Historic Centre of San Gimignano

Historic Centre of San Gimignano UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription for the Historic Centre of San Gimignano: San Gimignano bears exceptional testimony to the civilization of the Middle Ages in that it groups together within a small area all the structures typical of urban life: squares and streets, houses and palaces, wells and fountains. San Gimignano is situated in the …

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Mantua and Sabbioneta

Mantua and Sabbioneta UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription for Mantua and Sabbioneta: Mantua originated as an Etruscan settlement and developed in Roman times to a small fortified town. It was situated on the highest point of what was then an island in a marshy area along the river Mincio. Some traces of the walls and main streets can …

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Traveling in Tornado Alley : A Guide for Visitors

I grew up in North Texas, so how to respond when there is a possibility of a tornado is second nature to me.  However, talking with travelers from other parts of the world I realized that not everyone knows what to do if they are on a trip and threatened with severe weather. What is …

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City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto

City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto, Italy

From the World Heritage inscription: Vicenza represents a unique artistic achievement in the many architectural contributions from Andrea Palladio integrated within its historic fabric and creating its overall character. Through its architecture, the city has exerted exceptional influence on architectural and urban design in most European countries and throughout the world. Vicenza is situated in …

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This Week in Travel – Episode 139

Regular hosts Jen Leo and Chris Christensen are joined by this week’s guest Michael Hodson of Go, See, Write and newly-elected president of Professional Travel Bloggers Association. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

City of Verona

City of Verona UNESCO World Heritage Site, Italy

From the World Heritage inscription: In its urban structure and its architecture, Verona is an outstanding example of a town that has developed progressively and uninterruptedly over 2,000 years, incorporating artistic elements of the highest quality from each succeeding period. It also represents in an exceptional way the concept of the fortified town at several …

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Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna

UNESCO World Heritage Site #242: Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna

From the World Heritage inscription: The early Christian religious monuments in Ravenna are of outstanding significance by virtue of the supreme artistry of the mosaic art that they contain, and also because of the crucial evidence that they provide of artistic and religious relationships and contacts at an important period of European cultural history. In …

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This Week In Travel – Episode 138

This week’s guest Mary Jo Manzaranes from TBEX. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts This Week’s News: Man With Tourette Syndrome Banned From Flight After Saying ‘Bomb’ Pilots suspended for handing over control to air-hostesses for a 40-minute loo break The Boeing 787 Dreamliner Rides Again: First Flight Dates for Each Airline UPDATE 5-FAA approves Boeing Dreamliner …

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Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta

Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta World Heritage Site

From the World Heritage inscription: Ferrara is an outstanding planned Renaissance city which has retained its urban fabric virtually intact. The developments in town planning expressed in Ferrara were to have a profound influence on the development of urban design throughout the succeeding centuries. The brilliant Este court attracted a constellation of artists, poets, and …

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