Travel News
LondonTourism triumphs at London's Hayward 2005-10-12London's Hayward Gallery has been swamped with snapshots and souvenirs from around the world as part of its current exhibition's exploration of tourism: questioning what motivates people to travel and what they really see as they do so.
Francesco Bonami's 'Universal Experience: Art, Life and the Tourist's Eye', arrived from Chicago in October, and will continue at the South Bank venue until December this year.
Large scale installations and film projections are juxtaposed with small, sometimes puzzling photographs and postcards, in what the curator is billing to be as much a tourist attraction and adventure in its own right as a meditation on the nature and effects of a globalised world.
Amongst the 50 international artists featured in the exhibition are delightful, and sometimes disturbing, works by big names such as Andy Warhol, Thomas Hirschhorn and Jeff Koons.
Swiss artists, Peter Fischli and David Weiss, offer 1,000 large colour transparencies of some of the world's most recognisable "sights", according to the Guardian.
Devoid of human interest, the succession of "beautiful views" will create a dizzying, slightly cloying experience, with the sightseer transformed to voyeur, drooling over the unattainable perfection that is pictured.
Designed to make you think, as well as laugh and wonder, this exhibition will almost certainly itself become one of London's "must see" attractions this autumn.
Other London NewsParisThe pick of Picasso 2005-09-28The National Picasso Museum in Paris has embarked on its 20th anniversary celebration with a special exhibition.
'Picasso – A Passion for Drawing' will showcase some 350 masterpieces and lesser-known works, drawn from the museum's own collection, and the Picasso Museum in Barcelona.
The museum is located in an old, architecturally intriguing seventeenth century mansion in the vibrant Marais district, itself worthy of exploration.
Translating as "swamp", the Marais district was once marshland, and now encompasses the third and fourth arrondissements of Paris.
The Louvre museum, River Seine and monumental Notre Dame cathedral are all within walking distance, and there is a thriving nightlife and shopping scene.
The special Picasso exhibition will run until January next year,
Works housed include sculptures such as 'Head of Woman' and 'Head of Bull', and paintings including 'Panpipes' and 'Jacqueline with the cross hands'.
Other Paris NewsRomeAll aboard for holistic hilarity 2005-06-28The world's first holiday package centring on the healing power of laughter is to be launched.
The cruise, which sets sail for the first time this September, will depart from Palma, Mallorca, taking in Tunis, Rome, Cannes, Barcelona and Ibiza in a tour of the best the Mediterranean has to offer.
Laughter is known to promote a feeling of well being by releasing endorphins.
Holidaymakers will be able to participate in seven days and nights of workshops, from "laughter yoga", meditation and breath work, to comedy, improvisation and creative story telling.
There will also be toning sessions at the "Laughter Gym", the UK's latest fitness craze, and participants can later unwind with onshore activities ranging from white water rafting and mountain biking to jeep safaris.
Laughter therapy specialist, Amanda Bate, said: "Laughter is an essential ingredient of a healthy, happy life and is one of the most effective and immediate antidotes to stress and tension."
However, any holiday exploring the delights of Barcelona or Rome, or basking in the sun in Mallorca or Ibiza, is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.>
Other Rome NewsOrlandoSpooks of the deep on display 2005-10-18The SeaWorld theme park in Orlando, Florida, takes on a Halloween theme throughout October, with a range of alternative activities as well as some familiar favourites cast in a special, spooky light.
One of the "Spooktacular" events is the Family Sleepover, where costumed kids can trick or treat their way through the park by night, as they encounter the various creepy creatures on display, including polar bears and stingrays.
There is also a scary Shark Encounter, and the park's Killer Whale mascot, Shamu, will participate in a one-off night-time show, 'The Spirit of Shamu', complete with thumping music and frightening lights and fireworks
Trick or treating can be enjoyed in complete safety with the park's planned treasure trove trail, as the children follow their SeaWorld maps to 15 different park locations in search of sweets.
