Romantic Getaways in Italy(Lake Como)

Romantic Getaways in Italy(Lake Como)

Get to Know Lake Como, Italy’s Most Popular Lake

Lake Como Introduction:

Lake Como, Lago di Como in Italian, is Italy’s most popular lake and also its deepest. Lake Como is shaped like an inverted Y giving it a long perimeter. The lake is surrounded by beautiful villas and resort villages as well as hiking paths and it’s popular for boat trips and water activities.
Lake Como, a popular destination since Roman times, is a top romantic travel destination and a great spot for photography.

Lake Como Location:

Lake Como is in the northern Italian Lakes District. Lake Como lies between Milan and the border of Switzerland. It’s southern tip is about 40km north of Milan. It is surrounded by mountains and hills.

Transportation to and from Lake Como:

Lake Como lies on the Milan to Switzerland train line. The train stops in the town of Como, the main town on the lake, where there is a tourist office in Piazza Cavour. The Ferrovia Nord Milano, a small train line that leaves Como from via Manzoni, runs only between Como and Milan. Milan’s Malpensa Airport is 40 miles away. To get to Como from the airport, take the Malpensa Express Train to Saronna and transfer to train LeNord to Como.

Lake Como Transportation – Getting Around the Lake:

Ferries link the major villages and towns of Lake Como, providing both a good form of public transportation and a good way to do some sightseeing from the lake. There is also a bus system to villages around the lake. There are several funiculars to take you into the hills. You can rent cars in Como (Auto Europe rentals in Como) if you want to explore other nearby areas on your own.

Lake Como – When to Go:

Lake Como is a popular weekend destination for people from Milan so the weekdays may be less crowded. July and August are the most crowded months. Spring and Fall are the best times to visit as it is less crowded and the weather is usually pleasant. During the winter, some services may be closed, but you can ski in the mountains nearby.

Como and Lake Como Average Temperatures and Precipitation

Lake Como Festivals:

The Sagra di San Giovanni is celebrated the last weekend of June in the town of Como with folk arts and fireworks and in Ossuccio with a festival, boat procession, and boat race. The Palio del Baradello, a historical re-enactment, is the first week of September. Also in September is a traditional rowing race, Palio Remiero del Lario. There are music festivals around the lake in spring and fall, gastronomic festivals in fall, and drama from January – April.

Lake Como – Where to Stay:

Lake Como has a variety of lodging options, from campgrounds to elegant villas. Here are the Top User Rated Lake Como Hotels on Venere, 1-5 stars, around the lake. The elegant 5-star Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni read reviews and book direct in Bellagio is a top luxury hotel on the lake and one of the oldest.

Lake Como Map and Pictures:

Our Lake Como map shows the major towns around the lake. For a look at the town of Como and the lake from there, see our Como Pictures or take a look at Bellagio, the Pearl of Lake Como, with our Bellagio Pictures.

Lake Como Shopping:

The town of Como has many silk factories so if you want to buy silk Como is a good place to go. Prices are low on designer fashion fabrics. Como also has a Silk Museum dating from 1900 where you can see the entire silk-making process.

Lake Como Attractions:

• Bellagio, known as the pearl of the lake, is in a beautiful setting where the three branches of Lake Como come together. It’s easy to get to by ferry or bus from other cities on the lake. Read more in our Bellagio Travel Guide.

• The walled town of Como has a good historic center and lively squares with nice cafes. There are several walking paths near town. Como makes a good base if you’re traveling by train. From Como you can take the funicular to the village of Brunate, 720m above Como, for hiking trails and beautiful views of the lake and the Alps.

• Villa d’Este, in the village of Cernobbio on the west coast, is the most famous of Lake Como’s villas. The villa is now a luxury hotel on a wooded peninsula. Each of its 161 rooms is unique.

• Menaggio, against the mountains, is a lively resort with a lakeside promenade. Menaggio is popular with outdoor enthusiasts for walking or hiking, swimming, windsurfing, and rock climbing.

• Villa Carlotta, south of Menaggio, has beautiful gardens. You can tour the inside with its original 18th century furniture and art works.

• Villa del Balbianello, in the village of Lenno, is also worth a visit and has some unusual treasures. The villa was used as a set for one of the Star Wars movies.

• The fishing village of Varenna has picturesque narrow alleyways and streets below a castle and a lakeside walking path.

