Visit Sensational Maratea

Located in Southern Europe, Italy is a peninsula extending into the
central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia. When traveling to
Italy it is important to remember that you are not at home, so
always be respectful and conservative.

WEATHER AND CLOTHING

In general the weather is very hot and steaming in the dead of the
summer. We recommend that you wear light clothing. Be sure to
have sunglasses, hat and sunblock, as they are essential.
Afternoon thunderstorms (brief) are common in Rome and inland
cities, so you may want to consider bringing an umbrella. It is
essential to follow dress standards (no bare shoulders or knees)
and is strictly enforced in many churches, especially in Rome at St.
Peter’s and the Vatican Museums and at the Basilica di San Marco
in Venice.

SAFETY

Remember to protect yourself against purse-snatchers and
pickpockets. It is recommended that you wear a money belt or a
pouch on a string around your neck, both concealed. When you
have to carry a purse make sure that is around your neck and
tucked between your body and arm.  A word of caution: “gypsy”
children are widespread in Rome, are skilled pickpockets that are
quick, and know more tricks than you do.

TELEPHONES

Since hotel tend to overcharge for long distance and international
calls. It is best to make such calls from public phones, using
telephone cards. For general information in English dial 176. To
place international telephone calls via operator assisted service,
dial 170 or long distance access numbers. The country code for
Italy is 39.

If you are in need of additional information or have found what you
are looking for. We suggest that you complete an internet search
for additional information.
Have a safe and enjoyable trip to Italy!

Cagliari is the capital of the island of Sardinia, a region of Italy.

Cagliari is renown for its open and friendly international people, art museums and Art Galleries, the sea, the movida and cheap lodgings, classic itineraries and a lot more to make a visit worth wise.

Cagliari’s Sardinian name Casteddu literally means the castle.

In general, Flashbooking guides have been written for giving the essential information about the most visited cities in the world and in particular for any traveller or first-time visitor.

It has about 160,000 inhabitants, or about 350,000 including the suburbs.

For a short visit, a week-end, a city break, these free pocket guides are useful printable and downloadable tools available online.

Cagliari has some peculiar gastronomic traditions. Many dishes are based on the wide variety of fish and sea food available, for example, burrida.

With the monthly newsletter, Flashbooking puts at travellers, students, volunteers free disposal some useful pocket travel guides of major European cities: the Amsterdam City guide, the London City guide, the Prague City guide, the Paris City guide, the Rome City guide, the Florence City guide, and the freshly issued Naples City guide!! For the Cagliari travel guide Flashbooking staff efforts concentrate on making it simple to read dividing the Cagliari centre in different districts with their relevant amenities.

Although it is possible to trace influences from Spanish gastronomy, Cagliaritanian food has a distintctive and unique character.

Flashbooking cheap lodging solutions are all available for online bookings and divided by Countries. Travellers have free access to the updated list of Europe hostels and budget hotels, North and South America hostels, Caribbean and Central America hostels as well as for Asia cheap accommodations, Oceania youth hostels and Africa hostels.

Very good wines are also part of Cagliaritanians’ dinners: excellent wines are in fact produced in the nearby vineyards of the Campidano plain.

In particular Flashbooking provides a large selection of cheap or low cost accommodation offers in Cagliari where there are plenty of low cost solutions for backpackers in budget youth hostels, Bed and Breakfast, family run guesthouses, cheap hotel deals.

See Flashbooking database of selected accommodations worldwide and help us enlarging the hostel offer by reporting the contacts of some accommodations, lodgings, BandB, youth hostels and budget small hotels where you personally stayed. In fact, Flashbooking policy tends to privilege small and family-run hotels in order to promote an alternative tourism respectful of cultures and different societies.

Flashbooking is becoming a recognized source of information and services for who loves creating a trip by him/herself and book bed nights securely online.

Flashbooking is a growing youth hostels and hotels directory specializing in budget accommodation for independent travellers, students, backpackers, families and all the ones that travel on a pocket.

Between the Tevere River and Bolsena lake, in the green latium countryside, on the top of a clay hill, rises the small town “Civita di Bagnoregio”.

