Asia Travel || Malaysia

Travel Information of Malaysia Malaysia Country and Travel Information Malaysia Hotels & Resorts Reservation GENERAL INFORMATION Malaysia is located in the heart of Southeast Asia. Consisting of 127,000 sq. miles (330,200 sq. km), Malaysia is divided into two main regions: Peninsular Malaysia, which lies just south of Thailand, and East Malaysia, which can be found north of Indonesia on the island of Borneo. These two regions are divided into thirteen states and federal territories. Although East Malaysia occupies the larger portion of Malaysia's total area, it is primarily comprised of undeveloped land and jungles. Malaysia is a land of fascinating sights and attractions. Rich in colour and contrasts, her multi-faceted charm provides intriguing images that leave visitors to the country in awe. The natural warmth of Malaysians is legendary; wherever one goes, the friendliness and hospitality of the people would prove to be a very special experience. Malaysia is paradise. Its sun-drenched beaches, enchanting islands, diverse flora and fauna, forest retreats and magnificent mountains are among the best in this region. Many visitors have discovered Malaysia's other attractions: a shopping haven, a versatile conference venue, an incentive destination, an adventure land and much more. WEATHER CONDITIONS With temperature that fluctuates little throughout the year, travel in Malaysia is a pleasure. Average temperature is between 21 to 32 degree celcius. Humidity is high. Rain tends to occur between November to February on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, on western Sarawak, and north-eastern Sabah. On the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia the rainy seasons is April to May and October to November. PEOPLE AND CULTURE Malaysia has a combined population of over 18 million people. Because of its central location, between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, Malaysia has traditionally been a meeting point for traders and travelers from both the East and West. As a result, Malaysia has a multicultural and multiracial population consisting of Malays, Chinese, Indians and numerous indigenous peoples. Although Malay is the official language, English is widely spoken, especially in business, and the English language is a compulsory subject in all schools. With such a varying ethnic composition, it is no surprise that a great diversity of religions is prevalent throughout Malaysia. Although the official religion is Islam, freedom of worship is practiced. As a result, it is a common to see temples, mosques and churches within the same area. Ethnic Groups: 59% Malay and other indigenous, 32% Chinese and 9% Indian. Languages: Malay (official), English, Chinese dialects, Mandarin, Hakka dialects, Cantonese, Tamil and numerous tribal languages. Religion: Muslim (primarily Malays), Buddhism (Chinese), Hindu (Indian), Christianity, Confucianism, Taoism and tribal religions. LOCAL CUSTOMS General: When visiting Malaysia, the visitor should observe local customs and practices. Some common courtesies and customs are as follow:- Although handshakes generally suffice for both men and women, some Muslim ladies may acknowledge an introduction with a gentleman with a nod of her head and smile. A handshake is only to be reciprocated if the lady offers her hand first. The traditional greeting of "salam" resembles a handshake with both hands but without the grasp. The man offers both hands, lightly touches his friend's outstretched hands, then brings his hands to his chest to mean, " I greet you from my heart". The visitor should reciprocate the "salam". It is polite to call before visiting a home Shoes must be removed when entering a Malaysian home. It is also customary to do so upon entering a mosque or an Indian temple. The right hand is always used when eating with one's hand or when giving and receiving objects The right forefinger is not used to point at places, objects or persons. Instead, the thumb of the right hand with the four fingers, folden under is preferred usage. Toasting is not a common practice in Malaysia. The country's large Muslim population does not drink alcoholic bevergaes. THINGS TO KNOW Population: 20 million Capital: Kuala Lumpur Flag: Fourteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the U.S. flag. Shop Hours: Department stores and supermarkets are usually open from 10am to 10pm and shops from 9:30am to 7pm. In Kuala Lumpur, as well as in most major towns, there are several 24-hour stores. Bank Hours: Most states: Mon-Fri: 9:30am-4.00pm Sat : 9:30am-11:30am Sun : Closed Kelantan and Terengganu: Sat-Wed: 9:30am-4.00pm Thur : 9:30am-11.30am Fri : Closed VISAS AND PASSPORT Visitors must be in possession of a current passport or other internationally recognized travel document. They must be endorsed for traveling to Malaysia and have a period of