Posts Tagged ‘history’

Finding Time In New Zealand

March 8th, 2010

TIMENewZealand253071 2 1024x682 Finding Time In New Zealand

Are you fascinated by global indigenous culture and biodiversity?   Then take a look at New Zealand tours by Auckland tourism company TIME Unlimited Tours.

Recently, the company won the global Indigenous Tourism and Biodiversity Website Award 2010, a collaboration between Planeta.com and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity/UNEP (CBD) and Heidehof Foundation.

This award is presented to an indigenous tourism operation “which has a website that promotes sustainable practices and educates visitors on cultural protocols and biodiversity conservation.”

» Read more: Finding Time In New Zealand

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How To Cycle The World (In Luxury)

February 11th, 2010
CyclingEmbassyofDenmarkholiday on one bike How To Cycle The World (In Luxury)

Image courtesy of Cycling Embassy of Denmark

If you love luxury bicycle trips, then DuVine Adventures and its global bicycle tours might be your speed.

The cycling tour company has launched a new website with brand new 2o1o itineraries: Cycling in Croatia and multi-sport tour in the Galapagos & Ecuador. Also a new blog shows images from bicycling tours; pages on the bikes, guides, wine, and history of each destination and thousands of travel tips.

Since 1996, DuVine Adventures has specialized in personalized cycling tours in Europe (France, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Austria, Croatia); North America, South America and South Africa.  Their travelers cycle and stay in the best hotels, eat gourmet cuisine and taste world-class wines.

For more info, visit DuVine Adventures online.

Images courtesy of DuVine Adventures

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Cycling Northern Spain

January 18th, 2010

Galicia NationalTouristOfficeofSpain241176 2 1024x682 Cycling Northern Spain

Have you always dreamed of  Spain’s Camino de Santiago?

Now, you can cycle the legendary pilgrimage in 2010 with Cycling through the Centuries (CTTC).  Based in Portugal, the family-owned, luxury cycling tour specialist strives to maintain eco-friendly and sustainable operations in Spain.

Says the company:

“For a thousand years since the bones of St. James were reputedly discovered in Santiago, common people, bishops, priests, kings, popes and saints have made this famous pilgrimage. Nowadays, the expedition is not as often religiously driven, but a personal journey and test to physical and mental endurance.”

The trip will begin in the Pyrenees above Pamplona then cross northern Spain, visit cathedral cities León and Burgos and make many pilgrim stops.  Each day, the tour will end with relaxing in monasteries, ancient pilgrim inns, small hotels and restaurants famous for their regional cuisine.

For more info, check out CTTC online.

Image courtesy of the National Tourist Office of Spain

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Journeys Within Southeast Asia

December 11th, 2009

JourneysWithinA Hmong woman (About Laos)

Are you planning a trip to Southeast Asia?   Then you might fancy one of the new 2010 customizable tours from Journeys Within, a boutique Southeast Asia tour company.

Called “pioneers in philanthropic travel” by Conde Nast, Journeys Within is recognized for its efforts to positively impact local communities in Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.  Here are the company’s new 2010 customizable tours:

Culinary Immersion:  “From the spice of Thai food to the exotic textures of Laos cuisine and the sour mixes found in Cambodia, this tour takes travelers through these amazing countries while tantalizing their taste buds along the way. Highlights include cooking classes in each city focused on local cuisine, eating with a local family, visiting the Grand Palace in Bangkok, riding elephants in Chiang Mai, and much more.”

Give As You Go Tour: “This tour offers travelers a chance to see the highlights in each country, but also positively impacts the communities they are visiting. This tour visits important community projects in Cambodia that were developed by Journeys Within.”

» Read more: Journeys Within Southeast Asia

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Posted in adventure, culture, cycling, education, news, travel companies, walking, wildlife

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Context Travel’s December Special

December 3rd, 2009

FlorenceContextTravel4032202782 74581732fc Context Travels December Special

Context Travel is now offering a special, exclusive 10% discount off its European and North American trips to readers of traveling greener until December 31/09.

The walking tour specialist is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals who organize and lead eclectic walking seminars in Paris, London, Rome, Florence, Venice, Naples, Istanbul, New York and Philadelphia.

Walking tours are especially green ways to experience and support a destination and its local culture.

