Vacation Packages Check out

MapQuest.Com: Maps, Directions and More Settings Help Mobile Maps Directions Special Offers Show me offers related to: - Select - Hotels Restaurants Flights Rental Cars Jobs Personals Event Tickets Real Estate Apartments Roommates Florists Dentists Mortgage Insurance Lawyers Vacation Packages Check out Orbitz Great Deals On Packages For Your Next Adventure www.ORBITZ.com Vacation Deals Discount Vacation & Travel Packages Book Your Vacation Online Today! www.VacationOutlet.com Expedia Vacation packages Pick Your Flight Hotel Car & Extras Average Savings of $189/package! www.expedia.com Special Vacation Package Visit Atlantis, Paradise Island - a unique resort experience. www.atlantis.com Top 20? Vacation Packages Travelzoo: Your Weekly Guide To Top Vacation Packages Each Week! www.travelzoo.com All-Inclusive Resorts Great rates on the all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and Caribbean. www.resortvacationstogo.com Costa Rica Tour Sale $995 All Inclusive with Meals - 10 Days. 52 Years. Smart Shoppers Compare. CaravanTours.com Vacation Packages Vacation Packages on Hotels.com Choose Any Flight/Hotel/Car Combo www.hotels.com Travel Hotel Rooms Hotels Travel Insurance Vacations Travel Europe Travel Real Estate Vacation Homes Foreclosures Homes for Sale Commercial Real Estate Real Estate License Real Estate Vacations Vacations Europe Travel Orlando Florida Fishing Trips Vacation Homes African Safari Getaways Europe Travel Orlando Florida Las Vegas Travel Florida Vacations Mexico Vacations Caribbean Vacations About these results: "Sponsored Links" are listings that have been purchased by companies that want to have their sites appear for specific search terms. These listings are administered, sorted and maintained by Google (MapQuest's partner). For information about how Google sorts these listings, go to http://adwords.google.com/ and click on the 'Advertise with Us' link. Company Advertise Business Solutions Link to MapQuest Toolbar Privacy Legal ©2005 MapQuest, Inc. All rights reserved.

South America Travel

An MBendi Travel Profile: South America - Travel Advertise on MBendi Travel Search our directories for: - Accommodation - Airlines - Airports - Attractions - Car Rentals - Countries - Embassies - Event Venues - Events - Health Centres - Hotel Groups - Places - Publications - Restaurants - Tourist Bureaux - Travel Companies - Travel Specials - Travel Tips Tell us about your favourite: - Accommodation - Attraction - Event Venue - Restaurant - Travel Tips More ... - MBendi Travel - MBendi Business - About MBendi - Contact us South America - Travel Travel Facilities MBendi Travel Directories List of South American countries Note to Travel Organisations More For This Continent: - Tourism Industry ------------------------------------------ Country List ______________________________ Regions: ------------------------------------------ World Africa Antarctica Asia Australasia Europe North America ------------------------------------------ Country List ______________________________ Travel Facilities Accommodation (3) : Caracas Hilton , Hotel Los Tajibros , Sheraton Rio Hotel Attractions (12) : Lake Titicaca , Machu Picchu , Bariloche , Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve , Galapagos Islands , Iguassu Falls , Iguassu Falls , Ipanena Beach , Lake District , Portilla , Sugar Loaf , Tiwanaku Event Venues (7) : Caracas Hilton , Caracas International Exhibition Centre (CIEC) , Hotel Los Tajibros , International Trade Mart , La Rural Convention & Exhibition Center , Parque Arauco Convention Center , Sheraton Rio Hotel Restaurants : El Jordn restaurante Transport (17) : Arica Port , Bogota port , Buenaventura Port , Buenos Aires Port , Callao Port , Caracas Port , Cartagena Port , Curitiba Port , Degrad De Cannes Port , Esmeraldas Port , Georgetown (Guy) Port , Guayaquil Port , Port of San Antonio , Port Santiago , Port Santos , Port Valparaiso , Port Vitoria MBendi Travel Directories The MBendi Travel