes Day but with dramatis personae from the epic drama of Ramayana, is followed 20 days later by the festival of light, firecrackers and joyous pyrotechnics, Diwali. Come March, come Holi: coloured powder, water fights and sweetmeats!

Besides these that are universal favourites across the country, there are regional festivals. Harvest festivals, car festivals, dance festivals and numerous temple celebrations pepper south India’s calendar in December-January. Pretty Pushkar in Rajasthan holds Asia’s largest camel fair in November; Mardi Gras in Goa and the muezzin’s call heralding Id. The winter is also ideal for wildlife enthusiasts.

The major deterrent to visiting during any other time is the heat. However, the months from

Climate

In a country where topography varies wildly, climatic conditions are only bound to vary wildly too. Classified as a hot tropical country by many, that is a definition that holds true for most of but not all of India. Exceptions include the northern states of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir in the north and Sikkim in the northeastern hills.

In most of India summer is hot. It begins in April and continues till the beginning of October. The heat peaks in June with temperatures in the northern plains and the west soaring above 46° C. The monsoons hit the country during this period too, beginning 1st of June when they are supposed to find the Kerala coast. Moisture laden trade winds sweep the country bringing relief to a parched northern India but devastation in the east where the rivers Brahmaputra and Ganga flood annually. Tamil Nadu in the south receives rainfall between October and December, beneficiary of the retreating monsoons.

India’s extensive coastline lies almost entirely below the Tropic of Cancer. The coast is usually warm and moist, prone to heavy rains in the monsoons and high summer temperatures.

Sights

Sights that enthral and appall. When Foster wrote his Passage to India in the 1920s he reached the stunning conclusion that there are "a hundred Indias". There are. And if you go out to discover each of these you can count on spending at least a year in this stupendous country with its phenomenal repertoire of surprises and delights. Blessed with probably the widest array of topographical and cultural diversity that was ever packed into one time zone, there’s an India for everyone.

India’s jungles, rivers and streams are simply bursting with wildlife; much of it protected in her 80 National Parks and 441 Sanctuaries. Popular ones are Corbett, Rajaji and Dudhwa (Uttar Pradesh), Kanha, Pench (Madhya Pradesh) and Sasan Gir (Gujarat). Sariska and Ranthambor (Rajasthan), Kaziranga, Manas (Assam), Mudumalai, Bandipore and Wyanad (Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve-Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala) are the other well known game sanctuaries. Keoladeo Ghana, Bharatpur (Rajasthan) is a famous bird sanctuary. Find yourself as you lose the cares of life in the city.

The temple trail in India just trails on and on

and on.... winding past the monuments of man’s love for the divine. The gilded gurudwara in Amritsar, ancient weather-beaten cathedrals in Goa, ‘dargahs’ (mausoleums) of Muslim saints and grand temples to the innumerable Hindu deities; these houses of worship are as precious as works of art.

Catch the trail as it runs through Ajmer, Delhi, Fatehpur Sikri, Varanasi, Madurai, Sarnath, Gaya, Orchha, Tanjore, Trichy, Tirupati, Mathura, Ayodhya, Jammu, Badrinath, Haridwara and Rishikesh. The legacy of spiritual succour lives on in the land of exotica. In Pune, Pondicherry, Puttaparthy and Dharamsala, Osho, Auroville, the Sai Baba and Buddhist monks explore a new life, of what is and what could be.

Explore the same along turquoise blue and breezy beaches along the coast. Windswept or sunny, India’s beaches are peculiarly Indian. Crowded and cheery, sometimes dirty, always delightful, you’ll find them in Kerala’s Kovalam, in the Andamans and Lakshadweep, in Goa, quiet Gokarna, and ‘templescaped’ Puri, Kanyakumari and Mahabalipuram.

Ruins of forts, palaces, picturesque ‘havelis’ (large private houses) and mausoleums pepper the landscape. In and around Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan, all over the country actually, historical sites intrigue the history enthusiast. Important sites are Hampi, Khajuraho, Mandu, Aurangabad, Bikaner, Goa, Gwalior, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Mahabalipuram, Tanjore and Mysore.

Museums, business centres, nightlife, large markets, embassies and consulates mark space in the bigger cities of India. Bustling with activity, bristling with high voltage energy, busy-busy-busy, New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Calcutta, Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad make up India’s urban landscape. The world’s highest mountains form a tall 2500 km long wall along India’s northeast frontier and are prime climbing territory for the outdoor types. The mountainous regions of Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Leh are high altitude trekking options.

The "blue mountains" of the Nilgiri Hills in the Deccan, and the lower reaches of the Himalayas in Garhwal, Kumaon and around Darjeeling are simpler and ideal for a leisurely hike. From stark white mountains framed against sheer clear blue to forested hills that enclose rushing streams, there is endless variety for the hiker. In the hills, in tiny towns with winding ‘mall roads’ survive the British legacy of "hill stations". These cool getaways from the simmering plains continue to entertain weekend tourists in the summers. Shimla, Manali, Kasauli and Mussoorie in the north, Shillong, Darjeeling and Kalimpong in the east, Ooty and Munnar in the south are the most popular.

So much to do, so much to see.....so little time! That holds completely true for the Indian experience. Don’t push yourself to do it all because that’s well nigh impossible but choose well and plan little, open your mind and be gathered up by the experience that the world calls "India".

Shopping

All over India makeshift markets line streets. Paan-sellers dot market corners, villages have busy market-days, deserted mountain trails boast lone tea-stalls that count as a whole settlement, and city roads all lead to snazzy malls! While shopping has always been big for Indians, as current trends go, ‘Indian’ is now big in shopping.

Ethnic chic, glitz and kitsch, whether it’s clothes, carpets or clutter, if it’s Indian, it’s in! To name a little that could fill your bags: Kashmiri carpets that rival Persian rugs or rugged durries of natural fibre in vibrant colours and rural motifs. Perfumes extracted from the sweetest of flowers, opulent silks and block-printed cotton. Beads and trinkets, silver and gold, mirror-work Rajasthani skirts, tie-and-dye, inexpensive leather ware, and statues in metal or stone.

Look out for the bright red, yellow, green and blue handloom from the ‘seven sisters’ in the Northeast; Karnataka Bidriware (silver inlay on blackened white metal); Kanjeevaram and Benaras saris with gold woven into multihued silks; beads, bangles and other ornaments everywhere; shell craft, pretty sandals,

Activities

For the thrill seeking traveller India is an all-in-one deal. The Indian Himalayas and the many hill formations present the trekker with innumerable hiking and trekking options. The wildlife sanctuaries, whether in the ‘sholas’ of southern India or the thick teak forests of the east, whether in the ‘sal’ and ‘shisham’ jungles of the north or the scrub of the west, are for the nature enthusiast. White water rafting in the rapids of the Himalayan rivers, ‘kettuvalam’ cruises in the Keralan backwaters, snorkelling, diving, water-skiing, beach bumming along India’s extensive coastline, there’s enough to make a water lover happy. There are many centres for adventure sports like parasailing and paragliding. Skiing in the Alps it is not, but for beginners the slopes in Auli and the more difficult ones in Spiti would provide some thrill. Some hotels and clubs allow non-guests/members pay-and-play use of swimming pools and golf links.

Cricket is special in India. It’s as much about twenty-two guys and a ball as about the beat of drums and blasts from trumpets, painted faces and flag-waving,

Night out

The call of "Chai-garam" proclaims the availability of hot tea on obscure railway platforms, and if you are tempted you’ll singe your tongue to one of the truest Indian experiences with food and drink. From the foil packed dinner trays that is railway dining to the gourmet meals on dull silver that is fine dining, it’s all available in India.

In the cities the most popular international cuisines are Chinese, Italian, ‘Continental’/European and Thai. Lasagna, pasta, chop suey and red curries abound on menus. The most widely available Indian foods are definitely Mughlai and south Indian. Harking back to the days of the Mughals, Mughlai cuisine relies on aromatic spices, and succulent meats either curried or roasted in a tandoor and it can be very heavy. South Indian food is predominantly vegetarian, light and tangy.

Frothy coffee that sizzles out of a bright machine, chicken burger served up in a jiffy and with a smile; fast food has come into its own in India. Many worldwide chains have set up shop in India’s cities and from Pune to Delhi, the American get-and-go eating experience is yours for the asking.

Originally the truckers’ meal deal, ‘dhabas’ have proliferated along the highways and cater to all wayfarers. These shack establishments serve some great food at hard to beat prices, but since plates are not cleaned in the clearest of waters this dining experience may not be too safe.

Theatre and the arts are feted in the urban centres of Delhi, Bombay, Madras, Calcutta, Pune and Bangalore. Hollywood fare also reaches the big screens here almost the same day of their American release. The Hindi movie, that quintessentially Indian phenomenon, is a must-see. Slake your thirst for nightlife and twinkle any tingling toes at the pubs, nightclubs and discos. There is little by way of entertainment in the smaller towns and cities except the cinema halls and maybe the odd locally produced cultural show.

Events

India’s calendar is full of very special events: festivals of religion, harvests and culture are celebrated with aplomb. India has three national holidays when all establishments across the country are compulsorily closed: 15th August-Independence Day, 2nd October-Gandhi’s birthday and 26th January-Republic Day, which is an extravaganza of a parade.

Festivals and holidays differ in different regions and some are universally appreciated across the country. The winter festival of lights, Diwali, is celebrated in cities, towns and dusty villages with twinkling lamps and fireworks. Spring brings myriad hues to the world around and also the festival of Holi - a happily messy rite of water and colour. The harvest brings joy and festivities of another order and is celebrated as Pongal in the south, and Bihu in the east and Baisakhi in the north. Christmas in Goa is still the most special but the cheer spreads everywhere. The month of Ramadan and feasting is important to Muslims. Other important religious events include Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Zuha, the Prophet’s birthday, Good Friday, Dussehra, Buddha Purnima (Buddha’s birthday) and

Rome

2011-02-01T06:16:00.000-08:00

Rome Travel Guide

Rome Caput Mundi, Rome the ageless City. A different city around the world because of the absolutely opposite styles of art and life that manage to live side by side there: Imperial Rome and Baroque Rome, sophisticated Rome and working-class Rome.

Rome has a long and tempestuous history. No other city had the attention center of the world for such a long period. The city more loved of the Roman Empire, lavished with architectural jewelry by her emperors, but also often seized raided and destroyed. Also fires and earthquakes left their scars, but each time the eternal city recovered from her injuries.

Rome's history is strongly related to the history of Europe. Not just the Roman emperors, but also medieval emperors and kings like Charlemagne or Otto I saw Rome as the true seat of power. They confronted the new rulers, the popes for the supreme power. It was the dispute about who was the true representative of God. Both emperor and pope claimed to be true inheritors of the Roman Empire.

It is said that one life is not enough to get to comprehend Rome. Maybe you'll require about ten, as much as the countless stray cats that also occupy the city, but a week will do for a first introduction. At each corner of each street there’s a story to tell. Thousands of stories together tell the history of a three thousand year old city. Two weeks may be enough for a hasty tour through most everything; a month would be better. Fortunately, Rome

The most impressive features in Rome comprehend the Trevi fountain (remind Anita Ekberg in the classic scene in La Dolce Vita) and the Spanish Steps, the Roman heritage sights such as the Pantheon, the Colloseum and the Forum Romanum, at least some of the world famous churches such as Il Gesu, S. Giovanni in Laterano or Sta. Maria Maggiore. Make sure not to miss a stroll through the Vatican City with the incredibly huge St. Peter's Cathedral and the unrivalled Vatican Museum. (population 2.900.000) is compact enough to skim the best in three (full) days, and if you have more time we guarantee you will find delightful and fulfilling ways to use it.

The City of Rome

Located on the River Tiber, among the Apennine Mountains and the Tyrrhenian Sea, Rome, the capital of Italy, this place is one of the world's oldest cities as well as one of the principal centers of European culture. With the enclave of the Vatican City within its territory, Rome is also the center of Roman Catholicism.

The city was founded during the eight century BC on an important trade route between the Etruscans to the north and the Greek colonies to the south. The legendary origins of Rome are related in the tale of Romulus and Remus. Princess Rhea Silvia, ravished by Mars (the God of War), gave birth to the twins and abandoned them to fate. The River Tiber carried them to the Palatine Hill, where a she-wolf mothered the babes until their discovery by a shepherd. Romulus later killed Remus, before going on to found Rome in the marshy lowlands of seven hills. As the centre of a massive Roman Empire, Rome was already a large city by the second century A.D. At its peak in the 3rd century, Rome had a population of 2 million! Its fortune fluctuated with the times and its population dropped in the middle Ages until the renaissance ushered in a new era of growth.

The city was chosen as capital after the unification of Italy in 1870. Rome has stayed as the political, administrative and cultural center of Italy. Situated among Italy's North and South, and thoroughly detested by both, Rome is perhaps the perfect capital for a country like Italy. Once the seat of a great empire, and later the home of the papacy, which governed its dominions from here with a distant and autocratic hand, it's still seen as a place somewhat apart from the rest of Italy, spending money made elsewhere on the corrupt and bloated government machine that runs the country. Romans, the thinking seems to go, are a lazy lot, not to be trusted and living very nicely off the fat of the rest of the land. Even Romans find it hard to disagree with this analysis: in a city of around four million, there are around 600,000 office-workers, compared to an industrial workforce of one sixth of that.

As other large cities, the inner city deteriorated somewhat but most city inhabitants who fled this deterioration did not completely sever their ties with Rome. Rather, they commuted to their jobs and took advantage of the many cultural and social opportunities offered by the city.

The economy of Rome is characterized by the deficiency of heavy industry, but commercial activities especially banking and the development of tourism are exceptionally important to its economy. Universities, national radio and television and the movie industry in Rome are also important elements of the economy. A phenomenon particular to Rome is the widespread incidence of double employment, people working two jobs.

Getting Rome

Driving and parking in Rome can be quite difficult. When you're not walking a solution for getting around Rome, is to use public transportation. The bus lines comprehend the entire city and give you a chance to mingle, though at times a little too closely, with Romans and other tourists.

The metro can be useful if you're remaining near a station. The 2 lines don't cover much of the city but it can be a very fast way of getting around if you happen to be going near a station. The metro also connects with some of the train stations and the Cotral buses that go out of town.

By Bus
Bus is the most popular way of transport in Rome; the buses are managed by ATAC and Cotral, with ATAC buses generally serving the city centre and most of the suburbs while COTRAL buses service the outer suburbs and outlying regional areas. Buses and trams generally run between 6am and midnight every day, with popular routes served every 10 minutes and with night buses. You get on the bus by the front or back doors and you get off by the middle doors. You'll see many people breaking this rule. Sometimes the front or back are so crowded, the only choice is to try the middle. Unless you have a pass, you'll need to stamp your ticket immediately.

The bus lines connect the entire city. They can be crowded and can get stuck in traffic, but it still beats driving and searching for parking. The vast majority of buses don't run on a schedule, so you never really know when they are showing up. In the historic center, you don't usually have to wait too long, unless you're tired and it's raining. There are a few buses, called Linea Esatta that runs on a predetermined schedule. They generally only run during the week.

Press the buzzer to signal the driver to stop at the next bus stop for you to get off. And at times, while you stay at the bus stop, you will need to flag down a passing bus to get them to stop. Some stops are optional and they will only stop if you wave at them. This usually only applies to stops out of the center and when there aren't any other people at the bus stop.