Shamu's Happy Harbour Waterfront area is given an autumnal makeover, complete with hay bales, scarecrows and pumpkins, and there is a Halloween parade, with stilt walkers and a cowboy roper, as well as a pumpkin lantern carving competition.
Children can meet the mermaids, the pumpkin Queen, and even join Shamu and an array of his costumed character comrades for a Halloween breakfast.
The Halloween theme is one of several this amusement park runs throughout the year, and it is followed by a Christmas concept for those thinking of jetting off this winter.
Other Orlando NewsNew YorkGood breeding comes to Belmont Park 2005-10-19One of the most impressive days of horse racing in the world is coming to New York this year.
The Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships takes place on October 29th, and is being held at the Belmont Park racetrack.
It is certainly the largest day of international racing in the US, and with a prize fund of US$14 million up for grabs, it can also claim to be the richest.
This is the 22nd running of the race since its inception at the Hollywood Park, and the fifth time it has been held in New York, with the last occasion being at Long Island's other Aqueduct racecourse in 1985.
There are eight divisions, from the Classic race, to the Distaff, Turf, Sprint, Mile and Juvenile categories.
First opened in 1905, Belmont Park was not always just a racecourse, but also hosted high-profile aviation events.
Betting is the focus of course, but a visit can also be a family occasion, with a picnic area and playground, and often free events such as concerts takingplace
A racing programme gives extensive information about the horses running in what is usually nine races a day, and you can choose between the Clubhouse Garden Terrace for a more sophisticated meal (dress code applies), or the Belmont Café, which also serves a 7am breakfast in the company of the horses as they limber up.9604"/>
Other New-York NewsTravelextrasAmsterdam illuminated 2005-09-20The Dutch capital, Amsterdam, is as famous for its intricate network of canals as Venice, but is perhaps not as often seen in the Italian port's romantic light.
While Venice surely ranks as one of the top destinations in the world for lovers, Amsterdam, with its nightclubs and "coffee" shops, usually enjoys a wilder reputation.
However, on the evening of October 9th every year, the pace of life slows, and the locals congregate on the city's many banks and bridges to soak in the evocative magic of the "Kano Toertocht door de Grachten".
Translated as the "Canoe Tour of the Canals", the evening sees as many as 500 canoes and kayaks drifting through the dark canals, lit up by candles and lamps, with fairy lights strung up to illuminate the narrow houses and their spectacular rooftop gables.
The event is entirely free, and usually attracts people in their thousands, making it the ideal focus for a romantic city break.
Other Travelextras NewsBarcelonaBehave yourself in Barcelona 2005-10-20The Spanish city of Barcelona has had enough of tourists' anti-social behaviour, and is introducing its own equivalent to the ASBO to combat the problem.
Visitors will be provided with leaflets outlining details of their obligation to comply with standards of public decency, and those falling foul of the rules could be landed with on-the-spot fines of up to £1,000.
Others, who may think they've got away with it, could be visited at their hotel the next day.
The move is prompted by locals' concern that the city is turning into nothing more than a "party destination", the equivalent of an Ibiza or Tenerife, according to the Guardian.
In particular there is concern about the way in which tourists are treating the famous Las Ramblas thoroughfare as a beach, wandering around in unsuitable attire.
The authorities will also be cracking down on vomiting through binge drinking, urinating in public and walking the streets with open beer cans, all images recognisable from the typical British stag party.
With its plane trees, introduced in 1859, Las Ramblas is the ideal spot to engage in a spot of fascinating people-watching, as tourists, locals, musicians, government officials and prostitutes all join the throng.
Other sights include architect Gaudi's most famous building, the as yet unfinished Sagrada Familia.
Before his death he completed one tower, the crypt and the majority of the church's Christmas facade, and numerous subsequent architects have participated in filling in the gaps.
Other Barcelona NewsPragueUK budget air travel booming 2005-10-11A third of the flights in and out of the UK this month will be with budget airlines, it was revealed today.
