Destinations

10. Language and money in Malta The Maltese have their own language (‘Maltese’) but the country has two official languages, with the second official language being English. Malta was under British rule for 160 years, gaining independence in 1964, but leaving the Maltese with a relatively strong knowledge of the English language, although Maltese is much more widely spoken and is the mother tongue for the vast majority of Maltese. For English speaking tourists this means that communication is almost no problem, which is definitely a benefit when on holiday. Although at the moment the Maltese Lira is still the only valid currency, the Euro will be introduced on January 1st, 2008 and many retailers in tourist areas already accept Euros for cash payment. 9. Sports and leisure activities...

Venice, the great Italian city built on the Po River delta, must be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Constructed around a network of canals rather than roads, this gem of old Europe is home to a dazzling array of palaces. Venice is around one and a half thousand years old and for many years was a city-state of great power and wealth after the models of Rome and Athens. As well a center of political power Venice has always been hugely influential in the arts. There was even a distinct style of painting denoted by the name “The Venice School”. This was mainly prevalent during the mid fifteenth to the beginning of the seventeenth centuries and included such luminaries as Vivarini, Bellini and Mantegna. This tradition is maintained today with Venice still supporting a thri...

Are you interested in taking a Hawaii trip? If so, do you know how much you should have to pay for that trip? Unfortunately, a large number of individuals try and answer that question. Of course, you could probably generate an estimate, but you are advised against doing so, especially if you have yet to start making your Hawaii vacation reservations. If you have yet to make your reservations, you are advised to take everything that you know or may assume about the cost of a Hawaii vacation and throw it right out the window. Instead of searching for what you believe to be a good deal, you are advised to search for the lowest costing deal. One of the reasons why you are advised to search for low-cost Hawaii trips is because they are out there; they do exist. Unfortunately, there are some...

Florence has magnificent treasures that await your visit. The city has many beautiful churches and other historical sites. Florence is the city of the wooden puppet Pinocchio and is the centre of the region Tuscany with its lovely wine yards and medieval villages. This are the absolute must sees when you are in Florence. Explore the magic history of this great city. 1. The Duomo The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the cathedral church or Duomo of Florence and is absolutely worth a visit. The building process begun in 1296 and was completed in 1436. The Duomo has a Gothic style and is a design of Arnolfo di Cambio. The complex includes the Baptistery and Giotto's Campanile. The three buildings are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Duomo is one of Italy's largest churches an...

Located in southern Central America, Costa Rica is surrounded by three different bodies of water including the Panama Canal on the southeast, the Pacific Ocean on the southwest and west and the Caribbean Ocean on the east. Because of Costa Rica's close proximity to several bodies of water, the country is an ideal stopping point for various cruise ships carrying throngs of adventurous vacationers. Depending on the area of Costa Rica you are in, the climate can differ dramatically. There are cool wet mountain ranges, rain forests, dry tropical forests, cloud forests, the very dry Pacific coast and the damp Caribbean coast. Because of Costa Rica's diverse climate, the country is home to 850 species of birds, 205 species of mammals, 9,000 species of flowering plants, 1,200 species of orchids...

Rome, the Eternal City, a place full of history and culture. Everywhere you step you are walking through some point in the timeline of the last 2500 years. It is a city to be lived and loved by everyone through it’s beautiful architecture, food, art and romance. Every world traveler has Rome on their list of must see destinations, and most start their tour of Italy here. 1. Capotoline Hill This is one of the “Seven Hills of Rome” and is considered to have been the most sacred, as it originally was the site of the Temple to Jupiter and the Capitoline Triad, and also the city archives. It was also the site of several important events in Roman History. Very little of the original Roman ruins remain, as the current buildings were constructed there during the Renaissance. Designed by Michaelang...