Buxom Florence - Firenze Italy Travel

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Rome opens up underground wonders of the ancient world to tourists

A 2nd century guardroom is revealed.

Visitors to Rome may discover a world of ancient treasures beneath their feet at underground sites.

They include the Ludus Magnus, the barracks beneath the Colosseum where gladiators assembled before entering the great arena to meet their fate; the well-preserved necropolis of Santa Rosa at the Vatican, with tombs from the 1st to the 5th centuries, and pagan temples.

Guided tours through the sites begin in Rome during summer. “There is a lot of unknown Rome to explore, not just the best-known sights,” said Gianni Alemanno, the Mayor of Rome.

The 30 underground marvels are rarely seen by tourists, or residents. “Hidden Rome is in front of everyone’s eyes but nobody notices it,” said Umberto Broccoli, the superintendent of cultural heritage in Rome. “A large part of Rome’s history lies underground.”

He singled out the auditorium of Maecenas, the wealthy close adviser to the Emperor Augustus, whose encouragement of poets and painters in 1st century Imperial Rome made his name a byword for patronage of the arts.

The ruins of his frescoed theatre for readings and performances, now below ground and protected by a modern roof, are tucked away in a small urban square that is all that remains of his once vast and magnificent horti, or gardens, on the Esquiline Hill.

Few visitors are aware that a 2,000-year-old underground aqueduct, the Acqua Virgo — originally built to supply the Baths of Agrippa near the Pantheon in 19BC and still used to bring water to the city — lies beneath the Renaissance-era Villa Medici, now the French Academy, and ends in the Baroque stone fantasy of the Trevi Fountain.

Tourists can also explore the frescoed 2nd century Temple of Mithras, the pagan cult, beneath the 17th Century Palazzo Barberini, which houses one of Rome’s foremost art collections.

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Giro d'Italia 2010 Wrap Up: Ivan Basso 2nd Victory in Giro d'Italia

After 21 stages around Italy's regions Ivan Basso won his second Giro d'Italia.

The Giro d'Italia finished Sunday with a loop around Verona. Although the Italian Ivan Basso did not win the Verona stage 21, he is the overall Giro d'Italia 2010 winner, making an Italian the Giro d' Italia champion.

It's been four years since Basso first found glory winning the Giro d'Italia. In between there was a fall from grace, a laborious resurrection, and finally redemption, when Basso once again cinched victory Sunday in his beloved "Giro."



Last year Basso returned for the Centennial Giro d'Italia famed Italian race, where he finished fifth place. While the result failed to create much of a stir in the media, Basso was hopeful.

He improved slightly with a fourth-place in the Tour of Spain at the end of 2009, but it was in this year's Giro that Basso once again became a winner. Like other pre-race favorites Cadel Evans and Alexandre Vinokourov, Basso struggled to control this uncontrollable three-week race that started in Holland.

The first week on the 2010 Giro d'Italia was filled with horrible spring weather in Italy that brought suffering crashes to all the cyclists. Basso and the Liquigas Team returned to Italyafter the Holland portion and dominated the team time trial. The 30- year old Basso, along with up-and-coming teammate Vincenzo Nibali, folded on stage seven from Carrara to Montalcino in rain filled deluge that transformed the stage's Tuscan white dirt roads of the "Strade Bianche" into a muddy mess.

The two minutes he lost to Montalcino that day were followed by a 12-plus minutes he and the other 2010 Giro d'Italia favorites lost when nearly 50 riders broke away on stage 11 to the earthquake town of L'Aquila on another rain-drenched stage. Suddenly the most prominent threat in the race wasn't from Evans or Vinokourov, but Spaniard David Arroyo, who was now sitting comfortably in the lead.

However, Giro d'Italia fans know that it is the mountain stages in the final weeks that determine who will be the Giro d'Italia winner. Basso exploited the mountain stages in the final week. While other favorites were exhausted, Basso rebounded, proving that he is still one of the world's top climbers when he's at his best. And with each climb he chipped away at Arroyo's lead.

