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About Makarska Riviera

Makarska is the heart of Dalmatia and something of the most appealing Croatian tourist destinations. It lies beneath Biokovo Nature Park in sea lagoon between Cape Osejava and St. Peter peninsula. Biokovo is really a specific rocky mountain in coast inland which is known for its rich plants and creatures (particularly chamois) and beautiful scenery. This is also the highest mountain in Dalmatia exceeding thirty hiking trails some of which are easier, a lot more difficult to overcome. In addition to the ancient settlements remains and many caves, hikers can find their oasis in Biokovo Botanical Garden also. The name Makarska originates from a tiny Roman settlement called Muucurum and is mentioned a long time before the arrival of the Slavs.

Places And Beaches Along Makarska Riviera

Next to Makarska in 15 km coastline segment below mountain Biokovo you can find 5 small settlements which has a long tourist tradition. These are generally Gradac, Drvenik, Zaostrog , Podaca and Brist. In Gradac there is the most beautiful and longest pebble beaches in Adriatic. Drvenik is small fishing village and Zaostrog can be an oasis of peace and wonder to which ancient Franciscan monastery contributes greatly. Podaca and Brist are picturesque places whose unspoiled beauty increasingly more tourists are discovering every single day. Northwest to Makarska are famous tourist resorts with beautiful beaches and dense pine forests they are Baško Polje, Baska Voda and Donja Brela. Southwest to Makarska are popular summer resorts Tu?epi and Podgora.

Sights And Accommodation

Makarska Riviera from Tucepi to Brela and Brist area has a long tradition of providing top quality private accommodation in the most outstanding facilities (hotels or apartments) and many certainly you will feel the hospitality from the host in any of the thousands of rooms or apartments. In addition to the dynamic nightlife and superior gastronomic offer in addition to famous therapeutic health and recreation centre Biokovka Makarska now offers its visitors rich cultural heritage. Sights including famous Croatian poet Andrija Kacic Miosic monument in town square, 17th century St. Mark Cathedral, 15th St. Peter church and St. Mary baroque church from Eighteenth century are the point views to not be missed during the sightseeing tour. The main Franciscan monastery can boast with its library and archive but what’s unusual and is also displayed in monastery is really a beautiful collection of shells, writes tagza.

Islands such as Hvar and Vis in Central Dalmatia are very beautiful, with their pristine beaches and warm breezes scented with wild lavender and rosemary. Its main city is Split, whose inhabitants have a very reputation for being cosmopolitan, hedonistic and stylish.

Dalmatia’s Attractions

The region has also been discovered through the extremely wealthy international yachting community and you will probably see plenty of multimillion dollar yachts inside the marinas. Indeed, sailing is a great strategy to explore the islands and coast; the marinas are well-equipped where there are far fewer boats when compared to the Greek islands. Add the first-rate seafood, the relaxed pace of life, the openness in the local people and the quality of the scuba diving and Central Dalmatia is hard to get over as a summer holiday destination.

Places To Visit In Central Dalmatia

Hvar

A favourite with international celebrities. Having its lush forests, sweeping sveti Nikola mountain range, the omnipresent aroma of lavender, plus a sprinkle of historic towns, Hvar is one of the most enticing of Croatia’s Adriatic islands. Around the downside it is the most visited Croatian island and is often more expensive than other places. The Greeks occupied it inside the 4th century, but it was the Venetians inside the 15th and 16th centuries who left their stamp about the architecture, much appreciated through the many Italians who visit on Adriatic ferries in summer.

Hvar Town

Many visitors arrive at Stari Grad, but the real gem is Hvar Town, enjoying an idyllic setting in a protected island-studded bay, with the old town unfolding on a pine-covered slope that reaches to the water’s edge, and clumps of untamed lavender and herbs growing among the Venetian palaces. In high season the town as well as harbour are packed with shiny yachts and tour boats and also the pavement cafés and trendy bars are bursting in the seams. All available rooms usually use mid-morning; those looking to appreciate the island’s special beauty and atmosphere would do best to visit outside the main summer months.

