Lincoln Memorial

Learning groups with a focus on American history should be sure to include the Lincoln Memorial on their itinerary for student tours. This monument to Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, can offer a great focal point for discussions about Lincoln in particular and the presidential role in general. As the site of several famous speeches – such as Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ – it has also played a part in some of the USA’s more recent historical turning points. In fact, the memorial has come to be regarded as something of a sacred space for political movements concerned with rights and freedom, most significantly the Civil Rights movement. A visit can bring together several different strands of history and demonstrate to students the importance of looking at historical events in their cultural contexts.

White House Visitors’ Centre

After looking into presidential history at the Lincoln Memorial, give your students the opportunity to see the place where every President since John Adams – the second President of the United States – has lived and worked. A visit to the White House can offer an important sense of continuity, and of history still being in the making. Tours are available with prior arrangement, so talk to your trip organiser about taking one.

National Museum of American History

Those studying the history of the US will have read about it in textbooks or watched documentaries; but the National Museum of American History allows visitors to ‘read’ history in a different way – through objects. Its collections of over 3 million artefacts cover diverse subjects including clothing, weapons, film and TV props, locomotives, computers and more. There’s something to suit every interest, and altogether the displays build up a multifaceted and often surprising record of the nation’s history. The museum also has some special educational visit oriented exhibitions and interactive elements, which, while geared to the American curriculum, can provide great material for student tours from further afield.

Holocaust Museum

American history isn’t the only curriculum focus that a visit to Washington DC can illuminate. The Holocaust Museum is worth visiting for any students of the Second World War, but also for history students and teachers in general. Teachers organising student tours be warned though: this museum is, by nature, emotionally affecting, and it can be a harrowing experience for adults and young people alike. However, the value of empathy in the study of history is enshrined in many curricula, and the Holocaust Museum certainly engages visitors’ empathy skills – teaching not just facts but ways of emotionally relating to history. As such it is arguably the most important of Washington’s museums, but preparing your students for it in advance is advisable.

Robert Emdur works for Equity Student Travel, the UK’s leading specialist in group travel for students in higher and further education. We organise student tours to destinations around the world covering a wide range of subjects, as well as conference & event-focused trips.

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Acropolis

While there are several other buildings sharing the title acropolis – meaning ‘high city’ or citadel – in Greece, the Acropolis of Athens is so renowned and of such historical importance that it is often simply called The Acropolis. The star feature of many student tours to Greece, this flat-topped rock and the buildings upon it offers a portal into history. To learn about it is one thing, but to explore this iconic place in person is an exciting way to consolidate that learning. Notable features include the monumental gateway, or Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheum temple and, of course, the Parthenon – the Temple of Athena Parthenos or Athena the Virgin. A visit to the Acropolis is completed by a stop the Acropolis Museum, on the southern side of the hill, where many ancient artefacts uncovered at this site are on display

The Amphitheatres

On the southern slope of the Acropolis are two ancient theatres: the Theatre of Dionysus and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. The former is one of the oldest performance spaces known to archaeologists, and was used for festivals honouring Dionysus with theatrical performances; the latter was built in 161 CE and is well-preserved enough to host plays and concerts today – including performances from big name singers such as Elton John and Sting. Visiting either or both of these awe-inspiring structures is a great opportunity for wider curriculum links on student tours. Pupils also studying classical plays in Drama or English will get an inspirational glimpse into the texts’ original stages; and for anyone with an interest in history and culture, seeing the cradle of European theatre is a unique privilege. Learning about the archaeological side of the sites, their preservation, and the planned restoration of the Theatre of Dionysus, will help students to understand how we relate to our cultural heritage.

National Archaeological Museum

Student tours are not complete without a visit to a well-appointed museum to draw strands of all the students’ excursions into one big picture. The National Archaeological Museum offers such consolidation. The largest such museum in Greece, its collections include objects from all across the country, with impressive sculpture, vase, and bronze galleries. Through these objects, learners can investigate not only the history of Athens but the city’s connection to the rest of Greece and the world, from prehistory to today.

