text:
Multi-Day Tour
Culture and Tradition: Madrid, Cordoba, Seville, and Granada (9 days)
Avanti Destinations
Madrid, Spain To Granada, Spain
Valid for Departures Now Through: 31 Oct 2019
Culture and Tradition: Madrid, Cordoba, Seville, and Granada (9 days)
Day 1
Madrid, Spain
Day 2
Madrid, Spain
Day 3
Madrid, Spain
Day 4
Madrid, Spain
Day 5
Córdoba, Seville
Day 6
Seville, Spain
Day 7
Seville, Spain
Day 8
Granada, Spain
Day 9
Granada, Spain
Day 1
Madrid, Spain
|Centrally Located Hotel In Madrid
Welcome to beautiful Madrid! Enjoy your private transfer from the Madrid airport to your hotel.
Day 2
Madrid, Spain
|Centrally Located Hotel In Madrid
|Breakfast, Dinner
After breakfast at your hotel, you have a morning city tour, free time in the afternoon followed by dinner this evening.
Madrid Private Car and Driver: Departure from your hotel with private local guide and driver. First of all, we will have a city tour of Madrid as well as an introduction to its history. Madrid, Spain's capital, is now a cosmopolitan city. The Madrid area has been settled since the Lower Paleolithic age, but it was not until 1561 that King Philip II made it the capital of his mighty empire. The historic old town, also known as 'Madrid de las Austrias' (referring to the Hapsburg Empire) is an example of the city's 16th and 17th century life, as is its impressive Plaza Mayor.
Dinner at La Vaca Veronica Restaurant: Please arrive on your own for your 8:00 p.m. reservations at La Vaca Veronica Restaurant, a long-standing local favorite in Paseo del Prado with great service.
Day 3
Madrid, Spain
|Centrally Located Hotel In Madrid
After breakfast, enjoy the day at leisure, or take an optional tour.
Day 4
Madrid, Spain
|Centrally Located Hotel In Córdoba
After breakfast in your hotel, meet your driver in the hotel lobby for your private transfer to the Atocha rail station, where you'll catch your train to Córdoba. This was an important city in Roman times and later the capital of the Arabic Caliphate which comprised almost all of the Iberian Peninsula. In the tenth century Córdoba was the largest city in Europe. Rich in architecture, explore this city on a two-hour walking tour with a local guide in the afternoon.
Day 5
Córdoba, Seville
|Centrally Located Hotel In Seville
After breakfast at your hotel, you have free time until your train departs for Seville. Please arrange your own transfer to the train station, and also from the Seville train station to your hotel.
Day 6
Seville, Spain
|Centrally Located Hotel In Seville
|Breakfast, Dinner
After breakfast at your hotel, you have a Seville City Sightseeing Tour, with your afternoon at leisure, followed by a Flamenco Show and dinner in the evening.
Arrive on your own for your Hop-on/Hop-off Seville City Sightseeing Tour at Torre del Oro, to experience the historical masterpiece that is Seville with it Moorish monuments, gardens, Flamenco festivals, Museum of Fine Arts, medieval Jewish quarter and so much more. Best of all, you can hop-on and hop-off at the major points of interest over a 24-hour period.
Flamenco Show with Dinner: Please arrive on your own to Hosteria Del Laurel for your tapas dinner, then walk to Barrio del Arenal for your traditional Flamenco show. The flamenco show includes one beverage Per Person.
Day 7
Seville, Spain
|Centrally Located Hotel In Granada
After breakfast at your hotel, go to the train station on your own for your first-class rail to Granada, a strikingly beautiful city set at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains and at the confluence of four rivers. Granada is most famous as the location of the Alhambra, a 1000-year-old Moorish palace of stunning architecture and art - one of the world's great buildings and a UNESCO heritage site. Granada's cathedral is a mixture of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements.
Day 8
Granada, Spain
|Centrally Located Hotel In Granada
After breakfast you'll have a city tour. Explore Granada and all it has to offer from the comfort of a Double-Decker bus. The city's science museum (Parque de las Ciencias) is a must-see attraction which is high on both value and entertainment. With an optional Planetarium experience, there are plenty of things to do for the whole family. For a taste of history, visit Albaicin, a World Heritage Site and the old Moorish quarter of Granada or stroll around the Museo San Juan de Dios or the Museo Federico G'lorca. Marvel at the impressive structure of The Granada Cathedral or hop off at the Monasterio Cartuja, one of the most beautiful monasteries in the country. Gaze in awe at the The Palacio de Generalife, which was once a summer palace and country estate, and unwind in the beautiful sanctuary of its peaceful gardens.
Day 9
Granada, Spain
|Centrally Located Hotel In Granada
After breakfast at your hotel, head for the train station or airport for your next Avanti adventure, or to return home.
Tour Features
- Culture, History & Arts
Combine the vibrant capital city of Madrid with southern Spain. Ride the Spanish rails through scenic terrain to experience spectacular Moorish monuments, traditional Flamenco music and dance, and mountainous countryside that will enchant and inspire.
About Us
Your independent travel clients want the perfect trip--multiple destinations with special interest sightseeing and activities, accommodations with personality and style, and smooth, trouble-free connections throughout. Let Avanti make complex FIT easy for you to book, whether your clients are headed to Europe, Central and South America, or Asia. For more than 36 years, we've been selecting the best these destinations have to offer and weaving it all together with the right connections for a seamless experience that will delight your clients--and have them coming back for more. Uncommonly rewarding FIT.
Insider TipContact your Virtuoso Travel Advisor for insider knowledge to help enhance your experience.
Terms & Conditions
Avanti Destinations Terms and Conditions of Sale - click here.
The trademarks VIRTUOSO, the Globe Swirl Logo and SPECIALISTS IN THE ART OF TRAVEL are registered trademarks of Virtuoso, Ltd. Virtuoso, Ltd. has a U.S. copyright registration for the Globe Swirl Logo, ©2000. All rights reserved. Virtuoso CST#2069091-50. California CST# 2069091; TA# 808 - Registered Iowa Travel Agency; Washington UBI # 601 554 183. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.
Reviews and Recommendations for Avanti Destinations
of 190 guests
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All reviews are from confirmed guests sharing exclusive insights
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Sorrento and Anacapri
By: Angela
Reviewed on: 13 Sep 2013
Great planning by Michelle Bemis using Sorrento as our home base and traveling to Pompeii and Amalfi coast from there. Easy train to Naples too. Everything was perfect and the hotels she booked could not have been better locations and better food.
Travel Advisor: Michelle Bemis
Very Good
By: Jim
Reviewed on: 25 Sep 2013
Avanti did a great job. Great facilities,tours and they were alwayas on time and where we expected them.
By: Maria G
Reviewed on: 01 Oct 2013
The tours and properties that Avanti Destinations had for Greece were fun and fancy. The small luxury hotels they offer for the stay in Santorini were wonderful and beautiful. The half day Akritiri and winery tour around Santorini was fantastic.
Travel Advisor: Georgia Smith
Wonderful Trip!
By: Cindy13
Reviewed on: 11 Oct 2013
Avanti provided first class service and accommodations. I will definitely be looking to utilize them again on my next trip to Italy.
By: packrat
Reviewed on: 05 Nov 2013
Euroscope provided our tours on a recent trip to London/Paris. We were picked up at our hotel at 8:45, instead of 8 am and the driver left us in Montemarte at 11:30. The wine and cheese "tasting" was a joke. Same with the Louvre Museum tour. It was supposed to be from 5:30 to 8:30. We were picked up at 5:15 pm but didn't get into the museum until around 6:30. The tour ended exactly at 8:30. The guide was fine. We are hoping for a partial refund for these 2 tours.
Travel Advisor: Jan Hammond
Not Recommended
Hotel Park Amsterdam...good location but real disappointment
By: Not provided
Reviewed on: 12 Jun 2014
we found the hotel to be much less than expected. Little things like non working tv, slick looking bathroom which was slick causing injury. When we left we asked to show our destination to driver, we were assured by hotel employee that the driver knew. Well guess what? He did not and dropped us at wrong dock. We walked about 1/2 mile with luggage, we arrived to cruise frazzled.
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By: Counselor
Reviewed on: 30 Jun 2014
The travel package with Avanti was great! A driver was there "on time" at all of our destinations awaiting our arrival! The only problem was that the vehicles were a bit small and not very roomy at all!
Things we taken care of
By: Sharlene & Walt
Reviewed on: 02 Sep 2014
Did most of the communication with Sharon so not sure where they fit in but it all worked out.
Travel Advisor: Sharon Organista
Avanti Tours
By: Bobbie
Reviewed on: 25 Sep 2014
The tours we took were wonderful. They were informative, and enjoyable despite the cold and rainy weather. We did feel however that St. Petersburg tours were quite pricey.
Travel Advisor: Michele Benigno
Dependable Service
By: Sugar
Reviewed on: 25 Sep 2014
They were there waiting for us as promised. Friendly, helpful driver.
By: CLB
Reviewed on: 13 Oct 2014
all the people that did our tours were knowledgeable and always on time
Travel Advisor: David Helfrich
Super Friendly Service
By: Sarita
Reviewed on: 03 Dec 2014
Our trip to Cuzco and Machu Picchu was fantastic. We were met by Nohemi Nunez and was able to explain all the transfers and itinerary. She even went out of her way to assist us with retrieving duplicate travel documents for our kids. She then returned them to us at the hotel in time for our travels to Machu Picchu. She made several wonderful recommendations for us while we stayed in Cuzco and was prompt at meeting us again on our return trip from Machu Picchu. At Machu Picchu Victor Hugo was our tour guide and was very good at pacing the tour so not to tire us out. He seemed very knowledgeable and easy to understand. Avanti was always meeting us promptly to get us to the next leg of the trip.... couldn't have done it without their assistance.
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Tours in Italy
By: Thomas
Reviewed on: 26 Oct 2018
The tour operator did a great job with most every tour that we had the pleasure to go on.
Great accomodations
By: Niteowljune
Reviewed on: 01 Jan 2015
What great properties you all represent! Our favorite was Belvedere Hotel in Davos, Switzerland. Lovely hotel, awesome amenities, tasty food, cigar cave for the guys, close to town and skiing, attractive room with patio and mountain view.