By Metro
The metro is generally much faster than the bus system since there is no traffic, but it has some disadvantages too. In Rome there are only 2 lines and at times they run a bit parallel so they don't include a lot of destinations. Many of Rome's major sites are not that convenient to metro stations. The exceptions are the Spanish steps and the Colosseum. It's also a bit noisy and you don't get to see any sights as you travel.

The 2 lines are the Linea A, or red line and the Linea B, or blue line and you can change from one line to the other at the main train station, Termini. The red line runs from Battistini to Anagnina and includes stops near the Vatican Museums (Cipro), the Vatican (Ottaviano), the Cola di Rienzo shopping area (Lepanto), Piazza del Popolo (Flaminia), the Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna), via Veneto (Barberini) and San Giovanni.

The blue lines runs from Rebibbia to Laurentina and includes stops near Eur, St. Pauls Outside the Walls (Basilica S. Paolo), Piramide (also the Ostiense train station), Circus Maximus (Circo Massimo), the Colosseum (Colosseo) and the Tiburtina train station. You must know the last stop of the direction you're going to get to the right platform. There will be signs in the station showing the stops along the way and also onboard the metro. On the blue line, you'll have to push a button to get the doors to open. On the red line, the doors open automatically.

By Taxi
When we only possess a few days to visit Rome, we do a combination of walking and taking taxis instead of using the buses. Taxis are not that expensive and are very convenient. Taxis in Rome are white, have a "Taxi" sign on the roof and have sign on the side of the car. Taxis have a meter. The meter starts at a preset amount which differs by time of day. The easiest way to get a taxi is at a Taxi Stand. You will see them around the historic center. If there are taxis waiting, go to the taxi at the front of the line. If there are no taxis waiting, people make a line at the Taxi sign and cabs come by and pick people up.

You are not guaranteed to have an English speaking operator when you call for a taxi. If you do not speak Italian, and cannot find a Taxi Stand, go into a bar/café, order a drink, and have the bar person call a taxi for you.

The History of Rome

The origins of most cities are merely lost in the fog of the past, Rome is shrouded in colourful myth it says: Twins Romulus and Remus, abandoned by their mother, were raised by a she-wolf. Growing to manhood under the protection of the gods, they laid out the boundaries of the new Rome on the Palatine Hill. They quarreled; Romulus slew Remus and became the first of six kings of Rome.

Sitting on hills at the crossing of the River Tiber, this was the prominent place to build a town. Rome grew rich under its monarchy, which ended when the tyrannical King Tarquinius was overthrown in 507BC. So began the Republic, a democracy, and a military power that by 146BC was the most powerful in the Mediterranean. By the second century AD, Rome ruled Europe and parts of the Middle East. The long slow decline saw the city sacked by Goths and Vandals, and by the sixth century the city was a near ruin.

Gay & Lesbian in Rome

The year 2000 was a progress year for gay and lesbian Rome. In direct opposition with the pope's officially homophobic policies, the Eternal City was declared the official site of "World Pride 2000". The first week of July saw an inundation of the Rainbow Coalition from all over, come to celebrate their love among the ruins - which was interesting, considering that the city also hosted hundreds of thousands of Catholic pilgrims.

Peculiarly, Italy has never had anti-same-sex laws; it was presumably always enough simply to create an aura of massive disapproval around same-sex love. Consequently, gay and lesbian life in Rome is still conducted a bit on the sly, with gay venues hidden away and blacked-out from the street. There isn't any danger, Rome is a remarkably safe city, just a pervasive feeling of original sin.

There's a full range of same-sex offerings in Rome, although the city is certainly no Barcelona or Amsterdam The number of clubs, bars, saunas and such, is relatively limited, and you have to be on guard for the considerable presence of trade, usually recent arrivals from Eastern Europe, who cater largely to Vatican officials and other closet cases. However, you can certainly find a good time; there are also outdoor cruising/sex areas and some clubs have dark rooms, too, for those who prefer their encounters to be anonymous. There is no particularly gay part of town; clubs and bars are spread far and wide. Also, choices exclusively for women remain very few, although most places welcome both gay men and lesbians

Rome for kids

Italians love kids. Don't be surprised when the people peek into buggies and cheek-pinching are quite normal, as is help lugging carriages up steps and giving up a seat for you and your child on public transport.

But, Rome may not be the ideal place to bring children. Rome is the city of adults and teenagers. Unless you are staying with friends or members of the family, it is best that you do not bring a baby to Rome. Loose cobblestones, narrow or no sidewalks, narrow streets, crowds of people, horrendous traffic congestion, Vespas and Mopeds, bicycles and skateboarders darting here and there make getting around Rome very difficult for pushing carriages or strollers, or even carrying or walking small children.

Rome has a amazingly limited amount of activities particularly geared towards children. Luckily, touring the sites of Rome is something of an educational experience, and one that children can enjoy, especially Castel Sant'Angelo , the Colosseum , and of course throwing coins into the Trevi Fountain . Pick up the English version of Conosci Roma, available free from any tourist kiosk; it's a children's map of the centre with interesting facts about sights, daily life of ancient Rome and stickers.

Perhaps during the Christmas holidays the children will be most happy in visiting Rome. If you are traveling to Rome during the Holiday season, there is the Befana Christmas Toy Fair in Piazza Navona that is wonderful for children. Also, the bigger-than-life-sized Nativity at St. Peter's Square is also awesome.

Eating and Drinking in Rome

Romans are still very much in touch with the land, the people have small farms of their own in the countryside nearby, or they return to their home villages regularly. So the city's denizens know a good deal about freshness and authenticity, and can be very demanding when it comes to the quality of the dishes they are served.

Rome, pasta, wine and pizza. Here, it is not necessary to search for restaurants. Everywhere you will find small and cheap but nice trattorie, osterie and ristoranti. Prices, even in the centre, are reasonable and the quality remains of a fair standard. Many nice places are to be found in the Centro Storico, along Via Cavour and around Stazione Termini. Similarly, you can eat cheaply in the Borgo district around the Vatican.

In consequence, eating out is a major, often hours-long, activity in Rome, and the meals you'll enjoy generally range from good to truly remarkable. You'll find that most city-centre restaurants offer standard Italian dishes, although a few more adventurous restaurants have been popping up of late. Rome is also blessed with an abundance of good, honest pizzerias, churning out thin, crispy-baked pizza from wood-fired ovens. House wine is usually drinkable, but rarely memorable, but there are also any numbers of enoteche - wine bars - who really know their business. We've also listed a range of places serving snacks, though most bars serve panini and tramezzini and, at the end of the chapter, the best of the city's gelaterie and pasticcerie.

Vegetarians will find plenty of options in virtually all Italian eateries. Many pastas and pizzas, of course, are made entirely without meat; lentils and other beans and pulses are a part of traditional cookery; and wonderful fresh vegetables and cheeses are always available. Even so, there are a number of restaurants that specialize in vegetarian cuisine, and some of them are among the most appealing places in Rome.

One final caveat: generally speaking it's hard to find truly bad food and rip-off prices in Rome. However, it may be wise to avoid places that are adjacent to some major monuments, such as the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, or the Vatican. The food in these places can be poor, and the prices truly outlandish, sometimes as much as three times the going rate.

Drinking in Rome

For the people who wish to enjoy of wine, many wine cellars in the city organise wine tasting courses and information-giving meetings about vineyards, harvesting, fermentation and all the processes related to the production of this nectar of the gods. Among some of the places in the city that organize such events, we can name "La Tradizione" and "Franchi".

Drinking is not something Romans do a lot of, at least not in public. Despite that, you'll find plenty of bars in Rome, and, although, as with the rest of Italy, most are functional daytime haunts and not at all the kinds of places you'd want to spend an evening, due to the considerable presence of Anglo-Americans, there are plenty of more conducive bars and pubs - there's now an Irish pub practically on every corner in central Rome. Many drinking spots are slick and expensive excuses for people to sit and pose, but most have the advantage of having late opening hours - sometimes until 4am in summer, and almost always until around 1am.

A recent phenomenon is the rise of wine bars (enoteche or vinerie). The old ones have gained new cachet and newer ones, with wine lists the size of unabridged dictionaries, are weighing in too, often with gourmet menus to go with the superb wines they offer. There's also been a recent proliferation of wine-tastings ( degustazioni), a chance to sample some interesting vintages, often at no cost. Those that still concentrate on the fruit of the vine, however, are many in number and we've listed the best here.

Nightlife in Rome

Roman nightlife retains some of the smart ethos, Romans like taking it easy; and nightlife of Rome may seem rather tame to those accustomed to the cutting-edge buzz of other European cities. A typical night out for Romans usually involves a long dinner with a group of friends, starting after 9pm and continuing until after midnight.

Bars in the centre of town are good places to start. Most have tables outside where you can sit around and people-watch until the small hours. There have lately been initiatives oriented at reducing noise by earlier closing hours, but this isn't yet widespread. Campo dei Fiori, the Piazza Navona area, and Trastevere are some of the best places for an evening out. Locals and tourists alike stroll around the streets all evening, or sit at the many welcoming bars, which range from the stylish to the homely. If you want drunken good times, meeting other foreigners and predatory locals, head for one of the hundreds of Irish/Scottish pubs.

Rome's clubs run the gamut. There are vast brightness palaces with stunning lights and sound systems, predictable dance music and an over-dressed, over-made-up clientele - good if you can afford it and just want to dance (and observe a good proportion of Romans in their natural Saturday-night element). For nightclubs, discoteche, the best area to head for is Testaccio. The area around Piramide metro station and spreading down the Via Ostiense contains the highest concentration of nightclubs. In the summer most nightclubs close down, and nightlife relocates to the seaside and to 'villages' around the edge of town. Visitors from the UK will be surprised and maybe shocked at young people's night-time reliance on cars and scooters - and the cavalier attitude to drink-driving. Be prepared for venues surrounded by traffic chaos, which are hard to reach by public transport. Research your transport options; take taxi funds.

Some recommended Rome bars:

Bar del Fico: (Centro Storico) Tel: 00 39 668 65205.
Description: Formerly a neighbourhood coffee bar, now a street-side institution that gets so packed on summer nights you may think you’re queuing for a Roma game. There are few cooler places to order a long-glass drink and soak up the sun while watching the beauties pass by.
Jonathan's Angels (Centro Storico, Via della Fossa, 16) Tel: 00 39 6689 3426.
Description: Nothing to do with bikers or Charlie's but a cult spot all the same. Located in Centro Storico, you enter an extraordinary space decorated in all manner of colourful kitsch, with pop art and plastic furniture scattered around like it’s Warhol’s Factory. A large variety of beers and cocktails lubricate the atmosphere and before long you've made friend's with everyone around you. Check out the outlandish loos before you leave.
Zest - Es Hotel (Termini, Via F. Turati, 171) Tel: 39 06 444 841.
Description: Miami chic wings its way to Rome at the seventh-floor roof top bar of the ultra-sexy Es Hotel. With an interior of sleek ergonomic chairs, polished black surfaces and a clean-lined bar counter, it’s definitely got a touch of Ian Schrager, which you may or may not approve of.

Shopping in Rome

If you want to spend time shopping in Rome, there is an interminable choice of places for you to elect from: from the most famous designer labels in Italian fashion that dominate the more elegant city streets to the outlets outside the city, to the old craftsmen’s shops and laboratories and the flea markets.

The most notable fashion streets in Rome are three parallel streets that all meet up with Via del Corso, beginning from Piazza di Spagna or near there: Via Condotti, Via Borgognona and Via Frattina.

The most famous of the three streets is Via Condotti, its name is related to the channels that carried water to the Agrippa thermal spa baths. Today it is one of the most classy streets in the world, lined with the shops of the most famous fashion labels such as Bulgari, who opened his "atelier" here in 1905, Hermés, Cartier, Ferragamo and Battistoni, a historical Roman atelier of male tailored fashion that was a favorite of the Duke of Windsor.
In Via Borgognona there are other famous names: Ferré, Fendi, Laura Biagiotti, "the queen of cashmere" and Gai Mattiolo, a young Roman fashion designer who has recently entered the elite of famous designer labels. Finally, in Via Frattina, there are the ateliers of Tiffany, Versace and Byblos.

Many streets in the old city center are still full of traditional Roman craftsmen’s shops: old-style carpenters and expert restorers are still concentrated in Via dei Cappellari. Via dei Sediari has been famous for hundreds of years for chairs, armchairs and other household objects made from wickerwork. The expert wrought iron forgers’ laboratories can be found in Via degli Orsini. Via Santa Dorotea is the place to go for vases and other painted ceramic pieces.

In Via dei Gigli d'Oro you can find reproductions of antique mosaics. Rome’s antique shops are located in Via dei Coronari, Via Giulia, Via Margutta, Via del Babuino and Via del Pellegrino.

The city's many markets provide a change of pace from Rome's busy shopping streets. Many of these are bustling local food markets, and, even in the centre, are still very much part of Roman life. The Campo de' Fiori market is probably the most central of these. Otherwise there's Trastevere's Porta Portese flea market, a venue for antiques, clothing, books, and indeed virtually anything else, every Sunday morning.

Rome Weather

Rome's mild climate makes it interesting to visit year-round; however, spring and autumn are without doubt the best times to travel, with particularly sunny skies and mild temperatures (although late autumn, November, can be rainy). Unfortunately, these times are also the peak tourist season, when the tour buses pour in and tourists are herded around like cattle. July and August are unpleasantly hot, and Romans traditionally abandon the stiflingly hot city in August, with many businesses closing; try to avoid visiting at this time. From December to February there is briskly cold weather, although it's rarely grey and gloomy.

Rome's average Temperatures (ºC)

January 7.4ºC
February 8.0ºC
March 11.5ºC
April 14.4ºC
May 18.4ºC
June 22.9ºC
July 25.7ºC
August 25.5ºC
September 22.4ºC
October 17.7ºC
November 13.4ºC
December 8.9ºC

°C = (°F - 32) multiplied by 5/9

Maps

Milan

2011-01-24T09:04:00.000-08:00

The City of Milan

Milan is the capital of Lombardy, has a population of 1.3 million people. This city is one of the biggest cities in Italy, the soul of the country and one of the most stylish cities of the planet, situated in the plains of Lombardy. Milan has an ancient city center with high and interesting buildings and palazzos. These reasons are because many people from all over the world want to see the city of glamour.

The city is one of the world's major commercial and financial centers, and one of the wealthiest cities in the European Union. It is the biggest industrial city of Italy with many different industrial sectors. Milan is one of the world capitals of fashion, between New York City, Paris, London, Tokyo, in design; it is a magnetic point for designers, artists, photographers and models. Indeed the English word milliner is derived from the name of the city. The Lombard metropolis is famous for fashion firms and shops (via Montenapoleone) and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in the Piazza Duomo, reputed to be the world's oldest shopping mall. Another famed Milanese product is the traditional Christmas sweet cake, called Panettone. Milan is also famous for the Alfa Romeo motorcar and for its silk production; but on the whole relies on its directional functions for the whole of Lombardy, its once proud and strong industrial base having been externalized throughout the region in the 60s-70s of the last century. The city hosted among other events the World Exposition in 1906, the FIFA World Cup in 1934 and 1990, the UEFA European Football Championship in 1980, and has submitted a bid to BIE to host the Universal Expo 2015.

