Italy Travel

Vicenza, Italy - Travel Photos by Galen R Frysinger,Sheboygan, Wisconsin Vicenza townsquare Vicenza (ancient Vicentia ), city in northern Italy, capital of Vicenza Province, in Veneto Region, situated at the junction of the Bacchiglione and Retrone rivers. Vicenza is a commercial and manufacturing center. Products include textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, and processed food. The town is noted for its splendid churches, palaces, and other buildings, many of which were designed by the architect Andrea Palladio. Parts of a 13th-century wall that encircled the town are still standing. so-called Basilica, or town hall, of Vicenza. (renovations started by Palladio in 1549) Vicenza was originally a Ligurian town. A free commune in the Middle Ages, it was ruled by Venice from 1404 to 1797 and by Austria from 1797 to 1866. The city was badly damaged in World War II (1939-1945). Population (1990 estimate) 109,333. Palladio, Andrea (1508-80), Italian architect, one of the most influential architects in European history. Palladio was born November 30, 1508, in Padua (Padova), and trained as a stonemason. Originally named Andrea di Pietro dalla Gondola, he received the name Palladio when he joined the academy of the Italian poet Giangiorgio Trissino, who oversaw Palladio's architectural studies. Trissino took him to Rome, where Palladio studied and measured Roman architectural ruins; he also absorbed the treatises of Vitruvius, possibly the most important of the Roman architects. One outcome of these studies was Palladio's Antiquities of Rome (1554), the principal guidebook to Roman ruins for the next two centuries. Palladio's first work of major importance was the renovation (begun 1549) of the facade and exterior supporting structure of the so-called Basilica, or town hall, of Vicenza. In and near Vicenza he designed many residences and public buildings. The best known of these are the Barbarano, Chieregati, Tiene, Porto, and Valmarana palaces and the Villa Capri, or Villa Rotonda. From about 1560 to 1580 he built several churches in Venice, notably San Francesco della Vigna, San Giorgio Maggiore, and Il Redentore. His last great work was the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, completed after his death (in Vicenza) in August 1580. Villa Rotonda Although the historical antecedents of Palladio's style are the classically Roman-influenced High Renaissance works of architects such as the Italian Donato Bramante, Palladio's own use of classical motifs came through his direct, extensive study of Roman architecture. He freely recombined elements of Roman buildings as suggested by his own building sites and by contemporary needs. At the same time he shared the Renaissance concern for harmonious proportion, and his facades have a noteworthy simplicityalmost austerityand repose. Palladio was the first architect to develop a systematic organization of the rooms in a house. He was also the first to apply to houses the pedimented porticos of Roman templesformal porches defined by a shallow triangular gable supported by a row of columns. Both these features are exemplified in the Villa Rotonda. Palladio's buildings were highly functional, often ingeniously so. In the facade of the basilica, for example, the arches are supported on slender columns; between the columns and the vertical piers that separate the arches are narrow rectangular spaces. (This pattern of an arch flanked by rectangular spaces was so widely imitated that it became known as the Palladian motif.) The arrangement allows the piers between the arches to be narrow, rather than wide and massive, and it allows more light to pass into the main building while giving the facade an open, harmonious appearance. Palladio was the author of an important scientific treatise on architecture, I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura (1570, 2nd ed. 1580; trans. The Four Books of Architecture, 1571), which was widely translated and influenced many later architects. Its precise rules and formulas were widely utilized, especially in England, and were basic to the Palladian style, adopted by Inigo Jones, Christopher Wren, and other English architects, which preceded and influenced the neoclassical architecture of the Georgian Style. Text by Microsoft Encarta building facade Fortress in Soave entrance courtyard carved stair post Return to Italy page Return to Europe page Return to People and Places

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Cheap travel insurance UK holiday insurance cover - annual and single trip Home We Play Fair Read & Download Policies FAQ's Contact Stay Happy Claims PLEASE NOTE: OinC won't work without a Javascript enabled web browser. Please enable Javascript in your Brower settings and then click here to start this page again. Q. How do I enable Javascript in Internet Explorer? A. In Internet Explorer select 'ToolsInternet Options...' from the top of screen menu line. Then click the 'Security' tab, then click 'Default Level' and then 'OK'. Sorry we can't provide instructions for all browsers. Save money with our superb online travel insurance. When you compare like-for-like policies, you'll discover our cheap travel insurance includes all the baggage and medical cover you need to travel safe. Adult Standard Cover 7 Night Single Trip 14 Night Single Trip Annual Multi- Trip(europe) 3 Month Backpacker £9.99 £12.98 £36.94 N/A £14.29 £16.07 £75.46 £50.47 £13.92 £16.53 £52.84 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A FREE FREE FREE Click for trip durations ranging from 2 to 365 nights > Everybody shops around but when comparing cheap travel insurance make sureyou are getting the cover you need. Even the cheapest holiday insurance fromOinC satisfies the minimum requirements of all the major UK Tour Operators. This website is part of Online Insurance Consultants Ltd which is a firmauthorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. For full details click here . © 2005 Online Insurance Co . For more on travel insurance please see our 'Frequently Asked Questions' along with our News and Travel Insurance InformationCentre and Travel Insurance Site map . General links can be found within Resources , or you can look at our favourite 'Outstanding travel links' . The travel insurance featured by the Online Insurance Company UK, a completely independent online travel insurance broker, is provided by American International Group, Elvia Travel Insurance International N.V. ( Netherlands), Professional Travel Insurance and Rock Insurance who compete to give you the best prices and cover for your holiday insurance, with policies delivered instantly by email. By offering cheap travel insurance from four leading travel insurers we are able to save you time and money, so whether you are searching for cheap holiday insurance, business travel insurance, annual travel insurance or backpacker insurance you can compare and securely purchase with the Online Insurance Company.

