Let’s have a look at ten skiing locations that make Europe one of the most sought after ski destination. These small towns flourish during the ski season, where everything from Mom & Pop bakeries to insurance sales leads keep the pulse of the village lively.

Nestled in Ampezzo Valley, Cortina d’Ampezzo enjoys the title of the most beautiful winter playground in the world. It is not only the most famous ski resorts in Italy but is one of the most important and sought after ski resorts in the world. Apart from offering great skiing experience, the slopes offer picturesque view to the valley. This is only place which provides clear distinction between Dolomites and rest of the Alps.

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The picture perfect location combined with exciting slopes makes this resort top destination for the up market crowd from all over the world. The beauty of these slopes has been captured in many James Bond movies as well.

Val D’Isere, France

Skiing in Val-d’Isère dates back to 1930’s after a drag lift was built on the slopes of Solaise. Being named as the most famous resort for experts, Val D’Isere can easily pass as the all round destination in whole of Europe. The resort offers a range of ski schools and has something to offer everyone from beginners to experts. It offers modern chairlift and cable cars with most modern lift system you could think of.

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No wonder the resort is one of the busiest in whole of Europe. If the ski is worth the way up, the journey will not disappoint you as well. The view on the way up to the Val D’Isere is spectacular and looks just out of Narnia series.

Igls, Austria

Located in the “Capital of the Alps”, Innsbruck, Igls offers a combination of old world charm and access to some of the world’s finest ski resorts. The charming village is surrounded by some of the best skiing in Austria. Beginners can start with the lower slopes while intermediates can try the pistes in Igls itself. For advanced skiers, there is a possibility of eight ski areas totaling 295 km all accessible by free ski buses.

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Two time host of Winter Olympic Games, Innsbruck has lot more to offer than skiing. If you’d like an adrenaline pump, a ride down the Olympic bob slight at 100 km per hour is highly recommended. Other adventures offered include ice skating, floodlit skiing, tobogganing. If you’d like to take a break from skiing, there are some rich museums and galleries to draw your attention as well.

Kandersteg, Switzerland

The village of Kandersteg could easily pass for the most picturesque centre for mountaineering. More people land in this destination for the scenic view and tranquility the village offers. Best known among beginners, it is one of the best places to learn skiing. The slopes here are easy and daunting and give learners enough space to test their techniques.

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Courchevel, France

Courchevel ski resort is built for nothing but Winter Sports. It is made up of four villages which are named after thir altitudes in meters- Courchevel 1300, Courchevel 1550, Courchevel 1650, Courchevel 1850. It boasts of about 370 miles of pistes and is is a part of the Trois Vallees ski area.

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Courchevel 1850 – the highest located resort district has been quite popular with the rich from all over the world. Guests arrive on their private jets and if your pockets are deep, it’s worth experiencing the air here. There is room for everyone and if you’d like to go for a ski resort just like any other part of the world, you could choose from the villages from 1650 and lower. The mountain has skiing range for both intermediates and experts.

Wengen, Switzerland

With a terrain of 112 km over 53 pistes, Wengen is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful villages in Switzerland. Wengen is an ideal location if you are looking for a combination of absolutely beautiful views and classic architecture. Only accessible by road, the village has excellent slopes for intermediates.

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It also has ranges for experts but is best known among intermediates and snowboarders. More than skiing, the village rates high for the charm and tranquil alpine beauty.

Chamonix, France

Charmonix offers some of the best mountain skiing in whole of Europe. With 12 ski areas, the valley is apt for skiers at all levels. The valley offers beautiful views and draws crowd from all over the world for its excellent skiing conditions and picturesque scenery.  It is located right next to the peak of Mont Blanc and offer range of recreational activities. It is the oldest ski resort in France and has great ski slopes for children and ski area for intermediates and experts as well.

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Pas De la Casa, Andorra

The highest resort in Andorra, Pas de la Casa has an excellent snow record. It is placed on the border between France and Andorra. Before it got combined with Soldeu, the resort had the biggest ski area with highest lift served terrain in Andorra. Now it gas 186 km of pistes and is favored for its southern latitude.

The slopes are more suitable for intermediates than beginners and experts. Image source

Pelion Mountain, Greece

While talking about beautiful locations for skiing, Pelion Mountain is easily one of the noteworthy locations. The best part about the ski resorts here is that not many people know about it and skiing here is still not explored completely. Greece has been gaining popularity for skiing among other winter sports. Pelion Mountains offer majestic scenes and is one of the most preferred destinations for those who have discovered the ski terrains here.

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Newstift, Austria

Newstift is a favorite with family and friends looking for skiing all year round. With 28 lifts, the resort offers skiers 7382 feet of vertical descent. Best suited for beginners and snowboarders, it has some regions for experts and intermediates as well. With finest skiing conditions and largest glacial ski resort, a small portion of the resort is covered by snowmaking.

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Visitors love to go to Tanzania that is full of strange and natural beauty scenes and even affluent in striking, sundry flora and fauna, a magnificent environment occupied with lovely mysteries and plus, a rich primeval civilization. Moreover, you would see the grand and majestic Kilimanjaro Mountain, the elegant and striking beaches of the Indian Ocean and many more far-fetched places wait for the visitors in attractive and enthralling Tanzania.