Milan is situated in mediterrean area, and his climate is typical of this region. The weather is divided into very hot summer season up to very cold winter, Italy's climate is predominantly Mediterranean, Alpine in the far north; hot and dry in the south. Winter in Milan is comparatively mild but foggy, with temperatures ranging from zero to 8 degrees Celsius. Summer can be very humid with brief thunderstorms; temperatures range from 14 to 29 degrees. From March through April temperatures range from 6 to 18 degrees. From October through November they range from 6 to 17 degrees.

Milan History

Strategically situated at the gateway to the Italian peninsula, Milan and the surrounding region of Lombardy have been the argument of constant disputes over the centuries. Celts, Romans, Goths, Lombards, Spaniards and Austrians have all controled the city at some stage of its history and for the most part, the city has capitalised on its position and has emerged today as the undisputed economic and cultural powerhouse of a united Italy, not without occasionally fighting back against foreign dominators.

Milan's origin goes back to 400 B.C., when Gauls settled and defeated the Etruscans against Celts who were about to overrun the city.

In the year 222 B.C. the city was conquered by Romans and was appended to the Roman Empire. After 313 A.D., the year of the Edict of Tolerance towards Christianity, many churches were built and the first bishop was appointed, Ambrogio was such an influential person that the church became the Ambrosian Church (7 December is a holiday to honour Sant’Ambrogio). In 1300 the Visconti family which are noblemen from Bergamo, Cremona, Piacenza, Brescia and Parma ruled and brought a period of glory and wealth to the city. The Duomo was built in 1386 and became the symbol of Milan.

The Visconti And Sforza Families:
The Sforza family assumed the Castle and the power of the Visconti family and finally Milan got peace after many years of war against Venice and Florence. Under the Sforza duchy the city began the development of sciences, art and literature. Ludovico il Moro (Ludovico Sforza) called Leonardo da Vinci and “il Bramante” to his court.

Spanish And Austrian Domination:
In the early 16th century (the last years of Sforza rule) northern Italy was one of the territories contested by the Spanish and the French monarchies. Francesco Sforza ruled under the tutelage of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (a Habsburg and King Charles I of Spain), but when Francesco died in 1535, Charles assumed direct power so began 170 years of Spanish domination which transformed the once-proud independent Duchy of Milan in the neglected capital of a province administered, guarded and taxed by foreigners. It was a time of no development and the city was also oppressed by the scourge of plague in 1630. Fortunately in the second half of the 17th century Milan's religious and cultural life was given fresh vigour thanks to the initiatives of Borromeo family, especially Carlo and Federico. Then, the great European wars of the early 18th century assured the Austrian domination of the city, which completely changed in all society fields (economic, public, cultural, artistic, administrative, scientific) thanks to the improvement given by the Habsburg dynasty.

The Napoleonic Era:
It was thanks to this climate of enlightenment that Napoleon was received so enthusiastically by the Milanese when he marched into the city in May 1796, many optmist at that time saw him as the symbol of the democratic reform spirit. After Napoleon fall in 1814, the Congress of Vienna restored Lombardy to Austria, but Austrians were no longer enlightened reformers and the Milanese remained largely hostile to Austrian rule; hostility that found a musical outlet in some of Verdi's early operas and that finally exploded in the heroic Cinque Giornate of 1848 (five days of street fighting). However , owing to the military incopetence of Carlo Emanuele of Piedmont, the uprising failed and the Austrian forces re-entered the city which was placed under their commander-in-chief Count Joseph Radetzky's control.

The Kingdom Of Italy:
It was just in 1859 that the Austrians were run out of the city and Milan was appended to the Kingdom of Piedmont which became the Kingdom of Italy two years later. The liberation passed through the pressure of combined military intervention by the French and the Piedmontese and the decisive action of Risorgimento hero Giuseppe Garibaldi and his guerrilla troops. Since the seat of governement had to be Rome, from this time on Milan was chosen as the economical and cultural capital of Italy. To celebrate its new free status a great number of grandiose building projects were undertaken, for example the construction of the great Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the San Vittore prison, the Cimitero Monumentale and the San Gottardo tunnel.

Fascism & post-war period:
The fascist party was based in Milan in 1919 encouraged by the tumultuous climate created by numerous strikes supporting socialism grew. The population did not try to resist the dictatorship, except some industrial workers and intellectuals. But it was in this period that pompous works and examples of innovative architecture were built; the Central Station and the Triennale are two of them.

During the war Milan was devastated. At the end of World War II Lombardy was instrumental in the boom that transformed Italy from a relatively backward, agricultural country to an industrial world leader. The city became a major financial centre and the region's new-found wealth attracted myriad workers from the south of Italy in a wave of immigration. It is nowadays the major center for commerce, finance, publishing and recently media, design and fashion.

Eating in milan

In Milan you will find everything you were looking for, enough to satisfy every taste and affordable for every pocket. Traditional Milanese cooking is made up of simple, meager dishes and perhaps for this reason it was banished during the ambitious 1980s. It has only recently returned to popularity. Food in workaholic Milan, at lunchtime at least, is more a necessity than a pleasure, with the city centre dominated by sandwich shops (called paninoteche) and fast-food outlets. Anyway, don't worry: many good restaurants can offer you a suitable and appetizing meal. The Milanese people have now returned to their origins, enjoying the tastes with the pleasure that one feels when one returns home after a long trip. Now there are trattorias, inns and restaurants (including luxury ones) everywhere that offer traditional Milanese dishes to eat.

One of the many aperitifs that you can try out during happy hour is the classical Negroni, which is a little "aggressive" but is especially loved by the Milanese, made with Bitter Campari, Gin, red Martini and ice, that must be tried with a few snacks. If you are thinking to visit this city, don't miss out on the chance to try some typical food that you can find here in their original version.

Nightlife in Milan

Milan is not only the capital of fashion, business, this place is also the city in which nightlife means much more than a simple drawn-out dinner. The nightlife in Milan is really thrilling. There are many bars, lounge bars, wine bars, pubs, cafés, bistrots, pubs, wine cellars, live music bars and lots of others besides.

The Milanese night scene is so massive and changes all the time, just like everything in this eclectic city. There are clubs that are furnished in hi-tech style, or that are inspired by the Savannah, with leopard-skin chairs, palm trees and pretend elephants' heads. Wine bars in minimal Japanese style and others that make you think you are in Bollywood, if you go by their music and furnishings. There are atmospheres for all taste and for states of mind: the Milanese love variation, and if there are still any habitués around, most Milanese people prefer the excitement of the unforeseen and new experiences. There are so many possibilities to choose from for spending your evening. Clubs in Milan live on "word of mouth": all they need to do is attract a few opinion leaders of night life and they've won!. One interesting thing is that Milanese night life begins very early: you don’t have to wait for dusk to be with your friends and enjoy yourself.

Other important element is happy hour, that the Milanese cannot go without for anything on Earth. From 6 pm to 9.30 pm in Milan you can drink cocktails accompanied by substantial buffets with several courses, pasta, meat or fish, in all the clubs in Milan. All this for about 5-7 Euro per cocktail.

Some places that you shouldn't miss if you are in Milan:

Rolling Stone Disco
Via Corso XXII Marzo 32
Description: Bus 45, 73 Tram 12, 27. It is the right place for those who love rock music, and rock concerts.
Magazzini Generali Disco
Via Pietrasanta 14
Description: Bus 90, Tram 24. Metro Lodi. This is a dance club, an exhibition space and a concert venue. Many important artists have performed there, for example Wyclef Jean.
Hollywood Disco
Corso Como 15
Description: Metro Garibaldi.Very frequented by celebrities such as models, fashion designers, football players, and stars of tv.
Shu
Via Molino delle Armi, Milan, Italy
Description: Shu is one of the hippest and trendiest bars in Milan. It has a sci-fi decorating theme, with large gold hands supporting the high ceiling. They have a happening happy hour. Happy hour is a big deal in Milan, and pretty much all the bars and clubs in the city have great specials and big crowds, you don't need to wait until after dusk to start partying!
Il Gattopardo Café
Via Piero Della Francesca
Description: Metro Bullona. It is placed in a deconsecrated church and tou could dance in the nave.
Casablanca Café
Corso Como 14
Description: Metro Garibaldi. This is a disco bar and restaurant that offers commercial house music.
Tocqueville Disco
Via Tocqueville 13
Description: Metro Garibaldi, Tram 11, 29, 30, 33. The scene remember the 70s decor, it offers commercial house music. Very frequented by VIPs.
Nausicaa Disco
Via Tirano 14
Description: It offers commercial, hip hop, and latin music.
Alcatraz Disco
Via Valtellina, 25 (closed from Monday to Thursday)
Description: It is all in one: discotheque, pub, restaurant and concert hall. There are international concerts in a place which was an industrial factory before.
Old Fashion Disco
Viale Alemagna 6 (closed on Sunday) Metro 1 or 2; Tram 1; 27; 18; bus 57; 61; 70; 94
Description: It is situated in the same building of the Triennale in Parco Sempione. It is an elegant disco-pub and it is crowded in summer. It has a garden and an open-air dance floor, as well as a restaurant.
Nuova Idea International Disco
Via de Castilia Gaetano 30
Description: It was founded in 1975 as a gay disco and since that time there are people from all over the world celebrating the nights.
Old Fox Pub
Via Cesare da Sesto 23
Description: It is a typical english pub that offers draught beers and cocktails
Musical Box Pub
Piazza Chiaradia 9
Description: Very nice pub with beers and cocktails.
Aliby
Via Crispi 2
Description: It is a disco pub from about 22.00 pm til on. It offers aperitives too at 18.00 pm.
Frog café
Via Savona
Description: It is an ethnic pub. Very good cocktails
Antik
Via Ascanio Sforza 47 Navigli
Description: English pub. It offers cocktails beers and also happy hour.
Europe Café
Via Vigevano 13
Description: Typical european pub, draught beers and cocktails.
El Beverin
Via Brera 29
Description: Nice atmosphere and nice people, singers and actors frequent this pub.
The Biz Café
Via Corso XXII Marzo 23
Description: This is an American bar, it offers happy hour too.
Movida
Via Ascanio Sforza 41 Navigli
Description: American pub. Nice atmosphere happy hour too.
Arcobaleno
Via Ascanio Sforza
Description: It is an Irish pub in Navigli. Very nice pub good beers.

Milan Weather Information

Milan has very foggy winters and very humid and muggy summers. Milan also suffers from thunder and lightening in the summer. Though Italy possess a predominantly Mediterranean climate, Milan's winters (December - February) qualify as brisk, with lows below freezing.

The mountains protect the city from the worst of the Northern European winter, however. Summer (May-Sept) can be hot and muggy. In August, most of the city heads to the beaches to escape the 30°C-plus (86°F-plus) heat; you'd do well to follow suit.

Maps

Genoa

2011-01-22T12:58:00.000-08:00

Genoa Travel Guide

Genoa or Genova is as multilayered as the hills it clings to. The Genoa's name comes from Genua, founded by the two headed Giano, protector of ships and coins. This was a city of two faces, which looks both inland and towards the sea. Genoa, as well as being full of mythical origins, has always been a crossroads of traffic and culture, between continental Europe and the Mediterranean, thanks to it natural position and the initiative of its inhabitants.

A city rich in art and a major seaport, of flourishing trade and commercial exchange, Genoa is one of the most extraordinary cities in Italy. Long ignored by conventional tourist routes, Genoa offers its visitors incredible attractions and a stunning artistic heritage. Maybe it’s this ancient port’s earthy atmosphere that puts the tourists off, or maybe it’s just that in Italy they are spoilt for choice. Whatever the reason, visitors are missing out on somewhere special. Genoa, once the equal and arch-rival of Venice, has a medieval old town to rival any in Europe.

The main features of central Genoa include Piazza de Ferrari, around which are sited the Opera and the Palace of the Doges. There is also a house where Christopher Columbus putatively was born. Its medieval old town, the biggest in Europe, is an intricate labyrinth of alleyways, where among the shops, restaurants, and local stores, visitors can catch sight of the city's noble past in its 16th century palazzos, baroque edifices, and Romanesque churches, looming over the little piazzas.

Strada Nuova (now Via Garibaldi), in the old city, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2006. This district was designed in the mid-16th century to accommodate Mannerist palaces of the city's most eminent families, including Palazzo Rosso (now a museum), Palazzo Bianco, Palazzo Grimaldi and Palazzo Reale. The famous art college, Musei di Strada Nuova and the Palazzo del Principe are also located on this street.

The city center is a manageable extension but it's a bit of a steep climb from the port to the old town (centro storico) via narrow, unmapped caruggi, medieval streets punctuated by treasure-filled churches and stylish boutiques. Gorgeous antiques are displayed in the frescoed entrance to a 16th-century palace at Galleria Imperiale, at the bottom of via Scurreria, off piazza di Lorenzo. Eventually, the caruggi lead to the city’s main squares: piazza Banchi, once a grain market, now filled with flower compartments and second-hand record shops; the revamped piazza de Ferrari, with the Palazzo della Borsa, a major exhibition center, on its south-east corner; and the neighbouring piazza Matteotti, with the imposing Palazzo Ducale, once home to Genoa’s ruler, the Doge, and now an exhibition hall. Rubens has two works in the Gesù church nearby, itself a 16th-century baroque masterpiece.

City of Genoa

Genoa (Genova in Italian, Zena in Genoese) is a city of northwest Italy on the Gulf of Genoa and a seaport in northern Italy. The city has an approximate population of 620,000 and the urban area has an approximate population of 890,000. The population is homogeneously Italian. Southern and northern Italians alike have flocked to the city during the late 1900's. An estimated 95.3% of the population is of Italian origin. But there has been a sharp increase of immigrants mostly from South America, Eastern Europe, and a very meager number from Asia. The city, characterized by one of the largest historical centers in Europe, is the core of the Italian Riviera. Activity of the tertiary sector, settled in the downtown, is primarily related to the commercial port, one of the most important in the Mediterranean Sea.

Now many things are changing towards a better use of the territory with a keen view to the environment and so becoming more interesting for tourists. Arriving to the Ligurian area, the town is really worth a visit as many ancient Renaissance buildings, famous museums and very good restaurants are all within an easy reach. The Old Town is the biggest in Europe and one of the best preserved old cities in the world. Great palaces, property of the ancient powerful Genoa families are now museums open to the public. Genoa has been elected Cultural Capital for the year 2004 by the European Parliament Commission.

Between Genoa's notable buildings are the Cathedral of San Lorenzo (rebuilt in 1100 and frequently restored), the palace of the doges, the richly decorated churches of the Annunciation and of St. Ambrose (both 16th cent.), the medieval Church of San Donato, many Renaissance palaces, and the Carlo Felice opera house (19th cent.). The city is surrounded by old walls and forts, and the steep and narrow streets of the harbor section are very picturesque. The 16th-century Lanterna [lighthouse] is an emblem of Genoa. The Old Port was redesigned in 1992 by Renzo Piano; a modern aquarium and tropical greenhouse (the Bolla) are there. Genoa has several museums and a university (founded 1243).