Travel Advisor: Lori Rogers
Expert tour guides
By: Stephen1952
Reviewed on: 10 Feb 2015
Awesome tour group!!
Well done!
By: JPR
Reviewed on: 08 Jul 2015
We worked with Kristy Adler of Avanti and were extremely happy. The Avanti network helped us all to work together to create a wonderful trip to France.
Travel Advisor: Kristy Adler
Happy Travelers
By: Martha7915
Reviewed on: 19 Jul 2015
Victoria was very helpful on the planing of our trip. She was very helpful and she gave us plenty of advice and suggestions.
Expert Service
By: DarioA
Reviewed on: 02 Aug 2015
Avanti services provided smooth well coordinated services that made our trip very enjoyable.
Outstanding Trip to Italy and France
By: Christl
Reviewed on: 03 Aug 2015
Florence was amazing! Private cooking class & tours were marvelous, especially private tour of the Uffizi including rarely seen Vasari Corridor (built 1564 atop Ponte Vechio). Private tour to Siena & home winery with lunch was awesome. Can't rave enough about 8-day Florence stay including Hotel Bernini. Second week was totally different and not as memorable, but fascinating nonetheless: toured Bordeaux wine area on Viking River "cruise" which was more floating hotel than cruise (in comparison, 15-day cruise Amsterdam to Budapest on Viking Braggi last year was awesome!). Private tour of Hine Cognac house in Jarnac was outstanding as was trip to Saint Emilion to view top wineries. Final 3 days were in Paris (superb hotel: Grand Hotel du Palais Royal). Very private gourmet dinner cruise on Don Juan II (Yachts de Paris) was grand & pricey, but well worth it for scenic tour & luxury. Private guided driving tour of Normandy to pay our respects (14 hrs - top guide again) was excellent
Not Recommended
By: Lynn
Reviewed on: 09 Sep 2015
We had several occasions when the transfers we had paid for did not materialize. We were double charged at one hotel. Was that because we never received the original vouchers. They were sent to the wrong address. The hotels were acceptable. The rail travel was substandard even though we supposedly had first class seats. The seating was open so that didn't help and the air conditioning was not working on two of the trains. The rental cars were in the wrong driver's name which caused problems and caused us to have to pay extra for another driver. We were not able to use one of our prepaid train tickets due to our flight being redirected to Rome rather than Milan. That was not Avanti's fault but none the less a problem.
Great Tour company
By: John L
Reviewed on: 16 Oct 2015
I was very pleased with our recent trip to Italy through Travel and Transport and Avanti Destinations. They arranged pick up and transfers for each part of our trip and each was executed perfectly despite some airline delays. They also arranges private tours of Rome, The Vatican and Pompei. Each was perfect with a very pleasant and fully English-speaking guide.
Travel Advisor: Andrea Kurschinski
Not Recommended
Limited service
By: Richard 75
Reviewed on: 02 Nov 2015
If all you want is a trip to London to see the sights, Avanti tours is very good. If you plan other activities or side trips outside of London I think the options are limited.
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Good Experience
By: Jim
Reviewed on: 06 Nov 2015
Friendly, well-informed guide who arrived on time and provided a first-rate tour of Normandy.
Great communication
By: Stocks
Reviewed on: 30 Oct 2018
We will absolutely use Avanti and Wendy again. Process was seamless and perfect.
Avanti Destinations
By: Mary
Reviewed on: 24 Oct 2018
Well organized. We were picked up on time. The hotel was ok for our need. The drivers were professional.
Mixed experience
By: Mccartjd
Reviewed on: 09 Jan 2016
Transfers from the port to hotel and hotel to airport were exceptional. Very well done. Tours in Rio were mixed. We weren't expecting full busloads of tourists and in one case the guide was trying to give the tour in four languages making it very difficult to align what we were seeing to his description. A problem with one bus lacking air conditioning was fixed quickly by getting a replacement bus. Seeing Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf were worth the trip.
They have you covered!
By: Europe 2016
Reviewed on: 17 May 2016
Even when the flight of one person in our group got delayed by five plus hours, Avanti was on the job. We called our travel agent, Izumi Ogawa at Vision Travel, and even got her out of bed in the middle of the night! We were worried that the the transfer service, arranged by Izumi through Avanti, wouldn't be there when the delayed flight arrived. But we worried for nothing. Izumi assured us that Avanti keeps track of things like delayed flights and would be there for the pick up. She was absolutely right. The transfer service was there to meet the delayed flight and the last person in our group enjoyed an excellent ride in a luxurious van to our hotel. Many thanks to Izumi and Avanti.
Fantastic service!
By: CWH21
Reviewed on: 24 Jun 2016
Nanci helped us plan a fantastic honeymoon to Ireland! From the wonderful places we stayed to the tours and activities she recommend. It was a trip of a lifetime! We will definitely be using her again for future trips!
Travel Advisor: Nanci Cain
Great service
By: Ncy55
Reviewed on: 24 Jun 2016
We had great success with Avanti tours. All our drivers were very friendly and professional and always on time. We requested a bigger vehicle because of baggage, etc. and they were always very nice big vans. Very happy with their service.
Travel Advisor: Candace Dupps
Great private tours!
By: Neelo
Reviewed on: 11 Aug 2016
We enjoyed all the tours and the private transfers were excellent. The drivers and guides all spoke perfect English, and the vehicles were spotless.
another great vacation
By: johnny easy
Reviewed on: 01 Oct 2016
hi,once again christine planned the perfect trip for us.all hotels were great & in the right location for each destination.our guides in italy made the trip truly enjoyable,we're already looking forward to our next trip to ireland,thanks to christine & blue skies travel
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Barcelona tour was great!
By: TGlide
Reviewed on: 19 Sep 2016
Our Avanti Barcelona Sightseeing Tour with Lunch was exciting. This tour was full of all things Barcelona! We definitely feel like we got the best highlights of this wonderful city. Our tour was actually divided into 2 tours with lunch in between the tours. Nothing on our voucher indicated this and it would have been nice to know so we would have known more how our day was structured. Our first tour guide Amalia, was very knowledgeable, bubbly and charasmatic! She was concerned about everyone on the tour and wanted us to have an enjoyable tour. We even went on a tram ride with a view overlooking Barcelona, an unexpected surprise. The afternoon tour guide was not as personable but was sufficient. Our tours consisted of bus transportation and walking tours. The main negative on this tour was that it ended in the middle of a busy street in Barcelona and we were not transported back to our Wamos tour location that we left from. We were all just left to find our way in a Foreign city!
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Good and better.
By: JKB
Reviewed on: 21 Sep 2016
We have used Avanti services in the past and been very satisfied. We recently use Avanti services when we traveled to Florence, Italy and Athens, Greece. The semi-private walking tour we booked in Florence was one of the best we've ever had. The two tours we booked out of Athens--Acropolis and the Temple of Apollo--were satisfactory but could have been better had they been equipped with the broadcast/hearing devices we were provided on several other tours.
Wonderful Trip
By: Anon
Reviewed on: 18 Apr 2017
The package that was put together for us was wonderful. We experienced everything that we wanted to and definitely got every penny out of our trip. We stayed in 2 5-Star and 1 4-Star hotel/resort for much less than we would have expected and they were all in very beautiful and convenient locations. Our taxi/ferry/travel schedule was put together very well and easy to understand. The tours that we had were great experiences, really fun and helped us immerse ourselves more into the local culture and history. The only downside was that we were told that we would have a gift in the room included in the last hotel and that gift was not there - and the hotel did not know anything about it. Considering that was the only thing that was wrong with the trip though, it was pretty easy to overlook. It was still a very wonderful trip and we would definitely recommend Avanti Destinations to other travelers.
Italy 30th
By: Ed and Nina
Reviewed on: 31 Oct 2016
All Very nice! Palermo hotel accommodations were not up to par but the staff was very nice.
Travel Advisor: Gima Aboukhater
Hotels selected very convenient for activities
By: Arthur
Reviewed on: 11 Nov 2016
And reasonably priced.
Travel Advisor: Cindy Bown
Avanti good
By: maura
Reviewed on: 24 Jan 2017
Our experience with Avanti was good. thank you!
Asia Cruise
By: Kim G.
Reviewed on: 20 Feb 2017
They were wonderful! All of our transfers were perfect and the tour of Hong Kong was exactly what we wanted!
Travel Advisor: Sheryl Graddon
Viet Nam tour
By: pup
Reviewed on: 09 Mar 2017
excellent company. We always felt well taken care of. Itineraries, knowledge of the guide and the hotels were all wonderful. I would not hesitate to travel with them again
Travel Advisor: Lorraine Brunzlick
Paris & Italy
By: JimJim & Bebe
Reviewed on: 24 Mar 2017
Hotels, flights and trains were all as expected. Documents were on time and everything was as planned. Would highly recommend Avanti.
Travel Advisor: Misty Jones
Amazing Asia
By: Asia 2017
Reviewed on: 16 Apr 2017
This is our second trip that our Advisor, Izumi Ogawa, used Avanti Destinations. And just like the last time, Avanti used top notch partners to execute their well thought out plans. And it doesn't seem to matter what part of the world they are focusing on. Our first experience with them was a trip to Europe and this time, on the opposite side of the globe, Indochina. From Italy, Switzerland, and France the first time to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos this time. It didn't faze them even a little bit. They only seem to have one speed...maximum performance! Even in a remote area like Luang Prabang, they provided a well spoken and knowledgeable guide to usher us for a full day on two wonderful tours...Tham Pak Ou Cave and Kuang Si Waterfalls. In the past we have been subjected to tour guides that were supposedly speaking English, but we weren't entirely sure. Not with the partners that work with Avanti. Not only very understandable but also personable and just plain nice. Great job Avanti.
great flights
By: Zeta girl
Reviewed on: 14 May 2017
they can get you the best deal in flights, car & hotels.
By: AB1234
Reviewed on: 20 May 2017
We had no problems using Avanti on our trip
By: trip
Reviewed on: 20 May 2017
no problems at all
Good Partnerships with Avanti
By: jem
Reviewed on: 03 Nov 2018
We were pleased with all of our stops. The trip was comfortable and enjoyable start to finish.
Italy trip
By: Ginannfl
Reviewed on: 13 Nov 2018
Avanti Destinations was very helpful for our recent Italy trip.
