Showing Results 1-12 of 42 |  Sort by:     
Page 1 of 4  |  Go to page    Next» LAST»»
VPG-DVD-216 - VALLETTA Valletta is the capital city of the Mediterranean island of Malta and is also known as The City of Palaces. It was once inhabited in turn by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Turks and in 1530 the Order of the Knights of Malta moved its main residence to this section of the island. Malta's pre-historic epoch is demonstrated by its primeval stone temples and graves. They belong to the Menhir period that extended to the British Isles. The St. John's Co-Cathedral was built in1577 by Gerolama Cassar as a monastic church of the Order of the Knights of Malta. At the command of Pope Pius the 7th, in 1816 it was designated as a cathedral and was given the same privileges as the bishop's seat in Medina, thus its somewhat strange title of 'Co-Cathedral'. Situated on the northernmost point of the peninsula is the famous Saint Elmo Fort, a dominant feature of the coast. Throughout the centuries it has been witness to many bloody battles and much courageous resistance. It reached its zenith during the time of the Knights of Saint John who expanded the fortress and made it almost totally impregnable. Its walls successfully fended off the Turks and later the French blocked off the harbour entrance to the British fleet. During the Second World War anti- aircraft artillery were positioned on the fort's upper levels to defend against both German and Italian bombers. The Orient and the Occident have both left their traces in Valletta a picturesque location carved from stone. The former City Of Knights in which the future joins with the past.
Vista Point VALLETTA Malta
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 115 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m27s
Views: 13  | Comments: 0
Rating: Not yet rated
VPG-DVD-191 - SICILY Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean and the most diverse region in Italy, a land of gods and natural forces and a place of ancient cultures. Catania in the north east of the island is Sicily's second largest city that has been strongly influenced by earthquakes and also the volcanic activity of Mount Etna. It is believed that Greek settlers from Chalkidi founded it and some centuries later it was conquered by the Romans, and later the Arabs brought the city a new wave of prosperity. Noto is a charming town with around twenty thousand inhabitants and it is one of the most beautiful enclosed Baroque towns in Sicily. However, many of Noto's historic buildings have been neglected for many years and are thus in somewhat less than perfect condition. The Catedrale Di San Nicolò also fell into disrepair as a result of continued neglect and this caused both its dome and part of its roof to collapse in 1996. A proud and mighty volcano rises above eastern Sicily. Mount Etna, the largest volcano in Europe, is the undisputed ruler of this fascinating Mediterranean island. The snow on the summit region of Etna obscures the fact that deep within the volcano is an unimaginable natural furnace with a temperature of around a thousand degrees Celsius. Marsala was given its name by the Arabs who called it 'Marsal-Allah', 'God's Harbour'. The monumental city gate is a reminder of the landing of Giuseppe Garibaldis on the 8th of March, 1860. In the mountain area close to Palermo, another wonderful city featured on our journey, is the picturesque town of Monreale, a townscape that for more than eight hundred years has been dominated by a single building. Monreale Cathedral was built due to a struggle for power between the Bishop Of Palermo and the Norman King, William. Sicily is exquisite. An ancient island of both discovery and pleasure.
Vista Point SICILY Italy
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 115 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m31s
Views: 19  | Comments: 0
Rating: Not yet rated
VPG-DVD-181 - RODOS Rhodes is the largest island of the Dodekanissa, a group of Greek islands located in the south east of the Aegean just off the west coast of Turkey. Since antiquity its unique location has brought it both power and wealth. On the northernmost tip of the island is the fascinating metropolis of Chora Ródos whose harbour entrance was once adorned by the Seventh Wonder Of The World, the Colossus Of Rhodes. But the legendary lighthouse has long since gone and today excursion boats and yachts crowd the island's former trading harbour that has a rich and dramatic past. Byzantines, Arabs, The Knights Of The Order Of St. John, Ottomans and Italians, each one influenced the ever-changing history of the island that was first settled in 400 B.C. At the city's highest point is the huge palace of the Grand Master, the monumental junction of the Street Of The Knights and the command post of the Christian order. The Grand Master was the highest dignitary of the Order Of The Knights Of Malta, a lifetime office. The Street Of The Knights leads from the Grand Master Palace down the hill to the Hospital, a unique ensemble of Gothic medieval architecture set amid the Mediterranean. The main buildings of the various groups of knights were erected along the main street and it was here that the knights met and conferred according to their membership of various European regions. Rhodes is an island steeped in history as well as the calm lifestyle of the Mediterranean.
Vista Point RODOS Greece...