Genoa Aquarium

Genoa Aquarium is the biggest in Europe and one of the most important worldwide, and with one and a half million visitors each year it is one of Europe’s leading cultural attractions. The Aquarium is an eloquent tribute to Genoa's link with the sea and surrounding coastal waters.

The aquarium's 59 tanks reproduce marine and terrestrial habitat from throughout the world and provide a home for more than 6000 animals belonging to 600 different species at same time respect their biological equilibrium. While it is first and foremost a tourist attraction, the Aquarium also has a mission to increase public awareness of environmental problems.

Inside, the immense tanks form virtual walls of water among which visitors can wander accompanied by the sound of waves, currents and echoes from the deep. The most spectacular ones are those housing the sharks, the dolphins and the seals are amazing to watch. Very impressive is the reproduction of a coral reef from the Caribbean with an incredible variety of coral, plants, peculiar sea creatures and brightly colored fish. During the summer and on weekend you might find the Aquarium pretty crowded, nevertheless, visits are made easier by long-opening hours and no lunch-time closings.

How to get there:

From Conference Centre: Volabus to Stazione P.Principe and then normal bus, or Sheraton shuttle.
By car: "Genova Ovest" mortoway Exit, take the overground to "Piazza Cavour" exit.
By train: from "P.Principe" Station (bus n.1-3-7-8-38); from "Brignole" Station (bus n.12-15).

Genoa Eating & Drinking

Genoa is one of the most important towns for what it is known as the Mediterranean cuisine. It is very rich in ingredients and flavors, and often very labor-intensive. Genoise cooking is dedicated mainly to the natural products that have always existed in the area which stretches between the mountains and the sea. The Ligurians use very simple ingredients, which by themselves seem insignificant, but when combined together, they truly accentuate and bring out each ingredient's individual qualities to produce a final result of superb flavor harmony: mushrooms, pine nuts, walnuts, and a great variety of aromatic herbs.

The base of all recipes is Ligurian olive oil, delicately flavored and perfect for preparing tasty sauces. The most known of these is pesto, a sauce made of basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. The best choice to accompany meat dishes is "salsa verde" (green sauce), made of parsley and pine nuts, while salsa di noci (walnut sauce) goes perfectly with pasta and ravioli.

Diverse kinds of focacce and torte salate (a kind of vegetable and cheese pie) are typically Genoese treats. These dishes are eaten both as meals and as appetizing snacks: from the simple focaccia all'olio (focaccia with olive oil) to focaccia filled with cheese, no one can resist the tempting smell of this Ligurian specialty! You can't leave without having tried the farinata, a unique kind of focaccia made from chick-pea flour.

Fish truly occupies a principal place on the menus of Genoese restaurants. A true masterpiece of Ligurian cuisine is the cappon magro: a very elaborate dish made of various kinds of fish and boiled vegetables, and seasoned with a sauce of herbs and pine nuts.

Other local recipes are the fritto misto (mixed deep-fried seafood), l'insalata di pesce (seafood salad), triglie (mullet) alle genovese, stoccafisso in agrodolce (cod in sweet and sour sauce), with pine nuts and raisins. Mussels are omnipresent, alla marinara or stuffed with meat, cheese, eggs, or marjoram. Finally, the queen of the Ligurian sea; the anchovy, which can be eaten cold, but is best when stuffed.

Between the desserts, one of the most distinctive is "pandolce", a treat found on every table at Christmastime. Genoa is famous for its pastries: Canestrelli, amaretti, Baci di Dama (little walnut pastries), and Gobeletti, little short breads filled with quince jam.

Nightlife in Genoa

On first impressions, life after dark looks sparse but a bit of time rooting around in the old town will turn up a good choice of convivial bars and small clubs, some of them with live music.

The best source of information on nightlife is the local daily paper Il Secolo XIX ; in summer you can supplement this with Genova by Night, the tourist office's free what's-on guide. The student magazine La Rosa Purpurea del Cairo also has information on music, theatre and cinema; it's published monthly and is available from bars and some Via Balbi bookshops in term-time.

There are plenty of bars along the seamy waterfront Via Gramsci, in between the strip joints and brothels, but more attractive places to drink can be found on the side roads off Via XX Settembre and around Piazza delle Erbe. Moretti on Via San Bernardo is a beery student dive; Le Corbusier , Via San Donato 36r, is consistently popular; Epr? Rosse , Via Ravecca 54r, is a characterful wine-bar. The Britannia pub at Vico Casana 76r, off Piazza di Ferrari, has pints of Guinness and burgers and chips. The Louisiana club on Via San Sebastiano has live trad jazz most nights from around 10pm, but you'll find more happening joints tucked away in the southern part of the old town: the Quaalude , beneath the "Massari" signboard at Piazza Sarzano 14, is an underground club that features live bands and/or dance parties on Fridays and Saturdays - ask around in local bars for the latest news.

Theatre and opera in Italy
The two main theatres in Genoa are the Teatro della Corte, Via E.F. Duca d'Aosta, and the Teatro Duse, Via Bacigalupo, who advertise their performances on the same hoardings around town and sell tickets to both venues (tel 010.534.2200, The two main theatres in Genoa are the Teatro della Corte, Via E.F. Duca d'Aosta, and the Teatro Duse, Via Bacigalupo, who advertise their performances on the same hoardings around town and sell tickets to both venues (tel 010.534.2200, www.teatro-di-genova .it.net ). The Teatro Carlo Felice in Piazza de Ferrari (tel 010.589.329, www.carlofelice.it ), is Genoa's main opera house ; its performances are often oversubscribed, but it's still worth an enquiry. Chamber music concerts take place in some of Genoa's palaces over summertime.

Florence

2011-01-22T12:33:00.000-08:00

Introducing Florence

Florence is considered one of the most magnificent cities in Italy, as well as the world. Located in the heart of Tuscany, the tourist can find fields of sunflowers, miles of vineyards, rolling hills and mountaintop castles. This place is the Renaissance capital of the world, its famous sons are Leonardo Da Vinci, Dante Alighieri, Machiavelli, Fra Angelico and Michelangelo. It is a destination not to be missed.

Florence has an exceptional artistic patrimony, celebrated testimony to its secular civilization. Cimabue and Giotto were considered the fathers of Italian painting, they lived in this place, along with Arnolfo and Andrea Pisano, reformists of architecture and sculpture; Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio, founders of the Renaissance. The Italian Renaissance, Europe's richest cultural period, began in Florence when the artist Brunelleschi finished the Duomo, with the huge dome. Ghiberti and the Della Robbia; Filippo Lippi and l'Angelico; Botticelli and Paolo Uccello; the universal geniuses Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Their works are exhibited in the city's many museums and known around of the world. Boccaccio wrote his 'Decameron' in Florence. From the 13th to the 16th century it was a seemingly endless source of creative masterpieces and Italian genius. During the Italian Renaissance Florence constructed its renaissance palaces and squares, turning it into a living museum. Many squares, such as Piazza della Signoria exhibit famous statues and fountains.

Probably Florence is a city of incomparable indoor pleasures. Its chapels, galleries and museums are an incomparable treasure, apprehending the complex, often elusive spirit of the Renaissance more fully than any other place in the country. The most famous museum in Florence is the Uffizi which houses works by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Titian and Rubens. Other great art museums include the Pitti Palace, Galleria dell'Accademia and Palazzo Vecchio. Florence is also home to some of the biggest churches in Italy, including the famous Duomo of Florence, San Lorenzo, Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce.

The surroundings of Florence have many things to offer to the visitor. You can explore this region for weeks without being bored. For these day trips the city of Florence is the perfect starting point.

City of Florence

Florence is the capital of the region of Tuscany, it enjoys of a population of around half a million inhabitants, this city is located on the banks of the Arno, between the Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian seas, almost in the middle of the Italian peninsula. Florence possess industries and craft, commerce and culture, art and science. Being on the main national railway lines, it is easily accessible from most important places both in Italy and abroad. The Florence "Vespucci" airport, where both national and international airlines stop, is located 5 Km. from the city centre. The main motorway, A1, connects Florence with Bologna and Milano in the North and Rome and Naples in the South. The motorway A11 to the sea joins it to Prato, Pistoia, Montecatini, Lucca, Pisa and all the resorts on the Tyrrhenian sea. There is also motorway which connects Florence to Siena. The climate is temperate but rather variable, with breezy winters and hot summers.

The Chianti area, between Florence and Siena, is one of the most beautiful countrysides in Italy and a famous wine production area. Tourism and crafts produce abundant sources of income (jewelry, embroidery, footwear, leatherwork, ceramics, wrought-iron and basket work, lace and reproduction furniture).

Florence attracts a high proportion of international travelers to Italy. The city is a live centre of culture, and coordinates periodical exhibitions and art festivals. Industry, though consisting generally of small and medium-sized firms, has fairly important precision engineering, optical, pharmaceutical, chemical, metallurgical, publishing and textile sectors. The economy of Florence is based mainly on the services sector, as the city is an important commercial centre. The traditional centuries-old banking and financial sector continues to flourish.

Florence is a complicated city for beginners, the total volume of people crammed into this centre of this Renaissance city can be overwhelming. But visiting out of season, when the queues are shorter and all is more calmed. Nearly all of the main sights in Florence lie within the "centro storico". However, there is so much classic art that even given the city's small size, it's impossible to see it all in a short visit. Go for quality, not quantity and don’t feel as if you have to see it all.

Florence History

The history of Florence started with the establishment in 59 BC of a colony for Roman former soldiers, with the name Florentia. Julius Caesar had allocated the fertile soil of the valley of the Arno to his veterans. They built a castrum in a chessboard pattern of an army camp, with the main streets, the cardo and the decumanus, intersecting at the present Piazza della Repubblica. This pattern can still be found in the city center. Florentia was situated at the Via Cassia, the main route between Rome and the North. Through this advantageous position, the settlement could rapidly expand into an important commercial center. Emperor Diocletian made Florentia capital of the province of Tuscia in the 3rd century AD.

For the sake of defense, the city was set at the confluence of two streams, the Arno and the Mugnone, where the oldest populations had previously been located.

Rectangular in plan, it was enclosed in a wall about 1800 meters long. The built-up area, like all the cities founded by the Romans, was characterized by straight roads which crossed at right angles. The two main roads led to four towered gates and converged on a central square, the forum urbis, now Piazza della Repubblica, where the Curia and the Temple dedicated to the Capitoline Triad (Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva) were later to rise. Archaeological finds, many of which came to light during the course of works which "gave new life", to the old city center, have made it possible to locate and identify the remains of various important public works such as the Capitoline Baths, the Baths of Capaccio, the sewage system, the pavement of the streets and the Temple of Isis, in Piazza San Firenze. At that time the Arno was outside the walls, with a river port that constituted an important infrastructure for the city, for in Roman times the river was navigable from its mouth up to its confluence with the Affrico, upstream from Florence, and the first bridge in Florentine history was built in all likelihood somewhat upstream from today's Ponte Vecchio, around the first century B.C..

Thanks to its favorable position and the role it played in the ambit of the territorial organization in the region and it soon superceded Arezzo as the leading center in northern Etruria, the city expanded rapidly. Economic power was the driving force behind the urban growth of the young colony. Commercial activity and trade thrived thanks to the fact that important communications routes, land and water, intersected at Florentia and offer an explanation for the presence of those oriental merchants, probably on their way from Pisa, who first introduced the cult of Isis and then, in the 2nd century, Christianity.

The earliest indications of the Christian religion are bound to the cults of the deacon Lorenzo and the Palestinian saint, Felicita and so the first Florentine churches were built: San Lorenzo consecrated in 393, the first diocese, and Santa Felicita, whose origins go back to the 4th and 5th centuries. However, the Florentines do not seem to have had a bishop prior to the late 3rd century. The first one recorded is San Felice who participated in a Roman synod in 313.

The surge in artistic, literary, and scientific investigation that occurred in Florence in the 14th-16th centuries was precipitated by Florentines' preoccupation with money, banking and trade and with the display of wealth and leisure.

In addition, the crises of the Roman Catholic church (especially the controversy over the French Avignon Papacy and the Great Schism), along with the catastrophic effects of the Black Death, led to a re-evaluation of medieval values, resulting in the development of a humanist culture, stimulated by the works of Petrarch and Boccaccio. This prompted a revisitation and study of the classical antiquity, leading to the Renaissance. Florence benefited materially and culturally from this sea-change in social consciousness.

Florence Arrival

Thanks to its two international airports at Florence and Pisa, Tuscany is well connected with Italy and also with Europe and beyond, the main gateways to this beautiful region. However, Tuscany is not limited to its regional airports, excellent rail link can make flying to and from surounding airports at Bologna (and Bologna Forli), Milan (Linate and Malpensa) and Rome (Fiumicino and Ciampino) very easy. Florence's Aeroporto Amerigo Vespucci, 5km northwest in Perètola, is linked to SMN station by ATAF city bus #62 (every 25min; L1500/0.77) and SITA buses (hourly; L6000/3.10). Details to parking.

Florence has a number of train stations that link the main areas of the city. The principle train station is Santa Maria Novella also it is called Firenze SMN, located right in the city centre, in Piazza Stazione, front of the Santa Maria Novella Church. High-speed, long-distance trains connect Florence Santa Maria Novella with other Italian and European cities via the the main north south line running from Milan to Rome. In general train travel is relatively inexpensive and rapid. Connections from Florence to Rome and Milan are excellent, and Rome is roughly 1 hour 40 minutes away, and Milan is 3 hours away on the high speed trains.

The main motorway (A1) connects Florence with Bologna and Milano in the North and Rome and Naples in the South. The motorway to the sea (Autostrada del Mare) joins it to Prato, Pistoia, Montecatini, Lucca, Pisa and all the resorts on the Tyrrhenian sea. There is also the Superstrada (a dual-carriageway) which connects Florence to Siena.

The city's largest tourist office is at Via Cavour 1r (Tel: 055 290 832; Fax: 055 276 0383), about 3 blocks north of the Duomo. Outrageously, they now charge for basic, useful info: 50€ (65¢) for a city map (though there's still a free one that differs only in lacking relatively inane brief descriptions of the museums and sights), 2€ ($2.60) for a little guide to museums and 1€ ($1.30) each for pamphlets on the bridges and the piazze of Florence. The monthly Informacittà pamphlet on events, exhibits, and concerts is still free. It's open Monday through Saturday from 8:30am to 6:30pm and Sunday from 8:30am to 1:30pm.

Best of Florence

Santa Maria Novella
Santa Maria Novella is a church in Florence, Italy, located just across the main railway station which shares its name. From its front view, the church of Santa Maria Novella is one of the city's most beautiful buildings, and inside it has yet more fabulous Renaissance frescoes, by Uccello, Ghirlandaio and others.

Bóboli Gardens
For a break from the streets, take a picnic into the meandering paths of the Bóboli Gardens behind the Pitti Palace, before entering the city's number two art gallery.

Brunelleschi's Dome
What Masaccio did for painting, his contemporary Brunelleschi did for architecture; he created the cathedral's amazing dome, which offers a stunning view of the city.

San Miniato al Monte
Walk across the Ponte Vecchio and turn left to reach the marble-fronted church of San Miniato - the building itself is exquisite, and you get a classic view of Florence from its front door.

Benvenuto
Benvenuto looks more like a delicatessen than a trattoria from the street, but the groups waiting for a table give the game away; the gnocchi and arista are delicious.

