A Tuscan Countryside Medieval Castle and Arms Museum

Monteriggioni stands on a hilltop surrounded by olive trees and vines. Its castle dates-back to the early 13^th century; it was built by the Republic of Siena as a defensive outpost against Florence. The Medieval Town maintains its original architectural features and is unique among Tuscany’s borghi. The stone outer wall is 570 meters long and features 14 rectangular towers; they made a great impression on Dante Alighieri who defined them as giants in hell. Walking on top of the walls provides a spectacular view of the countryside, the Chianti region and the Elsa Valley.

The Arms Museum houses faithful reproductions of medieval and renaissance weapons and armor as well as siege machines and techniques. Each room is devoted to a specific moment in Monteriggioni history. Visitors can wear the armor and handle the weapons.

The Church is located on the main square and is the best-preserved property in the borgo. Also built in the 13^th century, it consists of a single interior space with a rectangular end. Its elegant façade displays a doorway with a stone arch topped by a round window while the renovated interior has plastered walls and domed vaults; the bell dates to 1299. The church is also home to a 17^th century painting of the Madonna and Rosary which the town celebrates every year in October.

Porta Franca is the main entrance to the borgo; it stands below a tower with a pointed arch and facing towards Rome. In the past it likely had a drawbridge over a moat. To the left of the arch is an inscription commemorating the founding of Monteriggioni in the 1220s, while a plaque on the right celebrates the new Italian state in 1860.

Porta di Ponente is the gateway facing Florence. Some battlements incorporated in the walling above indicate that the defensive wall was probably lower. Similar battlements in the facing of the walls on the east side. To the right of the entrance, which used to have an outer protective wall, a plaque quotes lines from Dante that mention Monteriggioni.

In Medieval Times, on the southwest side of the outer walls, there was a third gateway, later walled in; the upper part is still visible from the outer road. In the 16^th century, the base of the outer walls was reinforced with an earth rampart in response to the introduction of new and more powerful firearms.

A Medieval Travel Experience in Tuscany

Wellness Cultural and Culinary Travel

in Salento and Puglia Italy

The Salento Peninsula is in the southeastern corner of the Puglia region of Italy. In ancient times it was inhabited by the Messapi a term signifying “land amid the waters” – the Ionian and Adriatic seas. Towns and villages are characteristically made of whitewashed houses in narrow streets with local handicraft shops, immersed in the green of the olive trees and vineyards, bordered by the typical dry-stone walls.

Sun, sea and breezes during a summer season lasting from May to mid-October. The mild winters are always pleasant with plenty of sunshine.

Wellness Bio Dances Holistic Massages Mystical and Healing Practices Influenced by Local Traditions

An enchanting setting along the Salento coastline, Villa Cesarea is on top of four marine grottoes that are the source of its famed mineral waters. It is also a place of pagan and Christian legends. In the former, the waters were created by giant men made of fire and sulfur, whereas the latter, from which name the Cesarea is derived, is based on the young maiden Cisaria whose sacrifice purified and sanctified the waters.

The Salentum Treatment consists of body scrubs, face masks and massages with local ingredients: wine and olives, olive oil, blackberries and pomegranates, Mediterranean citrus fruits.

Accommodations elegant apartments in a beautiful park surrounded by age-old olive and fruit trees and a biological garden; nearby: cycle tracks and an 18-hole golf course.

Baroque Architecture Food and Wine Traditions and Spectacular Coastlines

Culture famous for its soft stones, ideal for making sculptures, and its ceramics products, Lecce is over 2000 years old and renowned for its historic center and baroque architecture, stretching from Roman times to the 18^th Century, the Acaya renaissance quarter, the Cavallino Widespread Museum, the Messapi archeological park and the MUSA University Museum. It is also a major agricultural center specializing in olive oil and wine, hence, numerous opportunities to experience the famed local wines and traditional cuisine.

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Nardò second largest town in the region, takes the concept of sustainability very seriously; it is built on local traditions that are especially manifest in food and wine as well as the arts and culture. The city’s monuments are characterized by different artistic styles representative of its long history. 

