Gaza Resist

Milan is a glamorous city, but not quite in the same class as Rome, Florence, or Venice.  The city provides the tourist a number of delightful explorations that are tightly clustered in the vicinity of the Duomo, Milan’s ostentatious cathedral.  Widely known as a fashion center, Milan is a great place for shopping

• Be sure to see the Duomo, La Scala, Castello Sforzesco and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.

• The Piazza del Duomo

The Piazza del Duomo provides several famous sights, including the Duomo (Milan’s Cathedral), the Museum of the Duomo, the Galleria Vittoria Emanuele II and the Palazzo Real. The Piazza is a great place for pictures, if you can clear a small area of the ever-present pigeons and  “doodad” hawkers who are trying to sell tourists anything Milanese (curiously, most of what they sell is made in China). On the western end of the Piazza, there are a number of neon signs that detract from the overall beauty of the square.

• Duomo

• The Duomo is an impressive site. The gothic cathedral’s architecture is decorated with numerous spires and more than three thousand statues.  Construction started in the fourteenth century and was completed only fifty years ago.  The massive cathedral is one of the largest in the world.
• Cavernous is the word that comes to mind when one views the interior of the Duomo – it can hold over twenty-five thousand for services.
• The Duomo does not have the sheer majesty that one would expect from a church of its size.  The interior statuary and decorations are interesting but not extraordinary.
  • The red light near the roof is a reliquary that holds what is believed to be a nail from the True Cross.
  • Examine the statue of St. Bartholomew from the side to see that he is posed carrying his own skin over his shoulder, a result of flaying during his martyrdom.
• Be sure the visit the small but interesting Treasury for some beautiful examples of silversmithing.
• Take the elevator to explore the roof of the cathedral.  The roof offers a great view of the gilded Madonna topping the Duomo, as well as a panorama of Central Milan.
• Immodest dress (shorts, sleeveless tops, etc.) will disqualify you from entry to the Duomo.

Museum of the Duomo

The Museum of the Duomo is closed for restoration. A date from re-opening has not yet been announced.

(Open 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and 3 pm to 6pm, seven days a week) (across from the Duomo in the Palazzo Real)

Most of the real treasures from the Duomo were removed for purposes of conservation and renovation. The Museum is arranged into approximately twenty small rooms containing statutes, paintings, columns, metalwork and a variety of impressive original items from the Duomo.

During a visit to the museum, you can view all items up close and appreciate the amazing artistry that went into the construction  and decoration of the Duomo.

• Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

  • The Galleria, reputed as one of the finest shopping malls in Italy, is an extraordinary arcade that is as beautiful as it is impressive. The stores and restaurants are not of as high quality as one would expect, but the cross-shaped Galleria provides a great walk-thru and shortcuts to La Scala and the Duomo, depending on where you enter.
    • The well-known Savini restaurant is located in the Galleria, but there has been increased discussion as to whether the quality of its food still matches the steepness of its prices.

• Palazzo Reale 

  • The Palazzo has had a checkered past having been altered by several conquerors (including the Spanish and the Austrians) and severely damaged in World War II.  The Palazzo currently houses the Museum of the Duomo and Milan’s Contemporary Art Museum.

New Zealand has so many outstanding places to visit that it is difficult to choose among them. We know that your vacation time is both brief and valuable. Our recommendations for the best places to visit will help you find the right place for your vacation in New Zealand.

Be sure to note that the period of the  seasons in the Southern Hemisphere is the opposite of the Northern Hemisphere.  During our summer, the Kiwis are experiencing winter. So if you want to ski in Queenstown, July and August can be the heart of the season. If you are not a skier, don’t let the concept of winter stop you from taking your summer vacation in New Zealand, since the snow usually stays at the higher elevations.

A trip to New Zealand should cover the country’s two major islands, known simply as the North Island and the South Island.  Both islands are interesting, but we recommend that you spend the majority of your time on the South Island, which, in our opinion, is pretty close to paradise.  For you fantasy fans, significant portions of the epic movie trilogy Lord of the Rings were filmed on the South Island.  If you are really a fan, Google “Lord of the Rings and the South Island of New Zealand” to find the companies that offer tours of the LOTR filming locations.

South Island

The South Island is sparsely populated and brimming with outdoor adventure.  You may see landscapes and scenery that you have not seen before, packaged in the most beautiful and moving of  environments.