validity of at least six months beyond the time of stay allowed in Malaysia. No visas are required for citizens of British Commonwealth countries (except India), British Protected persons, and citizens of the Republic of Ireland, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, San Marino, Switzerland and the United States (for social, business or academic purposes only). No visas are required for stays not exceeding three months for citizens of: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Luxemburg, Norway, South Korea, Sweden, Tunesia, U.S.A. , France and Germany (except for local employment). CUSTOMS REGULATIONS Duty-Free Items: Items such as cameras, watches, pens, portable radio-cassette players, perfume, cosmetics and lighters are duty-free in Malaysia. Visitors bringing in dutiable goods may have to pay a deposit for temporary importation, refundable on departure - usually 50% of the value (carry receipt of purchase and obtain an official receipt for any tax or deposit paid). Asia Travel || Malaysia Hotels & Resorts Reservation

London Vacation Home Brand

London Vacation - Family House London Vacation Property Owners Join us VRBO ® is Vacation Rentals by Owner ® Home Europe United Kingdom England Greater London London Edit Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #65141 Beautiful Family Home for Ideal London Holiday - Sleeps 10 Location: London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom, Europe (Across the street from Hampstead Heath) Accommodations: Family House - 5 Bedrooms + Other (See Description) - 3.5 Baths - (Sleeps 10) Master Bedroom, with dressing room and ensuite bath - London Vacation Home Brand new listing - Our home is a beautiful example of Arts & Crafts architecture, located in Hampstead Gardens which is internationally renowned for the lovingly preserved buildings of this period. Directly across the street is the northern most part of Hampstead Heath, one of the most famous parks in all of Europe. Nearly 800 acres of grass land, woods and public amenities are on our doorstep. An easy 10 minute walk leads to a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and excellent public transport facilities which will have you in Central London within 20 minutes. The house itself is nicely decorated, but not precious; a young family lives here year round. There is a lovely garden with swing set, trampoline, plenty of grassy playing space and a BBQ. On the ground floor there is a spacious, fully equipped kitchen, separate dining room, comfortable living room with cozy, contemporary furniture, another living room used more for reading, listening to music or watching TV. The second floor has a master bedroom with ensuite bath/shower room and separate dressing area. Two further double bedrooms and a single bedroom share a lovely shower room. On the third floor there is another single bedroom, a large playroom for which we have a very comfortable double air mattress, and another bath/shower room. London offers unsurpassed variety of attractions and points of interest, historical and contemporary. A vast array of museums, performance venues, sights and attractions are available every day across the capital. Within a 15 minute walk of the house, there are summer concerts at Kenwood House. Highlights this season include Elvis Costello, Van Morrison, Katie Melua, Jamie Cullum, The Buena Vista Social Club's Ibrahim Ferrer. A caretaker for the house lives locally, and twice weekly cleaning service is included in the rental. A £1000 cash security deposit is required. Living Room with wood burning fireplace and piano - London Vacation Home View comments from previous guests. Amenities: Beautiful neighborhood of architecturally significant family homes. Private garden, patio w/BBQ, Phone, WiFi Broadband, TV, Cable TV, VCR, Stereo, CD Player, Fireplace, Full Kitchen, Microwave, Dishwasher, American refrigerator, Cooking utensils provided, Linens provided, American washer and dryer, Smoking on the patio only, please. Activities (on site or nearby): Museums, Theatre, Music, Film, Hiking, Biking, Golf, Tennis, Fitness Center, Gym, Horseback Riding, Shopping, Restaurants, Live Theater, Museums, Sightseeing, Swimming. Rates (in Pounds Sterling): Personal Currency Assistant ™ Jul 16-Aug 20 ... £2500/week.Payable by wire transfer only.50% required to secure rental; 50% to be paid one week prior to arrival.£1,000 cash deposit required, to be refunded at checkout.Sat. arrival time must be confirmed 1 week in advance.Check-out between 8 a.m. and noon.Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice. Living room with cable TV, DVD, video, stereo system and view onto garden - London Vacation Home Note: Each property is individually owned or managed. Dates available:  Jul 16-Aug 20, 2005 Before contacting us, please check our calendar for your desired dates. Phone: +44 208 209-0046 (United Kingdom) Please say: "I saw your listing #65141 on VRBO" Rear garden with trampoline, also not visible, wooden swing set & BBQ area View of front of house Home Europe United Kingdom England Greater London London Edit Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #65141 There have been 1495 visitors to this page since the counter was last reset on June 15, 2005 This listing was first published here on June 15, 2005. London Vacation Date last modified - December 16, 2005 VRBO® is Vacation Rentals by Owner® - The largest and most popular vacation rental site. Specializing in BY OWNER vacation rentals, homes, condos, cabins, villas and apartments ALSO privately owned properties offered thru rental agencies and management companies. To report any problems with this site contact webmaster@vrbo.com URL: http://www.vrbo.com/65141 ©1995-2005 by VRBO International LLC - all rights reserved

France Travel Trends: What's

France Travel Trends: What's In & Out for 2005  You are here: About > Travel > France for Visitors > Money, Safety & Issues > Issues, News & Hot Topics > France Travel Trends: What's In & Out for 2005 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 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 Trends From Kelby Carr , Your Guide to France for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! What's In & Out for 2005 There are always travel trends. Spots that used to be hot become not-so-hip. With the dollar getting increasingly weaker against the euro, travelers are more inclined to stay in more modest accomodations. While Provence enjoyed its heyday in the wake of Peter Mayle's novels, Languedoc is emerging as the underrated darling of southern France. Look below to find out more about what is in and out for France travel this year. In Out Lesser-known cities Paris Languedoc Provence Recreational travel Luxury travel Small inns Upscale hotels Living in France Visiting France Driving Riding the rails Bringing your cellphone Using a phone card Packing light Packing heavy        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 New Year's Eve in France Paris Gay Pride Parade Host A France-Themed Party Nice, France Photo Gallery Camping in France

Hotel Travel

Sydney hotels reservations, cheap hotels, travel, discounts and vacations Sydney Hotels 100,000 luxury, chain and discount hotels worldwide, Cheap hotels, accommodation and hotel reservations. all-hotels.com, travel lodgings and reservations Sydney Hotels Sydney: Often mistaken as Australia's capital city, Sydney is one of the most popular tourist vacation destinations in the world. With an average of 240 days of sunshine a year, and access to some of the world's most famous attractions, it's not surprising! Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, is Australia's oldest city and is situated on Port Jackson - arguably one of the world's most beautiful natural harbours. The harbour is best seen at the weekends when it fills with a spectacular array of cruisers, yachts and sailing boats. A boat trip on the harbour will offer visitors unparalleled views of the world famous Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Search Hotel Directory " name="Join" class="subsgo_v" Where's your next vacation? Sydney hotel guide Hotels in Sydney Darling Harbour Sydney Airport Travel Guide & Information Cheap hotels European vacations US City breaks Discount hotels, lodgings Travel resources Currency converter Hotel Search Find out the availability of hotels in Sydney Where? Arrival Date DD 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 No. of Nights NN 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 No. of Adults 1 2 3 4 Hotel name? " name="Join" class="searchbutton" title="Search Accommodation and Lodgings" Refine your seach for other hotel deals and Discount hotels by using our.... Multiple Room Search Featured Sydney Hotels Grace Hotel Sydney Star Rating 77 York Street, Sydney, Australia, 2000 The Deluxe Grace Hotel is just 20 minutes from Kingsford Smith Airport and is right in the heart of the central business district. This hotel is only 500 meters from the Town Hall and the Wynyard Train Station. The Darling Harbors Convention and Exhibition Center and the Cockle Bay Wharf are within walking distance from the hotel. Hotel guests are just moments away from The Queen Victoria Building and the... Grace Hotel Sydney Reservations... " name="citypagehotel" class="subsgo_v" title="View Cheap Hotel Rooms and other Discounts" onclick="window.location='http://www.all-hotels.com/xbook/servlet/ChooseDates?hotl_id=306083'" Metro Sydney Star Rating 300 Pitt Street, Sydney, Australia, 2000 Located at 300 Pitt Street Sydney and situated in the very heart of the city, the new Metro Hotel Sydney stands ideally in the centre of the exciting business, tourism and leisure heart of Sydney. Only minutes away from the museum, Town Hall and