http://RealAdventures.com/vacations/185062_articles-europe.htm Check out some of the recently updated travel & vacation listings on RealAdventures. Be inspired, go explore! en-us Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:24:03 GMT Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:24:03 GMT http://RealAdventures.com http://RealAdventures.com/vacations/185062_articles-europe.htm 100 100 http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1200889_Experience-Amsterdam http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1200889_Experience-Amsterdam Articles Netherlands Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:09:29 Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is a laidback city with both traditional and modern sightseeing adventures. -
Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is a laidback city with both traditional and modern sightseeing adventures.


Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is a laidback city with both traditional and modern sightseeing adventures. The combination of history and the newer, more alternative, lifestyle ensures that visitors are a melting pot of people from all walks of life. Amsterdam is busy city with loads of street activity.

The city centre is the main tourist area with Damrak, a wide avenue, which runs from Centraal Station to Dam Square. The latter originally gave Amsterdam its name. Amsterdam is a city with plenty to do, many attractions and a thriving entertainment scene.

The districts, towns and villages surrounding Amsterdam are steeped in history and offer wonderful landscapes with many an old windmill a photographers or artists paradise!

Amsterdam's relaxed attitude and tolerance of a number of things which you would not find elsewhere make it an unusual European city. For instance, on open display in the city youll find pornography and hashish cafs. This city is home to one of the most lurid red light districts in Europe and its relaxed stance on drugs has given it the reputation of being the worlds cannabis capital. This easygoing lifestyle has drawn people from all over the world to live here and immigrants now make up over 30% of its population.

The traditional history of Amsterdam still exists though and the architecture, medieval churches, museums and galleries that are all around the city are a favourite with tourists and locals alike. It is a haven for the arts with Rembrandt being its favourite son.

Located on the estuary of the river Ij, Amsterdam is only 20 kilometres from the coast of the North Sea. The Netherlands is renowned for its lowlands and canals, many of which wind their way through the city centre and provide ideal scenery for a lovely holiday aboard a boat or barge.

Details & Reservations: Experience Amsterdam
RealAdventures | Netherlands Articles

]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1156174_An-Amsterdam-Adventure http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1156174_An-Amsterdam-Adventure Articles Netherlands Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:10:32 After several months away from home, I was finally on my way! After a six hour flight I stopped for a brief layover in Amsterdam. I had about five hours, and an insatiable desire to experience my first European city so I tried not to waste time. -
After several months away from home, I was finally on my way! After a six hour flight I stopped for a brief layover in Amsterdam. I had about five hours, and an insatiable desire to experience my first European city so I tried not to waste time.


After several months away from home, I was finally on my way! After a six hour flight I stopped for a brief layover in Amsterdam. I had about five hours, and an insatiable desire to experience my first European city so I tried not to waste time. After landing at Schiphol Airport, I passed through immigration then found my way to the train station, the quickest route I knew about to get to the city center, and I was off to the Central Station. The train stopped at a few other stations first, I had to ask my fellow passengers whether the first station we were approaching was the Central Station or not because I couldnt read the station signs. The people were very helpful and spoke excellent English, luckily for me. When I finally arrived at the Central Station, I was told that my stop was next, and I got off of the train. It was still dark, and I was in need of caffeine and so began my lightning tour of Amsterdam at a coffee shop. I entered and found a vacant table then removed my backpack and set my camera down. As I did so, a number of people entered the establishment and the proprietor asked them for identification. After being satisfied that everyone was of age he set a white wooden box on the counter. I got in line. The box opened to reveal small plastic bags clipped to the inside of the box. On the top of the right side of the box I saw a label that read $12.00 on the top left there was a label reading $25.00. In each bag was a small amount of marijuana. I ordered a cappuccino. After drinking my cappuccino and noticing that daylight was beginning to illuminate the city so I put my pack on, picked up my camera and set off into the city in search of unknown.

Just outside the coffee shop I encountered a man who offered me help, he asked if I was alright, or if I needed something. I told him that I was looking for interesting sights to photograph, and he directed me to the canals. As I walked away, another man told me that the information would cost $10.00. Since it wasnt the man who had assisted me, I kept walking.

I walked through the neighborhoods near the Old Church, finding incredible views everywhere I looked. The canals were fascinating and, as I was informed by a pair of Dutch soldiers I had passed several hours with in the Kuwait City airport once provided transportation routes for boats carrying goods which were stored in the tall houses nearby. During my visit, boats were moored in the canals, but they looked like mostly pleasure and tour boats. As I was walking the streets near the canals I met a man named Glenn who offered to show me better places to take photos. He showed me the way past the Queens Palace and explained that although Amsterdam was the Capital city of The Netherlands, the business of governing the country was conducted at The Hague, and that the Queen did not actually reside at the palace.

In my wanderings, I happened across an open air market located in front of the Waag, where vendors were setting up their products in preparation for the days business. The Waag itself, originally constructed in 1488, now housed a restaurant called Caf in de Waag

I was running short on time so I made my way back to the Central Station and on to the airport where I continued my journey home with a resolve to return and explore the beautiful city further, and the rest of Europe in its turn.