Your visit to Africa and viewing beautiful Tanzania lets you enjoy the opportunity to watch the unbelievable soaring absolute walls of Empaki Crater, hallowed Oldonyo Lengai Volcano and even natural Serengeti plains and the excellent Great Rift Valley. Additionally, the African safari of Tanzania is the main attraction point for the visitors where they can discover amazing exciting activities and can make some haunting moments there.

After visiting Tanzania, you can move to Kenya that is famous worldwide for its large gamut of absurd game. The Masai Mara is really a popular and debatably the leading place for wild life and you can see here the huge yearly Migration. Apart from this, the other attractive visiting points of Kenya include the wonderful Chyulu Hills, Elephants of Amboseli, Volcanic formations of Shaba, geysers of Lake Bogoria and even the flamingos of Lake Natron and several places.

Taking a trip in Africa is incredible many people desire for their entire lives, but only some of them upsurge the definite valor to do. Resources are accessible now for individuals who want to be proficient to have a practical, untamed African voyage while also having a harmless, trustworthy guide who will let you know the facts of this unusual land. Now the brave tourist can enjoy luxury tour in Africa l without any forfeit soothe and shelter as well. You can camp out, make a safari, walk off marine kayaking, get pleasure from whale viewing, go on a on foot safari, observe distantly locales, have untouched boondocks and landscape, discover some of the most marvelous sea and ocean beaches in the globe.

Surely, your visit to Africa Continent would be a wonderful experience even done before. It is really full of adventure, pleasure, and enthusiasm and even fun! Happy Journey to Africa! Gambia Hotels

]]> http://www.travelet.com/2009/02/make-an-ecstasy-tour-of-africa/feed/ 0 http://www.travelet.com/2009/01/tips-when-dining-in-the-best-restaurants-in-venice/ http://www.travelet.com/2009/01/tips-when-dining-in-the-best-restaurants-in-venice/#comments Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:47:14 +0000 travelet http://www.travelet.com/?p=277

Venice is known for the Veneto cuisine in many of its wonderful restaurants. The best restaurants in Venice serve really delicious food but the serving size is a bit smaller that other cities in Italy. Since Venice is one popular destination for tourists there are restaurants and trattoria that are worth the money you’ll spend there but there are many rip-offs as well as tourist traps too.

Venice is a city you can explore walking or riding a boat. There are special treats in the commercial district but there too, are a lot of hidden restaurants on side streets and areas that are off the beaten track. To help you become more in the know about dining in Venice, here are some tips:

• Some of the best restaurants in Venice indicate footnotes on their menus saying that a certain dish is only to be ordered for two. So if you’re eating solo, you’d end up ordering for your next meal too or you just end up wasting the excess food.
• Most of the restaurants add a service charge to your bill, which counts about 10 to 15 percent of your total charge. Unless you really found the service exceptional, you need not give extra tip.
• Many of the best restaurants in Venice have a plate of pretzels on the tables. The tourists who cannot help but take some would naturally eat one or two, thinking they are complements for guests. Soon enough, when the bill comes, they are charged with something for each pretzel eaten.
• In many restaurants or Italian snack bars, there are places to sit and there are counters where you can just stand as you eat your meal. The two areas have different costs waiting for you and the difference is substantial. A lot of locals simply order their food and walk out but if you choose to sit down and enjoy the view of the Grand Canal, expect to pay about twice because of the service charges. That usually is true for most of the best restaurants in Venice.
• If looking for places to drink, there are a lot of really good watering holes in Campo di Santa Margarita. This is a popular place among students during the weekends.
• The specialties in most of the best restaurants in Venice include polenta (corn meal) and risotto (rice) in cuttlefish ink sauce.
• There is a quick way to filter out the eateries with low quality food at inflated prices from the best restaurants in Venice. You can be forewarned by looking for waiters outside that are bugging passersby to try their place – these are mostly to be avoided.
• There are restaurants near the Rialto Bridge that have eating areas overlooking the canal. Tourists can enjoy this experience as they dine by the canal lights. There are waiters that are bugging for guests but a lot of them have good quality for the high price.
• Check how the restaurant is charging your food. Be careful with those in the menu that charge by weight basis, mostly by 100 grams. One dish can actually have a fish ingredient weighing 400 grams so you are going to pay four times the regular price.

When you’re off to Italy for a holiday and you are stopping at Venice for the romantic part of your tour, you may be on the lookout for the best hotels in Venice. The very first thing you should know about Venice’s lodging is that it is quite expensive. These hotels are even more expensive than their counterparts in other Italian cities.

The really nice hotels are places to splurge on if you have ample budget in your pocket. There are smaller hotels that offer cheaper rate and there are alternatives to hotels if you’re not too picky about it.

Why are the best hotels in Venice expensive?

