For Affordable Luxury Along the Mediterranean Coast

The Mediterranean beckons more than 306 million international tourists annually to its coastal shores where ardent tourists stroll along quaint cities, food connoisseurs wine and dine with gusto, and sun-worshipers bask on the pristine beaches of the Mediterranean sea. Now, with the launch of 14 new itineraries from Insight Vacations for 2013 and 2014, Singaporeans too can luxuriate in the delights of coastal countries like Spain, Italy, France and Greece.

Begin your odyssey with the ancient wonders of the Eastern Mediterranean on the new 14-day Treasures of Greece and the Islands. The birthplace of western civilization is home to majestic monuments such as the Parthenon atop the Acropolis, the Lion Gate at the entrance of the Mycenaean ruins and the exquisitely engineered 4th century BC Theater at Epidauros. Just a hop away are the sun-drenched islands of Mykonos and Santorini, the beautiful playgrounds of the rich and famous. 

If you have visited Monaco and the Cote d'Azur on the 10-day Easy Pace France tour, these twin islands are sure to take your breath away again.

Further west is what is known by the Greeks as the land of the setting sun - the romantic kingdom of Spain.11-day Northern Spain brings you on a journey from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Mediterranean Sea in the east, allowing you to savour the best of the beautiful Spanish coasts. Scenic coach drive takes you to quaint Oviedo, the 9th century capital of Christian Spain; Santander, a luxurious and sophisticated beach resort that borders the Bay of Biscay; and the city of Bilbao along the Costa Vasca, home to the spectacular piece of modern architecture that is the Guggenheim Museum.

The new 9-day Spanish Gold leads you through the cultural centres of Spain, beginning with the Prado Museum in modern Madrid, lined with Titians and Boticellis. Toledo beckons with the gothic Primate Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo, while Seville, the setting of the opera Carmen and part of the novel Don Quixote, offers the Moorish Mezquita. On both itineraries, end your trip in Barcelona by feasting your eyes upon Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, and spend your last afternoon in Spain relaxing on one of the country's world-famous beaches.

Across the border, beyond the Mediterranean, is sunny Portugal, famed for its succulent seafood and birthplace of the iconic wines Madeira and Port. On the new 9-day Highlights of Portugal, relax and enjoy the warmth of Portuguese hospitality as you learn about its rich maritime history in Lisbon, explore the beautifully preserved medieval city of Evora and discover the secrets of the Knights Templar in Tomar.

Gastronomic delights abound along your journey, including the ubiquitous pasteis de nata (or egg tart) of Lisbon and the perennial Portuguese favourite of bacalhau, cooked a bras, a minhota or com todos. On the banks of the Douro River and bordering the North Atlantic is Porto, namesake of Porto wine, where travellers can get to know their rubies, tawnies and whites in an exclusive wine tasting.

Check out other additions from Insight Vacations:

• Gaelic Treasures - Coinciding with The Gathering 2013, these 9 days in Ireland will celebrate Irish culture, history and genealogy.
• Celtic Legends - Explore the beautiful natural forests and mountains of Scotland in comfort on this 8-day coach tour.
• WWI Battlefield Extension - A 3-day look into the poignant history of the War that can be combined with other tours on France and the Channel Islands.
• Boston, Cape Cod and the Islands - Journey down America's charming East Coast in 9 days, with a pit stop at presidential holiday resort Martha's Vineyard.
• Rhythms and Flavours of America - Spend 9 days enjoying the American South, dropping by the musical meccas of Nashville and Memphis and the seafood paradise of New Orleans.
• Classic Mid-Atlantic - Traipse through the skyscrapers of New York, the back roads of Pennsylvania and the majestic beauty of the Niagara Falls in 10-days of pure Americana.

Contact your travel agent for your trip to the Mediterranean today, or go to www.insightvacations.com/asia

Article brought to you by Insight Vacations.

The Balkans: Montenegro – Albania – Macedonia

Article contributed by New Shan Travel

Mention the Balkans and a sense of mystery prevails. This off­-beaten tourist destination, located in the south eastern part of Europe, is slowly attracting visitors looking for something di­fferent. Flanked by the Balkan Mountains, hence its name, each of the countries in the Balkan Peninsula exudes its own personality and charm.

Podgorica, Montenegro – Our arrival at the Crne Gore International Airport in Podgorica, capital of Montenego marked the start of our 7-day Balkans tour. We were met at the airport by our English speaking driver cum assistant and were whisked off to lunch at a local restaurant, where we had a first taste of traditional Podgorica cuisine. After a satisfying lunch, we headed off on our city tour. Podgorica, of which the name originated in 1326, is the official commercial and cultural city of Montenegro. The city was built around five rivers, Zeta, Moraca, Ribnica, Cijevna and Sitnica. As most of the city was destroyed during World War II, Podgorica is a relatively new city with modern buildings and parks.

