There are many different cruise tips available online that deal with all types of different subjects when it comes to boarding a ship and taking to the high seas.

The following are a montage of unique tips that pertain to the various types of cruises. A few popular cruise destinations are: The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico/ Panama, Europe/ Mediterranean, Alaska, Exotic Cruises, and River Cruises. Cruise vacations also provide a break from traditional traveling since the boat also serves as your hotel.

A travel agency such as Liberty Travel can help make the planning process less stressful, but it may also be beneficial to look up travel deals on your own. However, you choose to plan your cruise vacations, keep in mind that there are many great deals waiting to be found.

Below are some ideas on what to expect from each type of cruise.

Caribbean Cruising – The Caribbean’s latitude makes its sunshine perfect, but it’s much more intense than most realize. Lots of people try to get a big time suntan in the first day. Unfortunately this can squash a fun filled vacation by having to deal with severe sunburn the rest of the trip. So here’s the tip, don’t over do it with the sun tanning early on.
Make sure to manage your time in the sun and don’t forget to wear sun block.

Bahamas Cruising – The Bahamas offer some great traditional festivals at certain times of the year. If you time it correctly, you can find your way into the Emancipation Day celebration on August 1st. This follows several days of food and fun, and adds to enjoyment of your vacation.

Mexico / Panama Canal Cruising – When traveling to Mexico and Central America it’s important to remember that the culture places high regards to new visitors to its country, and new friendships and relationship are held in very high regard. When going ashore, the good majority, if not all coastal resort restaurants dress very informal and wearing a tie in not expected.

Europe and Mediterranean Cruise -Probably the biggest tip for traveling on a cruise to Europe or the Mediterranean is the timing. Going during the months of April through November are the most preferable. June through August however are considered the high season. Additionally it’s a good idea to make this a longer trip than just a week.

Alaska Cruising – One of the best parts of going on an Alaskan cruise is the opportunity to see the amazing scenery and wildlife. In order to do that you have to be there at the right time. So going in the spring is the most ideal situation for seeing a lot of natural beauty.

Exotic Cruising – Choosing an exotic destination can bring a whole new level of excitement to taking a cruise. You need to make sure that you have a good idea of what to expect from a particular exotic cruise and what you will be doing. Exotic cruiss include destinations such as Asia, South America, Australia and New Zealand.

About River Cruising – River Cruising is somewhat different that catching a ride on a super cruiser. Be sure to check with the crew person assigned to planning activities to see what’s available and any special outings that may be planned.

For each type of cruise you can expect unique experience and memorable time.

What’s the future of the tourism industry in the next five years?

While many in the tourism industry are asking that question most are already seeing and adapting to the inevitable changes.

Those in the know seem to feel that although there will be a decrease in the overall numbers of people traveling it won’t be as awful as you might assume. The trend so far seems to be that vacationers will still travel, but their tourism plans will be closer to home with traveling long distances being curtailed.

What this means is that vacationing families will plan their trips to be closer to home than in the past and they will combine some of their travel with visiting family at holidays or with business.

Other changes in the tourism industry will be that those traveling will stay longer at each destination in order to keep expenses as low as possible. Additionally it seems to follow those lines that there will be more use of recreational vehicles by those owning them instead of hotel or motel stays and possibly more people taking camping type vacations.

With the use of either recreational vehicles or camping; food and lodging costs could be kept more closely within a family’s normal budget.

Some of the ways that the industry will be able to combat the changes will be by offering discounts to travelers to encourage longer stays, group discounts, better meal prices by encouraging family style dining and those types of changes.

Already as a means to cut expenses many hotels and motels are requesting that consumers not have their bedding and towels changed daily, but instead using these items for two or three days in order to keep laundry costs down as well as labor costs for housekeeping staff. It’s less time consuming to pick up a room and make the beds than it is to strip the linens and remake the beds thereby cutting costs.

For those wishing to travel longer distances especially by air there will be more need to plan ahead in order to take advantage of lower costs, but as the tourism industry changes there will be more reward for those that do plan ahead.

Another way a consumer may look at travel and tourism is to look for all inclusive packages for travel, lodging and food similar to how cruise lines package their cruises.

Any time something happens in the world the first place affected is the travel industry. Travel and entertainment are usually the first things to be cut in times of a financial crisis. People need a roof over their heads and food on the table but going out to dinner and a movie and family vacations are the first to go.

During a financial crisis, like the one the world is in right now, families have to tighten their belts and make their money go further. Many people are unemployed or have had to take paycuts at work and have to stretch their budget so that their essentials are covered.

This leaves little left for the fun things in life. In the past people would plan and look forward to taking one or two vacations each year. Now they have scaled back and if they are still going on vacation they are looking at vacation spots that they can drive to. This eliminates the cost of airfare as well as renting a car.

People start doing more research to try to get the best travel deal they can get. If they are still planning to fly then they are looking at the cheapest options available and sometimes this may mean taking connections or traveling at off peak times.

Tourist areas are hit hard and hotels and resorts are forced to fiercely compete for your travel dollar. They are cutting their rates to try to entice you to stay at their property and stay in business. Unfortunately, when people stop traveling many hospitality companies take a hard hit and end up going bankrupt and closing their doors.

Business travelers have had to change their travel habits too. Many companies are tightening their belts and the first place they look is their travel and expense budget. They begin enforce travel restrictions saying that they have to stay in designated hotels only.