Civita appears isolated on a cliff spur to dominate the around valley and, thanks to this isolation, the town shows intact its medieval architectonical structure.

Joined to Bagnoregio, and to the world, through only one bridge, Civita appears in an unreal isolation due to landslip series and downfall of argillaceous ground on which the entire town is built and that is still in danger.

The History of Civita and Bagnoregio links each to other and the legend wants that Longobardi’s king Desiderio named the city Bagnoregium after he was there to cure serious disease with local thermal water (Bagnoregio is a word composed by bagno (means: bath) and regio (regal, king)).

The urban planning of the city is of Etruscan origin, constituted from ortogonal alleys as Etruscan and later roman use, while the entire architectonic has medioeval and rinascimentale styles.  Several sculptures of medieval age, pertaining to buildings destroyed for continuous landslips are inglobated on the arc and in the wall to the sides of town access gate.

The heart of the village of Civita is constituted from San Donato square, on which the cathedral dome rises.  The cathedral was built in centuries VII – VIII, over a more ancient pagan temple.  The building was widened in the XI XII when a bell tower was built too.  In origin the cathedral had to be faced from a porch, today destroyed, like us testifies the rests of two columns placed the facade.  Inside, the building, has three naves splitted by columns of medieval origin.

Always in San Donato square, on the left of the bell tower, there is a passage that leads to the building of medieval jails, while on the southern side of the square we have “Via della Maestà” where we can see fragments of typical longobard sculptures.  At the end of this road there were the gate of the Maestà, collapsed with the church of “Santa Maria della Maestà” after a landslip in 1695. From there, a narrow lane came down to the water sources of Civita, in particular to source

of the Columns and in the zone called “dell’Uncino” (hook), where, for the legend, was located the thermal source from which Bagnoregium name derived.

“Your bill sir,” the waiter whispered with a gentle murmur of broken English. He spoke with a smile. He either expected a tip or had just broken wind. The consequences of the latter were too grim to bear so I settled up quickly and retreated to the waterfront.

Lake Garda glistened in the moonlight, perfectly still but for the faint ripples from passing boats. Illuminations danced like fireflies upon the open water, enticing you into the lake to view the town from a different perspective.

Across the water the imposing presence of the Dolomite Mountains were just visible in the silver moonlight. At the base of one of the peaks the lights of a solitary hotel shone, a mere insignificance set against such a commanding backdrop.

I continued along the waterfront. Everywhere was alive with vibrant bars and romantic restaurants bursting at the seams. Tourists and locals mingled beside the banks of the lake, enjoying the friendly ambience. Courting couples filled every nook and cranny, tongues entwined and hands all over one other. I wanted to vomit.

“You like cruise of Lake Garda sir?” queried a rather shady looking character. He looked like a second-hand car salesman eager to get his hands on my money.

“How much?” I asked half-heartedly.

“Only four euros. We back in twenty minutes.”

What the heck I thought and handed over the money. At least it would get me away from all these sex maniacs. I took my seat on the boat. In front of me a courting couple had tongues entwined and hands all over one other.

“Oh Johnny,” she said.

“Oh Shaz,” he said.

“Oh Christ!” I said and quickly found another seat. We soon found ourselves in open water, gently swaying in the still night air.

But for some idle chatter the silence was mesmerising. It was only out here, detached from the village and the modern world, that you could appreciate the seductiveness of Lake Garda. The lights from the village offered the only hint of civilisation. This was nature as intended.

Back ashore it was late and noticeably cooler. I made my way from the jetty and headed back to the hotel for some much needed shut-eye. The route back led through the high street. Despite the late hour, revellers were queued outside the more popular bars and restaurants.

“You like a drink sir?” enticed a local bar owner intent on striking some custom.

“Not tonight mate,” I muttered and trudged wearily onward into the night.

“Free drink for you and lots of pretty ladies,” he called out behind me. I turned around. The night was still young!

The first time I arrived in Italy by train it felt  completely different to anywhere I’d travelled already. It was the summer of 2000 and I had been travelling for a nearly 2 weeks. I was more than relieved when the train pulled out of Nice on that bright August morning, what a misnomer, Nice was in my eyes not very nice at all. So when the train wound its way around the rocky hillsides, passing over the coastal rocks below I put it from my mind and concentrated on the electric blue waters of the med and the thought of my first genuine Italian cappuccino.

