Treasures of the Vatican

Beginning in 1508, Michelangelo took his paintbrush to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, located in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. Michelangelo’s beautiful frescoes, considered to be among his finest achievements in painting, were first displayed to the public on November 1, 1512. Now, 500 years later, the ceiling is still awe-inspiring.

The chapel ceiling is just one of many wonders in Vatican City, the Papal state and center of Catholicism located inside the city of Rome. Vatican City has a perimeter of just than two miles around, but this tiny state – considered to be one of the world’s smallest countries – is packed with historical, artistic and architectural treasures.

Much of the Vatican is not open to tourists, but the buildings and museums that are open are spectacular. These include St. Peter’s Basilica: the magnificent dome is the tallest in the world. The vast interior of the church is exquisitely detailed and almost overwhelming in its scale and beauty.

Inside the Apostolic Palace, the Vatican Museums are filled with priceless paintings and sculptures. Some of the best-known are Raphael’s The Transfiguration; da Vinci’s St. Jerome in the Wilderness; and Caravaggio’s The Entombment of Christ.  The Vatican’s collection of modern religious art is located in the Borgia Apartment, a beautifully restored series of rooms.

Many visitors also want to see Pope Benedict XVI, who often delivers a blessing from the window of his apartment above St. Peter’s Square at noon on Sundays. When in residence, he also holds Papal audiences on Wednesdays. You might catch sight of the Popemobile traveling across St. Peter’s Square at about 10 a.m., but you’ll need to secure a ticket to actually attend a Papal audience. Tickets can be obtained in advance from the Swiss Guards at their station in St. Peter’s Square.

Whether or not you plan to attend a Papal audience, when you visit the Vatican you must dress appropriately. The dress code for visitors specifies no bare shoulders, no shorts, and no skirts above the knee. This dress code is strictly enforced: visitors who don’t meet it are denied entrance and are directed to nearby shops where they can purchase appropriate clothing.

For more information about visiting Vatican City, as well as the city of Rome, talk with your travel professional.

Riding Up the Jungfraubahn

Railway enthusiasts already know that 2012 is the 100th anniversary of the Jungfraubahn, the world’s highest railway. Located in Switzerland’s stunning Bernese Alps, near the town of Interlaken, the 1,000 mm railway chugs nine kilometers from the Kleine Scheidegg station to Europe’s highest railway station on Jungfrau mountain.

Most of the trip takes place in a tunnel dug through the massive mountains of Eiger and Mönch. The train stops at two stations, where large windows carved out of the mountainside frame fantastic views. At the Eigerwand station, you’ll see panoramic views of Eiger’s north face and the lovely ski resort town of Grindelwald. At the Eismeer station, you’ll marvel at views of a massive glacier. At the final station, Jungfraujoch, view the frozen summit of Jungfrau from the Sphinx Observation Platform; walk through the Ice Palace, decorated with beautiful ice carvings; and enjoy a hot drink in the station complex.

While the Bernese Alps are a major skiing and snowboarding destination, there’s much more to do there – not only in winter, but all year long. The town of Interlaken lies between two mountain lakes, Thunersee and Brienzersee, that get warm enough for swimming in the summer. You can also explore the hiking and mountain biking trails and try out adventure sports like bungee jumping, river rafting, paragliding and skydiving.

In the winter, recreational opportunities abound. In addition to Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding, visitors can go sledding (the longest sledding run in Europe is on Faulhorn mountain) and ice skating.

In any season, visitors enjoy the ubiquitous fondue restaurants, cozy taverns and souvenir shops along Interlaken’s main street. Be sure to browse the Swiss-made watches, knives, music boxes and chocolates. Brienz, a town at the other end of Brienzersee, is known for its top-class woodcarvers.

If you’re able to visit before October 21, you can purchase a special Jungfrau Centenary Pass. In addition to a trip up to Jungfraujoch station, the pass provides three days of travel on the Jungfrau Railways network, which includes links between Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald and Kleine Scheidegg. Talk with your travel professional to find out about air travel and lodging options in and around Interlaken.

Discovering Creative Scotland

This summer, all eyes have been on London for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, followed by the thrilling Summer Olympic Games. However, plenty has been going on in the rest of Britain, including the Year of Creative Scotland. This year-long program of festivals, performances and other events, ranging from writers’ workshops to major multimedia exhibitions, showcases the nation’s rich cultural and artistic heritage.

Year of Creative Scotland events are taking place all over the country, including the major cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. While you’re there to discover Scotland’s creative side, be sure to enjoy some of the historic sights, too.