Robert Emdur works for Equity Student Travel, the UK’s leading specialist in group travel for students in higher and further education. We organise student tours to destinations around the world covering a wide range of subjects, as well as conference & event-focused trips.

This article was provided by LeadGenerators, the smartest online marketing agency in London, and the proud host a series of internet marketing training seminars.

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National Galleries

With a collection so comprehensive it spans three sites, the National Galleries of Scotland are a delight to explore. They are sure to contain something to suit every taste and enhance any curriculum focus. Those on student tours can visit the National, the Modern, and/or the Portrait Galleries, depending on their areas of interest. They will discover a diverse array of art within each one. For example, the National Gallery – located in the heart of the city – contains collections covering the history of Scottish art as well as a treasure trove of paintings from masters such as Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh and Gauguin. There is also a rotating series of special exhibitions. The galleries offer education-oriented guided tours and workshops with artists and art historians – bound to provide an inspirational experience for your students.

Contemporary Galleries

In a city bursting with creativity, it’s no wonder that you can find art galleries at almost every turn, catering to every aesthetic. Some time spent visiting a few of Edinburgh’s contemporary galleries can provide student tours with a great contrast to the masterworks of older eras on display in the National Gallery. It would be impossible to list all of them, but here are a few: the Fruitmarket, which features many of Scotland’s most interesting established and up-and-coming modern artists; Axlotl, where the art tends towards the edgy; the Embassy, which showcases work from the grassroots art community; and the Edinburgh College of Art, which gives students the chance to see what other aspiring artists are producing.

Edinburgh Castle

Art and Design student tours are often made more complete by an opportunity for pupils to get their own creativity flowing in an exciting location – and where could be better than dramatic Edinburgh Castle? Built over the centuries on a Bronze Age site, and still officially in use as a military fortress, it’s an inspiring setting in which to draw or paint. Whether students are looking at landscape and perspective, buildings, or close-up detail and textures, the castle’s impressive architecture and the views it commands of the city make it the perfect place for putting technique into practice.

Robert Emdur works for Equity Student Travel, the UK’s leading specialist in group travel for students in higher and further education. We organise student tours to destinations around the world covering a wide range of subjects, as well as conference & event-focused trips.

This article was provided by LeadGenerators, the smartest online marketing agency in London, and the proud host a series of internet marketing training seminars.

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Rijksmuseum — As the State Museum of the Netherlands, it has been a part of the history, in some incarnation, since 1800 – and an important inclusion on student tours. In 1885, it moved into its current building (a beautiful Dutch neo-Renaissance building designed by architect Petrus J.H. Cuypers) and is home to a collection that is grouped into three categories. Visitors can wander through the Art Collection, with its paintings, sculptures, applied and Asiatic artworks; through the History Collection filled with paintings, archaeological artifacts, clothing, and photographs; and finally into the Drawing, Prints, and Photography Collection, which houses the partial collections of decorative prints, portraits, and bookplates. The museum is located in the heart of the city at Jan Luijkenstraat 1.

The Van Gogh Museum — After spending a day among the eclectic and comprehensive collections of the Rijksmuseum, participants on student tours can hop across the canal, just a short walk away, to see a museum which is decidedly more focused: the Van Gogh Museum. Located at Paulus Potterstraat 7, the museum contains the largest collection of works by Vincent Van Gogh in the entire world. The permanent collection holds over 200 works and allows visitors the opportunity to see how Van Gogh developed as an artist. In addition to the works of Van Gogh, the museum also houses a collection of other 19th century artists; these are housed in two stunning buildings of architectural achievement, which are worth studying as works of art, in and of themselves.

The Stedelijk Musuem — Located at Rozenstraat 59, the main Stedelijk Museum is home to one of the richest collections of modern art in the world. Those on student tours will learn how the museum building was built in 1891-95 in order to house a collection left to the city by Sophia Augusta Lopez Suasso de Bruyn – it grew from that single collection to be one of the major museums of the Netherlands. In 2010 the Stedelijk Museum opened the doors of the old building to its ever-changing collection – the Temporary Stedelijk 2 at Paulus Potterstraat 13. This collection features some interesting blends of all the important names and movements in the artistic world, and will have to suffice visitors until the main Stedelijk is reopened (it is closed for renovations) later in 2012.