One popular way to see the South Island  is a drive that starts at Christchurch, heads to Mt. Cook, down to Queenstown, over to Fiordlands NP, up through Westland NP, and crossing to the North Island using the ferry from Picton  to Wellington. For information on the Interislander Ferry that connects the islands

• Queenstown

  • Queenstown, sited on the shore of beautiful Lake Wakatipu, is surrounded by the  luscious  beauty of a mountain chain known as the  Remarkables.  The town is the focal point for a large and diverse recreational area. Queenstown is a place where you can “sit and think” or participate in various outdoor activities, some of them quite unique. The shopping is OK but limited and cultural attractions are sparse.

  

  • We doubt that you will tire of the view of the Lake at Queenstown and suggest that you take one of the many cruises available.  We recommend a voyage on  the TSS Earnslaw, an older steamship that somehow fits the area like a comfortable glove.
  • For other attractions in Queenstown,

• Fiordland National Park

  • The Fiordland NP is one of the wildest areas in New Zealand and one of the most beautiful (and this in a country where the comparatives are superlatives). Even if you do not want to tour Fiordlands, be sure to plan a trip to Milford Sound.

Milford Sound

• We think that cruising  Milford Sound (a glacial fjord/fiord) is worth the cost of the trip to New Zealand. The Sound’s scenery is spectacular – do not miss it!

Most   rental car agreements prohibit you from driving your rental on the road to Milford Sound.  The Milford Road is subject to avalanches and landslides and is often closed on short notice.  We recommend you sign-up for a tour and leave the driving to someone else. For information on the conditions along the Road to Milford Sound,

Australia has so many outstanding places to visit  during a vacation that it is difficult to choose among them. We know that your vacation time is both brief and valuable. Our recommendations for the best places to visit will help you find the right place for your vacation in Australia

There is a lot to like about Australia: however, tourists visit the country to see the  wonders of the natural landscape.  Our list of Places to Visit reflects this belief: although we recommend visiting the country’s leading cities, as rest stops between the real adventures.  We know this is a cause of disagreement with Australians, as they are justifiably proud of both their cities and the Outback..
We’ve just added a new, detailed highway map showing the locations of the best places to visit in Australia.  You can route between locations, examine satellite views of the country (be sure to zoom in ) and see a terrain shaded version of the country that shows the natural landscape

Great Barrier Reef  

The Great Barrier Reef is Australia’s number one attraction.  Over 1,400 miles in length, the Great Barrier Reef is billed as the world’s largest natural feature.  Consisting of thousands of individual reefs and over 600 islands, the Great Barrier Reef is best enjoyed if you dive or scuba.  If you have seen video on Discovery or National Geographic of the GBR shot during a night dive, you have seen better than you will see from one of the tour boats or during a regular dive.  Nevertheless, visiting the Great Barrier Reef is a “must do”.

• Cairns

  • Cairns is the one of themost popular starting points for exploration of the GBR.  It is a quaint town but not one that is particularly scenic or interesting.  You might be interested in taking a ride from Cairns on the Kuranda Railway for something different

• Townsville

  • The largest town in northern Queensland, Townsville is not quite a tourist haven, but has a number of minor attractions to fill your time between explorations of the Great Barrier Reef.

• Port Douglas

  • Port Douglas is the most popular jumping-off point for exploring the Great Barrier Reef. High-speed tour boats depart here for the Great Barrier Reef providing a nice day trip.
  • If you are looking for some pampering and can afford it, spend a few days at the Sheraton Mirage in Port Douglas.  If you cannot afford, stop by for a drink and save-up for your next visit.

There are few travelers unaware of Greece’s  fundamental role in ancient history, its  gods and goddesses, literature, and philosophers.  Visiting Greece provides an opportunity to examine  the culture that provided many of the threads woven into the fabric of Western Civilization.   But let’s not make visiting Greece sound like a tour through a dull, boring and crumbling museum.  Greece is a lively country whose inhabitants know how to live life to the fullest.

With a seemingly endless coastline and thousands of islands thrown in for good measure, a vacation in Greece offers a wonderful mix of cultural learning and soul-satisfying relaxation.  While almost every visitor is drawn to Greece’s world-famous antiquities, few can resist focusing on sun, sand and fun.  Whatever your plans for touring Greece, make sure they include visiting one or more of the fabulous Greek Islands.  Many of you will see Greece on a cruise.  Those who do will find themselves wanting to return to spend more than a day on such enchanting “islands”.