Split

Dalmatia’s largest city, Split, was founded through the Roman emperor Diocletian in ­AD295. His retirement palace, the remarkably intact complex of Diocletian’s Palace, can be a Unesco World Heritage Site yet still forms the core in the city. In the palace complex will be the octagonal Cathedral of St Domnius. It is possible to climb the ­Romanesque bell-tower for bird’s-eye views.

North of Diocletian’s Palace will be the monumental sculpture of the 10th-century bishop, Grgur of Nin (Gregory of Nin) by Ivan Meštrovic (1929). Opposite the statue will be the new purpose built, high-tech Split Gallery of Modern Art housing an incredible collection of masterpieces. Near Split, you’ll find one of the most beautiful towns in Central Dalmatia which is Makarska.

Brac

Just half an hour across the water from Split is Brac, Croatia’s third largest island, featuring Žlatni Rat (Golden Cape), the country’s best known shingle beach, which cuts scenically into the Adriatic, attracting countless sun-worshippers and windsurfers. Bol carries a pleasant old town and it is a centre for walks inside the surrounding hills. A longer walk, or a short drive by car plus a reasonably challenging hour’s walk through the car park, takes you to the time capsule of Hermitage Blaca. Originally a cave shelter for two main monks who arrived through the mainland in 1551, it was a flourishing monastery until 1963. Strikingly cut into the rocks, the buildings and other historic treasures have been preserved being a museum.
Šolta

Just off Brac’s west coast lies small and almost completely undiscovered island of Šolta, quite a few olive groves and vineyards with a number of sleepy settlements, the most notable being west-facing Maslinica, having its beautiful sunsets and upmarket hotel and restaurant inside the restored 18th-century baroque castle.

Vis

Vis will be the furthest island from the Croatian mainland and it is quite unlike any of the others. Vis Town curves around a bay having its most appealing quarter, Kut, where wealthy Venetians built their homes during the 16th century. The Franciscan monastery features gravestones by Croatian sculptor Ivan Rendic.

Across the mountains from Vis Town will be the fishing village of Komiža. As you approach, the church of St Nicholas, over a vine-covered bluff, offers a shady rest from the summer heat. In Komiža itself there’s a modest Maritime Museum. From Komiža you’ll be able to take a boat trip in summer for the islet of Biševo, where, at around noon, the Blue Grotto (Modra Špilja) is illuminated by a brilliant blue light, writes tagza.

Diocletian’s Palace was placed on UNESCO’S set of world heritage sights. It is one of the best preserved sights of Roman architecture on the planet. The emperor’s palace was built between the years 295 and 305 a.d. as a combination of luxurious villas and roman military camps (castruma), divided into four sections by two main streets. The south side from the palace was intended for the emperor and the north side for the imperial army, servants and storage areas. It had been built out of stone from the island of Brac, and decorative details including the sphinx, marble, and sculpted decorations were brought from Egypt, Italy, and Greece. Should you plannig to come in Split to view this beauty, you can find a fantastic accommodation in Split hotel.

Considering that the palace was distanced 6km from the closest city (Salona), it was encompassed by 16 stone walls. There are four entrances into the palace, three from land and one by sea. The south side looking onto the sea (where in the time from the emperor Diocletian the sea splashed into the palace itself), it had less openings and doors compared to east and west side, which were similar and undecorated. The northern entrance with double doors was the key entrance into the palace. Of these two main roads (cardo and decumanus), cardo contributes to the peristyle (the open square in front of the emperors chambers). On the left had side was the emperors mausoleum (today St. Dujam’s Cathedral), and on the right hand side were three temples. The primary temple was the temple of Jupiter (which can be preserved) and the other two Kibel and Venus. The vestibule today still looks fantastic. This foyer from the emperors’ chambers once had a great dome, as well as up to half a century ago was inhabited.

Buildings of various historical eras and styles were perfectly preserved, such as Diocletian’s palace which kept its core preserved until today. Over time the palace was transformed into a city, where objects including the emperors’ mausoleum were converted into a cathedral. The cathedra was basically dedicated to the Virgin Mary, but towards the end of the Middle Ages was renamed to the martyr of Salona and patron saint of Split – Sv. Dujam. Diocletian’s palace is usually one of the only cultural monuments on the planet in which people still live. The in a good condition Peristyle, Diocletian’s mausoleum, the temple of Jupiter, early Christian churches, Romanesque houses, works from the sculptor Juraj Dalmatinac and many other monuments testify to the rich history of this city, writes tagza.com.