Companies also put restrictions on flying. If the location is within 200 miles many are having to drive it instead of taking a plane and renting a car. For international travel many companies that used to allow business class travel are now cutting back so that the traveler must fly home in coach class or world traveler plus ( an upgraded coach seat).

Hopefully, the economy will turn itself back around quickly so that people are able to travel like they used to. This would ease the crunch on the travel industry too helping companies get back on their feet.

While golf may not come under the traditional category of ‘extreme sports’, there are an increasing number of resorts springing up that cater for the thrill-seeking adrenaline junkie.

One of the best places to start is the land down under, and Australia’s World’s Longest Golf Course certainly takes extreme to new levels. Saying exactly what it does on the tin, this resort boasts the world’s longest course, stretching the 1,365 km from Kalgoorie in Western Australia to Ceduna in the South, meaning you will need to leave plenty of time to complete your round. Known as Nullabor Links, the course sports a single hole in each town along its sprawling route, set against the backdrop of the rugged, typically Australian outback highway.

Head over to South Africa and the formidable Crocodile Golf resort is definitely not one for the faint-hearted. Known for its desert-style design, players are faced with a challenging approach to the 13^th green – a water hazard like no other – housing a fearsome 38 live crocodiles! Try it if you dare.

If man-eating reptiles don’t appeal, then why not opt for the more rewarding $1million par three, Legend Golf and Safari Resort, another of South Africa’s finest. Not only is each hole uniquely designed by a professional golfer, but the extreme 19^th Hole, if made in one, rewards the successful player with a staggering $1million. The bonus hole’s tee is perched, however, on the mammoth Hanglip Mountain, 30m away from the green – challenging to say the least. Reachable only by helicopter, it boasts a vertical drop of 430m.

Dubai’s Sand Golf Country Club, meanwhile, presents golfers with two entirely grass-free courses, known as browns. Made from compacted sand which is frequently brushed to remain true, players will also have to contend with various water hazards and bunkers around the A1 Awir and Creek courses. The resort was also home to the Emirate’s first golf course.

Finally, for the most extreme golfing daredevils, Hawaii’s Volcano Golf & Country Club sits bravely on the rim of the Kilauea volcano, the catch being this – it is still active. One of the oldest golf courses in Hawaii, the resort is situated on the brink of Hawaii Volcano Park, lying in the shadow of the Mauna Loa volcano which, from the sea floor, towers at twice the height of Mount Everest. Rumour has it that the heat emanating from the volcano’s core will make your ball fly that bit further.

Further reading

Travel guide Australia

Picture references:

1 – http://www.metro.co.uk/travel/article.html?The_hole_world_in_your_hands&in_article_id=537393

credit: velodenz

Most cyclist before start their travel should learn:

• What bicycle use
• How to choose the right clothing
• The tips for good riding

More and more people have discovered the bicycle as a mean of transport ideal for their vacations. Who has tried it (with no doubts) thinks that a vacation with a bicycle is like returning children and play for an entire day in the open-air.

How do it? Here are the essentials good to know.

credit: amcd

Surely the best bicycle to chose is the one called “Hybrid” or “All Terrain”. A bike that combine its characteristics from the simple road bike and the MTB.

The hybrid bike is the queen of cycle tourism. The handlebar can be flat as the mountain bike, but preferably with extensions that allow you to change the position of hands.

The accessories for the bike

• Useful, often indispensable: Front and rear lamps
• Cycle-computer for partial and total distance, speed and instantaneous clock
• Mudguards: those in plastic  without the need for pins or screws
• Extension handlebar to change hands position on the handlebars
• Porter with fixed grants. The best are in aluminum. For long trips, as well as the rear, before the fork mount those type “low rider”.  The frame should be prepared with loops and holes.
• Bags: two rear and one on the handlebar for personal effects. Two front and low for long journeys. The objects heavier go placed on the bottom. Better waterproof, otherwise get plastic envelopes.
• Combined shoes and pedals, which provides a pedal round that optimizes performances
• To be ready for emergency repairs. It is essential the first aid bag with: kit for drilling (patches, glue, sandpaper), an inner tube, levers to pull the little tires, pump, English keys by 8, 10 and 15, pliers, screwdriver small cross, cables gear brake.

credit: Velaia (ParisPeking)

The wardrobe of the cycle tourist
If you face long trips, it is essential to know how to dress.

• Helmet: It is better to have it always in “mind”.
• Gloves: against possible irritation and blistering caused by prolonged contact with the handlebar. In case of falls, it will also protect your hands from excoriation.
• Sunglasses: lightweight and unbreakable, protect from sun, wind and insects.
• Shorts: those in synthetic fiber protect the perineum, the most requested area, ensure the just freedom of movement.
• Anti-wind jacket:  Windtex or Windstopper are good ones. These membranes allow perspiration outside the steam produced by the body and simultaneously are impervious to wind.
• Waterproof Jacket: Good, but expensive products in Gore-Tex.

Recommendations for a  good ride
Leaving for a trip or a vacation requires good physical condition. There is no need to be trained as those who practice cycling racing, but we must have a good background,  that is the ability to exercise action but not intense and prolonged standing habit of hours in the saddle.

Being  well trained will require planning some extra biking weekends before the vacation.