Edinburgh offers a fantastic collection of historic buildings, including the must-see Edinburgh Castle. Constructed and altered over several centuries, the castle includes the 12th-century St. Margaret’s Chapel; the Royal Palace where Mary, Queen of Scots, held court; and the National War Museum of Scotland.  In contrast, Craigmillar Castle, just south of the city, is essentially a shell – there are no preserved structures or furnishings inside these castle walls, but the atmosphere and views are wonderful.

To see the possible location of Camelot, climb the extinct volcano called Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park. While you’re unlikely to come across Arthur’s sword, Excalibur, it’s worth the climb to see the panoramic views of Edinburgh.

About 50 miles west of Edinburgh lies Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city. Spend some time browsing through “The Barras” – a nickname for the expansive Glasgow Barrowland Market. There are stalls full of everything from fruits and vegetables to kilts and hiking boots. Stay until evening, and you can dance at the Barrowland Ballroom.

Glasgow Green is the city’s oldest park, with beautiful landmarks like the McLennan Arch at the northwest entrance, and the People’s Palace museum, which has the Doulton Fountain in front and an elegant conservatory at the back. The Riverside Museum displays Scotland’s history of transport: the masts of an 18th-century ship near the sculpted metal waves over the museum’s entrance are a good indication of its blend of old and new. Also, don’t miss the famed architecture that can be found by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

For more ideas about things to see and do throughout Scotland, talk with your travel professional.

Today's Hong Kong

July 1 marked the 15th anniversary of the transfer of Hong Kong from Britain to China, making Hong Kong one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China (the other is Macau, located across the Pearl River delta from Hong Kong).  The city is celebrating the anniversary with events ranging from concerts to dragon-dance parades, all adding to the energy of this fascinating city.

Since the transfer, Hong Kong's unique blend of Eastern and Western cultures (it was part of the British Empire for most of the time from 1842 until 1997) has been maintained through the practice of "one country, two systems."  Hong Kong has its own political system and judiciary, and high degree of autonomy in most areas of governance and operations.  It remains a global financial center, a retail wonderland, and a place where you can enjoy dim sum and English high tea in the same afternoon.

Hong Kong, while densely (and vertically) populated, is also a place of extreme natural beauty.  Take the tram to the top of Victoria Peak for a breathtaking view of the city and harbor below.  Hong Kong's harbor is busy and interesting during the day, with all sorts of traditional and modern watercraft at work.  But, the best time to cruise the harbor is at night, when the impressive skyscrapers are lit up by a fabulous light show.

If you're traveling to Hong Kong soon, note that some 15th anniversary events will continue into fall.  For example, the Museum of Art's special exhibit on Emperor Qianlong will run through October 14th.  The display includes treasures from Beijing's Forbidden City,  most of them collected by the Emperor himself.

Hong Kong's luxury hotels are a treat to visit at any time of the year.  The elegant Peninsula Hotel is known for it's Rolls Royce limousines, white-gloved bellboys and high tea, complete with cucumber sandwiches and other English delicacies.

The luxurious new Ritz-Carlton Hotel has the distinction of being the world's highest: it occupies floors 102 to 118 of the International Commerce Center.  The hotel's height gives it unmatched views of the city, the harbor and beyond.  While each guest room has a spectacular view, you can also check out the panorama from the Club Lounge or one of the six restaurants.

Visiting London for the Summer Olympic Games

This summer, the city of London, England, will host the Summer Olympic Games for the third time in history.  In 1908, the games were moved to London from the original host city, Rome, due to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.  In 1948, London hosted the first Olympic Games to be broadcast to home televisions.  The third London games, July 27-August 12, 2012, promises to make history as well. Events will be held in a combination of already-famous venues, such as Wimbledon (tennis) and Wembley Stadium (soccer), as well as in new, purpose-built venues.  Enhancements to London's facilities and transit systems will serve visitors well not only during the Games, but for years to come.

If you haven't booked your flight to the Olympics, it's important to do so as soon as possible. Of course, the same is true for accommodations.  London's excellent collection of hotels and bed-and-breakfast inns will be bustling before, during and after the Olympic Games.  Additional options include hostels and private home rentals.  You can also rent a room or a campsite away from the city and hop on the train to London each day.
While the initial distribution process for event tickets is complete, tickets will soon be available through an official ticket resale program.  Some tickets are also available through tour operators. And, some events don't require tickets: anyone can watch road cycling, the triathlon, race walking and the Olympic marathon.  In additional, some events will be shown on giant screens in Hyde Park and Victoria Park.  Once in London, you can make good use of the excellent public transit system.  Nearly all venues can be reached by the London Underground (the Tube) or bus.  The DLR light railway links Olympic Park with Greenwich Park and the Royal Artillery Barracks; venues along the River Thames, including Greenwich Park, can be reached by boat.  Shuttle service and taxis will also help keep the crowds moving.
Along with ticket to any Olympic event or ceremony, you'll receive a card that entitles you to free travel on the Tube, the DRL light railway, buses, trams and most National Rail services on the day of the event.  You can also purchase a Visitor Oyster card, a smart card you can pre-load with payment for any of those forms of transit.  Visitor Oyster cards can be purchased in the U.S. before you leave.

