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| Biking through Culinary Cataluña |
Spain's region of Catalonia (Cataluña in Spanish) is a richly textured part of Spain in which to lose oneself for weeks and months; and one way to capture the essence of the region is through sampling its cuisine on a bicycle trip. |
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| AL-ANDALUS: Visiting the Heart of Moorish Spain |
Al-Andalus is the name given to those portions of southwestern Europe colonized for seven centuries, by the Muslim world. In modern-day Spain, the area has become known as Andalusia. |
| VENICE video essays |
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VENICE: The City That Grew From The Sea |
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VENICE: Its History Is Expressed In Its Details |
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VENICE: Its Attitude Is Expressed In Its Art |
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Burano and Murano: Islands of Glass, Lace, Color |
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Sweden's Ice Hotel:
The Aurora Borealis Lights up Sweden's
Renewable B & B |
No matter how you arrive at this unique hotel in Sweden's Arctic, your arrival will be illuminated by the spectacular Aurora Borealis Northern Lights. |
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| Barbara's Visions of Bath |
Through her eyes as a trained architect, Barbara Frears captures the spirit of her beloved City of Bath, England in meticulous pen and ink sketches she has sent to her friends every Christmas for many years. |
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Photographer Jonathan Burnham covers a guided bike tour of Tuscany. |
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| ISTANBUL: Straddling Europe and Asia |
Straddling West and East, Istanbul and Turkey are exciting, contradictory and enchanting. |
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| The Medieval Village of Armagnac, France |
Mayor Alain Gaube invites you through the magic of an interactive map to visit his village of La Bastide d'Armagnac in the heart of the brandy producing region of France. |
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| Floating Through England's Canals |
Narrowboating along the United Kingdom's extensive canals system is a relaxing way to see a picturesque side of England not experienced by the average visitor. |
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| Chernihiv, Ukraine: Daytripping to the 11th Century |
Chernihiv, first mentioned in 11th century chronicles, is one of the oldest surviving settlements in Ukraine. It is a fascinating day trip from Kyiv, Ukraine's capital city. |
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| Torcello: The Island That Was the Mother of Venice |
The Island of Torcello, the original Venice and the first island in the lagoon to be settled, merits a visit along ancient footpaths to its ancient Cathedral and its exquisite mosaics. |
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| PICOS DE EUROPA: Where Nature Reigns in Spain |
Created in 1918 as Spain's first national park, Picos de Europa, a range of mountains on the northern coat of Spain, was the first sight of Conquistadors returning home from the New World. |
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| HIKING THE TEMPLAR TRAIL: From Dijon to Jerusalem |
If you're you looking for something more, something different, adventure with purpose, try hiking the 1000-year-old Templar pilgrimage trail. |
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| UKRAINE: The Alexandria Gardens |
Just south of Kyiv (a.k.a. Kiev), capital of Ukraine, near the small town called 'White Church' are the historic Alexandria Gardens, established by Russian nobility in the 19th century. |
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| Lago D'Idro: An Unpolished Jewel in Italy's Lakes Regione |
If the touristy ambience of Italy's Lakes Garda and Como are not your thing, consider the less-traveled yet striking Lago D'Idro and its surrounding string of glacial lakes along the Swiss-Italian border. |
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| Ritual Observances in Chantilly |
Just for fun, we bring you glimpses of a unique manifestation of Euro-cultural rituals and body adornment at the Chantilly Race Track in France. |
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| Iberia: Walking the Camino de Santiago |
In Medieval times, the devout from all over Europe and beyond walked the trails to the pilgrimage city of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Today, you can walk the Caminos for the adventure of it. |
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| PUGLIA: The Heel of Italy |
In an almost forgotten corner of Italy between the Adriatic and Ionian seas lies the captivating region of Puglia. |
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| NORWAY: So You Thought the Vikings Were Gone? |
Norwegians like to dress up at the Viking Market in Gudvangen and show you how they lived during rowdier times. In the 2010 Viking Fest, there were 450 Viking re-enactors from 20 nations. Big crowds are expected in 2011! |
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For the people of France, Arles and Provence are symbols of a relaxed rhythm of life |