Travel Advisor: Lisa Antenucci
Great for 95%
By: Spainbound
Reviewed on: 30 Oct 2018
For the most part it was excellent. We were unable to make a few train reservations and 1 hotel so we had to do that on our own. The train situation was weird because the schedule was available online for us to make them on our own. You don't have hotels on your site for Peñiscola which is a shame because it's a beautiful beach town.
Not Recommended
Avanti Tours
By: Robert and Nancy
Reviewed on: 04 Jun 2017
As a whole the tours were fine. Well planned and very professional. I would however NEVER recommend the hop on/ hop off bus in London. London is so crowded we basically just sat in traffic 1/2 of our first of two days with a hop on/off pass. The narration of the "City Tours" bus left much to be desired. They just basically said "here is Buckingham Palace" no details or history etc. We finally decided to take the subway ourself and saw much more of London. People would be much better served by just buying an oyster pass and traveling on their own. The hop on/off tour in Edinbrugh was much better as that is not a crowded city and the tour was much more organized.
Italy Honeymoon
By: Travel
Reviewed on: 30 Jun 2017
We had a great experience with Avanti Destinations. We had no issues throughout our trip.
tour operator
By: jay w
Reviewed on: 19 Jun 2017
Lisa is always great
Review of Avanti Destinations 6-17
By: Bryan
Reviewed on: 12 Jun 2017
My dealings were with Tammy Jones-Deem, but to the extent that she relied upon Avanti (for vouchers and reservations), the service was excellent. There was an interim mistake regarding a voucher for a transfer from the hotel in Barcelona to the airport, but that was quickly corrected. The information I received regarding the bookings were clear and timely.
Italian Honeymoon
By: Andy
Reviewed on: 14 Jun 2017
Avanti had lots of great options for us to choose from while we were planning and once we got to Italy everything we did was incredible. Their tours and excursions were amazing and I would gladly use them again.
Travel Advisor: Sandy Walt
Peru-Argentina Trip
By: Anne
Reviewed on: 26 Jun 2017
All arrangements were fine. Tour guides were particularly good.
Travel Advisor: Patricia Klippel
Europe Summer Trip 2017
By: Eurotravelet
Reviewed on: 26 Jun 2017
The drivers were prompt, spoke English very well. The driver from our Rome hotel to the port for our cruise was especially good. He pointed out many things for us to observe on the way out of the city. The driver from the airport in London to our hotel was very good as well.
Croatia Island Hopping.
By: MVM
Reviewed on: 19 Jul 2017
Avanti employed some truly fine personnel who picked us up on time and delivered us to our destination efficiently. They were very welcoming.
By: Me
Reviewed on: 01 Jul 2017
Everything on our trip went very smoothly. Transfers were there waiting and cordial. Excellent!!
Travel Advisor: Linda Voelker
South America Adventure
By: Larry
Reviewed on: 02 Jul 2017
An outstanding trip that met and exceeded all expectations. Great job!
Costa Rica
By: Dave and Cheryl
Reviewed on: 01 Jul 2017
Very good. Meet expectations
What more could you ask for?
By: independent traveler
Reviewed on: 05 Jul 2017
For the most part, we would recommend Avanti Destinations again for other travelers. We have used this company for travel before and by its reputation chose them for this trip. We had to work with them because our party consisted of two adults and a teen. Finding family accommodations was a bit more difficult. We suggest that this company secure more hotels that are geared toward travelling families. One hotel in Cordoba was particularly difficult to find as we were driving. The hotel, however, sent a young man to a location we could find, and directed my husband to the hotel. Outstanding!!!
Travel Advisor: George Nagy
By: Heidi
Reviewed on: 10 Jul 2017
The arrangements were all wonderful. The guided tours were all great! We would recommend their services to our friends.
By: Anonymous
Reviewed on: 08 Aug 2017
Very good. We had a minor issue with a reservation, but it was resolved.
Totally worth it
By: Renee
Reviewed on: 08 Nov 2018
Made our vacation hassle-free.
italy trip
By: janney
Reviewed on: 07 Nov 2018
excellent. friendly people and all on time and knowledgeable for all our tours.
Travel Advisor: Marianne Kochanek
Frendly faces in a far away place
By: Mr & Mrs Strimple
Reviewed on: 18 Jul 2017
When we arrived in our destination city it was a little scary not to know the language. We found our Avanti driver and spent the whole taxi ride to the hotel in conversation. He taught us a few common phrases, and showed us some landmarks as we passed them by. Avanti Destinations was with us every step of the way, we never felt lost or unprepared. The whole week was a blast.
By: HOLD
Reviewed on: 17 Jul 2017
I really do not know actually, never heard from or talked to anyone with them. There were a few issues with the train tickets etc. but we just figured it out. Would not pay for first class again on trains as we were unable to get our first class seats first because train was late and missed the second train and just had to jump on another and second because there was no indication of which train on the way to Pisa and apparently there were 2 within 15 mins, we got on first one which had no first class and stopped in every town - major pain - and did not know until too late. The second one apparently would have had our seats and been faster but it was very unclear. Also we LOVED the villa, but half way through our time there the Padrone showed up and was loud and rude and the wonderful caretaker disappeared when he was there and we had no recourse. ruined 2 days. had no way to get any assistance.
Travel Advisor: Rene Maillard
Had a great time
By: Mickie
Reviewed on: 19 Jul 2017
The hotels booked were as described. Ramon's Village was in need of renovations, with no TV in the rooms and noticeable wear. But the ability to book snorkeling and other tours made up for it. Roberts Grove in Placencia was our favorite, with the most friendly, accommodating staff. And the tour we took of the Monkey River was great. But mostly it was the people. The San Ignacio Hotel was the most luxurious, and was a beautiful setting. In addition, the tours from there were the best. They went off without a single hitch, and Fidelio, who was our guide on two tours was so very knowledgeable about the Mayans, and about the native plants and history.
Ireland & British Isles
By: Reviewer
Reviewed on: 31 Jul 2017
Very good - wonderful hotels and service
Travel Advisor: Deanna Byrd
By: Vicki
Reviewed on: 31 Jul 2017
Hotel was fabulous.
Travel Advisor: Joan Umbel
Self Guided Tour In Scotland-"The Outlander Tour".
By: Ken B
Reviewed on: 11 Sep 2017
We were very pleased with Avanti and the tour planned for us on the "Outlander" trip to Scotland. We started in Edinburgh and immediately began using the passes that were provided including the Bus Tour, Edinburgh Castle, the awesome Tea Room, and the Edinburgh Museum. I really thought both were great and the Heritage Pass was a great "bang for the buck" since we were able to use it in many places that were on the tour. The hotel accommodations were quite good for the most part. We were a bit let down with the hotel in Edinburgh but I believe that it would be very difficult to find an affordable hotel so close to the tourist sites there so I personally found the hotel OK especially with the nice breakfast. All the other places we visited and hotels were great and really put us in the mood to be in Scotland, seeing the amazing Scottish Highlands while also experiencing the remarkable history including the story of the Jacobites and the feeling of the Outlander movie. I am out of space
By: beverly
Reviewed on: 10 Aug 2017
They did a good job on everything - drivers were where they were supposed to be. And they were happy to make an extra stop when half of our party got off at the wrong train stop in Cinque Terre. It was all very nicely done -
Travel Advisor: Willo Falk
Best Europe trip yet.
By: B
Reviewed on: 11 Aug 2017
Fine. Based on the response to our changes, Avanti was accommodating and timely and met expectations.
Travel Advisor: Diane Stickney Scholl
Dream Italian Honeymoon!
By: Greg & Jessi
Reviewed on: 31 Aug 2017
Everything Jen coordinated was perfect!! The physical documents provided by Avanti after everything was sorted out were incredibly helpful and we're very glad for the assistance!
Travel Advisor: Jennifer Polito Waigand
By: Matt S.
Reviewed on: 29 Sep 2017
They coordinated all of our activities seamlessly and allowed my wife and I to maximize our time having fun instead of waiting around for something to do.
By: Brownie
Reviewed on: 23 Aug 2017
Perfect, all the places we had to travel was with ease thanks to Tammy setting this up with this company.
Always on time
By: Jerry
Reviewed on: 16 Sep 2017
Drivers were very helpful and informative about our trip to Athens
Travel Advisor: Connie Frenzel
By: Tom
Reviewed on: 30 Sep 2017
Everything went smooth and the trip was awesome!
Iceland 2017
By: Toni
Reviewed on: 27 Sep 2017
Absolutely perfect. No unpleasant surprises. All questions were answered clearly and concisely. Avanti knows what they are doing and I would not hesitate to use their services again.
Smooth trip
By: Beth
Reviewed on: 28 Sep 2017
Everything worked out fine. We had all necessary documents and vouchers and all communication was clear. We did not need to call for any special assistance fortunately!
By: Biz
Reviewed on: 09 Oct 2017
Overall our accommodations and travel worked out well, but we did have 2 glitches that we wanted to share with you. The first was when we got to PortoMarin the first day of hiking. When we arrived at the Hotel Villajardin we were told that we had no reservation there and our luggage was not there. The man at the desk made a phone call and then said I know where your reservation and luggage are. They were at the Hotel Ferramentierro- across town! After a very long day of hiking, we were not happy to have to hike across the city to a different hotel. The hotel was fine as we were the accommodations and restaurant. Something shady was definitely going on their end with the reservation...The other was the cancellation of our trip home from Madrid due to "no crew", but we were eventually put on a different flight.
Travel Advisor: Trisha Iannazzi
Avanti Was Fine
By: Quilter Girl
Reviewed on: 05 Oct 2017
I questioned whether all the hotels had hair blow dryers, and Avanti contacted all the hotels to confirm, and I had an answer the same day. That is great service!
Travel Advisor: Laurie Valdez
By: pattycakes
Reviewed on: 16 Oct 2017
good experience
Travel Advisor: Debra Stern
By: Sally
Reviewed on: 27 Oct 2017
The guides that were provided were extremely knowledgeable and adaptable to the change of plans.
By: Carol
Reviewed on: 02 Nov 2017
Fabulous! Great location and charming hotel!
Travel Advisor: Russ Dunlap
Always on time.
By: Jeka
Reviewed on: 08 Nov 2017
Always on time, professionals, clean tour cars, friendly, easy to understand. Being a woman, I prefer the female guides because they know the things I am most interested in and they give excellent tips. The younger males are not the smoothest drivers and they do not seem to be enthusiastic about their jobs. They seem to be distracted and quoting a memorized history brochure.