Tasting the World's Best

Should you find Copenhagen, Denmark, in your travel plans, one must-see sight is Tivoli Gardens, the world's most popular seasonal amusement park.  The park has rides, cultural performances, concerts and Evening Illuminations, a light show on Tivoli Lake.  There's also an incredible variety of food in the park:  everything from traditional open-faced Danish sandwiches to sushi, burgers and freshly picked and brewed tea.

However, you may want to save your appetite for the exceptional cuisine at the best restaurants in Copenhagen and, in fact, the world:  Restaurant Noma.  For the third year in a row, Noma was named the world's top restaurant in an annual survey sponsored by San Pellegrino and published by Restaurant magazine.  At Noma, each day's menu includes Nordic tastes such as Limfjords oysters with air onion; roasted turbot with bitter greens; or rhubarb with milk curd.

If your travels take you to Spain, you could visit two of the top three restaurants in the world.  After admiring the Sagrada Familia and other architectural treasures of Barcelona, take a ride about 65 miles northeast to the city of Girona. This city has its own architectural wonders and the restaurant rated second best in the world: El Celler de Can Roca, where three brothers produce playful dishes like pigeon with strawberries and roses.  If you're in the north of Spain to visit a beach resort on the Bay of Biscay, make a reservation at the world's third-best restaurant: Magaritz in San Sebastian. The dishes here are designed to evoke emotional responses in patrons, with a focus on fresh fish and other regional specialities.

If you visit the sprawling city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, to enjoy the carnival season, the annual International Film Festival or the Festival of Electronic Art, you'll also want to experience D.O.M. Moving up from seventh to fourth on the Best Restaurant list this year, D.O.M. celebrates produce from Brazil - particularly the Amazonian region - incorporating elements such as palm hearts, manioc root and tucupi juice into its dishes.

The ancient city of Modean, Italy, is a center for the Italian auto industry, and visitors are attracted to the antiquities and the sleek, modern Maseratis and Lamborghinis manufactured there.  There's also Osteria Francescana, fifth on the best restaurant list, where chefs deconstruct regional dishes and experiment with ingredients like pork sausage, balsamic vinegar, beans and pasta.

To visit these or other "world's best" epicurean delights during your travels, talk to us!

Panama the Emerging Destination

In the most recent Travel Trends survey conducted by Travel Leaders, expert travel agents cited Panama as the top up-and-coming vacation destination in Central and South America, and with good reason.  Many people are familiar with the Panama Canal, the impressive 98 year old man made waterway that links two oceans and, in itself, is a reason to visit the Central American country.  However, there is much more to Panama than the canal.  The incredibly diverse landscape ranges from quiet beaches ringed with coral reefs to pristine rain forests and mountain peaks that lose their tops in the clouds.

Panama City, which lies at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal., offers a vibrant atmosphere, stunning skyscrapers, great dining, and a convenient base from which to see the rest of the country.  There are really three Panama Cities, all worth exploring: the modern city,
Panama Viejo and Casco Viejo.





In the 1500s, development of the original Panama City was set back several times by fires and earthquakes.  The city was completely destroyed by fire in January 1671 after being attacked by pirates.  The ruins, located in the suburbs of the modern city, have are now a popular attraction called Panam Viejo.
After the destruction of the original city, residents conceived of a walled city that would protect against future pirate attacks.  This is not the historic district called Casco Viejo, which is full of wonderful buildings and monuments.

Panama City is within easy driving distance of the beautiful Soberania National Park.  The park, which stretches along much of the length of the Panama Canal, is great for hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, bird- and monkey-watching, or simply taking in the beauty of the rainforest.
You'll need to venture a bit further from the city to tour Panama's spectacular highlands.  From the heights of Volcan Baru National Park, it's possible to see both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as the coffee plantations around the charming town of Boquete.

Then, of course, there's the famous canal, a true marvel of engineering.  The Miraflores Visitor Center is a 20-minute ride from Panama City.  It has a museum of interactive exhibits and an outdoor terrace where you can get a close-up view of transiting ships.  Another way to experience the canal is to hop on a day cruise that will take you through one or more of the three impressive sets of locks. You can also take a cruise from Miami or Los Angeles that will sail through the canal as part of a longer itinerary.