From my window seat I could see the vibrantly coloured flowers hanging from the trees clinging to the banks above the bays, bright flowers in pots along the platforms of the tiny train stations, and the heart warming sight of an Italian Nonna sweeping her porch out, her house sitting right next to the train tracks. As I was later to travel this track many times she became my ‘Italian Nonna’ and I looked out for her everytime I passed by.

Arriving in Ventimiglia, the first real stop over the border from France, (Monaco was also along the way) into Italy I was pleased to see a distinct difference between the Italian locals and the French ones I’d left behind. Admittedly there is a real sense of the Mediterranean life all the way along the Cote D’Azur, with fairly laid back individuals, all there to soak up sun and wine, but these locals appeared even more so. The Carabinieri  on the platform as we pulled up were looking so relaxed as to almost appear asleep, even the sniffer dog didn’t look at all bothered that 15 sweaty backpackers had just arrived. Nobody moved, no passports were checked, just a few cheery ‘ciaos’ and a ‘benvenuti’.

After leaving our bags with the guide to mind we set off to explore for an hour before catching the next train. Having already spent the better half of the previous hour  practising how to order a cappuccino in Italian I was eager to try it out. We found a kerbside café and sat down. To my amazement the waiter understood my request on the first go and duly brought me the coffee. I was still grinning when we got back on the train.

The journey to Cinque Terre takes you through countless tunnels, carved into the cliffs hanging out over jagged rocks and pebbly beaches. Each time we hit the darkness, the curtains flapping dementedly in the open windows,  I could still see the blue water imprinted on the inside of my eyelids. Nowhere else have I experienced that effect.

The locals and us were all chatting amongst ourselves until one guy asks me where we are all going in Italian. I answer Rio Maggiore. Then he asks me where we are all from. I explain that I am a tour guide and my group are all from all over the world. He is going to Calabria to see his mother and  he is from Milan. He works in a factory there making cars. Another lady opens her travelling cool box to share some iced coffee in tiny plastic espresso cups with the 2 Korean girls in my group, and another one pulls out some ‘dolce’, sweet pastries to share with the Canadian girls.

Of all my train journeys in Europe I have found the Italians to be the most generous to backpackers, in terms of communication and sharing the contents of their cooler bags. Especially on the train going to Calabria from the north.

I once spent the leg between Pisa and Rome stuck in a corridor with an old guy of 60, a phrase book and a lot of sign language. He was very keen to tell me his family history and was most impressed that a kiwi from ‘lontano’ was trying to speak Italian. He even gave me grammar lessons and corrected my pronunciation. That never happened on a French train.

More recently on the train to Florence from Pisa I sat next to a girl from Romania getting an entire itinerary of what to see and do in Florence from the guy opposite her in Italian. The interesting bit was she only spoke a few words but seemed to grasp most of what he was saying. It was great to see the passion for which he was talking about what was obviously his home town.

On one trip I managed to fulfil the desires of one rather shy Chinese girl who had a thing for men in uniform. She was trying to collect as many photos of them as possible from all over Europe. Some Italian Navy boys had got on at La Spezia, obviously from the Naval base there,  heading to Rome along with a couple of Air Force boys. They  were filling the corridor outside the dining car, laughing and yelling,  all only too willing to pose for a couple of photos with my now tomato-red-in-the-face passenger. We thought we hit the jackpot when some army boys were spotted on the platform at Ostiense in Rome, but they were waiting for another train. She got a photo through the window instead.

The most frustrating time on the trains can be Florence S.M.N. The letters could easily stand for ‘so many new platforms’ instead of Santa Maria Novella as they have an annoying pastime of switching tracks on you. You have to listen to the announcements very carefully. They do them in both English and Italian but as soon as one train is late arriving they start shuffling the rest of the platforms like a deck of cards. With a group of 12 individuals one day we were waiting an extra 45 minutes for the train to Venice, supposedly arriving on track 11, then it was track 9, then it was back to track 11 at the very last minute. We broke the rules and ended up hurling packs across the train tracks onto the end carriage as the guard blew his whistle for the departure and we had some stragglers who hadn’t heard the change walking back from the sandwich bar. Everybody made it with a sprint finish.