Bucharest is Romania’s capital city as well as the most significant town, and also the most significant manufacturing and commercial centre of the nation. With two million people within the town proper and over 2.4 million inside the urban area, Bucharest is amongst the largest cities in Southeastern European union.

Most aircrafts, either world-wide as well as commercial, arrive to the Henri Coanda Airport, located in Otopeni, eighteen km to the north from the town town center. Henri Coanda international airport is usually named Otopeni in air travel reservations, because of its specific location at Otopeni. The international airport, made in 1968, underwent a major modernization efforts ever since the end of the 1990′s and it is arranged to be further increased. This is basically the major hub for the Romanian flag airline Tarom and is used by the major global airline carriers. All the snack bars in the international airport (stores, cafes, eating places) are extremely pricey (things are about two times more costly than in the city). Stay away from exchanging funds in the airport, fx rates are usually 20-25% worse compared to what you’ll find in the town – you are advised to use a credit card at the Atm in the main receiving area for fast necessities and exchange cash downtown. There is a food store on the bottom ground (domestic departure) which is a reasonable location to purchase a meal and/or use the final several Lei at departure.

Parliament Palace – In the center of Bucharest, near Piata Unirii (Union Plazza), the tourist could see our planet’s second biggest structure (following US Pentagon), earlier called “Casa Poporului” (People’s House). The building, that is constructed in 1984 by Nicolae Ceausescu, ranges 12 levels, 3100 rooms and covers more than 330,000 sq m. 1/9 of Bucharest was basically rebuilt to accommodate this stunning huge development and its surroundings. You can find 30-45 minutes tours each half hour which lead throughout the building’s great collection of marble spaces and ends with an extraordinary view from Nicolae Ceausescu’s terrace. The actual marble and every one of the original arrangements are 100% from Romania. You will find various Organized tours which range in charge from 25 RON (15 RON for college students, proof required) up to 43 RON. The standard tour consists of the halls and the balcony, advantageous is the terrace inclusion for the amazing view from the top of the structure. The basement addition on the other hand is not really worth the extra money. The tourist entrance is located on the northern part of the structure.

So , if anyone prepare a visit to this fabulous town you should find hoteluri ieftine bucuresti which would accomodate your needs and as well your budget with no any difficulty. However keep in mind almost all cazare in bucuresti are quite full over year because Bucharest is the commercial center of Romania.

Flight to Milan – Alitalia flights to Milan will take you to the undisputed capital of business, entertainment and fashion.

In a talk last year at Tufts School in Massachusetts, TV reporter Lisa Ling shared one of her very own private FAQs : No, she wasn’t in “Charlie’s Angels.” That would be Lucy Liu.

Then she told scholars what shaped her world view. “The best education I’ve ever received was thru travel. You can get even more conversant, poised and smarter,” she said, according to Abroad101, a study abroad blog that summed up the speech.

Ling, who hosts the TV show “Our America” on OWN and regularly reports on CNN, will appear at this weekend’s L.A. Times Travel Show at the L.A. Convention Center. I asked what places are on her bucket list this year, and she sent an e-mail with “four places I’m dying to visit.”

Cuba : Since the 1959 Revolution, Cuba’s been shrouded in intrigue, off limits to most American visitors. But now, the country is about to open its doors just a little wider, and the uber-curious can get a license to go. What’s there to see? Everything — classic American vehicles, bongo-playing locals, Havana’s eighteenth century homes, Spanish Colonial buildings — but often it’s about soaking up the sights and culture of a long banned land.

Croatia : It is time to venture outside the “euro zone.” That is information from Travelzoo senior editor Gabe Saglie, who announces, “Croatia is an ideal example of a place that is exotic but still off the radar.” Dubrovnik, Split (where latter-day apartment dwellers live elbow-to-elbow with history in the impressive Diocletian’s Palace) and the Dalmatian Coast? Yes, yes and yes. And it is a short hop to islands like Brac and Hvar for a quiet beach stint. Saglie announces Croatia is still a good value for US people, except in crowded July and Aug, because in fact , Europeans do know about it.