There has never been a better time to jet off for a weekend to top European city-break destinations such as Rome, Prague and Budapest, it would seem.
The 5.5 million low-cost airline seats available to the public this month, is a staggering 24 per cent increase on the number on offer in October last year, according to the flight information company OAG.
There are a total of 113,000 flights to and from the UK in October, itself a 10 per cent increase compared with the equivalent period a year ago.
Meanwhile, flights within Europe have increased four per cent to 550,000 year-on-year, and total global flights will increase two per cent to 2.35 million.
Duncan Alexander, business development managing director with OAG, said: "The low-cost business model just keeps on growing."
There was a notable increase observed in flights to destinations inAfrica, the Middle East, Asia/Pacific and North America, OAG said.
Spain also appeared to be benefiting from the boom in budget air travel, so people may well consider it for a spot of winter sunshine in the coming months.
Other Prague NewsDublinHoofing around in Dublin 2005-10-10The Perrier award-winning comedian Harry Hill is bringing his new show to Dublin for one night only this month.
Harry's "Hooves" will be performed at the popular concert venue Vicar Street on October 22nd, and promises to be the riot one would only have come to expect from this King of absurdist and surreal comedy.
Best known for TV appearances on ITV's "TV Burp" and his own comedy show for Channel 4, he abandoned a promising career as a doctor in 1992 to make people laugh instead.
The Channel 4 Cat - known as Stouffer, Harry Hill Senior and Harry's band "The Harrys" will all put in guest appearances, as will Harry's son from his first marriage, Gary.
Opening in 1998, Vicar Street is a medium sized venue, which plays host to both comedians and musicians. Also featuring in this season's line up are innovative gospel singers, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Belfast-born comedian and presenter Patrick Kielty, and Edinburgh festival favourite, Jason Byrne.
Tickets for Harry's show cost €25, so book now for an evening of happy hilarity.
Other Dublin NewsBudapestAutumn celebrations in Budapest 2005-10-06Budapest's Autumn Festival is one of its residents' favourite events, 10 days of contemporary art performances that take place all over the city.
The whole thing kicks off in grand and inventive style with a public competition of sculpture, entries displayed throughout the city's bustling streets and squares.
In terms of music, a highlight of the week will be the UK's jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine, who will be playing aboard the A38 boat that is to be found on the Buda side of the Danube by Petofi Bridge.
Pine will combine African and Jamaican influences in his vibrant style, but for those of a more classical persuasion, Zoltan Jeney should also not be missed.
He is one of Hungary's most prominent living composers, and will be presenting the fruits of 15 years of work for the first time, titled "Funeral Rite", accompanied by the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir.
The music involves the unlikely pairing of Gregorian church music and latetwentieth century influences, according to the Budapest Times, and promises to be quite a spectacular concert.
Berlin's famous Volksbuhne will also be in town, with their production inspired by Michael Bulgakov's cult novel "The Master and Margarita".
Now in its 14th year, the festival will take place across this beautiful city from October 14th until 23rd.
Other Budapest NewsAmsterdamHitting the decks in Amsterdam 2005-10-17Amsterdam becomes the focus of the European dance music scene at the end of October, as partygoers and businessmen both descend on the Dutch capital for an event that is part conference and part festival.
While industry delegates meet by day to discuss recent development and network with one another, the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) has also ballooned to become one of Europe's biggest dance music events.
Over 300 respected international DJs and acts take their turn on the turntables at 30 of the city's best-known nightclubs, including Melkweg, Paradiso and Panama.
October 29th, the third and final day of the event, is D3: Dutch DJ Day, which includes a programme of workshops and discussions designed to help budding DJs get their own music produced.
Leading industry figures will be on hand to offer advice, and there is even the chance to let DJs and label managers listen to your demo tape there and then.
Another highlight will be the unusual combination of dance music and opera in the premier of 'dance opera orfeo'.