Details & Reservations: An Amsterdam Adventure
RealAdventures | Netherlands Articles

]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1184119_Accommodation-in-Rome http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1184119_Accommodation-in-Rome Articles Italy Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:08:47 There's a full range of accommodation in Rome Italy. From the best 5 star luxury hotels with original features to familyrun guest houses to hotels in the Historic Centre which charge a premium for their location but facilities not always matching th -
There's a full range of accommodation in Rome Italy. From the best 5 star luxury hotels with original features to familyrun guest houses to hotels in the Historic Centre which charge a premium for their location but facilities not always matching th


There's a full range of accommodation in Rome Italy. From the best 5 star luxury hotels with original features to familyrun guest houses to hotels in the Historic Centre which charge a premium for their location but facilities not always matching the asking price. The Coliseum is one of Rome's best known attractions youll find popular hotels nearby including Kolbe Hotel Rome and Raffaello Hotel Rome which are ideally located in the City Centre and Coliseum area. Take advantage of the popular Vatican City hotels including Cardinal St Peter Hotel Rome and Al Colonnato Di San Pietro Bed & Breakfast Rome to visit the Vatican and see the famous frescoes by Raphael and Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museum and St Peter's Cathedral. For easy access to the famous Spanish Steps in the Historical Centre, youll find popular hotels including Savoy Hotel Rome, Grand Plaza Hotel Rome and Art Spanish Steps Hotel Rome. If you are travelling into Rome on business and looking to stay in the city, youll find popular hotels including Sheraton Roma Hotel Rome and Europa Rooms Hotel Rome in the EUR business area. Popular Termini Railway Station hotels include Eurostars International Palace Hotel Rome and Best Western Universo Hotel Rome which are ideally located for business people travelling by train, alternatively popular Fiumicino Airport hotels such as Roma Airport Rooms Suite Hotel Fiumicino and Hilton Rome Airport Hotel Fiumicino and Ciampino Airport hotels such as Residenza d'Epoca Pietra Di Ponente Hotel Ciampino and Louis II Hotel Ciampino are perfect for any business people travelling by air who are arriving late or flying out early. Backpackers and nonestablishment travelers will find a few good cheap hotels sprinkled around Rome including Saturnia Hotel Rome and Prime Saint John Hotel Rome.
Details & Reservations: Accommodation in Rome
RealAdventures | Italy Articles

]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1183690_Medjugorje-Heaven-on-Earth http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1183690_Medjugorje-Heaven-on-Earth Articles Bosnia/Herzegovina Sun, 29 Jun 2008 05:06:55 Let us invite you on a journey to HEAVEN ON EARTH..Medjugorje...the sun feels as close as to be touched, the clouds as a fairytale picture, land wide and green as a portret of Monet. -
Let us invite you on a journey to HEAVEN ON EARTH..Medjugorje...the sun feels as close as to be touched, the clouds as a fairytale picture, land wide and green as a portret of Monet.


Let me invite you on a journey to HEAVEN ON EARTH...

To feel the presence of the DIVINE in your daily life, in order take it with you, your family and all around you. Medjugorje...the sun feels as close as to be touched, the clouds as a fairytale picture, land wide and green as a portret of Monet.

Medjugorje is a fascinating little town in the gorgeous hills of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Literally meaning 'area between two mountains', this sleepy village exploded on the international map in 1981 when six children saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary.

It is indeed a humbling sight to see pilgrims trudge up the hill, all around the year, day and night, sometimes even bare foot and hardly equipped for the long and arduous climb, but praying all the time, lost in silence and meditation.

Lush forests amid beautiful mountains and picturesque waterfalls impart a soothing calm that will invigorate both Catholic pilgrims and travelers alike in Medjugorje!

Visit www.travelmedjugorje.com if you need some more information about traveling to Medjugorje. Medjugorje travel portal allows pilgrims and travellers to book Medjugorje hotels, as well as tours and activities in Medjugorje. Site is new but information there is correct and detailed.

When you visit Medjugorje there is a few places whom you must visit like to the south west of the Apparition Hill lies this haven of serenity, where one is supposed to strictly maintain silence, except in the area where speaking is allowed. Open from 9 in the morning till 4 in the evening, the Oasis of Peace is quite simply an ocean of tranquility in the midst of the hordes of pilgrims.

Enter through the gate and make your way to the Chapel right at the back, where the Lord is worshiped in the Blessed Sacrament. Be sure to stop by at the speaking area and the water closets close by before entering the Chapel. Near the back gate is a small enclosure for pilgrims to stop by for a brief respite from the heat.

Turn right when you step out of the back gate and take the dirt trail that will bring you to St. James Church. The path from the left of the back gate takes you to Our Lady of Sacred Heart House of Prayer, a retreat for priests run by Pat and Nancy Latta.
The path veering towards the right from the front gate brings you to Cenacolo, which is a drug rehabilitation centre founded by Sister Elvira.

Join millions and see why people choose Medjugorje when they are looking for peace in them soul.


Details & Reservations: Medjugorje, Heaven on Earth
RealAdventures | Bosnia/Herzegovina Articles

]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1156695_Adventure-riding-holiday-Andalucia http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1156695_Adventure-riding-holiday-Andalucia Articles Spain Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:04:10 Horse riding in the Castril Valley -
Horse riding in the Castril Valley