Robert Emdur works for Equity Student Travel, the UK’s leading specialist in group travel for students in higher and further education. We organise student tours to destinations around the world covering a wide range of subjects, as well as conference & event-focused trips.

This article was provided by LeadGenerators, the smartest online marketing agency in London, and the proud host a series of internet marketing training seminars.

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Vatican City, as it is called, was formed in 1929 by the Lateran Treaty, and is distinct from the Holy See, which governs Catholic Christianity. A visit to Vatican City is a full submersion for students into a wealth of history, culture, and religion – with the added bonus of being able to post your postcards from inside this city within a city! While inside the walled city, you will be able to explore St. Paul’s Basilica, wander through the tombs of St. Peter’s Crypt, and spend an afternoon or more in the Vatican Museum.

St. Paul’s Basilica — An imposing structure that rises in the centre of Vatican City, you cannot miss St. Paul’s Basilica while on your student tours to Vatican City. Officially known as Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano, the basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church. It is the burial site for St. Paul, which is marked by a large canopy of gold and bronze. The entire church is lavishly decorated with marble, sculpture, and gilding, with each nave and room containing works by famous artists – including Michelangelo’s Pieta and the main dome that he designed. The four statues in the piers of the dome are of martyred Christians: Saint Helena, Saint Longinus, Saint Andrew, and Saint Veronica, who look down upon the tourists as they pass.

St. Peter’s Crypt, or the Vatican Grotto — The burial site of St. Paul, the Basilica has a long and important history as the chosen place of internment of popes and Catholic figures of note. Below the main Basilica is the Vatican Grotto, which is a crypt that houses more than 100 tombs. Those on student tours can wander through the grotto to see the burial places of 91 popes, St. Ignatius of Antioch, Holy Roman Emperor Otto II, ex-British Royalty and Catholic converts James Francis Edward Stuart and his two sons, and, most recently, Pope John Paul II who died in April of 2005.

Vatican Museum — Located within the Vatican City, this museum is one of the most important in the world of art. It houses an extensive collection that has been built up by the Catholic church over centuries. The itinerary of student tours needs to include at least a few hours here if participants are to see even a fraction of the nine miles of art the museum has to offer. Some highlights include works by Caravaggio; Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘St. Jerome in the Wilderness’; the Raphael Rooms, which include his ‘School of Athens’; and the most famous ‘Sistine Chapel’.

Robert Emdur works for Equity Student Travel, the UK’s leading specialist in group travel for students in higher and further education. We organise student tours to destinations around the world covering a wide range of subjects, as well as conference & event-focused trips.

This article was provided by LeadGenerators, the smartest online marketing agency in London, and the proud host a series of internet marketing training seminars.

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The Budapest Museum of Fine Arts — Located at Dózsa György út 41, the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts was created as a result of a law that was passed in 1896, which sought to collate art collections into a single location. Those on student tours should plan to spend at least an afternoon here exploring the varied and extensive collections, which include the Egyptian arts. With over 4,000 items it is one of the largest such collections in Europe: the Classic Antiques has over 5,000 pieces; the Old Master Paintings has 3,000 paintings which show a survey of European art from the 13th to the late 18th centuries; the Sculpture Collection has over 600 works; Prints and Drawings has 10,000 drawings and 100,000 prints; and the Department of Art After 1800 consists of around 1,000 pieces of painting, sculpture and various artistic works all completed after 1800.

Ludwig Museum of Modern Art — Named after the philanthropic couple Peter and Irene Ludwig, who amassed a collection of over 12,000 works of art, the Ludwig Museum of Modern Art collects and displays masterworks of contemporary art. Student tours to this museum, right on the river’s edge at the Palace of Arts at Komor Marcell u. 1, will show students how it juxtaposes valuable pieces of American pop art – such as works by Warhol and Odlenburg – with Eastern and Asian arts, while keeping a keen eye on the works of Hungarian artists from the 1960s onwards.