Gallipoli is on an island with ancient monuments, tiny streets, and churches surrounded by the pristine waters of the Ionian Sea.

Otranto is the eastern most city in Salento with magnificent sea views and monuments like Corigliano Castle and the Carpignano Byzantine Crypt.

Food and Wine experience Salento’s famed wines and traditional cuisine. Some local specialties: puccia, friseddhre, pittule, rustici, pasticciotti and sweets made ​​of almond paste, accompanied by the local wines: Negramaro, Primitivo and Malvasia.

Connect for Travel to Salento and the Puglia Region of Italy

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Food and Culture in South Italy

North of Naples and South of Rome

In the area between Rome and Naples, in Lazio and Campania regions, there are several small towns and medieval borgo. In many ways, these communities in Caserta Province are a microcosm of all the things visitors to Italy look for: history, culture, traditions and a local community waiting to show you around. These towns stand out for palaces, museums, cathedrals and convents from the XI to the XV Centuries. 

A Roman Era Basilica and Archaeological Museum

Food and Wine Traditions the fertile territory north of Naples in Caserta Province has historically been a major contributor to food production in the region from the days of ancient Rome.

A Farmers Museum is situated in the 15^th Century palace of a medieval borgo; it features the special relationship between this land and its people with songs and dances by minstrels and cantors as well as tasting and making the local specialties.

Mozzarella, perhaps the most famous local food product, and a major export, it is made with artisan skills from buffalo milk into ovoline, ciliegine, trecce and ricotta, among others.

Olive Oil is another local tradition. The flavor, appearance and unique characteristics of this territory’s extra virgin olive oil, along with various natural factors, influence harvesting, cultivation and production in a strictly artisanal undertaking.

Falerno Wine the hills present near ideal conditions for wine making. The Falerno Vines originate in this area and are still cultivated by hand in the local vineyards, continuing a tradition dating back to the Romans time.

Prince William County Virginia

American Historic Small Towns Itineraries

A Civil War experience at the Manassas National Battlefield Park, Family Arts and Entertainment, History at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, National Parks and the Outdoors, Antique Shops, Cafes, Restaurants, Art Stores and Boutiques in:

Bristow most of the area was previously part of the Linton's Ford Plantation, owned by the Linton Family from the 18^th century. In 1894, Sarah Linton converted to Catholicism, the property was deeded to the Roman Catholic Church and the Linton Hall School was founded; in the late 20^th century, much of the original property was sold to developers to raise money to support the school.

Dumfries the largest town in Prince William County was chartered in 1749. It is named for a town in Scotland from where a locally prominent merchant hailed. It grew in wealth and importance as a tobacco port rivaling New York and Boston; soil erosion and silting ended the trade. Today, Dumfries is known as the oldest continually chartered town in Virginia, home to the Weems-Botts Museum and as keeper of much of our Nation’s early history.

Gainesville was once a changing point for stagecoach horses on the Fauquier & Alexandria Turnpike. In 1852, the Manassas Gap Railroad reached the area and the stop became Gainesville. The town was a shipping point for grain, timber and cattle and remained a major shipping point into the early 1960’s. During the Civil War, nearby Thoroughfare Gap in the Bull Run Mountains served as a path for soldiers to reach the First and Second Battles of Manassas.

Haymarket, in northwest Prince William, owes its location to an abandoned Indian hunting path which became Old Carolina Road. It was used by settlers as a route from Pennsylvania to the Carolinas. Haymarket grew around the intersection of Carolina and Dumfries Roads. It was burned by Union troops in 1862. Since then, the town has been revived with a collection of quaint restored buildings and shops.

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Manassas is 10 square miles of homes, the arts, entertainment and community events. With more than 40,000 residents, it serves as a transportation and business hub. Steeped in history and tradition, the city center has an old town feel with a city square type event pavilion - the Harris Pavilion.  Residents and visitors can watch a band or attend an ice cream social in the summer and ice skate in the winter. The city also offers a museum rich in Civil War and local Virginia history.