On the contrary, in Venice the train guard was very accommodating when I had lost an American passenger between the baggage depot and the train in the short space of about 10 minutes. I explained she was late and he smiled, said ok, and waited an extra 5 minutes with me. Eventually he tapped his watch and we had to abandon her.  This was the last train out of Italy to Austria that day so I wasn’t sure when I’d see her again. When I eventually did she had an awesome adventure to tell, but that’s entirely another story.

For point to point travel you can’t beat the Italian trains for good value, not just in the price because with a train ticket you get so much more than just a seat. Sometimes you don’t even always get a seat, especially if it’s in the middle of August, but you get a fantastic opportunity to experience the local culture that just can’t be had from a guide book or the inside of a bus.

Dream wedding location is very hard to find our and also get it is such an unbelievable cause. All we have one dream about our wedding location and 90% of us would not find such dream wedding destination. But tips for getting your imagined villas or palace for your wedding or reception may help those 90% people.

All of we search for romantic, beautiful wedding villas or destination in Italy to get married. Italy is known as home of Europe. Charme of Italy can not be described in words. Italy is full of natural beauties, gorgeous villas, palaces and beautiful landscapes where any occasions can become mind blowing. Natural beauties and scenes add some perfume into wedding or reception atmosphere and make occasions more romantic.

Arrange your wedding in Italy will be exactly as you have always wished it, more than all your expectations, and – moreover – with the professional touch of expert wedding planner, who will guide you in the organization and choice of the catering service, of the menu, of the flowers, of the bouquet, of music, of the gifts for your guests, of the invitation cards and whatever will make your wedding a special day. Specialize in wedding planner will be personally attending the ceremony and the wedding reception in Italy, for assuring you a perfect happy day.

All wedding planners have their expert team who decorate your wedding place uniquely. According to your choice they decorate your wedding location with flowers, candles, marquee and other special requests from your side will be fulfilled. They can also arrange flowers for decoration of your choice. Romantic Vendela roses, flimsy gypsophila, precious orchids, lisianthus, orange blossoms or plenty of colorful tulips… we are able to find all your favorite flowers and an experienced florists staff will study and build, according to your wishes.

Keep Some Tips while selecting Wedding or Reception destination in Italy:

1.  While selecting palace, villas or resort for wedding, keep your budget in mind.
2.  Location should be located at most beautiful location with romantic atmosphere.
3.  Prepare list of amenities which are your basic needs, and after completing it, tally once with list and amenities.
4.  Read and understand all rules and regulations of wedding planners and also of location renters.
5.  Do not forget to count budget for decoration, it may be possible that your budget of decoration went out of limit than     budget      of venue.
6.  Personally involve with all arrangement of wedding or reception so that you can give comfort and ease to your friends and      relatives.
7.  Always plan and book in much advance so that at the end you do not have to face any hustle & bustle.
8.  Keep in mind that your wedding should not give you stress, wedding is the occasion when all of you can enjoy each and every      ceremony and beautiful unforgettable moments.
9.  In any emergency do not get confused, tackle situation with cool mind.
10.  If you are stressed your guests can not enjoy, so be happy and keep all happy.

Well planned wedding or reception can be memorable for you and for your friends & family. These are the occasions in our life, we only plan once and therefore we all wish it executes perfectly and without any trouble. So advanced planning will be helpful to you to enjoy your wedding.

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The Pantheon, one of the greatest engineering feats, was built in the time of Hadrian, the emperor known for his famous wall among other things, around 125 AD. This marvellous edifice has stood the test of time. While other monuments of the world crumbled, the Pantheon stands intact today, thanks to the brilliant design and engineering expertise of those responsible for this strikingly magnificent monument.

Structurally the Pantheon has an imposing entrance, constructed in the shape of a rectangle. The classic Greek influence is evident in the granite pillars that bear a triangular pediment. The entrance leads into a rotunda, topped by a dome. The entrance to the circular space has three rows of Corinthian pillars. Of these, eight are constructed in front, followed by eight more in two sets. This majestic rectangular entrance takes you into the rotunda.

