A Journey into the Venetian Past

Venice Isles Food Wine and History

A Walking Itinerary of the most famous sights, including St Mark’s Square and Basilica, the Rialto Bridge, the Doge Palace and the Ponte dei Sospiri.

Venetian Cooking Class our expert cook will teach you how to prepare the local dishes and entertain you by analyzing the intriguing fragrances, the exotic origins of some ingredients, the cooking processes as well as answer your questions about the products being used. Classes are held in a Palazzo apartment in Venice or in a Liberty Villa at the Lido beach, a fascinating bathing resort with tall trees and gardens traversed by several canals. 

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Venice wine tasting in a typical bar or in an ancient Palazzo on the Grand Canal, held by a professional Sommelier presenting various wines, accompanied by intriguing stories about local history, as you experience the lifestyle of a Venetian aristocrat.

Escape crowded Venice for a day and unwind on a trip to the islands of Murano and Burano for a rare glimpse into what Venice used to be; a community of traditional artisans where skills have been passed down from one generation to the next for centuries.

Murano’s Ancient Art of Glassblowing

Burano is famous for its lace making and for the colorful houses crammed along its canals, so painted by fishermen who wanted to spot their homes from a distance. Visit a small building where women sit stitching lace the old-fashioned way, just as their mothers and grandmothers did. Also, take time to admire the delicate lace in the museum, shop or wind your way along the kaleidoscopic streets.

Wine Tasting enter the fascinating Venetian back country and discover the Regional Park of the Euganean Hills, a natural area dotted with small villages, vineyards and typical osterie. Visit a family-owned wine cellar and taste its sparkling wines and the local genuine products. Experience the amazing ancient village of the Poet Petrarca, unchanged since the 14^th century.

A Journey into the Venetian Past

Milan Monza and Lake Como

Water Food Fashion and Design

Unlike most European and world leading cities, Milan was not settled on a river or by the sea, but in the middle of the Po River Valley. Hence, Milan’s is a history about water and how water was brought to the city. The concentric layout of the city center has been influenced by the Navigli, an ancient system of navigable and interconnected canals, now mostly covered.

Water History and Leonardo Da Vinci

A Source of energy for transportation and as a defense system throughout the centuries. Leonardo Da Vinci spent his most productive years in Milan, and his activity as an engineer crossed with the water history of the city; marks of his activity are still visible after hundreds of years. Water, sustainability and Leonardo are the threads that unify the different epochs in the city’s history and this part of Italy.

Traditions and Innovations in Energy and Water

Classical Milan the old Roman city of Mediolanum, and the more hidden parts of Milan, will connect the visitor with old artisan shops, the new Museum of Cultures, Villa Necchi Campiglio and the Last Supper.

Shopping and Design Milan is a global capital in industrial design, fashion and architecture. It is also a mecca for food lovers. As the commercial capital of Italy and one of Europe's most dynamic cities, it accounts for the lion’s share of the fashion trade, with some of the most renowned fashion houses headquartered here. Its upscale fashion district- il quadrilatero della moda - and La Galleria, the world’s first shopping mall, offer the best shopping opportunities anywhere.

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The Royal Villa in Monza has its own history dating back to the middle ages with a Royal Villa and the surrounding Monza Park. Recently restored the villa rivals in size and quality Versailles and Caserta’s Royal Palace. Behind the Royal Villa, Monza Park is the largest walled park in Europe. You may be already familiar with it as the racetrack where the Monza Formula 1 Grand Prix takes place every September.

Lake Como Bellagio is a cozy old village where the two branches of the lake converge in a narrow Canyon and where the water is still feeding an old-fashioned power plant. Isola Comacina is an old settlement with ruins dating back from the middle ages, and a terrific view of the Lake. The road back to Milan is via the Strada Regina - Queen’s Road - along the lakeshore and an opportunity to look at some gorgeous villas, including George Clooney’s residence.

Itinerari Culturali e Iniziative Ambientali

Beni Culturali e Musei Locali danno significato e scopo agli oggetti esposti in musei e gallerie d'arte in quanto rivelano il patrimonio storico earcheologico di una comunità, influenzano la conservazione e la riscoperta del patrimonio culturale attraverso arte, storia, archeologia, letteratura e architettura, preservando la biodiversità e riscoprendo le culture associate con le comunità agricole, costiere e fluviali.

Cucina Locale Cantine Vinicole e Birrifici Ci sono diversi esempi affascinanti attraverso l’ America di una rinascita dell’ agricoltura e di una sempre crescente domanda per prodotti alimentari, vini e birre locali, di qualità e sostenibili, in comunità urbane e suburbane, alimentata in parte da sviluppo economico nei centri storici e quartieri residenziali. Questo, a sua volta, ha generato una domanda per servizi di vita notturna e nei week-end per i per i cittadini locali ed i visitatori. Esperienze e atmosfere locali uniche nelle comunità americane dove molte attrazioni sono anche storiche esostenibili.