Kotor, Montenegro – Kotor, with its medieval architecture and numerous monuments of cultural heritage, is a UNESCO World Natural and Historical Heritage Site. It is located along one of Montenegro's most beautiful bays and is known as a city of traders and famous sailors. There are many well preserved buildings from the Middle Ages that were built between the 12th and 14th century.

Budva, Montenegro – Budva is a coastal town in Montenegro. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budvanska rivijera, is the centre of Montenegro's tourism, and is well known for its sandy beaches and diverse nightlife. Budva is 3,500 years old, making it one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic sea coast. Much of the architecture in the Old Town is of Venetian design.

Shkodra, Albania – After exploring Montenegro, we crossed the border over to Shkodra, a city located on the Lake of Shkoder in north western Albania. The only known Illyrian capital in the world, Shkoder was founded around the 4th century BC and is a significant cultural and economic centre today. Besides being one of the oldest and most historic towns in Albania, it is also the gateway to the Albanian Alps. Lunch was an exquisite affair, as we sampled traditional cuisine and downed it with Albanian Raki in a tastefully decorated restaurant.

Tirana, Albania – Tirana is the capital of Albania. It was founded in 1614 by Suleyman Pasha Bargjini, who built the first buildings that formed the nucleus of the new town: a mosque, a hammam, and a bakery, at the place where today stands the monument of the Unknown Partisan (Partizani i Panjohur). Important buildings in Tirana include the Palace of Congresses, the International Centre of Culture, the Palace of Culture, the Theatre of Opera and Ballet and the Sky Tower, etc. Our visit also included a tour of the famous Et'hem Beu mosque in Tirana and while in Tirana, we had the privilege of dining at the most prestigious restaurant.

Kruja, Albania – The significance of Kruja is related to the Albanian national hero, Gjergj Kastrioti (Skanderbeg), who fought against the invading Ottomans in the 15th century. Kruja was Skanderbeg’s capital and its castle turned into an invincible stronghold of resistance against the Ottoman threat, thus becoming famous in Europe. Kruja town lies on the side of the Kruja Mountain, about 600m above sea level, commanding a panoramic view of the Adriatic Sea. Visit the citadel of Kruja and the Museu Etnograflk, which is a preserved house. The interesting museum shows how the ancient Albanian lived.

Durres, Albania – Durres is home to Albania's main port, the Port of Durres. Founded in 7 BC, it has been inhabited for 27 centuries and is one of the oldest cities in Albania. Important buildings in Durres include the cultural center with the Aleksander Moisiu Theatre, Estrada Theater, the philharmonic orchestra, Durres Archaeological Museum, Royal Villa of Durres and the Museum of History (the house of Aleksander Moisiu). The ancient amphitheatre, which is the biggest of its type in the Balkan Peninsula and built between 117-78 BC, hosted gladiatorial games watched by up to 20,000 people.

Berat, Albania – Berat, located in central Albania, is a rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman town and is known as the "Town of a thousand windows", due to the many large windows of the old decorated houses overlooking the town. In July 2008, the old town (Mangalem district) was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. While the Mangalem riverfront has traditionally been a bazaar area, the residences of merchants and artisans are situated on the steep slope above. The quarter is shaped like an elegant pyramid, on top of which is the castle. The main visual characteristic of this quarter is the number of windows on top of one another. While in Berat, visit the Mangalem district (UNESCO), the castle and churches inside and the Icons museum Onufri, which has the best collection of Albanian icons from the 13th to 19th century.

Saranda, Albania – Enroute to Saranda, we made a brief stop at the “Castle of Ali Pasha”, built by Ali Pasha Tepelena in the gulf of Porto Palermo at the beginning of the 19th century. The castle is situated on a scenic peninsula and has a distinctive triangle shape.

After arriving in Saranda, we visited the Butrint Archaeological site, located 18 km away from the city. The Butrint archaeological site and museum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and RAMSAR wetlands protected site. Once inside, one can enjoy the peaceful surroundings, see the plentiful rosemary plants, smell the fragrance of the eucalyptus trees and hear the crickets chirp amidst the ruins.

Gjirokastra, Albania – Gjirokastra was declared a “Museum City” in 1961 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. Initially, it was an Illyrian settlement linked to the Argjiro tribe. In 1417, the Turks conquered it and turned it into an important center of Ottoman power and administration for hundreds of years. Visitors will be impressed by the city’s architecture, the views from Drino Valley overlooking a historic landscape framed by snow-capped mountains, and the lime peaks of the Bureto and Lunxheri mountain chains. This city of a thousand steps comprises hundreds of Ottoman-style tower houses with distinctive stone roofs, wooden balconies and whitewashed stone walls. Situated very close to the Greek border, Gjirokastra has been the stage of many important events in the history of the country.