Another dowry fundamental for cycle tourist is adapt to climatic and environmental conditions. Do not scare before a climb, not attacking so bold (typical error of beginners), but rise gently without claiming to shorten the effort by increasing the pace.

Other enemy, perhaps worst of the climb, is the wind. Against him the muscles are not needed, it should be serenity: put the right gear, which allows a nimble pedal to pedal without haste.

credit: nnnnic

How to not stay Hungry
Cycling is mainly aerobic involving a great consume of energy extended overtime.

In particular during the pedal You must respect a fundamental principle:

When you’re riding you never have to wait thirst and hunger for eating and drinking, when the symptoms arrive it is already too late.

So, to avoid that legs lose strength, we must take liquids regularly, once every 15-20 minutes and solid foods easy to digest in small quantities but continuously, once every 40 or 50 minutes.

The salts should be taken especially after the effort, instead sugars should be easily assimilated.

In concrete terms?

In pockets and close at hand should never miss some fruit (an apple, a banana, energy bars made with dried fruit and cereals).

In borax instead goes much tea enriched with honey.

Like this post? And You, what’s your favorite tip about cycling?

The Dome – credit: artonline – Marco Musso

Milan is a city in Lobardy, Northern Italy. This metropolis is famous for its fashion houses and shops (such as along via Montenapoleone) and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in the Piazza Duomo.

When to Go: Milan has a humid subtropical climate. In respect of most of Italy, which is famous for a comfortable Mediterranean climate, Milan’s winters are typically damp and cold, while summers are warm and muggy at times.

Average temperatures are -3/+6°C in January and +15/+28°C in July. Snowfalls are fairly common in winter, even if in the last 15-20 years they have decreased in frequency and amount. Humidity is high during the whole year and annual rain averages about 1000 mm (40 in).

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele – credit: Welshdan

What to See: Milan is one of the major artistic centers of northern Italy. Worth a visit:

• The Dome, the world’s largest collection of marble statues with the widely visible golden Madonna statue on top of the spire, la Madunina (little Madonna), the symbol of Milan.
• Teatro alla Scala. Milan is also one of the most important centers in the world for lyric opera, with his famous Teatro alla Scala (La Scala).
• The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a large, covered arcade linking the Duomo’s piazza with the Teatro alla Scala.
• The Castello Sforzesco
• The Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio
• The Palaeo-Christian Basilica of San Lorenzo
• The Biblioteca Ambrosiana, containing drawings and notebooks by Leonardo da Vinci among its vast holdings of books, manuscripts, and drawings, and is one of the main repositories of European culture. The city is also the home of the Brera Academy of Fine Arts.
• The church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, which houses one of the most famous paintings of Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper (L’ultima cena or Il cenacolo).
• The Pinacoteca di Brera, Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, Poldi Pezzoli, the Bagatti Valsecchi Museum and the Musei del Castello galleries, which host a great number of pictorial masterpieces.

How to Arrive

Airports – The city has a large international airport known as Malpensa International Airport (MXP). It’s connected to the downtown with the “Malpensa Express” railway service (from Cadorna Station and central station ). Milan also has the Linate Airport (LIN), connected with bus line 73 (from S. Babila). A third airport is Orio al Serio (BGY), close to the city of Bergamo.

How to Move Around

Subways – Milan has 3 subway lines (M1 – red, M2 – green, M3 – yellow) and the system, called Milan Metro – “La Metro”, running for more than 80 km.

Milan also has one of the most extensive tramway systems in the world, with more than 286 km of track, and 20 lines. The local transport authority (ATM) transported more than 600 million passengers in 2003 .

Railways – Milan is the second railway hub of Italy, and the five major stations of Milan, among which the Milan Central station, are among Italy’s busiest. Regional railways are the ferrovie nord.

General Description

[Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples - credit: Emilio Giordano]

Italy is in Mediterranean Europe, bordering France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. The country, which is a peninsula, is surrounded by the Ligurian Sea, the Sardinian Sea, and the Tyrrhenian Sea in the west, the Sicilian and Ionian Sea in the South, and Adriatic Sea in the East.

Italian is the major language spoken by most of the population, but as you travel throughout the country, you will find there are several distinct dialects corresponding to the region you are in. Italy has a diverse landscape, but can be mainly described as mountainous including the Alps and the Apennines mountain ranges that run through it. Italy has two major islands as part of its country: Sardinia, which is an island off the west coast of Italy, and Sicily, which is at the southern tip of the boot.

Italian Regions

• North-West (Nord-Ovest) – Valle d’Aosta, Piemonte, Lombardia, Liguria
• North-East (Nord-Est) – Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Trentino Alto-Adige, Emilia-Romagna
• Centre (Centro) – Toscana, Marche, Lazio, Umbria
• South (Sud) – Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria
• Islands (Isole) – Sicily, Sardinia

Popular Places

• Florence
• Milan
• Naples
• Palermo
• Rome
• Turin
• Venice
• Verona

Before You Start Your Trip

Below a list of tips and resource useful for adventure travellers (for the general traveller too).