Of course, the question is always, “which islands?”, since, according the Greek Ministry of Tourism, the country includes over 6, 0000 islands and over 16,000km of coastline, although only 227 of the islands are inhabited.  Well, that cuts it down a bit, but see our recommendations below for a much more manageable number of destinations. Everywhere you go in the islands there will be opportunities for sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling, waterskiing, windsurfing and sailing.  Of course, many of these spectacular islands were once the home of unique civilizations and several  offer incredible archaeological adventures.

Greece is not a destination that should be rushed.  Its culture is complex and its rhythms are non-obvious to those who do not look and listen carefully.  Take your time, experience the culture and revel in the glories of a spectacularly interesting country.

Here are some of the places you must see:

• Athens

  • Athens is a place that should be on your “must see” list, but it may not be a place that will keep your attention for long.  Although Athens has several magnificent attractions, it is, also, a large, heavily populated, polluted, and relatively unfriendly metropolis.  Athens offers several important stops: we recommend that you get to it and, then, sample the Greek Islands, or the countryside, where the people seem to be somewhat friendlier.

• Meteora

  • The monasteries of Meteora are among the most photographed scenes in the world.  Sitting atop tall spires of rock, the monasteries were reputedly built to  give religious hermits protection from thieves and others who would interrupt their meditations

• Delphi

  • One of the most famous archaeological sites in Greece, Delphi offers interesting excavations of the Oracle’s world. The Delphi Museum includes the Charioteer and other important statues.

• Corinth

  • At one time ancient Corinth (near but not the modern city) was a wealthy town that rivaled Athens in trade and importance. Destroyed by the Romans two thousand years ago, Corinth is largely a Roman (not Greek) archaeological site.

• Monemvasia 

  • An interesting walled city on the sea in the south-eastern Peloponnese, Monemvasia offers a pleasant afternoon’s diversion.  The city is entered through a narrow gate followed by walkways that climb slowly around its hill.  Filled with stone walks, small houses, and good restaurants and shops, Monemvasia is a place where you could loose a lot of time. Take a walk up the hill to see the town’s fortifications, an old church, and a wonderful view of town and its setting on the water. Follow this with lunch at one of the many fine restaurants and, then, head for your next stop.

Japan is a country that offers the tourist exotic beauty and marvelous attractions. Anyone who makes the trip should have the vacation of a lifetime.   Unfortunately, Japan is one country where the language barrier does make travel very difficult for the English-speaking visitor.  Traveling in Japan takes more effort than traveling in Europe but we think you will find that the rewards are more than worth the effort. Japan has so many outstanding places to visit  during a vacation that it is difficult to choose among them. We know that your vacation time is both brief and valuable. Our recommendations for the best places to visit will help you find the right place for your vacation in Japan.

The team at ThereArePlaces has developed a proprietary method for evaluating the attractiveness of towns and regions as tourist destinations. We used this methodology to create our list of the best places to visit in Japan. We believe that the cities and regions described below are the country’s key tourist destinations, contain Japan’s best attractions and urge you to visit them during your travels in Japan.

Tokyo

• Tokyo is where most tourist journeys of Japan start. It is hard to understate the shock value of Tokyo to the western visitor: finally, you will understand the real meaning of the word “foreign”.
• Tokyo’s attractions result from a mix of important cultural, historic, and societal trends.  We can safely say that Tokyo is unlike any other big city in the world.  It is a fabulous place to visit, but you may need a vacation from the city (if not its prices) after a few days.
• Be sure to examine our Tokyo Guide if you are considering travel to Tokyo.
• Two cities that make great day trips from Tokyo are:

  • Nikko 

    • A solemn pilgrimage site for many Japanese, the shrine complex at Nikko is, also, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The area is closely associated with the history of the Tokugawa Shoguns. The surrounding National Park is stunning.

  • Kamakura 

    • One of Japan’s best collections of shrines, temples, and monuments. In addition, the town is famous for its Great Buddha statue.

The “Eternal City” is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Once the capital of western civilization, Rome has incredible antiquities, gorgeous piazzas, stunning fountains, great food, and an exhilarating ambiance.

