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The Best Orlando Has To Offer

So youre headed to Orlando… but where to start? Youll find such a wealth of fantastic resorts and restaurants it can be difficult to choose exactly what you wish to indulge in. How best can you plan a visit in which each day comes with the finest this marvelous vacation spot has to offer? In order to help you in making the overwhelming decisions of where to stay and what places to dine here are what I believe to be Orlandos best offerings:

Best Deluxe Resort
On Disney property its the Grand Floridian with its upscale Victorian atmosphere and lagoonside setting facing the Magic Kingdom. Offproperty handsdown its the Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes where you may never even feel the need to leave the property. At Universal go for the Portofino Bay Hotel with its unsurpassed ambience of an Italian seaside resort.

Best Resort Pool
* Disney’s Yacht and Beach Clubs Stormalong Bay a 3acre mini water park
* The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphins lush grottostyle lagoon pool
* The Volcano Pool at Disney’s Polynesian Resort with its luxuriant waterfall smoking peak and perfect view of Cinderellas Castle
* The boulderstrewn wonderland at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge with its very own erupting geyser
* The lush fantasyland pool at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress cooled by twelve waterfalls
* The JW Marriotts Lazy River 24000 square feet of winding delight

Best HomeAwayFromHome Property
The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge with its Bay Lake frontage and national park character or Disney’s Beach Club Villas conveniently located next door to Epcot. But look for the new Animal Kingdom Villas now under construction to boot both of these off the list.

Best Resort Atmosphere
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge where hundreds of animals roam the savanna and the air is pulsating to the beat of African drums. Running a close second is Universals Portofino Bay Hotel where guests are transported to a romantic seaside Italian village.

Best Resort Lobby
How to choose? Three of Disney’s resorts make the cut: the Wilderness Lodge the Grand Floridian and the Animal Kingdom Lodge all eyepopping in their grandeur.

Best Access To The Parks
The Contemporary Polynesian and Grand Floridian with monorail access to the Magic Kingdom Epcot and the Ticket and Transportation Center. At Universal the Hard Rock Hotel is just a 5minute walk or boat ride away to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure and CityWalk.

Best Resort For Romance
Disney’s Polynesian Resort whose lush tiki torchlit grounds and whitesand beaches with views of Cinderellas Castle are simply dreamy or Universals Portofino Bay Hotel where an evening stroll along the bay with Italian arias playing in the distance cant be beat.

Best Resort For NatureLovers
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge a naturelovers dream of rushing waterfalls spouting geysers and bubbly creeks all surrounded by stately pine trees and beautiful Bay Lake.

Best Resort Lounges
* California Grill Lounge found on the 15th floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort with unrivaled views of the Magic Kingdom and the Seven Seas Lagoon great for cocktails sushi and a view of the Wishes fireworks display. NOTE: If youre only coming for drinks it can be difficult to get a seat around fireworks time. Youll need to check in first at the secondfloor podium.
* Disney’s Grand Floridian’s lobby. Pick up a cocktail at Mizners and then head down to this magnificent oasis to relax while listening to the sounds of a big band or live piano music.
* Normans Salon. This sophisticated cocktail lounge is nested within Normans restaurant at the luxurious RitzCarlton.
* Territory Lounge a rustic retreat in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
* Bluezoos bar at the Walt Disney World Dolphin the coolest place around.
* Velvet the ultrahip cocktail lounge at Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel.
* Bar America Portofino Bay Hotels sophisticated lounge overlooking the romantic piazza.

Best Italian
Il Mulino at the Walt Disney World Swan with amazing tuna carpaccio and perfect gnocchi bolognese or Bice at Portofino Bay Hotel for rich braised veal shank accompanied by creamy saffron risotto.

Best Seafood
Flying Fish at Disneys Boardwalk for sauted grouper sitting atop a fricasseee of white beans chorizo arugula confit piquillo pepper and sauce beurre blanc or Todd Englishs Bluezoo at the Walt Disney World Dolphin where seafood is taken to new heights. Off Disney property its got to be Roys on Sand Lake Road near Universal for Roy Yamaguchis remarkable Hawaiian fusion cuisine.