Kiscelli Museum — Located right outside the main part of the city at Kiscelli utca 108, Óbuda, the Kiscelli Museum is housed in a stunning building. In the Baroque style, it was built between 1745 and 1760 and first served as a church and monastery. Those on student tours can visit the museum to experience its focus on contemporary and modern art, but what sets this museum apart from the others of modern art in Budapest is its dedication to 20th century and modern Hungarian artists. To get a true feel of modern Hungarian art, it is worth the trip outside of the city centre.

Robert Emdur works for Equity Student Travel, the UK’s leading specialist in group travel for students in higher and further education. We organise student tours to destinations around the world covering a wide range of subjects, as well as conference & event-focused trips.

This article was provided by LeadGenerators, the smartest online marketing agency in London, and the proud host a series of internet marketing training seminars.

Thank you for visiting our article directory! Feel free to use any of our travel writing articles for your own website, on the condition that you also take the link we have included in the text. Check back for more travel writing soon; we’re uploading more original travel articles all the time!

The Leaning Tower of Pisa — As one of the most recognisable buildings in Italy, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is the freestanding bell tower of the Duomo next door. It’s easy to find this unique landmark where Piazza del Duomo meets the Piazza dei Miracoli – all within easy reach of your Tuscany villa rental. The piazza itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the tower being the third oldest structure in the square. Work on the tower took place over 177 years. Work commenced on the base in 1173 and the tower began its famous tilt in 1178, when the second floor was started. The cause has been found to be its mere three-metre foundations, set in weak, unstable soil. After a pause in construction of almost a century, the tower was eventually completed in 1372. In January of 1990, the tower was closed to the public and righted 18 inches; it was again under scaffold in 2008, and has now been declared to have stopped moving for the first time – and will remain stable for at least 200 years.

The Duomo — At the centre of the Piazza del Duomo, the large medieval cathedral that is the home church of the Leaning Tower, is something that must not be overlooked while visiting Pisa on a day trip from your Tuscany villa rental. Construction on the cathedral began in 1064 and the façade set a precedent for the Pisan Romanesque architecture of the area. Inside and out, there are no shortages of works of art by masters such as Cimabue, Riminaldi, and Giovanni Pisano – to name a few. It was here that Galileo is believed to have created his theories of the swing of a pendulum, by watching it move from an incense lamp in the nave.

The Camposanto Monumentale — Also known as the Monumental Cemetery, the Composanto Monumentale forms the edifice of the northern edge of the Piazza del Duomo and Piazza dei Miracoli. It is said that soil was brought here all the way from Golgotha, and the cloister was built around the burial ground between 1278 and 1464. Before you head back to your Tuscany villa rental for the night, be sure to spend a while at the Camposanto Monmentale and view the few remaining Roman sarcophagi and the stunning frescos, currently under repair.

Giovanni Balboni works for To Tuscany, who specialise in finding the perfect Tuscany villa rental in Chianti as well as selected villas in Umbria and Puglia. To Tuscany is proud of their villas and their reputation. Each property is personally selected and visited by our representatives to ensure we offer only the best in the region.

This article was provided by LeadGenerators, the smartest online marketing agency in London, and the proud host a series of internet marketing training seminars.

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Chianti — There is no doubt that the name Chianti is most synonymous with Tuscan wine. From many of the Tuscany villa rental properties, you will be within a short drive of two of the Dinominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) and the Dinominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOC/G) regions. These are the Italian quality assurance benchmarks for food and wines, and where the ‘real’ Chianti is made. Within the DOC/G there are eight different sub-regions that are allowed to affix the title to their wines, which must be produced with at least 80% Sangiovese grapes. While in Tuscany, be sure to visit a winery in the DOC/G region and learn a bit about the history of this ‘Bordeaux of Italy’, in the only area it is made.