• Decide what will be your destination and trip
• Try to read as much as info possible
• Verify how much physical challenge you’ll need
• Verify how many attractions you could see by staying in one area
• Make a list of all the activities you want to involve
• Search for review or comments of people who’ve already taken the trip
• Take general info about climate
• Try to learn some basic words
• Take care of your health (emergency, foods to eat, hospitals, etc…)
• If you travel with children don’t plan too much each day

What to Bring

• Make photocopies of important documents (Check, passport, visa, etc…)
• Consider what allowable needs you can carry-on luggage
• Buy comfortable walking shoes
• Rain Gear
• Photography & Electronics
• Carry with you some medications: Antidiarrhea medicine, aspirin, extra tampons, travel packages of Kleenex, antibacterial hand cleaning gel

Clothing and equipment

• Bring a long-sleeved shirt or sweater
• Include:
• Shorts/tights
• Quick-drying jerseys
• Drytex socks
• Stiff-soled shoes
• Cycle gloves
• Rainwear

If You are a biker

[Tuscany - credit: discopalace]

• If you have to transfer your bike with you by train be sure:
• To buy a ticket for your bike
• To know which trains allow bikes
• To know which car the bike will go in
• Trains don’t wait in stations for long
• Breaking away from a group bike tour is the only way to see Italy!
• Take care of equipment to take with you
• Verify if there are bike services along the trip
• Verify if there are markets along the trip
• Verify if you can put your bike in a garage
• Make sure that you drink enough water

If You are a Walker

credit: pmecologic

• Walking is an enjoyable way of seeing the small towns of Italy and their scenery
• Make sure that you drink enough water
• Try to hike with at least one partner if you are unfamiliar with an area
• Use a GPS to help in your itinerary

How to Backpack Through Italy

• Buy a Eurorail pass or a Trenitalia pass. Trenitalia is the inter-Italy train system, which is ideal if you are not leaving the country.
• Start your backpacking trip in Italy in the North, in Venice. After the obligatory gondola ride, explore the winding streets of this ancient city.
• Take the train west to Milan. Here you will find a bevy of churches and cathedrals, including the Church of San Maurizio and the Basilica of San Satiro.
• Travel south to the Renaissance capital of Europe, Florence. Revel in the magnificent architecture of the church of San Lorenzo and Canon’s Cloister.
• Continue to Rome, the capital of Italy. Here the Ancient World comes alive. Visitors can see the Coliseum and the Pantheon.
• Head south to Naples, a rough-and-tumble city on the Amalfi Coast. Here you snap pictures of Mount Vesuvius in the distance and enjoy a real Italian pizza.
• End your trip at the toe of Italy, Messina. Enjoy the balmy Mediterranean Climate and magnificent ocean views.

How to choose the travel agency

• Choose little incoming tour operator with small amount of business. When they start to make “big numbers” the standards of quality goes down
• Check to see if the package vacation includes health insurance policy covers illness or injury overseas
• Do a research on different adventure travel organizations and operators and try to compare the services, prices and then negotiate.
• Sometimes a low price is not only a good and trusted service…
• Get a copy of the travel operator’s terms and conditions

Suggested Itineraries

Bike Tours

[Cycling in Asti - Piedmont, Italy]

Around the Po river form Milan to Verona – This tour will let you discover the sweet countryside in the Po Valley, riding between Lombardy, Emilia Romagna and Veneto, enjoying the natural landscape that has been setting so many masterpieces of literature and Italian movies. Welcoming villages, suspended between past and present, typical farms and courts scattered in the fertile plain. You will then find out some important cities, each one with its typical characteristics and cast of features, but united by the richness of monuments.

Bike tour in Eastern Sicily The secrets of Sicily – A varied bike tour, according to your own rhythms and interests through Eastern Sicily. You will cross Noto’s Valley, from 2003 included in Unesco World Heritage List. Following the vestiges of ancient cultures, this tour joins the discovery of beautiful untouched areas, such as Cavagrande – deep gorges cut on the rock by a river – and Vendicari – a protected piece of white beach where many different species of birds build their nests – with the visit of some of the most ancient Sicilian towns.

Cycling along the Po river – If you like the charming scenery of Alps and the spectacle of nature, if you wish to hear its sounds, to watch animals living in their own environment, to see the harmony of colors, to plunge into a green world, we’ll take you to discover the secrets of some of the most beautiful parks in Piedmont, the first region in Italy to create protected areas. It is possible to prologue this itinerary up to Po delta crossing Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna.

Gran tour from Florence to Siena to Pisa – Here is a winning proposal to discover one of the most famous Italian regions, Tuscany. An area which is famous earth for its wines, its cities of art and the warm welcome of its inhabitants: the right combination of emotions, scents and traditions to be discover by bike.

Tasty Piedmont – Piedmont is a real paradise for gourmets. Prestigious white wines, delicious chocolate and a sweet landscape of hills covered by regular rows of wine yards; in the distance the majestic circle of the alps. Piedmont is elegance and style. The best example is the chef town, Turin, first capital of Italy 150 years ago, where the influence of the French style is obvious, that’s why Turin is called “little Paris”.

Walking Tours

[Trekking on the top of Mount Etna, Sicily]

Etna and the Aeolian Islands Volcano Trek – The Aeolian Islands Archipelago is made up of 7 islands: Lipari, Vulcano, Salina, Panarea, Stromboli, Filicudi and Alicudi. Islands of wild aspect fall sheer into the sea, offering visions of beauty.

From Modena to Massa Carrara on the Dukes road – The Vandelli road begins to be built as a will of the Duke of Modena, Francesco III d’Este who wanted to have a safe access to the sea in the territory of its duchy. So the mathematician Domenico Vandelli was asked to draw the layout of a road for carriages, to cross the Apennines; after 10 years of work, the road was completed in 1751.