The saying “All roads lead to Rome” was a truism during the era of the Roman Empire and the Eternal City displays the landmarks of Ancient Rome in a spectacular fashion.  For most visitors, the ruins of the Empire are the most popular attractions in the city.

However, Rome is more than a collection of stunning antiquities.  It is a vibrant, modern city that offers fine shopping, exciting nightlife, excellent restaurants, delightful coffee bars and numerous opportunities to while away the hours exploring new venues.

The Colosseum

The world famous Colosseum remains a dramatic sight and a quick tour inside this cavernous amphitheater provides a revealing look into its use and grandeur. The Colosseum has a truly remarkable architecture that was designed to hold more than fifty-thousand spectators while the lions and gladiators did their work. The area beneath the floor of the Colosseum’s arena was a complex of cells, holding areas and paths that were designed to allow animals, gladiators and human sacrifices access to the fighting surface, all without mixing together until the appointed time.

The Roman and Imperial Forums  Area

Two sets forums (public squares and marketplaces)  were at the heart of ancient Rome and both generally border the Via dei Fori Imperiali. The Imperial Forums, mostly to the left of the road as one proceeds towards the Colosseum from Piazza Venezia, were constructed during Rome’s “Imperial” age, when the Emperor ruled the roost. The older Roman Forums (on the right side of Via dei Fori Imperiali were the civic core of ancient Rome and scattered along  Ancient Rome’s main thoroughfare Via Sacra. The Palatine Hill, which looms above the Roman Forums on the west,  was where the elite lived and it houses the ruins of many palaces and several  interesting excavations.

The ruins of the Forums mark the historical center of the Roman Empire and contain the remnants of the seats of power of ancient Rome. If you are expecting to see intact buildings, you will be disappointed.  For centuries this naturally swampy area was ignored or sometimes the temples and other monuments were used as a source of materials for other buildings.

Eventually the area  filled-in with dirt and debris and the Forums were lost to  history.  What we can see today has been excavated  and in some cases,  partially restored.  However, the passing of time has done little to destroy the importance and incredible sense of history that one finds at the Imperial and Roman Forums.

Expect to spend an afternoon at the Forums and Palatine Hill, or less if you simply want to take a quick walkthrough. Be warned, it is a fascinating area and you will soon find yourself trying to translate Latin dates and Latin script as you wander this breathtaking piece of history.  It is difficult to avoid thinking that you are walking where Caesar and other emperors of the Roman Empire once walked.

See our guide to the Roman Forums (including Palatine Hill) and our guide to the Imperial  Forums for photographs of the monuments and details for visiting both locations.

Note: In March of 2008, the Italian authorities began charging for entrance to the Roman Forum. Anyone intending to visit must purchase a combo ticket that covers entrance to the Roman Forum, the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill.

Ancient Rome

The core of ancient Rome occupies an area contained by the Colosseum on the south, the Palatine Hill on the west, the Capitoline Hill on the North and the Imperial Forums on the east. While this area contains sites of immense historical interest, other  buildings and monuments from the Roman Empire are scattered throughout  the city.  Most of the major monuments from the Roman Empire are located to the east of the Tiber, Rome’s mother river.

You can discover the details behind the Empire and examine many of its artifacts close-up in Rome’s museums that are devoted to antiquities from this era.  Among the best for this purpose are the Capitoline Museum, the Museum of Roman Civilization, and the Imperial Forums Museum).

The Colosseum and the adjacent Forums area, are the natural place to start your tour of ancient Rome.

The Pantheon

The Temple of the Pantheon is one of the true glories of ancient Rome and one of the best preserved sites from the Roman Empire.  Located in Piazza della Rotonda, the Pantheon dates from the first quarter of the 2nd Century.

Constructed on the order of the Emperor Hadrian, the Pantheon has become one of the most enduring  treasures of the Roman Empire.

Castel Sant’Angelo (Hadrian’s Mausoleum)

Castel Sant Angelo offers panoramic views along the Tiber and is one of Rome’s outstanding architectural monuments.

The building has served Roman emperors as a mausoleum, several popes as a fortress (it is still connected to the Vatican by a passageway) and as a bulwark of the defensive wall that once surrounded Rome.

