Jerusalem Mosaic in the Church of the Map (Madaba, Jordan)

The unassuming Church of St George (a.k.a., “The Church of the Map”) in Madaba, Jordan, contains an impressive, and by far the most well-known, mosaic in the Holy Land. The mosaic is much more interesting from a historical perspective than from aesthetic standpoint (the rendering is rather atypically poor, in my opinion, when compared to the other 6th century mosaics in the city). Continue reading

Cairo is a unique location: it is the only place in the world where you can see architectural remains of nearly every great Islamic Empire.  Not to mention that most of the sites are concentrated in geographically small area, making touring on foot very reasonable.

View of the minaret from the courtyard of Ibn Tulun

Mosque of Ibn Tulun (Tulunid Empire, 876-79)

• This is the oldest intact, functioning mosque in Cairo. Further, it is huge, covering approximately 6.5 acres.
• Look for the original inscriptions that run along the arcades near the ceiling. These Koranic inscriptions are done on sycamore wood and are nearly 2 kilometers in length; at this length, it is estimated that the walls contain nearly 1/15 of the entire Koran.
• This is one of the best examples of the classic congregational courtyard mosque design. This is the earliest mosque design, derived from the layout of what became the first mosque prototype, the house of the Prophet Mohammed in Medina. Continue reading

One could easily spend a month taking in Florence’s world-class art and architecture, indulging in traditional Tuscan food and wine and browsing all of the shops the city offers.

For those shopping-focused days, here is a list of our favorite stores in Florence – our list includes shops that sell unique items that you most likely won’t find outside of Italy or even Florence. Continue reading

18th century Neapolitan Rococo architecture is best illustrated in the work of Ferdinando Sanfelice (1675-1748), who is known for his striking staircases. We especially love the Palazzo della Spagnuolo. Via dei Virgini, 19. Sanfelice’s stairway in this building is distinctive for its height, the large size of its perforations, and the movement of the design. This is a great example of how architecture of the Baroque keeps your eye in movement: notice in this picture how Sanfelice skillfully draws your gaze upward, giving the structure a lightness that would otherwise not exist.

Palazzo della Spagnuolo (Naples)

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18th century Neapolitan Rococo architecture is best illustrated in the work of Ferdinando Sanfelice (1675-1748), who is known for his striking staircases. We especially love the Palazzo della Spagnuolo. Via dei Virgini, 19. Sanfelice’s stairway in this building is distinctive for its height, the large size of its perforations, and the movement of the design. This is a great example of how architecture of the Baroque keeps your eye in movement: notice in this picture how Sanfelice skillfully draws your gaze upward, giving the structure a lightness that would otherwise not exist.

Palazzo della Spagnuolo (Naples)

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One of the main attractions of Segovia, Spain is its very impressive aqueduct, which runs right through the old city and is staggering in its scale and balance.

Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain

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The Deesis in Hagia Sophia (Istanbul, Turkey)

Deesis (Christ Pantocrator) Mosaic in Hagia Sophia

In Byzantine art, the Deesis is a traditional representation of Christ enthroned, flanked by Mary and St. John the Baptist; these two figures are appealing to Christ for mercy on behalf of the beholder (viewer) on Judgment Day.

In Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, visitors to the south gallery (upstairs) can find a fantastic mosaic image of the Deesis.  Made in the late 13th century (possibly 1261), this is the highest detail mosaic in the church and one of the most impressive mosaics in the world. Continue reading

Recently we had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Jessie Voigts at Wandering Educators about our guides, their inspiration and creating meaningful travel experiences.

We were so flattered when Jessie wrote, “Perfect for the thinking traveler, Approach Guides are one of the best travel guides I’ve ever found.“

Visit WanderingEducators.com to read the interview and learn more about Approach Guides. Jessie will also be reviewing several of our travel guides on the site over the next month. While you are on the site, take some time to browse through their immense library of articles. Wandering Educators is a wonderful resource for travelers who want to explore new cultures and discover extraordinary destinations, fascinating people, and global artists, photographers and experts.