I never fully realised the meaning of surefooted until Id ridden out with Alan Baxter at Spanish Rural Bliss. It was one of those comforting labels you like to be told before you meet a new horse, without ever having to put it to the test. But in many years of riding, in some wild places, Ive never had such cause to appreciate this quality as I had with Farola, my mount for four days of adventurous riding in the Castril Valley.
Farola is an elevenyearold Andalucian grey mare, with those very sure feet attached to elegant legs, which is what youd expect from a former dancing horse. I watched with amazement at how shed pick her spot, with just enough space to squeeze her way past giant boulders and the all the debris of driedup river gullies, or gently edge her way down fairly precipitous valley slopes. I quickly built up a total confidence in her judgement about what can be achieved in this beautiful terrain between a horse and rider who trust each other.
Alans horses all seem to revel in the challenging kind of riding which he specialises in. After navigating our own way through some of the more rocky landscape of the valley we came to a fastflowing river, and as the bank side vegetation got more dense, there could only be one way forward. After a few cursory paddles and sniffs and backward looks for reassurance we were in. We kept up a steady walk along the rocky riverbed, the water up to the horses bellies and seeping in through our boots. Suddenly, the formidable frame of Alan in front of me seemed to drop another halfmetre or so, I let out a yelp of delight and shock as we were swimming. Farola, and Alans big young mare Portia, took the sudden drop in their stride and calmly carried on.
As the river bottomed out again, it was time for a rest for all of us. As we emptied our boots and dried out in the sun, Farola and Portia drank and rolled in the shallows. I like to think they enjoyed the experience as much as we did.
Alan was the perfect companion for such a challenging riding trip. A lifelong horseman, hes combined the best of the British and Spanish equine cultures.
His riding horses have all been bought locally, but two important members of the family, trotting energetically around the paddock, are the Shetlands he brought with him from home in England, Amos and Gracie. A rare site in Spain, theyre very popular at local carnivals and have done their fare share of helping to integrate Alan and his wife Clare into the community. Their paddock has a fabulous view of the valley, with all its rich variation of desert, and forest, olive groves and almond orchards. Behind are the plains, wide open for fullblooded gallops. Its great countryside, and seeing it on horseback adds a special dimension. I saw it first in the heat of midsummer, but I look forward to a another date with Farola, and the joys of some winter trails.
Details & Reservations: Adventure riding holiday Andalucia
RealAdventures | Spain Articles

]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1156167_Walking-French-history-The-R-gordane-Way http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1156167_Walking-French-history-The-R-gordane-Way Articles France Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:12:00 For those of you with a penchant for themed walking, there are few Frenchbased experiences that can touch the excitement of discovering an ancient and forgotten route. Thats the thrill you get from trekking the Rgordane Way... -
For those of you with a penchant for themed walking, there are few Frenchbased experiences that can touch the excitement of discovering an ancient and forgotten route. Thats the thrill you get from trekking the Rgordane Way...


For those of you with a penchant for themed walking, there are few Frenchbased experiences that can touch the excitement of discovering an ancient and forgotten route. Thats the thrill you get from trekking the Rgordane Way from Pradelles in Lozre to Als on the southeastern foothills of The Cvennes.

The Rgordane is a 100kilometre section of the historical route that links Paris to Lower Languedoc. It forms approximately half the length of the longer SaintGilles Way that runs from Le PuyenVelay to SaintGillesduGard, a 140mile walk that was Christendoms fourth major pilgrimage around the early Middle Ages.

Whilst records first mention the Regordane around the middle of the ninth century, it was the abovementioned pilgrimage that launched it as an important thoroughfare, en route to the tomb of Aegidius in StGilles abbey and beyond as a point of departure for St Jacques de Compostella, the Holy Land (St Gilles was a Mediterranean Port at the time) and Rome.

The Regordane welcomed some illustrious travellers along its course King St Louis, in 1254, who departed from AiguesMortes en route to the Crusades Simon de Montfort, in order to crush the Cathars after the killing of the Popes emissary at St Gilles and Louis XIVs armies, sent to crush the Camisards in The Cevennes some 500 years later. Many a destroyed castle and church along the way bear witness to the devastation caused by these last two episodes in French history.

There were many reasons for the gradual demise of the Regordane, perhaps the key one being the eastward expansion of Gaul from 1308, which saw the Rhone Valley supplanting the Regordane Way as Frances main eastern frontier route. Nevertheless, there was a renaissance period during the early industrialisation of the Alsian Basin, as capitalists sought an alternative and faster route to Paris and northern markets for Languedocs coal, iron and steel, wine, salt and silk. Eventually, the natural geological faultline through which the Regordane passes experienced major investments in both road and rail, and once again the original path fell into disrepair or was forgotten.

Your journey commences in Pradelles, a charming, medieval granite town on the volcanic plateau of the southern Massif Central. One of only four remaining pilgrimage Maladreries marks the point of departure. They were refuges that comprised a chapel on one side of the road, accommodation on the other, and a raised walkway that straddled the road and linked the two together.

You head south from the town and soon discover the first granite rocks of the sacred path just south of La Ribeyre. Part of the trail that had been lost until recently has been miraculously resuscitated after Pestel. Further on, past Lesperon, you walk the Royal Route, the name given to the 18th century paved surface. You then wade carefully across two streams and pass though several charming hamlets before arriving in La Bastide and your first overnight stay.

Your second day is a master class in hillwalking as you discover montjoie (stone waymarks), dolmen and mule drivers cartwheel tracks engraved deeply into the granite rock pavement, testament to the trading importance of this route in bygone times deep incisions are visible from both the twelfth and thirteen centuries, as well as the eighteenth, distinguishable by the differing wheel gauges of each epoch.

Thereafter the path follows the hillcrest before descending spectacularly into the Chassezac gorge. It resurfaces on the southern bank (several bridges were washed away by torrents) and heads due south across volcanic plateau into the spectacular scenery of the Gorge and the medieval village of GardeGuerin, perched beside its steep slopes.

You are likely to catch your first site of other, local walkers here, before you continue southwards on the remarkable Bayard coast path to Villefort, past lake, magnificent stone railway viaduct and over dam all under the watchful eye of Mont Lozre, the regions most imposing mountain.

On day three, you follow the important faultline down through lowlying Villefort, pass the source of the River Cze and experience a change of vegetation with the presence of the Cevennes first green oak trees. You alternate between ancient trail and tarmac route, as you descend the valley through linear settlements towards the Huguenot stronghold of Genolhac and its mercantilist Grande Rue.

Your fourth days trekking takes you over the Cze via the Pont du Mas, where the local Protestant Camisard chief was shot in 1710. You continue through the countryside of the Cevennes' most famous writer, JP Chabrol pass the impressive industrial architecture of the stone viaduct at Chamborigaud and arrive at the site of Portes Castle, whose strategic importance as the northeastern tollgate for The Cevennes is for all to be seen.