We think that Germany is one of the crown jewels of travel and our opinion seems to be in favor, as Germany is one of the leading tourist destinations worldwide. Scenic landscapes, beautiful villages, quaint castles and a profound sense of history are just a few of the reasons travelers are attracted to this delightful country. Germany’s industrious culture mixes the old with the new, the common with the technologically innovative and, in the process, manages to create a country that is both unique and impressive.

- We have a new, detailed, illustrated Guide to the towns on the Romantic Road to share with you. If you have not toured the Romantic Road in Bavaria, we highly recommend you put it on your list of place to see.

Be sure to see our new road map of Germany, based on Google Maps. Our map shows the location of our recommendations for the Best Places to Visit in Germany, Your can also route between locations using the map or view a satellite image of the country.

In 2010, Oktoberfest in Munich celebrates its 200th birthday. See our Munich Guide for more details. In addition, the Obergammergau Passion Play, which began in 1633, will be held in 2010 and not again until 2020. If you are interested in attending, the seven-hour play opens on May 15 and is presented over 100 times through October 3, 2010. Here is a link to the Obergammergau Passionpiele 2010 website . Although we do not cover Obergammergau, it is approximately 90KM (one hour) southwest of Munich.

Bavaria Photographs of the Old City Hall in Bamberg and the courtyard of the Neuschwanstein Castle

With mountainside castles that appear as if they must be from fairy tales, Bavaria has a storybook atmosphere. In many ways, this is the image that many of us carry in our heads of the German Alps. Bavaria is a part of Germany that visitors should see and explore.
Munich Click for a chart of Munich’s annual precipitation and temperature ranges.

München, although a large and sophisticated business center, is a city that carries a warmth and charm unlike many of Germany’s major urban areas. It appears that the Prussian formalism ingrained in much of country missed Munich. The city’s inhabitants genuinely like to party (e.g. Oktoberfest) and it is infectious. You should expect great food and lots of nightlife during your visit.

In addition, München offers galleries, museums, opera and world class symphony orchestras, as balances to its more earthy side. The city is a delight: compact and park-like, it offers much to see and do. In combination with the surrounding area, Munich offers some of the best castles in Germany. You can visit the Neuschwanstein Castle on a day trip from Munich (several companies run tours of southern Bavaria) or as part of exploring the Romantic Road described below.
Romantic Road

Crossing idyllic appearing countryside and winding its way through quintessential “tourist Germany”, the Romantic Road, wanders from Würzburg to Füssen. The towns along the “Road” provide an atmosphere of times long past and are among the most visited in Germany. We have prepared a multi-page, illustrated review of the Romantic Road and its towns for you. Click here for our detailed guide to the Romantic Road.

We cover the best places to visit along the Romantic Road. Our Guide includes:

Overview of the Romantic Road
Neuschwanstein Castle (and neighboring Hohenschwangau Castle)
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Wurzburg
Augsburg
Dinkelsbuhl
Ottobeuren

If you are just looking for a preliminary overview of some of the towns on the Romantic Road, consider those below. We urge you, however, to take a look at our Guide to the Romantic Road, which features detailed coverage of these and other towns, numerous illustrations and special features.
Augsburg

Offering fine churches, good food, and a pleasant location, Augsburg is one of the best known towns on the Romantic Road. As one of Bavaria’s larger cities, it provides a broader range of lodging opportunities than you will find in most other towns on the Romantic Road.

Founded in the in 15 B.C., as an outpost of the Roman Empire and named in honor of the emperor Augustus, Augsburg is the oldest city in Bavaria. The city was an important center in the Middle Ages. Today, it offers interesting museums (including the Roman Museum and the Maximillian Museum) and several attractive historical buildings.

Be sure the visit the Rathaus (City Hall). Although severely damaged in World War II, this beautiful building has now been restored to its former glory and its Golden Hall is worth seeing.

Rothenburg Photograph of the the building detail in this marvellous medieval German tower

Considered by many to be the most desirable and authentic medieval town on the “Romantik Strasse” (the Romantic Road), Rothenburg is the prototypical walled town with dramatic architecture, good food, and great trinket shopping.

Many complain that Rothenburg is too touristy, but it is universally acclaimed as the best example of a medieval town in Germany.

