Each book in this highly-respected series offers a selection of the finest -- but not necessarily the most expensive -- lodgings, most shown in high-quality color photos. These are the special places you dream of, but seldom find, including small B&Bs, grand chateaux, historic old homes and rustic lodges. Over 250 are profiled in each pocket-size book, with candid evaluations on everything from service and level of privacy to amenities. Colorful descriptions allow you to get a real feel for each place. Practical information (telephone number, address, price scale, pet policies and seasonal opening times) are given in an easy-to-read format.A collection of delightful places to stay on the beach, atop a cliff, by a river and in the countryside. Stay at one of Antibes' ritziest small resorts right on the beach, or wake every morning in an antique-filled room overlooking colorful fishing boats.

TOO often—it is a half-acknowledged delusion, however—one meets with what appears to be a theory: that a book of travel must necessarily be a series of dull, discursive, and entirely uncorroborated opinions of one who may not be even an intelligent observer. This is mere intellectual pretence. Even a humble author—so long as he be an honest one—may well be allowed to claim with Mr. Howells the right to be serious, or the reverse, "with his material as he finds it;" and that "something personally experienced can only be realized on the spot where it was lived." This, says he, is "the prime use of travel, and the attempt to create the reader a partner in the enterprise" ... must be the excuse, then, for putting one's observations on paper. He rightly says, too, that nothing of perilous adventure is to-day any more like to happen "in Florence than in Fitchburg." A "literary tour," a "cathedral tour," or an "architectural tour," requires a formula wherein the author must be wary of making questionable estimates; but he may, with regard to generalities,—or details, for that matter,—state his opinion plainly; but he should state also his reasons. With respect to church architecture no average reader, any more than the average observer, willingly enters the arena of intellectual combat, but rather is satisfied—as he should be, unless he is a Freeman, a Gonse, or a Corroyer—with an ampler radius which shall command even a juster, though no less truthful, view.

Readers will get a real feel for each establishment when they refer to this guide. These are the special places they have been searching for but have never found, each listed with details of service and amenities. Full-color photos and candid evaluations give one a real feel for each location.

Embark on an unforgettable journey through the heart of Europe with "Off the Beaten Path: Hidden Gems of Europe." This comprehensive guide reveals the continent's best-kept secrets, from enchanting villages and breathtaking natural wonders to unique cultural experiences and culinary delights. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or an adventurous novice, this book is your passport to discovering Europe's most captivating and lesser-known destinations. Explore quaint towns like Hallstatt in Austria and Rovinj in Croatia, uncover the pristine beauty of the Faroe Islands and the Azores, and immerse yourself in the rich history of Berat, Albania, and Sibiu, Romania. Each chapter is packed with practical tips, detailed itineraries, and inspiring stories to help you navigate these hidden gems with confidence and ease. "Off the Beaten Path: Hidden Gems of Europe" is more than just a travel guide—it's a call to adventure for those who seek to explore beyond the tourist trails. Discover the true essence of Europe, connect with locals, and create unforgettable memories as you venture off the beaten path. Your European adventure awaits!

Southern California Off the Beaten Path features the things travelers and locals want to see and experience––if only they knew about them. From the best in local dining to quirky cultural tidbits to hidden attractions, unique finds, and unusual locales, Southern California Off the Beaten Path takes the reader down the road less traveled and reveals a side of Southern California that other guidebooks just don't offer.

According to the received history, the Cistercian order was founded in Cîteaux, France, in 1098 by a group of Benedictine monks who wished for a stricter community. They sought a monastic life that called for extreme asceticism, rejection of feudal revenues, and manual labor for monks. Their third leader, Stephen Harding, issued a constitution, the Carta Caritatis, that called for the uniformity of custom in all Cistercian monasteries and the establishment of an annual general chapter meeting at Cîteaux. The Cistercian order grew phenomenally in the mid-twelfth century, reaching beyond France to Portugal in the west, Sweden in the north, and the eastern Mediterranean, ostensibly through a process of apostolic gestation, whereby members of a motherhouse would go forth to establish a new house. The abbey at Clairvaux, founded by Bernard in 1115, was alone responsible for founding 68 of the 338 Cistercian abbeys in existence by 1153. But this well-established view of a centrally organized order whose founders envisioned the shape and form of a religious order at its prime is not borne out in the historical record. Through an investigation of early Cistercian documents, Constance Hoffman Berman proves that no reliable reference to Stephen's Carta Caritatis appears before the mid-twelfth century, and that the document is more likely to date from 1165 than from 1119. The implications of this fact are profound. Instead of being a charter by which more than 300 Cistercian houses were set up by a central authority, the document becomes a means of bringing under centralized administrative control a large number of loosely affiliated and already existing monastic houses of monks as well as nuns who shared Cistercian customs. The likely reason for this administrative structuring was to check the influence of the overdominant house of Clairvaux, which threatened the authority of Cîteaux through Bernard's highly successful creation of new monastic communities. For centuries the growth of the Cistercian order has been presented as a spontaneous spirituality that swept western Europe through the power of the first house at Cîteaux. Berman suggests instead that the creation of the religious order was a collaborative activity, less driven by centralized institutions; its formation was intended to solve practical problems about monastic administration. With the publication of The Cistercian Evolution, for the first time the mechanisms are revealed by which the monks of Cîteaux reshaped fact to build and administer one of the most powerful and influential religious orders of the Middle Ages.