La Lodola is an old farmhouse in Foiano della Chiana, in Tuscany, which dates back to the 1750’s.
Its restoration, carried out in several phases, brought life back to a decadent structure, reestablishing in it the atmosphere of the past.
The owners, who are antique dealers, chose to give the interior of the house a rather unusual look, ranging from classical to eclectic, according to the different and suggestive environments of the various rooms.
In particular, each bedroom has a personality of its own, with an equally unique and refined bathroom.
One musn’t be surprised if, upon returning for a second visit, the furniture in the rooms has changed, because many of the objects and furnituer is for sale.
The house, which overlooks a beautiful valley in the heart of the Valdichiana area, has an optimal location, as it is easy to reach and not far from many interesting places to visit.
What’s more, it is also possible to reach every corner of the world 24 hours a day, by connecting one’s computer to the LAN internet network available in each bedroom.
The guest room I, the only one found on the ground floor, is painted in inviting shades of amber and powder blue.
Brightness floods the environment from its windows and doors, illuminating the wrought iron four-poster canopy bed.
A mirror hangs over the small fireplace, reflecting the intimate feeling that the room holds.
The guest room II: this bold, bright room has a late nineteenth-century style, both in its decoration and its furniture.
With lively green-striped walls and a large, elegant walnut-framed bed, this spacious room has an incredibly refreshing and comfortable atmosphere.
Although smaller than the others, the guest room III is in no way less enchanting.
One relishes its furnishings, which include a comfortable queen-size bed and red and black lacquered furniture.
The buff walls and moss green ceiling help to create the intimate atmosphere in this special and restful place.
The suite (guest room IV) is composed of two levels and overlooks the garden, the swimming pool, and the valley beyond.
On the upper level, the sand-colored walls meet an intricately hand-painted grey cornice.
On the first floor, the bathroom is panelled in black marble and has red drapes painted on the walls, a motif which is repeated above in an alcove, which houses a ninetheenth-century bath tub, next to the bed.
The room has a very luxurious decor, yet it retains a feeling of comfort.
With its cheerful, bright atmosphere, this room (guest room V) gives immediately gives one a sense calm and tranquility.
With its refreshing yellow tones and its eighteenth-century style furnishings, one’s stay in this peaceful environment is marked by a feeling of relax and repose.

Hope to see you soon in Foiano della Chiana.

The Siracusa B&B “Il Labirinto” arises in the heart of Ortigia Island, at the interchange between Via Dione, – a well known alleyway, holy to the ancient Greeks – Via Roma, Via Amalfitania and Via Maestranza leading to a stunning seafront.
The Island appears today as the result of innumerable ages’ superimpositions due to the continuous use of the same fabric of the city. Its baroque glamour can be seen through Via Delle Maestranze e Via Roma, characterized by the feature of luxurious façades of noble buildings inherited by the Aristocracy during the Spanish period. The B&B Il Labirinto is located into one of the neighbouring alleyways.
The B&B in Siracusa is about thirty metres from Archimede Square and its magnificent fountain named after “Diana”, the Greek divinity representing the Hunting Goddess. The area is considered by tourists one of the most favourite meeting point. It is situated within an easy walk to the Cathedral (the ancient Acropolis) and very close to Aretusa Spring where papyrus plants grow. In this area, just by the Big Sea Port over the glittering Mediterranean Sea, it is possible to admire one of the most striking sunset of Sicily.
The property, dates back to the 16th century and has been made out of an ancient building once belonged to a noble family, undergoing a refined work of restoration and it. It still keeps intact all the characteristics of the Sicilian houses at that time. The surrounded area is quiet although pubs and all sorts of attractions are very easy to find.
The rooms are well structured and furnished with extreme care. Equipped with private bathroom provided with hairdryer and showers; linkup sat TV; telephone; heating system and air conditioning.

A typical Mediterranean Breakfast can be enjoyed either in the breakfast room on the top floor, under a gazebo or even in a relaxing atmosphere of a cosy and verdant terrace, served by our attentive staff. A customer care service is offered to anyone who needs information or assistance on cultural visits. Besides, during the summer season, it is possible to do boat excursions, run directly by the property. The sea is within reach. There is a tiny sandy beach past the Aretusa Spring and a cliff provided with cat-walk leading directly to the sea from where most of the tourists love diving. An extraordinary landscape!

Public Utilities: Post Office, Banks, newspaper shop, bookstore, tobacconist’s shop, restaurants, boutiques, beauty centre and movie theatre.