Un programma di sette notti e otto giorni per famiglie, scuole e gruppi tematici

Comunità e Iniziative nei Trasporti Pubblici Locali Negli ultimi anni, efficienti e convenienti forme di trasporto pubblico - autobus per trasporto rapido, metropolitane, servizi ferroviari elevati, tram e altri - per il servizio urbano, suburbano e interurbano sono stati discussi, studiati e in alcuni casi attuati. I nostri itinerari includono le principali città degli Stati Uniti con servizi pendolari e regionali così come le comunità che stanno implementando nuovi programmi di servizio pubblico. Un'occasione per incontrare pianificatori locali e dirigenti nonche’ viaggiare in modo efficiente, sicuro e conveniente durante la tua visita negli Stati Uniti.

Come Ridurre Tempi di Transito e Costi per il Tuo Prossimo Viaggio

Gestione delle Risorse Idriche e dell'Ambiente visita e studia i programmi delle comunità che si trovano in prima linea nella gestione delle risorse idriche ed altre pratiche eco-sostenibili per lo sviluppo costiero, fluviale e del lungomare nei piccoli centri, le grandi città e lecomunità agricole. I funzionari locali e gli amministratori non profit dell’ambiente, tra gli altri, illustreranno le loro politiche, i programmi e le migliori pratiche di gestione in sistemi efficienti delle acque reflue e dei bacini idrici, la Land Conservancy, certificazioni LEED, il riciclo, la raccolta dell'acqua piovana e l'energia.  

Willamette River Itinerary

The Willamette River accounts for 15 percent of the Columbia River's flow. Its main stem is 187 miles - 301 km - in northwestern Oregon as it flows northward between the Oregon coast and Cascade ranges. The Willamette Valley basin that contains two-thirds of Oregon's population and is one of the most fertile agricultural regions in North America, hence the destination of many 19^thcentury pioneers traveling on the Oregon Trail. The river supports 60 fish species, including salmon and trout.

The Upper Tributaries of the Willamette originate in the mountains south and southeast of Eugene and meanders north to join the Columbia about 101 miles - 163 km - from the larger River's mouth on the Pacific Ocean. The channel is the main navigational channel for Portland's harbor and industrial areas.

The Willamette River has over 50 Bridges and Crossings

Watershed The Willamette River drains a region of 11,478 square miles - 29,730 km² - 12 percent of the total area of Oregon. Watersheds bordering the Willamette basin include the Deschutes and Sandy Rivers. Sixty-four percent of the watershed is privately owned, while 36 percent is publicly owned. 

Your anchor locations when visiting the Willamette River:
Portland Oregon and Seattle

Recent History by the early 20^th century, major river-control projects began to take place. Levees were constructed along the river in most urban areas, and Portland built concrete walls to protect its downtown sector. Decades later, many large dams were built on Cascade Range tributaries of the Willamette. The Army Corps of Engineers operates 13 such dams, which affect flows from about 40 percent of the basin. With development near the river came increased pollution. By the late 1930s, efforts to stem the pollution led to formation of a state sanitary board to oversee modest cleanup efforts. In the 1960s, Governor Tom McCall led a push for stronger pollution controls to enhance historical, natural, and recreational values along the river.

There are 20 Dams on the Willamette as well as a series of Levees Dikes and Channels

The Willamette Greenway program has created a system of parks, trails, and wildlife refuges along the river leading to the 1998 appellation of American Heritage River. 

Connect for a Willamette River Itinerary

American River and Northern California Vacation

The American River runs from the Sierra Nevada to the San Joaquin Valley, eventually emptying into San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean.

History The Maidu peoples inhabited the American River for thousands of years before foreigners settled the region. They utilized the vast river resources for shelter, clothes, baskets, and other goods.

The California Gold Rush started in 1848 when gold was found on the American River. The South Fork in particular was a top destinations for early miners.

River Forks the American River is divided into the North, Middle, and South forks; the three forks originate in the Lake Tahoe area. All three forks are known for their verdant canyons, forested ridges, massive rock formations, trails, winter adventures, snowy peaks, fishing and white water rafting. Fish species that live within the American River include the Chinook salmon and Steelhead Trout. 

American River Parkway below Folsom Lake, the river passes through an urban area and riparian park containing fishing and family-oriented rafting, paved bicycling and multi-use trails. Also, Leidesdorff Ranch, a 35 thousand acre - 140 km² - cattle and wheat agribusiness.

Your anchor locations when visiting Northern California include Lake Tahoe, Sacramento, Sonoma and San Mateo Counties near San Francisco Bay

Ecosystem the climate of the California American River is Mediterranean; rainy winters and very dry summers. The region is prone to seasonal drought conditions. Sacramento County is known for its cool winters, and hot summers, with low average precipitation. Much of the Central Valley was historically wetlands, which made the ground very fertile and attractive for agriculture. The American provides Sacramento County with its main source of drinking water and houses a multitude of plants and wildlife, creating an immensely bio diverse ecosystem.

The American River Conservancy works to conserve the wildlife, aquatic and terrestrial habitats and resources around the American River watershed. The land they protect helps the American River water quality by conserving and resorting wet meadows, wetlands, and riparian areas. It also preserves the cultural and historic values of the river systems and surrounding landscapes.