Occoquan in the early 1600s, the Occoquan River Watershed was occupied by the Dogues, an Algonquian tribe. In the Dogue Dialect, Occoquan means at the end of the water. It has been a successful industrial settlement as well as the site of Civil War skirmishes. Today, Occoquan is a small community rich in history with local shops, a waterfront, outdoor dining, ghost walks, and a boat dock.

Quantico rich in military history, Quantico is the only town in the U.S. that is surrounded by a Marine Corps Base. Quantico's military tradition dates-back to the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, when the area was used by Virginia Naval elements. The area also spent time as a resort community called "Potomac". Incorporated in 1872, it takes its name from a Douge Indian word meaning by the large stream. Today it is home to a notable Marine Corps Base, established in 1917.

Woodbridge offers a wide range of recreational and leisure opportunities. Outdoor recreational enthusiasts can access both a state and national park, the Potomac River, and numerous hiking and biking trails. Woodbridge is also the place to be for shopping and dining with Potomac Mills and numerous small shops and restaurants throughout the community. 

A Historic Small-Town Travel Experience in Prince William County Virginia

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Historic Train Rides in Italy

Campania and Sicily Itineraries in Original Locomotives and Railway Carriages

Travel aboard the original Centoporte and Corbellini carriages, which date back to the 1930s and 1950s, to visit some of the historic cultural and culinary sites in Campania region of Italy .

Pietrarsa runs from Naples to Portici along Italy’s first railway track. Inaugurated on October 3, 1839 by King Ferdinand II whose goal was to make his kingdom compete with the technological supremacy of England and France. The workshop was initially used to produce mechanical and pyrotechnical materials for the Navy, but later went on to build and repair locomotives and railway carriages. The very first locomotive made in Italy for the Royal Railroads bore the factory’s name. Pietrarsa was the first industrial complex in Italy, preceding the founding of Breda and Fiat by half a century.

Visit the Bourbon Dynasty Era Factory where Italy’s Rail History Begins

Reggia connects Naples with the Caserta Royal Palace. In 1750 King Charles of Bourbon (1716-1788), later king of Spain, decided to erect the Royal Palace as the ideal center of the new kingdom of Naples on the plains of Terra di Lavoro. The project was entrusted to the architect Luigi Vanvitelli (1700-1773), son of Gaspar Van Wittel, active under Pope Benedict XIV in the restoration of St. Peter’s dome in Rome.

Archaeo Train travels to the Roman and Magna Grecia archaeological sites of this region, including Pompeii, Herculaneum, Paestum and Velia.

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Sannio stops in S. Agata de’Goti, the region’s most beautiful borgo;

Telese Terme taste Falanghina and experience a wine tour of the vineyards;

Benevento area museums: Streghe, Egizio and Sannio as well as a tour of the Longobard era town; 

Padre Pio’s Pietrelcina, Fragneto Monforte e Pontelandolfo.

Sicily and Food by Train 87 municipalities are involved in the promotion of the island’s extensive culinary traditions along 50 itineraries traveling in carriages from bygone eras with diesel, electric, as well as a 1912 steam-driven locomotive to rediscover mountains and rural areas, borghi, castles, art and archaeological finds, parks and natural oases.

Explore Campania and Sicily Aboard Historic Trains

Community Planning

The Montgomery County, Maryland Experience

As Montgomery County continues to attract an increasingly diverse, technologically savvy, well-educated population, the Planning Department focuses its skills and talents to bring high-quality design in both form and function to all areas, from central business districts to rural villages and improve quality of life by conserving and enhancing the natural and built environment for current and future generations.

Community Planning great communities are created by developing master plans, reviewing applications for development and analyzing information to help public officials plan the future. Multi-disciplinary geographic teams with regulatory as well as community planning functions lead to better integration and more balanced decision-making. Staff also provide recommendations, information, analysis and services to the Planning Board, the County Council, the County Executive, other government agencies and the general public. 