Vino Nobile de Montepulciano — While you can certainly sit at home in your Tuscany villa rental and sample the wine, why not head to a winery for the total experience? The Vino Nobile de Montepulciano, like the Chianti, is protected by DOC/G status and is produced in the vineyards that surround Montepulciano, in the heart of Tuscany. This wine is made from primarily the Sangiovese grapes (70%) blended with Canaiolo Nero, and occasionally other local varieties. One thing you should keep in mind while visiting a Vino Nobile de Montepulciano winery, is that these wines should not be confused with those that use the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grapes, which are made well to the south of the town of Montepulciano.

Brunelo di Montalcino — This is an Italian red wine made from a grape that is the ‘unofficial clone of the Sangiovese’ in the wineries and vineyards that surround the town of Montalcino, about 120 kilometres south of Florence. Booking a holiday in one of the Tuscany villa rental locations in the wine country makes the wineries of Montalcino easy to access. But be sure to plan a special trip to the Brunelo di Montalcino wineries. Since 1980, when it received its DOCG status, it has become one of the best known and most expensive wines in all of Italy, and is a very special treat indeed.

Morellino di Scansano — Also within a short and picturesque drive of your Tuscany villa rental are the wineries in the hillsides that surround the town of Scansano. Made from at least 85% Sangiovese grapes, and granted DOC status in 1978 and DOC/G status in 2007, the remaining 10-15% of this wine is often made up of various non-aromatic black grape varieties which are listed by the DOC/G. Depending on which winery and vintages you try, these other black grapes can alter the taste of the wines and possibly give you a new favourite Tuscan wine.

Giovanni Balboni works for To Tuscany, who specialise in finding the perfect Tuscany villa rental in Chianti as well as selected villas in Umbria and Puglia. To Tuscany is proud of their villas and their reputation. Each property is personally selected and visited by our representatives to ensure we offer only the best in the region.

This article was provided by LeadGenerators, the smartest online marketing agency in London, and the proud host a series of internet marketing training seminars.

Thank you for visiting our article directory! Feel free to use any of our travel writing articles for your own website, on the condition that you also take the link we have included in the text. Check back for more travel writing soon; we’re uploading more original travel articles all the time!

As a stopping-off point for Catholics on a pilgrimage to Rome in the Middle Ages and Renaissance Era, the town flourished until the plague hit in the 1348 and it was compelled to submit to the rule of nearby Florence. Today, San Gimignano offers a wealth of history and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. At the centre of its heritage are the Communal Palace, the Collegiata, the Chiesa di Sant’Agustino, and its artistic and cultural contributions.

Communal Palace — Within easy reach of your Tuscany villa rental, in the centre of San Gimignano, is the Communal Palace. Situated near the Collegiata, the palace has been the seat of local government since it was built. Constructed in the 13th century and expanded in the 14th, the Communal Palace now houses a museum and gallery. The gallery, on the second floor, houses works by Fiorentino, Leonardo da Pistoia, Tamagni, Pinturicchio, and other members of the Florentine school.

Collegiata — When you visit San Gimignano on a day out from your Tuscany villa rental, you should schedule in a visit to the Collegiata in the Piazza del Duomo. When San Gimignano had a bishop, this church was the town’s cathedral; but later, after the bishop’s seat was removed, the Duomo reverted back to a Collegiata (a large church). Its creation began in the 10th century, and while the façade is very plain, the Romanesque interior is known for its art. Frescos by Bartolo, Gozzoli, Fredi, Maiano, adorn the walls of the main hall and the chapels, and the trip is worthwhile even if just to see these.

Chiesa di Sant’Agustino — Wander north of the old duomo and visit the imposing 13th century Chiesa di Sant’Agustino, or Church of St. Augustine. Inside, the large hall of the interior is dominated by the fresco,‘The Life of St. Augustine’ by Benozzo Gozzoli, which dates from between 1463 and 1467. Also take time to look at the Cappella di San Bartolo, located to the right of the main entrance. It holds the remains of Saint Bartolo and is decorated with a white marble altar by Maiano.