• Outdoor Activities – Biking, mountain biking, hiking, boating, paragliding and windsurfing. In the winter, you can ski in the nearby mountains.

• Cruises – there are some interesting cruises around the lake on commercial boats, mainly on weekends in the summer season.

• Camping – there are a number of campsites around the lake.

Information by http://goitaly.about.com

Angkor Wat-7th World Wonder ,Cambodia

Angkor Wat-7th World Wonder ,Cambodia

INTRODUCTION TO ANGKOR ARCHEOLOGICAL PARK This section as intended as a guide for visiting the monuments at Angkor. It can be either read in advance of a visit or afterwards to reinforce the experience, or used at the sites to enable the visitor to be an active spectator. Historical quotes from early visitors to Angkor are included where appropriate to try to capture the spirit of its past glory. Legends and symbolism are also included whenever feasible to give the visitor additional background for a better appreciation of Angkor. VISITING THE MONUMENTS It is based on the amount of time the visitor has to spend at Angkor and take into consideration the roads, proximity of the temples, and favorable light conditions.

For some temples it is important to begin at the principal entrance to perceive the space and decoration as the builder intended, and entrances are indicated in the text. The monuments are oriented according to the four points of a compass which can be used as a point of reference. the temple of Angkor Wat is covered in detail in this book because of its importance, complexity and size. Angkor provides wonderful photographic opportunities. the monuments and the surrounding jungle afford unlimited textural and lighting opportunities for composing a picture.

Clouds are common and tend to diffuse the light which is somewhat flat even though it is intense. As most of the temples face east the best lighting conditions are in the morning except for Angkor Wat where the best light is in the afternoon because it faces west. the temples surrounded by jungle such as Ta Prohm and Prah Khan can be photographed with good results when the sun is directly overhead and shining through the foliage. Just as one is never prepared for the enormous size and overwhelming beauty of Angkor, one is never ready to leave it. With photographs and visions etched in memory, one need never say good-by to Angkor, for its magic will go with you wherever fate and the gods may take you to colour your thoughts and dreams to life’s very end. The name of the monuments at Angkor are often modern ones designated by Cambodians or early European travellers. In publications by the French the enclosures of a temple are numbered starting from the central sanctuary and progressing towards the enclosing walls. The system used in this book reverses the order for the convenience of the visitor. Thus the first enclosing wall the visitor encounters when entering a temple is number one. the numbers ascend from the exterior to the interior of the monument. In many distances, though, only traces of the enclosing walls, particularly the outer one, remain.

THE ANGKOR ARCHEOLOGICAL COMPLEX LIST Ak Yum Krol Ko Preah Palilay Angkor Thom Krol Romeas Preah Pithu Group Angkor Wat Kutisvara Roluos Group Bakong Lolei Spean Thma Baksei Chamkrong Neak Pean Srah Srang Banteay Kdei Phimeanakas Ta Keo Banteay Prei Phnom Bakheng Ta Nei Banteay Samre Phnom Krom Ta Prohm Banteay Srey Phnom Kulen Ta Prohm Kel Baphuon Prasat Bei Ta Som Bat Chum Prasat Kravan Tep Pranam Bayon Prasat Prei Terrace of the Elephants Beng Melea Prasat Suor Prat Terrace of the Leper King Chapel of the Hospital Prasat Top (East) Thma Bay Kaek Chau Say Tevoda Prasat Top (West) Thommanon East Mebon Pre Rup Wat Athvea Kbal Spean Preah Khan West Baray Kleangs (North and South) Preah Ko West Mebon

ADMISSION FEES

You must possess an admission pass (an ‘Angkor Pass’) to visit the temples and sites in the Angkor Archaeological Park. Passes may be purchased at the main entrance on the road to Angkor Wat. One-day tickets only can be purchased at the secondary tollgate on airport road entrance near Angkor Wat and at Banteay Srey.

Passes are sold in one-day ($20), three-day ($40) and seven-day ($60) blocks that must be used on consecutive days. Photo taken on the spot with free of charge is required at time of purchase.

Visiting hours are 5:00AM – 6:00PM. Angkor Wat closes at 6:00PM, Banteay Srey closes at 5:00PM and Kbal Spean at 3:00PM. Always carry your ticket. It will be checked upon each park entry and at major temples. There is a significant fine for not possessing a valid ticket inside the park. A regular admission ticket is not required to visit Phnom Kulen, Koh Ker or Beng Melea, but there is a separate entrance fee of $20, $10 and $5, respectively.

