Italy travel guide with

Lonely Planet | Travel Links | Italy worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links TRAVEL LINKS Destination Practical Planning Health & Safety Activities Issues & Reportage Modes De Voyage Report bad links › Italy SPONSORED LINKS Enquire Atlante Stradale d'italia You need to understand Italian to effectively utilize this site, but you can find a street atlas of Italy here. Go › BBNaples Bed & Breakfast in Naples and Campania. Special offers for groups. Go › Bed and Breakfast Accomodation in SICILY Accomodation in B&B and villas around Sicily, it is possible organize a personal sicilian tour or rent a car. Go › Delicious Italy This site is simply deliciosa - recipes, markets, festivals, classes, regional cuisine... Need we go on? Your tastebuds will demand you satisfy your hunger. Go › Destination Italy Lonely Planet lives la dolce vita with Europe's kinky over-the-knee boot. Go › Discover Italia Itinerary and activity ideas, cultural events and latest developments Go › DolceVita: The Insider's Guide to Italy Glossy magazine-style features: fashion, design, food and wine, travel survival tips, itinerary suggestions, and event listings. Go › Ferrovie Dello Stato Online If you're doing Italy by train, take a look at timetables and special offers. Go › giraReggio A virtual and interactive visit of the historic center of Reggio Emilia (Italy). By clicking on the panoramic photographs, learn about Reggio Emilia's monuments, buildings and works of art. Go › Hotels in Milan Book your hotel in Milan online. All hotels with special internet offers. Go › Italian Art This A-list of Italian art has been lovingly compiled. Think the Virtual Uffizi, Florence Art Guide, Leonardo da Vinci links, Sistine Chapel, Virtual Venice? Go › ItalyBy.Com - Accommodation in Italy Accommodations available for rent in Italy, but also with maps, weather and other tourist info. Go › Italy Heaven Italy travel guide with special features on Rome daytrips, and destinations such as Sorrento, Orvieto, Lake Garda. Go › Italy: Tourist Information A dozen or so tourism-oriented sites collected by the University of Washington will cut out your legwork. Go › Net Reserve Find different lodging options all over Italy including Florence and Tuscany. Go › Scala Reale Cultural Association A team of architects, historians, archaeologists and art-historians, mostly American graduate students and scholars, based in Rome, Italy make up this not-for-profit cultural association. Go › Tuscany.Net - Accommodation in Venice Online reservation of castles, farmhouses, hotels, b&b, and villas in Tuscany. Go › Verona, Italy The site offers a lot of resources about Verona, Roman city in Italy. Maps, city guide, photo archive (about 1000 photos), events, meteo, train and flight timetables etc etc. Go › Villas and apartments for rent in Italy Holiday rentals in Italy: from the Northern Lakes to the Amalfi Coast, including Tuscany and Umbria. Go › Shop Online Hundreds of guides to thousands of places. Buy them here › Travel Services · Flights · Hostels/Budget Lodging · Hotels · Adventure Travel · Travel Insurance · Car Hire · Rail/Ferry Travel · Personal Trip Website · Global Communication WorldGuide The low-down on over 450 destinations worldwide. Explore WorldGuide › Thorn Tree Travel Forum Travel talk from around the globe: · Join the discussion text & images © lonely planet 2005 about us | privacy | feedback | advertising FAQs worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links

Spain Travel Specialists Client

Spain Vacations, Spain Travel, Spain Luxury Resorts, Spain Hotels Spain Luxury Vacations, Spain Cruises, and Spain Hotels Guide Spain Vacation Guide: Romantic Spain Hotels and Honeymoons Spain Vacations and Cruise Consultants Spain Luxury Vacation :Call 1 800 330 8820 to book your tour or cruise.Open Everyday Spain Vacations To: Andalusia Barcelona Canary Islands Coastal Cities Ibiza Island Inland Cities Madrid Mallorca Island World Heritage Cities Other Places in Europe Albania Andorra Austria Vacations Belarus Belgium Vacations Bosnia-Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Vacations Czech Republic Denmark Vacations England Vacations Estonia Finland Vacations France Vacations Georgia Germany Vacations Greece Vacations Hungary Vacations Iceland Ireland Vacations Italy Vacations Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Vacations Macedonia Monaco Vacations Netherlands Vacations Norway Vacations Poland Vacations Portugal Vacations Romania Vacations Russia Vacations Slovakia Slovenia Spain Vacations Sweden Vacations Switzerland Vacations Turkey Vacations Ukraine United Kingdom Vacations Wales Vacations Luxury Cruise Guides Luxury