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| Malta: Sparkling Gem of the Mediterranean |
One of the smallest nations in the world, Malta offers an eclectic mix of influences from all corners of the Mediterranean, and it is still off the beaten tourist path. |
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| Formidable Forcalquier: An Historic Market Town in Provence |
Once the capital of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, the market town of Forcalquier boasts views stretching west to the snow-covered Alps and to the rolling hills of the Luberon in the east. |
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| Trekking Europe's Alps: A Surprise in Every Bite |
Have you always wanted to do more than just see the Alps from a distance? Well, now the Via Alpina is a new way to discover this legendary region. |
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Lapland is a magical place for winter sports, where for more than half the year the landscape is covered in snow for at least 200 days. |
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| THE ISLES OF SCILLY: Great Britain’s Summer Place |
Just 28 miles off the coast of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain and Land's End an archipelago of some 150 islands includes the picture-postcard paradise known as the Isles of Scilly. |
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| From Canterbury to Rome: In the Footsteps of Medieval Pilgrims |
In the Middle Ages, an arduous 79-day journey inspired many pilgrims across Europe to go in search of the three holy sites of Christianity: Rome, Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain and Jerusalem with the crusades. Once again, it is possible for 21st Century pilgrims to follow in their footsteps. |
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| BAVARIA:Exploring Würzburg |
Würzburg in Bavaria is a beautiful, historical city surrounded by pristine countryside. Like much of Europe she has suffered dark periods, but now the past has been pushed aside to reveal a vibrant, up to the minute city that is a pleasure to visit. |
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The Dream and The Reality Venice has been called "The Queen of the Adriatic, "La Serenissima", "City of Water", "City of Bridges", "City of Canals"; but it is at Carnival time in the month of February that she becomes "The City of Masks". We are pleased to bring you one man's extraordinary vision of Carnival in Venice. |
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| Galicia’s Coast of Death: |
Shipwrecks and Lace Galicia, Spain’s northern province offers a striking contrast with the usual images of hot summers, bullfights, castanets, Flamenco dancers and paella. Galicia offers a rugged coastline known for shipwrecks but also famed for the fine lace work made there, its traditional foods and as site of one of the oldest pilgrimage trails in Europe. |
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| On the Dracula Trail to Transylvania |
In the writing of his book, "In the Footsteps of Dracula: A Personal Journey and Travel Guide", Steven P. Unger retraces the trail from England to Southern Romania followed by the fictional Count Dracula and finds the traces of the historic Vlad the Impaler in the mountainous region of Transylvania. |
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Sailing Past the Monaco ClassicWeek Every year the Principality of Monaco’s local yacht club parades, races and pays homage to some of the world's finest old sailing yachts, motor yachts and speed boats. It is The Monaco Classic Week, last held in September 2009. |
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| Ireland's Cliffs of Moher |
A less-traveled area in a much-visited country, Ireland’s rocky coastline of Country Clare offers a stunningly beautiful landscape that compels many visitors to translate their feelings to prose. |
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Ever since there were cities, the impulse has existed to use city walls as a way for the disenfranchised to shout, “I exist”, to express personal or civic anger and rebellion or simply as a form of artistic self-expression that has ranged from the banal to the near sublime? At the very least graffiti says something about the collective unconscious and character of the city that contains it. This is how they do it in Valencia in southern Spain. |
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| Valencia: No Longer Spain’s Ugly Duckling |
The old Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale about the ugly duckling that turned into a swan could be said to apply to Valencia, with a population of close to a million and Spain’s third largest city. The city has had an ugly duckling makeover and is on the tourist map.. |
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| Germany: A Winter Vacation in Lüneburg |
After many years of living outside Germany, Christel Detsch returns to Lüneburg during the Christmas season and finds memories of a traditional German Christmas. |
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• The Extremadura Region, birthplace of the Conquistadors.
• The Alpujarras region of Granada, last refuge of the Moors.
• Saint Joan, quiet corner of the frenetic Island of Ibiza.