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 115 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m23s
Views: 16  | Comments: 0
Rating: Not yet rated
VPG-DVD-163 - MARSEILLE Marseille is the oldest city in France and its largest commercial harbour in the Mediterranean. It is believed that in 600 B.C. travellers from the Greek town of Phokis founded the autonomous town of 'Massalia'. In the Middle Ages the city's main harbour was used by the crusaders to embark on their journey to Jerusalem and it rivalled those of the maritime republics of Genoa, Pisa and Venice. One of Marseille's main landmarks rises high above the harbour, the seafarers' church of Notre-Dame-De-La-Garde. It towers above the city like a fortress and on its bell tower is a gilded ten metre high figure of the Virgin Mary. Several hundred yachts of all sizes crowd into the old harbour where there is often little room for the comings and goings of modern day sailors. It is difficult to imagine that once near-starving slaves were forced to use their last ounce of strength to row their master's galleys into the harbour. Modern harbour complexes require a great deal of space as is well demonstrated by Marseille's new harbour and after Rotterdam it is the second largest in Europe. Two mighty fortresses overlook the harbour: the northern Fort Saint-Jean is the oldest and was used by the Order Of The Knights Of Malta; the Fort Saint Nicolas stands guard over the southern side of the narrow harbour entrance and was built in the 17th century. The tiny island of Chateau D`If was made famous due to a novel by Alexander Dumas, The Count Of Monte Christo. A small museum features many items related to this classic novel and visitors can search for the hole in the wall through which Edmond Dantès is said to have entered the Abbé Faria. A boat trip from Cassis leads to one of the most beautiful coastal areas in Europe: Les Calanques a unique nature reserve. Shining white limestone cliffs plunge more than four hundred metres into the deep blue sea and extend for twenty kilometres. Marseille - France's wonderful gateway to Africa!
Vista Point MARSEILLE France
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 115 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m32s
Views: 18  | Comments: 0
Rating: Not yet rated
VPG-DVD-145 - KYKLÁDES Otherwise known as The Pearls Of Greece, the Cyclades Islands are located in the heart of the South Aegean that flows around its former centre, the holy island of Delos. Of more than two hundred and twenty islands, only twenty-five are populated. Situated in the centre of the Cyclades group of islands, Mykonos is a former pirate village and for some years has been a meeting place for artists, V.I.P.'s and the international glitterati. Five old windmills dominate the picturesque bay of Mykonos. In earlier times the town's millers supplied flour to soldiers, merchants and even pirates. A special attraction is the district of Little Venice, the style of its buildings serving as a reminder of when the Venetians took possession of the island. Delos is known as the Pompeii of the Aegean and its deserted temples, public buildings, houses and streets still conjure up the atmosphere of this once-flourishing cultural and trading town. On Naxos, the largest of the Greek islands, the Greek gods have created a masterpiece of nature with bubbling springs and gently-flowing streams, colourful fields and fertile valleys and an abundance of water, fruit and vegetables. Santorini is the most southerly of the Cyclades islands and the location of the mythical lost island of Atlantis. It's also a breathtaking island paradise of rock, lava, sea and light. The unique proportions of Santorini are due to a natural disaster that had a devastating effect when over 3,500 years ago a volcanic eruption sank most of the island beneath the sea. Was it not the Greek god, Poseidon, who threw a handful of rocks onto the seabed that took root and created the Cyclades? It is no wonder that these dreamy islands are a place of myth and legend!
Vista Point KYKLÁDES...
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 115 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m30s
Views: 18  | Comments: 0
Rating: Not yet rated
VPG-DVD-115 - KRETA Crete is an island of light, the 'cradle of Zeus', with sun-drenched coastlines, picturesque villages and majestic mountains. No wonder that even the gods felt comfortable in this wonderful region of Greece. Heraklion is the capital of the largest and most southerly Greek islands, on which a highly developed culture has existed for 4000 years. The Venetians built massive fortresses to defend the island against the Turks The Gortys Ruins are reminders of the moving history of an old town that was prosperous in the 5th century B.C. when Gortys became the most powerful town of the Messara Plain and throughout the olive groves between the hills can be found the scattered remnants of its past cultural riches. With its beautiful sandy beaches, Matala is a popular coastal resort to which many come simply to experience the glorious sunsets in addition to the rich archaeological discoveries of the Phaistos Palace. Agia Galini is a quiet fishing village that, during the summer months, is a lively bathing resort on Crete's south coast. However, it has managed to maintain its original atmosphere with fishing boats in the harbour and crystal clear water lapping the shoreline, plus the allure of its tavernas and restaurants. The precipitous rocky coastline of Agia Roumeli is also the starting point of the Samaria Gorge that is regarded as the largest in Europe. Eighteen kilometres long and in places up to a hundred and fifty kilometres wide, the gorge stretches from the Libyan Sea right up to the heights of Lefka Ori. Picturesque harbours, ancient treasures, lost legends and Greek hospitality: who could possibly ask for more?
Vista Point KRETA Greece...