Best Steaks
Shula’s at the Walt Disney World Dolphin a standout for sensational Angus beef steaks cooked to perfection or Vitos Chop House on International Drive for the filet mignon stuffed with gorgonzola.

Best Restaurant For Romance
Victoria and Alberts at Disneys Grand Floridian Resort where youll savor a sumptuous sixcourse meal served on elegant fine china to the accompaniment of enchanting harp music. Or Normans at the RitzCarlton for fine dining in plush surroundings all enveloped in the grandeur of an amazing resort.

Best Restaurant For Kids
Children love the Rainforest Caf at the Animal Kingdom or Downtown Disney where theyre bombarded with thunderstorms and noisy audioanimatronic wildlife. A close runner up is Whispering Canyon Caf at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge; come prepared for plenty of hoopin and hollerin and please whatever you do dont ask for the ketchup unless that is you like a lot of attention.

Best Character Meal
Cinderellas Royal Table at the Magic Kingdom a chance to breakfast in a fairytale castle with Cinderella Jasmine Aladdin Belle and Snow White. Or try the Crystal Palace at the Magic Kingdom for a tasty bountiful buffet hosted by Winnie the Pooh and his friends.

Best Hip Atmosphere
Todd Englishs Bluezoo at the Dolphin the coolest spot this side of South Beach or Tchoup Chop at Universals Royal Pacific Resort a knockemdead Asianinspired beauty.

Best Disney View
California Grill at Disneys Contemporary Resort with its pictureperfect views of the Magic Kingdom the Seven Seas Lagoon and the Wishes fireworks presentation.

Best Disney Resort Restaurant
Tough call. My favorites are the California Grill at the Contemporary Resort just about anything on their exceptional menu is fantastic or Victoria and Alberts at the Grand Floridian Resort particularly the Chefs Table where Chef Scott Hunnel oversees an elevencourse meal designed especially for you.

Best Universal Resort Restaurant
Tchoup Chop at the Royal Pacific Resort for wonderful Asian and Polynesianinfluenced cuisine in a stunning setting or Bice at Portofino Bay Hotel where superb Northern Italian food is served in a sophisticated dining room.

Best Downtown Disney Restaurant
Wolfgang Pucks upstairs Dining Room for dishes such as Chinois rack of lamb served with a spicy cilantromint sauce.

Best Epcot Illuminations View
Rose and Crown in World Showcases United Kingdom. Set your priority seating for about one hour prior to show time and pray for a table with a good view.

Best Milkshake
Beaches and Cream at Disney’s Beach Club Resort serves ohsodelicious thick shakes and malts in a frosty fountain glass with the extras on the side in the stainless steel shaker.

Best Pizza
You cant beat the pizzas at Downtown Disneys Wolfgang Puck Caf choose the housemade fennel sausage pizza the Pizza Bianca at Tonys Town Square at the Magic Kingdom or Mama Melroses at DisneyMGM Studios dont miss the grilled chicken pizza with sundried tomato pesto pancetta and Asiago cheese.

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Cara Goldsbury the author of The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World Resort has appeared on several Travel Channel specials about Walt Disney World including Disney Splurge and Disney Royalty and has been cited in many news articles as an expert on Walt Disney World.

Cara is a independent travel consultant with LuxuryOrlandoTravel.com specializing in all things Disney.