There are valid reasons why the rates for hotel accommodations in Venice are pricey. Since the city is logged in water, everything is transported via boats or handcarts. Every little toiletry like soap, shampoo, lotion or even towels, toilet paper, bag of coffee, or loaf of bread is delivered to the hotel using any water vehicle in their transport system or through walking deliverymen. The operational costs of running a hotel are much higher that’s why the best hotels in Venice are very expensive.

Although pricey, the hotel rates already include the taxes and also usually also include breakfast.

Where to stay and how to find the best hotels in Venice

Traveling in Venice is relatively easy since distances are short. The location of your hotel is not really that crucial like in Rome or Milan. You can cover most parts in no time at all, whether or not your hotel is in the center of the city or not. To help you find your way to good accommodations, here are some tips:

• The Piazza San Marco is the most popular tourist spot in Venice. This is your stop if you come by boat from the airport. Most of the stores and hotels here have higher prices because of the large crowd compared to other districts or sestieri.
• There are hotels near the Piazzale Roma and the railway station. These are best choices for tourists traveling by train. Just watch out for heavy pedestrian traffic between this area and the San Marco during the holidays and summer.
• Another place that is close to San Marco but is a bit far from tourist attractions is the Castello. They may not be the best hotels in Venice there but they are good enough especially during the peak season when it is really difficult to book hotels.
• Other areas of the Grand Canal that are less frequented by tourists include the Dorsoduro and San Polo – best bets too, during the peak season.
• The Lido, which is an island in between the Venetian Lagoon and the Adriatic Sea, is popular during the summer. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes via a vaporetto to get there. There are luxury resort hotels like the Hotel des Bains and Excelsior Palace, but there are places to stay in that are cheaper than in Venice.

Alternatives to the best hotels in Venice

If you have been to Venice and you are familiar with how high the rates are, you will want to look for cheaper alternatives for accommodations. The following are options if you decide to forego with the best hotels in Venice.

• Religious hostels / Convents – are religious institutes that offer rooms at low cost. There are dormitory beds too, for summer visitors. You can secure a copy of the listing of foresterie from the APT headquarters at the Piazza San Marco
• Hostels – like the Ostello Venezia is a bargain but you will spend some on the water bus fare. Accommodations are cheap for a waterfront location. You can get there from St. Mark’s Square, Piazzale Roma, or railroad station through the public water bus. It is open except during the last two weeks of December. It is located on the Giudecca island away from the center of Venice so weigh your transport costs too. Traveling with a group will be more economical.
• Camps – You can also grab a list of campgrounds from the APT. Most of these are in the sub-urban areas and one of the best locations is on Lido but it is exclusive for those with international camping cards or Rolling Venice cards.
• Apartment – is advised for those tourists who are staying for 4 days or longer. There are sleeping rooms, fully furnished family-size apartments, or palazzos.

The glory that was of ancient Rome never fails to fascinate anyone. Hearing the name reminds one of the colorful history of Rome from its wonderful days to the  fall of Rome.

Every year hundreds of thousands of tourists go to Rome Italy to have a share of the great culture, ancient Rome buildings, gods of Rome, and everything that the great city has to offer.

Holding a map of Rome is an excellent start for a foot exploration but knowing some facts about Rome Italy will make the journey more exciting.

What to Do in Rome

Rome is one of the loveliest cities in the world. It is an eternal city famous for its history, art, architecture, and its people.

When one goes to Rome, the options are endless. It is best to have a street map of Rome Italy and plot the locations that you want to see. If you are travelling as a group, it may also be practical to hire a Rome escort who can show you the ins and outs of the city. When in Rome, they can help you immerse into the culture of Rome and provide you details about the places that you will visit.

Rome is a picture perfect place for any vacation all year round. It is advisable though to travel around October to March or during the off peak season to avoid the big crowds.

Plot in your Rome Italy map the following famous and must see spots:

• The Colloseum and the Roman Forum – gladiator dressed tour guides can show you around this ancient rome buildings which may be the next best things to Vatican. You will see two sides of Rome by visiting these places. One will show you the brutality and superiority of rome in wars and the other the brilliance of the ancient Rome government in terms of business and politics
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• The Vatican – the seat of power of the Roman Catholic Church. Aside from its religious significance, Vatican has a vast collection of paintings, sculptures, books, and other artifacts. One always wonders at the greatness of St. Peter’s Basilica and the power of the image of The Pieta by Michelangelo. The catacombs of the popes is also a must see place.
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• The Sistine Chapel – If you have a very limited time, make sure that you visit the Sistine Chapel. Pope Julius II tasked Michelangelo to depict the bible on its ceiling. The paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is one of the most enigmatic and renowned painting from the Renaissance era.
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• The Pantheon- this ancient temple was built in AD 1125-128 to honor the gods of Rome. The place is still a church in operation that’s why visitors are requested to observed silence in respect of the devotees who may be worshipping in the Pantheon. The famous dome of ancient Rome has been imitated by modern architects the world over
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• Palatine Hill - this is just near the Roman Forum and is the location of the large villas owned by the rich Roman clans
• For a Imperiali – the inside of this building is like a museum, with lots of rooms of artifacts encased in glass. A hike to the top will give one a great view of the Vatican and the rest of Rome
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