Cruises World Luxury Cruises European River Cruises Europe Cruises River Cruises in Europe Mediterranean Guide Travel Agent Career Opportunities Great Spain Luxury Vacations, Tours and Cruises In this section you will find great Spain Luxury Resorts and Hotels. All-inclusive Spain Resorts. Romantic Spain Honeymoon Destinations. Spain Luxury Tours. Spain Yachting Vacations. Spain Cruises. Spain Ski Vacations .Spain Luxury Villas---Plus tons of enjoyable virtual tours and streaming videos---You will find everything here, all the insider's secrets. Spain vacations, Spain cruises, Spain honeymoons, Spain tours and cultural excursions--- Almost 5,000 kilometers (over 3,000 miles) of coastline, along with diverse mountainous areas make Spain a privileged country for sports enthusiasts. Hiking, routes on horseback or by bicycle, climbing, Skiing ,river rafting, kayaking, parapente and hang-gliding are fascinating adventure sports which can be practiced almost all year around. More than 45 million tourists visit Spain each year, making it one of the three most visited countries in the world. To travel to Spain is to experience sun, superb food, hospitality and joie de vivre, and yet it is also to discover the country's rich heritage of monuments and sights, the imprint of different civilizations that once made it their home. To travel to Spain is to journey through its singular and breathtaking countryside, to delight in the stunning, starkly contrasting scenery, to study the customs of its people and towns, and to share in the local fiestas and traditions. To choose Spain is to opt for diversity, to be the central character in what is sure to be a truly unforgettable trip. This is what makes Spain such a prized destination worldwide, and why the vast majority of those who visit it once, return... in order to share in the enjoyment of a climate, countryside and culture which embody a rather special way of life. History has left its traces everywhere in a country with a unique legacy: Prehistoric caves, Roman remains, Jewish and Arabic architecture. The awesome bloom of Roman and Gothic art, followed by finest examples of Baroque and Neoclassical architecture, is just one example of the diversity that can be found in Spain. Not surprisingly, 30 Spanish sites are considered World Heritage sites by UNESCO. This contrasts with the thriving new trends in architecture that attract ever more tourists, like the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao or the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia. The art experience in Spain is completed by its extensive offer of museums, featuring the best from the classics to the most avant-garde painters and sculptors. Widely known for Flamenco music and dance, bull-fights, fantastic beaches and lots of sunshine, Spain has to offer much more than that. It is - and has been for thousands of years - one of the cultural centers of Europe. It has beautiful cities and towns, offering really old monuments as well as futuristic architecture. Its various regions are all different one to each other, geographically, climatically and even in personality. It is a fascinating country to know and to know more about it. The diversity and contrast that go to mould the character of Spain are likewise in evidence in its cities. Celts, Iberians, Phoenicians and, at a later date, the Greco-Roman civilisation laid the first cornerstones of urban settlements which, to this day, bear the marks of their passage through time. During the Middle Ages, Arabic, Jewish and Christian cultures, singly and through a process of mutual cross-influence, gave rise to the birth of cities which have come to house an historical-artistic heritage of incalculable proportions. Tradition alone does not suffice. Modernity too is essential, and this was something certain Spanish monarchs -Charles III for one- managed to successfully apply during their reigns in order to beautify townscapes, like that of Madrid, with parks and landmark monuments, thereby instilling the city with a spirit of renewal. It was this element of urban renewal that became even more evident at a later date, in the form of townplans designed to extend and enlarge the leading cities, and the construction of graceful buildings which, in keeping with the shifts and changes in architectural tastes, have helped shape the identity of Spain's cities over the last two hundred years. This contrast is also to be seen in the individual heartbeat of Spain?s cities, where surroundings, climate and daily lifestyles harmonise to lend each its own typical character and atmosphere. Some reveal to us a testimony to a glorious past and a monumental heritage; others, an exuberance of light and