Crossing cultures and generations, the classical composer Laurens van Rooyen has worked with dance producers Rank I and Geert Huinink, to tell the tale of Greek hero Orfeo via a plethora of musical styles, as well as street dance, martial arts and acrobatics.
The Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) runs from October 27th until 29th at venues across the city.
Other Amsterdam NewsNiceNice: Cheap but with a touch of the exotic 2005-06-16If you haven't already booked your summer holiday and are looking for something cheap and cheerful but with an exotic flavour, then nowhere could be more ideal than the southern French city of Nice.
Situated on the Cote d'Azur, Nice covers every possibility: there's sun, sand and exciting nightlife but the mountains are only a short drive away. Plus, if you're hiring a car, Nice is perfectly placed to explore the North of Italy or Monaco.
While most visitors head straight to the Promenade des Anglais where the landmark Negresco hotel stands against a sky blue sea, it's well worth exploring the delights of Nice's old town, the Vieux Nice.
Here artisan workshops, markets, antiques sellers and individual boutiques offer a quaint atmosphere while the Vieux Nice is also home to some of the city's best restaurants and bars.
The Italian influence can really be felt in Nice and nowhere more than the Place Massena which guards the entrance to the city's shopping area. The Galleries Lafayette are a particular draw for visitors who can then rest their weary shopping feet on the beach with a Pan Bagnat, a typically Nicois sandwich.
Other Nice NewsEdinburghScotland glories in stories 2005-10-04Edinburgh will be bursting with voices at the end of October, as gifted storytellers from all over the world gather in the Scottish capital for the 2005 Scottish International Storytelling Festival.
This year's event, the 16th of its kind, will have a Middle Eastern slant, with stories from Egypt's Chirine Al Ansary, and a special collaboration between Israeli storyteller, Shai Schwartz, and the Palestinian musician George Samaan.
Events take place at venues all over the city, and a highlight has to be spooky prisoners' tales from around 1700, narrated in the very place they were kept: the vaults under the Great Hall in Edinburgh Castle.
The Royal Botanic Gardens is another main focal point, with the glasshouses staging "Love and Cruelty", an exploration of the more sinister aspects of the much loved childhood tales of Hans Christian Andersen, whose bicentenary it is this year.
The gardens also play a key role in the fifth annual "Tell a story day" on October 28th.
Here members of the general public take over, with enthusiasts dotted around the park behind trees, waiting to entertain passers-by with a tale or two.
The festival will run from October 21st until the end of the month.
Other Edinburgh NewsJerseyTune in to the Channel Islands 2004-11-02Jersey has been an island for 8,000 years, and is surrounded by about 15 miles of splendid sandy beaches.
It lies within the Channel Islands in the Bay of Mont St Michel and is a mere 14 miles from France and 100 miles from the south of Britain.
Because of the Islands' history and its location near France, they serve to combine the best of both worlds: French food and sunshine with British style and language.
Jersey's history, like its counterparts, is also reflected in the French road names and typical Jersey surnames, as well as in the many historical artefacts and monuments that can be found around the island.
For such a relatively small place, Jersey has a large population. The permanent population as at the March 2001 census was 87,186. But this is known to double during the peak season, when the tourist hordes come to surf on the westcoast, and play golf on several excellent courses in the soaring sunshine.
Indeed, the island's climate is undoubtedly one ofits biggest attractions, and it is usually the hottest place in the British Isles during the summer months.
It is the largest of the Channel Islands, measuring nine miles by five miles, and is divided into 12 parishes, most of them named after saints.
As the island is neither part of the EU or the UK, it is a 'duty-free' destination. Prices are not subject to VAT either.
Other privileges the island retains include freedom from UK taxation and an independent judicial system.
Other Jersey NewsMallorcaBalleric Bonanza 2004-11-11On any day of the year there's a fiesta happening somewhere in Spain.
There isn't a village, town or city in the country which doesn't honour its patron saint, the Virgin or the changing seasons with a procession, bull-running, fireworks, re-enacted battles or a mass pilgrimage to a rural shrine.