How to reach us
Coming from Catania: follow the signs leading to Siracusa South; at the ring road turn left and keep going straight ahead. Having passed by the railroad station, reach for Morconi Square; then follow the sign to “ ORTIGIA”. Reach for Via Malta where a bridge ( Ponte Umberto) connects the City to the Island. Cross the bridge and keep walking all the way down to Archimede Square. Get into Via Maestranza and on your right you will find the Sign B&B Il Labirinto***.

For an unforgettable stay in Florence, our Florence Bed and Breakfast provides the romantic atmosphere of a beautiful and comfortable apartment situated close to the historic centre.
Access from the motorway is simple and we are only a few minutes away from the airport and railway station.
The position is ideal for whoever visits Florence.
in fact it is well connected to the historic centre by bus which arrives directly to the Stazione Centrale de SMN (Central Station) , to the Duomo, the Pala-Congressi and to the Fortezza da Basso - some of the most important places in the city.
Our particular location means that you don’t have to endure the all the difficulties of the historic centre such as the traffic limit zone and the difficulty of finding a parking close to the central zone close to Santa Maria Novella station, al Palaffari (around 5 minutes away) and the airport (around 4 minutes).
All the rooms are quiet, large and bright.
Some also have a terrace.
The recently completed restoration has provided each bedroom with:

Private complete bathroom en-suite with shower and hair dryer
Set of towels and soaps
Central heating
Adjustable air conditioning
Small Fridge
Internet connection Wi-fi
Safe in room
Tea and coffee making facilities
Colour television
Those arriving by plane or train can be collected, if requested, from the station or airport by our taxi service, as well as taking you back after your stay.
This is an additional service.
Once you have arrived we will take care of everything with no timetable, as if you were in your own home.
On your request, we will provide you with tourist information and facilitate your stay.
We can reserve entry tickets for museums or shows, organize tours, guided visits of Florence and excursions to nearby towns such as Chianti or to Siena and San Giminiano.

Our Bed and Breakfast is situated in a beautiful area of Florence on Via di Novoli, one of the wider and best known streets of the city, on the 6th floor of a beautiful modern palace accessed via a lift.
The apartment is spacious, bright and from the window you can see a panoramic view of the north of the city and surrounding hills.
The position, adjacent to the historic centre and close to all the main monuments, is strategically positioned in that you can arrive anywhere in just a few minutes.
From the exit of the A11 motorway, North Florence (4 minutes by car)
From Florence airport ‘Vespucci’, Peretola (4 minutes by car)
From the central railway station (10 minutes by car or by the number 22 bus infront of the Bed and Breakfast)
From the exit of the superstrada FI-PI-LI (5 minutes by car)
From the Palazzo dei Congressi, of Fortezza da Basso (10 minutes by car or in the number 22 bus)
From the Duomo (12 minutes with the number 22 bus)
From the University Hospital Complex of Careggi (10 minutes by car or with the number 56 bus)
From the university campus of Sesto Fiorentino (12 minutes by car)

If you want to know more about Sammy Marks, you will quickly find out he was an exceptional entrepreneur, businessman and self-made millionaire. He started with practically nothing, but going ahead, he established the first factories in the Transvaal. From your place of accommodation in Pretoria, make the decision to and go visit the Sammy Marks’ museum on the original farm Swartkoppies, just outside Pretoria.

Background and first success          

Sammy Marks was born in Lithuania, Russia, in 1843 as the son of a Jewish tailor. He arrived in Cape Town in 1868. His cousin, Isaac Lewis, also from Lithuania, arrived shortly after. Sammy Marks started hawking with jewellery and cutlery in Cape Town. He later moved to Kimberley, where he got involved in the French Diamond Mining Company, and formed a partnership with his cousin Isaac. Lewis and Marks then moved to the Eastern Transvaal, and with the discovery of gold, they started trading in Barberton and formed the African and European Investment Company. This company developed into a significant Rand finance house with controlling interests in many gold mines. In order to mine coal deposits, Sammy Marks in 1892 started the Zuid-Afrikaanschen Oranje Vrystaatsche Mineralen en Mijnbouvereeniging. This company set the foundation for the town of Vereeniging, where Sammy Marks established flour-mills, brick and tile works, and the Viljoen’s Drift coal mine. Marks became the driving force behind the expansion of the Witbank coalfields.

Sammy Marks significance for Pretoria

Being a well-known figure in the Transvaal business community, Sammy Marks moved to Pretoria in 1881, where he became an admirer and very good friend of Paul Kruger. Marks advised Kruger to build a railway line between Pretoria and Lorenco Marques, Mosambique.

When a manufacturing contract between AH Nelmapius and the government could not be carried out because of financial constraints, Lewis & Marks took over and constructed the factory and business Eerste Fabrieken just outside Pretoria.