Central Railway Stations and with monorail and buses at the hotel doorstep, traveling is effortless. There is a licensed restaurant on- site, Portobello, which features colorful... Metro Sydney Reservations... " name="citypagehotel" class="subsgo_v" title="View Cheap Hotel Rooms and other Discounts" onclick="window.location='http://www.all-hotels.com/xbook/servlet/ChooseDates?hotl_id=319230'" Travelodge Sydney Star Rating Corner Wentworth Ave/Goulburn STR, Sydney, Australia, 2000 Welcome to the Travelodge Hotel Sydney! This chain of hotels provides a consistent blend of modern quality accommodation and friendly service. Situated on the edge of the Central Business District, you will be perfectly positioned to explore the city of Sydney. Restaurants, theatres, a great range of shops and nightclubs are within easy walking distance. Major attractions that you won't want to miss include the Darling Harbour... Travelodge Sydney Reservations... " name="citypagehotel" class="subsgo_v" title="View Cheap Hotel Rooms and other Discounts" onclick="window.location='http://www.all-hotels.com/xbook/servlet/ChooseDates?hotl_id=306203'" Radisson Sydney 72 LIVERPOOL STREET, Sydney, N S W, Nova Scotia, Australia, 2000 The Radisson Hotel and Suites is a superior deluxe hotel located 20 kilometers from the Kingsford Smith International Airport. This boutique hotel is situated in the heart of Chinatown, within easy reach of Darling Harbour, Cockle Bay Wharf, Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre and the Sydney Entertainment Centre. At your doorstep you will find some of Sydney's major attractions including Queen Victoria... Radisson Sydney Reservations... " name="citypagehotel" class="subsgo_v" title="View Cheap Hotel Rooms and other Discounts" onclick="window.location='http://www.all-hotels.com/xbook/servlet/ChooseDates?hotl_id=194974'" Marriott Sydney 30 Pitt Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2000 The Sydney Harbour Marriott is ideally located in the central business district just one block from Circular Quay and Sydney Harbour. Guests can enjoy views of the botanical gardens, the city skyline, historic Macquarie Park, the world-renowned Sydney Opera House and beautiful Harbour Bridge. The main business and financial district, shopping, sightseeing and "The Rocks" restored historic area are all within easy... Marriott Sydney Reservations... " name="citypagehotel" class="subsgo_v" title="View Cheap Hotel Rooms and other Discounts" onclick="window.location='http://www.all-hotels.com/xbook/servlet/ChooseDates?hotl_id=208394'" Quality Hotel Sydney Star Rating Corner Wentworth Ave & Goulburn St., Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2000 The Quality Hotel SC Sydney is a 192 room, 4 star hotel, providing accommodation that is both cheap and friendly with courteous service. Located at the crossroads of Sydney, the hotel is only 15 minutes drive from the airport, and an easy stroll to Darling Harbour, Hyde Park, Chinatown and downtown Sydney. Shopping, theatre, cinema, museums, and the many attractions Sydney has to offer are all within easy reach. Guest rooms are spacious... Quality Hotel Sydney Reservations... " name="citypagehotel" class="subsgo_v" title="View Cheap Hotel Rooms and other Discounts" onclick="window.location='http://www.all-hotels.com/xbook/servlet/ChooseDates?hotl_id=272161'" Crown Plaza Darling Harbour 150 DAY ST. PRIVATE BAG Q600, Sydney, Australia, 2000 The Crowne plaza Darling Harbour is perfectly located on the city side of Darling Harbour. Not only are we on the fringe of the CBD, we are within walking distance to the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre and many of Sydney's best tourist attractions.In a five to ten minute walk from your accommodation, you could be at the Darling Harbour Harbourside complex, Sydney Aquarium, Powerhouse Museum, Chinatown, Cockle Bay Wharf or... Crown Plaza Darling Harbour Reservations... " name="citypagehotel" class="subsgo_v" title="View Cheap Hotel Rooms and other Discounts" onclick="window.location='http://www.all-hotels.com/xbook/servlet/ChooseDates?hotl_id=198329'" Avillion Hotel Sydney Star Rating 389 Pitt Street, Sydney, Australia, 2000 The Avillion Hotel Sydney is a superior deluxe- class hotel located 12 kilometers from Sydney International Airport. This outstanding hotel is situated in the cultural and theatrical heart of Sydney's Central Business District. A myriad of tourist attractions of this harbor city is within easy walking distance such as Darling Harbour, Cockle Bay Wharf, Sydney Aquarium and Chinatown. The theaters and cinema complexes and... Avillion Hotel Sydney Reservations... " name="citypagehotel" class="subsgo_v" title="View Cheap Hotel Rooms and other Discounts" onclick="window.location='http://www.all-hotels.com/xbook/servlet/ChooseDates?hotl_id=306040'" Hotel search around the world: Amsterdam Anaheim Atlanta Barcelona Berlin Boston Brussels Canada Cancun Chicago Dublin Edinburgh Florence Hong Kong Houston Istanbul Italy Las Vegas London Los Angeles Madrid Miami New Orleans New York Nice Oregon Orlando Paris Prague Rome San Antonio San Diego San Francisco Seattle Spain Sydney Tampa Toronto Venice Washington DC Our site works best on Explorer 5 + Netscape 7 + Firefox 1 Also to use our site you must have cookies enabled. About Us - Affiliates - Hotelier Services - Advertising - Privacy Policy - Disclaimer - Terms and Conditions All-Hotels is a registered trademark (RN 2,516,395) 1997 - 2005 OTC / Lastminute.com All-Hotels Home Featured Hotels Hotel Directory Cheap Hotels Promotions and Deals Help and FAQ Site Map