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 115 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m24s
Views: 20  | Comments: 0
Rating: Not yet rated
VPG-DVD-214 - KÓS Kós is an historic island oasis beneath the Greek sun. Not the largest of the Dodekannissa Islands but certainly one of its most fascinating, with endless sandy beaches and an ancient heritage. The capital of the island is Chora Kós and for two thousand years it has been the nerve centre of the island. The city once suffered devastating earthquakes and the island was plagued by numerous invaders including the Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, the Knights of St. John and finally, the Turks. The Platia Eleftherìas is the main square of today's Kós and contains the Archaeological Museum that is housed in a futuristic looking Italian building that dates back to the 1930's. Four kilometres from the city high in the Dikeos Mountains is one of the island's most important sights, the Asklipion, an ancient hospital and sanctuary. A winding road leads to the village of Kéfalos that from below looks like a small fortified complex. Its white houses and narrow alleys are free of traffic and it's as though time has stood still. Formerly a village of fishermen, agriculture is now the main source of income for the local people. Kéfalos has much historical significance as it was built on the ruins of the first capital of the island and Hypocrates was born here in 460 B.C. Antimáchia Castle was built in the 13th century by the Venetians and later expanded by the Knights Of St. John. Its mighty external walls are most impressive but only a few cisterns and two small chapels remain. Fascinating landscapes and the historic monuments of many époques make the Greek island of Kós a sparkling jewel of the Aegean.
Vista Point KÓS...
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 115 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m28s
Views: 15  | Comments: 0
Rating: Not yet rated
VPG-DVD-142 - ISTANBUL Istanbul is the golden gateway to the Orient, a city that was once the centre of the Old World and still reflects two and a half centuries of history. Today this turbulent metropolis on the Bosporus is Europe's connection with Asia Minor. Today this link between Europe and Asia has more than fifteen million inhabitants and is not only Turkey's largest city but is also a melting pot of various cultures. Once a Greek colony, Roman Imperial City and capital of the Osman Empire, Istanbul is full of colourful and dramatic history. The European-style city district on the northern side of the Golden Horn was founded as a trading colony by Genoese traders in 1261. In subsequent centuries the Europeans dominated the appearance and character of this area whose buildings and main street indicate the city's splendid past. The Yerebatan Cistern once provided Constantinople with its water supply. Emperor Justinian had this subterranean reservoir built and it holds eighty thousand cubic metres of water. A forest of more than three hundred decorated stone columns support the ceiling and it once served as a backdrop for a James Bond film. A mighty gate is the entrance to the splendid world of the Turkish sultans, Topkapi, the former centre of power of the Osman Empire. It's like a small town with many exquisite buildings and wonderful parks. Leonardo Da Vinci's vision of a bridge across the Bosporus was for many years only a dream but four hundred and seventy years later the dream became reality. At a height of sixty-four metres two city districts have been united in addition to two continents and the contrasting lifestyles of two completely different worlds. Istanbul is a melting pot of culture and religion with a captivating allure and an irresistible atmosphere of mystique.
Vista Point ISTANBUL Turkey
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 115 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m31s
Views: 8  | Comments: 0
Rating: Not yet rated
VPG-DVD-165 - DODEKANISSA Dodekanissa is the name of a group of Greek islands that is located in the south east of the Aegean just off the Turkish coast. It warrants more than its name of 'Twelve Islands' as it contains more than nineteen inhabited and around fifty small uninhabited islands. Kós is the green pearl of the Aegean, an historic oasis beneath the Greek sun. Not the largest of the Dodekannissa Islands but certainly one of its most fascinating. The capital of the island is Chora Kós. Following their arrival from Jerusalem in the 14th century, the Order Of The Knights Of Malta built a huge fortified complex in the town. The city's spacious square is surrounded by numerous buildings plus a museum and there are stone busts and statues of the Roman and Hellenistic eras that offer a good insight into the imaginative culture of a golden age. In the square a number of steps lead up to the city's cathedral, the Agia Paraskevi. Not a large structure but extremely modern and well located in the centre of the town. Only four kilometres from the city high in the Dikeos Mountains is one of the island's most important sights, the Asklipion, an ancient hospital and sanctuary. It was here that the Greeks worshipped the god of medicine who was later named Äskulap by the Romans. Rhodes was one of the most important cities in antiquity and fended off attack due to its impressively tall defensive walls. The mighty-looking fortification was in reality a deception as it was far from sturdy but its many defensive towers and pinnacles had their desired effect. Lindos is the most beautiful village in Rhodes with Paulus Bay and an acropolis that is located high above the sea. It was here that the sun was born and where the gods, knights and tourists have always sought good fortune and been captivated with the enchanting islands of the Dodekanissa.
Vista Point DODEKANISSA...