Ohrid, Macedonia – Leaving Albania, we now enter Macedonia. Our first stop is Ohrid, a city located on the eastern shore of Macedonia and is well known for its churches. With beautiful houses every step of the way, it is a natural tourist magnet. While there, we visited the Samoil Castle, Old Town, the Old Saint Clemente Church also known as Holy Mother of God Periblebtos, the Roman Theatre, the church of St John the Theologian-Kaneo and enjoyed a panoramic view from the Fortress of Czar Samuel. Due to the rain, we skipped the short boat trip in Ohrid lake. Fortunately, this was made up by a lovely lunch at a local restaurant by the shores of the lake.

Skopje, Macedonia – Our last stop on the trip was Skopje and dinner was the order of the day when we arrived, where we had a sumptuous meal at a local restaurant. The restaurant, Old City House, is a rare example of folk architecture of Skopje of the 19th century. Early next morning, we set out to explore the sights of Skopje, with the help of our English speaking guide. We visited the Alexander Fortress in Skopje known also as Kale, the Church of Saint Savior known as Sveti Spas, the Old Town, the Memorial House of Mother Theresa and the Old Skopje Train Station which was almost completely destroyed by the earthquake. We also drove out to Vodno Mountain located 25 minutes from Skopje. Once on the mountain, we made our way to visit the Church of Saint Panteljemon and had lunch there as well. After a hearty lunch, it was time to say our farewells to the Balkans as we drove back to Skopje to board our flight home.

*The views and opinions expressed in this article are that of the writer and do not represent the views of New Shan Travel.

Feast Your Eyes in Eastern Europe

Article by Insight Vacations

Article written for www.natastravel.com

You can never truly appreciate the beauty of Europe until you actually go on a trip there yourself and soak in the sights. I remember one of the most magical trips I had was when I went on a tour with Insight Vacations, to visit the Christmas Markets in Vienna, Prague, and Budapest.

My friend Fiona first enticed me to head to Europe when she showed me photos of the Christmas Markets on her trip there. To quote her vivid description, “the sights, sounds and smells of a traditional market in a winter setting are part of an intangible experience that we cannot find here.” Before I knew it, I found myself booked and ready for a flight bound for Vienna.

Firstly, I have to say that Vienna was truly a feast for the eyes. From our hotel, the Hilton Vienna, we hopped down to neighbouring Stadtpark for a refreshing walk. Gilded statues of musicians, the most famous of which was composer Johann Strauss, were scattered against a picturesque backdrop of flora and fauna.

I could almost imagine the rum-pum-pum of his famous waltzes filling the air as I admired the bronze statue.

Top of the line international designer boutiques, some former purveyors to the Imperial and Royal Court, were just across the park in Kohlmarkt 6 and Kaerntnerstrass, where we enjoyed tax-refundable purchases.

There were several local cafes and gift shops within a stone’s throw of our accommodations as well, and for those who wanted their good ol’ frappe, there was always Starbucks. I could always pop out of my room for some shopping or a drink and be back in a jiffy.

After lunch, we took a short stroll to see fairyland Stefansplatz, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The sheer size of the square and its breathtakingly Baroque buildings were overwhelming. I was enveloped by majestic architectural monuments, a reminder of the monarchical past of Vienna. This was juxtaposed with the liveliness of a modern city as muted laughter punctuated the air. The sources of the revelry were beer gardens and wine taverns on the square, also known as 'Biergartens' and 'Heurigens'.

Juxtaposition of the old and the new in Vienna.

Just looking at this photo makes me feel tiny. Towering at 137m, the Stefansdom Gothic Spire is sure to dwarf even the world’s tallest person.

  

And of course one cannot forget to stop and capture a few shots of the magnificent statues along the square.

 The impressive view is completely transformed by nightfall.

Doesn't it transport you back to ancient times?

We thought we had seen everything until we walked right into a Christmas scene at Rathausplatz. The centrepiece at this traditional Christmas Market was the towering Christmas tree dazzlingly decorated with fairy lights.

The cornucopia of local crafts and traditional fare, traditional goodies like Bohemian Crystal and classic wooden toys were a feast for the eyes. I shopped to my heart’s content as I gladly gathered goodies to fill the Christmas stockings of my family and friends.

Europe is most definitely a recommended destination for those who love to soak up the awe-inspiring sights of Europe. A special feeling lingers long after you leave these huge bazaars in medieval European towns. This surreal old-world charm is a whole new experience for those of us used to commercialised festive celebrations in Singapore. I had a wonderful time with Insight Vacations, and next Christmas I am definitely joining them again to experience a new kind of magic.