Morocco : Last year’s Arab spring prompted the nations king to float pro-democracy measures and enact a new constitution. Politics apart, the issue isn’t whether to go, but where to go : the Sahara Desert on a four-wheel trip ; Fez, Casablanca and Tangier to visit souks and sites the Berbers, Roman Empire, French and Spanish wanted as their own ; or beaches along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. Marrakech too is an option, particularly on a night tour of its exotic markets.

Mongolia : It isn’t that remote anymore, but still gorgeous. That is Lonesome Planet’s take on the Asian nation that retains the untouched sweetness of the Gobi desert juxtaposed against 21st century herders speaking on mobile telephones and Internet cafes in capital Ulan Bator. “Since the decline of communism, Mongolia has done just about everything in its power to open itself up to the world,” the firm’s site asserts. Do not be concerned, there’s still time to sleep in a ger (nomadic tent), take a camel ride or go on a high-altitude trek — all some distance from the telephone chatter.

Ling also identified three places she encourages Americans to go to this year : Nepal, for the beautiful Himalayas ; China, which changes every day ; and the Greek island of Santorini, one of the most “beautiful places on the planet,” she writes, and likely pretty cheap because of the states debt crisis, writes tagza.com.

In 2011, the total number of Holy Communions distributed during Mass in Medjugorje went above 2 million for the first time. The quantity of concelebrations by priests was similarly record-high in passing 40,000, also for the first time.

Priests were concerned in two Medjugorje records in 2011 : Never before did so many of them come – and never before did they distribute so many Holy Communions to parishioners and travellers

2,027,900 Holy Communions would be sufficient if all the inhabitants of Houston, Texas, were to get the Body of Christ one time each. Yet the number does not derive from Houston, but from Medjugorje where more than 2,000,000 distributed Holy Communions in one year was registred for the 1st time in 2011.

The number climbed from 1,571,800, a rise of twenty-nine % matched against 2010 which was itself a record year. 1,378,600 Holy Communions were distributed in Medjugorje in 2009, according to parish statistics.

A record breaking number of priests distributed the more than 2,000,000 Holy Communions. 41,094 concelebrations of Mass were registred in Medjugorje in 2011, up from 38,227 the previous year. The figures are not descriptive of the actual number of visiting priests, as most concelebrate more than one Mass during their stay in Medjugorje.

The existing Medjugorje boom in Italy accounts for some of the progress, though only a few of it. 8,171 Italian concelebrations happened in 2011, up from 7,270 the year before and 4,718 in 2009.

Also, you must visit Medjugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Medjugorje is one of the towns of the Western Herzegovina municipality of Citluk in the former Yugoslavia. The name Medjugorje is Slavic and means “area between two moutains”. This true story happens in the Bijakovici section of Medjugorje. On the afternoon of June twenty-four, 1981, 2 girls, Ivanka Ivankovic, age 15, and Mirjana Dragicevic, age 16, were coming home from a walk. Looking toward the hill called Crnica, Ivanka saw a bright silhouette of a girl. She said to Mirjana, “It is the Gospa!” ( Our Woman ).

On June twenty-five, the two girls returned to the hill with 4 others. Their names are, Vicka Ivankovic, age sixteen, Ivan Dragivevic, age 16, Maria Pavlovic, age 16 and Jakov Colo, age ten. A figure in white was calling them to come up the hill. The youngsters were somehow transported in some puzzling way to a pretty Lady who calls herself, the Queen of Peace. The Woman gives messages to the seers for the whole world. To date, the Queen of Peace has left thousands of messages. At first, the messages were almost everyday. Now, for the previous a few years, they come on the 25th of every month.

The visionaries describe Our Lady as gorgeous beyond words ; radiant with holiness. Her conversations with the children have taken the type of motherly tenderness and love, and she’s taken the role of both ma and catechist in advising and directing their lives. She greets them with, “Praised be Jesus, my dear children.” At the end of the apparition she asserts, “Go in peace, my dear children.” She seems to the 6 idealists as a three-dimensional real image and always appears among brilliant flashes of light. Her appearances typically occur about 6:40 pm every day. In Medjugorje, loads of people come daily at this time to take part in the event with prayer, song, the rosary and the Mass, which is commonly concelebrated by thirty or more priests. The whole evening service lasts about 3 hours. And this has been occuring daily since 1981! – as reported tagza.com

Vacations are meant for making memories and often there are those that we start without idea how they will make their mark inside our memories. I can recall a number of such experiences, as you probably can at the same time. Today, I will outline a number of travels that could become especially memorable.