Marks became senator in the Union Parliament from 1910 until his death.

He liberally supported the Jewish community in South Africa. He supplied the bricks for the Pretoria synagogue that was built in 1898. He also paid for the installation of electricity and chandeliers.

In 1902, he presented a cast-iron fountain to the city of Pretoria. The design was Edwardian and it was shipped from Glasgow. Today it stands in the National Zoological Gardens.

Marks also commissioned the statue of Kruger, today to be seen on Church Square. It was sculpted by Anton van Wouw and cast in bronze in Europe.

His family

At the age of forty, Marks was a very wealthy man and still not married. He then married Bertha Guttmann, nineteen years younger than himself, in Sheffield, England. Nine children were born from this marriage, six boys and three girls. As Marks himself received only limited schooling, he made sure that his children got the best education. Hence, they were taught at home by governesses up to the age of eight, for the boys, and twelve, for the girls. Thereafter the Marks children were sent to private schools in England.

The grand mansion just outside Pretoria…

Make sure to go and see the genius Sammy Marks’ house. It is a grand colonial mansion on the original farm Zwartkoppies, just 23 km outside Pretoria. The house, surrounded by a beautiful Victorian garden, has been turned into a charming museum. The rose garden, started in 1906, bear testimony to Bertha’s love for roses. Tours at the Sammy Marks museum take place daily. Don’t miss it!

An Egypt holiday is one of the most rewarding and memorable vacations that you can possibly experience due to the wide range of activities, travel options, sites, and historic value available.

When many people think about Egypt, they think of monuments, pyramids, and the desert. But there’s much more to Egypt than that, and each site has a unique offering from the others. For example, Luxor and Alexandria are known for their historic value, Hurghada and Sharm are known for their resorts, beaches, and watersports, Cairo is known for its culture, and so on.

You will also find that travel within Egypt is moderately, with airfare, accommodations, and entertainment being quite reasonable considering Egypt’s popularity. Of course, that is aside from the cost of adult beverages, which can be very pricey. 

On the downside, because of the large number of varied activities, if you want to participate in activities of different types, e.g. exploring the beaches of Sharm Egypt, then on to Alexandria or a Nile River cruise with a horseback ride or safari along the way, your travel plans become much more complicated. Luckily there are a good number of qualified travel guides who can walk you through different plans, from group tours to fully escorted Egypt packages.

If, like me, you’re a do-it-yourselfer, there are some exceptional travel books that will give you the inside scoop on destinations, customs, and prices, which will all be immensely helpful in planning your trip. But this is not a valid approach for everyone, as we all have varying tolerance levels for chaos!

One of the aspects of Egypt that struck me even more than the surroundings was the people, who are largely helpful, friendly, and hospitable. Ask a local a question, and you’ll probably draw a crowd of people with suggestions on the best answer!

A popular fear when traveling to Africa or the Middle East is one of safety, but Egypt is one of the safer destinations you can visit. Egypt is largely free from violent crime, though bombings perpetrated by local radicals have occurred. Pick pocketing is the most common form of crime, but security is placed in most public places to discourage this from happening.

Also be sure to bring back some souvenirs for your friends and family. Some items native to the region that are available for reasonable purchase include Egypt’s well-known dates, pottery, colorful fabrics, spices, and crafts.

Egypt packages are a great approach to what will be one of the most memorable vacations during your lifetime, almost assuredly. Prepare fully, plan in advance, and enjoy one of the most beautiful regions in the world, along with one of the original seven wonders.

More often than not, ordinary people may think that all that there is to biking is the motorcyclist, the motorcycle and the open road on which he will pass. However, a motorcyclist also has personal items and some other accessories that he needs to bring along with him every so often. The list can include an extra t-shirt, cellphones, another pair of pants, extra shoes to replace motorcycle boots, as well as a rain suit when it comes to taking an extended two-week trip or just for carrying that extra something on the way to work.

A Number Of Options To Choose From

With the way they were built, one can conclude that motorcycles are obviously not meant to haul any extras luggage. Therefore, he would definitely need a motorcycle luggage to carry some of his or her personal belongings, as well as other necessities that he simply cannot do without. However, with motorcycle luggage around, life could be easier. Some of these motorcycle bags come with other bags that would also interest the motorcyclists, including backpacks, rear-seat bags, tank bags, soft saddlebags, all-in-one bags, hard saddlebags as well as integrated luggage that would help make traveling by bike a much more comfortable and enjoyable experience.