The town is, also, known for its “Christmas Market” but you will find Christmas decorations for sale here year round.
Würzburg

Once an important medieval center and a historic university town, Würzburg is located in a noted wine growing region and offers a pleasant, short stop for tourists. See the Princebishops Palace (the Residence (Residenz)) and the Court Garden. The Fortress (Festung) Marienberg is worth a stop. Finally, the city has an amazing collection of historic churches that exhibit dramatic architectures. Click here for our detailed guide to exploring Wurzburg.
Neuschwanstein Castle

Ludwig II, King of Bavaria, was known for his castle building. His interest, however, was in recreating an earlier time when knights were heroes and chivalry was in bloom. Ludwig’s foremost creation was Neuschwanstein Castle in the town of Hohenschwangau. The castle was never fully completed, but what does exist is amazing and very popular with visitors. We cover Neuschwanstein Castle in detail in our Guide to the Romantic Road.

In addition, Hohenschwangau hosts Hohenschwangau Castle, which was Ludwig’s boyhood, summer home. He also stayed at this castle when he was visiting the construction site for the Neuschwanstein Castle across the valley.

If you want to see more of Ludwig and his whimsies, Linderhof Castle is about 30 miles to the northeast of fussen. Linderhof was Ludwig’s modest attempt to bring the grandeur of Versailles to the German countryside.

Russia is a country with beautiful landscape, dramatic, historic architecture, and great resources. It is, today, a country that is not attractive to many tourists for a variety of reasons. We have placed Russia in the “Add-on” travel category because we believe that the tourist should limit the extent of their travel in Russia. We suggest visiting Moscow, St. Petersburg, or cruising the rivers, waterways, and canals between the two for a wonderful vacation experience. The rest of Russia remains an elusive quarry for the casual traveler. Russia is a vast and diverse nation that continues to evolve politically and economically. Travel and living conditions in Russia contrast sharply with those in the United States. Major urban centers show tremendous differences in economic development compared to rural areas.

While good tourist facilities exist in Moscow, St. Petersburg and some other large cities, they are not developed in most of Russia and some of the goods and services taken for granted in other countries are not yet available.

There ArePlaces recommends that you visit Russia only as part of a tour that has been arranged through a reputable service. Russia is not a tourist friendly country, as reading this document will show. Limit your touring to Moscow and St. Petersburg. Although Russia is a country of glorious landscapes and unique culture, it does not provide a travel environment that makes tourism either easy or enjoyable.

The team at ThereArePlaces has developed a proprietary method for evaluating the attractiveness of towns and regions as tourist destinations. We used this methodology to create our list of the best places to visit in Russia. We believe that the cities and regions described below are the country’s key tourist destinations, contain Russia’s best attractions and urge you to visit them during your travels in Russia.

Hawaii is like an artist’s sun-kissed pallet: rain forests adorned in the deepest greens; lush fruits and flowers of vibrant reds, yellows and pinks; all set on the canvas of an azure-blue ocean. Mark Twain, the famous American writer/humorist who visited in the late 19th century described the Aloha state as the “The loveliest fleet of islands that lies anchored in any ocean,” an apt description then and one that continues to be true today.

A visit to Hawaii blends dramatic volcanic landscapes, tropical climate, luxury resorts and the islands’ unique Polynesian culture into a vacation experience that is unrivaled anywhere in the world. Hawaii offers warm weather, broad sandy beaches, lush tropical vegetation, water sports and a slower pace to the day’s events than we experience at home.  Hawaii is a place to relax while experiencing the countless ways to enjoy your vacation in paradise.

The Hawaiian Islands attract seven million visitors per year. The majority of guests arrive from the western United States, followed in rank order by visitors from the eastern United States, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom and Korea. For most travelers it takes a long plane ride to get there, but visiting Hawaii is worth the effort.

Hawaii has six destination islands 0ahu, Maui, the Big Island (named Hawaii), Kauai, Lanai and Molokai.  Of the visitors to the Aloha state, two-thirds visit only one island and almost fifty percent of all visitors make that island Oahu, lured by Waikiki, Honolulu and the famous surfing beaches of the North Shore. Oahu is an incredible vacation destination, but we hope to persuade you to sample the “other” Hawaii as well.  Maui, the Big Island, Kauai and Lanai all have distinctly different flavors and are attractive vacation destinations.  We do not cover Molokai, perhaps the least developed island of the Hawaiian chain.
While we are focused on where people visit, we should mention that the peak travel period is Christmas to Easter, although July and August comprise a secondary peak.