The most impressive moment came when he soloed to victory on the Monte Zoncolan, one of the hardest climbs in all of professional bike racing, at the finish of stage 15. But the most decisive moment came when he launched an attack with Stefano Garzelli and his teammate Nibali on stage 19 to Aprica.

Surging on the Mortirolo Pass, in Lombardy, a climb Lance Armstrong called the hardest in all cycling, the trio rolled away from the competition. In contrast to his famed climbing skills, Basso is also noted as a wretched descender. Yet chaperoned by Nibali, one of the best, Basso held his advantage down the mountain, and the trio only increased their lead on the final climb to Aprica. At the finish, the pink leader's jersey was his. Days later, so was his second victory in the famed Giro d'Italia.

After taking over the pink jersey on Friday Basso stated regarding his past doping problems, "What good does it do to stir that up again... That's an old story from 2006. What interests me is what I have been able to do since I put a number back on my jersey. Being in the middle of the storm makes you suffer, but also grow. The last four years are behind me. I prefer to think about the present... The Tour de France, I want it too much," Basso said. "That's where my career was shattered and that's where it will really start again. I want to give the Tour what it gave to me-a lot of joy and emotion."

Nevertheless, after his final victory in Verona on Sunday, Basso admitted, "credibility is earned one day at a time."

Final overall standings at the 2010 Giro d'Italia:

1. Ivan Basso (ITA/LIQ) 87hr 44min 01sec, 2. David Arroyo (ESP/GCE) at 1:51, 3. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/LIQ) 2:37, 4. Michele Scarponi (ITA/AND) 2:50, 5. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 3:27, 6. Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ/AST) 7:06, 7. Richie Porte (AUS/SAX) 7:22, 8. Carlos Sastre (ESP/CTT) 9:39, 9. Marco Pinotti (ITA/THR) 14:20, 10. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO/LIQ) 14:51, 11. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 17:10, 12. Bauke Mollema (NED/RAB) 19:41, 13. John Gadret (FRA/ALM) 23:03, 14. Vladimir Karpets (RUS/KAT) 25:21, 15. Mauricio Ardila (COL/RAB) 32:29, 16. Linus Gerdemann (GER/MRM) 34:49, 17. Dario Cioni (ITA/SKY) 36:44, 18. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/RAB) 37:27, 19. Alexander Efimkin (RUS/ALM) 39:43, 20. Hubert Dupont (FRA/ALM) 45:17, 21. Francis de Greef (BEL/OLO) 50:08, 22. Iban Mayoz (ESP/FOT) 1hr 07min 37sec, 23. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/BTL) 1h10:16, 24. Pieter Weening (NED/RAB) 1h10:55, 25. Vladimir Miholjevic (CRO/ASA) 1h11:10
Selected: 40. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 1h47:58

The Perky Building - SpainTravel World

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The Perky Building - SpainTravel World

spain travel world

Best Tourist Attractions to Visit in Montpellier

No holiday or backpacking trip in the South of France would be complete without taking time to visit the city of Montpellier and the fantastic surrounding region of Languedoc-Roussillon in which the city is located. Montpellier has some very famous and extremely popular visitor attractions – that have helped to make it one of the fastest growing holiday destinations in Europe. Perhaps best renowned of these is the Place de la Comédie in the centre of the city. This stunning town square is a great hive of activity for any visitor to the city featuring some fantastic architecture, fountains and statues.

The Languedoc-Roussillon area is famous for its huge vineyards and if you want to go and explore them then Car Hire Montpellier can be the best way to get around in the district. Although often overlooked for more well known wine making regions, the area has vast expanses of vineyards and produces some fantastic tipple not to be missed. Luckily cheap car hire France is available from several regional outlets and can be booked online meaning its relatively easy for you to get around and enjoy one of the best holiday destinations in France. The car hire services are reasonably priced for this area of Europe – particularly if you are sharing with friends or family.