Calling All Urban Cavemen – Explore This Luxury Cave Hotel in Southern Italy

Tucked away in southern Italy in the Basilicata Region (arch of the boot), lies the dramatic cave city of Sassi Matera where you can get in touch with your inner neanderthal by taking up residence in a deluxe cave hotel.  This community of cave dwellings (Sassi) has been inhabited since Paleolithic times – that’s over 9,000 years!

Romans called these ancient cave dwellings home since the 3rd Century B.C. and many believe it to be the oldest inhabited site in Italy.  The entire sun-drenched village consisting of mountainside caves, palaces and churches has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has recently been used for a filming site in historical movies such as Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ.

Today visitors arrive in the modern city of Matera and then descend from the central plaza into the secreted town perched below.  The hotel  Sextantio Le Grotte Della Civita is a luxury boutique property which is part conservation project and part eco-sensitive deluxe hotel.  The unique accommodation features extravagant valuted interiors, simple stylish furnishings and hauntingly beautiful views.  The Matera region itself offers a wonderful stepping off point for a wide variety of intriguing touring.

Bing vs Google – Search Both At Once with Bingle

While the big guys duke it out for your search traffic, try this new search window at Bingle (http://bingle.pwnij.com) – you get search results from Google and Bing side by side and you can decide for yourself who’s doing a better job!

Fall Open House At All Maine Lighthouses

Save your stair climber workout for September 12th when Maine lighthouses will throw open their doors and welcome the public at Open Lighthouse Day.  The coast of Maine has been dotted with lighthouse structures since the early 1800′s.  The rambling miles of rocky coastline and seafaring communities made it essential for lights in many shapes and sizes to be constructed – 70 in fact where in operation at the turn of the century.  Today 52 lighthouses remain and many of those lighthouses will be open to the public for the first time on September 12th from 9am to 3pm.  For a complete list of lighthouses, to read about their tales and legends, and to take a preview of the lights that are open, visit the Open Lighthouse Day website.

Only in San Francisco – 3 Unique Tour Expriences This Fall

This fall San Francisco offers three tour experiences you won’t find anywhere else in the United States.   Couple these spirited tours with the super great airfares being offered by Virgin America and you have all the makings for a fabulous fall getaway.

I just love going on house tours – getting a glimpse into the imaginative design executions of decorators and homeowners.  San Francisco has one of the most intriguing home tours imaginable – the  Floating Home House Tour that has far more whimsy than most.  Located across the bay in Sausalito are 5 floating home marinas with over 400 floating homes forming a community of artists and free spirits.  You’ll find homes crafted from retired rail cars, pirate ships, shipping barges and just about any material that will float.  The house tour takes place on September 26th from 10am to 4pm and visits 20 homes each year.

Dragon Boat Festival – Treasure Island hosts the International Dragon Boat Festival from September 26-27th.  This festival gathers 100 competitive dragon boat teams from around the world as teams reenact a race tradition begun 2,000 years ago in South China.  Each team has 20 synchronized paddlers, a drummer, a steersman and a lovingly crafted, highly decorated dragon boat.  But the entertainment isn’t all on the water, there will be spectacular cultural performances, hand made crafts, international food tents galore, and a Dragon Land activity tent for kids.  

Airship Ventures Zeppelin Tours – Up, Up and Away – sightseeing in San Francisco has never been so exciting.  There’s something magical about the site of the Goodyear Blimp gliding over a football stadium that tickles our imagination and has us wishing we were up there with the crew and photographers.  Well your chance is at hand thanks to Airship Ventures who offer iconic aerial tours in their new Zeppelin, Eureka.  This aircraft is one of three in existance in the world, offering expansive viewing windows, high tech navigation, and a low and slow flying experience.  12 passengers and a crew of 2 pilots share the journey sailing over the Golden Gate Bridge, over Napa and Sanoma Valleys, or along the Big Sur coastline.  You’ll enjoy a birdseye view of the beautiful San Francisco region on a quiet, smooth and leisurely flight.  (FYI – the aircraft is filled with non-flamable Helium, unlike the Zeppelins of old).  This is definitely an experience to add to your bucket list!

Hurry – Cash In On JetBlue’s Bikini Sale – Great Caribbean Airfares

JetBlue continues to win the hearts and loyalty of passengers as they strive to make travel affordable and fun again.  Here are three new promotions you should know about, and one that you should jump on right away!

Three day Bikini Sale (book by 8/26) for flights to the Caribbean this fall.  Don’t put that bikini away just because summer is coming to an end.  Extend your beach days for a few more months by jetting off to the Caribbean with JetBlue.  Flights are as low as $69 each way for travel between Orlando and Cancun, or $99 each way New York or Boston to San Juan, and $149 each way from Boston or New York to Aruba or St Maarten.  There are lots more city pairs offered, and all the sale fares require a 21 day advance purchase.