website provides some of the most comprehensive information on African travel and tourism anywhere on the Internet. With your help, we would also like to make it one of the best sources of information on travel to South America ! MBendi Travel's directory of Tourist Attractions includes places to visit on each continent. If you find we've missed one of your own personal favourites, you can record the details on our website so others can share your pleasure. You can even E-mail us some of your holiday photographs , the best of which we will display on our website, with your ownership clearly attributed, or share your experiences of visiting some special spot by adding a glowing description through our website. While we provide information on somewhere to stay in every African country we are keen to know about similar places in South America and you can help other travellers by recording those details on our website. You can also give your favourite restaurants, at home or abroad, some free publicity by recording their details on our website. But first search the Accommodation or Restaurants directory to make sure some other fan has not already listed your special favourites. You can use MBendi's directory of Event Venues to find the ideal place for your conference or exhibition, large or small, while MBendi's directory of Events provides one of the most comprehensive lists of public conferences and events anywhere on the Internet. If you are the manager of a venue or the organiser of a public event which is not recorded in our directories, then please submit their details via our website after first checking to ensure they are not already there. We also provide a directory of places so that you can see information you need tourist- or business-wise related a specific city, town or village. Again you can expect this directory of places to grow as new information is added to our other directories. If you're an experienced traveller, you might like to use MBendi's Travel Tips section to share your special lore, while if you're a novice traveller, you could use MBendi's directory of Travel Organisations to find everything from tourist bureaux to event organisers ready to assist. In our directory of Publications , we are also compiling details of travel guides and other publications. If you're planning to visit South America on business, we also encourage you to refer to MBendi's business and industry profiles for South America. List of South American countries Argentina Chile Faroe Islands Peru Bolivia Colombia French Guiana Suriname Bouvet Island Ecuador Guyana Uruguay Brazil Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Paraguay Venezuela Note to Travel Organisations Travel organisations are particularly encouraged to ensure the MBendi Travel directories are comprehensive, current and correct as your businesses can only prosper from an increase in tourist numbers. MBendi's Publications section has details of leisure properties for sale, while the Employment Space includes job vacancies in the industry. Portilla, Chile Montevideo, Uruguay Machu Picchu, Peru Tango in La Boca, Buenos Aires , Argentina Information Source: MBendi - Modified: 11.Mar.2004 [ Home Page ] [ About MBendi ] [ Contact MBendi ] [ Policy ] [ Legal Disclaimer ] Users of the MBendi Travel website are assumed to have read and agreed to our terms and conditions © 1995-2005 , MBendi and its associated information providers

Argentina Travel