Only some months ago it was my pleasure to relish a month in the Mediterranean area. This year, Holland America Lines is offering a 22-day voyage departing Sept. 23, 2012 from Barcelona, Spain.

After flying to Spain, you go on to the dock area and board the Ryndam. The truth is, I would get to Barcelona one or two days before the ship sails to carry out some sightseeing in and around this best city. It’s clean, safe and visually intriguing and beautiful.

Then on Sept. 23 you board the lovely ship and away you go first to Palma de Mallorca, which lies southwest of Barcelona in the Mediterranean and is a major vacation spot for northern Europeans during winter months. This is a beautiful island and rather large. You can book a tour that will take you into the countryside to view how beautiful the island is. There are many vineyards as well as fairly high mountains. Palma could be the main city. Most of the waterfront is lined with modern hotels.

Next, you sail to Cagliari, Sardinia for any full day, followed by each day in Trapani, Sicily, Italy. Then it is onto North Africa for any day of sightseeing in Tunis and Carthage, Tunisia. It needs to be warm and sunny here because you are right on the edge from the Sahara Desert.

Next, the ship would go to Valletta, Malta where you can digest the history of the island followed by a stop in Rome for a day. There is certainly interesting scenery from the Rome port of Civitavecchia inland for the city, which takes an hour and a half. Rome city sightseeing will be a must if you have not visited here for a few years. You tend to forget how great the history is in this part of the world the other day of sightseeing here is really worth the time and expense.

After Rome, you sail to one of my favorite cities on earth, Florence. Even the drive from the port of Livorno to Florence is interesting. There is certainly so much history and beauty here it boggles your head. Use your day wisely having an all encompassing tour, which will include the major points of Florence in addition to a stop at Pisa for some photos from the leaning tower.

Now, a best stop will be Monte Carlo, Monaco to view how the upper crust of Europe lives and vacation. A complete day is spent here then, back for any full day in Barcelona, Spain before selling it to Palermo and Catania, Sicily, Italy.

From here, you sail southeast to Katakolon, Greece as time passes to take a shore excursion for the original site of the Olympics. Then sail to Corfu, Greece as well as one of the more interesting cities in the general area, Dubrovnik, Croatia where you will have a full day to explore. Next is a most fascinating town, Kotor in Montenegro. It is possible to walk the cobblestone streets to view the shops and perhaps purchase some gifts to consider back home.

Naples, Italy could be the last port of call before arriving back Barcelona.

This 22-day itinerary gives you a wide variety of sights and sounds and many opportunities to photograph history of yesteryear. Call Holland America Line for more info and request a brochure. Phone 1-877-SAIL-HAL or www.hollandamericablog.com.

In case you hate long flights, take a look at Holland America Lines unusual itinerary sailing in the Maasdam departing Boston July 14, 2012 and on the way to Amsterdam for a two-day stay then time for Boston. The total itinerary takes 35 days. Allow me to share the highlights: Corner Brook, Newfoundland; Red Bay, Labrador; Nanortalik, Greenland; Reykjavik, Iceland; Geiranger, Norway and also cruising the famous Norwegian Fjords, and stops at Alsund and Bergen, Norway and stopping in Amsterdam for just two full days.

You may stay with the ship during this time if you prefer. Then, the Maasdam sails to Southampton and Plymouth, England before docking in Dublin, Ireland for just two days. Then, on to Toirshavn, Faroe Islands, Seydisfordur and Akureyri, Iceland and after a day at sea docking in Qjaqortog, Greenland then one day at sea before visiting St. Anthony and St. John’s, Newfoundland, before reaching Bar Harbor, Maine for any full day, and then back to your starting point. If you can escape for 35 days you will be sure to experience most interesting sailing and sightseeing. A few of the locations on the itinerary aren’t frequently visited by Americans. Holland America Lines are offering this unique cruise at a bargain mark down price, so check into it if you think you have the time and cash to take the cruise.