The Chianti from Florence to Siena – From Piazza della Signoria to Piazza del Campo, a trek to join two of the most important Tuscan cities from the historical and artistic view. Florence, the city of Leonardo, Giotto, Dante and Brunelleschi, and Siena, native land of the “Palio”. These two jewels have in common they belong to one of the most famous areas of the Tuscany: “The wine road”, that you will cross leaving Castellina in Chianti and walking along paths and roads surrounded by vineyards and olive groves.

Suggested Attractions: Nature and Parks

Italy has 23 National Parks, 89 Regional Parks, 270 Regional Reserves, 142 State Reserves, 47 Marsh reserves and 7 Marine Reserves, which are protected zones managed either by the State in some form – Regional Councils, Provincial Councils and Municipalities – or by the environmental and protection associations such as Italia Nostra, WWF, Lega Ambiente, Greenpeace, LIPU, Touring Club, etc.

Top Italian National Parks

Parco Nazionale Appennino Tosco-Emiliano – Between Cisa and Forbici Passes, the woodland ridges separating Tuscany from Emilia give way to a mountain environment. The summits of Alpe di Succiso, Mt. Prado and Mt. Cusna go beyond the 2,000 meters, forests give way to rocks, lakes, and high-mountain grasslands. At lower altitudes, on the side of Emilia, the surly Pietra di Bismantova dominates the landscape with its vertical walls.

Parco Nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesi was created to protect a territory of extraordinary landscape and naturalistic value. The Vette di Feltre and Mount Serva were already famous for their flora in the 18th century. The presence of rare species and of a great variety of natural environments is mainly due to the geographical position of the territory.

Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre, which is part of the Unesco world heritage, has environmental and cultural features which are essential to safeguard: overhanging coasts over the sea with bays and small beaches, thousands of kilometers of dry-stone walls enclosing the terraces where vineyards are cultivated, the characteristic rustics, the medieval quarters, the sanctuaries, the panoramic paths over the sea and the slopes.

Parco Nazionale del Gargano – From a biological point of view, the Gargano promontory is an island, divided from the peninsula by the Tavoliere delle Puglie. It is rich in karst structures like caves and dolines. While in the past the promontory was covered by forests, now they form only the 15 per cent of its surface: the most important wood in the Park is the Foresta Umbra.

Parco Nazionale del Vesuvio, of great geological and historical interest, has been proved to safeguard the values of the territory, use suitable means to allow a correct integration between man and environment, promote environmental education and scientific research activities.

Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio is the largest not only among the historical Italian parks, but also in the whole Alpine chain. It stretches in the heart of the Central Alps and includes typical valleys shaped by acting ice and water flowing down from the imposing massif of the Ortles-Cevedale group.

How to travel on a budget

• Compare and Call to several adventure-travel companies and ask detailed info
• Book in lower season (Feb-May or Sept-Jan) and as much as earlier possible
• Verify the services included and if prices are comprehensive of taxes
• Verify how many attractions you can visit
• Book directly with the tour operator that organize the tour (not third party agencies or similar). You could negotiate a better price
• The best you could do is to search for a local tourist board to find all you need without buying a guidebook

Tips to travel in Italy

• Plan a lot of walking
• Keep all of your receipts for purchases of goods or services
• Buy local produce in preference to imported goods
• Hire a local guide – you’ll discover more about local culture and lives, and they will earn an income
• Use public transport, hire a bike or walk – its a great way to meet local people
• Not all places allow picture taking. Museums, especially
• Remember that American and European DVDs and VCRs have different formats
• Serious crime is rare, however pickpockets and purse-snatchers are common in large cities
• Italian tap water is sometimes heavily chlorinated, so it’s best to drink bottled water
• European voltage is different from that of the United States

How to Arrive in Italy

Most of midrange international flights arrive to the following Italian cities:

• Milan – with 2 airports: Malpensa (MXP) and Linate (LIN); in addition, Bergamo (BGY – Orio al Serio) is sometimes referred to as “Milan Bergamo”
• Rome – with two airports: Fiumicino (FCO – Leonardo Da Vinci) and Ciampino (CIA)
• Bologna (BLQ – Guglielmo Marconi)
• Naples (NAP – Capodichino)
• Pisa (PSA – Galileo Galilei)
• Venice (VCE – Marco Polo)
• Turin (TRN – Sandro Pertini)

How to Get Around

Given the excellent network of cheap bus and train services in Italy, both are a great, stress-free way of seeing the country – and of being part of the great Italian travelling public.

Bus travel is the less expensive of the two, but as there are many different operators it is less straightforward than train travel. Your own wheels give you the most potential freedom and flexibility, although both fuel and autostrada (motorway) tolls are expensive. Domestic air travel can be costly and is worth it only if you are short of time.

Buses are fast and reliable, whether they are traversing local routes linking small villages or zooming along autostrade between cities.

Weather and Climate

Italy is at its best in spring (April-May) and autumn (October-November). During these seasons, the scenery is beautiful, the temperatures are pleasant and there are fairly few crowds. Try to avoid August, as this is the time that most Italians take their vacations, and many shops and businesses are closed as a result.

Italy’s climate varies from north to south and from lowland to mountain top. Temperatures at sea level tend to be similar around the country, with altitudes creating steep changes between summer and winter. Winters are long and severe in the Alps, with snow falling as early as mid-September.

