Archive for July, 2010

Just hours after releasing financial results suggesting the airline had weathered the economic storm, easyJet has hit turbulence with founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou. In a deepening row, Stelios has threatened to withdraw the easyGroup branding from the airline in under three months unless punctuality improves.

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Virgin Atlantic Unveils New Livery and Brand Identity.

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There is no better way to discover southern France than cruising on the Canal du Midi, past fields of sunflowers and vineyards, quiet villages and historical cities.

Stretching for 240 km, dotted with amazing engineering feats, the 17th century Canal du Midi is a World Heritage site and the most impressive achievement in a network of waterways linking the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. It was designed by Pierre Paul Riquet who devoted much of his life and fortune to the project.

Now the Canal du Midi is purely for pleasure as cruisers and converted barges sail from Toulouse to the Mediterranean. The whole journey takes around 10 days but most visitors settle for a week or so along their favourite section of a half day trip from Carcassonne.

Boating Holidays in Southern France

Boating holidays in southern France range from luxurious hotel barges complete with crew, as offered by Go barging, to self-drive cruisers or narrow boats hired through France boating holidays, Minervois cruisers and others. Boats cater to all budgets and group size but even the smallest are equipped with modern amenities.

Bicycles and fishing gear may be available at extra charge and cruises may be one way or return.
Cruising on the Canal du Midi is surprisingly easy, whether it’s manoeuvring boats or handling locks. No previous experience is needed since full training is given on site prior to departure. Family and friends can take turns at the wheel while others sunbathe on deck.

Pierre Paul Riquet

Any cruise along the canal is sure to include some lovely old bridges and new marinas but sailing through the Malpas tunnel is always a highlight. Ordered to stop digging for safety reasons, Pierre Paul Riquet carried on in secret, completing the world’s first navigation tunnel in just a week.
Among other top attractions are multiple locks, such as the triple lock in Trèbes, and the 19th century aqueduct in Béziers carrying the canal over the river Orb.

The Seuil de Naurouze marks the highest point on the Canal du Midi and the watershed between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. It’s a fitting place for the obelisk dedicated to Pierre Paul Riquet.

Sailing from Toulouse to the Mediterranean

At the western end of the Canal du Midi on the banks of the Garonne, the pink city of Toulouse is all bustling lanes and quaint restaurants, museums and churches with a vast Cité de l’Espace devoted to space and air travel. Toulouse is known for its violets, used in scents and sweets, and woad which produces a blue dye.

The small town of Castelnaudary boasts a peaceful harbour and the birthplace of cassoulet, a fragrant bean and goose stew, while in Carcassonne, the top attraction is the restored medieval castle perched on a hilltop above the river Aude.

Béziers has delightful gardens and a quaint old town nestling around the cathedral with panoramic views. The city loves festivals, when Corbières and Minervois wines flow in abundance, a world away from the sleepy villages along the way and the pink flamingos of the Etang de Thau at the end of the cruise.

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Between September 2010 and February 2011, Royal Caribbean Cruises will offer special food and wine themed cruises. (source: Topix.net) – Share on Twitter – Share on Facebook – RSS feeds and Widgets on Feedzilla.com

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Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) this fall is continuing to focus on enhancing flight schedules in key business markets, with added service planned between 21 cities and Washington, D.C. or New York.

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Mandarin Oriental Reports H1 2010 Results.

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When any slice of Italy remains undiscovered, you have to wonder why. And given the beauty and diversity of Basilicata, it can only be down to history. The stonemasons who once worked the quarries emigrated long ago to build New York’s skyscrapers, and later, Mussolini, not content with exiling anti-Fascist activists to this wild and remote land, changed the name of the state from Lucania. Thus the instep and arch of Italy’s foot became a well-kept secret.

The Jewel in Basilicata’s Crown

Now the secret is out, it would be good to visit at least Matera, the jewel in Basilicata’s crown, before the hordes descend. Famous for its urban cave dwellings which have been designated a World Heritage Site, the town was made even more visible a few years ago by Mel Gibson.  He filmed The Passion of the Christ  here, and no wonder – there’s something quite biblical about the rocky outcrops beneath the city, and the misty horizon beyond.

The Sassi, as the caves are known, are among the earliest human settlements in the world, grottoes enlarged to become homes for both humans and their animals. But  they deteriorated from the 17th century prosperity which made Matera the regional capital to become appalling 20th century slums with no electricity or running water. They were lawless, too, demanding tolls of outsiders who wished to pass through.

In spite of the poverty, there were years of rioting when the sassi were forcibly evacuated in 1956.  And few families had the heart to return after the caves had been modernised, so grants now have to be offered to tempt b&b’s and restaurants help revitalise this beautiful and atmospheric area.        

A Boutique Hotel in a Cave?

A fine place to enjoy the ambience is the Restaurant San Pietro Barisano, where we ate the best dinner we had in Basilicata.  It was enhanced by the beautifully-lit bare stones both inside the restaurant and outside – picturesque by day, the sassi are exquisite by night. There are also boutique hotels in the caves, but none could emulate the stylishness of the Palazzo Gattini opposite the cathedral, one of Italy’s finest design hotels.

Don’t leave this area without descending a few steps to the right of the hotel for a vista or the Sassi Caveoso, or wandering across the square and down to the left to visit the charming little piazzetta containing Matera’s music school. An easy stroll through town leads to the Latteria Rizzi, a fabulous cheese boutique which offers tasting lunches with local wines in its back room.

The Foresteria di San Leo in the mountainous west of the region, is a good place to learn more about Basilicata. This “agriturismo” – a farm offering hospitality – is presided over by the fabulous Maria, who loves to share the history, culture and food of her region while her husband presides over their orchards and dairy.  

Must-Sees Elsewhere

Nearby is Venosa, whch has one of the largest  Jewish catacombs in western Europe, reflecting a 7th century community of artists and peddlers. A surreal sight worth taking in on the edge of town is the unfinished Trinity church – a magnificent facade, including a bell-tower, with nothing but blue sky and an endless horizon behind.

Another mountain odyssey worth the pilgrimage is Pollino National Park.    Visitors come from far and wide to taste the food of Federico Valicenti, one of Italy’s best-known chefs. This rotund and hospitable chap serves fairly simple, hearty food(don’t miss the porcini lightly sauteed with egg and bacon),and the views from the terrace of his pleasingly rustic restaurant, the Luna Rossa at Terranova di Pollino, are stunning.

Less it be supposed Basilicata is all about Matera and the mountains, it actually has two strips of coastline – the flat and less interesting Ionian in the arch of Italy’s foot and the dramatic Tyrrhenian, hidden by mountains which plunge straight into the sea, on its instep.   The jewel in the crown of the latter is Maratea, a mini-Amalfi of an ancient port with a pretty little village above, all narrow lanes, fountain-lined piazza and breathtaking clifftop views. 

The place to perch is the excellent Locanda delle donne Monache, a mediaeval convent converted to a stylish art hotel. Perched high above the coast in the town’s pretty historic centre, it has no sense of being a beach hotel, with its pool overlooking village rooftops. The main attraction, however, is the Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking the town. With outstretched arms mimics, this white marble wonder mimics the more famous statue in Rio, and a trip to the top of the hill offers dizzying panoramic views of sea, mountains and rooftops.

Inspired to explore this oft-forgotten region? Then check out our collection of luxury hotels in Basilicata…

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The monarch chartered a 49-passenger luxury ship this week to take her family on a 10-day trip around the British Isles. (source: USATODAY) – Share on Twitter – Share on Facebook – RSS feeds and Widgets on Feedzilla.com

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