Argentina Travel Guide and Destination Overview on Concierge.com Destinations USA + Canada > Europe > Caribbean > Latin America > Asia > Australia + Pacific > Middle East + Africa > See All > Ideas Beach + Island > Cruise > Culinary Travel > Global Style > Luxury > Romantic > Ski + Adventure > See All > Best Of Gold List > Readers' Choice Awards > Hot List Hotels > Hot List Tables > Hot List Nights > Ski Resorts > Top Spas > Gourmet Guide > See All > Tools Destination Finder > Hotel Finder > Forums > Travel Tips > Currency Converter > Maps > Photos > Weather > See All > Deals Booking > Travel Deals > See All > Destinations | Latin America | Latin America Condé Nast Traveler Read Condé Nast Traveler Subscribe to Condé Nast Traveler Articles > Lists > Travel Tips > Great Drives > Room With a View > Where Are You? Contest > Word Trips Contest > Subscribe > See All > forums argentina Buenos Aires Old-world elegance—magnificent... more Intro Map Fact Sheet Photos Why Go? 2 a.m. in Buenos Aires means the night's still young The best beef this side of Kobe Explore the Yungas Rainforest or Patagonia's peaks All argentina Guides Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Deals Parkland Intimacy in the Unspoiled Argentine Patagonia Victorian Influence in an Intimate Costa Rican Hideaway from CondéNast Traveler August 2005 Sixth Annual List: World's Most Amazing Travel Specialists The Perrin Rolodex of Champions: With their blend... May 2005 7 Best Places To Beat The Weak Dollar: Buenos Aires Why cut corners on the Continent when you can... From our Forums Share opinions, advice, and travel tales about Argentina Information may have changed since date of publication. Please confirm details with individual establishments before planning your trip. Subscribe Now And Save 78%! Subscribe Enter to win the Condé Nast Traveler Greek Paradise Sweepstakes Enter to win HOT TIPS Site Map | Contact Us | Contributors | Newsletters | Subscription Services | Press Center | Advertising Visit Our Sister Sites Concierge / Epicurious / Men.Style.com / Style.com / Allure / Architectural Digest / Cargo / Domino Glamour / House & Garden / Lucky / Self / Teen Vogue / The New Yorker / Vanity Fair / YM Subscribe to a magazine: View Special Offers View All Titles - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Allure Architectural Digest Bon Appétit Bride's Cargo Condé Nast Traveler Details Domino Elegant Bride Glamour Golf Digest Golf For Women Golf World Gourmet GQ House & Garden Jane Lucky Modern Bride Self Teen Vogue The New Yorker Vanity Fair Vogue W Wired Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy . Concierge.com © 2005 CondéNet Inc. All rights reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of CondéNet Inc. For more information, please contact us . CHOOSE A DESTINATION Amalfi Coast Amsterdam Angkor Anguilla Antigua Antwerp Aspen Athens Atlanta Avignon Bahamas Baja California Balearic Islands Bali Bangkok Barbados Barcelona Bath Beijing Belize Bequia Berlin Bermuda Big Island Bologna Bombay Bordeaux Boston British Virgin Islands Brooklyn Brussels Budapest Buenos Aires Cairo Canadian Rockies Cancún Cape Town Capri Central Coast Chamonix Charleston Chicago Cilento Coast Colonial Williamsburg Copenhagen Costa Rica Côte d'Azur Cozumel Cyclades Dallas + Fort Worth Delhi Devon + Cornwall Dresden Dublin Dubrovnik Ecuador Edinburgh Fernie Alpine Resort Fez Fiji Florence Fort Lauderdale Fort Myers + Naples French Polynesia Garden Route Glasgow Goa Granada Great Barrier Reef Grenada Gulf Islands Hamburg Hamptons Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Hong Kong Ionian Islands Israel Istanbul Italian Lakes Jackson Jamaica Kauai Kenya Key West Lake District Lanai Laos Las Vegas Lisbon Ljubljana Loire Valley London Los Angeles Luxor Madeira Madrid Malaysia Marrakesh Marseille Martha's Vineyard Maui Megève Melbourne Memphis + Graceland Mexico City Miami Milan Montréal Moscow Munich Mustique N. CA Wine Country New York City New Zealand Norfolk Northern Vermont Oahu Orlando + Disney World Oslo Pacific Coast Palm Beach Palm Springs Panama Paris Park City Peloponnese Peru Philadelphia Phoenix + Scottsdale Porto Prague Provence Puerto Rico Puglia Québec Rhodes Rio de Janeiro Rome Salzburg San Diego San Francisco San Miguel de Allende Santa Barbara Santa Fe Seattle Seville Shanghai Sicily St. Barths St. Lucia St. Moritz St. Petersburg Stockholm Sydney Tallinn Telluride Tokyo Toledo Toronto Trinidad + Tobago Turks + Caicos Tuscany U.S. Virgin Islands Vail Valencia Vancouver Venice Vienna Vieques Warsaw Washington D.C. Weimar Yucatán Zanzibar Zurich