Balaklava And Its Reputation As A Scuba Divers Paradise

Crimea an autonomous republic is reinventing itself after the ending of the old soviet union. Private enterprise is flourishing and wellstocked shops and good restaurants are the norm. Transport and accommodation are cheaper than the Mediterranean resorts but the weather is better and the sightseeing amazing!
Visitors from all over the world are welcomed in a country which has opened its doors to foreign tourists by reducing visa requirements to a minimum.
Whether you want winetasting or scuba diving mountains or sea to visit the Byzantine ruins of Khersoness or the fabulous Livadia Palace near Yalta home of the last of the Russian Tsars or if you just want to relax on the beach and then while away a warm summer evening in a gourmet restaurant Crimea has something for you.
In this article we will focus on the Balaklava and its reputation as a scuba divers paradise.
Balaklava Harbor lies on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea in the Ukraine. It is a fine natural harbor and provides excellent all round shelter. In the past the harbor was closed to all private vessels and was home to the Soviet submarine fleet. Yachts should establish the current position before attempting to visit Balaklava.
Balaklava is rapidly changing from being primarily a working port and in Soviet times a secret submarine base for the Russian navy to a leisure destination for tourists lured by the history of the place and the drama of the rugged coastline. Period houses along the waterfront are being restored a new hotel the Golden Symbol with its own harbor has opened and the place has an air of fresh prosperity.
The harbormaster at the Golden Symbol himself an exsubmariner will tell you about the maze of tunnels within the hillside that allowed large numbers of Soviet submarines to hide unobserved. It is an indication of the way things are moving that you can now take a tour inside the previously secret base and the large floating dry dock which used to be used for submarine repairs is to be moved to the naval harbor in Sevastopol this year. Crewing a submarine was a dangerous business and the town has several memorials to sailors and commanders who are remembered for acts of bravery.
Unlike elsewhere in Crimea restaurants in Balaklava are generally called Tavernas a nod in the direction of the Archipelago Greeks’ from the islands who settled this part of the coast under Catherine the Great. It was a Greek battalion which attempted to prevent the British occupation of Balaklava at the start of the Crimean war by holding out on the commanding heights where the ruins of the Genoese fortress overlook the town. There are locals with Greek names today who can trace their encestry back to this period.
Apart from the excellent restaurant The Gavan’ on the ground floor of the Golden Symbol there is a famous seafood restaurant with a good selection of Crimean Georgian and French wines and an English menu as well as numerous tavernas along the waterfront.
The Aquamarine’ diving centre offers scuba diving along the coast and from the Golden Symbol you can get a variety of boat trips from sea fishing to dolphin spotting.
There are three swimming beaches along the Balaklava inlet but the locals will advise you to walk the extra distance to the far side of the Genoese fortress where the beach faces the open sea or to get a boatsman to take you to a wild beach along the coast accessible only from the sea but make sure he remembers to come and collect you! or to swim in one of the numerous sea caves which abound under the cliffs.
A submarine turned by its bow to the shore and went with a slow speed towards the rock. The rock parted and hid the blackdeck cabin at first then the entire submarine.

Those who found themselves at the Balaklava seaside late evening could watch such a scene. A tourist would hardly understand what happened whereas the local people would guess that the next submarine that entered its shelter would be at the underground shiprepairing factory.
For a long time residents of Balaklava did not know exactly what was happening in the underground factory. Nowadays it’s possible to wander the dark winding halls with a guide. The excursion to the navy complexmuseum “Balaklava” clarifies the mysterious past of “Facility 825″ a top secret complex where the Soviet subs were hidden and repaired.

In the mid 1950s Josef Stalin a leader of Soviet communists amazed by results of Abombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki gave the order to hide the underwater fleet from possible nuclear attacks. The order had to be carried out and soon military engineers prepared the project for the constructing of a giant underground complex located in the thick of the rock deeply underground. This facility had to serve as a house for subs. It had to include such a roof and doors that could allow the ship to enter and exit by its own speed. And inside it had to be able to survive Abombs in the company of other subs surrounded with the consideration and care of commanders and repairers.
You can hire motor launches and sailing yachts by the hour to take you out to sea or to perfect beaches accessible only by boat because of the steep cliffs. You may want to take a dip from the boat and swim into sea caves. For more serious diving scuba equipment and guided dives are available from Aquamarine’. The Black Sea is home to the bottlenose dolphin and chance encounters are not uncommon.
If you fancy a spot of seaangling you can hire a boat rod and line and the services of a local seaman who can take you to the best fishing areas. In some cases you can cook and eat what you’ve caught on board.
So if you want a vacation with a touch of the deep sea extreme head for the Crimean Peninsula. The sea waters will gently embrace you and the Black Sea shelf will readily reveal its historical secrets of sunken ships and ancient epochs breathtaking underwater landscapes caves and volcanoes as well as acquaint you with marine life. Even though this underwater fairytale is quickly over; the memory of it will stay with you for the rest of your lifetime.