By: Nolan Chandler
Reviewed on: 28 May 2018
Avanti Destinations had connecting taxis and guides for us when we were departing or arriving to a particular country/city. The guides/taxis were always promptly there to meet us to pick us up. The connections and hotels were efficient and elegant. I would recommend Avanti Destinations.
Italy trip
By: SantaNCH
Reviewed on: 05 Jun 2018
Professional & enjoyable experience.
Travel Advisor: Landa Mauriello-Vernon
By: Elise
Reviewed on: 07 Mar 2019
All 3 of our tours coordinated by Avanti were excellent. The guides were welcoming, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic.
Avanti Destinations
By: KNH
Reviewed on: 11 Nov 2017
Avanti planned our recent trip's hotels, transfers & tours in Paris, Venice & Rome. We were very happy with the folks who took care of our transfers from the airport, train, hotels & tours. They were all very professional & personable. The hotels were all very clean, the staff all very helpful & professional as well. The 1st 2 hotel rooms were a little on the small size but manageable. The 2nd 2 hotel room had a little more "elbow room" & felt a bit more comfortable. We enjoyed the breakfasts at the 2nd 2 hotels the most as they included eggs, sausage & bacon ...not just breads, cakes/cookies, yogurt, cold cereal & a little fruit. All our tours were small group tours with English speaking guides. In the case of the Louvre tour...it ended up being a personal tour for us...fabulous! All guides were very professional, well versed in their topics & cared to be sure you got your questions answered, photos taken & safely walked the tours together! Definitely recommend them!
Travel Advisor: Cindy Cain
Well done
By: MDM
Reviewed on: 27 Nov 2017
The best part about Avanti tours were the pick ups at the train station and airport. With the exception of our driver in Bologna, all of our drivers were exceptional. So nice to have our train tickets done by Avanti as well. Highly recommend the aforementioned features.
Trip to Guatemala
By: kitty
Reviewed on: 22 Feb 2018
Very accomodating
Travel Advisor: Kip Abbott
Chilean vacation
By: AT
Reviewed on: 12 Apr 2018
The tour operator did a wonderful job with my Chilean vacation. I had two wonderful guides: Paula in San Pedro and Hete in Rapa Nui. Both knew the area very well and were very friendly. I wish I had two more days in Atacama desert--so many more things to see and do and I spent way too much time traveling to get there. Four nights in Rapa Nui was perfect for me. Lovely island and Hete was also the perfect guide. He gave me fantastic recommendations of things to see and do on my own and great places to eat. He also pointed me to the church so I could attend Easter service and hear the signing in the Rapa Nui language which was wonderful. Had an extra special treat of a troupe from Tahiti visiting and the young people sang as well.
Travel Advisor: Lori Thornton
Holland snd Poland
By: Linda
Reviewed on: 06 May 2018
Good. Difficult to find hop on, hop off buses and canal boats bc we didn't know the company's name & there are several companies.
Travel Advisor: Kim Johnson
Honeymoon in Japan
By: Ali
Reviewed on: 24 Sep 2018
We had a fantastic experience with everything tour guide in Japan! Everyone was super friendly, knowledgeable, and punctual.
Travel Advisor: Serena McClain
Two part review
By: traveler
Reviewed on: 21 May 2018
We used Avanti through our travel agent to supplement cruise with Lindblad/National Geographic. Ecuador & Galapagos arrangements were mostly handled by Lindblad and were excellent. Avanti also arranged Panama excursions - a "tack-on" to the trip and these arrangements were of inconsistent quality. Hotel -- Crowne Plaza in Panama City - was a tired and well-worn property but its location was good. Private tours - arranged with Gambia Tours, local operator - were inconsistent although reliable and most of the guides knowledgeable and friendly.
By: Jim
Reviewed on: 15 May 2018
Excellent. Great hotels and tour selections.
By: Madison
Reviewed on: 26 May 2018
The tour met our needs. Everything went as planned.
Travel Advisor: Molly Reidel
By: Shelly
Reviewed on: 07 Jun 2018
We were very happy with the tours we booked. The guides and drivers were all very polite and helpful and made each tour a wonderful experience. Except for our scheduled tour to the Amalfi Coast, every guide and/or driver were prompt and everything went very smoothly. We especially enjoyed our driver that took us into Tuscany and our guide in Rome that took us to the Vatican, Colosseum, and Forum. Exceptional!
France-trip of a lifetime
By: Midge Wische
Reviewed on: 06 Jun 2018
I felt so well taken care of as a single traveler. Everything was so well coordinated. Not a single misstep on Avanti's part. Versailles tour was cancelled because of a strike; my money was refunded immediately. When I called to state that pre-arranged Montmartre trip would be too strenuous, money was refunded immediately. Thank you for your professionalism and, graciousness. I hope I have the opportunity to work with you again, via my Virtuoso travel agent Rosie Goldberger, Houston, TX.
Travel Advisor: Rosie Goldberger
Great service
By: Jill K.
Reviewed on: 02 Jun 2018
We had the most amazing service with all of our transfers and drivers. All were timely and friendly and accommodating making our travel so easy ! Thank you!
By: Dave gaddda
Reviewed on: 03 Jun 2018
Invisible. They made it seamless.
By: ken
Reviewed on: 04 Jun 2018
Great and Tammy Deem is the reason I use Avanti. Thanks to all. Ken
By: Jean
Reviewed on: 06 Jun 2018
Sorry, I mixed up Travel Bound with this one in my comments! Please use those for this review. My Travel Bound comments would have been: great accommodations and pu service that was friendly and punctual!
By: Deloris Maze
Reviewed on: 09 Jun 2018
Avanti did a perfect job for us in all ways. Enjoyed everything
Very satisfied with trip
By: Denise
Reviewed on: 15 Jun 2018
I recently took a trip to Italy and would recommend Avanti Destinations to other travelers. I find their tours to be really fun, informative, and reasonably priced. A general tip -- I would recommend taking smaller group tours. For example, we took a tour to Cinque Terre that was a bus of over 50 people and looking back it would have been more enjoyable going with a smaller group. Just something to keep in mind!
By: VML
Reviewed on: 20 Jun 2018
Drivers to and from airports and train stations were great, especially the gentleman in Munich. Most of the hotels were very nice. Having to wait 8 hours for our room in Paris, after arriving from USA was problematic
Travel Advisor: Linda Talboy
Avanti Destinations
By: Patti
Reviewed on: 17 Jun 2018
The hotels Avanti Destinations chose were almost all top notch and in ideal locations. There were only two hotels and locations on this month long trip that we thought could have been better.
Travel Advisor: Maureen Roemmick
Dream come true south of Italy family vacation
By: cam
Reviewed on: 01 Aug 2018
We were very happy with Vanessa Genger's work. Vanessa organized everything from hotels, air, private tours to ground transportation. Each event was perfectly executed. The private tours and cooking school were outstanding. The tours were staffed with the most knowledgeable and professional tour guides. We also loved each hotel (with our special accommodations) and the locations Vanessa booked for our stays. It has been years since I worked with a travel agent so there was a learning curve during the planning stage.
Travel Advisor: Vanessa Genger
Italy Trip
By: Sue
Reviewed on: 01 Jul 2018
For the most part we were pleased with Avanti Destinations. We were disappointed with our 3 hour driving tour of Rome. One of the drivers did not speak English. As we drove he did not explain what we were seeing. When we arrived at a destination he did not tell us what we were seeing. We had to ask the other driver if we did not know. It was very frustrating. We were very pleased with all of the other guides that we had. They were knowledgeable and kept the interest of our grandchildren. A big thank you to them. We appreciated the drivers that met us and took us to the airports and train stations. They were very helpful. All in all we would use Avanti Destinations again.
Germany/Austria Tour
By: Lisa S
Reviewed on: 28 Jun 2018
Avanti planned a great itinerary for us in Germany and Austria. Enjoyed everything planned.
Travel Advisor: Anne Bluntzer
By: Jenny
Reviewed on: 05 Jul 2018
Trip went well.
Travel Advisor: Roxanne O'Bryon
Peru 2018
By: Steve
Reviewed on: 06 Jul 2018
Our experience with Avanti Destinations was fabulous. Every member of the Avanti team was professional and courteous, and they went "above and beyond" to make our trip smoothe and memorable. I would use them again!
Travel Advisor: Judy Miron
By: D.H.
Reviewed on: 08 Jul 2018
Great tours, very professional tour guides!
Italy 2018
By: Italy 2018
Reviewed on: 30 Jul 2018
Excellent, Herff & Palenberg were great except as mentioned in our review.
Don & Nancy Italy
By: Allan
Reviewed on: 10 Jul 2018
Everything went smoothly
Ireland & Scotland
By: Diana Chandler
Reviewed on: 22 Jul 2018
Our travel agent, Bob Romano of Riverside, CA, and Avanti reallly outdid themselves with making our two-week vacation in Ireland and Scotland a stress-free and fun-filled trip. Every, single aspect from transportation to and from airports/hotels to accommodations that were spectacular and within our budget to setting up tours for us was handled with the utmost professionalism. Our trip went off without a hitch because of their care and attention to detail.
As promised
By: Robin
Reviewed on: 01 Aug 2018
Set up by my travel agent but recognized by all the folks in Europe
Travel Advisor: Alan Abelson
European Tour 2018
By: Bobbie
Reviewed on: 18 Aug 2018
This trip came together perfectly. The guides were punctual and professional and moved us from one place to the next right on time and was great for our group of 5. I would recommend this group to anyone traveling Europe for the first time. I have no idea if you will know who they are, but a special acknowledgment to the driver who picked us up at the Romanico Palace Hotel in Rome and delivered us to the train station, he told us how to get to our platform but then as we were regrouping in the lobby, he caught up to us again and explained again exactly where we needed to go. Also, to the lady who picked us up at the Royal San Marco in Venice and took us to the ship port, she was so kind and helpful giving us a history of the island and the festival we were about to miss. Special thanks to both of them.
By: Susan
Reviewed on: 02 Aug 2018
Really enjoyed the Blue Lagoon Convenient that my hotel (Island Hotel)had a restaurant
Costa Rica
By: anita fenix
Reviewed on: 27 Jul 2018
Always a great time .Second time with Avanti, would use them again.