Here is another itinerary you’d probably enjoy, which we did about four years ago. This particular voyage is another Holland America Line cruise, but other cruise companies offer about the same this year. Consult a travel agent and they will offer you up-to-date brochures and advice.

The next cruise I am going to mention with HAL requires you to definitely fly to Sydney, Australia to spend three or four days exploring close to this major city, which can be loaded with fascinating sights and after that boarding the Zaandam Nov. 25, 2012 and sail to New Zealand for a very comprehensive sightseeing program stopping in Milford Sound, which are often seen in publication photographs, and also Stewart Island, Port Chalmers for Duniden, Lyttelton for Christchurch, Napier, Tauranga, Auckland, and the Bay of Islands before time for Sydney. This is 14 days of exciting cruising and sightseeing. You’ll always bear in mind the high mountains of the South Island and green from the North Island. The people are most friendly this also late spring cruise should present a wonderful vacation.

Tauck Tours is chartering french cruise ship, L’Austral, which was commissioned only recently and carries less than 500 guests while offering up-scale dining, beautiful interiors and service. This vacation is titled Poets, Authors, Painters & You. Someone flies into Venice, Italy and check into a hotel. After some extensive sightseeing and native cruising the area you board the L’Austral and sail the Adriatic Sea to check out and explore Sibenik, Split, Hvar, Karcula, Dubrovnik and Kotor in the Croatia and Montenegro. These towns and cities are quite ancient and worth every minute you’ve for sightseeing.

A voyage to Antarctica featuring the Falkland Islands and South Georgia is one kind of those cruises that few Americans take, but the ones that do seem to fully enjoy the experience. Personally, I am not that enthusiastic about frozen terrain and icebergs, in case that interests you, several cruise lines are doing it this year. The most popular time is during our winter (their summer) and the ships fill up. The ships offer landings ashore in special boats so you may walk among the creatures living there, mostly penguins. I would rather cruise someplace sunny and warm at this time of year. I’ll take warm over cold! Again, consult a travel agent for their advice and counseling.

I always recommend a Baltic cruise as well as most fascinating itinerary. Several cruise companies offer this and they virtually all would include some time in Stockholm, perhaps Helsinki, Finland, no less than three days in St. Petersburg, Russia, which can be loaded with castles of the czars and assorted Russian Royal Family, and also scenic canals, some of the best museums on earth for art and then there is music and ballet.

You can also cruise to Tallinn, Estonia, Riga, Latvia, Copenhagen, Denmark, and Warnemude, Germany for a chance to go inland to Berlin, then cruise the Kiel Canal and possibly a stop in Belgium before reaching one further stop at Dover for London. Each cruise line varies this itinerary, but no less than it should include Stockholm, Copenhagen and St. Petersburg. July and August are the most useful times for a Baltic cruise.

A fantastic river cruise for 24 remarkable days begins in Amsterdam and visits Koln, Koblenz, Aschaffenburg, Rothenburg, Bamberg, the primary Danube Canal, Regensburg, Passau, Melk, Durnstein, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Kalocsa, Vukobar, Belgrade Veliko, Cernaboda on the Black Sea Coast and leads to Bucharest. I would like to do this cruise within the next two years. It so well encompasses Western and Middle Europe and you also do not have to change planes, coaches or boats. One riverboat does it all. Several major river cruise companies do this itinerary.

As we have said before, a round-the-world cruise could be the ultimate voyage, writes tagza.

South Africa is one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in the globe. A visit to the country would not be sufficient without a tour of Port Elizabeth. Among the things that make it ideal is the fact that it is a very friendly city, the beach front is just stunning and the city is very clean. For first time visitors, there are easy ways you can use to find and book accommodation in Port Elizabeth.

Pickyour accomodation

There are a number of websites that are dedicated to ensuring that you have an simple time planning your South African trip. Among the services that travel organizations present is that they provide the service of locating a hotel for you. Here they will list all the available accommodation in the townor city. The rates will also be incorporated and the further services that come with each hotel. There is real info on every location you can just Google the appropriate keywords that relate to your prefered hotel in South Africa.

Make a reservation

The sites will help you to book a reservation online. You will not have to go by means of the inconvenience of driving around town trying to locate accommodation. You just sit in the comfort of your home and let them do the rest. They will get you the best quality accommodation in Port Elizabeth depending on your budget.

