Experience The Timeless Artwork of Vatican City With A Private Tour Of The Worlds Largest Art Collection

With the excitement and anticipation of Pope Francis visiting the U.S. and our home town Philadelphia next year, a trip to Vatican City is highly recommended. Eternity Tours is offering small group and private tours to the Vatican to give guests exclusive access the largest art collection in the world.

With their expert guides you will discover the treasures of the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's, and the Vatican museums. Through Eternity Tours Vatican group tours have been designed to immerse you in the fascinating history of Rome with an exploration of its great masterpieces. While on your tour, meet Michelangelo and Raphael, marvel at the awe-inspiring basilica, and embark on a whirlwind voyage through 2,000 years of history with our passionate guides. Learn on their Vatican group tours how the world's smallest country weaves a spectacular narrative.

Other Tour Locations Offered in Rome, Florence, Siene, Amalfi Coast and Pompeii.

For more information visit: http://www.througheternity.com/  

About

Established in 1999, Through Eternity created their In-Depth tours after noticing a need for intimate tours. Rather than rushing through the Vatican museums with eyes closed and reaching the Sistine Chapel disconnected from its beauty, visitors are allowed to discover and admire what Raphael and Michelangelo studied and praised; immeasurably enhancing the experience. 15 years of success is a tell-tale sign, that Through Eternity has effectively provided quality and meaningful tours for Italian Tourists. Always inspired and motivated by their visitors, Through Eternity will deliver exceptional customer service and tours. 

MSC Cruises Is Making A Unique Offer: Book A 10 Night Mediterranean Cruise By October 31st And Get A Free 7 Night Caribbean Cruise.

Guests Who Book Before Oct. 31 Receive a Free* 7-Night Caribbean Cruise on the

MSC Divina

MSC Cruises is offering inclusive air/land/sea vacation package deals for guests looking to sail onMSC Divina, the line’s largest and most luxurious ship specifically dedicated to North American travelers, while the ship is in the Mediterranean from May 16 through Sept. 19, 2015.

Starting at $1,899, the 10-night package includes roundtrip airfare to Rome or Barcelona, a seven-night cruise, a two-night post-cruise stay in a four-star hotel, and all transfers needed — including from the airport to the ship, from the ship to the hotel and from the hotel back to the airport.

“As North Americans are becoming increasingly familiar with the MSC Divina, they have expressed a strong interest in sailing aboard the ship when she goes to the Mediterranean next summer,” said Ken Muskat, executive vice president of sales, PR & guest services for MSC Cruises USA. “These package deals offer guests a one-stop shop, making it as easy and convenient as possible for guests who want to sail in the Mediterranean on a brand that knows the Mediterranean best.”

Travelers interested in the package deals have the option of leaving from Miami, New York, or Chicago, and choosing an itinerary on theMSC Divina that departs from either Civitavecchia (Rome) or Barcelona. Guests will be greeted by MSC Cruises personnel upon arrival at the airport of their port destination as well as at the hotel.

Highlights of MSC Divina’s Mediterranean season include:

·         Ability to embark at two marquee ports: Civitavecchia (Rome) on Saturdays and Barcelona on Wednesdays

·         Late night stays in La Spezia, enabling guests to visit nearby cities of Pisa, Florence, Portofino and the stunning Cinque Terre region

·         Late night stays in Palma de Mallorca, allowing guests to enjoy the lively nightlife of the island

·         Call in Naples, allowing time to visit Pompeii, Capri, Sorrento, and the Amalfi Coast

·         An array of shore excursions providing guests a full immersion into the region with experiences such as an architectural tour of the famed works of Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona, attending the Pope’s weekly Angelus in St. Peter’s Square in Rome and visiting the ancient ruins of Pompeii

Looking for a unique holiday gift for friends and family? As a special promotion, guests who book the air/land/sea package before Oct. 31 will receive a free*, transferable 7-night cruise on the MSC Divina in the Caribbean for select sailings between now and the end of the year.

Customers interested in learning more about the air/land/sea vacation package should contact their local travel agency, call 1-877-665-4655, or visit www.msccruisesusa.com.

*Government taxes and fees and airport taxes are not included in the Mediterranean air/sea/land fare. For the free 7-night Caribbean sailing promotion, all incidentals outside of the base cruise fare, including government fees and taxes, fuel surcharges, and service charges, are the responsibility of the guest. In addition, a $500 non-refundable deposit is required for guests booking the air/sea/land package before Oct. 31 in order to receive  the 7-night Caribbean sailing. 

About MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises is a privately-held, family-owned, Italian cruise line with a fleet of 12 ships. The fleet cruises year-round in the Mediterranean and seasonally in the Caribbean, Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the French Antilles, South America, South Africa, The United Arab Emirates and the Red Sea. In March 2014, the line announced the construction of two new cruise ships by STX France due for delivery respectively in 2017 and 2019. Two months later, the line announced the construction of two additional new builds by Fincantieri due for delivery respectively in Nov. 2017 and May 2018.  For more information, visit www.msccruisesusa.com.

Tips For Spending The Day At An Italian Beach

Contributed by By Martha Bakerjian

If you're traveling in Italy during summer, you may want to spend a day (or more) at a beach. Going to the seaside is very popular with Italians, especially on Sundays, and Italian beaches can be very crowded in summer. If you're planning on staying near the coast in August, you should book your hotel in advance. Beach on the Island of Ischia

© by Francesca DiMeglio, used by permission

What to Expect at an Italian Beach

Most of the beaches are not free but are divided into private beach areas called stabilimenti that can be used for a day fee. Your fee usually gets you a clean beach, dressing room where you can leave your things, outdoor shower for rinsing off, a good swimming area, toilets, and a bar and sometimes restaurant. In the stabilimetni you can rent a lounge chair and beach umbrella too - you'll be assigned a place along the beach with your own chairs and umbrella. Locals buy seasonal passes and thus have the prime positions. If you're planning to use the beach for a longer period, there is sometimes a weekly or monthly pass that you can buy. Lifeguards are usually on duty in the private beach areas. Stabilimenti usually close before sunset.

Free beaches are often found at the end of the private beach areas but may not be as nice and usually won't have restrooms (or a place to change) or lifeguards (although if there's a lifeguard at a nearby private area, he/she will respond to emergencies).

Topless sun-bathing for women used to be common and some women still choose to bath topless, especially in more secluded areas. You will rarely see women in one-piece bathing suits, even older women usually wear a bikini or 2-piece suit.

Beaches are not always sandy but are sometimes pebbly or rocky. Lake beaches are not naturally sandy so they are rocky unless sand is brought in, as has been done in some popular lake areas. Sometimes there is little space for a beach so concrete platforms or terraces are made by the sea and used like beaches, such as this one on the island of Capri.

Where to Go to the Beach in Italy

A few of the most popular Italian mainland seaside destinations are:

• The Amalfi Coast has some of Italy's most stunning coastline with good beaches along the seaside below the cliffs.
• The Italian Riviera, on the northwest coast, especially around the Cinque Terre andPortofino. Here you'll find beautiful scenery as well as nice beaches.
• Rimini is one of the top seaside resorts on the Adriatic Sea with 15 kilometers of sandy beaches.
• Tuscany's Versilia Coast is a long stretch of beaches. Forte dei Marmi is one of the top Tuscany beach resort towns.
• Calabria, the toe of the boot, has over 500 miles of coastline with many pristine beaches. See Where to Go to the Beach in Calabria.
• Puglia, the heel of the boot, has many good beaches, especially on the Salento Peninsula, whose mild climate makes it possible to swim from late spring into early autumn.
• Italian Island Beaches: Italian islands are known for their clear water and good beaches. Here are Five Good Beaches on Sicily and Five Top Beaches on Sardinia. The island of Ischiais known for its thermal pools, often by a beach.
• Going to the Beach from Rome: If you're in Rome and want a day at the beach, try these Rome Beach Day Trips.
• Going to the Beach from Venice: Although there's a lot of water in Venice, there are no beaches or places for swimming. If you're in Venice and want to swim, try the beaches on the Lido, reached by water bus from Saint Mark's Square, or also accessible by car or bus from outside Venice.

Blue Flag Beaches in Italy

The blue flag is awarded to beaches based on stringent criteria including water quality, the beach's code of conduct, environmental education and management (including cleanliness of beach and availability of toilets), and safety services (including adequate lifeguards and wheelchair accessibility).

In 2013, Italy has 246 blue flag beaches. See Blue Flag Beaches in Italy - click on a region in the box on the right to find the blue flag beaches for that region.