colour; and others still, the mysteries of wreathing morning mists and a horizon mantled in eternal green. Whether cosmopolitan or provincial, locked in time or flourishing and go-ahead, they are fascinating in the wide spectrum of realities and possibilities that they hold out to all who visit them and enjoy their warm hospitality. "Spain is different!", Spaniards used to say. They don't specify compared to what: to the rest of Europe, to the rest of the world, or even to itself ? We don't know it either, but we do our best to supply you with loads of information so you can find the answer to this question and to many more by yourself. Select exactly the components you want in your Spain vacation. You choose your hotel, room category -from sea views to suites-, rental car, private transfers and customized sightseeing tours. We do it all! Our Virtuoso Travel and Cruise Consultants will create the Spain vacation you have always dreamed of. Book Your Spain Vacation Submit a vacation planner to our Spain Travel Specialists Client Testimonials about our services Search Your Vacation, Tour or Cruise Spain Luxury Accommodations Spain Virtuoso Hotels Spain Luxury Hotels Europe Luxury Hotels Spain Luxury Villas Spain Active Vcations Spain Ski Vacations Europe Luxury Tours Spain Tours Central Eastern & Western England & Ireland Tours Scandinavia & Russia Tour Portugal & Spain Tours Escape to Europe Cruises France Luxury Tours Italy Luxury Tours Europe Train Vacations Europe River Cruises Eastern Europe Packages Europe Bike Vacations Europe Active Vacations Moderatly Priced Europe Tours England & Ireland Tours France Vacations Italy Tours Central & Eastern Europe Tours European River Cruises Europe Luxury Cruises Western Europe Cruises European River Cruises Luxury Cruises World Luxury Cruises Spain Virtual Media Streaming Video of Barcelona Streaming Video of Costa Brava Streaming Video of Menorca Spain Pictures Helpful Travel Links Other Helpful Travel Links Instant Passports in 24 hours Travelex Luxury Travel Insurance CSA Luxury Travel Insurance Travel Guard Insurance Travel Safety Expert Current Travel Warnings Travel Agent Career Opportunities Bookmark this page Full Service Luxury Europe Vacation Planner Click here to save money, time and stress planning, making reservations, or booking your luxury vacation with our full service Virtuoso Travel Consultants. We are recommended, authorized Virtuoso Vacation Specialists, and can arrange every little detail to make sure you have a wonderful, carefree cruise experience at no extra charge! You may call our Virtuoso Vacation Specialists, but first, we'd really appreciate it if you complete our "Luxury Vacation Planner" so we have all your requirements beforehand and are prepared to present you with all your options and up-to-the-minute specials. Thank you very much! Call 1- 800 -330 -8820 to book your Europe vacation . Full Service, Worldwide Luxury Europe Tour Vacation Planner Click here to save money, time and stress planning, making reservations, or booking your luxury tour vacation with our full service Virtuoso Luxury Tour Consultants. We can arrange every little detail of your tour vacation, including air, and pre-tour and post-tour arrangements to make sure you have a wonderful, carefree vacation experience at no extra charge! When you complete our "Luxury Tour Vacation Planner" our Europe Specialists will promptly call you, provide you with their direct toll free telephone number, all your options, and up-to-the-minute specials . Call 1- 800 -330 -8820 to book your Europe tour vacation . Full Service, Luxury Europe Cruise Vacation Planner Click here to save money, time and stress planning, making reservations, or booking your luxury cruise vacation with our full service Virtuoso Luxury Cruise Consultants. We can arrange every little detail of your cruise vacation, including air, excursions, and pre-cruise and post-cruise arrangements, to make sure you have a wonderful, carefree vacation experience at no extra charge! When you complete our " Luxury Cruise Vacation Planner" our Virtuoso--Specialists will promptly call you, provide you with their direct toll free telephone number, all your options, and up-to-the-minute specials . Call 1- 800 -330 -8820 to book your Europe luxury cruise . 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All of our promotions are subject to change without notice. As a result, prices will not be guaranteed until booked. State of California seller of travel License # 2061139-40 We are on the Better Business Bureau Honor Roll. Travel Agent Career Opportunities Contact Information Advertise with Travel Wizard 1998 TravelWizard.Com, Europe Vacation Dept. All rights reserved.