That the circular structure should be able to hold up a 142-foot diameter dome for so many centuries stands as proof of the sound architectural knowledge, the combination of materials used and the precision to which the construction was carried out. At the centre of the dome is an opening called the oculus. This clever idea not only allows light to enter the structure, but also helps distribute the weight evenly. There is one drawback: the rain too has free access to the interior. That too was catered for by sloping the floor in the direction of the drains.

Every aspect of the building was planned carefully. The design of the steps is equally amazing. They are tapered in such a way that the base, which is 20 feet in thickness, is heavier than the top. The steps decrease in weight until they reach the oculus, where they weigh less and are just 7.5 feet thick. Strange as it may seem this brainwave of the architects involved was not picked up by future builders.

Handicapped though the builders were in those days, without the advantage of machines and high precision instruments, yet they were able to erect a monument that has stood for almost 2000 years. Besides, transportation wasn’t advanced. The only way they could move the materials was via the River Tiber. On land, the building material would have to be placed on carts and dragged by man or beast to the site.

The remarkable thing about the Pantheon is that except for the restoration of its massive bronze doors, no major repair work has been carried out on the structure, despite it having been built on marshy soil. In comparison, the leaning Tower of Pisa has undergone many renovations, in attempts to keep it from collapsing. The soft ground on which it was built has been blamed for this.

Copies have been attempted of the Pantheon. The Reading Room at the British Museum, as also the rotunda, named for Thomas Jefferson in the University of Virginia are examples. However, the Pantheon transcends every replica made of it in beauty and structural elegance.

The Pantheon has always been put to good use. Many famous people including monarchs have been buried there. From the eighth century to the present day, the Pantheon has been used as a church.

If you do get an opportunity to visit Rome, put the Pantheon on the top of your ‘must see’ list. It’s well worth the effort.

For new travelers who never been to Rome before could find out that it is very hard to imagine how Rome looks like and how to prepare themselves before visiting Rome. There are already plenty of this kind of information but this one probably the in-dept one that you are looking for. There are some good tips about what kind of attractions that you should visit when you are in Rome as they are particularly interesting even some of them may not be the highlighted attractions.

Rome is very well known among travelers of its attractive building, environment and fascinating culture. One you have a chance to visit Rome, you will be able to find out that Rome is not just a place for vacation and relax but it is also for anyone who wants to learn history and culture because Rome is the city that has very interesting history and diversity of culture. By visiting Rome, there are some tourist attractions that could not be missed.

General description of Rome
Rome is classified by tourists as one of the top destination of the world. This is because the weather in Rome, which climate mild and rainy in winter rather than full of snow, is usually accommodate all kind of vacation and activities, so these reasons make Rome can be visited throughout the year. Moreover, it is very easy to access in terms of immigration as you do not need visa to visit Rome unless you will stay for longer than 90 days period. The best time to visit Rome is anytime that you want but you should be aware of time during between October and March, when Rome in the off-peak months. When you decide to visit Rome, it is strongly suggest that you should find accommodation around the historic district.

However, before you go to Rome, it is also a good idea to make a forward planning of where you are going to visit and check list of what you have to do during the trip as this can help you to save time and money. Planning about transportation is also required, as there are many kinds of transport that you can choose, you may be taking Tram system, that goes around the city and it is strongly recommend for people who want to enjoy sightseeing tour.

There are some highlighted attractions that you just could not miss. They are kind of “symbol” of Rome and people who visited Rome but missed this attractions is considered as they have never visited to Rome. These attractions are Coliseum and the Roman Forum. Coliseum is the ancient stadium and it is the film shooting site of the movie Gladiator. However, the opening times of the Coliseum is not certain, depends on the time of the year, so you may have to check information before you visit. The Roman Forum is the civic center of Ancient Rome where citizen joined and discussed about economic, religious and political activities. You may hire a tour guide to provide more information about this attraction by pay just a little more money to get more knowledge.