Like a museum the Black Sea preserves military relics. A great number of shipwrecks were left following the Crimean War of 1853 1856 that enveloped the waters of the southwestern Crimea from Cape Lukall to Cape Sarych. During a single hurricane in November 1854 in Balaklava Harbor 60 British French and Turkish vessels sank just as they readied themselves to bombard the fortress city of Sevastopol. On that fateful day the sea took into its embrace the pride of the British fleet the sailing frigate Prince and 20 thousand Pound Sterling in gold and silver. The legend of dozens of barrels filled with gold and silver still attracts treasure hunters all over the world and frigate itself was long ago renamed The Black Price in order to make the intrigue more exiting.
One more wonder of Crimeas underwater realm is an English frigate whose name still remains in mystery which went to the bottom with a cargo no less precious than that of the Price numerous bottles of wine and cognac which caused divers to christen it in The Drunken Jack. Today in the wreckage of the ship you can find a bottle of wine or cognac that has already been maturing for more than a century. At depths from 6 to 15 meters one can finds the eternal resting place of other heroes of the Crimean War: the legendary Lord Reglan and his fair lady the Duchess of Glendaloge and the majestic warriors Gung Pyrenees and London.
The Second World War also left its marks in Crimeas submarine spaces. In Unforgettable impressions will remain after a visit to Balaklava a small town in the vicinity of Sevastopol. During the Sovjet era there was a submarine shooting range there in the area of Mramorna Balka. Today at a depth accusable to divers one can see the remains of broken targets and unsuccessfully lounged torpedoes.

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;StigArne Kristoffersen
A Globetrotter
www.lulu.com/stig

