Orsoni Tile panel displayed in Paris in 1889

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1.)    In Venice, one stop that you should make is at the Gondola maker at the Squero di San Trovaso. Not only is this one of only five approved gondola boatyards in Venice, this is also the only gondola maker, or squero, in the world that you can watch. Although you must stand on the opposite shore of the Rio di San Trovaso so as to not interrupt the craftsmen, it is still an once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness this classic part of Italy. And here are some fun facts: all gondolas made in Venice must be black, due to a city law, and all Venetians gondolas must be driven by paddle instead of a pole, due to the deep waters of the city.

Squero di San Trovaso

I just wanted everyone to know that I now have a new twitter account. Follow me @lynntravels

Hope I can assist with all of your travel dreams!

-Lynn

   Next stop on my adventure was a trip to the Springs Resort and Spa. Here, there are twenty geothermal pools of various temperatures for your relaxation and enjoyment. Some of the pools have a bar to enjoy a cocktail as you soak in warm mineral baths. Suites in the lodge are spacious and great for families. Many of them have adjoining rooms. Activities include zip line, hiking, rafting, and bird watching for all levels of ability. Several dining options are offered including a sushi bar.  Las Ventanas Restaurant, which serves international cuisine, is a beautiful option for group events with its spectacular panoramic view.

My final stop was in Guanacaste on the Pacific coast.  I was fortunate enough to stay at the fabulous 4 Seasons Resort Costa Rica.  The resort is situated on a peninsula with views of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding, breath-taking landscape. This resort offers six restaurants, tennis courts, a 140 slip marina, Beach Club, and an Arnold Palmer designed golf course. For children, the resort offers the “For All Seasons” program, a daily variety of indoor and outdoor explorations for ages 4-12. Younger children are welcome with an attending adult. Teens fourteen and older can participate in activities such as kayaking, sailing, scuba for beginners, snorkeling, Spanish lessons, and many other interesting experiences. Adults also have an extensive list of onsite and local adventure options, including catamaran trips, surfing, diving, or volunteering to assist with the local community. Guests can work at local schools to assist with painting, cleaning or simply donate money to buy a backpack full of books.

Leigh Ann, Coutier of Rico Tours and Lynn Ciccarelli, Valerie Wilson Travel

  Costa Rica is a perfect destination for families or couples. The people are welcoming and the scenery is beautiful.  The variety of activities and resorts can suit any traveler’s style. Costa Rica does not disappoint!

Start by flying into Morelia airport and venture out into the city from there. Morelia is a Unesco World Heritage city, offering beautiful churches, restored mansions, and shady parks. Architecturally, the city is in an ornate Spanish Colonial style.

Staying at the local hotels, such as Villa Montaña, is a delightful experience. Each suite at Villa Montaña is uniquely different, and the gardens and views are outstanding. Room 125 is lovely with access to the pool. Room 107 has a spacious balcony, perfect for a quiet morning breakfast offering great views of the city. Count Philippe de Reiset and his wife Ava own and reside in the hotel.

Dinner at Villa Montaña is a special treat. Upon request a private dinner can be created by the chef. If you are lucky, Count Philippe and Ava might even join you for cocktails. In our case they did, and it made for a magical evening Alicia Ruiz Mendoza or Ana Compean can assist in arranging local tours from the hotel.

Options include a city tour or a visit to the Patzcuaro Lake area.  Artists reside in small towns around the lake and offer handmade crafts of fine quality. Everything from hand-made copper to hand-carved wooden mask can be purchased.

Another travel idea would be to adventure to Guanajuato, after Morelia, to discover all of the underground tunnels left from the silver and gold mines, the beautiful mountains, and the colorful homes. Guanajuato is considered the center of Mexico’s independence, due to it being the center of resistance against the Spanish in the 1800’s. It is now a college town, and a Unesco World Heritage site. Many cool cafes, great restaurants and interesting museums can be found.

My favorite hotel in Guanajuato is the Villa Maria Cristina. Its location is just a 10-15 minute walk from city center. There are only 13 rooms, and all have women’s names. Hotel Manager Paloa Garcia Castello is happy to recommend all of the city’s best restaurants and cultural options. Be sure to do a Callejoneada, a walk through the alleys while a band of men dressed in traditional 17^th century clothing serenade you. Guests are invited to join in and sing and drink while following the band.

Finish your trip with the jewel of Colonial Mexico, San Miguel de Allende.  It is beautiful, historic, and loaded with artist and galleries. Many find it hard to resist San Miguel’s charms, and they move there, resulting in a large American population. Things to do here include shopping, visiting hot springs, architecture tours, hiking, biking, and local cooking classes. Bullfighting still goes from April thru June. September 29 is the Running of the Bulls.

Art here is of the highest quality and the prices reflect it. Still, for the one of a kind pieces it would be money well spent. Those looking to redecorate should visit La Aurora Design Center. This is a great place to find eclectic pieces when decorating your home, such as hand painted silks, custom furniture, and pottery, all of which can be shipped back home.

