Discovering Tuscany

Discovering Tuscany

Travel History and Local Traditions

 A Trip to Tuscany is a unique experience and must definitely include an in-depth visit to Florence, the capital of the Renaissance, day trips to beautifully landscaped small villages perched on the hills that have so much inspired painters and more recently film directors and producers.

One of the most interesting cities is undoubtedly Siena, in the southern part of the region, a medieval city of ancient origins which still preserves its treasures intact, so much so that it is among the Unesco Heritage site.

Tuscany also boasts a remarkable winemaking tradition; some of the most important Italian wines are produced in the province of Siena, such as the world renowned Brunello di Montalcino.

Local Typical Food products are also very important; just think of the famous Florentine steak and panforte and ricciarelli, typical Sienese sweets.

You will be welcomed by local guides and escorts, with knowledge of local places and traditions

Trips range from 2 nights and 3 days for city itineraries to one week for broader programs and 14 nights and 15 days for journeys across multiple regions, designed and customized for thematic groups, family holidays and business trips.

Siena is world-renowned for the Palio, a breathtaking horserace featuring local neighborhoods, known as Contrade, famous for their ancient traditions

A Knowledge Tourism that features local customs, values ​​and traditions to better appreciate:

Museums that reveal an archaeological, historical and artistic heritage, the rediscovery of local treasures and traditions through art, literature and architecture that preserve the memory of the places and local realities visited.

Characteristic ancient villages shaped since ancient times by the skilful hand of man and ancient agricultural practices.

Local Gastronomy, the result of ancient traditions and linked to the territory.

Traveling in the company of people who live and work in the places you visit

Italian text courtesy of Costanza Riccardi

Trapani and Marsala

Trapani and Marsala Sicily

Food and Wine Traditions

Trapani is near ancient Drepanum where a naval battle took place in 248 BC during the First Punic War between Carthage and Rome which ended in a major loss for the latter. The city is world renowned since the 16th Century for its coral artisans whose works can be viewed at the Pepoli Museum. A stroll through the historic center will acquaint the visitor with buildings and monuments representative of the various cultures and traditions that passed through this city:

The Jewish quarter and Palazzo della Giudecca;

Casalicchio and its Arab roo

Palazzo Cavarretta, home of the Trapanese Senate;

The Jesuit Church and College;

San Lorenzo Cathedral and the Crucifix by Flemish painter Van Dyck.

Western Sicily is also the Erice Medieval Borgo, Segesta with its Greek temple and theater and the Egadi archipelago, comprised of Favignana, Levanzo and Marettimo. Further along the coast, facing Africa, are: the port and canal of Mazara del Vallo;

Selinunte with Europe's largest archeological park;

San Vito Lo Capo and the Scopello Faraglioni.

Marsala was founded in 397 BC as Lillibeo by the Phoenicians who survived the destruction of Mozia; it was a major city during the Punic, Roman, Arab and Norman periods. Today, it is best known for a prestigious wine-liqueur that carries the city’s name and the landing of Garibaldi’s Mille in 1860 which led to the unification of Italy.

Ancient Marsala’s origins are reflected in its majestic cathedral, the adjacent 16th Century Arazzi Fiamminghi museum, the suggestive Porta Garibaldi sea view and entry to the Spanish quarter.

Artistic and cultural itineraries include: the Sibilla Grotto, the archeological museum with the remains of a Carthaginian ship and Lilibeo artifacts and the Laguna dello Stagnone with its windmills and salt marshes.

Travel to Western Sicily

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Marsala wine’s bouquet full of intense aromas of dried fruit, spices and dates and dried figs, the dry and sweet taste and the high alcoholic qualities that increase to depending on the maturation and refinement in the bottle. Dried Marsala, served fresh, is an excellent aperitif. A delicious combination is with strong, spicy and tasty cheeses such as ragusano, pecorino cheese but also gorgonzola or parmesan. It is an exceptional dessert wine, in harmony with the traditional Sicilian pastries. But the combination with food is not essential; Marsala is also a wonderful meditation wine to sip at sunset.

Sicilian cuisine is like the island’s colorful architecture; extraordinary dishes rich in decorations and styles influenced by the many cultures that have come here. Marsala is a jealous custodian of the many culinary traditions on the island. Some typical dishes: Mussel Soup, Peppered Mussels, Boiled Broad Beans, Aubergine Parmigiana, Eggplant Caponata, Eggplant with Schnitzel, Stuffed Peppers, Crushed Olives, Baked Pasta, Pasta with "Qualeddu" and Sausage, Pasta with Bottarga, Pasta with sardines, Pasta with sea urchins, Gnoccoli with conger sauce, Busiata with matarocco, Pasta with lobster, Tuna ammuttunatu, Sarde with "beccaficu", Marinated mackerel, Codfish, swordfish with salmoriglio, Trigliole e Cuttlefish of Stagnone, Scaloppine with Marsala, Lamb or goat stew, Sicilian Cassata, Cannoli, Sfinci, Sfincioni of San Giuseppe with ricotta, Cappdduzzi of ricotta, Pignolata, "Mustazzoli of honey or cooked wine, Cassateddi of fig, Cubbaita, Cuccia, Marturana fruit, Queen biscuits, Taralli and Tagliancozzo.

