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In this issue:
Eye On: Le Marche
Italy's Best-Kept Secret
Italy's region of Le Marche - The Marches - is indeed a fascinating one, rich
with glorious countryside and splendid architecture, and yet it remains
undiscovered by American educational tour groups.
This region lies on the eastern side of central Italy, between the Adriatic Sea
and the high Apennine Mountains. Although the coast of Le Marche has been
an attractive destination for "sun n' sand" holidaymakers for decades, very
few have ventured inland where time really has really stood still, perhaps
even more so than anywhere else in central Italy.
One of the region's principal attractions is the small, hilltop town of Urbino,
where two of the greatest Renaissance artists, Bramante and Raffaello, were
born. Under the second Duke of Urbino, the town flourished as a great center
of art and culture, rivaling Florence. Here you and your students can discover
one of Italy's most beautiful Renaissance palaces, Palazzo Ducale, which
nowadays houses a major museum with paintings by Raffaello, Titian and
Piero della Francesca, among others.
But there are so many other fascinating towns dotting Le Marche. Not to be
missed are:
- Ascoli Piceno, with its fine examples of Romanesque, Medieval and
Renaissance architecture and its marble-paved main square - considered
one of the most beautiful in Italy.
- Loreto, a world-famous destination for religious pilgrims who come to visit
the Basilica of the Holy House. According to a 14th-century legend, angels
transported the Holy House to a laurel grove, the "Lauretanum," for which
the town is named.
- Senigallia, founded in the 4th century B.C. by the Gallic tribe of the Senones
and the first Roman colony on the Adriatic coast.
Surrounding Le Marche's towns and villages is some truly wild, natural beauty
including impressive mountain scenery amidst the Monti Sibillini and the
Riviera del Conero with its cliffs and hidden coves. Some beaches, like the
spectacular "Due Sorelle" or Two Sisters - which takes its name from two
large rocks rising out of the water - can only be reached by boat or on
difficult paths. Then there's the Frasassi Caves, some of the most
spectacular limestone caves you're likely to ever encounter, and the Furlo
Gorge, a dramatic natural mountain pass that has been in use since
prehistoric times.
Food lovers will have a delicious time in the region, as well. Try brodetto, a
fish stew which must be made with 13 species of fish, - no more, no less;
passatelli, strands of pasta made from breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and
egg cooked in broth; or formaggio di fossa, a strong-flavored cheese aged
in sealed limestone holes in the ground. Mmmmmm...
Contact CQ's Travel Program Manger, Alessandra Taddeucci, who recently lived in Le Marche, for a sample itinerary to this beautiful region.
CQ Capers
Teacher Survey Results Are In!
Last fall CQ surveyed middle school, high school and college teachers from around the United States to find out what they think about educational travel. One-hundred-and-sixty-three teachers replied, and this is what you said:
Predictably, the majority of teachers surveyed (25%) considered the lowest price to be the most important criterion in selecting an educational tour company, though referrals from other teachers and the ability to travel in a private group ranked equally as the second most important factors.
In order to reduce the cost of your tour, 24% of you said you'd be willing to forego dinners, and an equal number said you'd be willing to eliminate a tour director. Twenty-two percent said you'd be willing to stay in hotels that were not centrally located.
Argentina emerged as a potential hot new educational destination - close to one third of all survey respondents said they would be interested in leading a tour there. Croatia, Brazil and South Africa garnered far less interest with only approximately 7% of respondents expressing an interest in each of these countries. Distant third-place destinations included Ecuador, Iceland, Egypt, Jordan and Turkey, each capturing less than 1% of the vote.
The survey results demonstrated a demand for credit - both academic and professional. Thirty-eight percent of you said you'd be more likely to travel with an educational tour company if it could offer your students college credit through an accredited academic institution, and a little over half of you said you be interested in taking a Teacher's Only Tour for professional development credit. As Mike Tomasso of Pottsgrove High in Pottstown, PA suggested, "Incorporating ACT 48 credits (into your tours) would be of interest to teachers in this area."
Many high school teachers expressed an interest in deepening the travel experience for their students. A whopping 74% said you'd like your tour to include an "intercambio" or informal meeting between your students and foreign students. Forty-nine percent of you wants to include a service learning project in part of your tour, and similarly, 44% wants to include a homestay in part of your tour.
Some teachers commented on their positive experiences with CQ: "I appreciate the personal nature of Culture Quest. I always know that I can get my questions asked and that I am not just a number," wrote Kim Long of Shippensburg University. Mary Howard of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio said simply, "Keep up the excellent work!"
Thank you Kim. Thank you Mary. And thank you to everyone who participated in the survey. Your input is invaluable in helping Culture Quest improve and expand our educational travel programs.
Stay tuned to see what we have in store next!
Teachers Talk Back
Diana Regan
Whether I travel to France with my high school, college or adult students, I want the trip to go smoothly, be well-planned, be economical and, above all, be focused on the educational and cultural aspects of the country we are visiting.
I have been leading my students to France since the mid 1960's, and I can say that I have had a lot of experience with many travel agencies. Culture Quest, however, stands head and shoulders above the rest! The staff is extremely knowledgeable, very personable and easy to work with because they truly care. They give individualized attention to all their clients, make suggestions, but they also carefully listen to the suggestions of the group leader and the participants. They do their best to meet the financial requirements of the group, and make the trip happen according to the group's individual needs.
Their motto of "No Cookie Cutter Tours" is very important to me because I prefer to plan my own itinerary that focuses on the cities and regions that we have studied in class. I also like the idea of not sharing a bus with another group. I have had the experience of having to wait at the airport for another group to arrive before we were able to go to the hotel. This does not happen with Culture Quest.
I have worked with Culture Quest for four years, and I have organized three trips to France. My students have been very pleased not only with the trip but also with the cost. I've recommended CQ Tours to all my colleagues who intend to lead their students abroad because they are, in my experience, the best!!
Diana Regan
French Instructor, La Salle University
President, Alliance Francaise de Philadelphie
Travel Tidbits
Travel Safety Tips
Just a friendly CQ reminder to use caution and common sense whenever you and your students travel abroad. Pass these personal safety tips along.
- Always go out in groups of three or more.
- Stay in well-lighted tourist areas.
- Stay clear of large crowds and demonstrations.
- Avoid speaking about touchy subjects in public.
- Walk away from provocations or arguments.
- Make sure you know how to get back to your hotel easily.
- Never get into a private automobile or onto a motorcycle, scooter or moped.
- Dress conservatively to avoid unwanted attention.
- Be discreet with your money in public. Carry it in a money belt tucked under your clothing.
- Check the U.S. State Department's web site for public announcements with specific safety information for the country you plan to visit.
Multicultural Corner
Let's Play Multicultural Quizzo
Do your students think Ramadan is a Chinese noodle dish? Do they think Big Ben is the hip-hop cousin of Lil Kim?
Test their multicultural competency with this fun quiz courtesy of the Multicultural Youth eXchange.
[Click Here] to download the quiz! (Adobe .PDF format)
© Copyright 2006 Culture Quest Tours. Please report any broken links or other site problems to webmaster@cqtours.com.
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Spring 2006