Storms develop in spring and tend to last to autumn, making summer the wettest season. The northern regions experience chilly winters, hot summers and regular even rain distribution, while conditions become milder as you head south. The sirocco, the hot and humid African wind that affects regions south of Rome, produces at least a couple of stiflingly hot weeks in summer.

Health and Safety

Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) are given at all stages of life; see the childhood and adolescent immunization schedule and routine adult immunization schedule.

Using insect repellent with 30%-50% DEET. Picaridin, available in 7% and 15% concentrations, needs to be applied more often. Wearing long-sleeved shirts which should be tucked in, long pants, and hats to cover exposed skin. When you visit areas with ticks and fleas, wear boots, not sandals, and tuck pants into socks.

Be Careful about Food and Water. Follow these tips for safe eating and drinking:

• Avoid unpasteurized dairy products.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially before eating.
• If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand gel (with at least 60% alcohol).

Other…

How can I telephone outside Italy?

To call abroad from Italy there are several systems like a prepaid telephone card. From an Italian phone, you can phone with a prepaid domestic telephone card, bought in a tobacco shop (Tabbacchino), newsagent (Giornalaio) or bar. You can also use the umts and gsm or internet voip for you calls.

Phone Calls: To find places where phone you can try in larger cities in the internet access points and in hotels.

For international calls you can use phonecards of foreign carriers. Here are access numbers in Italy for carriers of some countries:

• AT&T 800-172-444
• BT Albacom 800-172-442
• Japan Telecom 800-172-244
• Sprint (MCI) 800-172-405, 800-172-406
• Telecom NZ 800-172-641

To set up your cell phone with an Italian service, Italy has 4 carriers: Vodafone, TIM, H3g and Wind. To phone with these you can buy prepaid phonecards that start at 10 Euros.

What are the driving license requirements in Italy?

To drive in Italy, you should get an international permit from automobile clubs, if your license is not from a

European union nation. You can drive if you are 18 years old. Traffic is limited in certain period of the day: In the morning between 8-9 o’clock and in the evening between 18-20 o’clock. Top

To hire a car the U.S. and Canadian travellers need an international driver’s license. To apply for an International Driver’s License, visit any AAA branch.

To remember: Italy uses international road signs, you have to drive on the right and passing on the left. The speed limit is 50kmh (30 mph) in Cities, 90kmh (56 mph) outside the cities, 80Kmh (130kmph) in the highways.

What are the visa requirements to travel in Italy?

The visa requirements depend on where a tourist come from. For people coming from European Community there are not requirement to stay for three months. People coming from Japan, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, U.S.A., can stay in Italy for 90 days with passport without a visa. Usually it’s not difficult to get these documents.

• Language: Italian is the official language. However, English is widely understood.
• Time Zone: Six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time.
• Credit Cards: All major credit cards are accepted.
• Currency: The Italy’s official currency is Euro. It is based on the decimal system. The Euro sign is €.
• Money Exchange: You can change money at the hotel or at the nearest banks, from 9:00AM to 1:30PM and 3:00PM to 4:00PM – Closed on Weekend and national holidays.
• Voltage: The electrical current in the hotels is 220 volts, 50 cycles. To convert local power to U.S. standard you’ll need a transformer. For plugs you’ll need an adapter.
• Shopping: Shopping hours are from 9:00AM to 1:00PM and from 5:00PM to 8:00PM from Monday through Saturday. Businesses are closed on Monday mornings and Sundays.

Resources:

• http://wikitravel.org
• http://www.american.edu/ted
• http://www.lonelyplanet.com
• http://en.wikipedia.org
• http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel
• http://www.enit.it
• http://www.parks.it
• http://answers.yahoo.com
• http://www.ehow.com

Thanks to Mrlob

After the “Success” of the list of the best hiking trails of the world it’s the turn to find the best ecotourism destinations.

Most of these destination are famous for their natural resources. If you’d like to choose an adventure travel, maybe you should consider this list. Often ecotourism and outdoor adventures can be practiced in the same destinations.

Below the list of websites that offer a “Top 10 list” or “Best places for…” articles. To save time I’ve collect them all. Have a look and tell me what do you think…

Travel discovery’s Best Places to Experience Nature’s Wonder

• Glaciers and Icebergs, Greenland
• Emerald Landscape, Ireland
• Mt. Everest, Nepal
• Redwood National Park, California
• Desert Sand Dunes, South Africa
• Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho
• Gran Sabana, Venezuela
• Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

(The tour starts from Sydney, I suggest you read this site for Flights to Sydney )

• Diverse Ecosystem, Costa Rica
• Galapagos Islands

Top Five Destinations for Ecotourism. You can read more here

• Palau
• Costa Rica
• Norwegian Fjords
• Kerala, India
• Kenya

Top 10 eco-friendly destinations

• Buck Island Reef National Monument – St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
• Sea Turtle Watching in Rekawa – Rekawa, Sri Lanka
• Napo Wildlife Center – Quito, Ecuador
• Artisans D’Angkor Silk Farm – Siem Reap, Cambodia
• Celestun Biosphere Reserve – Yucatan, Mexico
• Rainforest Hike to Middleham Falls & Ti Tou Gorge with Ken’s Hinterland Adventure Tours – Dominica
• Sadie Cove Wilderness Lodge – Kachemak Bay State Park, Alaska
• Volcano Trekking at Gunung Batur – Gunung Batur, Bali
• Strokkur Geyser – Geysir Center, Iceland
• Canopy Tour – Quepos, Costa Rica