The final day sees you descend along the watershed between the Ceze and the Gardon valleys, through villages and hamlets to the industrial heartland of The Cevennes, Als. Your walk across the enormous open caste mine en route is a salutary reminder of the regions industrial heritage that sadly destroyed the original path taken by The Regordane. The local tourist board plan to resuscitate it as part of a larger tourist project. Such plans are met with a certain cynicism by the local walking fraternity.

Arrival at Mas Dieu, Gods House, saw the pilgrim or merchant leaving the chestnut, oak and pine of the Cevennes mountains and arriving at the fringes of the Garrigues and its unmistakably Mediterranean fauna of vine, olive and fig tree.

Walking south from Pradelles along this ancient path fills you with innumerable conflicting emotions. You commence your journey on ancient tracks and the paved Royal Route across the splendid isolation of a granite volcanic plateau, where the only signs of human life are those of the occasional farmhand. You stumble upon your first sizeable settlement only at the end of your second days walking.

The dissected valley into which you plunge on Day Three is replete with the history and vestiges of France from Roman times, through to the upheavals of the Camisard Uprising (The Cevennes own bitter chapter of the Wars of Religion) and onwards until the height of the Industrial Revolution. The linear settlements have seen no growth since. On the contrary, most have stagnated due to industrial decline and rural exodus and remain ossified in the architecture of a bygone era. It is not until you arrive at the edge of Als that you discover what the whole Idea of Progress was supposed to be about.

In this practicalFrenchhistorylessonparexcellence, you learn what it must have been like to travel on the crude surfaces of the Middle Ages, be it alone as a pilgrim, accompanied by mule and laden cart or eventually on horse back. The closer you get to modernity, the more frequently you find yourself walking on macadamised road, as ancient path has transformed itself into modern artery. Such are the ineluctable forces of human advancement. However, whether on granite path, schist stone or tarmac, the authenticity of this heritage hike is never compromised. Moreover, as modern road building has chosen to reduce the steepness of ancient slopes by the use of winding roads, the straight and southernbound Regordane is often found parallel to, or dissecting, the main roads of today.

The story chronicled by the Regordane provides a rich and fascinating insight into the origins of Modern France. The tale so far has taken over twelve centuries to write. You can get the gist of the novel from a fiveday trek, but expect to find yourself researching something that has captured your interest in a library or bookshop near you upon your return.

Walking in Languedoc 2007

Details & Reservations: Walking French history The Rgordane Way
RealAdventures | France Articles

]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1033837_Step-back-in-time-in-Ireland http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1033837_Step-back-in-time-in-Ireland Articles Ireland Mon, 22 Nov 2004 00:11:00 The Shannon Region of Irleand is rich in history and is picturesque.It is where the Atlantic Ocean the River Shannon flow. There are castles to visit and stay in as well as lodges and hotels. The food is plentiful and the natives are friendly. -
The Shannon Region of Irleand is rich in history and is picturesque.It is where the Atlantic Ocean the River Shannon flow. There are castles to visit and stay in as well as lodges and hotels. The food is plentiful and the natives are friendly.



Details & Reservations: Step back in time in Ireland
RealAdventures | Ireland Articles

]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1025011_Cruising-on-Silversea-Silver-Whisper http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1025011_Cruising-on-Silversea-Silver-Whisper Articles Greece Wed, 14 Jan 2004 00:01:00 There are many ways to visit the wonderful destinations on the Mediterranean Sea, but none so luxurious as sailing on Silversea's Silver Whisper cruise ship. -
There are many ways to visit the wonderful destinations on the Mediterranean Sea, but none so luxurious as sailing on Silversea's Silver Whisper cruise ship.


Luxurious Cruising with Silversea

Visiting the Mediterranean in style

By Arvin Steinberg


I recently visited several fabulous Mediterranean ports including Athens, Venice, and Taormina, Sicily, but what made my journey one I&8217ll never forget is that I traveled in absolute luxury as a passenger on the Silversea Silver Whisper cruise ship.

Before I describe the beauty, history, and adventure that I discovered in these wonderful ports, I would like to explain why the Silver Whisper is so special.

To begin with, I live in Fort Lauderdale, a city that plays host to most of the world&8217s finest cruise ships. I have sailed on megaships that hold more than 2,000 passengers with many amenities such as ice skating rinks and rock climbing walls to smaller ships that hold 700 guests, but I have never had a more luxurious experience than on the Silver Whisper.

And there are many reasons. First and foremost is the size of the ship. The ship holds a maximum of 382 guests. It is easy to find your way to the dining room, pool deck, exercise facilities, theater, etc. There have been many times on a cruise that it took me several days to find my way to the dining room and other facilities. I would go up and down the wrong elevators or up and down stairways and hallways that didn&8217t go through to the place I was going before I finally learned where all the facilities were. On the Silver Whisper, I was fully orientated my first day.

The size of the ship didn&8217t diminish the offerings at sea. I found just as much, if not more to do on the Silver Whisper. I enjoyed working out in the exercise room, trying my luck in the casino, taking treatments in the spa, watching the nightly stage shows, dancing to the music of a live band, reading books, magazines, and newspapers from a wellstocked library, swimming in the pool, jogging or just walking on the jogging track, brushing up on my golf game with onboard professional golf instructors. I also enjoyed culinary demonstrations and learning some professional secrets from renowned chefs, and, of course, loving the abundance of gourmet food and the many places to enjoy it.

The Silver Whisper provides a yachtlike atmosphere, with wonderful furnishings and appointments, excellent cuisine, fine wines and spirits, and excellent service.