Another  favorite hotel in the area is the Casa de Sierra Nevada.  It is a hotel made up of several refurbished mansions.  My recommendation is to stay in the Colonial Suites. The best room is 144, but rooms 145, and 146 are also outstanding due to their unique character. However, all rooms offer spacious suites and outdoor mosaic tile hot tubs on the ceramic balconies.

Dining options are unlimited. A favorite is Dos Casas which offers the freshest local ingredients, such as fresh goat cheese and lettuce. Guests staying at the hotel can have breakfast in the kitchen with the chef.

The newest hotel addition to the area will be the Rosewood Hotel. This fabulous resort will open in Jan 2011. I had an opportunity to site inspect this latest addition to San Miguel. It will surely be the push to make this lovely little town known worldwide.

Overall, Central Mexico is a very worthwhile trip. With its beautiful landscapes, tremendous art, and elegant hotels, fabulous food, created by talented chefs, rich history, on top of unlimited choices of things to do while there, what reason is there not to go?

Iceland. The name itself suggests cold and snow. Why would anyone go there? But I had a group of willing clients ready for the adventure.

I contacted Iceland Travel (http://www.icelandtravel.is/) and spoke to Johanna Gilsdorf. Not knowing much about Iceland, I explained to her that we wanted to spend five days there and asked for suggestions of what to do. She put together and action packed, fun-filled, interesting trip that none of use will ever forget.

To get to Iceland we used non-stop service from Boston to Reykjavik on Iceland Air. I was very surprised that this was only a 4 ½ hour flight.

The plan was to make Reykjavik our base and do day trips from there. Our guide, Ása Bjork Snorradottir, met us at the airport. From that point on, she saw to our every need.

Be began our adventure in Iceland with a Reykjavik City Tour. The highlights of the city tour were the National Museum and Cathedral. Then off we were to the famous Blue Lagoon for a relaxing soak in the blue mineral springs, which many claim to have healing powers. Magnea Gudmunds-Dottir, director of public relations gave our group a private tour and arranged for us to have a “Blue Lagoon Cocktail.” The captivating warm blue waters of the lagoon invite you to step in and relax. The swim up bar is a plus!

The next day we did the well-known Golden Circle Tour. Asa drove us for an hour, stopping at Þingvellir Park, , a World Heritage Site, and a must-see when visiting Iceland. An easy one hour hike was then made along the fault line there, where two tectonic plates are being pushed apart, a feature unique to Iceland. The scenery along the way was breath-taking.

Next stop was Gullfoss (Golden) Waterfall. The waterfall was unlike anything I’d ever seen. As you view it from the top, it seems to just disappear into the earth.

Gullfoss (Golden) Waterfall

From the Gullfoss, we went to the famous Geyser. Walking to the site, we were greeted by Chef Bjarki Hilmarsson- head chef at Hotel Geyser. To our surprise, we were treated to a traditional Icelandic meal. Chef Helmarsson prepared our meal by wrapping eggs in cheesecloth and boiling them for twelve minutes in a nearby bubbling spring. Rye bread was then dug up from the warm ground where it had been placed to bake overnight. We were served the eggs and some herring on the buttered rye bread, accompanied with Icelandic schnapps. Thank you Johanna fro a wonderful, unexpected treat!

Chef Helmarsson, Asa, and myself at lunch

On the third day, Johanna arranged for us to ride the famous Icelandic horses. We were picked up at our hotel and transported by van to the stables. Arriving, gear was provided, and horses selected, then off we went! The good nature and size of the horses make them a perfect choice for children or novice riders, as well as being fun for the more experienced. The whole group agreed it was the perfect ride. The scenery included interesting landscapes, trotting through streams, and climbs to the top of hills, offering great panoramic views.

Day four highlights included the spectacular waterfalls Selvandsfoss and Skogarfoss. We drove through farmland and observed the high amount of volcanic ash left over from the March 2010 eruption.

Our group had decided to stay at The Radisson 1919 (www.radissonblu.com/1919hotel-reykjavik), which is centrally located, comfortable, and moderately priced. It had a very accommodating staff, friendly bar, and nicely appointed rooms, though it could be noisy in the morning. Other nearby hotels included the 101 Hotel Reykjavik (www.101hotel.is) and the Hotel Borg (www.hotelborg.is). The 101 Hotel Reykjavík is a more contemporary hotel. You can request corner suites for a wonderful view. Hotel Borg was another nice option, with art deco charm and 7 available suites. All three hotels are within walking distance of one another, as well as shopping, good restaurants, and historic sites.

