Archives for July 2009

Alberto D'Antonio, a lecturer on Italian gastronomy, usually plans his vacations around good food — visiting European wine regions and booking tables at top-rated restaurants. But because his work was reduced from about six lectures a week to two or three because of the economic recession, he will tone down his summer ambitions.

"The plans are for my girlfriend and me to stay close enough to home to be able to drive," says D'Antonio, 34, "Instead of eating at fancy restaurants, I think we'll get some nice cheese and wine and have picnics." This is the first August since the recession hit worldwide, so hotels, restaurants and officials are bracing for a sharp drop in business during Europe's most important month for tourism and vacations.

Tourism decline  The World Tourism Organization (WTO) reports that international tourism in Europe is down about 10% the first half of this year, compared with the same time in 2008. In Italy, national statistics show that residents staying in the country for at least part of their summer vacation make up for some of those losses.

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Watched over by the Madonnina, the cathedral's high rose marble spires represent the city's most famous artistic and religious monument. The dimensions of Christendom's third biggest church are still awe-inspiring at 108m high (to the tip of the tallest spire) and 158m long.

A range of architectural styles feature: doorways are 17th century, the central balcony from the late 18th Century and the three main upper windows early 19th-century pieces by Carlo Amati. The cathedral's vast interior overwhelms: its impressive pillars, vaults and streamlined arches enhanced by light that floods through the splendid stained-glass windows and the wonderful statuary surrounding the naves.

The Dublin Zoo, located in Phoenix Park, was established in 1830 and it contains the biggest variety of animals in Ireland. One of the best zoos in Ireland, it is also the oldest. In fact, the Dublin Ireland Zoo is the second-oldest zoo in Europe and the third-oldest zoo in the world. (The oldest European zoo was opened in Austria in 1765.) The Dublin Ireland Zoo is famed for its lion breeding, and one of its lions actually served as the roaring king of the jungle used in MGM ads.

Besides the typical zoo fare of lions, tigers, and bears, the Dublin Zoo offers interesting exhibits about the unique animals in Ireland. In the Pets Corner and City Farm, visitors can see Galway Sheep, one of the unique animals of Ireland. These sheep were bred in the west of Ireland and not have horns. This sheep is one of the important animals in Ireland because of the use of its strong, warm wool in the textiles industry. The aviary exhibit gives tourists a closer look at some of the bird species native to Ireland. Other zoos in Ireland may offer more native species, such as the nature center located on Rathlin Island.

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Europe Vacations has a long history of working in Italy. We love the people, the culture, the art, and of course, the food! Because of our diverse reasons for loving the country, we know our clients have diverse reasons for wanting to visit. We therefore offer a range of tours throughout the country, from classic tours for first time travelers, to specific regional tours of Tuscany or Sicily for repeat visitors, to special cooking tours for those who want to visit, and bring back life-long skills (and memories) as well. We hope you enjoy looking through our detailed selections as much as we enjoyed putting them together for you; we would love to make one of these programs work for you!

Culpeper County High School senior Briana Moss could have spent her summer vacation lounging around the house and texting her friends.

Instead, the 17-year-old student traveled throughout western and southwestern Europe visiting historic landmarks with the Culpeper County Public Schools’ foreign language group.

The group used Explorica, an international group that helps organize long distance trips for teachers and students, to help plan the international trip.

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Spain is a country crisscrossed with Mountain ranges, and nearly surrounded by water. A country where you can be swimming or sailing in the Mediterranean, and an hour later skiing or hiking the high snow capped mountains. It has an extraordinary heritage of history, art and culture. Historically it has been a melting pot - and this is the legacy that has created a unique and stunning culture. Basques, Iberians, Celts, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors, Christians have all at one time make it their own. All have left a part of their culture to be intertwined into the new... The Result is a country filled with passion, art, flamenco, bullfighting, splashes of Moorish Africa, fiestas, culinary delights, fiercely patriotic regions,  and much more...

Looking for the perfect end of summer or Fall getaway in the UK? If you are, then you might want to think about The Isles of Scilly - an Island Archipelago, warmed by the Gulf Stream and lying 28 miles off the Western tip of mainland United Kingdom.

With 5 inhabited and over 100 uninhabited Islands, offering some of the best beaches in Europe combined with wonderfully clear, azure waters.

The Islands are a destination that are just starting to appear on the US vacation radar – with more US hits to its site than it has seen before.

Only reached by Helicopter, small fixed wing plane or daily foot passenger ferry, the warmer climate makes the end of the summer and September through October.

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The golden light of sunset turns the facade of the main building in the Plaza de Espana red. The plaza is one of the main tourist spots in the city of Seville, a popular travel destination in the region of Andalusia,Spain.

Central building and fountain in Plaza de Espana, Parque Maria Luisa, during sunset in the City of Sevilla (Seville), Province of Sevilla, Andalusia (Andalucia), Spain, Europe.

Beginning in 57 BC, Julius Caesar extended the power of Rome into the region of Europe that is now Belgium. The people he encountered there were the Belgae, one of the various Celtic tribes of early Gaul, and the Romans dubbed their new province Gallia Belgica. In the fourth century AD, with Rome in decline, control of Gaul was ceded to the Franks, a Germanic tribe that the weakened empire employed as mercenaries. As the Franks flourished, they decided to dispense with their Roman employers. By 431, they had established an independent dynasty, the Merovingian, with its capital at Tournai. Soon after, under Clovis I (c.466-511), the Merovingians succeeded in pummeling the last of the Romans in Gaul. They held large parts of present day France and Belgium as well as southwestern Germany. Clovis also adopted Christianity, thus gaining the support of the Church.

'Tis the season to enjoy Europe for less with Globus. The winter months are the perfect time to travel to Europe.

Not only are there fewer crowds and lower travel prices (up to 25% less than peak season!), but you’ll be able to get a glimpse of European culture that you can’t always see during the summer months. Now the vacation of your dreams is within reach without emptying your wallet.

European Winter Vacations Now is the best time of year to visit Europe. The prices are lower. The lines are shorter.

The crowds of tourists are long gone. And we just put it all on sale. So find the suitcases. Dig out the passports. Because this isn’t low season, its Go Season.

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