And, my room was great! On the Silver Whisper, all accommodations are oceanview suites, most with private verandas. I selected a veranda suite. The veranda had a beautiful teak floor, floortoceiling glass doors, and patio furniture. My suite had a sitting area, television with satellite reception and VCR, refrigerator, cocktail cabinet, writing desk, personal safe, walkin closet (my first ever on a cruise ship), marbled bathroom with double vanity, fullsized bathtub and separate shower. These are big luxuries for a cruise ship! For example, the usual cruise ship bathroom is crowded, cramped and usually has only a shower with a curtain, and if you turn around too fast, you could bump into the toilet or the sink. I&8217m not kidding!

I was pleased to learn that every suite on the Silver Whisper has Internet capabilities. I also enjoyed current financial news with the ship&8217s 24hour insuite Bloomberg Television and a daily printed market report.

Another criticism I have of most of the other cruise lines I have sailed on is what I call the first seating, second seating dinner dilemma. Early seating is usually around 6 p.m. and late seating is around 8 p.m. At times, you may be at a port until 6 p.m. and if you have early seating, you may miss dinner. Or maybe you selected early seating and you aren&8217t hungry at 6 p.m. On the Silver Whisper, I could eat whenever I wanted, even in my room, if I didn&8217t feel like going to the dining room. What a pleasure it was when I came in bushed from a day of sightseeing in Corfu, and a waiter brought my dinner to my room. I was served coursebycourse in the order and with the timing requested. I felt like a king and that my ship had indeed arrived.

I also liked the openseating arrangement on the ship. Unlike traditional ships, there are no assigned table partners. I ate with whomever I pleased. This may not sound like a big deal, but it certainly is if you happen to be at a table with guests who are annoying. That can&8217t happen on any Silversea ship because they don&8217t assign seats for guests, a very big plus in my book. There are also lots of tables for two if you so prefer.

I enjoyed dinner in &8220The Restaurant&8221 and having lunch in The Terrace Caf and breakfast in either The Terrace Caf or in my suite. The Terrace Caf is a second restaurant and is very different from the typical buffet or &8220Lido&8221 area found on most cruise ships. The Terrace Caf is a buffetstyle restaurant with a maitre d&8217, fine linens and silverware, and waiters always in attendance so much so that you really don&8217t think of it as a typical buffet but more like being served in an upscale restaurant. I also enjoyed eating veggie burgers on the pool deck. The Poolside Grille was open every day from 1130 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cruising on the Silver Whisper is as close to being totally allinclusive as you could want. From the time I arrived at the airport, I didn&8217t have to reach for my wallet. For example, gratuities were absolutely not accepted, nor expected. Charges on the ship were limited to spa services, hair cuts or hair dressings, some shore excursions (although transportation between ports and downtown areas was complimentary), and special wines which very few passengers order because the complimentary wine list is extensive and includes some excellent vintages. Port charges were also included in the fare.

I started my trip in Athens where the hotel was included in the price, and not just any hotel, the plush Athenaeum InterContinental, with a view of the Acropolis and the famous Parthenon. It was my home for a day before the ship set sail.

Athens is the capital of Greece and has been a city for 3,500 years, but its greatest glory was during the &8220Classical period&8221 of ancient Greece from which so many buildings and artifacts still survive. I toured the Acropolis, the greatest artistic and cultural center in ancient Greece, including the Parthenon, one of the world&8217s most famous buildings. I was immediately impressed with the historical importance of these ancient structures. And, I saw large crowds of tourists, and I could understand why Greece is one of the most visited European countries.

I also toured the National Archaeological Museum. This museum opened in 1891 and brought together a collection that had previously been stored all over the city. It offers many unique exhibits and is considered one of the world&8217s finest museums.

Modern Athens is a lovely city with beautiful beaches and palm trees. There are beautiful churches, lots of museums, including a Jewish museum, and many theaters. I enjoyed shopping at the openair street markets as well as at the traditional arts and crafts shops while listening to the lively Greek music that I heard in the shops and on the radios in taxis.

Silversea Cruise Lines goes to great lengths to select outstanding ports of call for its cruises. In addition to the famous and most popular ports, Silversea also includes some uncommon, rather offbeat ports that added a spirit of adventure to my journey. After sailing from Athens, the Silver Whisper visited three ports on the mainland of Greece, Monemvasia, Katakolon, and Itea. Although these ports may not be well known to the average traveler, each was unique with lots of history, beauty and adventure.

Monemvasia is an amazing city. It is called &8220The Gibralter of Greece&8221. As you approach the city by sea, it appears to be a huge rock rising 1,150 feet above the water. The city is built on two levels. The Lower Town is encircled by a wall and has been very well restored to preserve a heritage that dates to the eighth century. It has lovely restaurants with glorious views of the sea, lots of shops and some beautiful churches. I enjoyed walking to the Upper Town via a zigzagging paved lane. Although it is largely in ruins, and is protected by the Greece Archaeological Service, I could see how this city which was repeatedly attacked through the centuries was able to defend itself and was never taken by force, but fell only by a protracted siege.

Our second port of call, Katakolon, although admired for its beautiful beaches, is most famous as the gateway to Olympia. Olympia, about a 20minute drive from Katakolon, is the site of the ancient Olympic Games that were celebrated every four years by the Greeks. Olympia is not a city, but rather is a sanctuary, and it consists of a lot more than the stadium where the games took place. I was able to walk among the ruins that are still being meticulously restored. I toured the Palaestra, or wrestling school, and the gymnasium where the competitors trained. I saw the ancient guest houses for visitors and the temples, including the Temple of Zeus, where the athletes worshipped the Gods.
The Olympic Torch that is used to begin the current Olympic Games is still lit in Olympia every four years. The torch will be lit there in 2004 when the summer Olympics will then be held in Athens. I also found the large Olympia Archaeological Museum located opposite the Olympia site to be very interesting with its display of many sculptures and artifacts.