Travel Guides Hotels Flights

VirtualTourist.com - Worldwide - Pictures, Tips and Reviews Worldwide Travel Guide. Tips, Reviews & Photos plus Hotels, Restaurants, Activities & More Ready to Book? OneTime.com compares deals on Hotels, Flights, Cars, Cruises & Vacations. member log in | join for free! | help Home Travel Guides Hotels Flights Deals NEW! Members Meetings & Events Do It Yourself Guides Forums VirtualTourist TRAVEL GUIDES Choose a Destination Over 2.2 Million Locations Top Spots Paris Hotels , Things To Do London Hotels , Things To Do New York City Hotels , Things To Do Prague Hotels , Things To Do Rome Hotels , Things To Do Amsterdam Hotels , Things To Do Barcelona Hotels , Things To Do San Francisco Hotels , Things To Do Venice Hotels , Things To Do Bangkok Hotels , Things To Do Las Vegas Hotels , Things To Do Vienna Hotels , Things To Do » view all travel guides » view special interest guides FEATURED DESTINATION: Paradise Island Home to luxurious beaches, a world class golf course, gigantic casinos and world class entertainmentParadise Island lives up to its name. Sponsored by the Atlantis Resort Travel Reviews by VT Members 1,246,831 Reviews 2,166,992 Photos Read About: Write About: Hotels Things To Do Restaurants General Tips Nightlife Off The Beaten Path Tourist Traps Warnings Or Dangers Transportation Local Customs Packing Lists Shopping Sports Travel In: Paris London New York City Prague Rome Amsterdam Barcelona San Francisco Venice Bangkok Las Vegas Vienna Budapest Berlin Sydney Istanbul Kuala Lumpur Brussels Chicago Beijing other location... Monument Valley State Park Things To Do Visitor Center by Trekki If you are visiting Monument Valley Tribal Park, please try and not do it in a rush, but plan minimum 1 day (including 1 overnight stay). Only this will allow you to breath in this incredible beauty of the land and the landscape. Prior to entering the park, please check the Visitor center, which is located at the entrance. You can learn a lot about what you are going to see ! Even though I have visited Monument Valley 3 times over the last... [read more] Geraz do Minho Local Customs Tall Haystacks by Bwana_Brown On our way south from Cabeceiras de Basto, I was intrigued to see these tall Portugese-style haystacks outside of the village of Canedo de Basto! I don't know how they put them together, but it looks like a lot of work to me! A few vines growing in the foreground are probably used to help make some of the local wines! Update: VT-member 'JohntheFinn' tells me that they have similar haystacks in Finland, with the hay formed around a vertical... [read more] The VirtualTourist Travel Community in Action Newest Tips. 883 tips in the last 24 hours Manyana just created a new Hotels tip on London MJB123 just created a new Transportation tip on Pescosolido Brillemeister just created a new Things To Do tip on Atlanta sandysmith updated a Sports Travel tip on Gwynedd salisbury3933 just created a new Hotels tip on Yaroslavl' nhcram just created a new Hotels tip on Prague nhcram updated a Restaurants tip on Prague Brillemeister just created a new Things To Do tip on Snellville » more new tips Newest Forum Postings. 1,116 new postings in the last 24 hours chaco2589 . Spain forum: " RE: Southern Spain, from Malaga to Cadiz " Fourka . Sweden forum: " RE: RE: Lunch (-Dinner) Cruise Stockholm " Basterma . Cairo forum: " RE: RE: Meeting In Cairo " lasseg . Sweden forum: " RE: Long time car rental " Roadquill . Spain forum: " RE: 2 weeks-Honeymoon " w_james . Illinois forum: " RE: Urbana-Champaign University on summer!!! " istanBULent . Istanbul forum: " RE: RE: Where will I find the Cable... " lasseg . Stockholm forum: " RE: New Year's Eve - open public sites " » more forum postings Newest Page Comments. 