The San Polo district is the tiniest of Venice’s six districts. It covers only 86 acres (that’s about 35 hectares) right in the center of the city. It’s home to Venice’s main market and has been for over 900 years. The main attractions are the Rialto Bridge and several churches including San Giacomo di Rialto, said to be consecrated in the year 421 and perhaps the oldest church in Venice. Santa Croce is north and west of San Polo. You may well stop by here because of their parking lots (cars aren’t allowed in the five other districts of Venice). The eastern part of the district has a medieval air and is home to some tourist attractions such as historic churches and the Galleria Internazionale d’Arte Moderna whose collection includes many masters of modern art. For your convenience we have listed district hotels in approximate order of cost, starting with the least expensive. We have personally verified all website addresses making sure that they include English-language pages.

The Acca Hotel has only one star but it may be a good option for economy-minded tourists. You’ll be close to many attractions such as the San Pantalon church whose ceiling was painted by Gian Antonio Fiumani, and is said to be the world’s largest painting on canvas. Breakfast is served in the courtyard. Maybe because the hotel has only 8 rooms and 1 suite there is no night porter. The hotel address is Calle Pezzana, San Polo 2160.

The Hotel al Ponte Mocenigo is our only suggestion for the Santa Croce district. It’s on two floors of a palazzo that once belonged to the local Mocenigo bigwigs. There’s a courtyard for breakfast and a Turkish sauna. Access is via a private bridge with a history that you can read on the hotel website. All 10 rooms and the junior suite are non-smoking, but none of them offer a canal view. The hotel address is Fondamento de Rimpeto a Ca’ Moncenigo, Santa Croce 2063.

The Ca’ Angeli Hotel occupies two floors of a palace on the Grand Canal that belonged to a famous Venetian architect who oversaw its renovation. The fine breakfast is served in a room overlooking the Grand Canal as do some of the guest rooms. There are only 5 rooms, 2 suites and 1 apartment. The hotel address is Calle del Traghetto della Madoneta, San Polo 1434.

The Oltre il Giardino’Casaifrari can be a fine choice if you are looking for peace and quiet. You may even have trouble finding this little hotel hidden behind a brick wall. Alma Mahler lived there in the 1920s after her husband Gustav’s death. Its centerpiece is the garden where breakfast is served, weather permitting. All 4 rooms and 2 suites overlook the garden. By the way, you can’t believe everything that you read. Quoting their website, “The house… has now been turned into an exclusive but homely retreat.” This place is anything but homely. The hotel address is Fondamenta Contarini – San Polo 2542.

The three star Locanda Sturion hotel was used by the Doge of Venice to house foreign merchants selling their wares at the Rialto Market more than 700 years ago. The decorations have been updated to the Eighteenth Century. The breakfast room and reading room overlook the Grand Canal. The onsite restaurant offers a historic menu, with dishes and delicacies dating back to the Fourteenth Century, reinterpreted for today’s tastes. Be warned, the stairs are steep to this fourth and fifth floor hotel and there is no elevator. There are 11 rooms. The hotel address is Calle del Sturion, San Polo 679.

Technorati Tags: Croce, District, Hotels, Italy, Love, Polo, Santa, Touring, Venice

If you are embarking on a Central or South American journey and Costa Rica is one of your stopovers, then you certainly need to find a reliable Costa Rica vacation guide to make the most out of your stay. To get a brief overview of what you should learn from a good vacation guide, read on and be armed with the basics.

Costa Rica is part of Central America and its neighboring countries are Nicaragua on the north and Panama on the south. On its western side, there is the Pacific Ocean and on its eastern side, there is the Caribbean Sea.

You may be surprised to know that the best time to visit Costa Rica is during the early parts of the rainy season of May to July. Some towns in the country even experience an elevation in terms of visitors, making the tourist officials regard it as a ‘mini-high season’. During this period, traveling might a bit more challenging due to the slight downpours and rain showers. Pack your raingear and bit more patience for the ultimate Costa Rican wild adventure. The mountains and high plateau also offer cooler temperatures to the visitor.

There are many different regions in Costa Rica. There are the Plains of the North, Guanacaste, Nicoya Peninsula, Central Valley, Central Pacific, Caribbean Costa Rica, South Costa Rica and Cocos Island National Park.

The capital city is Costa Rica is San Jose and their official language is Spanish. Other cities in the country are Alajuela which is the location of Juan Santamaría International Airport, Cartago which is the country’s first capital and Heredia where tourists can visit coffee plantations. Quepos city is also notable as it is located in the Central Pacific coast and is the entry point to the Manuel Antonio National Park.

There are also the cities of Jacó which has a worldwide reputation as a surfing paradise and where superb dining selection abounds, Liberia which is the gateway to the fantastic beaches of Guanacaste and Pochote which is located on Whale Bay near Puntarenas. Costa Rica’s second largest international airport is also located just outside of Liberia providing easy access.