The Silver Whisper next took us to the port of Itea. It is the port from which tourists may visit Delphi. Ancient Delphi was renowned to be the dwelling place of the God Apollo. From the end of the eighth century BC, until it was abolished in 393 AD, individuals from all over the world visited Delphi to consult the God on what course of action to take both in public and private life. The Delphic Oracle was the means through which worshippers could hear the words of the God Apollo, spoken through a priestess, or Pythia. Besides the historical importance of the ruins of Delphi, I was able to see many exceptionally well preserved ancient sites including the very beautiful monument, the circular tholos.

Our next port of call was Venice, Italy. The evening before we arrived in Venice, cruise passengers were alerted to the spectacular view we would encounter upon entering Venice by sea. Most on board the ship arose early with cameras in hand to view Venice with its picturesque canals and churches as we entered the port. We were not disappointed.

Venice is a city situated on 118 islands separated by more than 150 canals that are spanned by some 400 bridges. One of the best sightseeing routes is along the Grand Canal where many splendid palaces line the famous waterway. One of the principal stations, San Marco, offers access to some of Venice&8217s most famed attractions &8211 St. Marks Square, The Basilica, and Doge&8217s Palace.

The only means of transportation in Venice are by foot or by boat. During our twoday stay in Venice, I explored the many shops, restaurants and churches mainly by walking, although I did take a delightful gondola tour. One evening in Venice at the Al Musicanti Concert Hall, I enjoyed listening to some wonderful arias, duets, classical music and famous Italian melodies sung by a cast of five very talented performers. Also, I had an outstanding lunch at the elegant Hotel Cipriani. The hotel is a tenminute ride by boat from St. Mark&8217s Square.

After leaving Venice I enjoyed a relaxing day at sea while the Silver Whisper took us to Dubrovnik, Croatia. UNESCO has classed this city as a world heritage treasure. Stone walls up to 81 feet high and more than 1 miles long enclose the city. It was fun walking down Dubrovnik&8217s ancient streets lined with stone palaces, Venetian style buildings, and bell towers. I visited the third oldest pharmacy in Europe established in 1317 that is still open for business, and one of the oldest Sephardic synagogues in Europe that dates back to1300 and it too is still in use. The highlight of my stay in Dubrovnik was strolling atop the massive walls for a great view of the city and the sea.

Each port of call the Silver Whisper visited offered us important history, incredible beauty and real adventure. It was never ending. When we visited Taormina, a historic resort town high in the mountains off the eastern coast of Sicily, we had an incomparable view of the sea and of Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe. When we visited the beautiful Greek Island of Corfu, a popular vacation destination, we saw an island that featured calm blue waters, rugged mountains, hidden coves, and miles of sandy beaches. And, if you really wanted to explore this scenic island and its rugged mountains in depth, that was no problem. Jeeps were lined up at the dock for those interested in a selfdrive, but organized tour.

Check with your travel agent for special discount fares or log on to www.Silversea.com, or call 18007229955

Photos by Arvin Steinberg























Details & Reservations: Cruising on Silversea Silver Whisper
RealAdventures | Greece Articles

]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1024430_Italy-s-Hilltowns-On-Your-Own http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1024430_Italy-s-Hilltowns-On-Your-Own Articles Italy Thu, 08 Jan 2004 00:01:00 Avoid the tourist traps and discover a new side of Italy by exploring rural, medievalera Tuscan towns. -
Avoid the tourist traps and discover a new side of Italy by exploring rural, medievalera Tuscan towns.


by Kathleen Winkler

Tour buses nose up to the ancient city wall, side by side like cattle in a pen. The doors whoosh open, spilling a stream of tourists who gallop for the medieval gate. Inside they'll find a warren of narrow streets filled with shops selling Coach bags, Hermes scarves, and the ubiquitous tee shirts emblazoned with "Siena" in gold lame. Several hours later the tourists emerge to climb aboard the busses again, convinced they've "done" an Italian hill town.

But they haven't.

They've seen the Epcot version of a hill town. A stage set. A pretty picture airbrushed for tourists. Oh, it's medieval, all right Siena is very old. Its square and cathedral are worth seeing. But the medieval is so overlayed with the modern, it's in danger of being lost. There is another way to see Italian hill towns &8211 the real ones, that is. Do it on your own. Of course, you'll need a little guidance. Otherwise, it's easy to get lost wondering among the twisting back roads and lanes that honeycomb the Italian hills.

The answer? The many bed and breakfasts or small, charming inns that dot the landscape in Tuscany, where the owners who have spent their whole lives in the area are happy to devise a tour just for you. Inns such as La Querce. Tucked into a twist of road at the edge of the small town of Chiusi (about an hour south of Florence), hosts Paolo and Michela Bartolozzi, along with Paolo's brother, Guido, specialize in helping guests see a part of Tuscany that tourists usually blaze right past.

Their flag and flower bedecked paleyellow farmhouse, the early part built in the 18th century, was part of a working farm raising wheat and cattle until 1972. Then it became a small hotel. The Bartolozzis bought it in 1995 and, after loving restoration, opened it as an 11room bed and breakfast. The rooms, with their cool tile floors, heavy wooden shutters and whitewashed walls, each have a private bath and amenities rare in small inns, such as televisions and inroom phones. There's also an inhouse restaurant under a brick archway that specializes in true Tuscan fare rabbitsauced pasta, an array of roasted meats and vegetables, wines and desserts of the region.

But the best part of staying at La Querce is having your own tour coordinator sitting with you at breakfast, maps spread out on the table, while he traces your route for the day. Fluent in five languages, including English (he teaches hotel management at the University of Rome), Paolo delights in sharing his corner of the world with guests.