By: Charlie H
Reviewed on: 06 Aug 2018
Great trip. Great hotels. Especially the Ashford Castle at cong.
Travel Advisor: Sharon Carr
By: Heyho
Reviewed on: 06 Aug 2018
Trip was great and hotels were top notch
Travel Advisor: Kim Taber
No hitches
By: ExIowaNewsGuy
Reviewed on: 01 Aug 2018
Avanti delivered really nice hotels in Bruges, Belgium, and Amsterdam; timely transfers, a really first-class trip on a high-speed train between Brussels and Amsterdam, and top-notch tours. Our only misgiving was not knowing that we had to use the Van Gogh tour voucher to make a reservation to enter the museum. Fortunately, we were informed about that early that day and we able to get in with the last group. Missing that would have been a bummer!
Travel Advisor: Gregg Humble
By: shell
Reviewed on: 06 Aug 2018
Would highly recommend Avanti to all my family and friends. We will certainly use them again for our next trip.
Travel Advisor: Abby Bebout
Europe Trip
By: LD
Reviewed on: 07 Aug 2018
We were very pleased. Cars were waiting for us at airports when we arrived. Hotels were all very nice. They all had our information and we just had to hand them the voucher and Passport and we were checked in promptly. The tours we selected were topnotch.
Tour Operator
By: Sandy
Reviewed on: 13 Aug 2018
They did a good job with tours and transfers.
Travel Advisor: Sarah Overbergen
Scotland and Ireland Trip
By: Pam
Reviewed on: 05 Aug 2018
My only complaint is the strictness of the refund policy. I decided to forgo use of my car in the last leg of my trip and it was only my earlier experience in my trip that led me to this needed decision. There was no possibility of any refund after 10 days prior to the beginning of my trip. I can totally understand having to pay some sort of cancellation fee, even a hefty one, but to have no possibility of any refund felt too strict to me. Other than that the flow of the many moving parts necessary for my trip fit together perfectly.
Travel Advisor: Shelly Lynch
Best Trip Ever!!!
By: Lucy Riles
Reviewed on: 25 Aug 2018
Everything ran very smoothly and organized!
Travel Advisor: Jessica Hart
Island Hop
By: Island Hop
Reviewed on: 09 Aug 2018
We knew where we wanted to go and general what we wanted to do, but Avanti Destinations filled in the blanks. Very memorable trip.
Travel Advisor: Jeffrey Audley
Agnes review
By: Angy
Reviewed on: 20 Aug 2018
It was very good and the person who was suposse to pick us up to go the the airport was on time. I only have one comment regarding arrival at the train station in Madrid. The person was not there so we had to take a taxi to the hotel in Madrid.
Prompt and courteous
By: Europe Aug 2018
Reviewed on: 19 Aug 2018
Avanti was professional, prompt and courteous. We were happy to have them part of our travel plan. They made our transfers stress free.
Travel Advisor: Alfred Volden
By: Buddy
Reviewed on: 04 Sep 2018
Very organized.
Summer trip
By: Den
Reviewed on: 23 Aug 2018
Everything was well organized. Hotels , flights, transfers, entertainment. We didn't have any problems but I got the feeling if we did they would take care of it promptly. A good experience
South America:Machu Pichu
By: KATE
Reviewed on: 12 Sep 2018
Great job, planes timely, great service, Condor was smack on the sights, timely and precise!! Well done, this trip could have been a nightmare, it was a dream. Thank you
By: Deb
Reviewed on: 06 Sep 2018
Outstanding. We were handed off many times a day and every person was on time, knew what they were doing and so helpful.
Not Recommended
Just ok
By: A. Nonymous
Reviewed on: 07 Sep 2018
The tours we took were ok. Paris had lots of driving in SUV's, and people in the middle seats do not see very much. One of the Paris driver had an accent that was just too difficult to follow. Also, on one of our excursions they tried to patch together participants from two different locations in a way that was impossible without making somebody sit and wait for a long time and then the entire tour was delayed so we wasted lots of time in rush hour traffic. The coach driver (don't try to find the buses - they are coached) in London had us walk down a long, complicated route at Windsor Castle and told us to be sure to keep track of the twists and turns so we could get back to the coach. Not easy, and we were in a big panic when we got lost. Hotel in Paris and event passes in London were great. It would be helpful if the subway material included more specifics about validating the passes and the nuances of getting through the entrance and exits of the turnstile in Paris, etc.
Denmark, Norway, Sweden
By: Dwc
Reviewed on: 24 Sep 2018
All of our tour guides were excellent. They were knowledgeable, spoke good English and showed us what we wanted to see. Very helpful.
Travel Advisor: Valerie Anderson
transfer & tour
By: Debbie
Reviewed on: 06 Oct 2018
The driver was very prompt and gave us a lot of helpful information about the city. He was extremely nice! Thank you!
By: M D F
Reviewed on: 19 Sep 2018
They organized everything well.
Avanti Rocks
By: Sarah
Reviewed on: 26 Sep 2018
Avanti hotels partners and staff were fantastic to work with. We loved our accommodations and train travel experiences.
By: Craig
Reviewed on: 28 Sep 2018
Travel Advisor: Sheri Phillips
Taste of Ireland
By: Gman
Reviewed on: 25 Sep 2018
The itinerary was packed with a lot of experiences and we really enjoyed ourselves. The "Taste of Ireland" was truly that, a taste of almost everything the country had to offer. If it's your first time in country this is a good choice. On your second trip you can pinpoint where you want to spend more time. Most of the sites we visited were expecting us, as were the hotels. A couple of experiences you will need to call in advance, mainly the farms. And, don't travel too late into September as folks in Ireland are looking forward to the season ending and starting their holiday! The only thing I would change is the next to the last night (Galway). There was a longer road trip that day with 2 experiences. The hotel was on the other side of Galway making you have to navigate back through the city in the morning to get to your last 2 experiences. You also have to get to Dublin the same day making you feel rushed.
By: Jake
Reviewed on: 27 Sep 2018
My experience w Avanti to Italy was outstanding.
Enjoyable Trip
By: Speedy
Reviewed on: 05 Oct 2018
We had a very enjoyable trip.
Travel Advisor: September Holstad
Good experience
By: Cait B.
Reviewed on: 30 Sep 2018
We had a good experience booking our travel through Avanti and would do it again.
Travel Advisor: Mardi Burmeister
By: Rongela
Reviewed on: 01 Oct 2018
Our experience with Avanti was very satisfactory, and we would highly recommend this company!
Not Recommended
Disappointed in France
By: Middle of 9
Reviewed on: 30 Sep 2018
Our first tour was over 30 minutes late due to traffic that the driver was not made aware of in advance. This problem created another one for my sister traveling in a wheelchair. The driver had to park farther away due to a special event. Avanti was difficult to reach when our first hotel they arranged for us did not have air conditioning in all the rooms. I counted on my travel agent to help us and she did.
By: Nuttinettie
Reviewed on: 24 Jan 2019
Perfect! No complaints. Will use again
Travel Advisor: Shameeron Paur
By: Mick and Carol
Reviewed on: 03 Oct 2018
Great accommodations. The flights over and back were all delayed causing problems.
By: Italy
Reviewed on: 15 Oct 2018
Great transfers and tours! All went smoothly
Europe - Fall 2018
By: Patsy
Reviewed on: 09 Oct 2018
The hotels we've booked through Avanti have always been very good. Accommodations are prompt and thorough. Sometimes it's hard to compare travel cost s or options with no itemization.
By: Lori Donnelly
Reviewed on: 15 Oct 2018
The tour planned were very good, and each guide was very well spoken. The private tours were excellent.
Avanti Destinations--Outstanding!
By: Larry and Karen Kay
Reviewed on: 08 Oct 2018
Avanti Destinations organized the "extras," which enabled us to customize our Greece and Italy adventure. Excellent hotel accommodations, timely transfers and an outstanding tour guide were elements of our trip, which enhanced the entire experience.
Tours to Remember
By: BJM
Reviewed on: 08 Oct 2018
Each tour provided a perfect blend of education and entertainment. Transportation was always comfortable, timely, and reliable.
Trips 2018
By: Sophie
Reviewed on: 20 Oct 2018
The trips to Budapest, Prague and Barcelona were excellent. The transfers, the hotels, the tours were amazing. Everything went so smoothly. We were very happy with our experience with Avanti.
Portugal/Northern Spain
By: Joe Numbers
Reviewed on: 27 Oct 2018
Very good. Everything went very smoothly and hotels, trains, etc. were booked as promised.
By: Loretta
Reviewed on: 14 Oct 2018
Wonderful experience! Will book with them again!
By: SPIman
Reviewed on: 19 Oct 2018
Fine. All went as planned
Travel Advisor: Christine Kennedy
By: frenbaker
Reviewed on: 23 Oct 2018
used them mainly for transfers of which there were 7 in total plus hotels at 3 locations. Well done..
Travel Advisor: Jeannie Vogel
By: Mike
Reviewed on: 18 Nov 2018
Extremely professional and all complex travel arrangements met. Drivers were on time and professional. Hotels were first-class. Had last minute change in hotel mid-cruise, and was successfully navigated electronically - no problem. Substitute hotel was of equal value, or greater. Would highly recommend!
By: Shoe
Reviewed on: 07 Nov 2018
From the minute we stepped off the plane in Buenos Aires to the final day of departure out of Santiago, the tour guides were top notch and professional! There was never a question or doubt as to what time a tour or transport was going to take place. Each tour guide was on time, knowledgeable, and easy to converse with and willing to respond to any of our questions. Jose and Jose (aka Jose-B) are a great duo and we had a blast with them!! The hotels and facilities all comfortable , well located and good service.
Travel Advisor: Carlo Hilliard
Not Recommended
A bit confusing, especially in Iceland
By: MALD
Reviewed on: 28 Nov 2018
While the tours themselves were excellent and prices competitive, Avanti's confirmation documents were a bit confusing. They did not list the tour company so I had to have the hotel concierge track down all of our reservations and re-print out confirmations. I think this was acutely difficult in Iceland because all of the tours pick up at the same location so its extremely important to have clarity into which company bus you are searching for.