Central America Travel Books

Mexico and Central America Travel Books  You are here: About > Travel > Mexico / Central America for Visitors Travel Go Mexico Essentials Packing List for Travelers to Mexico Health Information Mexico / C. America Safety Considerations Travel Books Mexico and Central America Tourism Offices Mexico/ Central America Articles & Resources Mexico Mexico City Acapulco, Mexico Cancun Yucatan Baja Los Cabos Puerto Vallarta Other Places Photos of Mexico Belize, Central America Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Panama Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Mexico / Central America for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Mexico / Central America for Visitors Mexico and Central America Travel Books Mexico/Central America for Visitors Blog « Honduras, Central America | Main | Mexicali celebrates 100th Anniversary » October 15, 2003 Mexico and Central America Travel Books There are many travel guidebooks devoted to Mexico and to Central America. Here is my recommended list of 6 top travel books which should prove to be valuable aids for many visitors to this area of the world. Email a Friend Display Latest Headlines Read Archives Advertisement Most Popular Mexican Music La Paz, Mexico Quinceanera Packing List Tijuana, Mexico What's Hot Buying Real Estate in Mexico Puerto Vallarta Cozumel, Mexico Whale Watching Fishing In Mexico Related Topics California for Visitors South America for Visitors Caribbean for Visitors Mexican Cuisine        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Buying Real Estate in Mexico Puerto Vallarta Cozumel, Mexico Whale Watching Fishing In Mexico Headlines Top 6 Travel Books for Mexico and Central America There are many travel guidebooks devoted to Mexico and to... Health Information for Visitors to Mexico and Central America This article provides a summary of the more important health... Safety Considerations for Travelers to Mexico and Central America Travel to Mexico and Central America is not significantly less... Acapulco, Mexico Once a favorite destination of honeymooners, celebrities and the...

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France Travel and Vacation

August France Travel and Vacation Planner  You are here: About > Travel > France for Visitors > Things to Do in France > France Monthly Calendar > August France Travel and Vacation Planner Travel Go France Essentials New Year's Eve in Paris and France Worst of France 2005 Paris Travel Guide Top French Ski Resorts Best New Year's Eve Champagne Articles & Resources Destinations Trip Planning Transportation Interests & Situations Money, Safety & Issues Things to Do in France Where to Stay in France Staying Connected Blogs Picture Galleries Culture, Language & People Fun, Freebies & Quizes Relocating to France Nudism, Sex & Gay Travel D-Day & Historic Travel Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Sites Selling French Products Before You Buy the Gift of Travel Gifts for the France Fanatic Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the France for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search France for Visitors Stay up to date! Email to a friend Print this page Suggested Reading France in June France Travel in August Holidays and Events in France Related Blogs Dispatches from France Blog Paris Blog French Word-a-Day Blog La Coquette Blog Chroniques dune Fraise Nice Blog Rsidence Les Marronniers Provence Blog L'Oiseau Blog Chocolate and Zucchini Blog Forty Days in Paris Blog Most Popular "Naked City" Christmas in Paris Photo Tour Paris Sex District Top Paris Attractions Christmas in France What's Hot New Year's Eve in France Paris Gay Pride Parade Host A France-Themed Party Nice, France Photo Gallery Camping in France Related Topics Europe for Visitors French Language French Cuisine Honeymoons / Romantic Getaways Wine France Travel in August From Kelby Carr , Your Guide to France for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Warm Weather, Vacation Attitude are Key Aspects August is normally a great vacation month, but in France (and especially in the north) it can be problematic. Most people get the month of August off in France, meaning you may find some shops are closed. Still, attractions are usually open and it can be a bit quieter than the rest of the year. The South of France tends to be quite packed this year, as many northerners head to the beaches. There is a festive, summer-vacation spirit here, and there are many festivals. Depending on your destination, the weather can be a bit too balmy, but it is surprisingly moderate in most of France. Weather The weather can be a bit extreme in August. There are major variations in climate depending on where you are in France, but here are some major cities: Paris : Average high temperature is 24 degrees celsius/75 degrees farenheit, and the average low is 13.9 celcius, 57 farenheit. Average rainfall is 55.2 millimeters, or 2.2 inches. Nice : Average high temperature is 26.7 degrees celsius/80 degrees farenheit, with the average low at 20 degrees celcius/68 degrees farenheit. Average rainfall is 31.6 millimeters, or 1.2 inches. Bordeaux : Average high temperature is 26.1 degrees celsius, 79 degrees farenheit, and the average low is 15 celcius/59 farenheit. Average rainfall is 59.1 millimeters, or 2.3 inches. Strasbourg : Average high temperature is 24 degrees celsius, or 75 degrees farenheit, and the average low is 14 celcius/55 farenheit. Average rainfall is 70.4 millimeters, or 2.8 inches. What to pack It can be challenging to pack for France, particularly if you will visit multiple cities. For the most part, this is a mild time of year. Be prepared for either hot days or cool nights, however. Your packing list should include: Sun screen Light clothes Flip flops Good walking shoes A bathing suit Get more ideas with my Packing Tips . Why to go in August Enjoy summer vacation the way the locals do The weather is warm All museums and attractions are open, usually with extended summertime hours There is a great vacation atmosphere Why not to visit France in August The closings! It can be a real letdown to find things shut down for vacations Airfare and lodging is expensive There can be some really hot days Events and festivals Bayonne Festival , which features bullfights, cow racing, dancing and a general festive atmosphere in this lovely Basque city near the Spanish border. Musique in Perigord , in Audrix, features young, up and coming musicians performing in the lovely Aquitaine countryside. Buzet Wine Festival Festival on the Champagne Route Cooking Festival in Pointe-à-Pitre Monte Carlo Internation Fireworks Festival