The city of Reykjavik also had a wide variety of restaurants, both traditional and modern, within walking distance of our hotel. One favorite was the Fish Company (www.fiskfelagid.is), and eclectic restaurant in the heart of the city. Chef and owner Larus Gunner Jonasson creates modern Icelandic food using only local, fresh ingredients. Another fun spot was Tapis, which offered Spanish appetizers, as well as more unusual items, such as whale meat and horse capriccio. Hotel 101 also had its own restaurant and bar. It offered a contemporary and welcoming atmosphere with a variety of light dishes. Overall, we enjoyed the very organic and resourceful Icelandic food and restaurants.

You can compare Iceland’s landscape to Ireland or New Zealand, although its unique terrain often has you thinking of the moon. However, unique is best way to describe Iceland. This uniqueness of the food, the citizens, and the terrain, so unlike anything we had ever seen before, pleasantly surprised us all. In short, there is no place on Earth that provides you with the same opportunities and travel experiences as Iceland.

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“Mexico is one of Ciccarelli’s specialties, but she likes to show clients the Mexico they don’t know, offering insights into the culture as well as selecting hotels that best suit their budget. “As a world traveler myself, I use my experience to create stress-free travel plans,” she says. She starts by asking questions to find out what they are really looking for. “Once the trip is designed, I will send a guidebook, offer suggestions on what to do, how to pack, where to eat and the best things to do to utilize the time they have. Once that is done, I contact the hotel or cruise line to make sure my clients are offered any additional upgrades or special attention they can get.”

Her biggest challenge, she says, is making the public aware that there still are travel agents. “Many think that online booking is the only way,” she says. “I find that it is a great opportunity to let them know how much knowledgeable advice a professional agent can give to help them select the right cruise line, hotel or resort for their budget and personal interest.”

One memorable trip was a 105-day around-the-world journey that took a couple to Australia, China, Thailand, India, Egypt and Spain. “It was a challenge to be sure that [they] had the proper transfers, air and time change calculated,” Ciccarelli recalls. “I can say the entire trip went off without a hitch. One flight was delayed and I was able to rebook before they knew what happened.”

Now here’s a look at Hvar’s beautiful hotels:

Hotel Adriana, Hvar Spa Hotel

Hotel Adriana

This 5 star hotel, probably the most stylish hotel in Hvar and one of Croatia’s first members of The Leading Small Hotels Of The World, is located on the Promenade, facing The Old City  Center of Stari Grad, close to St. Stjepan Cathedral, Sveti Stjepan Square and Hvar Fortress.

Adriana has 50 deluxe guest rooms, 9 suites and spa-specific suites, a year-round rooftop seawater swimming pool, Val Marina restaurant,  Top bar, lounge and multi-level garden terraces with sea and marina views.

Its spa is famous for its three level indoor and outdoor options for massage, yoga and relaxations.

Among its awards is 2008 award from Conde Nast Traveler.

Amfora, Hvar Grand Beach Resort

Amfora Hotel. Looks magical, doesn't it?

Tucked into a tranquil bay, surrounded by a lush pine grove, and only a short ten-minute walk from the historic city of Hvar, Amfora, member of the Special Hotels of the World, is the most exciting new resort in the Adriatic.

Located in a peaceful bay and surrounded with pine grove, it is only within walking distance from the historic city center of Stari Grad.

Amfora is member of Special Hotels Of The World and has 324 rooms and suites.

Hotel has spectacular view on Paklinski islands.

With its super sleek rooms, beholding breath-taking views of the Paklinski .

Riva, Hvar Yach Harbour Hotel

A veiw out

Waterfront property, Yacht Harbour Hotel, centrally  located in the city of Hvar,  Riva is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

Completely remodeled in 2006 this 100-year-old building, combines the old charm and the today’s luxury required for 4 star hotel. Spectacular views of Paklinski Islands.Hotel has 56 rooms and suites.

Riva Hotel

Riva is recipient of World Travel Awards in 2008.

Name Hvar  came from Greek word, Pharos, Φαρος and  was transformed to Croatian dialect, Hvar.  Hvar is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, located off the Dalmatian coast

The island of Hvar is unusual in the area for having a large fertile coastal plain, and fresh water springs. Its hillsides are covered in pine forests, with vineyards, olive groves, fruit orchards and lavender fields in the agricultural areas. The climate is characterized by mild winters, and warm summers with many hours of sunshine.

Hvar’s location at the center of the Adriatic sailing routes has long made this island an important base for commanding trade up and down the Adriatic, across to Italy and throughout the wider Mediterranean. It has been inhabited since pre-historic times.

The ancient Greeks founded the colony of Pharos in 384 BC on the site of today’s Stari Grad, making it one of the oldest towns in Europe.

They were also responsible for setting out the agricultural field divisions of the Stari Grad Plain, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In medieval times, Hvar (city) rose to importance within the Venetian Empire as a major naval base. Prosperity brought culture and the arts, with one of the first public theatres in Europe, nobles’ palaces and many fine communal buildings…

Today, the island of Hvar is a popular destination for tourists, consistently listed in the top 10 islands by Conde Nast Traveler magazine

Hvar, Croatia