Information by http://www.tourismcambodia.com

Hiroshima Travel Information,Attractions in Hiroshima

Hiroshima Travel Information,Attractions in Hiroshima

Famous worldwide for having been the first target of an atomic bomb in the world, the Japanese city ofHiroshima is yet much more than that. This modern and prosperous city offers excellent shopping and restaurants, as well as peaceful gardens, channels, historic castles, and lively nightlife. The Genbaku Dome that was the only building left standing where the atomic bomb was dropped is now the center of Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park, a site that attracts visitors from all over the world and promotes world peace.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

Japanese city located on the coast of Seto Inland Sea in the western part of Honshu, the biggest island of Japan, Hiroshima is the largest city in the region. Founded in 1589, Hiroshima flourished in the 1600s and has been an important port since the 1880s. Industrialized in the late 1800s, Hiroshima was a major military center during the World War II, and was chosen as the first target of nuclear warfare in the world.

Nuclear heritage. The US forces dropped an atomic bomb in Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945. The explosion killed 80,000 people, and injury and radiation later brought the death toll to over 100,000. Almost 70% of the buildings in Hiroshima were totally destroyed, and the typhoon hitting the city a month later finished the job. However, Hiroshima was rebuilt soon after the war. Today, it is once again an important port and industrial center that not only receives a lot of visitors but has also been chosen one of the best cities in the world to live in.

Busy traffic in Hiroshima city center

Sights and activities in Hiroshima: historical attractions, museums, shopping & gardens

The World Heritage Site of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, Genbaku Dome is the main symbol of the city. As the only structure left standing in the area where the atomic bomb exploded, it has been preserved in the state it was left after the bombing as a symbol of destruction of war and a plea for world peace and ban on nuclear weapons. The Peace Memorial Park around the dome hosts the touching Peace Memorial Museum, a memorial of the bomb victims, the Bell of Peace which you can ring, and several other monuments. You can also find many more interesting museums in Hiroshima, as well as a popular zoo and a botanical garden.

Hiroshima Castle at night

Entertainment & culture. Shopping in Hiroshima is great on the many shopping avenues in the city center. You can also take sightseeing tours, see the canals in the city, or visit some of the many beautiful gardens in and parks in Hiroshima, including the Shukkei-en Japanese Garden, the large Hijiyama-koen Park, or Mount Mitaki that is nice for hiking. Biking in Hiroshima is quite enjoyable, and there are several golf courses around the city. Although the city consists mainly of modern buildings for obvious reasons, it is also home to the rebuilt historical Hiroshima Castle that hosts a museum and a shrine. Hiroshima is a lively cultural city with many popular festivals and a local symphony orchestra.

Hiroshima travel tips and practical information

Hiroshima enjoys a mild climate with four seasons. The winters are generally mild and sunny, whereas the summers are hot and humid. The wettest weather in Hiroshima is experienced during late summer with occasional typhoons in September and October.

The Genbaku Dome Atomic Bomb Memorial in Hiroshima

Traveling to Hiroshima is easy by air, land and sea. There is an international airport with flights to Hiroshimafrom elsewhere in Japan and Asia, as well as regular ferries to Hiroshima from South Korea, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Fast trains and buses to Hiroshima are available from many Japanese cities.

Local transportation in Hiroshima is offered by an electric tram system, as well as buses, a metro line, a modern monorail, and boat taxis that run along the channels. Taxis are also available, and bicycles can be rented. Car rental in Hiroshima is possible, yet practical only for travelling outside the city.

Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan

Visitor services. There is a large number of hotels in Hiroshima, and hostels and small guesthouses can also be found. As the city is famous for its local cuisine, the many Japanese restaurants in Hiroshima are definitely worth trying, but there is also a good range of international cuisines available. Nightlife in Hiroshima is lively with many bars, nightclubs and pubs to choose from. Hiroshima is a much safer city than any large Western cities, with no crime problems. Some English is spoken by many people in Hiroshima, and you can also find English signs throughout the city. Although the city has suffered a lot in the past, people in Hiroshima are friendly and welcoming to all international visitors. However, keep in mind that visiting the Peace Memorial Park can be a quite shocking experience for children.