The island of Sardinia perhaps most quickly conjures up the idea of sardines. A small island off of the western coast of Italy, it certainly incorporates seafood in to much of its regional cuisine. However, Sardinia has such a rich and various history that it bears little resemblance to the traditional idea of Italian cooking. Like many other Italian regional cuisines, Sardinia’s regional taste is often a surprise for a palette that is expecting red sauce and parmesan cheese to be the beginning and end of traditional Italian cooking. While it is a region of Italy, Sardinia’s history is shared with explorers of many European nations, such as Greece, France, and Spain. This diverse history of people shows in the traditions and culture of this isolated island destination.

While, being an island, seafood, especially shellfish, plays a large part in the regional cuisine of Sardinia, very few Sardinian meals do not incorporate lamb, a rich resource in the mountainous inland of the island of Sardinia. In addition to the lamb’s meat, a favorite of Sardinian chefs, very few meals are complete without the company of sheep’s milk and wild fennel. Stews and roasts are popular choices for the people of Sardinia. Looking at any Sardinian recipe, it is easy to see that the cuisine of this hilly island is a veritable stone soup of the many different cultures that have passed through the island over the years.

The seafood traditions of the Greek isles can be found in the mussel stews and roasted lobster dishes that keep the island’s fishermen busy. Malloreddus is a Sardinian pasta that can be found in many stews and pasta dishes accompanying chicken or rabbit basted in fennel or saffron. Malloreddus is a grooved pasta that very much resembles gnocchi in taste and texture, and is made of semolina flour and sometimes seasoned lightly with saffron, while most gnocchi is made with potato.

Stews are very popular in the regional cuisine of Sardinia, and even meat and poultry dishes are served in rich cooking sauces that could just as easily be served as soups. For this reason, accompanying a Sardinian entrée with a hearty crusted bread or a side of potatoes makes for a very filling meal. Pasta, in the traditional sense is not as large a part of Sardinian cooking as in other regions of Italy. The pastas of Sardinia are more commonly associated with Middle Eastern cuisine. Hearty grains and fusilli more commonly accompany the dishes of Sardinian regional cuisine, as opposed the lasagna, spaghetti or linguine that Americans more commonly associate with Italian cooking.

Between the diverse history of Sardinia’s people, from France to the Middle East, and the various different landscapes and resources that can be found throughout the island, it is hard to put Sardinian cuisine into one category. One thing is for sure though, while you will find many different types of food on the island of Sardinia, it is unlikely that you will find anything like it anywhere else in the world.

I have had many opportunities to travel in the past few years. I am grateful for each chance I have had to see new parts of the world and to learn from cultures and people that are different from me. There are valuable things to be gained from all cultures, but I have fallen in love with all things Italian.

I have never been somewhere as magical and wonderful as Italy. There is something special about that country that cannot be understood until it is experienced. I spent almost a month there and walked away with a deep love for everything Italian.

The first and most obvious Italian thing to love is the food. Never have I tasted more delightful food than Italian. I guess because I have always loved pasta and I cannot get enough tomato. I had a month filled with amazing Italian meals. Some were cooked by experienced Italian chefs and others were cooked by grandmothers of my Italian friends. It didn’t seem to matter who was in the kitchen, though, because each meal was wonderful. I even took a few Italian cooking lessons while I was there, and they have done wonders for my own abilities in the kitchen. My family loves it that I have finally learned to cook something other than chicken.

I also love the Italian language. I didn’t learn much of it myself, but just being around it for a month was a great thing for my ears. I love the sound of Italian and the way it rolls of the tongue of the speaker. It is definitely a romantic sounding language. I was determined to take some Italian language classes when I returned home, but my life got back to busy within weeks and my dreams of learning Italian are on the backburner once again.

I love everything about the way that Italians do family. They share a joy of being together unlike I have seen in any other country. Italian families are big, too, and that makes everything more fun. I love the way Italians take every chance they get to celebrate. Meals turn into three hour long celebrations and they are filled with laughter and joy.

If you ever get the chance to visit Italy, take it. It is an experience worth having. I’m confident that you will fall in love with all things Italian. You will find yourself eating great food, immersed in a great language and making room in your busy schedule for more time there. Everything Italian is truly worth experiencing and enjoying.