(Click here or on the map of Spain) |
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| Albania - a nation's commitment to art |
The Mayor of Albania’s capital city Edi Rama says, “If art and color can inspire people to think more creatively and take pride in their community, then they will take over in building a vibrant city. That is what they are doing in Tirana |
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| SLOVENIA: Small Is Beautiful |
Tucked neatly between Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia the small Central European country of Slovenia offers a wealth of diversity when it comes to landscape, beauty, lifestyle and history. |
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Classified officially as one of France's most beautiful villages, Entrevaux clings to the mountainside in the Alpes-de-Haut-Provence |
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In 2006 two Dutchmen proved that it is not only possible but a challenging and unique adventure as well. They organized a bike expedition of 7,200 km (4,500 miles) beginning in Paris, continuing through France, Andorra and Spain, crossing the Mediterranean to northwest Africa through portions of the Sahara, the biggest desert on earth, traversing Morocco, Mauritania, and ending in Dakar, the capital city of Senegal. |
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| The Boyne Valley: Ireland, Land Of Myth And Legend |
Situated in the eastern midlands of Ireland, a half hour drive to the northwest of the country's modern capital of Dublin, is County Meath. With over 5000 years of history, this relatively small county and its Boyne River Valley boast a prolific wealth of historical monuments, including Tara, said to be Ireland's ancient capital.
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Two guest houses located on the spectacular Amalfi Coast, one a provincial home in Positano, the other a palazzo in Sorrento, offer their patrons cooking lessons, if desired, or simply memorable cuisine to enjoy and outstanding accommodations from which to explore this splendid region of Italy. |
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Natalia Motili, a native of Moldova gives her travel impressions of the Republic of Georgia, formerly a part of th USSR. Ms Motili tells it like it is. |
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The Mediterranean region of Turkey is a true eye opener--gorgeous scenery, interesting natural attractions and friendly locals--and the best way to see all this region has to offer is by joining a jeep safari.
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| Saumur: The French Connection |
Saumur is an excellent place for an English-speaking visitor to connect with the history of the Loire Valley and the French people that live there today and are a part of that blended history. |
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| Biking France's Loire Valley |
There is no better rhythm to exploring France's historic Loire Valley than the self-paced tempo of bicycle touring. |
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Riga, Latvia's capital and international gateway is considered to be the cultural center of the three Baltic Republics.
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| The Greek Isles: An Aegean Island Odyssey |
The Isles of Greece inspired some of our oldest and most evocative myths. In an age of mass tourism, the Cyclades remain as enticing as ever. |
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| Croatia: Cruising The Adriatic In Style |
Elegant Cruises' large new yacht, M/Y Monet brings up-scale cruising to the Adriatic Sea and Croatia's Dalmatian coast at medium-scale prices.
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If you like fairytales, you'll love Prague. If you like grandeur and history, you'll love Prague. Waiting for you is your own personal Prague, if you have the curiosity to explore its many less-visited corners. |
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Wales is a quiet corner of Great Britain, a special place where history, song, poetry and the ancient Celtic traditions are alive and well in the beauty of a very green, unspoiled country.
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| Umbria: A View From The Saddle |
Flash, Generale, Lucifero, Axel, Silver snort and exhale clouds of smoky breath into the cold, clear morning air. They grunt as Mario and Ernesto cinch up each saddle's girth strap. Axel's metal bit clinks and rattles as he tongues it into a comfortable position in his sensitive mouth. Lucifero scuffs the sawdust floor of his stall with newly shod hooves, impatient to be off. Who are these steeds? |
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| Exploring Czech Bohemia By Car |
The Czech Republic is one of the success stories coming out of the political changes in Eastern Europe; and a very good way to explore the treasures of its region of Bohemia is by self-drive auto.
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| Hungary: More Than Budapest |
The Puszta or Great Plains of Hungary will surprise and delight you with their combination of sophistication and rustic charm. |
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| The Premiere Spas Of Europe |
Many North Americans still harbor the misconception that European spas are fat-farms, mostly for older women seeking lost youth through quick injections of goat glands. This, in part, is an old wives tale. The European spa approach to get well along with the American idea to get fit combines the best of both worlds. It's not a new idea. |
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| Scotland: Land of Valor, Poetry, Civility |
Scotland: "Tis a wee country, aye--but a bonnie one." |
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