Santa Croce
Santa Croce is a wonderful Gothic basilica containing superb frescoes by Giotto and others, with tranquil cloisters adjoining.

The Uffizi Gallery
The Uffizi Gallery is one of the gratiest museums in Italy and the world.

The Brancacci Chapel
Encapsulating the dawning of the Renaissance, Masaccio's set of frescos in the Brancacci Chapel of the Carmini church is worth a visit, however long you have to wait to get in.

Vivoli
Vivoli serves up the finest Florentine ice cream; search it out in tiny Via Isola delle Stinche.

Fiesole
The little hill town of Fiesole is a great place from which to survey the city of Florence; and you'll get a taste for the more bucolic pleasures that await elsewhere in Tuscany.

Florence Eating & Drinking

The region of Florence has one of the most versatile and varied-form cooking traditions in Italy. Florentine food in particular, is essentially based on simple, natural ingredients, deriving from the traditions of peasant food and is therefore, wholesome and tasty, featuring more often than not broths and stews. The three main symbols that define Tuscan gastronomy are wine, olive oil and bread. This special gastronomic art has recently been reconsidered by the world of more sophisticated cuisine. Cereals, bread, vegetable and oil (which must be extra-virgin), tasty soups, roast and grilled meat (the famous "bistecca and grilled chicken"), boiled meat, cheese, an abundance of vegetables and fresh fruit, salamis and cold meats, and typical vegetable dishes are the basis of many recipes that just have to be tried in one of the many restaurants in Florence.

Of course you will find several restaurants focused on international specialties, but once you are in Florence, we strictly recommend tasting the Italian.

Maybe you cannot talk about Tuscan cuisine without mentioning the wines, wines are famously substantial, Chianti in particular. It is said Chianti wines were first invented back in 1860. Today they are produced across the region and exported on a massive scale. Chianti Classico however only comes from the area between Florence and Siena and every bottle proudly bears the growers label of a black cockerel on a gold background.

Florence Nightlife

Florence offers a lot of opportunities for entertainment, with many clubs, pubs and discos. Florence's nights can be spent not only inside a club but even on the road looking at the marvelous monuments illuminated by the moon, or simply walking throughout the roads looking at artists that sing and play with you. Don't forget to go to see the beautiful view of Florence by night from Piazzale Michelangelo. The city's sizeable population of British and American students ensures a supply of English-language films, and the highbrow cultural calendar is filled out with seasons of classical music, opera and dance to rival the best in Europe.

Clubs and pubs are located almost in the centre of the city, around the Cathedral or in other famous squares of the city you can find many small places where you can enjoy of a beer or a glass of the best Chianti wine. Most of them are Irish pubs but, you don't worry there are also English one, American, and even Spanish and if you want to taste Tuscan specialities you absolutely have to spend an evening in an Enoteca. Entry to clubs is expensive at around €13, although tickets usually include a free drink at the bar. In the centre there are even some little discos, don't worry about dressing, you can enter anywhere without problems. If you don't want to close yourself in a pub go for a walk under the stars and go to listen to the street musicians.

You might find information in English about concerts and shows at the kiosks in Piazza Repubblica and inside the Palazzo Vecchio; otherwise, consult the tourist offices, check out advertising hoardings around town or get hold of the Firenze Spettacolo monthly listings magazine.

Florence Weather

Florence encompasses many diverse terrains and landscapes and the rules change from one zone to the next. The climate is temperate but rather variable, with breezy winters and hot summers. You can be sure that July and August in Tuscany will be hot, sometimes stiflingly so, thanks to the humidity levels that can make Florence and the major cities of Tuscany veritable hothouses.

The climate changes around the day in the middle of August (feragosto), when the first rains are expected and with them a beginning of a decrease in temperature. September can still be very hot in October, this is a perfect month to visit Tuscany and Florence, blue skies without the packed cities and the intense heat. But, some like it hot! November has night-time temperatures really start to drop, with crisp autumn days to accompany the main olive harvest throughout Tuscany. Winter in Tuscany can be cold and wet but spring always seems to come quickly. March is azalea and camelia time, whilst April and May are sometimes very wet months.

Aeolian Islands

2011-01-20T04:03:00.000-08:00

Introducing Aeolian Islands

The Aeolian islands (Isole Eolie) are a group of attractive islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea about 25-50km north of Sicily in Italy. Formerly off the beaten track, this diverse group of volcanic islands is becoming more popular and can be very busy during July and August.

Regions

Stromboli from the sea

Lipari - the main island and the main town (called Lipari as well) is the transportation hub, with plenty of hotels and makes a good base.
Vulcano - right next to Lipari, this island is dominated by the Gran Cratere volcano cone giving off clouds of sulphurous gas. This peak gives great views. The island is popular for its beaches and mud baths.

Vulcano - right next to Lipari, this island is dominated by the Gran Cratere volcano cone giving off clouds of sulphurous gas. This peak gives great views. The island is popular for its beaches and mud baths.
Salina is lush and hilly - great for a relaxing walk. Some of the film Il Postino was shot here.
Panarea - a smaller, upmarket island with great views across to Stromboli.
Stromboli - the most remote of the islands, it is little more than a volcano rising out of the sea. Popular for trips out at night to see magma spurting out of the cone.
Filicudi and Alicudi lie to the West and are much less visited, particularly Alicudi, which is still primarily agrarian.

Talk

Although local dialects of Sicilian are spoken among the locals, the traveller will find that standard Italian is also spoken by most people. Those involved in the tourist trade may also speak some English, German, or French. Cellular telephone coverage is dependable in the settled areas, but access to the internet is rare. There are a few internet cafes in Lipari Town.

Get in

There are frequent car ferries and much quicker hydrofoils from Milazzo and Messina on Sicily , and from Reggio di Calabria on the mainland, to and between the islands. Most call first at Lipari, and then proceed to the other islands. Ferries are frequent in summer, with fewer during spring, autumn and winter and a reduced service year-round on Sundays. For timetables see SIREMAR, Ustica Lines and NGI . It is important to check the timetables in advance, and to allow plenty of time for connections, as boats can be early or late.

A few car ferries a week also continue on to Naples and during the summer hydrofoils run to and from Naples, Cefalù, Palermo and Messina.

The Aeolian Islands are quite remote, which is part of their appeal. No air travel is available to the archipelago, except for the very expensive helicopter service which runs during high season from the Catania airport. For more information see Air Panarea . Most international travellers, then, will arrive at the airport of either Palermo or Catania airport in Sicily, or Reggio di Calabria, across the straits of Messina on the mainland.

Although the Reggio airport is relatively near the port, boats from Reggio are infrequent. Likewise, only a few ferries per day run from Palermo during high season, and the airport is far from the city. These ports are best used by the traveller who is already in Italy, as is Naples, a much longer boat trip that is convenient for travelers arriving by plane or train in Naples from points north. For the traveller arriving directly from abroad, numerous budget airlines have routes from around Europe to Catania. From there, one can take the train, or an express bus, to Messina, connecting to a boat; or, at Messina, one can connect to a second train or bus to Milazzo, which has by far the most boat departures. Although it is convenient to change trains in Messina, the Milazzo train station is a few miles from the port. On the other hand, the bus from Catania arrives at the train station, while the bus for Milazzo departs from a separate bus station a few blocks away. Ask for help at the information booth outside the train station. One express bus per day departs from Catania airport for Milazzo, but arrives there so late as to miss the boat for certain of the islands. One may wish to spend the first night in Lipari, with its charming town, and then depart for the outlying islands. As another alternative, the car rental agencies have special deals allowing the traveller the use of a car one-way from Catania to Milazzo - inquire in advance as these deals may not be available without reservations. The car rental agencies in Milazzo are a few blocks from the port.

Get around

The larger islands, Lipari, Vulcano and Salina have quite good bus services. Timetables are available at the tourist offices in each island's port. Those islands also have scooters for rent, and are the only of the islands with comprehensive systems of roads. Panarea and Stromboli are small enough to have no roads or automobiles to speak of; Panarea in particular is completely accessible by foot. Alicudi and Filicudi are so remote that they have little in the way of developed tourist industries or infrastructure. On those islands, transport from the port, and scooter rental, should be arranged with one's inkeeper. Boat rental is also popular for touring the periphery of each island; although the small boats for rent are not adequate for travel between the islands, but are popular for the excursion from Panarea to the islets of Basiluzzo and Drauto.

See

Vulcano is the first port of call for ferries from Milazzo. As well as the spectacular view of the narrow channel between this island and neighbouring Lipari, you're also greeted with the strange sight of a stack of sulphurous oozings, right by the harbour, with an accompanying smell! Disembarking, you can follow the road between the said stack and a huge red rock, sulphurous fumes hissing out of the side of the pavement, to one of the island's main attractions. Next to the beach, the locals have created a hollow in the volcanic clay that is filled with yellow mud. After bathing in the mud, you can swim in the sea and wash it all off. Swimming here is a very special experience, because the fumaroles extend right out into the sea, bubbling up hot gas and giving the sensation of being in a jacuzzi, in the blue Mediterranean!

The other main attraction on Vulcano is, you guessed it, the volcano! A steep climb from the town, you can walk to the summit of the island for a spectacular view of the other Aeolian Islands. If you have closed footwear, you can traverse the active vents on the north side of the main crater on your way to the top. Here, a great deal of steam and smelly gas is given off, and you can observe large sulphur crystals in the vents. Be careful not to burn your feet on the hot rocks and steam.

Lipari is relatively pedestrian in comparison with exotic Vulcano. Fortunately, it has less exotic prices, and the large main town has a nice old quarter and a decent quota of non-tourist shops. Among the attractions on Lipari is the pumice quarry, reached from the main town by an infrequent bus service. This is right by the sea, and has a nice rocky beach where, interestingly, many of the rocks tend to float off into the sea!

Stromboli is the most spectacular of the islands, as it's the only one that is currently volcanically active. In fact, its's the only volcano in the world that is known to have been continuously active throughout recorded history. The approach by ferry from Lipari takes one past the sheer sides of the island that rise towards the summit crater, which is permanently shrouded in clouds of its own making. Stromboli town has pretty narrow streets and, further from the centre, beautiful black sand beaches in rocky coves. The must-see attraction is the night-time climb up to the crater. The going is tough (you will be climbing approximately 850m) but you will see an amazing sunset and the eruptions are incredible. The trip is rounded off by running down the volcanic ash slopes, in the dark!

Do

Most visitors to Vulcano spend time in the mud baths near the port. Entry is inexpensive. You may find it worthwhile to purchase a token for the shower. The water gives you a powerful sulphorous odor which lasts for a few days.

Abruzzo

2011-01-20T03:03:00.000-08:00

Best known for its dramatic mountain scenery, Abruzzo’s landscape is surprisingly diverse. There are ancient forests in the Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise, a vast plain extends east of Avezzano and the coastline is flat and sandy.

Many towns retain a medieval look. Chief among them, L’Aquila and Sulmona are worth visiting, while the numerous hill-top castles and isolated, sometimes abandoned, borghi (villages) exude a sinister charm, lending credence to Abruzzo’s fame as an ancient centre of magic. Witches, wizards and snake-charmers were members of a tribe known as the Marsi, which lived around modern-day Avezzano.

Abruzzo is one of the twenty italian regions. It is situated in the central part of Italy, to the east of Rome on the Adriatic Sea. Abruzzo's western border lying less than 50 miles due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east. Although geographically more of a central than southern region, ISTAT (the Italian statistical authority) considers it part of Southern Italy, a vestige of Abruzzo's historic association with the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Abruzzo is one of the most sparsely populated regions on the Italian peninsula. Always a wild and empty region, since the Second World War it has depopulated further, as people have left the land, and the traditional mainstay of sheep farming, for the cities and for America. A vacation in Abruzzo offers a taste of the unspoiled Italy.

Provinces

Abruzzo is divided into four provinces:

L'Aquila
Teramo
Chieti
Pescara

The four provinces feature 305 municipalities: L'Aquila comprises 108, Teramo 47, Chieti 104, Pescara 46.

Cities

Chieti
L'Aquila
Pescara
Sulmona
Teramo

The regional capital of Abruzzo is L'Aquila. L'Aquila, The main city, contains an imposing 16th century castle; other noteworthy monuments include the Fontana delle 99 Cannelle, a fountain with 99 spouts (one for each of the villages that founded the city) and the pink and white marble Basilica di Santa Maria di Collemaggio with its Holy Door and Gothic interior. Other churches worth to be visited are S.Maria Paganica and S. Maria del Soccorso.

Pescara is 6.5 miles of a seaside promenade with wide sandy beaches. It is a very popular resort town like a very important, Pescara pinewood Montesilvano.

In Sulmona, a medieval town famous for its confetti (sugared almonds) visit the 11th-century cathedral of San Panfilo and the 13th-century church of San Francesco delle Scarpe.

Teramo is between the highest mountains of Apennies and has both sunny beaches of the Adriatic Sea and in a different season can be covered in snow.

Other destinations

Out of the three geographical areas (Marsica, Appennino and Sub-Appennino), one third of the region is designated either as national or regional park areas.

This region, where the north of Italy meets the south, is also one of the most beautiful in the country. Bordered by the Apennines to the west and fringed by the Adriatic on the east, it has some of Italy's most unspoiled scenery. In the Gran Sasso it has the highest mountain of the Apennine range. Stand atop the Gran Sasso and you have views of both the Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian (Mediterranean) Seas, across the entire width of Italy. You could journey through the Abruzzo's valleys for days, never encountering another person, and when you travel up to the broad mountain plains of the Abruzzi, you'll meet the eerie sight of entire abandoned hill towns. Plan your holiday in Abruzzo with plenty of time to walk, drive and explore.

In the past decade, Abruzzo has increased in tourism tremendously, along with other Italian Destinations. Castles and Medieval towns are very well tourist attractions near the town of L'Aquila. Abruzzo is also known for its ski because they have 21 attractions only hours from Rome. The ski resorts can mountain heights can compare to one of the Aplines. However, Abruzzo is known for cross country skiing. Abruzzo is picturesque in its scenery. Many old villages were abandoned and remain largely intact and the country side is rich with historic sites. It is often said that Abruzzo has as many castles as it does sheep. Most of this sleepy region has remained lock in medieval times making Abruzzo the first stop for those seeking to take a glance at the past or a chance to see nature as it was hundreds of years ago, unspoiled and perfect.

If you do not like to ski, Abruzzo offers an abundance of Beaches as well. Abruzzo’s 129 km. long sandy coastline is home to a many popular beach resorts, among them Vasto on Abruzzo’s southern coast; mid-coast are Silvi Marina, whose sands are considered among the best in Italy, Giulianova, Francavilla al Mare and Pineto, and on Abruzzo’s northern coast are Alba Adriatica and Martinsicuro.

Gran Sasso National Park (Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e dei Monti della Laga)

Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park (Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise)

National Park of the Majella (Parco Nazionale della Majella)

Sirente Velino Regional Park (Parco Naturale Regionale Sirente-Velino)

The Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, an impressive national park founded in 1922, is host to every variety plant and animal imaginable and considered the most important park in Italy. No other park in Italy is better developed for camping and recreational activities. Great stands of beech, oak, and birch can be found in the park a long with beautiful wild flowers of every color and design. The brown bear of the region along with wolves, eagles, and large wild cats find refuge in the park, making Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo a haven for vanishing species.