Book a airline flight

They will liaise with the air travel businesses to guarantee you get booked for the airline flight that is convenient for you. They will also take care of organizing air port pick up to guarantee you do not get lost.
You will get every service to make your stay in South Africa as smooth as possible.

How to get the service

All you have to do is use a search engine like Google or Yahoo to locate the best suppliers of guest houses in Port Elizabeth. This will guarantee your visit is unforgettable.

Luxury South Africa Safari – Luxury South African Safaris for the discerning traveller from the experts. To all over Africa from  Kenya to Ethiopia to Botswana to Tanzania and many more.

The 1st recorded settlement in these parts as a waypoint on the Salona-Narona road, which was discussed in the tablet of Peutigeriana in the initial half of the 4th century.

In the documents of the Salona Council dated from May 4th, 533 AD, Mucurum is mentioned as the town where a bishopric was established. In the Ravenat itinerary from the 7th century, the town is mentioned as Aronia id est Mucru. During the middle ages, the county Mokro was part of the Neretva dukedom and was renowned for its naval might. Venetian doge Petar Kandijan suffered a major defeat in the enormous naval battle in front of Mokro on September eighteenth, 887 AD. In the centuries that followed, the rule over these parts was exchanged between the varied Bribir dukes, Bosnian rulers, Croatian kings and Venice. Under its present name Makarska is mentioned for the first time in 1502. During the Turkish occupation, Makarska became part of their province Primorje and was fortified with three keeps. Makarska became part of Venetian republic in 1684. Under the hundred-year rule of the Venetian lion, the foundations of the future town were built. In the following hundred or so years, during the French and Austrian rule, the town experiences increased cultural and economic development.

From the ancient Illyrian artifacts, Roman villas, medieval naval might of Mokro in the Neretva Dukedom, to the Turkish walls and the Venetian Baroque town ; thru popular Austrian resort town to the present day, Makarska and its story are a vital element of it natural environment. The historic story of the town can be experienced thru the famous Franciscan priory, the cathedral church of St. Marko, the churches of St. Filip and Jakov, the shrine of Vepric, Ka?i? ; square, assorted museums and galleries, stone paved streets, squares, beaches, groves and mountain tops.

Holy Shrine Vepric

Croatian holy shrine of Vepric is located 5 hundred m past Kuk, in a harmonious natural setting, at the foot of the wooded hill. This place of pilgrimage was founded in 1908 by Bishop Dr. Juraj Cari? ; who was also buried here. The natural cavern and the surroundings, hills, plants and the spring simply remind one of the French Lourdes. A chapel and the sacristy have been built in Vepric , as well as the altar, confession booths, stations of the Cross, area for spiritual exercises, and paths for processions.
Due to its natural beauty and peace, this location is frequently visited across the year, and particularly during the pilgrimage days on Feb. eleventh, March 25th, Aug. fifteenth, and September 7 th and 8th, writes tagza.

Pleasant dinner is over along with the throng of passengers heads towards the nightly ‘show’ in the lecture hall.

There aren’t any boy bands, no glitzy dancers, no stand-up comedians waiting to entertain us for the cruise ship Aegean Odyssey, thank heavens. Instead, a professor of architecture and archaeology expounds for the Roman emperor Diocletian and his persecution of Christians 1,700 years back.

Tomorrow, we land at Split in Croatia and visit his palace. That is homework time. Next day, the rain is relentless in the palace courtyards, its ancient limestone steps and alleys wet underfoot and slippery.

However the desire for knowledge cannot be so easily dampened and that we – a party of visitors progressing in years and not as nimble once we once were – press on regardless, evidence of that axiom that education is wasted for the young.

Universities may be filled with youngsters who party forever, sleep late and skip lectures, however the appetites and habits people eager-to-learn silver-haired ‘students’ are different. At our age, there’s no time to waste. Tempus fugit. We are unashamed culture vultures.

The truly keen swot up in the on-board library. There cannot be many cruise ships in the world that carry complete and well-thumbed teams of Virgil, Homer, Herodotus and the like, but this one does.

We have been travelling with Voyages to Antiquity, an unbiased cruise company with one small ship. In summer and autumn, she loops from end of the Mediterranean towards the other on a journey through the glories of ancient civilisation.