Here are just 10 of Context’s “walking seminars”:

1. Paris Food Crawl

2. London: Portrait of a City

3. Runner’s Tour of Rome

4. Picturing Florence: A Photography Workshop

5. Ecology of Venice

6. Naples Shopping Tour

7. History and Continuity in Istanbul

8. Architecture of New York

9. Central Park, American Landscape

10. American Art in Philadelphia

To qualify for this exclusive Context Travel offer,  you must mention traveling greener in your trip notes when booking.

For more info on trips and booking, visit Context Travel online.

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Feeling Christmas In New York

November 19th, 2009

NewYorkStateChristmas2008 WF 72dpi sharp 0123 Feeling Christmas In New York

If you’re traveling or living in New York, the state will  be getting into the Christmas spirit soon with upcoming, local festive events.

Here are some of the winter activities and deals:

Lights on the Lake, Onondaga NY
Lights on the Lake is a two-mile-long drive-through show featuring towering holiday displays at Onondaga Lake Park taking place November 25, 2009 – January 10, 2010 from 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. every night including holidays.

Candlelight Tours and Twelfth Night At Van Cortlandt Manor
This late 18th century celebration and candlelit festivities begin with a visit to the home of one of the wealthiest families of the post-Revolutionary War era. Guests can experience a lively celebration at the Manor’s ferry house. The celebration will be held on December 12, 19 and 26 from 4:00-8:00 p.m.

Santa Train Excursions at Medina Railroad Museum, Medina NY
Santa Claus is hosting train rides along the Historic Erie Canal through small villages with sparkling lights and festive scenes.

Wonderland of Lights, Utica NY
This light show attracts 30,000+ children and adults and raises thousands of dollars to support the Resource Center for Independent Living. Open November 25-January, the light show is once every night except Christmas Eve from 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. on the Masonic Care Community Campus.

Lyndhurst Mansion, Tarrytown NY
Visit the historic mansion and see Lyndhurst in its “full winter fairy tale beauty” with live music and hot mulled cider. Reservations required. The mansion is open December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27. Saturday from 4:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m.; Sunday from 3:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m.

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85 Walks In 14 Countries

November 16th, 2009
Wayfarers2Cornwall 0121 2MB 1024x682 85 Walks In 14 Countries

Image courtesy of The Wayfarers

Fancy a walking holiday in 2010?

Next year, walking tour specialist The Wayfarers plans 85 eco-aware walks through 14 countries, “pairing in-depth destination knowledge with passionate enthusiasm for world cultures and traditions.”

Literary itineraries include the new Brontë and Jane Austen Walks in the UK.   Newest locations cover Alaska, Greece, Venice and the Veneto (Founder’s Walk), Northern Ireland, Slovakia and the Basque Country.  Other popular walks are in Croatia, Amalfi Coast, Czech Republic, England, Scotland, Italy, France, New Zealand, Maine and Southwest USA.

The Wayfarers offer “exclusive entrées into homes and gardens otherwise closed to the public, graceful accommodations, outstanding cuisine and meetings with local residents.”  Small group size with all walks are limited to 16 participants, most averaging between eight to 12.  Walks range from 5-12 days and are rated easy to challenging.

Highlights of the 2010 walking tours include:

» Read more: 85 Walks In 14 Countries

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National Geographic Traveler Scores

October 21st, 2009

COVER NGTrav Nov0922 National Geographic Traveler Scores

National Geographic Traveler, in conjunction with National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, has devoted its sixth annual “Places Rated” Destination Stewardship survey to the world’s most celebrated and iconic travel destinations and how they have weathered mass tourism and other threats.

The survey, conducted by the Center, is the cover story of the November-December 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine on newsstands Nov. 3. A total of 133 destinations were surveyed by a panel of 437 experts in a variety of fields related to sustainable tourism.

Norway’s Fjords region takes top honors (85 points) with judges noting its scenery and well-preserved rural life. Other destinations in the “Best Rated Places” category include Japan’s ancient Kyoto (#4, 79 points) for honoring the “serenity and charm of ancient Japan” and Slovenia tied at #5 (78 points) for being among the most sustainable and authentic places to visit in Europe.

» Read more: National Geographic Traveler Scores

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Posted in environment, news, sustainable tourism

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