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 115 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m17s
Views: 12  | Comments: 0
Rating: Not yet rated
VPG-DVD-156 - CAIRO Cairo is a world metropolis and tantamount to being an open-air museum. The Nile divides it in two and the centre of the city contains modern shops and office buildings in close proximity to medieval churches and ancient mosques. The Khan El Khalili Bazaar is like something from a bygone age and where the Orient combines with the Middle Ages, A Thousand And One Nights amid Islamic Cairo. Goods inspired by pharaohs Tutenkhamen and Nofretete are in constant demand and it's where haggling is the norm. The bazaar is a colourful place with smoking hookahs, exotic carpets and musical instruments as well as a huge array of herbs and spices. Abu Serga is the city's oldest church and dates back to Fatimaic times. It was built on the ruins of an even older church in the Coptic district of Cairo. The three-aisled basilica was founded by Roman Christians at the end of the 4th century. Built in 1902, the Egyptian Museum's one hundred and fifty thousand exhibits amount to being one of the greatest historical collections in the world. When both the Greek and Roman civilisations had reached the zenith of their power, Egypt already had a history that dated back almost three thousand years. In 1830 King Mohammed Ali had a mosque built and named it after himself but it is now more commonly known as the Alabaster Mosque. It was eighteen years in construction and was built on the site of a former Mameluckan Palace. Egypt and its capital of Cairo is the oldest cultural land on Earth. A country that impresses with both its five thousand years of history and lively modern spirit.
Vista Point CAIRO Egypt
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 115 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m21s
Views: 17  | Comments: 0
Rating: Not yet rated
VPG-DVD-149 - BARCELONA Barcelona is one of the most lively harbour cities on the Mediterranean and after Madrid, Spain's second largest city and the capital of Catalonia. Intimate squares, small palaces and tangled alleys provide a good insight into its history as Iberians, Greeks and Romans once had trading posts there. La Rambla is a wide and shady boulevard that travels through the old town to the harbour and is where life goes on both night and day. It's also where street artists perform, shoeblacks work diligently and portrait painters tout for trade among the passing tourists. The Museu Maritim Drassanes is situated in the royal dockyards that were built when the city was at its zenith. Its buildings are unique examples of Gothic architecture and the vast dimensions of the dockyard allowed thirty ships to be built simultaneously in the name of the Catalonian-Aragon crown. Few parks are as famous as the Park Güell. With this, Antoni Gaudi created a new design concept in this fabulous garden city. At its entrance Gaudi placed a colourful lizard as a symbol of the water that is collected in subterranean cisterns and is used for the distribution of water in the park. The city itself also featured in Gaudi's magnificent fantasies. The Palau Güell was treated to an ostentatious roof with a great array of air shafts and chimneys. But the sight that captures the imagination of most who see it is the amazing façade of the Casa Mila, a unique apartment block without equal. Not a single wall is straight, glass and plaster were used for its façade and colourful ornamental ceramics complete the work. Barcelona is a melting pot that ranges from Gothic to Modernism, a veritable explosion of joie de vivre and creativity.
Vista Point BARCELONA Spain
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 115 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m43s
Views: 18  | Comments: 0
Rating: Not yet rated
VPG-DVD-129 ATHENSAthens is a lively city set in historic surroundings. Likavittós is a two hundred and seventy-seven metre high limestone rock that dominates the city. It towers up above several buildings and on its summit there's a small chapel. The capital of Greece has a long history. It was founded three thousand five hundred years ago and had its golden age during Greek Antiquity under the democratic rule of Perikles. At that time the symbol of one Europe's most influential cultures was created, Greek's national sanctuary, the Acropolis. It took nine years to build the great temple of the goddess Athene, The Parthenon, that was completed in 438 B.C. Unique among all other Greek temples, with its imposing appearance and artistic decoration this temple signified the great influence and power of ancient Athens. With its striking majestic appearance and timeless elegance it was more magnificent than any other building in Greece. Six female figures, the Karyatides, support the southern hall of the Ionic Temple of Erechtheion that stands on sacred ground close to the main temple. Since the beginning of the 4th century the mythical kings Kekrops and Erechtheu were worshiped here until the city's subsequent decline. Legend has it that during a contest between the gods Poseidon left the imprint of his trident on a rock upon which Athene created an olive tree. Throughout its history the temple served many purposes and the Turks, somewhat disrespectfully, transformed the Erechtheion into a harem. The evening sun descends slowly across the ruins of Ancient Greece. The marble of the temple shines golden as though to thank the gods for creating this remarkable city. A city in which both antiquity and the present unite: a symbol of the Occident.
Vista Point Athens Greece
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 115 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m30s
Views: 14  | Comments: 0
Rating: Not yet rated
Page 1 of 4  |  Go to page    Next» LAST»»