Italy Travel Resources: Rome

Italy - Travel and Tourism Information for Italy  You are here: About > Travel > Italy for Visitors Travel Go Italy Essentials Italy Profile Top Ten Cities to Visit in Italy Eating Out in Italy Ski in Piedmont New Year's Celebrations in Italy Articles & Resources Planning and Information Florence, Italy Rome, Italy Venice, Italy More Italian Cities Regions of Italy Italy Pictures Food and Wine of Italy Language and Culture Festivals and Events Gay and Lesbian Travel Italian History Things to Do in Italy Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Italy for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Italy for Visitors From Martha Bakerjian , Your Guide to Italy for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Travel to Milan, Italy Milan is one of Italy's most fashionable and richest cities but it also has many great artistic and historical sights and a thriving cultural scene. Home to the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and the famous opera house, La Scala, Milan has a lot to offer the traveler. If you want to travel in northern Italy, Milan, with 2 airports, makes a convenient starting or ending destination. Read our Travel Profile of Milan, Italy , to learn more about Milan. You don't have to spend as much money as the CIA did on their stay in Milan. If you want to look for a hotel, here are some Milan Hotel listings with links to Kayak so that you can compare prices and even book online if you find one you like. Tuesday December 27, 2005 | permalink 2006 Winter Olympic Update According to Northern Italy's Torino 2006 Blog , the Olympic Village in Turin is complete and ready for the Winter Olympics starting in February. The village has 750 apartments as well as service buildings and will be converted to residential and student housing following the games. Meanwhile, the Olympic torch is spending the Christmas holidays with friends and family in Sicily and will resume its travels on December 26. The travel route will take the torch into southern Italy where it will arrive in Naples on New Year's Eve. Naples has one of the best New Year's Eve fireworks displays in Italy. More on Celebrating the New Year in Italy . Sunday December 25, 2005 | permalink Where Are Italians Going This Christmas? According to AGI News , 7 million Italians will travel outside their city during the long Christmas weekend this year. 30% are families who will return on the 26th or 27th but 70% will take an extended vacation and travel through at least January 1. Where will they go? 65% will visit relatives or friends or their second home. The rest will travel to a mountain resort or visit one of the Italian art cities - Rome, Venice, or Florence. Most of those who plan to travel outside Italy will visit another European capital. Italy Travel Resources: Rome Travel Resources | Venice Travel Resources | Florence Picture Gallery | Winter Sports in the Piedmont Mountains Saturday December 24, 2005 | permalink Italy in the Travel Blogs: St. Nick and the Government Wine Bar Italians celebrate St. Nicholas in a feast day on December 6th. But did you know that St. Nick is buried in the coast town of Bari after sailors stole his body from Myra, Turkey? Gadling has the goods. Attitudes toward wine are different in Italy than in the US. Imagine the outcry in the US if the government financed a wine bar, just like the Italian region of Lazio did recently. Check out Gridskipper's Your Government Wine Bar . Friday December 23, 2005 | permalink Relive Casanova's Venice--or not Perhaps it was the movie Casanova ,but the old libertine's lusty ways seem to be undergoing a sort ofRenaissance. As you know, the legendary lover's heritage includes theoft publicized use of the early condom, which for Casanova consisted ofa reusable sheep-gut sheath tied on with a pink ribbon and rinsed, whenrequired, in the Grand Canal. Now, according to Venice Word ,"fourteen million tourists a year can now leave with a new"serenissimo" gadget that appears destined to be a hit: the Casanovacondom packed in a single-unit package with the image of GiacomoCasanova." You probably won't need to stand in line