“The surface of Venice is constantly metamorphosing [and] painting Venice is almost like being a restorer, peeling off the layers to find the picture after picture underneath.” ~ Arbit Blatas

Venezia, also known as La Serenissima - The Most Serene, is the city that ironically floods twice a day with the rising water level and grand architecture of the sinking buildings, and was the heart of art and commerce during the Renaissance. Venice is home to many year-round festivals & masquerades.

Cheers to the new year with the Regata delle Befana - The Witches Race. Imagine a race in a boat with ONE oar with competitors dressed up as witches on the misty waters of the Grand Canal. Now that is a sport I would watch.

The famous Venice Carnival begins about two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Shrove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday / Martedì Grasso). Experience the colorful masquerade balls & costume parties that took place in 18th century, beginning as a celebration of expression and wearing masks to hide the identity between social classes. Venice will explode with color, music, art, performance, dancing, and acrobatics. International costume & fashion designers will also present awards for the best masks of the Venetian Carnival.

“Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs at one go.”
~ Truman Capote

The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art festival held every two years, on odd-numbered years. It begins in June and ends in November. Art, architecture, music, dance, theatre, and cinema all have exquisite exhibitions. The 54th Venice Biennale began on June 4th and will continue through November 27th, 2011. From the mediocre to the eccentric, the festival is an incomparable feast for the senses and art in all of its monstrosity and glory. In fact, there is so much to do that you may have a sensory overload.

The Venice Film Festival (Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica) is also a part of Venice Biennale, and is the oldest film festival in the world. This annual event occurs in late August or early September on the island of the Lido, with screenings held in the historic Palazzo del Cinema. The coveted Golden Lion is awarded to the best film of the festival, and the Volpi Cup awarded to the best actor and actress. The 68th festival is scheduled to take place from August 31st to September 10th, 2011. Luci, Camera, Azione - Lights, Camera, Action!

If you are new to Venice, unmask the true beauty of this mysterious, charming city on our Hidden Venice Walking Tour. Leave the hordes of tourists behind, and discover the Venice of your dreams. And your trip is not complete without a romantic Gondola Serenade Tour - this tour also offers a dinner option of a delicious 4-course meal with drinks included at a local resturant. Venice Tours will make your trip to this famous lagoon a truly magical experience.

I stood in Venice, on the Bridge of Sighs;
A palace and a prison on each hand:
I saw from out the wave her structures rise
As from the stroke of the enchanter’s wand:
A thousand years their cloudy wings expand
Around me, and a dying Glory smiles
O’er the far times, when many a subject land
Look’d to the winged Lion’s marble piles,
Where Venice sate in state, thron’d on her hundred isles.

I loved her from my boyhood; she to me
Was as a fairy city of the heart,
Rising like water-columns from the sea,
Of joy the sojourn, and of wealth the mart;
And Otway, Radcliffe, Schiller, Shakespeare’s art,
Had stamp’d her image in me, and even so,
Although I found her thus, we did not part;
Perchance even dearer in her day of woe,
Than when she was a boast, a marvel, and a show….

~ Lord Byron

Posted under Italy Tours

Those who are deeply interested in the arts must go and see Epidaurus, the most famous theatre in ancient Greece. Whether you grew up with a strong arts appreciation or you are only a casual consumer, I would recommend you take the Epidaurus Tour from Athens Greece by way of Mycenae, which was once described as a “city rich in gold.” This is also where the Golden Mask of Agamemnon was unearthed. The tour will take you through the Lion Gate and up to Agamemnon’s Royal Palace in Mycenae.

You will begin your trip by driving along the coastal road of the Saronic Gulf, passing by the well-known Corinth Canal. Then you will continue on until you reach Mycenae, where you will receive a guided tour of the ruins which mark the destruction of the city. Mycenae is the most important archaeological site on the mainland and is located in the northeastern Peloponnese. It was once one of the major centers of Greek civilization and a military stronghold that covered much of the southeastern part of Greece.

Mycenae - Epidaurus Tour from Athens Greece

During the afternoon you will visit Epidaurus, which is a favorite stopping point on the trip. This theatre is known for its incredible acoustics and its symmetry and beauty. In the theatre, it is said that you can hear unamplified spoken word no matter where in the 15,000 seats you sit. This is a testament to the sophistication of Greek technical knowledge which was way before its time. Take this tour and you will embark on a journey through history that is unlike any other. The historical and archaeological insights you will take away from this trip are priceless, and in my book this does a wonderful job of sharing a piece of history with us.

More on this tour can be found at www.AthensTours.net.

Posted under Greece Tours

Looking for a fun activity that you can do with friends or loved ones at any time year-round? Visit Providence, Rhode Island and make a stop at the famous Foxwoods Resort Casino, the largest casino in the world.  Located just 45 minutes from the city of Providence in nearby Mashantucket, Connecticut, you are in for a trip that is not only fun but extremely convenient.

Among the amenities at Foxwoods, there are numerous slot machines, gaming tables, a state-of-the-art bingo hall, a poker room, and a Keno lounge.  The casino is in a continual growth process, so there may be something new to see and do every time you visit.  Currently, there are 24 restaurants to choose from in addition to several lounges where you can relax, dance it up, and have a drink. 

If you are looking for top-notch entertainment, Foxwoods is a great place to go, and with their Cinetropolis, which includes the illustrious Fox Theatre, there is always something to see and hear.  Headlining shows, major sporting events, theatrical productions, and other live performances are available, with options to keep visitors of all ages amused and entertained for hours. 

As if all this wasn’t enough, Foxwoods offers the best in retail shopping.  Brands like Puma, Bose, Chanel, and Cartier can be found all along Foxwoods’ shopping concourse in a wide range of specialty shops that are at your disposal.

Book your trip to Foxwoods today at www.providencetours.net and, as an added bonus, you will receive a Casino Bonus worth $30.00, courtesy of the casino - not a bad head start!

Posted under Rhode Island Tours