Disney Vacation

DLT: Disneyland Tokyo Home -- Back to Previous Page Theme Parks Photo Gallery Disneyland Disneyland Paris Disneyland H.K. Disneyland Tokyo - Adventureland - Critter Country - Fantasyland - Tomorrowland - Toon Town - Westernland - World Bazaar Walt Disney World Last revised 16-Dec-2000 . [ Whats New? ] NOTE: Don't get caught out with the wrong credit card at Tokyo Disney . . . . Tokyo Disneyland first opened to the public at Urayasu, just outside Tokyo on 15th April 1983, twelve years after The Magic Kingdom opened at Walt Disney World, and twenty eight years after the original Magic Kingdom theme park opened at Disneyland in Anaheim California. After the considerable success of Disneyland, and later the Walt Disney World resort in Florida, The Disney Company were approached by various countries, all eager to share in the tourist industry the Disney theme parks sparked. In Japan, The Oriental Land Company owned a sufficiently large enough parcel of land that had been reclaimed from Tokyo Bay, which was to be used for recreational purposes. The area also satisfied the other key requirement for Disney, in that it had a large local population within a 30 mile radius. The Japanese were frequent visitors to Disneyland, and subsequently to Walt Disney World, and so it was decided that it would make an ideal location for a third Disney theme park, which would be built along the same lines as the previous two existing Disney theme parks, rather than building a park with a distinct Oriental theme. The weather in the Tokyo Bay area however is far more changable than in Anaheim or Orlando, so the Disney Imagineers planned a glass-roofed World Bazaar area instead of the usual Main Street to greet visitors when they first entered the new park. The attractions were also designed with more covered areas than at the other Disney parks. One of the unique things about Tokyo Disneyland is that the various lands are not accessed by the central hub, but instead by a series of paths that branch off of the Main Street. The one main concession to the fact that it was Disney's first major theme park outside of the USA is the "Meet the World" attraction, that uses Audio Animatronics to deal with Japanese History. The now standard attractions of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Star Tours, and Splash Mountain have all been added to the park since it was initially opened, and as a result Tokyo Disneyland regularly attracts more than 10 million guests each year. Tickets for the park can be bought from several locations, but are probably best bought at the main park entrance. Unlike the original Disneyland in Anaheim, and later Walt Disney World in Florida, Tokyo Disneyland doesn't have it's own Monorail system, however if monorail rumours are to be believed this may soon change. The full address for the Tokyo Disneyland theme park is: Tokyo Disneyland Park 1-1, Maihama, Urayasu-shi, Chiba 279, Japan Ttel: 047(354)0001 Solarius.Com Vacation Planner Home Walt Disney World Disneyland Disneyland Paris Disneyland Hong Kong Solarius. All rights reserved. Terms of Use

Europe Travel 101 -

Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the First Time  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Europe for Visitors Europe Travel 101 - Before you take that first trip to Europe Here's a suggested timeline for things an independent traveler needs to do before heading off to that European destination. Thinking about taking an independent trip to Europe? Below you'll find topics to consider before you take off. The recommended time before departure that you should be taking action is found in the colored bar on the left. In the gray box on the right you'll find links leading to more detailed information on any of the topics. Like most planning guides, this is a tool meant to simply remind you what you need to do when to make the standard vacation go as smoothly as possible. Although the list may seem daunting to you, you'll find that many of the tasks are optional. Unless otherwise noted, most of the planning tasks can be done earlier than recommended. A shorter, unannotated list with resources can be found here . A printable checklist can be found here . Jump to: 6 Months 3-4 Months 6 Weeks - 2 Months 1 Month Last Minute What You Need to Do Resources 6 months before you go - Choose Your Destination! Now (or even sooner) is the time to choose your general destination. There are lots of resources on the right to help you. Remember that while Europe is quite compact compared to the US, the travel