No Worries Caribbean fall vacations with JetBlue’s Hurricane Coverage.  There’s always that nagging worry for folks who take advantage of discounted fall rates to the Caribbean…. what if a hurricane hits?  Well JetBlue has the answer with it’s option to purchase Hurrican Coverage to protect your vacation.  The coverage will let you cancel and receive a full refund if a hurricane alert is isssued.  If a hurricane alert is issued while you are on vacation, JetBlue will step in to fly you off the island and issue vouchers for your unused vacation time.

JetBlue is revamping their frequent flyer program to make it one of the best in the industry.  Their reward points will have no blackout dates, no expiration dates, ability to book one way award flights, and you can accrue 6 points for every dollar spent on flights booked through JetBlue.com.  Get all the details on the TrueBlue page.

See 2 Countries for 1 Price – 6 Great Multi-Country Deals

Flying has become such a hassle these days, why not take in two countries on your next trip instead of one?  You’ll reduce the stress of a long flight by tucking in two destinations into one journey.  Here are some terrific two-fer offers that have come across our desks:

1) Cook Islands and New Zealand - Explore two exotic destinations with Goway Tours‘ Super Special.  The 15 day adventure includes roundtrip airfare with Air New Zealand from LAX, 9 nights lodging in the Cook Islands, 3 day car or scooter rental, 3 nights lodging in Auckland (NZ), airport transfers and lots more for $1,759 per person (including the fuel surcharge).

2) Singapore Airlines Vacations have a whole host of offers for amazing journeys which combine breathtaking Far East capitals including Singapore + Bangkok for $1,145 pp, Singapore & Phuket for $1,488 pp, Singapore & Bali for $1,182 pp, or Singapore and Hanoi for $1,290 pp.  Packages include roundtrip flights, deluxe hotel accommodation, city tours and more. Read more

Pub Grazing in the UK and Ireland, A Must-Print Article

Times Online has compiled a must-print list for anyone motoring through Britain and Ireland of the best pub gardens. Just picture yourself pulling up to a black and white timbered pub, taking a seat under the shade of an ancient oak, and ordering up a refreshing pint.  Ahhhh, life is good.  I can’t think of a more worthy pursuit than turning this list into a scenic pub to pub romp!

WOW, Flights to Italy $99 Roundtrip This Fall – Bellissimo!

Missing Italy?  Start packing!  Budget airline, Eurofly, is offering flights to Italy for an astounding $99 roundtrip from now until mid-October. Flights depart JFK to Rome, Naples or Palermo on specific dates and space is limited – so don’t procrastinate, you know you want to go!  Yes, there are additional fees for fuel surcharges and taxes, but still…  these are super bargain fares.  We did a quick check and the lowest airfare we could find on the major carriers in September was well over $700!    Check out all the details and dates available and start dreaming of gelato, Limoncello and Bernini. Ciao!

Lodge-To-Lodge Kayak Adventure in Stunning Belize

Picture yourself gliding through aquamarine waters, hovering over dramatic coral heads; pausing to watch a giant manta ray swoop by.  Island Expeditions of Belize will have you experiencing Sea Kayaking (Paddling & Sailing), Snorkeling, Fishing, Birding, Photography, and Natural History Interpretation as you paddle from one idyllic cay to the next. Hundreds of picturesque cays stretch along a shallow offshore reef system in Belize, forming the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world.  This rich marine habitat is second only to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

I read about this adventure recently in the National Geographic’s list of best new adventure tours of 2009 and it really captured my imagination.  No mountain climbing, no running the rapids, no dare devil challenges, just peaceful days of kayaking from one coconut palm island to the next.  All along the way, guests are pampered in rustic island lodges, where Belizian guides prepare delicious meals and share tales of native life.  The snorkeling and diving of course are spectacular.  Two to three Belizian guides and North American leaders accompany every group of 6 to 12 adventurers as they learn to maneuver and sail their kayaks, snorkel, fish and dive.  The company also offers a variety of paddling adventures exploring inland rivers, the Mayan underworld caves, and rain forest habitat.

If you’re ready to leave your designer togs at home, grab a t-shirt and bathing suit and head off for a eco adventure of a lifetime, visit the Island Expeditions website to read all about their wonderful adventure offerings.

6 Heavenly New York Brunch Spots

Just because the stores and museums are closed, doesn’t mean Sunday mornings need to be dull in NYC.  Beat the heat and the city noise by heading to a rooftop garden restaurant for brunch close to the heavens. Few cities are as vertically exuberant as New York, with skyscrapers reaching for the clouds everywhere you look.  This summer there’s a new trend in dining, “high-altitude brunches” where great food meets awesome views – a perfect pairing.  Here are 6 locations around the city to enjoy cooling breezes, spectacular views and delicious cuisine:

#1  230 Fifth Let the bubbly flow on Saturdays and Sundays (year round) at the Champagne Party Brunch.  This is Manhattan’s largest rooftop venue, offering 14,000 square feet of palm-decorated dining and stunning views of the city including the Empire State Building.

#2  Hotel Gansevoort Super chic hotel in the former meat packing district. The Plunge Bar invites you to a “Get Up Get Down Brunch” (Sat & Sun) where diners are wowed with 360 degree views of the Hudson River and Manhattan.  Read more

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