When traveling alone, the most logical place for the motorcyclist to carry the extra stuff is the passenger seat. There are many companies selling rear-seat haulers that makes carrying luggage using a motorcycle luggage item such as the rear-seat bag much more convenient. However, the motorcyclist needs to find the right size and proper attachment system as well as make the wise decision of selecting one that is waterproof, to cope with wet weather conditions. Information on Ricardo Luggage.

Another convenient item of the motorcycle luggage is the soft saddlebag. From the tiny nylon wedges designed to fit a sports bike, to those big leather bugs, there are simply a lot of different configurations of this bag. As with the rear-seat bags, look for one that has good attachments and fits well. Mounting them can also be an option, and all that is required to strap them on are Velcro straps.

The last option for the motorcycle luggage is the hard saddlebag, ideal for the serious touring motorcyclist. These modern hard saddlebags are a lot more functional in terms of its capacity and convenience than they were before. Also, make sure that the one you will decide to buy is waterproof, as well as lockable to provide you with enough security and free your things from external elements.

When buying your own motorcycle luggage, make sure that you know what it is you really need because there are a lot of kinds available in the market. To get the most out of your motorcycle luggage, also familiarize yourself and see which one perfectly fits your preference.

If you are thinking of buying a luggage bag, then, you should not worry about anything. There are many options one could consider in buying a luggage bag. You’ll never be lost in finding the out that would best fit your preference.

Below are some options you could consider going to to purchase a luggage bag for you or your family.

LOOKS LUGGAGE. This is a company that offers variety of bags which includes luggage bags. They also have backpacks, beauty cases, briefcases, suitcases and carry on bags. You could choose to buy here because they offer affordable and quality bags. Moreover, they had been standing strong for over 30 years now and had been one of the biggest dealers of bags and luggage retailers in the world. They have been effective in meeting every people’s needs in traveling by offering luggage bags for all. Their clients also achieved satisfaction and contentment in their services. Information on Luggage set

Another great option that you have here is Luggage Source, which is a company that has been in the business since 1956 and they truly pride themselves in customer satisfaction and loyalty. As well, they are authorized for in regards to the brand name luggage that they offer and all of the merchandise that they sell is first quality with the manufacturer’s warranty.

They offer a wide variety of name brands, including: American Tourister, AmeriBag, Andiamo, Atlantic Luggage, Atlas Cases, Black Label by Samsonite, Bosca Leather, Boyt, Brenthaven, Briggs & Riley, Case Logic, Dakota, Delsey Luggage, Eagle Creek, Jack Georges, Jansport, Hartmann, High Sierra, International Traveler, Johnston & Murphy Leather, Kenneth Cole, Kipling, Korchmar Leather Cases, Lark Luggage, Latico Leather, Lodis Leather, McKlein Leather, Pathfinder Luggage, Ricardo, Rimowa, Royce, The North Face, and more.

These are two great companies that you should definitely check out if you are looking for luggage bags, and although there are other options, these are definitely two of the best, and even if for some reason you decide to go to another company, you will still want to keep them in the back of your mind as a sort of reference in regards to what qualities you should be looking for in a company: high quality products, great prices, and superior customer service.

Going traveling with a bunch of kids in tow? You have to admit packing for yourself is tricky enough, but with kids going with you, it gets even harder. If you have your own set of luggage, what about your kids? For parents who often travel with their kids, it’s a necessity to get a kids luggage for their little ones. Kids luggage are smaller, more compact set of luggage that can be towed or carried by your kids. If your family does not have a set of kids luggage yet, fret not, there are a lot of department and retail stores that carry a wide variety of kids luggage that you and your kids can have a great time choosing from.

Since your kids are not strong enough to carry the weight and size of a normal luggage, getting them their own is your best bet. Kids luggage also come cheaper in price than regular luggage since it is relatively smaller. One tip when buying luggage is to get it in sets. If you can buy your kids luggage at the same time when you are buying yours, then you can possibly make a better deal or get discounts. Also, make sure that you set a budget first so you won’t get overboard. Check out luggage prices from different brands, compare and contrast, then make your decision afterwards. That way, you can choose which one will best fit your budget and your qualifications. If you can involve your kids in the decision making process, the better, because not only will they love the attention, they will also have a blast simply by feasting their eyes on rows and rows of luggage they can choose from. Information on Lost Luggage Find it Fast!

Kids Travel Zone is probably one of the best places to check out a bunch of kids luggage. They have a wide selection of kids luggage and other travel accessories for you children. They have luggage, handbags, baby gifts, lots of discounts and sale items. They have different designs for each travel accessory category, you can be sure that your kids will have a grand time choosing and deciding which ones to get. Kids travel zone is also a reputable company which has been in business for a long time now, something that assures parents that they are indeed in the right place. Its definitely a one stop shop for all your kids travel needs.