1,209 new comments in the last 24 hours ellielou on aemilys's Homepage : "hope you make it to baltimore,..." RoyJava on matcrazy1's Amsterdam page: "Good to read about the soul of..." joits on BorderHopper's Homepage : "Thanks for the comment. As far..." RickinDutch on Tasmania's Homepage : "Birthday greetings from Alaska!" RickinDutch on lavnya's Bangalore page: "Ah - Bangalore - one of my..." aussirose on meaganelizabeth's Ko Samui page: "What a lovely page..." iris2002 on wartman's Homepage : "Halluuuuuuuu --- echo echooo..." RickinDutch on InnocentOne's Homepage : "Ameera - birthday greetings..." » more page comments Newest Deals. 14 new entries in the last 24 hours carteki commented on myriam_c's Hotel Deal on Brussels alenardini commented on sandra's Flight Deal on Brazil nicolaitan commented on bijo69's Flight Deal on Europe HORSCHECK commented on bijo69's Flight Deal on Europe shirez commented on baronedivandastad's Flight Deal on Italy cnango commented on TeresaB25's Flight Deal on London zuriga commented on bijo69's Flight Deal on Europe giampiero6 commented on bijo69's Flight Deal on Europe » more deals Today's Birthdays. 648 members are celebrating today pentimento lives in Turkey , born December 27, 1979. Pookie46 lives in Crescent City , born December 27, 1946. bridgettebay lives in North America , born December 27, 1971. Genester lives in Halifax , born December 27, 1947. JManz lives in Bay City , born December 27, 1972. smurfmania lives in Edinburgh , born December 27, 1979. nocalg lives in Vallejo , born December 27, 1962. Manu&Manu lives in London , born December 27, 1977. » more birthdays New Members. 315 new members in the last 24 hours seattledude , ZipZap , TimmiT , jparr13685 , CI66 , 4shelleyb , ThisGirl , PeggyBr , Tasha1759 , Lisciandru , lovezino , 681 , Brillemeister , ddvt , dkrasne , LancePalmer , igoypilgrim , azdaved , mpgod , marth600 , demaret , sgtpeppr56 , gman1 , webrew2 , rosecat4 , ... » more new members Community News -- December 27, 2005 361st day of the year - 4 days remaining in 2005 Birthdays: Louis Pasteur b. 1822, Marlene Dietrich b. 1901, Gerard Depardieu b. 1948 In this corner... Weighing 8 pounds, 12 ounces and at a height of 20 inches long, lays the beautiful, new arrival of VT Member, Cruisingbug , and her husband. Daughter, Kate Serenity, was born November 17 at 7:08 pm. Mommy is recovering well and baby Katie is doing great! We LOVE hearing from VirtualTourist members and visitors alike. We frequently get notes just letting us know that you're out there and you're enjoying VT. Very often we'll forward the mail around to the rest of the team, to share the love. Drop us a note, we'd love to hear from you. You can see more community news items from previous days in the community news archives Drop us a note at feedback@virtualtourist.com if you'd like your item to be considered. Destinations Members Keywords VirtualTourist MEMBERS 212 online now 661,410 total 315 new today search for VT members FEATURED MEMBER Lalique Lives in Moscow Member since: September 17, 2001 "Crashing your mind! - Chasing the Sun....." 31 countries 162 locations 688 tips » make your own map VirtualTourist FORUM VT Travel Forum Ask about a trip you're planning. VT Technical Help Forum Help using VT, computers & more VT Miscellaneous Forum Fun and friendship with fellow travelers FEATURED TRAVEL FORUM TimmiT asks about Comunidad Valenciana Q. Looking for an apartment for 8 persons during Fallas "Hi! We're (we = 8 belgians) planning on visiting Fallas in Valencia! Since we will only stay there for 4 days (16th till 19th march) we are searching for an apartment, house, big studio that is and close or in the centre of Valencia & reasonable in accommodation, price & ..." Read this posting 0 Replies so far FREE VT Deals Newsletter great deals, inside tips & no spam FEATURED DEAL BY VT MEMBERS flyingcaribou posts a Flight Deal for Paris Montreal-Paris Jan.18 "Departure from Montreal. Leave from Pierre-Elliot-Trudeau, montreal, Wednesday, January 18, 2006 at 7:05 PM. Air Transat Flight TS310. arrive at paris, Charles De Gaulle at 7:55 AM, Thursday, January 19, 2006 . Return to Montreal. Leave from Paris, Charles De Gaulle, Tuesday, January 