times between countries may be longer than you think. Once you've chosen your primary destination, you'll be able to go on to the next things on the list. Language Let's say you've chosen France as your destination and you'd really like to get to know the country and its people. Well, now is the time to start thinking of learning a bit of the language. A single beginner's course in spoken French at your local community college will teach you the basics cheaply enough. We also have extensive resources for learning European languages here on the About network. Please, at least think about learning the "politeness" words--natives will thank you for trying and will likely be more receptive to your questions. See Languages for the Tourist on the right to find out how easy it is. Renting a House or Apartment Now is the time to think about reserving that perfect apartment for the week (or month). You can wait until later to do this, but the best go fast. Living in the country you're visiting gets you into the swing of daily life: you'll be able to go to the open air markets and cook the food you buy, you won't have to think about maids (unless you want to) or checking in, and things can be as secure as you make them. Guidebooks Once you've figured out where you'd like to spend most of your time, it may be time to pick out a guidebook. You can purchase guidebooks that cover all of Western Europe, just a single country, or even a province or region like Tuscany. Choosing a Destination: Travel Planning Europe Planning Map Clickable Europe map with links to Country maps and Travel Essentials. How I Travel Europe Europe and Fading Traditions: Go Soon! Weather -Climate - When to Go Language: Languages for the Tourist Rentals Unusual Lodging Lodging Links Guidebooks Top European Guidebooks 3-4 months before you go - Start Checking Airfares You can start checking sooner--although we've found searching 3-4 months before your flight is a pretty good bet; the airlines are starting to discount in order to reward early bookers and yet there's still time to wait if prices aren't to your liking. The airline computers are constantly revising the pricing based on the latest demand, so the cheapest prices might turn up anytime--but you might not want to wait that long. Use the Finding Bargain Airfares link if you're unfamiliar with the bargain hunting process. Apply for a Passport if you don't already have one If you don't have a passport, this is the time to start thinking of applying. While the literature says it takes 6 weeks to procure a US passport, you don't want to leave it to the last possible moment--it's a vacation killer if something goes wrong. And despite what you may have heard or read in the past, a separate passport is required for each and every family member traveling with you. First-time applicants 13 years of age and over must appear in person at a U.S. passport office, a designated courthouse or the Post Office. You'll need a birth certificate or proof of citizenship, a photo identification, two recent 2" x 2" photos of your face, and a bundle of money. You'll find the latest requirements and downloadable application form by clicking Passport Links there on the right. (You don't need a health certificate in Western Europe and you won't need to worry about a visa as long as you're staying fewer than 90 days and aren't going to Turkey.) Shoes and Walking Now is a good time to pick up some walking shoes and start getting them broken in. You'll walk a lot in Europe, even if you have a car; much of the city centers in Europe are pedestrian only zones. Be prepared. Airfares Finding Bargain Airfares Passports Passport Links Where to go to apply, a downloadable application form, and how to make it as easy as possible. 6 weeks to 2 months before you go - Reserve Lodging - Hotel If you haven't already reserved the hotels you've seen on the web and fallen in love with, now is the time to do so. But do you need to reserve in every city you're planning to visit? Here's what I do: I reserve a hotel for my arrival and departure days as well as any long-term apartment rentals I've selected. The rest I leave to chance. You may feel uncomfortable with this arrangement, but, with a few exceptions, it's worked just fine for me. When traveling by train, I prefer to arrive at my destination early, take a hotel by the train station and just drop my bags there and explore the city on foot. You can read the whole strategy in my Footloose Travel article. Car or Train? If you haven't already chosen, now would be a good time to