Of course, an excellent Costa Rica vacation guide book should not be quick to miss the cities of Puerto Limón which considered the main city on the Caribbean side of the country, Puntarenas where one can take the ferry going to Nicoya Peninsula, Parismina which is located in Tortuguero Canals and Tamarindo City which is also quite famous as a beach haven for tourists.

Although English is widely used in some areas populated by tourists and many businesses are operated by European entrepreneurs, it is recommended that you learn some Spanish and a few frequently used Costa Rican expressions.

The Spanish words ‘Ma’e’ means ‘dude’ and is generally used among friends; ‘Pura Vida’ literally means ‘pure life’ but is used by Costa Ricans to express agreement or enthusiasm. A ‘pulpería’ is a general merchandise store, while if you hear the word ‘tuanis’, it should be an expression of ‘okay’ for most natives.

Costa Rica is a beautiful tropical paradise that welcomes all visitors seeking an escape from the hectic everyday stress of urban life. The people of Costa Rica are friendly and helpful in providing you with a great vacation.

Technorati Tags: Costa, Guide, Rica, Vacation

It’s easy to find an all inclusive vacation in Jamaica but the majority are for families. That’s great for people with kids and fine for those who don’t mind having kids around at their holiday resort. Many couples with grown up children, enjoy being freed from the demands of family vacations. The last thing these couples want is to have to spend their holiday with other people’s children around them instead of their own.

There are however, several very good couples-only vacation resorts in Jamaica that can be booked on an all inclusive basis. Three are owned by the same company and are called “Couples”. One is in Negril, one in Sans Souci and the other is in Ocho Rios. We enjoyed a glorious sixteen day holiday at Couples, Ocho Rios a few years ago. Being naturists, we were attracted to this hotel because it has a clothes-optional facility in the form of a tiny island, a hundred metres or so out from the hotel opposite the main beach. The island is served by a beautiful swim up bar and a boat to take you there and back at any time you want throughout the day. Most of the island is covered with decking on which sun loungers and hammocks are set out to furnish guests with comfortable seating. There is exactly the right amount of coconut palms to provide the sunbathers with a perfect combination of sun and shade at all times of the day. The island is an idyllic place to do nothing all holiday except sunbathe, swim and enjoy the drinks and snacks provided at the swim up bar. But even fanatical sun worshippers like ourselves will want to take some time out and see a bit of Jamaica during their stay.

Without any doubt, the most enjoyable excursion for us was a raft trip on the Rio Grande, Jamaica’s longest river that runs from the Blue Mountains into the sea. Tours,organised by the hotel, start with a fascinating coach journey to Port Antonio, calling in at the famous Blue Lagoon along the way. This was the setting for the film Castaways and it is indeed the most beautiful and peaceful place you could ever wish to swim in. Don’t expect a beach however. The Blue Lagoon hasn’t got one and the film’s beach scenes were shot elsewhere.

The starting point of the raft trip is at Berridale, six miles by road and nearly three hours by raft from the sea. The rafts are thirty two feet long and constructed from bamboo poles lashed together. The deck area has a seat for two passengers at the stern whilst a dreadlocked boatman, stands further forward and steers the raft with a long, bamboo pole.

You are taken at a leisurely pace for most of the way, occasionally picking up speed to cross stretches of the river that might be described as minor rapids. The boatman provides his own brand of constant entertainment, telling many far-fetched yarns about the rich and famous people he has transported in his raft or by singing some Bob Marley favourites to you.

The photo opportunities of the voyage are virtually incessant. As well as some beautiful scenery and wildlife in the form of vultures and other exotic birds, your navigator also creates many pictures worth snapping as he stylishly poles the raft, guiding it through its tricky course. There is always a colourful array of tropical plants to admire on the banks of the river and your guide is most eager to tell you their local names and provide interesting stories or folklore about their uses or associations.

Along the way, you will pass other rafts selling refreshments and the boatman will suggest that he stops for you to buy a can or two of Red Stripe lager or some trinket souvenirs. He is also likely to invite you to take a swim in a particularly inviting part of the river where it is perfectly safe to do so.

The big advantage of going on a trip organised by the hotel is that when you get to your destination at St Margarets Bay, your coach will be awaiting you. If you organised the trip yourself you would have to find some way of getting back to Berridale to pick your car up.

As well as rafting, there are many more wonderful places to visit and things to do in Jamaica but if you prefer not to go on excursions full of kids and want to enjoy your vacation as an exclusively couples only experience, my best travel tip is to book your vacation at one of the “Couples” all Inclusive Hotels. The best time to go is between December and April, when Jamaican weather is at its best and the waters of the Rio Grande are not too swollen or rapid.

Technorati Tags: Couples, Jamaica, Only, Rafting, Vacation