31, 2006 at 1:40 PM. Air Transat ..." Read this Deal posting Next VT Member Meeting " VT Meet a la Quebec City! " Date: December 27, 2005 Location: Quebec » more meetings and events Travel Resources Car Rental Cruises Vacations Luggage NEW! VT Photo Search Keyword: Destination: Category: - Please Select - People Animals Ocean/Beach Mountain Flowers/Foliage Landscape Architecture Local People/Customs Monument Desert Ice/Snow City/Street Scene Planes/Trains/Automobiles Other Find: Destinations Members Keywords Matching: Advanced About VT | Contact Us | Site Tour | Advertising | Local Merchant Login | Travel Tools | VT Chat | VT Gear | Help User Agreement | Privacy Statement Virtual Tourist® ©1994-2005 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Italy Travel

Italy Travel Tips Book Online or call (800) 682-3333 Europe Asia Americas Caribbean Mediterranean Pacific Cruises Home Hotels Find a Vacation Specials Contact Us Italy & Sicily Spain & Portugal Britain & Ireland France Belgium & Holland Central Europe Scandinavia Greece River Cruises China & Japan Southeast Asia Thailand India South America Brazil Peru Costa Rica Bahamas Caribbean & Mexico Bahamas Cancun Riviera Maya Punta Cana Jamaica Greece & Turkey Israel Egypt Morocco Australia & New Zealand Tahiti China & Japan Southeast Asia Sea Cruises River Cruises Italy & Switzerland Travel Tips Climate / Clothing Language Code of Conduct Currency Holidays Travel Insurance Car Regulations Luggage Local Emergency/Phone Health Precautions Passports and Visas Driving Electricity Shopping Tipping Venice Transfers Departure Tax Papal Audiences Climate /Clothing Italy : Spring and Fall: 55 - 75F; Summer: 70 - 85F; Winter: 40 - 55F. Bring comfortable shoes, a sweater, clothes you can layer and an all-weather coat. On the cruises, informal dress is the general rule but there may be some occasions were formal dress is required. Some religious sites may require modest dress to enter (no shorts or sleeveless tops). Italy Average Temperatures: www.gate1travel.com/italy-travel/weather/italy-weather.htm . Switzerland : The Alps cause many climatic variations throughout Switzerland. In the higher Alpine regions temperatures tend to be low, while the lower land of the northern area has higher temperatures and warm summers. Switzerland Average Temperatures: www.gate1travel.com/italy-travel/weather/switzerland-weather.htm . Language Italy : Italian is the local language. Limited English is generally spoken as well. Switzerland : German, French, Italian, and Raeto-Romance are the official languages, but English is widely spoken. Passports and Visas Italy : Passport required. Visa not required for tourist or business stays up to 90 days. Switzerland : Passport required. Visa not required for tourism/study stay of less than 90 days. For more information, please see www.gate1travel.com/visas.htm . Currency Italy : Euro Switzerland : The Swiss Franc Tipping Italy : This is a matter of personal discretion. Tips are appreciated and expected for good service in restaurants and other places. Although restaurant bills often include a service charge, this amount is not typically for the waiters/staff. A typical tip is approximately 10%. Switzerland : A service charge is included in all hotel, restaurant, cafe, bar, taxi and hairdressing services by law; further gratuities are not usually required. For specific guidelines, please refer to www.gate1travel.com/tipping.htm Electricity Italy & Switzerland : The voltage used is 220 volts. *Note: The U.S. uses 120 volts and you can purchase a converter and transformer at most hardware stores for your 120V appliances. Shopping Italy : Shops are generally open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m., with some variations in Northern Italy, where the lunch break is shorter and shops close earlier. Prices are reasonable and the quality of goods is very high. Department stores such as La Rinascente, Coin, Upim, and Standa are found in many Italian cities and towns. Things