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Volt Logistics Projects

 with Pay per Use On-Demand Services

Volt Logistics develops projects utilizing Pay x Use transactions specific in your community; local businesses participate as partners and/or suppliers.   

Small and medium sized businesses, especially those located in rural and smaller urban communities, can increase their sales and capabilities through our local and regional collaborations and partnerships.

Energy and Manufacturing Services

The Traditional make, use and dispose economy is supplanted by a circular one in which resources have a longer useful life, with product and materials recovery at the end of lifecycle. End to end providers are replaced by multiple product and service offerors with unique expertise in the provision of customer-centric rather than asset-centric services.

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Coastal Mississippi and Sound Historic Towns

Along a 62 mile stretch of sandy while beaches on the Gulf of Mexico, the Magnolia State offers historic towns with unique ethnic food, shopping and entertainment in Waveland, Bay St Louis, Pass Christian, Long Beach, Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs and Pascagoula.

The Biloxi Waterfront lies directly on the Mississippi Sound, with barrier islands off the Coast and into the Gulf of Mexico. Old Biloxi was part of the First Permanent Settlement in 1699 by French Colonists in French Louisiana. The name of Biloxi in French was Bilocci, a transliteration of the term for the local Native American tribe in their language. In 1720, the administrative capital of French Louisiana was moved to Biloxi from Mobile. Due to fears of tides and hurricanes, the capital of French Louisiana was later moved to New Orleans, nearly 125 miles up the Mississippi River from the Gulf Coast.

Discover how Biloxi became the seafood capitol of the world at the turn of the century aboard a Biloxi Shrimping Trip boat for an entertaining and educational look at today’s shrimping industry.

Sailing step aboard an authentic replica of a Biloxi oyster schooner and sail from Point Cadet Marina along the Biloxi beachfront and see the coastline. Ship Island is 12 miles south of the mainland.

Learn everything about catching cooking and eating shrimps, Mississippi Gulf Coast Style

The Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum was established in 1986 to preserve and interpret the maritime history and heritage of Biloxi and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It accomplishes this mission through an array of exhibits on shrimping, oystering, recreational fishing, wetlands, managing marine resources, charter boats, marine blacksmithing, wooden boat building, netmaking, catboats/Biloxi skiff, shrimp peeling machine and numerous historic photographs and objects. 

INFINITY Science Center is the official visitor center for NASA's Stennis Space Center and its resident labs and offices where the curious at any age can lose themselves in the depths of the ocean and the farthest reaches of space.

Lynn Meadow’s Discovery Center is one of best playgrounds on Coastal Mississippi

The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art celebrates the innovative, independent, and creative spirit of our namesake Mississippi master potter George Ohr. 

Institute for Marine Mammal Studies Ocean Adventure Marine Park an up-close experience with dolphins, sea lions, sharks, rays, and birds!  The Institute is a non-profit organization established for the purposes of public education, conservation, and research on marine mammals. 

The Pascagoula River Audubon Center serves as the gateway to the Pascagoula River, its habitats, and the diverse assemblage of organisms that inhabit or visit the river basin throughout the year.

Phillipsburg New Jersey

 American Historic Small-Town Itineraries

Phillipsburg is a historic town with a growing base of small and mid-size businesses thirty minutes from the Pocono Mountains, and midway between Philadelphia and New York City.

Located on the Delaware River, in a beautiful setting of rolling hills, woodlands, and flowing waters, this town offers the best of all worlds in a close-knit community of families and friends, as you enjoy all the advantages of urban living as well as rural atmosphere and a quaint downtown waterfront shopping district. 

A sister city to industrial Easton, across the Delaware River on the border with Pennsylvania, Phillipsburg is considered part of the Delaware Valley region and the eastern border of the Lehigh Valley. The Norfolk Southern Railway Lehigh Line runs through Phillipsburg on its way to cross the river to Easton. The Belvidere Delaware Railroad was leased and later acquired by the Pennsylvania Railroad, connecting the lower Poconos to Trenton and Philadelphia.

  

 

Mullica Hill New Jersey

American Historic Small-Town Itineraries

In the late 17^th century, English and Irish Quakers established plantations around the area now known as Mullica Hill. This Quaker community centered on the south bank of Raccoon Creek and was called Spicerville, honoring prominent landowner Jacab Spicer. Originally only the north bank of the creek was known as Mullica Hill, recalling the town’s pioneering Finnish settlers, Eric, John, Olag, and William Mullica who first began purchasing land in 1704. Two of the homes they built still stand on North Main near the creek.

The township’s first period of growth began around 1780 and continued until the 1830’s

Commercial development occurred principally in Spicerville and four of the town’s churches were built there. Many structures from this era can still be seen today along Main Street.

After the Civil War noteworthy Victorian homes and public buildings were built throughout the village, including the Town Hall. During this period, Harrison Township established itself as one of the country’s most productive agricultural areas. A railroad spur was built, and the town became one of the nation’s most active shipping points for agricultural commodities.

This period is commemorated by a reenactment every fall

In 1991, the entire village was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and the New Jersey Register of Historic Places in honor of its historic and architectural significance.