Understand

In the Middle Ages the region began to be called Abruzzo, from the Latin Aprutium. Then the region was divided into two parts: Further Abruzzo and Hither Abruzzo. In 1860, with the Unity of Italy, the region of Molise was added to Abruzzo and they were called Abruzzi and Molise. In 1963 Abruzzo and Molise became separate entities once more.

Though Italians once thought of Abruzzo as a remote region separated from Rome by the Appenines, a modern expressway system has opened the region to tourism. Most of Abruzzo lies within a few hours of Rome and is covenient for day trips from the capital as well as Naples. Abruzzo's more populous east is made up of vast sandy beaches that stretch along the Adriatic; its west of hills that rise quickly to mountains. The mountaineous region of l'Aquila, which lies nearest Rome, contains castles, ancient ruins and spectacular mountain vistas.

Abruzzo's main city and administrative town, L'Aquila, is a beautiful city in a picturesque mountain setting which makes it a great destination start for exploring the region. Pescara is pleasantly modern and offers all the features to be found in a city on the Adriatic: business, shops, entertainment. Chieti is full of history and nicely layered along the hill on which it is situated. Teramo is interesting and lively. Smaller charming town such as Sulmona and Scanno should also not be missed.

The region is 65% mountain 34% hills and the remainder flat land. The region has four provinces and each have a distinct climate. The province of L'Aquila is totally characterized by mountains, in the Chieti area it is rolling hills, while in Pescara and Teramo the areas are covered by a mixture of mountains and hill.

Get in

There is an international airport (Abruzzo International Airport) in Pescara, a large city on Abruzzo's Adriatic coast. Abruzzo International Airport is served by low cost airlines with low fare flights from and to London, Barcelona and Frankfurt. A24 and A25 are the codes indicating the two motorways allowing easy access to destinations along the coast and to many internal areas of Abruzzo, including all four main cities. Private and public transport by car or bus from and to Rome are therefore excellent. Abruzzo can be reached by train from Tiburtina railway station in Rome, a journey which offers truly picturesque views of the valleys in the Appenines and of some charming hill towns in Italy.

Venere (book direct) has listings for user rated and reviewed hotels on the Abruzzo coast. Venere is a site I often use for booking hotels in Italy. It has photos and descriptions of the hotels and location maps. For vacation apartment rentals and villas, check Abruzzo Villas. They also have listings for agriturismo accommodation and bed and breakfast.

Driving

There are 3 main autostrade that connect Abruzzo to the rest of Italy; these are toll roads and you can check the charges of the tolls you will pay on AutoStrada Italia for your journey in English here.

A14 -This is a coastal road that runs from Bologna in the North, to Bari in the South, and runs through each of Abruzzo’s coastal provinces.

A24 – This runs from Rome through to Teramo via L’Aquila.

A25 – This runs from L’Aquila through to Pescara.

Get around

Trains and buses run regularly from Rome and through Pescara and L'Aquila, these journeys through the mountains can be spectacular and highly recommended. See Trenitalia for details. From there, most towns can be reached by local buses,

In order to visit the more rural areas, a car is recommended if you want to reach relatively unknown villages in remote locations of Abruzzo.

If you intend to travel from Rome to Abruzzo, the station you will catch your Express or Stopping coach will be from Staz. Tiburtina. Expect to pay about €15 return for an Abruzzo destination. When arriving to Abruzzo, the best way to get to the remote areas from here is to rent a car.

The coast can be explored by train or bus, since all comforts of modern travelling are available.

There is a bus network which connects all four major cities: Pescara, L'Aquila, Chieti, Teramo.

See

The Abruzzo region is a remote region often overlooked by tourists. It has spectacular natural scenery, medieval castles and villages, monasteries, and Roman ruins. Two-thirds of the Abruzzo's land is mountainous with the rest being hills and coast. A third of the region is designated as national or regional parkland. Bordering regions are the Marche to the north, Lazio to the west, Molise to the south, and the Adriatic Sea to the east.

Much of the Abruzzo region is in national or regional parks. Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo is a large protected area with good hiking and biking trails. Its seven visitor centers have trail maps and information. Guided tours can be arranged in Pescasseroli. Gran Sasso, the highest point in the Apennine Mountains, has hiking trails, spring wildflowers, and winter skiing.

Pescara, on the Adriatic coast, is the largest city in the Abruzzo region. Although it was badly bombed during the war, it's now a good example of a modern Italian city and still retains some historic elements. Pescara has a nice seaside promenade, 20 km of sandy beach, great seafood restaurants, and lots of nightlife. The Museum of the Abruzzi People has a huge collection of artifacts about life in the Abruzzo from prehistoric times through the 19th century. Pescara has a few other museums and several good churches and buildings, too. In July, Pescara holds an international jazz festival.

Do

Beaches. Abruzzo’s 129 km long sandy coastline (interrupted in places by pebble beaches) is home to many popular beach resorts. Beaches worth visiting are in Fossacesia and Vasto Marina, on Abruzzo’s southern coast; Silvi Marina, Francavilla al Mare and Pineto, further north; finally, travelling north, shortly before Le Marche, Alba Adriatica and Martinsicuro close the list of seaside resorts which are considered among the best in Italy. Beaches of Abruzzo are pristine and the waters of the Adriatic are warm. Lifeguards are operative full-time on most italian beaches, during the summer season. It is best to follow posted warning signs and status flags describing the sea's condition on the day you decide to take a swim. Most beaches have corded off bathing areas - pass these at your own risk, as the waters deepen significantly very quickly.

Skiing. Abruzzo has 15 ski resorts with 368 km of runs in 172 different ski tracks, all within a couple of hours drive from Rome. The most popular resorts are Roccaraso, Campo Felice, Campo Imperatore. Located on the highest altitudes of the Apennines, these ski areas are at heights nearly comparable to many resorts in the Alps. Because of their proximity to the Adriatic and winter precipitation patterns, they often have more snow than the Alps. Abruzzo also is popular for cross country skiing, especially on the high plain of Campo Imperatore in the Gran Sasso as well as the Piana Grande in the Majella.

Hiking, horseback riding, mountain climbing and sightseeing. Abruzzo's extensive park system lies within two hours of Rome or less and includes natural beauty akin to national parks in the western United States. Within Abruzzo's parks lie some of Italy's most beautiful ancient hill towns rivaling those of Tuscany and Umbria.

ZOO. Near the little village of Civitella Casanova is a nice zoo: Parco Zoo La Rupe. It's built on a mountain with a beautiful view and it features many animal species.

Rock Climbing Abruzzo offers a great destination for rock climbing, beach combing, and mountain biking. Amazing rock climbing areas are: Petrellia Liri, Roccamorice, San Vito, Assergi, Monticchio, Capestrano, Fara Sam Martino.

Museums In L’Aquila, one can visit the National Museum of Abruzzi, with sections for paleontology, archaeology and medieval art (painting, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, lace, sacred ornaments, glass windows). Pescara has the Museum of the Folk Traditions of Abruzzo, which holds a didactic archaeologic exhibition. The Pinacoteca Civica in Teramo displays beautiful majolicas. Chieti’s National Museum of Antiquities houses important relics of the ancient Italics, Greeks and Romans, including some remarkable pieces such as the Warrior of Capestrano, of the fourth century B.C.

Eat

In Italy, high consideration for food (and wine) quality and variety is a reason of pride. Regional cooking is a unique experience for the foreign visitor: in Abruzzo this is no exception. Here are some of the local specialities that you may enjoy:

Abruzzo's food is based on peasant dishes. Lamb is very popular inland and the Abruzzo produces pecorino (lamb's milk) and goat's milk cheeses. Pork is also used frequently and on the coast there are many fish dishes. Baked scamorza cheese is a common dish that can be a main course or appetizer. Saffron is used frequently.

Spaghetti alla chitarra (square strands of pasta served with a tomato sauce)
Fagioli e cotiche di maiale (stewed beans and pork rind)
Prosciutto di cinghiale (wild boar ham)
Testicoli di mulo (small round lean pork sausages; though the name seems anatomical, they are named that way as they are always sold in pairs)
Pecorino d'Abruzzo (local sheep's cheese)
Burrata (a truly rare delicacy - a ball of tangy cheese with a soft buttery center)
Salame di fegato pazzo (spiced liver salami)
Salame di fegato dolce (liver salami made with honey)

Drink

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (a red wine)
Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (a white wine)
Rosatello aquilano (a rosé wine)
Corfinio della Valle Peligna (a light white wine)
Gran Sasso (one of the bitter digestive liqueurs that Italians are so fond of. Beware, the alcohol content is upwards of 70% proof)

Ratafia A wine from black cherries fermented in the summer sun (L'Aquila, the National Park of Abruzzo

Doppio Arancio (Double Orange) liqueur, a sweet taste of a homemade production of the Erminio Orsini firm of Giulianova, in activity since 1850's.

NIGHTLIFE IN PESCARA

The night club scene in Pescara, Italy is gaining ground in the peninsula. Italy’s bars and clubs are hopping and the music scene is respected throughout Europe. Renowned for its traditional Italian shops, cafes and pubs, you are sure to fall for the vintage charms of Pescara. Pescara is essentially a holiday town, so there are plenty of drinking places along the seafront, intermingled between the multitude of pizzerias and seafood restaurants. The other key area to head to is the Old Town where in the balmy summer evenings, the bar crowds spill out onto the streets. During the summer, the beach is packed with partygoers, with many nightclubs having outside venues on the beach itself. Those looking for the chance to dance, need do no more than drive or walk along the beach and listen for whatever takes their fancy. Away from the seafront, the “Ex-Gaslini”, a former factory in Via Pindario is also becoming a central hub of Pescara’s nightlife.

SHOPS

STREET SHOPPING

L'Aquila Flea Market: "Antiquariato e artigianato in piazza" (At Piazza Santa Maria di Paganica, the second weekend of the month). There is also a private exposition center and playground for children.

Sulmona (Street flea market every year in July).

Pescara (Street flea market every year in July).

Papoli (Street flea market every year in August).

Castelli (Street flea market every year in July and August). Complete show of ceramic crafts.

Shops are open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3:30 or 4 p.m. to 7:30 or 8 p.m., with some variation in Northern Italy, where the lunch break is shorter and shops close earlier. Prices are reasonable and the quality of goods is usually high. Chain stores such as La Rinascente, Coin, Upim, and Standa are found in many Italian cities and towns.

Some excellent purchase options are: Clothes for men and women (dresses, shoes, gloves, silk ties, shirts); lacework, jewelry, leather goods (handbags, cases, boxes, luggage), ceramics, gold and silver hems, alabaster, woodwork, straw, embroidery, glass and crystal ware.

It is advisable to carry merchandise purchased with you in order to avoid any inconvenience.

Italy

2011-01-20T02:26:00.000-08:00

Introducing Italy

The Belpaese (Beautiful Country) is one of the single greatest repositories of sensorial pleasures on earth. From art to food, from stunning and varied countryside to flamboyant fashion, Italy has it all. This is the country that brought us Slow Food, devoted to the promotion of fresh products and fine traditional, cooking. What started as a local protest against fast food has become a worldwide movement.

With 44 sites, Italy has more Unesco World Heritage sites than any other country on earth. Its great città d’arte (cities of art), like Rome, Venice and Florence, have been attracting visitors for centuries, and with good reason. At times, it seems like the country rests on its artistic laurels. This is not entirely true. Milan, the country’s financial hub, has created one of Europe’s biggest and most modern trade fairs and is planning a major residential development, the CityLife complex, in the heart of the city. Venice is possibly the city that has, in appearance, changed least down the decades but it has recently opened a sleek new bridge over the Grand Canal and a spectacular contemporary art space at the Punta della Dogana.
Alongside Italy’s art treasures, you’ll find plenty to keep you busy in the countryside. You can ski in the Alps, hike the Dolomites or dive off Sardinia’s golden coast. Adrenalin junkies can catch fireworks on Sicily’s volatile volcanoes. But as much as all of this, a trip to Italy is about lapping up the lifestyle. It’s about idling over a coffee at a streetside cafe or lingering over a long lunch in the hot Mediterranean sun.

Places at Italy

Abruzzo

Aeolian Islands

Florence

Genoa

Milan

Rome

Panama

2011-01-12T06:29:00.000-08:00

Introducing Panama

Travel Alert: Some areas of Panama are risky for travellers; see the Dangers & Annoyances section for details.

Unfettered by tourist crowds, Panama’s natural gifts shine. Although most backpackers to Central America set their sights on tourist-soaked Costa Rica and Guatemala, it’s hard to shake the feeling in Panama that you’re in on a secret the rest of the traveling world has yet to discover. Although the ‘gringo trail’ has already swung south to the Caribbean archipelago of Bocas del Toro, the careless overdevelopment plaguing most Costa Rican beach towns is still refreshingly absent here. In fact, Panama’s highlights are still very much off-the-beaten-path destinations, though it’s likely that this will change in the years to come.

Until its anticipated tourism boom explodes, however, Panama remains accessible to backpackers on a budget, and there’s no shortage of beaches, mountains and rain forests to explore. The Archipiélago de las Perlas in itself could occupy your entire trip, with its endless islands and islets, sublime beaches and pristine waters. Parque Nacional Volcán Barú is home to Panama's only volcano and some incredibly scenic trekking opportunities, while the Interior is a veritable bonanza of colonial towns, exquisite handicrafts and the country's friendliest people. Panama is also home to one of Central America’s most independent indigenous groups, the Kuna, who live autonomously in the Comarca de Kuna Yala; as well as one of the last true frontiers in the Americas, the infamous Darién Province.

Nicaragua

2011-01-12T06:06:00.000-08:00

Introducing Nicaragua

Smoking Volcán Concepción and her almost perfect cinder cone rise from silvery, pure Lago de Nicaragua to pierce the cloudy sky. 'Land of Lakes and Volcanoes' indeed, you think, as the rolling waves of Cocibolca (an ancient indigenous name for this 'Sweet Sea') rock your suddenly tiny ferry into unspeakable admiration. For these symbols of the nation - wind over water, fire from the earth - convey the elemental significance of Nicaragua's most powerful passions, poetry (don't get them started, unless you want to) and revolution.

If you climb Concepción you'll look out over gorgeous colonial Granada and her hundreds of tiny tropical isletas (islets), across the slender isthmus pockmarked with crater lakes to where the Pacific breaks hollow on sandy cove beaches. Beyond, red-and-black Volcán Momotombo towers above Lago de Managua - its counterpoint is Sandino's massive iron silhouette, conscience of the nation and solemn defining feature of the Managua skyline. Proud León also beckons with its churches and museums, while the cloud forests, frothing waterfalls and incredible coffee of cool, green Northern Nicaragua may tempt you upwards. Here, in the mountains and lakes, Central America's mightiest rivers begin their journey across the autonomous, indigenous-owned rolling hills of the Caribbean Coast, to the sea.

For visitors of a certain age, just the name Nicaragua - taken from a tribal chief of such wisdom and power that he may never fade from this nation's collective memory - evokes grainy footage of camouflage-clad guerrillas, punctuated by gunfire and a 1980s soundtrack. Despite having ended more than 15 years ago, leaving Nicaragua one of the safest countries in the Americas, the Contra War is too often our collective memory of the land of Nicarao.