By: Tammy
Reviewed on: 01 Dec 2018
Great tour package. Nice hotel and the Heathrow express ticket and the oyster card was great
Travel Advisor: Laura Ciccone
By: Panama
Reviewed on: 02 Dec 2018
The car drivers and Canal Guide (Juan Carlos) were out of this world spectacular.
By: Bailey K
Reviewed on: 26 Dec 2018
Avanti Destinations was a good company to work with as well!
Not Recommended
Incorrect addresses, no digital tickets
By: _itsamadworld_travel
Reviewed on: 07 Jan 2019
The address on our hard copy of the itinerary (sent to us directly by the company) was incorrect. This caused us to arrive at the wrong hotel, be denied, spend money making overseas calls to figure out the issue and additional cab fare to the other hotel. They company also does not send digital copies of train tickets, so you have to pay additional fees for them to mail you hard copies. Most other train passengers had digital/mobile tickets.
Great group
By: Jules
Reviewed on: 14 Jan 2019
The tour directors were all friendly and easy to converse with. They were very knowledgeable and also on time! Nice job.
Travel Advisor: Vicky Malakoff
Ecuador and Galapagos with Avanti
By: Dave and Vicki Leary
Reviewed on: 13 Feb 2019
Avanti made our recent Ecuador and Galapagos tour super smooth and easy, with knowledgeable guides who had extensive local knowledge and spoke excellent English. They picked us up at each airport, explained our daily activities, and made transport out to Galapagos as simple as possible for first-time visitors - literally walking with us to the airline counters, personally helping us through the Galapagos luggage inspection process and entries fees, and staying with us right up to the security checkpoints at each of our airport departures. Their choice of hotels for our stays in Quito, Galapagos Island, and Guayaquil were top notch.
Costa Rica Honeymoon
By: Christine
Reviewed on: 04 Feb 2019
Everything Julie booked for us was wonderful and seamless. In every case, the transportation was early, clean, friendly, and safe drivers. We were thrilled with all we booked.
Travel Advisor: Julie Garcia
Costa Rica
By: Holly
Reviewed on: 21 Feb 2019
All Avanti connections and rides were seamless. Their hotels were wonderful.
Travel Advisor: Jennifer Royster
Avanti documents & prep
By: Paris
Reviewed on: 09 Mar 2019
Avanti documents were well-prepared and met every requirement the various agencies(USA/TSA/Air France/CDG security/Customs/etc.) needed to know. I truly had a no-drama experience with the actual travel/flight.
Travel Advisor: Lynda Deville
Singapore and Thailand
By: Abdiel
Reviewed on: 11 Mar 2019
This was my first time using Avanti Destinations and I am very happy with the services provided. From the tour guides to the drivers, everything ran smoothly and every detail was handled professionally. I will definitely book future vacations with Avanti Destinations.
Great Services!
By: LCB
Reviewed on: 11 Mar 2019
Everything was professional and detail-oriented. Anything booked through them was easy to work with and quite enjoyable. We'd definitely use them again.
Travel Advisor: Claudia Kapp
Everything Was Great!
By: AS
Reviewed on: 31 Mar 2019
All of the tours, transports, and hotels that were lined up through Avanti were fantastic! All the transports were clean, polite, and on time. It was a much needed relief when in a foreign country! We LOVED the Hotel Villa Garden in Sorrento and would return and recommend to others! They took such good care of us, helping with anything we needed. The restaurant in the hotel was also amazing!
Perfect planning.
By: Sudsy
Reviewed on: 02 Apr 2019
Avanti Destinations is remarkable. They provided detailed, helpful information and all went smoothly. I have great confidence in Avanti Destinations.
Grace was amazing!
By: Lovineveryminute
Reviewed on: 26 Apr 2019
Grace at Avanti travel was fantastic to work with!!! We had an amazing time! We appreciated the goodies Avanti and the hotels gave us that made our stays that much sweeter. We would highly recommend Grace and Avanti! Thank you!
Travel Advisor: Grace Cular Yee
By: Debbie
Reviewed on: 02 Apr 2019
This was my first experience with Avanti. I look forward to the next one
By: Ben and Heidi
Reviewed on: 04 Apr 2019
We have used Avanti several times, and they are so good! For Japan, they arranged an outstanding tour guide, pickup transportation was ontime. Hotel was fantastic with an amazing breakfast buffet.
By: Larry
Reviewed on: 12 Apr 2019
We had issues with drivers during our trip but made the best of it.
Chilean Patagonia
By: Matt
Reviewed on: 13 Apr 2019
Avanti was able to design the trip we wanted making the logistics of travel very efficient and seamless.
AVANTI Travel
By: Linda D
Reviewed on: 11 Apr 2019
The Avanti arrangements were great. The transportation - train and local service to/from hotels and airports, etc. was on time. The vehicles were first rate and the drivers were all great. Made the trip in two foreign cities very easy and efficient.
Travel Advisor: Danielle Dybiec
Prague 8
By: Bill
Reviewed on: 14 Apr 2019
Arrangements all went according to plans.
Travel Advisor: Linda Long
By: ee
Reviewed on: 28 Apr 2019
The hotels are nice but not perfect but the employees were always professional.
Trip of a lifetime
By: Joan
Reviewed on: 22 May 2019
All of the properties, tours, and general information was excellent. We thank you for being so detail oriented.
Perfect Transfers
By: LolaP
Reviewed on: 21 May 2019
My girl friends and I could not have been happier with our Greece transportation services. So easy - they even located us before we could find them! They were always the best travel hosts, pointing out all the details along our routes so we got a locals take on the City! They were also great resources for local restaurants and excursions. Working with this company was an excellent experience and great addition to our vacation.
Travel Advisor: Lana Sigg
Many Choices
By: BW411
Reviewed on: 26 May 2019
The number and quality of the choices Avanti offered was helpful. All the subcontractors were very professional.
By: Kyle
Reviewed on: 25 May 2019
I will return to Avanti.
Travel Advisor: Jill Stralow


text:
Yellowtrace is a fantastic Australian blog with a razor sharp eye for style and design. I am thrilled to be doing a few guest posts for Dana, yellowtrace's founder, while she is on maternity leave this month. My first is the Geode Project by artist A Common Name. Placed in building holes and random pipes, these amazingly intricate paper crystal formations bring real-life magic to everyday surroundings. Has a drainpipe ever looked better? Read my whole post here.
(photographs via a common name)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia College soccer team and head coach Hope Clark released its 2012 schedule Thursday, featuring 11 home contests.
In one of the toughest schedules in recent memory, GC soccer squares off with three nationally-ranked teams, as well as seven teams that made appearances in the 2011 NCAA Division II Soccer Tournament.
Action starts on the road, as GC travels to the Lenoir-Rhyne Classic hosted by Lenoir-Rhyne University. The Bobcats start with the No. 9 Bears Friday, Aug. 31 and take on another NCAA Tournament participant in Lees-McRae College Sunday, Sept. 2.
The home slate begins Friday, Sept. 7 with the annual Bobcat Shootout Tournament, featuring the Bobcats, Tusculum College, No. 23 Saint Leo University and Nova Southeastern University. Tusculum and Saint Leo square off at 5 p.m. with the Bobcats and Nova to follow. Sunday, Sept. 9 the TC Pioneers take on Nova at 10 a.m., while afterward GC battles Saint Leo.
GC is home again Wednesday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. against Anderson University, and after the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) season starts at USC Aiken Sept. 15, the Bobcats host conference foe Lander University Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.
After a pair of contests at NCAA participants in North Georgia and No. 22 Columbus State University, the Bobcats rattle off four-straight home contests at the end of September to early October. Clayton State University, Young Harris College, UNC Pembroke and NCAA participant University of North Alabama all invade Bobcat Field.
GC heads to No. 3 Armstrong Oct. 13. The Pirates advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 2011, adding a PBC Championship and PBC Tournament Championship to the mix. Alternating games at home against Newberry College Thursday, Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. and at the University of Montevallo set the stage for a two-game PBC homestand to end the season, as the Bobcats have Georgia Southwestern State University Oct. 24 and Flagler College Oct. 27 on the home surface.
The PBC Tournament starts Oct. 30 and concludes with the championship game Nov. 4.
The Bobcats will look to improve upon a 5-16 season with a 4-6 conference mark, and return five of their top seven scorers from an extremely young squad a year ago.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at www.twitter.com/BobcatSports and www.facebook.com/gcbobcats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCBobcats.com for more information, and to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GC Athletics Hall of Fame.


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I am ALL about quick and easy meals. Like four ingredients, put in the oven for 30 minutes easy. I get home and am tired and don't want to stand around and cook for hours on end and I'm usually starving. When B is gone this means I can have cereal, leftovers, mac and cheese, a sandwich, a Popsicle, whatever I want for dinner. When he's there though, and if he hasn't made dinner for us already, homeboy wants to eat and he eats a lot. So I attempt to make something decent.
He LOVES samoas. Like is freakishly obsessed. He also calls them coconutties which I find funny because it reminds me of one of my favorite movies, Despicable Me. When I saw this recipe and the four ingredients, and the fact that it involved coconut, I was sold. I found it in the Taste of Home Magazine a while back, and I'm pretty sure this is the same recipe from Chex.com
Start by turning on your oven to 425. To make the coconutty mixture, crush up a cup of Honey Nut Chex and a cup of Shredded Coconut. I shake some salt on top of it and add a little bit of pepper .
To make it stick to the Chicken beat three eggs in a bowl on the side. Dip the raw chicken in the egg mix and then dip them in the coconutty mix. Place in a baking pan, and I usually put a little bit of Pam in the pan to help it not stick.
Place in the oven for 25 minutes at or until baked thoroughly. I usually always cut one chicken in half to make sure they are baked all the way through, but most of the time 25 minutes is plenty. If you see the coconut shreds starting to burn… turn down the oven a bit.
All done!
Yes, this was the left overs because I forgot to take a picture of the finished product and this was actually the first time I burned the chicken on the outside, but it still was tasty. I like serving with pineapple because then I feel like it's a tropical dinner. I'm really that lame.


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Registration to the Monde Selection. Please click for more information.
This Trophy is awarded to a product that achieved a high quality level for three consecutive years (Grand Gold Award, Gold Award).
In 2008 well over 100 products from 87 Companies and 23 different countries were awarded and rewarded with the High International Quality Trophy.