to buy: Clothes for men & women (dresses, shoes, gloves, silk ties, shirts); lacework, jewelry, leather goods (handbags, cases, boxes, luggage), ceramics, gold and silver items, alabaster; woodwork, straw, embroidery, glass and crystal ware. It is advisable to carry merchandise purchased with you in order to avoid any inconvenience. All major credit cards are honored in Italy. A proof of purchase (receipt) must be kept. Switzerland : Special purchases include embroidery and linen, Bernese woodcarving, chocolate, cheese, Swiss army knives and luxury handmade clocks and watches. Shopping hours usually run Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1:30 -6:30 p.m., Sat 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1:30-4 p.m. Most shops are closed on Monday mornings. Health Precautions Italy & Switzerland : No inoculations are necessary when arriving in Italy or Switzerland from the U.S. but you should consult with your health care provider before traveling. To prevent "Montezuma's Revenge," avoid the tap water, including raw fruits and vegetables washed in tap water. Your stomach may still become upset due to the change in diet. Bring anti-diarrhea medicine just in case.*For the latest overseas travel health information, call the Center for Disease Control's traveler's hotline at 404-332-4559. Or visit their web site at www.cdc.gov Conservation/Code of Conduct Italy : The social structure is heavily influenced by the Roman Catholic church and, generally speaking, family ties are stronger than in most other countries in Western Europe. Normal social courtesies should be observed. Dress is casual in most places, though beachwear should be confined to the beach. Conservative clothes are expected when visiting religious buildings and smaller, traditional communities. Formal wear is usually indicated on invitations. Smoking is prohibited in some public buildings, transport and cinemas. Visitors are warned to take precautions against theft, particularly in the major cities. Switzerland : Avoid red roses; never give chrysanthemums or white asters as they are considered funeral flowers. Informal wear is widely acceptable. First-class restaurants, hotel dining rooms and important social occasions may warrant jackets and ties. Black tie is usually specified when required. It is customary to give unwrapped flowers to the hostess when invited for a meal. Luggage *Gate 1 tour packages allow one piece of luggage per person, plus carry-on bag. Additional baggage will be subject to handling charges of up to $100 per piece. As Gate 1 will not be responsible for loss or damage to luggage and personal belongings, you MUST report any loss or damage immediately at the time of the incident and obtain a written report from the local authority for submission to your insurance provider. If you luggage is lost or damaged by the airlines, a baggage claim form MUST be filed with the carrier before leaving the airport. See www.gate1travel.com/destinations/luggage.htm for Important Baggage Information for U.S. Travelers. Departure Tax Italy & Switzerland : There are currently no departure taxes in Italy or Switzerland, please see www.gate1travel.com/Destinations/departure_tax.htm for more information. Travel Insurance We strongly recommend the purchase of travel insurance as additional security in the case of cancellation or interruption of travel plans, lost or damaged luggage, travel delays, illness, or accident. Keep all boarding passes, ticket copies and receipts for expenses paid during your trip if it later becomes necessary to file a claim. Local Emergency Phone # Italy : ambulance/medical: 118 fire, disasters: 115 police & general emergency: 112 Switzerland : general emergency: 112 Holidays Italy : January 1 New Year's Day January 6 Epiphany Mar 28 Easter Monday April 25 Liberation Day May 1 Labor Day June 2 Anniversary of the Republic August 15 Assumption of the Virgin November 1 All Saints Day November 7 World War 1 Victory Anniversary Day December 8 Immaculate