Culture in San Gimignano — After you have been in the town for a few hours and seen the main churches and tried a tipple of the local wine, why not take a stroll and soak up the culture of the city before returning to your nearby Tuscany villa rental? Just one example is that the town is the birthplace of Folgore da San Gimignano, an esteemed poet of the 13th century. He wrote mostly about hunting scenes, and was most famous for his thirty-two sonnets – two of which, ‘April’ and ‘May’, were set to music by Italian composer Lorenzo Ferrero, in 1971. Simply by spending time in this gorgeous Tuscan town you will be able to glean many more snippets of the history and culture.

Giovanni Balboni works for To Tuscany, who specialise in finding the perfect Tuscany villa rental in Chianti as well as selected villas in Umbria and Puglia. To Tuscany is proud of their villas and their reputation. Each property is personally selected and visited by our representatives to ensure we offer only the best in the region.

This article was provided by LeadGenerators, the smartest online marketing agency in London, and the proud host a series of internet marketing training seminars.

Thank you for visiting our article directory! Feel free to use any of our travel writing articles for your own website, on the condition that you also take the link we have included in the text. Check back for more travel writing soon; we’re uploading more original travel articles all the time!

No one doubts that in terms of in-house catering, New York central hotels can offer high-end dining that ranks amongst some of the best in the world – but sometimes we all feel the need to try something a little less formal and a little more adventurous. That’s where sidewalk dining comes in, because the city now offers some truly incredible culinary experiences that have more in common with Malaysia or Mexico City than the traditional idea of a bustling metropolis.

Street dining and the Western world

It has to be said that in many parts of Europe and North America, street dining was historically limited and sometimes downright sordid. Street food vendors in New York City were often restricted to hot dogs and hamburgers, plus perhaps a few pretzels and sandwiches if you were lucky! Now, there is no doubt that some of them may have offered excellent hot dogs and hamburgers, but choice was limited and perhaps the average quality sometimes left a lot to be desired.

Yet strangely in Asia and South America, there is a much better established tradition of street dining, and it’s generally to a high standard. It’s possible to have a big debate about where and when things started to change, but change they have! In recent times, each year has seen a significant increase in the number of exotic and high quality street food outlets in New York. Today there is an excellent selection and some truly mouth-watering examples of global cuisines and fusion cooking.

What’s good?

All New York central hotels will typically be within relatively close proximity to several such outlets. Some of them advertise, but some still seem to operate on a word-of-mouth basis and you may need to ask your hotel reception for their advice and recommendation. In terms of what is available, the sky is almost the limit, including such delicacies as:

• Pupusas – a traditional dish from El Salvador (other South American countries also claim its origin) which is a sort of corn pancake filled with meats, cheeses and pickles, all accompanied with a variety of exotic sauces;

• Lobster rolls – it may sound self-explanatory but with freshly cooked lobster and a variety of dressings, these can be exceptionally good;

• Catfish tacos – with freshly grilled fish and a variety of hot southern spices, these will really work your taste buds;

• Korean tacos – these consists of fantastic marinated meats accompanied by a selection of Korean spices (you may wonder whether a fusion of Korean and Mexican cuisines would work, but it does!).

This is just a tiny sample and you simply have to get out and try it all for yourself. Of course, some are of better quality than others so if you are staying in New York central hotels, do get the advice of their staff – a local recommendation is worth a thousand from a guide book.

Looking for New York central hotels? Roberta Stuart is the Travel Manager for World Hotels, a company offering the best rooms in New York central hotels and a selection of unique and four and five star hotels around the world.

This article was provided by LeadGenerators, the smartest online marketing agency in London, and the proud host a series of internet marketing training seminars.

Thank you for visiting our article directory! Feel free to use any of our travel writing articles for your own website, on the condition that you also take the link we have included in the text. Check back for more travel writing soon; we’re uploading more original travel articles all the time!