Recreation whitewater rafting; the South Fork has Class III rapids, the Middle Fork has Class IV rapids, and the North Fork has Class IV spring run-off rapids. All three rivers also feature Class II sections.

Columbus Ohio

history transport hub industrial town breweries and historic villages named for explorer

Christopher Columbus it was founded in 1812 and became Ohio’s state capital in 1816. The city has a diverse economy based on education, government, insurance, banking, fashion, defense, aviation, food, clothes, logistics, steel, energy, medical research, health care, hospitality, retail, and technology.

Columbus is home to the Ohio State University

History the area including modern-day Columbus once comprised the Ohio Country under French control through the Viceroyalty of New France from 1663 until 1763 as Europeans engaged in the fur trade. In the 1740s, Pennsylvania traders overran the territory until the French regained control; the region routinely suffered turmoil, massacres and battles. Finally, the 1763 Treaty of Paris ceded the Ohio Country to the British.

Colonists from the East Coast moved in but encountered people of from several Indian nations, as well as European traders. The tribes resisted expansion by the fledgling United States, leading to years of bitter conflict. By 1797, a permanent settlement was founded on the west bank of the forks of the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers; the location was ideal for its proximity to navigable rivers.

Columbus became State Capital because of its Proximity to Major Transportation Routes

Transport Hub and a Major Industrial Town the National Road connected Columbus with Baltimore in 1831 in addition to the Ohio and Erie Canal facilitating the arrival of Irish and German immigrants by 1875 eight railroads served Columbus and its buggy factories steel producers and breweries. The American Federation of Labor was founded here in 1886 by Samuel Gompers, followed by the United Mine Workers in 1890.

Wooden Arches on High Street Provided Electricity for the New Streetcars

The Columbus Experiment was an internationally recognized environmental project in 1908, which involved construction of the first water plant in the world to apply filtration and softening, designed and invented by Clarence and Charles Hoover; an invention that reduced the incidence of typhus.

Port Columbus Airport was a Rail-to-Air Transcontinental System from the East to the West Coast

Neighborhoods and Villages modern interpretations of neighborhood borders vary significantly as historical neighborhoods, villages, towns and townships have been annexed and absorbed by the city.

The Italian Village is a mixed land use neighborhood that contains an array of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. It is a designated historic district for its historical and cultural preservation. The building types and architecture reflect Italian influence. With its parks and preserved historic homes, Italian Village has the highest home value appreciation in Columbus. The neighboring Downtown District provides access to major employers, cultural and learning institutions, and entertainment venues.

The Victorian Village is in an older area with a fair number of established trees for an urban setting. Neil Avenue runs north/south and eventually crosses through the campus of The Ohio State University.

The Brewery District is located just south of the central business district with a history stretching nearly 200 years. The first brewery was opened by German immigrant Louis Hoster in 1836. At the height of its success, there were five breweries located in the area. Following Prohibition in 1920, the area become home to industry and warehouses. In recent years, redevelopment has taken place on a large scale, with restaurants and bars.

The German Village is a historic neighborhood settled German immigrants in the mid-19th century who constituted as much as a third of the population of the entire city. It has a commercial strip mainly centered along South Third Street, with mostly locally owned restaurants, as well as the tall-steepled St. Mary Catholic Church. The area is mostly a residential neighborhood of sturdy, red-brick homes with wrought iron fences along tree-lined, brick-paved streets.

Oxford Mississippi

Cultural Mecca of the South Small-Town Charm and Literary Destination

Oxford was founded in 1837, on land that had once belonged to the Chickasaw Indian Nation and named after Oxford, England. The Mississippi Legislature voted in 1841 to make Oxford the home of the state’s first University which opened its doors in 1848 to 80 students and has since become one of the nation’s finest public universities.

From the Civil War to Cultural Mecca in 1864 Union troops set fire to the Courthouse, most of the Square and many homes. During the Civil Rights movement, James Meredith entered the University of Mississippi as the first African American student. The city is now known as the home of Nobel Prize winning author William Faulkner and has been featured as a literary destination in publications such as Conde Nast Traveler, Southern Living and Garden and Gun.  Many writers have followed in Faulkner’s footsteps, making Oxford their home over the years adding to the literary reputation Oxford has become renowned for including: Larry Brown, Barry Hannah, Willie Morris, and John Grisham.

 

Geography the city is-located-in the North Central Hills region of Mississippi, known for its heavily forested hills and red clay. Downtown Oxford sits on one ridge and the University of Mississippi sits on another one, while the main commercial corridors on either side of the city sit in valleys.

The Square has remained the cultural and economic hub of the city and is home to a variety of shops, boutiques, the south’s oldest department store and a famous independent bookstore. Around the Historic Downtown Square there are restaurants ranging from down-home southern cooking to elegant haute cuisine.

The Circle Historic District is located at the center of the Ole Miss campus with eight academic buildings arranged on University Circle, including the Lyceum Building, Brevard Hall, the Croft Institute for International Studies, the Carrier, Shoemaker, Ventress, Bryant, and Peabody dormitory halls. The district also includes the flagpole, the Confederate Monument, and University Circle.