The Environment sustainability and a reduced carbon footprint contribute to healthier communities by

o   assisting property owners to improve or develop their properties

o   analyzing natural resources for community planning

o   reviewing development applications, and

o   participating in efforts to promote environmental sustainability for residents and visitors.

Travel to the US Mid-Atlantic

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Sustainable communities are created by addressing resource protection, climate change, air quality, water quality and availability, human health and well-being.

Historic Preservation is supported by providing identification, designation, and regulation of historic sites in Montgomery County.  Staff maintains an archive and library of documentation on historic resources and provides preservation outreach and guidance on best-practices to the public.

Transportation Planning entails detailed analyses of transportation issues and improvements needed to support expected growth during master plan preparation as well as planned improvements. A biennial Mobility Assessment report plays an integral role in developing recommendations for growth policies matching transport services with new development.

Urban Designers establish guidelines, blend architecture, landscape architecture, and environmental stewardship, resulting in:

o   Street Character improving the character of the street system, promoting walking, providing easy access to transit, creating inviting connections to services

o   Open Spaces establishing open space systems designed to serve people of all ages and needs, providing a variety of urban spaces - plazas, urban parks and town commons - connected by a system of greenways and sidewalks

o   Building Form and Character fostering the design of buildings that shape public streets and open spaces, density, building heights, setbacks from the curb, and parking locations

o   Landmarks and Gateways preserving and highlighting the elements that make a community unique and increasing access to historic resources.

tell us about your community projects

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Naples Bay and the Amalfi Coast

Boat Excursions

Visit magnificent Naples Bay, Capri, Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast and Cilento in a traditional local boat, hugging the coastline in a series of one day tours, stopping along the way to savor the history, culture and traditions in quaint villages and famous resorts.

The Phlegraean Fields there is a place where the fields burn, and vapors and mud come out of the land whose level is constantly rising and lowering; where volcanoes like 133 meter high Monte Nuovo have emerged overnight. Hence, the name Campi Flegrei coined by the Greeks who first saw it 2800 years ago, assuming that Titans were imprisoned underground and their breathing caused the bradyseism phenomenon of the earth’s crust.

In Pozzuoli you can see the remains of the Macellum and the underground Roman city of Rione Terra by simply entering a 17^th Century palazzo.  Bradyseism is also responsible for the sinking of the Roman Imperial city of Baia. Just across the bay of Pozzuoli are the Baia Castle and Miseno, home port of Rome’s navy; it is from here that Pliny the Elder sailed in a vain attempt to save Pompeii. Your tour ends where it began: Cumae as Southern Italy and Magna Grecia acted as catalysts to bring Greek culture to Rome.

Western Civilization began right here with the Cuman Sybil and its Myths

Sorrento Capri and Positano your boat leaves the port of Sorrento and reaches across to circumnavigate and visit the nearby island of Capri. Then it hugs the Amalfi Coast side of the Sorrento peninsula, and an opportunity to swim in crystal clear waters, on the way to the resort of Positano. This very relaxing day can only end with dinner based on local food and wine specialties at a restaurant on the beach.

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Cilento all the ingredients that visitors to Italy look for can be found here: pristine beaches, a national park under Unesco’s protection, coastal and inland panoramas and a superb culinary tradition. Coastal, hilly, and mountainous landscapes showing vestiges of man`s ancient presence; Greek colonizers landed in the 7^th century BC and founded Posidonia, the Roman Paestum. Of major interest:

Paestum is surrounded by well-kept 5 Km long Roman walls and three famous and imposing VI and V century BC Doric temples, the Archaeological Museum and The Diver fresco.

Velia was founded circa 540 BC. Archaeological excavations have gradually unveiled the remains of this town, the amphitheater and the Porta Rosa (Pink Door).
Cilento Coast if you can spare an extra day, your boat can take you further down the Cilento coast with stops along the way at quaint fishing villages in the company of a breathtaking coastline, all the way down to Palinuro, named after Ulysses’ helmsman on the voyage back to Ithaca.

Travel Experiences in Naples Bay and the Amalfi Coast