The first place he will send you is into Chiusi, just minutes away. This small town boasts one of the most complete Etruscan museums in Tuscany (the Etruscans inhabited Italy before the Romans and were absorbed into Roman culture, but not before leaving behind a huge number of tombs filled with statuecrowned sarcophagi and dark brown painted pottery). Your ticket includes a visit to two Etruscan tombs hollowed out of a grassy hillside. Visit Ristorante Zaira in town and the tomb (now the wine cellar) his restaurant is built on dusty wine bottles pyramid on blackandwhite mosaic floors dating from 650 B.C.

After Chusi, Paolo presents a menu of hill towns, some that attract a few tourists here and there and others reached by gravel roads, where tourists never go. Consider

Bagno Vignoni the town of the hot springs. The centerpiece of this tiny village is a large, square hot water pool built in ancient times and visited by such notables as Pope Pius II Piccolomini, Saint Catherine of Siena, and Lorenzo "the Magnificent" de Medici, along with anyone else who wanted an arthritis cure. You can't bathe in the pool anymore, but you can dangle your feet in the hot water stream flowing at the edge of town.

Rocca D'Orcia where a forbidding tower on a strategic hilltop broods. You can climb the tower, peek through the arrow slots, and imagine yourself part of a medieval army holding off the enemy.

Castiglioncello Del Trinoro a village so tiny, it's barely a crossroads. Gravel lanes wind around sleepy stone houses, dozing in the warm Italian sun.

Monticchiello the town of flowers. Dooryard gardens grace the cobbled streets, spills of flowers overflow clay pots and wroughtiron balconies. An outdoor restaurant with colorful umbrellas tucks into the corner of the ancient wall, commanding a spectacular view of the rolling green countryside.

Radicofani the town you can see from 20 miles away. Its crenelatedtower crowned castle is enthroned on a high hill, looking like a monarch gazing solemnly over his domain. Hike the narrow streets, lick a gelato in the charming square, and revel in castle romance.

Montefalco an old military town. The wine bar in the square offers free tasting in their wine cellar, and you'll surely want to tuck a bottle or two of the local vintage into your luggage.

These, of course, are just a few of the hill towns you can visit in Tuscany and nearby Umbria &8211 there are literally hundreds. From Chiusi, you can easily drive to the more wellknown towns such as Montepulciano, San Gimignano and Assisi. Siena and Florence are but an hour and a half away by train, and you'll avoid the driving and parking hassles the influx of tourists has created.

When visiting Tuscany, don't be satisfied with just the tourist hill towns written up in your guidebook. Get off the beaten track and see the true old Italy you'll take home memories that go far beyond shops and postcard stands. You'll taste the quiet life that still exists tucked into central Italy's grapeterraced hillsides.
Details & Reservations: Italy's Hilltowns On Your Own
RealAdventures | Italy Articles

]]> http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1024443_The-Bigger-Chill http://RealAdventures.com/listings/1024443_The-Bigger-Chill Articles Sweden Thu, 08 Jan 2004 00:01:00 On being kissed by a herring and other activities at Sweden's Ishtollet, Arctic Circle. -
On being kissed by a herring and other activities at Sweden's Ishtollet, Arctic Circle.


by Skip Kaltenheuser

For those feeling winterdeprived, Sweden&8217s Ishotellet, or Ice Hotel, can get them winter wholesale. The hotel sits a hundred miles north of the Arctic Circle in the Lapland town of Jukkasjarvi, which translates as "meeting place" and has served as a crossroads for nomads in the wilderness since the 1500s. Each year, the hotel resurrects a giant igloo compound adjacent to the hotel&8217s small village of permanent bungalows and restaurant.

Originally a whimsical addon to lure winter visitors, the frozen structure &8211 composed of 30,000 tons of snow and 1,200 tons of ice spread over 4,000 square meters &8211 is now the main draw. Last year, over 3,000 visitors earned certificates proving they&8217d stayed overnight within frozen walls &8211 most retreat to the bungalow cabins after one night &8211 and 20,000 more toured during the day. &8220If you build it, they will come,&8221 was the advice in &8220Field of Dreams.&8221 Business grows with the speed of an Arctic wolf pack.

Intrepid travelers eventually arrive somewhere pondering if they&8217ve gone too far around the bend. Engulfed in latenight silence, the Ishotellet qualified for me. Atop reindeer skins on an ice block, surrounded by snowwhite walls and a high, domed ceiling, I fumbled with a jammed sleeping bag zipper, a slight panic simmering at my hotel room temperature of minus five degrees Celsius.

That&8217s cozy, compared to outside temperatures that can plunge to minus 35 degrees Celsius. In a &8220heat wave,&8221 it can be colder in the hotel than outside, adding irony to the endoftheworld feel. With my eye on the coveted certificate, I was determined not to be among those who bail out early. My zipper finally unjammed, I warmed to the comforting candles, ubiquitous in Sweden as talismans against winter depression. Shadows danced into dreams tinted with the blue glow from the dense river ice artists carve into furniture, sculptures and high relief wall murals.

Dreams were fissured, but more pleasant than the nightmare vision of Kurt Vonnegut&8217s novel, &8220Cat&8217s Cradle,&8221 I feared would visit. In it, man&8217s ultimate &8220bad chemical&8221 escapes into the world, turning all water solid at warm temperatures and all mankind into frozen statuary.

Like a fugitive snowman, the Ishotellet will disappear with a May meltdown under the midnight sun. Construction begins in October, and the 1998 incarnation, the ninth, opens in December. High season, all sculpting complete, runs from midJanuary through April. A former mining engineer, Nils Yngve Bergqvist, cooked up this roadside attraction in the heated delirium frequented by the local, looselydefined &8220Swedish Sauna Academy,&8221 which despite
its official airs is basically a bunch of chummy townfolk sitting around quaffing beers amid hot, steaming rocks. Their motto &8220In sauna veritas&8221 &8211 the truth lies in the sauna.