Here is a list in Alphabetical order of companies and products granted the High International Trophy in 2008 in the Spirits & Liqueurs Selection (where available a link to the company website is highlighted in blue).


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Back in 1897, James Ross Clemens was ill. Not-so-careful passing on of information resulted in word that Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name of Mark Twain, was dying in London. When an enterprising reporter decided to check on Twain before publishing his demise, the author responded, "The report of my death was greatly exaggerated."
Morley Safer, during his Jan. 6 "60 Minutes" report about the newspaper industry, glibly stated, "The facts of life are that newspapers are folding all over the country. It's a dying business." His example was the New Orleans newspaper, The Times-Picayune, which recently cut back from publishing seven days a week to three days.
When it comes to newspapers, there are two cousins – large metro dailies and community newspapers. The latter includes weeklies and small dailies (publishing three or fewer days a week). Safer and reporters and broadcasters from media giants across the United States and around the world owe it to the public – and to community newspaper owners and staffers – to perform due diligence to determine which of the newspaper cousins is near death and which is alive. Only then, should they report their findings.
It is the large metro daily newspapers, which make up less than 5 percent of all U.S. newspapers, that are struggling from declines in readership and advertising, printing less often or ceasing publication entirely.
While it is painful to see our metro-daily-newspaper cousins faltering, we, the community newspapers, are not dying. Like Twain, community newspapers say, "Reports of our dying are greatly exaggerated."
Much has been published and broadcast about the decline of metro dailies. It is time to shine a spotlight on the health and vigor of community newspapers and on our role in rural and suburban communities across the country.
Readership of our newspapers, mostly weeklies, is increasing and new community newspapers are being born. That the great investor Warren Buffett bought more than 60 community newspapers in 2012 suggests there is present and future value in the weekly and small-daily arm of the industry.
Community newspapers are doing well because people want to read about the actions of their town councils and local school boards, the results of high school sporting events and what's happening in the business community. Readers turn to community newspapers for public notices, for obituaries and police reports and for engagement, wedding, anniversary and birth announcements. They expect keen and thoughtful editorials, as well as a forum for their own opinions – letters to the editor. They read the advertisements, look at every photo and clip articles and photos to post on bulletin boards and hang on refrigerators.
A 2011 survey by the National Newspaper Association and the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism found that 74 percent of people in areas served by newspapers with circulations under 15,000 read one of those papers each week. They spend nearly 40 minutes reading the paper. Then, they share their newspaper with 2.3 more people.
We are watchdogs in our communities. We protect the public's right to know and keep our readers informed about their communities – essential elements in a democracy.
As 21st century technology keeps enhancing the gathering and dissemination of news and information, community newspapers aren't standing idly by. We are in the fray, taking advantage of the immediacy that technology offers. We have developed revenue-producing websites, and we interact with our communities and our readers on email, Facebook and Twitter.
Community newspapers are very much alive. As Bill Tubbs, publisher of The North Scott Press and a member of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors, wrote in an editorial Jan. 16, "Morley Safer, you've done us wrong, but here's an offer you can't refuse. Come to Eldridge (Iowa) and spend a week with our staff."
Any of the more than 8,000 community weekly newspapers in the U.S. extend a similar invitation not just to Safer, but also to everyone who wants to see the healthy cousin. Interview the folks in Freeman, S.D., about the Freeman Courier; the high school students in Pittsfield, Ill., about the Pike Press; the families in Falmouth, Maine, about The Forecaster; the government officials in Espanola, N.M., about the Rio Grande Sun; or the business owners in Woodstock, Ga., about The Cherokee Ledger-News, and set the record straight.
Sidebar Elements
Cheryl Wormley is publisher of The Woodstock (Ill.) Independent and president of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors. She can be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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1. Big Bus Tours Paris
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Visit one of France's most iconic sights, the incredible UNESCO World Heritage listed Mont-Saint-Michel and experience the island at your own pace. Discover the magnificent medieval abbey at the island's summit, a key site in French history.
- Enjoy a full-day tour to Mont-Saint-Michel
- Take the bus from Paris
- Explore the rock island at your own pace
- Get free entrance to the Benedictine abbey
Enjoy a day in Mont Saint-Michel
Your tour starts in the morning in the center of Paris and jump on the bus headed to Mont-Saint-Michel. Relax on the bus and take in Normandy's beautiful green landscape along the way. You'll reach Mont-Saint-Michel at around noon.
Climb right up to the top of the island to the captivating Benedictine abbey, which dates from the 8th century. A wonderful example of Gothic architecture with three floors and the place is dedicated to the Archangel Michael. Walk around in the abbey's charming garden, looking out to sea.
Make the most of your time at the abbey with a walk along the ramparts and walls; the landscape is breathtaking and you'll understand why Mont-Saint-Michel is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
You may also decide to visit the Mont-Saint-Michel's museums, spend some time souvenir shopping or try the local crêpes until 4:30 PM and the bus heads back to Paris.
You'll be back in Paris around 9:15 PM.
How do I get my tickets?
Shortly after your booking is complete your e-ticket will be sent directly to your email, just print it out and bring it on your tour.
Where does the tour begin?
The tour starts at the PARISCityVISION office. The address will be clearly stated on your e-ticket. Please be there 30 minutes before the tour starts.
Where does the tour end?
The tour ends back at the PARISCityVISION office in Paris.
How long does the tour last?
The tour lasts approx. 14 hours.
Are there children's tickets?
Yes, children's tickets are available for children between age 3-11. Children between under 3 are free when accompanied by a paying adult.
Important information:
- This tour is not a guided tour.
- Lunch is not included in this tour.
- Please note that the climb up to the abbey can be taxing.
- We highly recommend wearing comfortable shoes and warm clothing are advised in winter.
大人 (12+)
子 (3-11)
子 (0-2): 無料
Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday at 7:15 AM.


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Can a ramp for people with disabilities make a difference in a big city? The answer may seem obvious to many, but I encourage you to read on to find out the complexities and nuances surrounding the issue of mobility in a large Latin American metropolis. This is a true story. I was attending the launch of a project "Mainstreaming Inclusive Design and Universal Mobility in Lima "project - financed by the Japan Policy and Human Resources Development (PHRD) program and I was surprised to see people in wheelchairs asked to move away from the table where coffee, pastries and fruit were being served during the break.
At the same time blind, deaf and people with cognitive impairments, among other disabilities, were being actively welcomed.
About to intervene, I noticed that the waiters were guiding those in wheelchairs to a special area where they were given a small tray to place on their knees with coffee, pastries, and fruit. Approaching this group, I asked how they were finding the event. They explained they were happy with how carefully it had been organized, showing sensitivity to each type of disability.
People in wheelchairs are at a disadvantage, I learned, when approaching a table since people on two legs are more able to maneuver and are therefore served first. By the time the people on wheelchairs get there, there is frequently little left. Not here, clearly.
This event also marked the first consultation the $2.5-million PHRD-financed project undertook with Lima's disabled community.
The disabled community will be consulted at every stage of the project's implementation stage. And these consultations will be critical to help the project achieve its objective: improving the Lima's ability to manage the mobility needs of people with disabilities. It also looks to mainstream the needs of disabled individuals when planning and installing sidewalks and public transport facilities. The project includes identifying current limitations faced by the disabled in Lima and developing mechanisms and tools to support inclusive mobility.
The goal is to undertake small construction works to retrofit an initial set of streets to make them universally accessible: installing ramps for wheelchairs (and strollers), podotactile surfaces which allow the visually impaired to feel where the sidewalk ends, and pedestrian crossing which beep when it is safe to cross among others.
The lessons learned from both the pilot and the project will enable Lima to advance faster towards achieving the goal of retrofitting the entire city to make it as close as possible to universal design.
As a signatory of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Peru has committed gradually retrofit public spaces to make them more accessible for people with disabilities.
At the event I spoke about the scope of the project, how consultations were critical to its implementation, and about the pilot to be carried out. I concluded by answering a question that was asked repeatedly during the consultation: who should finance this broad, gradual and mandatory public space retrofit?
Retrofitting an entire city the size of Lima—9 million inhabitants—could cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Consultation participants were concerned that as those who would primarily benefit from the work, they would have to foot the bill. My answer was categorical: society at large should finance this retrofit, not just the main beneficiary.
Why? One reason is that currently nondisabled people usually earn more. So they can afford to pay more. But the key reasons lie in the modern definition of disability and in one simple fact. The current definition states that disability is when someone tries to interact with an object or infrastructure but cannot carry out its intended task.
If I were to remove my glasses, I would immediately become a disabled person. Without them, I can do very little. The simple fact of the matter is that all of us stand a significant risk of becoming disabled. Aging is one factor, another is mere chance. Accidents happen, people are injured. Paying for the retrofit is therefore like buying insurance to help us all face a reality of life: we will all reach a point most likely where that ramp and that podotactile surface will be quite helpful.
Join the Conversation
My husband has been using a wheelchair for many years because of his muscular dystrophy. We have been together for over 5 years and never visited my home country (China) together for various reasons. The main concern of traveling to China is accessibility. Finally, we decided to put the trip on our agenda for summer 2014. For a trip like this, we, especially my husband, spent a lot of time planning because of limited accessibility, even in big cities.
China has gone through tremendous growth in the past 20 years. There is ongoing demolition and construction work thorough out the country on a scale perhaps never seen before. Even with newly constructed buildings, however, often times they are not accessible for people who use wheelchairs (or, for that matter, the elderly with limited mobility and parents with kids in strollers). In China's case, this is not a matter of insufficient resources to build the infrastructure. It is the people's mentality where disabled individuals are not treated as equals, hence, the lack of consideration for having infrastructure in place. At a minimum, it is because of a profound lack of awareness. Although I have seen firsthand big improvements in Chinese society in recent generations, much more progress and evolution in thinking needs to occur for those with disabilities. I understand that it is a process; America did not adopt the Americans with Disabilities Act until 1990. I am hopeful for what the future will bring.
You would have thought there would have been advances and changes to the way buildings are operating to become more accessible to those in a wheelchair however unfortunately this is not always the case! Agreeing with above post..lets see what future brings!
Insensitive by design
Anjlee Agarwal : Fri Aug 16 2013, 00:14 hrs
Civic infrastructure in major Indian cities still fails to provide for the needs of people with disabilities.