Honduras

2011-01-12T05:45:00.000-08:00

Introducing Honduras

Like its neighbors, Honduras is experiencing tremendous changes: an expanding tourist economy (cruise ships in Roatán?!), a maturing political scene, and the whole globalization thing, including maquilas, free trade agreements – heck, even implementing Daylight Savings Time for the second time. Honduras remains deeply entrenched in a two-front war against gangs and HIV/AIDS. Illegal logging is emerging as another major concern (do you know where that new mahogany chest came from?) and a key issue among Honduras’ growing environmental community.

Even so, most Hondurans you’ll meet are very laid back and, while not disinterested, certainly disinclined to make much to-do over politics and world affairs. And aside from the people-pull, nature has its own drawcards here in Honduras. Parque Nacional Jeannette Kawas offers up white-sand beaches, great snorkelling and howler monkeys galore and Lago de Yojoa in Honduras' lake region has world-class bird-watching, waterfalls and outstanding national parks. Backpackers love Utila for its cheap eats, great accommodation and terrific diving.

Honduras today is a place of change, too fast for those who’d like the country to remain ‘undiscovered’, too slow for those frustrated by persistent remnants of the ‘Banana Republic’ days, whether in undue foreign influence or lax enforcement of environmental laws. Hondurans themselves take it all in their stride, and travelers with an open mind and a bit of Spanish will find many fascinating conversations in store.

Guatemala

2011-01-12T05:38:00.000-08:00

Introducing Guatemala

Criminal activity is a problem in parts of Guatemala, see the Dangers & Annoyances section for details.

Guatemala is a magical place. If you’re into the Maya, the mountains, the markets or a million other things, you’re bound to be captivated. People come and they stay. Or they leave and return. There's almost too much going on here, and even the shortest trip takes you completely different places, with new challenges and surprises. Students of Spanish flock to Antigua, a gorgeous town nestled between three volcanoes, while those travelers seeking more off-the-beaten-track destinations might head to lesser known places like Lago de Izabal or Nebaj, a Maya village hidden in a remote fold of the Cuchumatanes mountains. And sooner or later, just about everyone ends up in the Highlands – Lago de Atitlán being an irresistable drawcard...

Guatemala's Maya heritage is everywhere. El Petén's remote archaeological sites are unmissable; the fascinating town of Chichicastenango adheres to pre-Hispanic beliefs and rituals even now. Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, on the other hand, provides a glimpse into the mysterious Pipil culture, with some interesting carved stone heads and relief scenes to be found in fields and fincas (plantations) around town.

Sure, Guatemala’s got its problems (most visible in its sprawling capital, Guatemala City), but it isn’t the scary place your mother fears it is. Travel here, once dangerous and uncomfortable, is now characterized by ease – you can do pretty much whatever you want, and will only be limited by your imagination.

El Salvador

2011-01-12T05:29:00.000-08:00

Introducing El Salvador

Travel Alert: Criminal activity is a problem in El Salvador; see the Dangers & Annoyances section for details.

El Salvador sneaks up on you: in lefty lounge bars in San Salvador, at sobering museums and war memorials, and along lush cloud-forest trails; it's a place of remarkable warmth and intelligence, made all the more appealing for being so unexpected. Travellers tend to skip El Salvador, wooed by marquee destinations such as Guatemala and Costa Rica, and unnerved by stories of civil war and gang violence. But the war ended almost 20 years ago, and crime, while serious, is almost exclusively played out between rival gangs; tourists are virtually never involved. And though El Salvador has fewer protected areas than its neighbors, you get them practically to yourself – including pristine forests, active volcanoes and sparkling lakes. The only place you might find a crowd is on Punta Roca, El Salvador’s most famous surfing spot – it happens to be one of the best right point breaks in the world, yet is a ghost town compared to lesser swells in Costa Rica and elsewhere. And when it comes to cities, none in Central America is smarter or cooler than San Salvador, with first-rate universities, museums and galleries, a vibrant bar and live-music scene, and an array of progressive NGOs, both local and international.

Costa Rica

2011-01-10T09:42:00.000-08:00

Introducing Costa Rica

Mention Costa Rica and people think paradise. The country’s Disneylike cast of creatures – ranging from howler monkeys to toucans – are populous and relatively easy to spot. The waves are prime, the beauty is staggering and the sluggish pace seductive. A peaceful oasis in a tumultuous region, this tiny nation draws 1.5 million visitors every year.

What’s on tap? The question is what isn’t? Active travelers can surf, hike, snorkel and spot wildlife for starters. The incredibly varied topography means you can cruise the cloud forest one day, visit an active volcano the next, and finish relaxing on a hot sandy beach. Adrenaline junkies have a myriad ways to make mothers worry – among them zipping through canopy lines hundreds of meters long and riding the rough surf of the Pacific. Choice and variety name the game.

Of course, the frenzy to snatch up a piece of Shangri-la has its consequences. Since the boom, tourism is more chic and less cheap. Classic destinations are now crowded destinations and local culture is often lost or cast aside. Lucky for Costa Rica that its do-gooder fans, ranging from ecologists to proud Ticos (Costa Ricans), are vocal and vigilant. Nature here suffers its blows, like everywhere, but at least it is taken seriously.

Belize

2011-01-10T09:24:00.000-08:00

With one foot planted in the Central American jungles and the other dipped in the Caribbean Sea, Belize blends the best of both worlds. Offshore, kayakers glide from one sandy, palm-dotted islet to another, while snorkelers swim through translucent seas, gazing at a kaleidoscope of coral, fish, dolphins and turtles. Inland, explorers investigate ruins of ancient civilizations, and birders aim their binoculars at some 570 species. Between national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and marine reserves, more than 40% of the country’s area is protected in one form or another, creating a haven for countless creatures of land, sea and sky.

Belize attracts more than 850,000 annual visitors eager to explore the mysteries of Maya sites such as Altun Ha or Lamanai, spot a toucan in the bird-watcher's paradise that is Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, snorkel the reef off Caye Caulker or the Northern Cayes, and otherwise partake of paradise. Tourism is the country’s top source of employment and investment. The irony is that it is also the country’s biggest environmental threat.

Belize does not yet have the infrastructure to support the massive numbers of tourists that arrive, especially by way of cruise ships. It does not have the resources to truly protect its sanctuaries and reserves and their inhabitants. And it does not have the political will to stop the rampant coastal development, which would mean turning down millions in investment dollars. According to sources such as Tropical Conservation Science, as much as 80% of coastal land has already been sold to foreign interests with the intention of building condos and resorts.

Fortunately, Belizeans are environmentally aware and indefatigably active. Thanks to a progressive populace, Belize offers myriad ways for travelers to tread lightly, from beach resorts powered by solar energy to jungle lodges built from reclaimed hardwoods. Licensed guides not only direct, but also educate their clients – about the fragility of the reef, the medicinal uses of flora and the threats to the jaguar’s habitat.

It’s never easy to maintain the delicate balance between preserving natural resources and cashing in on economic opportunity. But most Belizeans are proud of their natural heritage and they recognize that the goals of environmental conservation and economic prosperity are not mutually exclusive. This is the enlightened approach that has earned Belize its reputation as a paradigm of ecotourism.

Sub Umbra Florero reads the motto on the Belizean flag. It refers to the mighty mahogany tree, and it means ‘Under the shade, I flourish.’ The mahogany may not be as prevalent as it once was, but with its loss has come an understanding of its value. Belizeans recognize that their country’s greatest asset must be respected and protected, and that tourists have an important role to play.

It’s no wonder that Belizeans extend such a warm welcome to travelers. These easy-going people are eager to share – the staggering scenery, the bountiful biodiversity, all that exists in the shade of the mahogany tree.

Maui, USA

2011-01-10T08:48:00.000-08:00

Maui, USA

According to some, you can’t have it all. Perhaps those folks haven’t been to Maui, which consistently lands atop travel-magazine reader polls as one of the world’s best, most romantic islands. Why? Most start with its wealth of glorious beaches and go from there: luxe resorts, friendly B&Bs, gourmet cuisine, fantastic luau, and world-class windsurfing, whale watching, snorkeling, diving and hiking. Need adventure? Drive the jungly road to Hana or traverse the moonlike volcanic crater of Haleakala. Want pampering? West Maui awaits your call. Need more? Maui is the gateway to its sister islands of Moloka'i and Lana'i, which are conveniently reached by ferry. But is Maui really all that? Well, it does weave a gauzy spell that leaves most visitors more in love than when they arrived, so you’ll just have to excuse those who, when the magazines call, wax a little enthusiastic.

As if the murmuring waves, frolicking whales,

waterfalls and jungles outside your door weren’t enough to get you throwing back the covers,Maui also serves up some of Hawaii’s best vistas.Try out sunrise over the volcanic crater at HaleakalāNational Park or from the spectacular road to Hana.

Twin Falls, East Maui

Haleakala National Park, Maui

Wailuku, Maui

Secret Cove, South Maui

Lahina, West Maui

Old Lahaina Luau, Maui

Kokio Keokeo blossom, Maui

Honolua Bay, Maui

Big Beach, Maui

Canoes, Maui

Indonesia

2011-01-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

Introducing Indonesia

Adventure looms large in this vast and steamy archipelago, where the best of Southeast Asia’s spicy melange simmers tantalisingly. Heady scents, vivid colours, dramatic vistas and diverse cultures spin and multiply to the point of exhaustion, their potent brew leaving your senses reeling.

Rippling across the equator for nearly 5000km, Indonesia encompasses more than 17,000 islands, two-thirds of which are inhabited and richly layered with character. On Sulawesi, the elaborate funeral ceremonies and timeless traditions of Tana Toraja are light years from the surfing culture of Lombok. But so too are the mighty saddle-backed Batak mansions of Danua Toba and the volcanic lakes of Sumatra from the mummies and deeply etched gorges of Papua’s Baliem Valley. The resorts and restaurants of Bali pamper precocious style cats, while at the same moment threadbare backpackers are adopted by homestays in Kalimantan.

Indonesia’s cities are in a constant state of urban evolution, where dense populations, technology and construction live in hectic symbiosis. But most of the archipelago’s territory remains unexplored, concealing a wealth of cultures and a myriad of landscapes. Oceanic rice fields and ancient sultanates in Java are humbled by haunting volcanic cones. Maluku’s alabaster beaches and desert islands remain pristine while the tourist trail heads elsewhere. The jungles of Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua are zoological wonders, revealing impish monkeys, stoic sun bears, leopards, orang-utans and remarkable marsupials.

And then there are the micromoments, equally exquisite but entirely unexpected; impromptu English lessons with school children, instant friendships in crammed bemos, lending an ear to your becak rider… In Indonesia there is plenty of cause to pause, except when dodging hurtling traffic – but that’s all part of the adventure.

Indonesia Travel Guide

Draped languidly across the equator, the charismatic archipelago of Indonesia is a smattering of diverse island jewels bobbing around in tropical seas. A visit is a great adventure in waiting – it’s truly one of the last intrepid destinations left on the planet. The third most populous nation on earth has an incredible legacy of peoples, cultures and geography just waiting to be explored.

Visitors will soon be tripping over pristine, white-sand beaches fringed by dramatic volcanic ranges towering over verdant green terraced hillsides and lush rainforest. A kaleidoscope of sealife including huge sunfish, manta rays, porpoises, turtles and blindingly colourful beds of coral await beneath the waves.

Bali is the picture-postcard paradise: stunning scenery, gentle sarong-clad people and sunsets of legendary glory. Komodo Island's ‘living dinosaurs’ will astound as do Borobudur's architectural treasures, which include 5km (3 miles) of Buddhist relief carvings. Adventure-seekers head for Kalimantan's remote jungle interior or explore Sumatra, with its teeming wildlife and wealth of tribal groups.

Top destinations

Jakarta Travel Guide

Jakarta, the sprawling, smoggy capital of Indonesia, will frustrate, entice, aggravate and beguile - few places in this part of Asia are as challenging or rewarding. But Jakarta is the beating heart of Indonesia, the archipelago in a nutshell. For those visitors prepared to peel away the city’s urban layers of irritation, rich rewards lay waiting.

The historic old town of Batavia (Kota) is like a time warp and brings to life the city’s colonial roots, while a clutch of excellent museums help with interpretation of this rich history.

Jakarta is the ultimate city of contrasts. An intoxicating Asian destination where on one side of the city old sailing schooners trade spices in a scene that has not changed for centuries. Just streets away gleaming new glass and steel skyscrapers reach for the heavens in a skyline that has been transformed beyond recognition.

Jakarta is where the greater Indonesian identity has been created, forged by the ceaseless interaction of peoples and cultures from all over the archipelago. Freed from the yolk of colonialism, this bold, brash and bustling city buzzes along and after a few days it is hard not to get caught up in its palpable energy.

Malaysia

2011-01-08T10:26:00.000-08:00

Malaysia, which celebrated 50 years of independence in 2007, is one of the rising stars of South-East Asian tourism, a nation looking to the future while cherishing the ways of the past. Centuries of trade combined with a vibrant mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian and tribal influence have created a mix of peoples and culture that make it a colourful and intriguing place to visit.

Tropical island resorts and endless white, sandy beaches offer a taste of paradise, while beneath warm coral seas, world-class dive sites await exploration. Orang-utans, the oldest rainforest in the world, city skyscrapers and majestic mosques and temples, plus a gorgeous coastline, are enough to tempt even the most jaded visitor. And if that were not enough, Malaysia's culinary credentials are among Asia's finest.

The British were relatively late arrivals to the region in the late 18th century, following Portuguese and later Dutch settlement, but they played a key role following the European wars of the 1790s and, in particular, the defeat of the Netherlands by France in 1795. The Federated Malay States were created in 1895, and remained under British colonial control until the Japanese invasion of 1942.

After Japanese defeat in 1945, the 11 states were once again incorporated as British Protectorates and, in 1948, became the Federation of Malaya. In 1963, the Federation of Malaya merged with Singapore and the former British colonies of Sarawak and Sabah, on north Borneo, to form modern Malaysia. Singapore seceded to become an independent state in its own right in 1965, leaving Malaysia in its present form.

Its convoluted history highlights why Malaysia is so ethnically and culturally diverse. Even better, the magnificent landscape is no less fascinating - dense jungles, soaring peaks and lush tropical rainforests harbour abundant and exotic flora and fauna.

OUR SPOTLIGHT DESTINATIONS

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur Guide

Map of Kuala Lumpur (including places of interest, hotels, museums, embassies, entertainment and shopping, and transportation).

Here’s information on KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) and LCCT KLIA (Low Cost Carrier Terminal), and how to use the Express Rail Link, taxis, airport buses to get into the Kuala Lumpur. If you are taking a express bus from Singapore, you will most probably find yourself in Puduraya Bus Sation.

There’s so much to see and do in KL, lots of good hotels and good food, fascinating bazaars and shops.

Once you’ve settled into your hotel (It is ,however, important that the hotel is situated in the Golden Triangle of the city. Then you’re close to the shopping centres of Sungei Wang, Bukit Bintang, Lot 10 and Low Yat Plaza. And you’re within walking distance of the famous Petronas Towers with its shopping centre Suria.

KL nightlife is unbelivable diversify, so join the locals to party and drink, especially on weekends.