Venice is one of the most architecturally rich, varied, and exceptionally well-preserved cities in the world, but given the high number of tourists visiting the city every day, the restaurants in Venice can really be hit-or-miss. Nevertheless,the best restaurants in Venice offer up some of the best food in Italy.

To help you have the best culinary experience in Venice, we have included a few of our favorite Venetian foods, local wines from the Veneto, and of course, a list of our favorite restaurants.

Top Local Foods to Order in Venice

Seafood is definitely the way to go in Venice. We have pulled out some of our favorite local foods that are typically Venetian. For more tips on the local cuisine, check out our Italian food guide.

• Seppie (cuttlefish, which is basically squid, but a little larger, and with darker ink).
• Cappelunghe (razor shell clams).
• Canestrelli (Venetian scallops).
• Moeche (tiny soft shell crabs, usually fried). Continue reading

Travelers to Buddhist and Hindu countries might find a review of AUM valuable, as it exemplifies many of the fundamental tenets of these faiths.

The symbol of AUM (also spelled “Om”) consists of three curves, one semicircle, and a dot; these are symbols of each person’s self and his potential:

• The large curve (in the lower left corner of the image) symbolizes the waking state.  Perhaps it is best to think of this curve as symbolic of the “ego”, our outward persona, the person we think we should be, that identity that we consciously associate with the “self”.
• Moving clockwise, the upper curve (upper left corner) symbolizes the unconscious state, that part of the “self” that is hidden to the one’s consciousness but is equally part of the “self”.
• The middle curve, which extends from the center to the right side, symbolizes the dream state. This dream state, positioned vertically between the conscious and unconscious elements of the “self”, serves as a means to connect the two, a means for the conscious and unconscious to interact.  This is certainly what we do when we dream…the unconscious becomes conscious, affording a more complete view of the “self”.
• The semicircle or crescent symbolizes symbolizes illusion, specifically in this case, the illusion that the self exists as a separate entity at all.  Notice that the crescent separates the dot from the other three curves.  It is this illusion that separates the individual from becoming one with his infinite self, beyond boundaries.
• The dot signifies the infinite, absolute self, hidden from the individual by illusion; this is what the Eastern faiths of Hinduism and Buddhism consider God.   Dispelling the illusion and becoming one with this infinite self is the ultimate experience of life and the experience of the divine.

One of our favorite descriptions of AUM, which touches on many of the symbols described above, can be found in Joseph Campbell’s book “The Hero with a Thousand Faces“.  Campbell breaks down each of AUM’s three phonemes, a, u and m:

• The A representing the realm of waking experience: “cognitive of the hard gross facts of an outer universe, illuminated by the sun, and common to all”.
• The U representing the realm of dream experience: “cognitive of the fluid, subtle forms of a private interior world, self-luminous and of one substance with the dreamer”.
• The M representing the realm of deep sleep: “dreamless, profoundly beautiful” (the person unified with the unconscious and the greater self).

For Campbell, the most profound element of AUM is not the sound, however, but the silence: “The silence surrounding the syllable is the unknown: it is called simply ‘the fourth’.  The syllable itself is God as creator-preserver-destroyer, but the silence is God Eternal, absolutely uninvolved in all the openings-and-closings of the round.”

Experience the silence!

Learn More with Approach Guides Cultural Travel Guidebooks

Religion: Buddhism

Buddhism began as a rebellious offspring of Hinduism in India, “Hindu Protestantism”, if you will, and migrated out of India to the rest of Asia via the Silk Road and other trade routes. This guide seeks to provide a framework for understanding the faith and help readers gain an understanding of this religion’s rich, global cultural legacy. Learn more about Buddhism…

Religion: Hinduism

This document is designed to provide a comprehensive background on the history of the Hindu religion, a discussion of the primary Hindu gods (and how to recognize them), the central tenets of the faith, the history of and thoughts espoused in the primary Hindu religious texts, the relevant religious symbolism, and the primary related religious movements. Learn more about Hinduism…