Every year, the monsoon brings with it an outpouring of angst against the poor state of our civic infrastructure. This is completely justified. But spare a thought for a category of people for whom accessing infrastructure is a daily struggle, no matter what the season. According to the WHO and World Bank report on disability, 2011, approximately 15 per cent of the world's population lives with a disability. Applying that statistic to India, there must be about 186 million people with disabilities in the country. Neither public infrastructure, nor awareness, nor the sensitivity of government personnel, are in any way commensurate with this number. Recent reports of the humiliating and insensitive treatment of an amputee by CISF personnel at the Mumbai airport only confirm this.
Despite a major overhaul of Delhi's infrastructure for the Commonwealth games in 2010, accessing pedestrian facilities — something that most people take for granted — is still a nightmare for disabled persons. For the most part, footpaths themselves are non-existent. Where they do exist, access onto and along them is still a major concern due to issues as innocuous as uneven or steep kerb ramps, poor paving and myriad obstructions. Often, they are too high to be accessed because they have no kerb ramps at all. At other times, access to them is blocked by bollards intended to prevent vehicular traffic from getting onto them. While motor cycles and scooters still find a way onto footpaths, people using wheelchairs or crutches find it difficult to bypass these obstructions.
During the recent "refurbishment" and beautification of footpaths in some localities of Delhi, tactile tiles — intended to assist pedestrians who are visually impaired — were incorporated into pavement designs. But they have mostly been used for decorative purposes. Many a contractor and engineer thought the bright yellow of these tiles was intended to visually jazz up pavements. It is a travesty that these guides, provided to orient and navigate a blind pedestrian, often lead head-on into trees, poles, manholes etc.
Road crossings are not designed to be inclusive either. Frequently, they do not have median refuge areas that mobility-aid users can access, because they are built at a considerable height. There are no audio signals at pedestrian crossings that could alert a visually impaired person as to when it is safe to cross a road. Access features like ramps or lifts in subways and foot overbridges are often missing. Did anyone imagine that there could be so many variables to come to grips with before one could cross a road?
To the Delhi administration's credit, we now have low-floor buses with access ramps and space for wheelchair users. Bus shelters have also been made accessible through tactile pavers, ramps and handrails. However, buses do not have precision-docking systems and mostly do not stop at the actual stop. Passengers have to get onto the road in order to board buses. This negates the utility of the low-floor buses and ramps.
The solutions to these problems are not rocket science. The Indian Roads Congress has published codes and guidelines, as has the Delhi Development Authority through its Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Centre (UTTIPEC). The UTTIPEC Street Design Guidelines are applicable to Delhi/NCR. It mandates that all road owning and civic agencies comply with street designs standards to make mobility safe, dignified and comfortable for all pedestrians and public transport users. The implementation of these access requirements is imperative to further the goal of "universal accessibility", to create seamless travel chains from origin to destination. Lack of access at any point breaks the chain, and negates the benefits of infrastructure that is accessible.
The lack of enforcement and punitive action for noncompliance is the problem. There is nothing to compel government bodies to implement these measures. The only way to change this scenario is for each state to incorporate such guidelines into their road/ streetscape standards, by law, and approval/ tender processes. A few have done so, but most have not. Without these changes, citizens of this country living with disabilities will continue to be short-changed by a government that is failing to discharge its obligations to them.
The Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities, which India has signed and ratified in 2007, stresses the importance for "persons with disabilities to have access, on an equal basis with others". There are moral, legal and commercial benefits to providing universally accessible street infrastructure. It is time that we demanded quality and safe pedestrian infrastructure. Our Constitution guarantees us freedom of movement throughout the territory of India. It is time to fully claim this right.
The writer, an assisted wheelchair user, is an access consultant with the Union government and heads Samarthyam, National Centre for Accessible Environments (www.samarthyam.com)
Persons with disabilities should be given priorities and access to streets and walkways. They should live a normal life too. Thanks for sharing your stories. Keep it up!
People with disabilities should be catered well and meet up with their needs for a proper access to mobility.


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College Student's Homemade Telenovela for Spanish Class Is Mucho Awesome [VIDEO]
You don't need a translator to figure out this Spanish assignment is fantastico.
Julie Bryan is a college student whose Spanish teacher told the class to shoot themselves talking or singing a song. She took it to the next level, though, by corralling a few other people (some of whom aren't even in her class) and starring in a telenovela called 'El Amor de Mi Amante.'
The dramatic acting, the offbeat camera angles, the cheesy music --it's definitely bueno stuff. And that doesn't even take into account the shameless Taco Bell and Twist plugs.


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WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. voters agree with President Barack Obama on reducing the debt through increased revenues and spending cuts, a Pew Research Center/USA Today poll found.
The nationwide poll of 1,504 adults -- conducted Feb. 13-18 -- found if is no deal is reached by March 1 to avoid scheduled across-the-board federal spending, 49 percent would hold congressional Republicans responsible and 31 percent would blame President Barack Obama.
About 1-in-4 of those surveyed said they had heard about the spending -- about the same percentage as those who said they knew nothing about it.
If there is no deal by March 1, 40 percent say it would be preferable to let the cuts take effect and 49 percent say it would be better to delay the cuts, Pew said on its website.
The margin of sampling error was 2.9 percentage points.
Obama placed telephone calls Thursday to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to discuss the sequester, White House spokesman Jay Carney said, telling White House reporters the president "had good conversations" with the top congressional Republicans.
Carney did not provide specifics of the discussions.
The president placed calls this week to several GOP senators -- including John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Marco Rubio of Florida.
Obama said Thursday he doesn't know whether Republicans "are going to move" on avoid what he has called a "meat clever" approach to spending cuts, The Hill reported.
"We're going to have to try to keep pushing over the next seven or eight days," he said on the syndicated Al Sharpton radio show.
"My sense is their basic view is that nothing is important enough to raise taxes on wealthy individuals or corporations, and they would prefer to see these kind of cuts that could slow down our recovery over closing tax loopholes," the president said. "And that's the thing that binds their party together at this point."
A spokesman for Boehner said Republicans would consider closing loopholes, but only if savings did not go to pay for further deficit spending, The Hill said.


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The U.S. Army has made Rosetta Stone available for it's soldiers for years. During my second tour in Iraq in 2005-2006, I was looking through the Army website and found the program. We were immersed within the culture on a daily basis and we frequently interacted with the civilian population. We had interpreters but their knowledge of the English language wasn't always 100%. So I made it a goal for myself to spend at least one hour every day working with the Rosetta Stone's Arabic program in order to be able to learn at least basic conversation topics and key words. What I didn't know is that by the end of the deployment, I was able to actually hold a conversation with the people and understand most of what they would say.
Unfortunately, I was injured prior to our unit re-deploying back home and I ended up having to get out of the military due to my injuries. Nevertheless, I was very happy with how easy it was to learn such a hard language with the Rosetta Stone program that I decided to buy the program myself and get back to it. The next program I want to buy is the Spanish program. I speak it fluently but unfortunately my son doesn't. He lives with his mom during the school year and what I'm able to teach him during the summer, he forgets very quickly as soon as he goes back. With the Rosetta Stone program, I'm confident he wont have a problem maintaining what he learns.
Iraq War Veteran
Pembroke Pines, Florida


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Twilight is over in Vancouver
That's the end of Twilight in Vancouver. Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson completed work on reshoots for Twilight 5 yesterday in Vancouver. They left right away, early this morning, practically on the first flight, like they couldn't wait to bail out of Canada. Things have indeed always been kinda bullsh-t for them here with Twi-Hards stalking the hotels and swarming the restaurants. And you can imagine, after so many years, they've probably been ready for a while now to put those characters behind them.
Next: Stewart and Pattinson are both expected at Cannes. Pattinson caused a meltdown on the Croisette the last time he was in Cannes. Then the poor guy had to listen to Emile Hirsch give a lecture on film at the Hotel du Cap. After that a skeevy blonde sold him out to the tabloids. Perhaps with his girlfriend there this time, he'll get more out of it.
PUNKD Images


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BOILER INSTALLATIONS in Honor oak
Aquatek is proud to install a wide range of boilers in Honor oak to virtually all premises. Our Gas Safe engineers have experience working with all major boiler brands, including Vaillant and Worcester Bosch Group.
If you're looking to install a brand new boiler in Honor oak, there are a number of options for you to consider. Our engineers can install back boilers, combi boilers, regular boilers, system boilers and energy-efficient condensing gas boilers in Honor oak. Each system offers its own unique set of benefits, as listed in the chart below, but if you'd like more information, feel free to get in touch with our plumbers in Honor oak today.
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Mr Glanfield
Aquatek completed works on my property last week and finished the plumbing in the time day allowed, very pleased.
Ms West
Very professional company providing an excellent service. There are cheaper companies but you will not get a prompt and safe service. Highly recommended.
Mr Phipps
Fitted our new boiler at very short notice now works like a charm, good company would recommend.
Mr Davies
The engineer was on time, kept me informed of the work being carried out, friendly and polite and got all the necessary parts to fix my boiler. The price was very competitive compared to other companies , the engineer knew what he was doing and very tidy as well. I will definitely use them again and recommend to friends and families as well. Many many thanks Michael my boiler is back in action thank you
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Land lord certificate with service £160
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Unvented cylinders from £790
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As people who live and breathe underwear, we often forget that not everyone knows the ins-and-outs of undies. As we were putting some new Hello Kitty panties on the site, we thought it would be a good time to share what we know.
Two recent additions to our product offering are "boy shorts". Why would you choose those over a boy brief or hipster panty? Boy shorts are typically made with a high Spandex content for a very snug fit and are usually flat- no edges or extras sewn on. This is to minimize the "lines" made by the panty through your clothes. They are a great choice for people who don't wear thong underwear, but want a look without panty lines. They are not usually made with a high cotton content- another way to avoid bunching and help them fit to your form. Finally, boy short panties are also low-rise, so they do not tend to peek over the top of your pants (unless you wear ultra-low-rise- can't help you there!).
WebUndies.com has over 40 styles of boy short panties in styles ranging from Hello Kitty to holiday patterns. Take a chance on them- you may discover a comfy new underwear style!
Our complete offering of Women's Boy Short Panties can here seen here. Please keep in mind that many are Junior Cut sizing.