You can see Kuala Lumpur’s top sights in a rush on an overnight stay, but you’ll need at least two days to do them justice, and three or four days to really get a sense of the city. In a week, you can get a good look at most of what Kuala Lumpur has to offer, do some shopping and enjoy an excursion to Selangor as well – the Batu Caves is not to be missed.

Kuala Lumpur is adept at reconciling the old with the new. How the city excels at striking this balance is clearly observed in how the colonial faÃ§ade and structure of the Sultan Abdul Samad building blends intimately with the tall, freestanding wonder of The Petronas Twin Towers. Naturally, there’s more to the face and feature of Kuala Lumpur than these two world famous landmarks. The old railway station is one. The Masjid Jamek is another. And then, there’s the new headquarters of Telekom Malaysia that curves skyward in its design and daring.

One thing you’ll discover in Kuala Lumpur is the many priceless moments you get to sit back and reflect. Amidst the hustle and bustle of a metropolitan city, lies a calming yet serious appreciation of culture and the crafts.

Take a look. Take a walk. You will be inspired.

Sipadan Island

Sipadan Island is located in the centre of the richest marine habitat in the world, the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin. In this ecosystem, over 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified.

In the waters around Sipadan, rare diving scenes are frequently seen such as schools of green and hawksbill turtles nesting and mating, schools of barracuda and big-eye trevally in tornado-like formations, pelagic species such as manta rays, eagle rays, scalloped hammerhead sharks and whale sharks. Therefore, Sipadan is popular with its unusually large numbers of green and hawksbill turtles which gather there to mate and nest. And it is not really rare for a diver to see more than seventy turtles on each dive.

Besides that, there is a mysterious turtle tomb lies underneath the column of the Sipadan Island. The turtle tomb was formed by an underwater limestone cave with a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that contain many skeletal remains of turtles that have become lost and drown before finding the surface.

Currently, this beautiful island is in the care of Wildlife Department. The Wildlife Department has stationed several park rangers to oversee the state of nature of the island. In order to protect the world’s unique flora and fauna on the island as well as the underwater world, the Malaysian Government has made a decision that from the year 2005, no more overnight facilities shall be on the Sipadan Island itself. This implies that all dive operators on the Sipadan Island have to move and diving at Sipadan will be conducted from other destinations likes Mabul and Kapalai.

Why Not Go

You really shouldn’t go to this place for holiday unless you are a scuba diver or you like snorkeling very much. There is nothing much to do on this island except enjoy yourself on the beautiful sandy beaches and watching the coral reef with its rich marine life. Besides that, there is no resort and nothing to buy on the island.

Why Go

The name of Sipadan is a legend in the diving circles, conjuring the images of patrolling hammerhead sharks, millions of colorful reef fish and, above all, dozens of sea turtles swimming peacefully everywhere. As one of the five top diving destinations in the world, Sipadan, the small rainforest-covered tropical island rising from a 700 meter abyss in the Celebes Sea, is an ultimate diving spot that a committed diver cannot miss.

Diving at Sipadan is certainly world class, so this place has attracted many diving lovers. It is well-known that divers are able to see about 150 species of butterfly fish within a single dive in Sipadan. Utilized by marine biologists as the indicators of coral reef health, a great number and species diversity of butterfly fish implies the abundance and diversity of corals. Pristine coral reefs are also landlord to other reef dwellers such as angelfish, snappers, wrasse, sweet lips, and parrotfish as well as the larger pelagic, barracudas, mantas, whales, dolphins and schools of hammerhead sharks.

Besides that, Sipadan Island is well-known with its vast numbers of Green and Hawksbill turtles which feed and breed within its waters before the females climb ashore to lay their eggs in the white sandy beaches. Others than that, diving near the coral reefs surprises you with incredible phenomena likes thousands of schooling chevron barracuda and big-eye trevally or ‘Jacks’. Moreover, floating inside such a tornado of fish is a truly breath-taking experience that is hard to beat.

On the other hand, Sabah is becoming one of the world famous location for ‘muck diving’. ‘Muck diving’ is used by divers to describe the search for rare and exotic small marine animals. Numerous rare and newly identified gobies can be found living in the corals, sand, mud and mangroves of Sabah, along with the rarely seen mimic octopus, neon patterned blue-ringed octopus, delicate flamboyant cuttlefish, psychedelic mandarin fish and ghost pipefish.

It is really worth to have a dive at Sipadan. Generally, the rate for three dives at Sipadan is just around RM260, plus RM40 for equipment (if required). Perhaps the rates might vary slightly among different operators. Boat transfers and packed lunch are included as well. Therefore you no need to worry about the food as there is no restaurant on the island.

It is vital to note that you need to have a permit from Sabah Parks in order to access the island, which will cost you RM40. Only 120 permits will be given out every day and they are typically obtained by the dive operators. You must make sure that the diver operator you choose is diving at Sipadan with permits, as some companies have been caught diving at the island without permits. You should check diver reviews of dive operators in the area before choosing as there are many have had customer complaints regarding faulty equipment.

Besides that, another tourist attraction of Sipadan is snorkeling. Eventually from the beach, the reef is easily accessible and parts of the reef further out can be reached by boat. There are a few dive tour operators bring snorkelers to the island at an all-inclusive rate of around RM170.

Best Time to Visit

You may make your way there any time all around the year but due to Sipadan is now a protected site, there is only 120 dives are allowed on Sipadan in a day. Therefore, it is highly recommended to dive as early as possible to beat the crowds and increase your chances of getting on the roster to dive.

Where to Stay

Previously, Sipadan Island was used to have resorts. In order to protect the environment, all the resorts were forced to close down around the year 2002. Hence, to dive on Sipadan, you have to stay somewhere nearby. There are resorts on the nearby islands likes Mabul which is 25 minutes away by boat and Kapalai which is 15 minutes away by boat.

As recommended, Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort is the best place to spend your night. It is just a few minutes by boat from the islands of Sipadan. Planned and built in full style as an airy, comfortable, sunny water village with no land in sight, Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort boasts a mile-long sandbank of powdery white sand where you can suntan at complete leisure while gazing out to the miles of brilliant turquoise stretching into the horizon offering the purest image of natural serenity. With the combination of sun and water in a unique and serene setting with friendly staff, Sipadan-Kapalai is an ideal stopover for you to have a great holiday experience.

Where & What to Eat

There are no restaurants on the island. You have to bring your own lunch and snacks there. Besides that, you are reminded to bring along your own water and drinks with you.

Nightlife

There is no nightlife on the Sipadan Island as it is not allowed to stay overnight on the island.

My to do List

- Diving
- Go to sandy beaches
- See the coral reef
-‘Muck diving’
- Snorkeling

Stay Away From

You should stay away from those companies that diving on Sipadan without permits from Sabah Parks. Make sure the diver operator you choose has diving permits from Sabah Parks.

Getting There

Getting to the Sipadan Island requires some effort. The best way for first timer is that by plane. At first, you may fly to Tawau from either Kuala Lumpur which is about three hour’s flight or from Kota Kinabalu which is about 50 minutes flight. Then, continue your trip by minivan or taxi to the port town of Semporna which will take you about one to two hours. And from there you may go to Sipadan itself by fast boat, which only spend one hour.

Hawaii

2011-01-07T12:41:00.000-08:00

Bestowed with stunning beaches, dramatic mountains, pristine rainforests and a rich cultural heritage, Hawaii exceeds expectations as a tropical paradise.The island group of Hawaii lies 3,860km (2,400 miles) off mainland USA, comprised of 132 islands and atolls. The state of Hawaii consists of eight islands, of which seven are inhabited and six allow visitors. Honolulu, the capital, sits on the southern shores of Oahu, the most commercialised island, but Hawaii is the largest island. Oahu has two diagonal mountain ranges and many beautiful waterfalls.

The islands support rainforest, green flatlands and 13 climatic regions.The tropical paradise of Hawaii is separated from mainland USA by around 3,700km (2,300 miles) of Pacific Ocean. It has an ethnically diverse population and a rich Polynesian heritage. When Captain James Cook landed here in the 18th century, Oahu had been untouched by the west. It achieved prominence when the volume of Honolulu's commercial traffic increased and the US Navy acquired rights to Pearl Harbor. December 7, 1941 marked the entry of the USA into WWII, when Japan bombed Pearl Harbour.

Maldives

2011-01-07T11:51:00.000-08:00

The Maldives is a by-word for luxury, romance and tropical bliss; a beautiful string of low-lying coral islands in the Indian Ocean, and a paradise for watersports enthusiasts and sun seekers alike. The past two decades have seen the islands develop into a popular long-haul destination.

The country's 26 natural atolls offer nautical delights from night-fishing trips, windsurfing and scuba-diving. Many islands embrace enormous lagoons, where bright blue-green water laps gently on brilliant white sand beaches.

Yet even in paradise trouble can bubble beneath the surface. It is precisely because the Maldives is so low-lying (80% of the territory is less than 1m/3.3ft above sea level), so transparent and perfect for snorkelling, that their very existence is threatened by global warming. They are also particularly vulnerable to natural catastrophes, as shown in the devastating tsunami on 26 December 2004: of the Maldives' 199 inhabited islands, 20 were completely destroyed.

Politically the country is today one of Asia's most progressive. After a 30-year period of autocratic rule from former President Gayoom, President Mohamed Nasheed was elected to the office in a democratic 2008 election, which made the Maldives one of the few Muslim democracies in the world. Since then the country has pursued a liberal-progressive agenda focused on improving the country's healthcare and education infrastructure, tourism development and environmental protection.

Culture

The islands of Maldives appear in-between the trading route of the Indian Ocean. Thus settlers, and visitors from neighbouring regions and around the world have come in contact with the islands for as long as history has been recorded. Such is the to-and-fro flow of people and their cultures, that a marked effect has been left in the Maldivian people, the language, beliefs, arts, and attitudes.

The looks of the Maldivian people may differ from one atoll to the other, attributing to the genes passed on by South and Southeast Asians, Africans, and Arabians. The language, Dhivehi, differs in dialect in some regions in the south of Maldives, possibly due to the secluded nature and subsistent ways of island life. Maldivian beliefs have been very much based around religion and superstition, often used together in matters of significance but given separate positions in society. In matters of faith, Islam dominates, but influence of the supernatural still continues to play a major role in most island communities, possibly giving credit to the folklores and Buddhist traditions of the islands’ first settlers before conversion to Islam in 1153 AD.

The mixing of cultures is very much seen in Maldivian arts. The music played with the local bodu-beru (big-drum) resemble that of African drumming. The dhoni (a unique Maldivian sailboat) is an art form itself built with skilled craftsmanship, with significant similarities to the Arabian dows. The fine artistry of Maldivians, seen in the intricate details on wooden beams in antique mosques, represents what we have gained from Southeast Asian architecture. Then there is the undefined: the distinct geometric designs used in mats woven from local materials, the embroidered neckline of women’s traditional dresses and their ornaments too, expose another story brought in from an unknown culture that has seeped in to Maldivian society.

Maldivians are quite open to adaptation and are generally welcoming to outside inspiration. The culture has always continued to evolve with the times. Locals still eat fish and fishermen still spend days out at sea, but tourism now takes a standing prominence. Most Maldivians still want to believe in upholding unity and oneness in faith, but recent waves of reform in the country have created a whole new culture of new ideas and attitudes. The effects of the modern world are now embraced, while still striving to uphold the people’s identity, traditions and beliefs.

Diving Maldives

The warm seas of Maldives have high visibility throughout the year, with water clear enough to see the passing fish as far as fifty metres away at times. Add to that the marvellous formation of over 3000 coral reefs and the free flowing tides of the monsoons. The result of these perfect conditions have created one of the world’s richest diving coral reef areas.

Over a thousand species of fish and other underwater creatures inhabit the Maldivian waters. The monsoon tides of the Indian Ocean create a collection of small marine creatures as well as microscopic plant cells. This in turn creates a hub for all kinds of underwater species who gather in these waters lured by
the abundance of food. In the Maldives you will get to see everything. From tiny shrimp and groups of colourful swimmers to the magnificent mantas and sharks, a careful eye will give you enough to enrapture you for a lifetime.

The best thing is that you need not be a professional diver to enjoy the Maldives. All resorts and safari boats give you basic to advanced training using well-monitored diving facilities of a high standard. Even the most reluctant diver can enjoy the beauty of Maldivian underwater life on a drift dive with the guidance of experienced dive instructors. A dive in a house reef is equally rewarding, all you need to do is swim a few minutes from shore. Due to the countless number of reefs found among the 26 atolls in the Maldives, all you
need to do is travel 15 to 60 minutes by boat to get to a different dive spot every day.
Dives in the Maldives usually take place along a faru (reef), a thila (a submerged aquarium like reef, on a channel where the atoll meets the ocean, or on a wreck. Night diving is particularly beautiful as is a macro dive that lets you see tiny, interesting and usually disregarded creatures up close and personal.

The Maldives Honeymoon

If a honeymoon is meant to be a celebration of love in an intimate,secluded, and most importantly, beautiful setting, then the Maldives is the world’s best backdrop for all these things. There are endless ways to let the magic of the islands dazzle you on your holiday as a couple. A dinner under the stars with the occasional flicker of candle light to bring you back into the real world, a daring getaway to a nearby uninhabited island all by yourselves for the whole day, or just lazing around in your private bungalow watching the endless turquoise waters while you are treated to an spa treatment in the room.

You could choose to get to know each other through a swim around a house reef with a mask and fin, or dive among the beautiful, vibrant reefs. It is an experience you will relive for days after you get back home. Indulge in some lighthearted competition on a night fishing trip by seeing who catches more. You will not forget the amazing boat trip you make at sunset before anchoring at a suitable fishing spot. It is as if nature plays with the colours of the setting sun just to ensure that you remember this day, this moment, and this love for the rest of
your life.

Your honeymoon need not be a once in a lifetime experience either. You will relive the honeymoon over and over again, every time you come back to
these magical islands.

Los Angeles

2011-01-07T11:45:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles Travel Guide

Los Angeles is the USA's second largest city after New York. It has been called everything from La La Land to Tinseltown but is most commonly known simply as LA.

Sprawling along the Pacific coast of southern California, its coastline stretches 122km (76 miles) from Malibu to Long Beach. Inland, the city fills a vast, flat and once arid basin ringed by the Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains.Arriving by plane gives a good first impression.

Out of this vast flat grid of streets and buildings rises a cluster of imposing skyscrapers. These mark Downtown, 26km (16 miles) inland from the coast. Northeast is Pasadena. To the west and northwest are Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Century City and the wide San Fernando Valley. To the south is Long Beach. Along the west coast are Santa Monica, Venice Beach and Marina del Rey.

Founded in 1781 by Mexican settlers, over the centuries, LA grew from a cow town to a Gold Rush boomtown to an oil town. In the 1920s, the fledgling film industry decamped from New York in search of sunshine and Hollywood was born. Today, all the major studios are here and the city is the world's undisputed king of film-making.

Disneyland may be the city's major attraction, but LA is also home to world-renowned cultural institutions from the Museum of Contemporary Art to the LA Philharmonic and the stunning Getty Museum.

LA is exuberant - there are few places in the world where the phrase 'Express Yourself' is taken so literally. Hippy health fanatics exist happily alongside some of the most glamorous and wealthy people in the world. Most visitors come to enjoy world-class shops and restaurants, lie on beaches bathed in almost constant sunshine and simply to people watch.