Best Eco-Destinations

• South Africa’s wild coast
• Egypt’s Red Sea coast
• The mountains of Morocco
• Argentina
• New Zealand
• Ghana’s Upper Guinean Rainforest
• Parks in the Congo
• Parks in Brazil
• Canada
• Colorado and California

Top Wildlife Destinations

• Daintree Rainforest, Australia
• Amazon Jungle, Peru
• Pantanal, Bolivia
• Sepilok, Malaysia
• Peninsula Valdes, Argentina
• Everglades, USA
• Ranthambore National Park, India
• Hiidenportti National Park, Finland

Five Best: Wildlife destinations

• Hluhluwe-Umfolozi, South Africa
• Okavanga Delta, Botswana
• Etosha National Park, Namibia
• Kruger National Park, South Africa
• South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

The World’s Best Ethical Travel Destinations

• Bahamas
• Brazil
• China
• Costa Rica
• Dominican Republic
• India
• Jamaica
• Mexico
• Philippines
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Trinidad and Tobago

Top 10 Ecotourist Hotspots

• Alaska
• The Amazon
• Antarctica
• Blue Mountains
• Borneo
• Botswana
• Costa Rica
• Dominica
• Galapagos Islands
• Himalayas

The green rooms

• El Remanso Wildlife Lodge, Costa Rica
• Hostel One66, Singapore
• Keveral Farm, Cornwall
• Balamku Inn, Mexico
• Venus Albir, Costa Blanca, Spain

Best Nature Trips Destinations

• Elk in Love: Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area Jewell, OR
• A Visit to Glittering Goliath: Stone Mountain State Park Atlanta, GA
• Falling Leaves and Cascading Waters: Amicalola Falls State Park Dawsonville, GA
• A Walk Back in Time: Cloudland Canyon State Park Lafayette, GA
• Duwamish River Restoration Bike Tour: Industrial Evolution Seattle, WA
• A Delectable Feast: Huckleberry Picking in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest White Salmon, WA
• Everett: Jetty Island Everett, WA
• Dead Horse Canyon: Wild Plant Walk Seattle, WA
• Raptors on the Wing: Bonney Butte Zigzag, OR
• A Trek into a Mountain: Rolater Park Cave Spring, GA

Eco-Friendly Travel

• Belize: Monitor Coral Reefs
• Borneo: Protect Orangutans
• Costa Rica: Save The Sea Turtles
• Czech Republic: Purify Streams
• Ecuador: Witness Globalization In Action
• Idaho: Repair Forest Trails
• Maine: Spot Rare Birds
• Puerto Rico: Save The Rainforests
• Thailand: Promote Ecotourism In National Parks

Top Responsible and Sustainable Travel Programs in Europe

• Adriatic Dolphin Project Croatia
• La Sabranenque France
• ECEAT-Poland Poland
• Ecologia Trust Scotland/Russia
• Carpathian Large Carnivore Project Romania

World’s top wildlife photography hotspots

• Go on safari in India
• National parks in Costa Rica
• Desert trips in California

The Top 7 Nature Adventure Travel Trips Worldwide

• Madagascar
• Great Barrier Reef
• Polar Bear Trek
• Tiger Safari
• Whale Watching
• Wildebeest Migration
• Swim With Wild Dolphins

Top ten nature spots in the world

• Ngorogoro Crater, northern Tanzania.
• Band-i-Amir Lakes, central Afghanistan.
• The underwater reef wall of the Red Sea.
• The beach at Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.
• Greenland Ice shelf.
• Yellowstone National Park, Western USA.
• Tortuguero, Costa Rica.
• Trekking in the Wakhan, camping at Zebok, Afghanistan.
• The sand dunes in Rajastan, India.
• The top of Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala.

Best Sustainable Travel Experiences

• National Parks Volunteer (USA)
• Carpathian Large Carnivore Project (Romania)
• Mt Borradaile’s Aboriginal Rock-Art Site (Australia)
• Whale Watch (New Zealand)
• Sea-Kayaking (Fiji)
• Cruising (Antarctica)
• Hiking (Bhutan)
• Shadow the Bushmen of the Kalahari (Namibia)
• Mountain Gorilla Safari (Rwanda)
• Ecologico Chalalan (Bolivia)

How choose the best adventure destinations

The world is big, if you search for unusual travels, you’ll have to search for unusual places…

After the first tutorials on planning an adventure tour and choosing an adventure company, it’s the turn of choosing a destination.

Thanks to 7336933@N04

It’s not easy to choose the right destination. We could talk with our friends, read news papers, internet etc…but generally you’ll find only well known, crowded and “Tourists Shopper” destinations.

Step by step guide to find new destinations quickly

Let me share my experience:

“I live under the Etna in Sicily. When I’ve started my first blog on the Volcano Etna I started to search for new travel info. The results were amazing! I discovered a lot of new places I’ve never heard before.”

So…if I can’t know all the travel destinations in my home country, how can foreign travellers do?

Here 3 simple ways to find new destinations

1. Emotional
2. Scientifically
3. Go Social

1. Emotional, getting the right inspiration

Emotional means finding destination while you are not searching for them.