select your primary mode of transportation. Select Train or Car? from the links on the right if you just can't seem to decide which is best for what you want to see. Rail Pass Do you need one? Here are some tips: Trains in the south-Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece--are pretty cheap. If you're going to one or several of these places you might find that a pass isn't necessary. Just go to the station and buy a ticket. EurRail passes offer great savings if you plan right. For a saver pass you'll need to plan to take several long trips so that you can spend the travel days mostly on the train. Save money by going overnight; you'll save on hotel costs and make maximum use of your pass. Check the types of passes available carefully, to use them to an advantage, you may have to juggle some travel plans. Car Rental or Leasing and an International Driver's License Leasing a car is sometimes better than renting, especially if you're staying in Europe for more than 17 days. Leasing gets you a brand new car without rental company stickers on it and the pricing includes everything you need. When you turn it in at the end of your trip a lucky European will get to purchase that almost-new car for much less than a completely new one (This comes about because taxes on a new car are much higher than the taxes on even a slightly used one, so both parties benefit from this arrangement). If you've chosen driving as your primary mode of transport in Europe, you should get an International Driver's License . Available at Auto Clubs, they're just a translation of your License into European languages. Sometimes police won't demand them, accepting your original license instead. But still, it doesn't hurt to get one, and they're pretty cheap. A couple of passport-sized pictures are required. Even though you can usually just walk into your auto club and come out with an International Driver's License, I recommend not putting this off: the paperwork needed is often "out of stock." Lodging Accommodation Links You can also find lodging in specific countries or cities by going to a specific destination page. Footloose Travel Striking a balance between travel freedom and overplanning. Hotel Star Ratings Do you know what they mean? How I Travel in Europe Just in case you want to know. Transportation within Europe Rent or Lease? Train or Car? Driving in Europe Links Transportation Links European Train Travel Links 1 Month before you go - Travel Insurance Now is the time to think about insurance. If your health insurance doesn't cover you overseas, or your homeowners insurance doesn't cover loss of material goods, then there are some temporary plans that might set your mind at ease. Check our Insurance Links for more. Luggage How's your luggage? Is it easy to carry? Got more than a foot and a half of duct tape holding it together? If you want to be mobile, maybe you want to see if you can fit everything into a carry-on. It's not all that hard to do in the summer when you probably won't be needing heavy clothes. Rick Steves recommends walking around with all the stuff you think you'll need, then discarding half of it. I like the method I learned in Boy Scouts. Separate everything into three piles: stuff you absolutely need and use often, stuff you'll use occasionally, and stuff you probably won't use at all. Then eliminate the last two piles. Remember: Europe isn't lacking material goods. If you need a heavy sweater because it's unusually cold in August, chances are you won't be more then 50 feet from someone who'll sell you a great one. Don't forget, laundries are pretty easy to find (but usually expensive) and laundromats are are starting to show up in most popular tourist areas. Besides, if you rent a house or apartment it may include a clothes washer and possibly a dryer (but more probably a clothesline). Cameras If you've bought one for this trip, learn how to use it. If you need one, now is the time to purchase--don't put it off until the last minute and then end up standing in front of the Louvre all befuddled because you can't figure the danged thing out. Film If you're going to use film (how so very 90's!) you might consider purchasing one of those lead-lined bags to take it in. These reduce (but don't eliminate) the radiation from airport x-ray machines and thus the chance of film fogging. What I do to bypass this possibility is to buy and process my film in Europe. Sure, guidebooks say film and processing is more expensive overseas (but not much these days), but I look at it this way: are you gonna worry