Hotelprovided eveningwear, also suitable for snowmobiling, creates a resemblance to astronauts with fur helmets, a fashion provided by sled dogs past their prime. The novelty is popular with Asians, including Japanese women seeking adventure far from corporate headquarters. However, companies provide a stream of guests for unique retreats and local conference halls, as the Ishotellet now makes the lists of company incentive trips that reward workers &8211 or selectively punish them if their mummy bag zippers are sabotaged.

During my visit, employees and advertising clients of a Danish business magazine held court during opening night in the hotel&8217s Absolut Ice Bar, arguably the coolest pub in the world. No jacket required, for a few minutes, if one has just been superheated in a sauna. Theoretically, after a sauna one even has a brief window of opportunity to create a bar legend by wearing shorts or swimsuit, dancing to calypso music, quaffing a drink and leaving quickly before convulsive shivers hit, but I could get no takers.

Absolut's signature bottle silhouette is a carved entrance in a wall of ice blocks, through which the bartender glides with her stock on a little push sled. Roomtemperature drinks are a different context. The favored libation is vodka in hot lingonberry juice. The cold version, served in glasses made of ice, is called &8220varglass,&8221 or wolf&8217s paw. The wages of sin for too many shakes of the paw are late night sprints to the heated bathrooms outside the ice complex (you were expecting plumbing in rooms of ice?). It&8217s a sprint worthy of a certificate.

Bar patrons get a bit giddy sitting &8220on the rocks.&8221 I overheard one lovely Swedish joke, in Greta Garbo voice, &8220Are you alone ...a re you lonely?&8221 The Danes, cameras flashing, were in high spirits as they downed the same. The next morning, loading a 5 a.m. bus to beat a snowstorm to their plane, missing their sauna thaw and country breakfast, they appeared shocked, as if kissed by a herring.

In addition to the bar and 40 sleeping chambers with two to eight beds, the Ice Hotel offerings include a chapel for weddings and, for infants with &8220is&8221 (ice) in their names, christenings a slideshow cinema 40 variouslysized sleeping chambers a surrealistic courtyard of ice sculptures and an art gallery. The gallery, with striking images mounted on translucent walls of ice, currently pays tribute to Japanese wildlife photographer Michio Hoshino, recently killed by a Russian grizzly.

The Ishotellet&8217s fine, noniced restaurant offers standout moose, reindeer, salmon and fowl dishes and a fine wine selection, with adjacent sauna and steam rooms. A traditional, hot rock sauna is outside. Rooms, iced or in cabins, range from $7590 per person.

Design options for a perfect day of travel escapes include snowmobile or dogsled expeditions across frozen lakes and eerie forests, moose barbecues, crosscountry skiing, reindeer sleigh rides and visits to a Laplander outpost and reindeer herd. Steer clear of springfed lakes reindeer won&8217t trod on, or risk becoming part of the Ice Hotel.

One chef in a rustic cabin outpost refueled my snowbobile group after a brutal snowball fight, serving up grilled moose, reindeer sausage and salmon bisque that made the lips quiver. He recounted Seinfeld television episodes, their rerun humor finding surprising resonance in Lapland. How far does one have to go to escape?

The frozen walls concept is as novel to area Laplanders as to visitors. They never regarded igloos as a hot idea. Even the kata, their traditional wigwamlike structure of poles covered with turf, is reserved for outposts that tend reindeer herds. Or for smoking the tourists. Welcome as the Lapp&8217s cheeseflavored, campfire cooked coffee is, visitors&8217 heads invariably move toward the circular shelter&8217s outer perimeter floor in search of air. Real living has long been in modern houses designed with Swedish efficiency, reminding travelers that &8220native culture&8221 is often what people do until they can afford not to.

But as our Lapp tour guide, in colorful traditional garb stitched by his girlfriend, lassoed recalcitrant reindeer, our imaginations quickly pegged us as rugged survivors of the deep North. Kneeling with reins in hand, we were startled by the strength and speed one reindeer could muster for a oneperson sleigh. Reindeer don&8217t look particularly bright, but it was difficult not to suspect a hidden slyness beneath the long antlers after a sudden sprint and sharp turn during a deep dip threw one rider into a snow drift, ending any fantasies of being the Ben Hur of the North.

At night, I hopped a dogsled ride and sped across the lakes and into the woods for coffee at a sled waystation. The exhilaration of happy, yelping dogs is contagious. They live to run, the colder the better, but don&8217t keep them waiting once they are hooked up and revving their engines. The dogs don&8217t take offense at their riders&8217 suspicious fur hats. They are well cared for, their masters taking it very easy during the &8220heat wave&8221 and putting booties on the dogs if the snow crystals are sharp.

My guide was champion dogsledder Taisto Thorneus, who once held a Europe mainland record with a 1,700kilometer dogsled expedition across Scandinavian mountains. The dogs&8217 responsiveness to their musher&8217s numerous subtle vocalizations commanding their gait and direction bordered on the metaphysical. A ride across a lake under a moonlit sky or aurora borealis, the continuing, subtle crush of snow framing the silence, is to be treasured.

Some like it cool.


As the climate warms, the Ishotellet&8217s wooden cabins house river rafters and folks exploring thousands of pristine lakes, glaciers and a mountain range. Also nearby is the world&8217s largest underground iron mine and a rocket station.

The Ishotellet in Jukkasjarvi (YOU&8217kusyairvee) Email at reception@jukkas.se, or visit their website at www.jukkas.se. Most people come by jeep or dogsled from nearby Kiruna Airport, flying from Stockholm.

Skip Kaltenheuser, a writer in Washington, D.C., has thawed.
Details & Reservations: The Bigger Chill
RealAdventures | Sweden Articles

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