Countryside Activities Cyprus

European E4 long distance path
The Cyprus section which has been set up as a joint venture between the Forestry Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Cyprus Tourism Organisations connects Larnaka and Pafos airports. Along the way it passes through areas of outstanding natural beauty places of ecological importance and historic and archaelogical sites. All the roads and tracks on the route are well signposted and the CTO has published a booklet of the Cyprus section splitting it into comfortable daily sections with the distance and time needed to cover each one. Ot also gives useful information on the geology flora fauna and points of interest along each section of the route.
Hiking and rambling
The Cyprus Tourism Organisation and the Forestry Department have created over sixty nature trails to assist hikers and ramblers enjoy the islands hills and vales. The trails some linear and others circular help walkers discover the most fascinating corners of Cyprus. The terrain varies from that of Cape Gkreko in the southeast through the Troodos Mountains the foothills and forests to the Akamas peninsula in the west. The tyrails which are designed to take in areas of outstanding natural beauty and cultural importance are on gentle gradients and are divided into three degrees of difficulty with two trails suitable for the disabled. Wooden signboards mark the start of each trial and there are pointers to interesting flora or geological features along each route. The CTOS booklet European Long Distance Path E4 and other Cyprus Nature Trails gives details of the European E4 path and all the nature trials with the length duration and degree of difficulty of each one. You can pick up a copy at the nearest CTO information office.
Cycling:
If your idea of traveling is to have the wind on your face the sun on your back the gentle crunch of tyres on gravel the scent of pines around you and a glimpse of the sea sparkling in the distance then cycling in Cyprus is for you. Almost all the tourist resorts have bicycles for hire and the CTOs guidebook Cyprus Cycling Routes can be picked up at the nearest CTO information centre. The guidebook covers main routes connecting towns or regions and excursions within a region. Each itinerary describes the route from point to point by altitude and the distance from the start point the total distance is given as well as the difficulty rating which is based on the average moderately fit cyclist. Recommendations are also made as to the type of bicycle suitable for each route and the road surface is described. The book includes a map of each route. There is also a longer cycling route in the Troodos mountains. This is split into three sections and takes riders from Pano Platres to the Karvounas mountain saddle; then to Prodromos and finally back to Platres. The route is on forest rural and secondary roads and it passes villages historical sites monasteries and areas of outstanding natural beauty. It is signposted and there are markers pointing to viewpoints etc. for competitive cyclists the Cyprus Cycling Federation which is a member of the International Cycling Union ICU organizes an annual threeday international mountain bike competition called Afxentia that attracts cyclists from all over Europe. The CCF also runs annual road races.
Horse Riding:
Riding is a different way of exploring the hidden secrets of the Cyprus landscape. There are riding stables and ranches all ovewr the island so you can enjoy the Akamas peninsula the Cape Gkreko Natiional Forest Park or the pinescented Troodos Mountains on horseback. Riding allows you to enjoy nature at a slower pace to hear the birdsong and watch the incredible colours of the last rays of the setting sun over sea or mountain. Riding can be enjoyed yearround thanks to the islands climate and there is trekking and hatching for all levels of competence. Riding lessons are also available at centres with welltrained horses and qualified instructors. The CTO has published a pamphlet Horse Riding in Cyprus and more information is available from the Cyprus Equestrian Federation. For those who are nervous of horses donkey rides are also available.
Skiing and Snowboarding:
Chionistra the traditional name for Mount Olympus at the summit of the Troodos Mountains means the snowy one and in winter it is covered with a good layer of snow.Cyprus Hotels There is a brief but vigorous skiing and snowboarding season from December to March. There are four main runs on the southern slopes Sun Valley I is ideal for novices and Sun Valley 2 is for more practiced skiers. North Face I and North Face 2 are for the experienced. The Cyprus Ski Club runs tbar lifts at Sun Valley and the North Face where there are six alpine standard runs varying from 100 to 500 metres. There are two langlauf trails at Sun Valley; one of eight kilometres and one of four which go through some wonderful and dramatic scenery. Snowboarding is growing in popularity and plans are afoot to create a park dedicated solely to this upandcoming sport. Visitors can hire equipment from the ski store at Sun Valley and individual and group tuition is available for skiers and snowboarders.
Angling:
Angling in the dam reservoirs of Cyprus is a very popular pastime and twentyone reservoirs provide excellent freshwater fishing throughout the year. Seventeen species of fish are stocked including trout bass carp perch and roach. Catch and keep is allowed at akk but two sites Polemedeia Lemesos District and Achna Ammochostos District which are catch and release only. Anglers need a fishing licence which can be easily obtained from the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research in Nicosia or from the regional offices of the Fisheries Department.
Ornithology:
Cyprus lies on one of the main migratory paths for bird species from Europe Asia and Africa and there are many endemic species on the island. Winter is the time to enjoy spectacular flocks of flamingos and wildfowl at the Salt Lakes. High summer is a quiet time as the number of breeding species is relatively small. Autumn is excellent for the passage of raptors especially in September and October. The season also sees a massive movement of wildfowl gulls and herons. Birdlife Cyprus is an NGO that promotes the protection of birds and their habitats. BLC is an affiliate of Birdlife Europe and it runs birdwatching trips and a birdline through which visitors can find out what is happening on the local scene.
Botany:
In the heat of summer visitors can be forgiven for thinking that Cyprus is bereft of flowers as the dry rockstrewn hills show scant evidence that the island is home to an extraordinary variety of wildflowers and orchids including around 130 endemic plants. The best time to see Cyprus wild flowers is in early spring Februarymarch. When most species enjoy a short period of blossoming and take advantage of the unusually moist climate. The countrys floral profile is the result of the catastrophic ice ages when much of the flora of northern and central Europe was glacier covered while the Mediterranean basin escaped unscathed providing a haven for the evolution of plant life.
National Forest Parks:
There are seven national forest parks including two within the environs of NicosiaAthalassa Park and Paedagogical Academy Parks which have nature trails picnic sites birdwatching basketball arenas. The Troodos National Forest Park is the largest and includes four Nature Reserves. It has the largest number of wild plats including endemics compared to anywhere else on the island and has been designated as one of the thirteen Mediterranean Plant Diversity Hot Spots. The Park has many recreational facilities including picnic sites a campsite nat?re trails riding and winter sport. The Cavo Gkreko National Forest Park in the southeast of the islands is ideal for hiking. picnicking cycling riding climbing swimming and diving.

About the writer:  Write about cyprus villages