about fogging or are you willing to spend a buck and a half more per roll for peace of mind out of the thousands you're gonna spend on your vacation in total. Seems like false economy to me. Plus I get to show my pictures around to other travelers while I'm in Europe. Cell Phones If you need to be in constant touch with the office or someone special, you can rent cell phones that work throughout Europe. Often your car rental company can handle this, or you can check our Cell Phone Rental links for companies that'll rent phones for the short term. Email It's time to think about how you're going to handle your email in Europe, if that's important to you. If you have several accounts you want to check, you'll need to set up an online system for getting all your email. I use webbox , but other options are explained in the article Staying Connected . Money Yeah, it's time to get the long green together. I take some traveler's checks as a back-up, but mostly use the plentiful ATM machines in Europe to get cash. You need to have a 4-digit pin number to use many European ATMs. Watch one thing though: plan to have enough money to last through weekends--some people are reporting that certain banks in Europe don't update the customer's daily limit on Saturdays and Sundays and so if you've maxed out your daily allowance on Friday, you might find that you can't get more until Monday. You might also think about getting some Euros (or local currency for countries that don't use Euros) for the first day or two, if only to get used to them and assure yourself that you'll be able to afford a coffee in the airport. How much Money? Well, that varies, of course. A couple like Martha and I can get by on on $150 a day in most Mediterranean countries, although it's becoming a stretch these days. That'll get you a two or three star hotel with breakfast and two other meals taken in a restaurant with wine, plus entrance fees to museums and such. It's an average over the whole period of vacation--some days you'll get soaked, some days you'll find bargains. Students and the young-at-heart set willing to stay in hostels and eat street food or make their own grub in the Hostel kitchen will be able to do it for much less, of course. Keeping your money and documents secure You'll need a way to keep your passport and important items away from thieves. While Europe is still safer from violent crimes than the US, high tourist volumes in major cities tend to attract the slash and run crowd. Use a money belt or pouch that goes inside your clothing like seasoned travelers do. Keep your passport and important documents together in it. Don't wear a fanny pack with the pack turned around to actually ride on your fanny. It looks stupid and is a magnet for thieves. Women should avoid big purses with shoulder straps as those straps can be cut easily and the purse removed by a well-trained thief in seconds. Whatever can be said about European petty thieves and pickpockets one thing stands out when you talk to people who've been hit: they're good at what they do. Find recommended security stuff and other indispensable items under Travel Accessories . Voltage and Plugs European voltage is twice that of the wimpy American 110. The wall plugs are different as well. If you plan on using electrical appliances you may need to purchase adapters and power converters now. Check out my article European Electricity and the Connected Tourist for the skinny on what you'll need to make your stuff work in Europe. Me? I don't carry much more than the battery charger I bought in Italy to recharge my digital camera's batteries. Maps You should be far enough along in your travel planning to think about what maps you'll need.If you're in a car and like to get off the main highways, you'll need to purchase good maps. We use Michelin country and regional maps when we drive, purchasing the regional maps for areas we're staying in for a week or longer. You can get European driving maps from your auto club, but they're often not detailed enough to get you to the back roads. Keeping in Touch If you're the postcard-writing type, you'll need to have a means of keeping all those addresses where you can find them. Before the era of PDAs and email, I made sheets of labels for everyone who'd want a postcard so I could just slap one on and be done with it. Now I email friends and keep all their addresses on my Palm Pilot. Check for Travel Dangers The US government doesn't just meddle in overseas affairs, it also alerts travelers to dangers and uprisings in other countries. You