Carrying at the most 380 passengers at a time, she is almost a house-boat in contrast to some of the 4,000-plus leviathans and floating people palaces that power their way through these waters.

This is not a trip for thrill-junkies, beach-bums or the cerebrally-challenged, but it is a perfect busman’s holiday for that intellectually inclined, though you don’t need a double-first from Cambridge.

You are able to laze beside the pool if you want, but the serious business of plunging in the past is what the majority are here for. The good food, comfortable cabins and graceful Filipino service are bonuses.

Venice may be the starting point for our particular leg of this historical travelogue, and we begin with an exclusive and privileged twilight tour of St Mark’s Basilica as well as golden mosaics after the crowds go.

Our finer senses uplifted, it then becomes back on board for a late supper of superb, locally-caught fish and refreshing sleep. Overnight, we nose out of the lagoon, cross the Adriatic and wake up beside the coastline of Croatia, its rugged cliffs pepper-potted with gaping caves backed by snowcapped mountains.

This magical land, sandwiched involving the high civilisations of Greece and Rome, adjusted by many names over the centuries. It turned out Dalmatia to the Romans and Illyria to Shakespeare, who, needing a location of mystery for Twelfth Night, had his wanderers ship-wrecked here. Heading south towards Greece, we thread our way through an archipelago of green islands, mostly uninhabited apart from the occasional church or lighthouse.

The Venetians sailed these waters carrying treasures through the east. Pirates preyed on fleets of ships from Byzantium. There exists history in each wave and cove, and a glimpse of past civilisations at every port. Roman and Romanesque, Gothic and Crusader, jostle next to each other, a living timeline of Europe’s past.

The tours if we dock are demanding, mentally and physically. There is no dumbingdown in this academy. The commentary of well-informed local guides oozes into our ears once we file past Roman columns, Venetians forts, medieval altar pieces, a Tintoretto or two. It is a lot to take in. But truancy rates are incredibly low, and each morning there aren’t many stragglers as we queue at the gangway, looking forward to our next fix of classical culture.

If you need, you can duck out and do your own thing. Inside the walls of Korcula, reputed birthplace of Marco Polo, we take a cue from the maestro explorer himself and wander its narrow streets unaided. No doubt we missed something vital, some gem of data or interpretation that would have boosted our understanding – but, hey, as every schoolboy knows, there’s only so much cramming the human brain usually takes.

We do the same at Zadar, where silent nuns smile as they keep watch over a vast assortment of medieval Madonna-and-Child icons in their convent. We detach ourselves through the class and take our time for it to contemplate their timeless serenity. The dpi of peaceful Madonna images is often a reminder that this region has, through the entire ages, been beset by fighting and prayer was often the only defence.

This was always a war zone, and not just in the distant past. When civil war split the Balkans 2 decades ago, there was almost as much blood-letting and persecution such as Diocletian’s day.

We tie up at Dubrovnik, whose old walled town is often a vision of white stone and red pan-tiled roofs, a jewel of your place as precious as Venice. George Bernard Shaw called it ‘heaven on earth’, but it’s often been hell. Its patron saint, St Blaise, met a uniquely grisly end – tortured with all the steel combs used to card wool – as well as undoubted beauty has been scarred by violence since.

Then, once we enter through its impressive medieval gate, a sizable map pinpoints the hundreds of shells that struck the city from land, sea and air in the bitter eight-month siege by Serbian forces in 1991-92 after Croatia broke outside the old Yugoslavia. Half of the historic buildings were damaged. Now repaired and restored, the town’s survival is often a miracle equal to any that Blaise – whose saintly speciality was saving people choking on fish bones – pulled off. The locals are reticent about those recent dark times.

But, when pressed, our guide points to a hill above the city and recalls the enemy tanks he saw aligned there, their barrels pointing his way. It’s a timely lesson that history isn’t just about a lost past, but may be the pathway to the present.

And nor is education nearly exams, degrees and diplomas. There are no prizes at the end, but our trip was obviously a welcome re-acquaintance with the old-fashioned notion, sadly little cherished inside our grade-driven schools and universities these days, that learning is not only a stop in itself, it is also fun as reported tagza.