• You can “steal” the ideas of other travellers by following forums or communities
• Take a Globe and choose a random point
• …Or use Random Country
• Go in a travel agency and grab as much as brochures possible. Use them to playing cards
• Sum your date of birth and see what’s the country code result. Mine is 27-April-1983 2+7+4+1+9+8+3=34 Spain
• Subscribe to Google sightseeing
• Be inspired by the bloggers
• Subscribe to See before you die place of the day

Place of the day

2. Go Social, do what other people already do

Searching on the web is hardly. There are so much websites to read that it’s very difficult to grab a piece of good information.

You have to register a profile, then deep digger the website and at least read the same info on multiple people’s reviews and stories.

If you trust word of mouth or reviews sharing websites here how to find the right info in the easiest way.

• Ask your friends, family, people you meet in the street and so on…
• Read this list of what’s hot for the next season
• Follow Wikitravel off the beaten paths
• Facebook’s has a good application to see what’s hot among its users
• Travelistic (The Youtube for travel) gives a list of the top destinations
• Browse the popular tags on Flickr to find pictures of places you’ve never heard before

3. How to find and choose scientifically

Here the step by step process

1° Define what’s you traveller your profile

Type of traveller:

• Solo
• Women
• Gay
• Family
• Elderly
• Pet
• Couple
• Honeymoon

Type of activities

• Multi sport
• Adventure
• Trekking
• Mountain Bike
• Cycling

Type of destination

• Mountain
• City
• Beach
• Country
• Sea
• Natural parks

Type of service

• Independent
• Small groups
• Vacation package

2° Mix them all, here some examples…

• Independent adventure travel destination for a couple
• Small groups active trips for elderly
• Family vacation package spots
• Honeymoon adventure travels
• Women only adventure destinations
• And so on…

3° Type a search phrase in Google or other search engines.

That’s it!…Good luck and happy vacations!

Last day I saw a report from this blog about a new survey from Tripadvisor.

In this report millions of traveller have posted their top travel spots.

So I’ve dicided to write this top 10 list of adventure and unusual travel destination to pass you Christmas holidays.

Winter destination…not only skiing

Australia

Australia is one of the most favorite destination abroad. The main attractions are surely its flora and fauna. You can practice Scuba Diving, Climbing, Snorkeling, Surfing, Skiing, Sky Diving.

Read more:

• Backpackers of America rejoice you can choose Australia
• Walk the Great Ocean Road
• Australias east coast with kid

Trekking in China’s holiest peaks

China is vast and there are a lot of attractions to visit. A tour along the temples, visit in Beijing and cross walk of the Great Wall. China is a vast country. A tour along the Yellow river is another great thing to do.

Read more:

• Ecotourism in China
• Xian trip

Belize

The country is located between Guatemala to the west and south and Mexico to the north. Attractions include jungle with exotic plants and animals, fishing, swimming, and diving in the sea with attractive reefs, and visiting Mayan ruins.

Read more:

• Mayan ruins
• Belize dolphin encounter
• Belize Tourism Board

Skiing in Italian Alps

It’s clear that the best resorts are located in the Italian Alps. The alps are a mountain chain that comprises 6 Italian regions. There are giant ’ski factories’ with overcrowded pistes, less know resorts and sometimes unexpected (See Mount Etna or Tuscany).

Read more:

• Top skiing spots of Italy

Costa Rican Adventure

Costa Rica is a country in Central America that borders with Nicaragua, Panama and the Caribbean Sea. Top activities to do are wind surfing, rafting, fishing, scuba diving, kayaking, mountain biking, Horseback riding, boating, tours of the Arenal Volcano and Monteverde Cloud Forest.

Read more:

• Playas del coco Costa rica

Discover Vietnam

Vietnam is a country in Southeast Asia. The country is formed by 4 regions. The North (from the Red River Delta to high mountains near China); The Central Coast; The Central Highlands (hilly and covered with forests accessible to adventurous); The South.

Read more:

• Hanoi by night
• Safe eating in Vietnam

Antarctic Peninsula

This region is near the polar continent and reaches in 1000 miles the southern tips of Chile and Argentina. Top activities to do are animal watching, artic cruises, ice walking, whale watching and hiking to the top of the volcanic Island Paulet.

Read more:

• Antarctica travel blog
• Castle sky blu fossil

High Peaks Snowshoeing Bulgaria

Bulgaria is a country in Eastern Europe near the Black Sea, Romania, Serbia, Macedonia and Greece. This is a green country full of mountains. The main chains are the Balkans, used as a winter destination. Top active holidays to do are Skiing, winter sports, Trekking and walking in the historical destinations.

Read more:

• Bulgarian journey
• Winter travel in Bulgaria

A Norwegian Christmas Cruise

An unique way to cruising the coastline of Norway by a boat trip through its fjords. Also in winter, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing and snowboarding are very popular.

Read more:

• Norway travel blogs
• Norway travel guide

Top spots for tourists from the survey

1. Jerba, Tunisia
2. Makandi Bay, Egypt
3. Phangnga, Thailand
4. Kovalam, India
5. Sabaudia, Italy
6. Asilah, Morocco
7. Ko Phangan, Thailand
8. La Plagne, France
9. Yangshuo, China
10. Kotor, Montenegro

Read more Christmas travel ideas:

• Travelling by air this Christmas
• Travel is the perfect holiday gift
• Gift ideas for xmas
• Rick Steves Christmas in Europe
• Flickr photo source