might want to check conditions now and right before you leave. Travel Insurance Insurance Links Luggage Top Carry-On Luggage Packing Tips Cameras Before you buy a digital camera for travel Top Compact Digital Cameras for Travel Top Semi-pro Cameras for Travel Olympus D40 Review Oneof the best compact digitals I've come across. Cell Phone Rentals Cell Phone Rental Companies Purchase a Cell Phone Email Staying Connected Cybercafe Links Staying Connected Links Money/Currency Money Matters ATM Finder Travel Accessories Top Travel Accessories Clip-on Security Wallet (review) Voltage and Plugs European Electricity and the Connected Tourist Maps Michelin Maps (compare prices) It's easier to buy the maps over the web--distribution to many stores seems spotty at best, and many times they're unsorted, making finding what you want a miserable experience. Keeping in Touch The Travel Writer's Toolkit Travel Dangers Department of State Travel Warnings Last minute - Oops, Forgot the Passport. Help! Well, you can get one expedited, especially if you already have tickets. See our Passport Expediting Company links for more. Make Copies Now is the time to think about keeping back-ups of your travel documents. Make at least two photocopies of your itinerary, your passport information page (the one with your picture and passport number) and copies of your credit cards showing the cc numbers. Give one copy to your mother, or someone else you trust and can get a hold of any time of day or night. Keep a copy of your passport and credit card info with you but in a different place than the original items. Final Check The basic stuff you need to carry are these: Passport, tickets, car rental agreements, hotel reservation receipts, credit cards, medications (and prescriptions, if required), addresses/password information and an open mind with a sense of wonder. Check them twice. Then go have fun in Europe. Passport Problems Passport Expediting Companies Travel Dangers Department of State Travel Warnings Jump to: 6 Months 3-4 Months 6 Weeks - 2 Months 1 Month Last Minute From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! 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golf vacations,packages and specials

Golf Vacations, Packages and Travel to the USA - GOLFSERV TRAVEL Already Registered? Login | Not yet registered? Sign up Now and get great benefits! Choose Destination » Feature of The Week » Disney Golf Marathon Residence Inn Lake Buena Vista » Priced from $490.00 per golfer Limited Time Offer from $465.50 per golfer Bring your foursome to Orlando for a great golf experience. We call it the Disney Golf Marathon. Special Includes: Three nights' accommodations at the Residence Inn Lake Buena Vista. Six rounds of golf with cart at Walt Disney World's five courses. All taxes. Note: Based on four golfers sharing a two-bedroom suite. Note: Book early, tee times at Disney are limited during the winter months! Golf Travel Packages From California to the Carolinas GolfServ Travel, in partnership with Golfpac, is your best resource for golf vacations,packages and specials to all your favorite destinations. You'll find information, rates and reviewsfor a wide variety of golf courses, hotels and golf resorts throughout the US. To get you started we suggest you view our Golf Packages that show samples of our pre-planned vacations, but remember we can plan any number of nights and rounds at all our hotels, resorts and courses.Check out our Golf Specials for the best values andhottest deals, and check back frequently as our specials change often. Find the golf vacation the meets your budget, style and game with our Golf Vacation Finder . Simply select your arrival date,number of nights and rounds and the maximum price you want to spend. We'll show you all your available options. If you prefer, plan your ownvacation with our Online Golf Quotes , where you canselect your own accommodations, courses and car rental preferences and get immediate pricing information. As always, feel free to call toll free, 1-888-848-6897, where one call does it all, hotel reservations, tee times and car rental.Our golf vacation specialists will have all the latest information that can turn that ho-hum trip into the golf vacation of a lifetime. Let ustake the hassle out of planning your next golf vacation, so you can head straight to the tee! Home | Courses | Hotels | Resorts | Packages | Specials | Cars | Brochure | Sales | Site Map Vacation Finder | Online Quotes | Company News | About Us | Privacy Policy | Security Policy | Partners | FAQ's | Contact Us