Conception December 25 Christmas Day December 26 St Stephens Day *Note : In addition, local feast days are held in honor of town patron saints, generally without closure of shops and offices. These include: Turin/Genoa/Florence: Jun 24 (St John the Baptist) Milan: Dec 7 (St Ambrose) Siena: Jul 2 and Aug 16, Palio horserace Venice: Apr 25 (St Mark) Bologna: Oct 4 (St Petronius) Naples: Sep 19 (St Gennaro) Bari: Dec 6 (St Nicholas) Palermo: Jul 15 (St Rosalia) Rome: Jun 29 (St Peter) Trieste: Nov 3. Switzerland : Public Holidays: January 1 New Year's Day January 2 Berchtolds Day Mar 25* Good Friday Mar 28* Easter Monday May 5* Ascension May 15* Whit Monday Aug 1 National Day Nov 1 All Saints Day Nov 7 World War 1 Victory Anniversary Day Dec 8 Immaculate Conception Dec 25 Christmas Day Dec 26 St Stephens Day *Note : (a) *These holidays may not be observed in certain cantons. (b) There are additional regional holidays which are observed in certain cantons only. Driving Italy : Traffic drives on the right. There are more than 185,500 miles of roads in Italy, including over 3700 miles of motorway (autostrada) which link all parts of the country. Tolls are charged at varying distances and scales, except for the SalernoReggio Calabria, PalermoCatania and PalermoMazara Del Vallo stretches which are toll-free. Secondary roads are also excellent and require no tolls. Road signs are international. Many petrol stations are closed 12 -3 p.m. Visitors are advised to check locally about exact opening times. Switzerland : Traffic drives on the right. Road quality is generally good. Many mountain roads are winding and narrow, and often closed in heavy winter conditions; otherwise chains and snow tires may be necessary. Rail is often more efficient than driving. Car Regulations Italy : Driving licenses and other traffic documents valid in other countries are recognized in Italy. Distances are indicated in kilometer ( 1 km = 0.621 miles). An international insurance certificate is required for citizens from non-EC countries.The wearing of seat belts in front and rear seats is obligatory. An appropriate harness system is obligatory for children from 2 to 12 years of age. Gasoline : Almost all the service stations in the country are equipped with pumps for lead-free (95 octane) and diesel fuel. The fuel distribution network for gas-propelled vehicles is reasonably developed (ask for information at the Automobile Club d'Italia offices). Service stations are open from 7 am to 12:30 pm and from 3 pm to 7:30 pm. Service is guaranteed 24 hours a day on the motorways. Automatic pumps, which accept 10,000 and 50,000 lire banknotes, function in the evenings and at night. Carrying gasoline in gas cans is prohibited. Traffic Tips : On highways (autostrade) no U-turns are permitted and stopping is permitted only in emergency parking areas or parking lanes. The Italian Highway Code follows the Geneva Convention and Italy uses international road signs. Driving is on the right, passing on the left. Violators of the highway code are fined; serious violations may also be punished by imprisonment. In cities and towns, the speed limit is 50 km/hr. Papal Audiences, Vatican City General audiences with His Holiness are usually held once a week (Wednesdays at 11 a.m.) in Vatican City. They may be held inside the Basilica itself or in the hall of the Papal Audiences (Aula Paolo VI, Seating 7000), and in summer in Saint Peter's Square or in the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo. Catholics are requested to have a letter of introduction from their parish priest. For this audience women should dress modestly, with arms and head covered. Dark or subdued colors are requested. Men are asked to wear a tie and jacket. Return to the Italy brochure More TravelInformation Email This Page to a Friend © 2005 Gate 1 Travel Home | About Us | Travel Agent | Free Brochure | Help | Site Map | (800) 682-3333 Read our privacy policy . Contact Us . 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