Once you land upon her shores, Hawaii will captivate you with the scent of tropical flowers carried by soft, warm breezes. Year round, the daytime temperature ranges between 75º and 85º and is perfect for enjoying a day of water sports, golf, sightseeing or just laying at the beach. Something wonderful seems to happen during vacations in Hawaii.  Maybe its the tropics, or the distance away from the “real world” back home, but everything other than vacationing and having fun  seems to melt away with the suntan lotion.

Hawaii’s leading resorts often bill themselves as “a complete vacation” and, we think, this is an apt description of many of the resorts in Hawaii. There is often no compelling reason to leave the larger properties, since everything you might want is likely to be supplied there. But trust us; you will finally get tired of relaxing and lazing about at the pool or the beach and want to head out for something , well, different – and Hawaii excels at providing unique experiences.

While Hawaii is a place to relax and get away from it all, it’s not one of those boring vacation spots where there is “nothing to do” buy sit in the sun. If you get tired of soaking up the rays, you will find that Hawaii offers excellent surfing, diving, golfing, hiking, biking, windsailing and paragliding. If you are an adventurer, you already know that the Hawaiian Islands owe their existence to volcanoes.  If you are among the brave at heart, the Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island can provide an incredible adventure. Haleakala on Maui also can provide exceptional adventure for those interested in trekking.  If you are really capable, you can learn to Hula -  it is harder than it looks and more fun than you can imagine.

The uniqueness of the Islands includes the Hawaiian culture. Although most often seen by tourist as the luau and Hawaiian print clothing, the Hawaiian people have an interesting history. Their’s is a complex culture that includes wonderful lore and important links between the Hawaiians and the earth. It is our belief that the closer you get to Hawaiian culture, the more you will enjoy your trip to the Islands.

For those interested in twentieth century history, there are dramatic memorials commemorating the deaths resulting from the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan, an act that caused a state of war to exist between the present day allies.  Although war memorials are not of interest to everyone, visiting the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor is, for many, an important part of the Hawaiian experience.

In our Hawaii Guide, we explore Hawaii, its islands and the best places to visit. If you read along with us, we think that your next vacation might just find you saying “Aloha”. We have arranged our descriptions of the islands to cover Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, Kauai and Lanai (we do not cover Molokai). Oahu is the island with the most to do and the number and types of activities decline as the islands decrease in size and population.

Hawaii is a tropical paradise and most people travel there to take some time to rest and relax in the tropics. If you are looking for a non-stop action packed adventure, Hawaii may not be the right place for you. If you are looking for great weather, fantastic beaches, excellent water sports and an interesting cultural environment, then read about the wonder of Hawaii.

Although you will likely  never tire of seeing the snow-capped Alps, you will find the rest of Switzerland equally remarkable.  In the midst of  glorious “mountainscapes” of the Alps you will find a number of compact, elegant cities that are full of character and idyllic villages snuggling along lakes, rivers and sometimes in the shadow of the looming Alps – but where to go and what to see?

Switzerland looks like a small country on the map, but once you are on the ground in Switzerland (officially called the Swiss Confederation), you will discover an endless variety of places to visit.  Now, if you just had an endless vacation to explore them!   Let us do the legwork for you. Read our recommendations on the best places to visit in Switzerland and then make your reservations for a vacation in the alpine heaven.

The Swiss excel at business, but do not neglect enjoying life.  Although the country has a rich history and numerous prestigious cultural attractions, the countryside and mountains are the magnets that attract most tourists.  Whether you travel to Switzerland for skiing, hiking, mountain climbing or just sight-seeing, you will remember the scenic vistas for the rest of your life.   Saying that Switzerland is a beautiful country is an understatement, but you will not understand how much of an understatement until you visit.   If you have a chance, take one of theTrain journey  mentioned near the bottom of this page for the thrill  of a lifetime.

Switzerland’s cuisines differ based on the region of the country you visit, but in most locations you will find excellent restaurants featuring French, German and Italian cuisines.  We have found the Swiss preparation of German and French dishes, to be heavenly.  Of course, Italian food is now a worldwide staple and you will find fine Italian dining throughout Switzerland.   Dinner, of course, is just the introduction  as  a variety of night life will be available to you, almost anywhere in the country.