at Venice pharmacies toprocure a Casanova special, they'll be available in 2006 attobacconists and newspaper kiosks, the same place you get your bustickets, usually. And hold on you your...hats, "Beginning in January, the Casanova will also be sold in a seven-condom package shaped like a... gondola." Italy Travel Resources: Venice Tuesday December 20, 2005 | permalink Florence Picture Gallery The off season is a wonderful time to capture the best light of Florence. Check out our new photo gallery: Florence Pictures - Monuments, Buildings and the art of Florence, Italy . The pictures, taken on Thanksgiving day, include a Florence street decorated for the winter holidays and two cow sculptures, part of Florence's CowParade open air exhibit that runs through January. Saturday December 17, 2005 | permalink Ski in Northern Italy's Piedmont Region The mountains of Piedmont featured at the Torino 2006 Winter Olympics provide a unique backdrop for winter sports, especially skiing. Piedmont features 53 ski resorts with 1,300 kilometres of run. Winter sports that can be practiced in the Piedmont region include alpine and cross-country skiing, telemark, snowboarding, ice climbing, free riding, ski mountaineering, horse trekking, driving sleighs pulled by Siberian huskies, paraskiing, and heliskiing. The Piedmont region is also noted for gastronomic specialties and wine. With early snows in Italy, the region is ready for winter sports. Read about where to go to Ski in Italy's Piedmont region . Friday December 16, 2005 | permalink Celebrating New Year's Eve in Italy Italy is a great place to be on New Year's Eve for the celebration of La Festa di San Silvestro . No matter where you are there will probably be a celebration including fireworks. In the bigger cities, you will find music and dancing in the squares. Food is a part of any Italian celebration and New Year's Eve is no exception. Here's how the Italians celebrate New Years and some special places to go for a big New Year's festival or party . You'll also find out where the Olympic torch will be on New Year's Eve! Monday December 12, 2005 | permalink A Look at Turin, Italy Turin, Torino in Italian, will host the 2006 Winter Olympics. As a result, the city of Turin is frantically spiffing up for an influx of visitors on February 10. Turin's central piazza , the Piazza Castello , will become the stage for the awards ceremonies, integrating the Olympic outcome with Italy's famous piazza culture. Turin is a beautiful city with a great cafe culture, excellent museums, Baroque palaces, and arcaded promenades. It also has some of the best food in Italy. It's often overlooked by tourists but well worth a spot on a travel itinerary. Take a look at our Profile of Turin Travel Essentials . Sunday December 04, 2005 | permalink Florence Hotel Recommendation I've just returned from Florence where I stayed in a very nice and comfortable 4-star hotel for just a little more than I paid last November for a cramped and smoky 2-star with a terrible bathroom! The Hotel Adler Cavalieri is conveniently located, has a helpful English-speaking staff, and is very quiet. Both the common rooms and bedrooms are attractive and welcoming. I would definitely stay here again! The hotel also gave us a great restaurant recommendation where we enjoyed a wonderful and relaxing dinner. The Club Culinario Toscano da Osvaldo , although centrally located, is a little difficult to find but well worth the search. This was definitely one of the best meals I've had in Florence! Sunday December 04, 2005 | permalink Display Latest Headlines | | | Read Archives powered by Movable Type Advertisement Most Popular Naples, Italy Overview Italian New Year Celebrations Top Ten Cities in Italy Italy Information Rome Italy Travel Essentials What's Hot Italian New Year Celebrations Florence Pictures - Copy of Michelangelo statue David in fro... Florence Pictures - View of the Tuscan countryside from the ... Florence Pictures - Pitti Palace Fountain from Boboli Garden... Florence Pictures - Florence CowParade - Cow Art Related Topics France for Visitors Europe for Visitors Greece for Visitors Italian 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 Italian New Year Celebrations Florence Pictures - Copy of Michelangelo statue David in fro... Florence Pictures - View of the Tuscan countryside from the ... Florence Pictures - Pitti Palace Fountain from Boboli Garden... Florence Pictures - Florence CowParade - Cow Art Headlines Travel to Milan, Italy Milan is one of Italy's most fashionable and richest cities... 2006 Winter Olympic Update According to Northern Italy's Torino 2006 Blog, the Olympic Village... Where Are Italians Going This Christmas? According to AGI News, 7 million Italians will travel outside... Italy in the Travel Blogs: St. Nick and the Government Wine Bar Italians celebrate St. Nicholas in a feast day on December...