posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 25
Florence, Italy is Italy’s foremost Renaissance city. It is the home of Dante, Michelangelo, Machiavelli and the Medici. The city has so much art and history that it can be overwhelming.
In fact the beauty of the city has caused some people to faint. The French writer Stendhal was so dazzled by the beauty of Chiesa di Santa Croce that he was unable to walk. This condition is now known as the Stendhal syndrome and Florentine doctors treat dozens of cases a year.
As beautiful and remarkable as Florence is most of the year, it is hot, crowded and polluted in the summer. If at all possible you should visit Florence in the fall, spring, or winter when you can enjoy all that the city has to offer.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 25
The island?s chronicles say that the conquerors, after disembarking, settled down on the Guiniguada ravine. Before finishing the conquest, they had already built the first villages on the hillock where the Castilians had set up camp. During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, the city grew towards inland areas, occupying the vegetable and fruit plots, which the first settlers liked so much. Nowadays, the Palmas of Gran Canaria has become, according to the University of Syracuse, the city with the best climate in the world, as average annual temperatures are around 22? C.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 25
Le?n has been the military capital of Roman Hispania, an important Visigoth city and the seat of the Astur-Leon?s kingdom during the Reconquest period. The legacy of this historical splendour is a large number of churches, monuments and sites, all of which are a must-see if you are to better understand ancient and medieval Spain. The 11th century Romanesque Basilica of St Isidoro was built due to the importance which the city attained during the era when the popularity of the Santiago Way was at its peak. Le?n is an obligatory stop on the route, and this factor, along with the eponymous kingdom which surrounded the city added to its standing. Here, many of the kings of Le?n are buried and in their pantheon, visitors can take in what experts have labelled ?the Sistine chapel of the Spanish Romanesque style?, whose vaults contain painted frescos.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 25
It is said that real artists have nothing to do with frontiers. It is probably true. Since the Catalonian Antonio Gaud? i Cornet broke through architecture a century ago to become an icon with a genuine language, many other people have tried to follow his steps and to achieve international recognition for their works. These successors to Gaudi have managed to achieve the most difficult task, that is, international success and to place Spain in a privileged position in the field of architecture.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 18
The area next to the Navarre Pyrenees has a special charm, thanks to the natural treasures it has hidden since time immemorial. The last Iberian glaciers, deep canyons, extensive areas of forest where species in danger of extinction such as the brown bear or the bearded vulture are some of the wonders travellers can contemplate. The inhabitants of this area still conserve their ancestors? deep-rooted traditions of the mountains, owing to the isolation of these valleys during centuries and the hotel offer ranges from magical ?paradores? (State-run hotels housed in historic buildings) to large tourist complexes.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 18
Since the last years, considerable changes have been made along the route. 120,000 trees have been planted around the villages in the 144 municipalities taking part in the scheme. 450 information points are also on hand to prevent travellers losing their bearings, with markers every 250 metres to tell you in what direction you are going and what point in the journey you have reached.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 14
Compiled by Hotel Teatro Concierge Carolyn Bartel
Shops
Cry Baby Ranch
Roxanne Thurman opened her doors in 1990 but moved to the north side ofLarimer Streeta few years ago in order to expand her ???homestead.??? Turning the term ???western wear??? on its ear, this boutique offers cowgirl boots, irreverent tees, outerwear and fabulous accessories. From panorama rawhide lampshades to custom jewelry; designer scarves (created by the family of the ???dickie??? inventor!) to vintage cowgirl home furnishings and bath products, this eclectic shop is a treat for the inner-cowgirl in all of us. Catering toDenver???s more upscale visitors, Cry Baby Ranch also does a bang-up business on line and is a favorite for mail orders from Hotel Teatro???s more high profile guests.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 8
Travel to Hawaii is ramping up after recent rains have slowed bookings. The weather has cleared and sunshine has returned to the Islands!
Recently John Monahan, President and CEO of the Hawai’i Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) stated “We’re enjoying blue skies and the warm sunny climate that everyone expects when coming to Hawai’i.”[1]
Repeat travelers to Hawaii are on the rise, with more than 62% of visitors enjoying the sun and sand more than once. Today’s travelers are also more likely to be independent, and rely less on group and package tours. In 2000 just over 49% of travelers were independent explorers, while in 2005 that number rose to nearly 54%.[2]
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 4
The Roman Walls were built at the end of this period. Our walk through history departs from there, in C?sar Augusto Avenue. These walls, with a perimeter of 3 kms, surrounded the whole city, which was defended by 120 semicircular or ultrasemicircular towers. The walls had four gates located at the end of their axis. Under the streets we are walking and stepping on, it is known for sure that there are remains of these walls, built in the Roman period and essential to the defence of the city in later times.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Oct 4
A full programme runs from the 5th to the 15th of October, ranging from the purely religious - reaching its zenith on the 12th with the traditional floral offering to the Virgin - to theatre, bulls, children?s and musical activities. This year?s fiestas have a popular feel, with grand theatre and musical acts all set on the street. The city council?s cultural section received multitudes of public requests for this type of entertainment, which is free and takes place throughout the city.
Among the highlights on view during the week are:
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