Whatever the pretext, fiesta time is a chance for everyone to take a break from normal life (most shops and offices close) and let off steam, with celebrations often going on around the clock.
And coming up in January is one of the most greatly-anticipated fiestas of them all, when the island of Mallorca plays host to the San Sebastian fiesta, in honour of the guardian saint of Palma.
Celebrated every year for two weeks in January (this year's event starts on January 20th), the island organises a host of events, including the spectacular 'Aquafoc' and 'Correfoc'.
The Aquafoc is a stunning firework display, while the Correfoc depicts devils and dragons running and dancingthrough the street of Borne.036141"/>
Other Mallorca NewsCosta del SolI'm Sol-d 2004-10-06The Costa del Sol stretches along just over 150 kilometres of Málaga province and is one of Spain's most popular tourist destinations.
The area's mild climate is the root attraction that makes it possible to enjoy the beaches and a wide variety of outdoor activities year round.
It is possible to split the region into two, with the Eastern Costa a 54 kilometre stretch of coast to the east of Malaga city (the capital of Málaga province).
Malaga itself is definitely worth a visit, being as it is a vibrant, city with a real southern port atmosphere. The second largest city in the Andalucía province, it boasts pretty streets, leafy boulevards, lush gardens and a breezy ambience.
The town's peripheries are commonplace concrete, but its pulsing centre retains the feel and swagger of its history. There's a handful of impressive monuments and some charmingly dilapidated old streets.
The Western Costa del Sol, meanwhile, is the 100 kilometres of coastline that begins at Malaga city and stretches westward all the way to the border of Cádiz province.
Here you can find possibly the heart-beat of the region: Marbella and its opulent Puerto Banus. Some regard it as a glorified marina, but to most it is the place to be seen, and its nightlife is unrivalled across the Costa del Sol.
Another huge pull is the resort's reputation as a veritable golfing mecca - particularly during the off-season when northern Europeans are deprived the chance to play at home.
Other Costa-del-Sol NewsStockholmStockholm provides a Swede taste 2004-10-20With over 50 top-class museums, stunning public parks, historic buildings, and unique districts seemingly around every corner, Stockholm's reputation as one of Europe's favourite tourist destinations is richly deserved.
One of Europe's most beautiful capital cities, Sweden's capital sits on a network of fourteen tiny islands between Mälaren and the Baltic Sea.
Home to around 1.5 million people, part of the city's magic lies in its effortless ability to blend old and new.
Indeed, the cobblestoned streets of 13th century Gamla Stan (Old Town) are home to a fanciful array of first-rate restaurants and cafes, small hotels, art galleries, and boutiques, all of which are snugly surrounded by medieval city walls.
Then, in stark contrast, you have the glass and steel towers of the modern Norrmalm district which bustle daily with bankers and brokers, not to mention the pedestrian-friendly Drottninggatan, one of Scandinavia's premier shopping districts.
But there's more to the city than contrast. Stockholm enjoys life's finer amenities as well, and its dazzling dining scene features some of Europe's top seafood restaurants.
Meanwhile, nightlife is in no short supply, and the city does its Northern European counterparts proud as a nation of beer-monsters.
Meanwhile, those with more cultural tastes may enjoy the Royal Swedish Ballet or the famed Royal Swedish Opera at Drottningholms Slottsteater, an 18th century theatre located on an island in the middle of M laren.
And for those on a shoestring, the city boasts the best selection of budget accommodation in Northern Europe.
Other Stockholm NewsCannesCelebrity-spotting in Cannes 2004-10-20Cannes is France's 'second city' and is perhaps most famous for its annual Film Festival, which draws a star-studded crowd, helping to elevate the city into one of the most exclusive and decadent in Europe in recent years.
Indeed, for celebrity-spotters Cannes will provide a happy hunting ground all year round, regularly visited as it is by the rich and famous for short get-aways.
If quasi-stalking is your thing, your best bet is to loiter around the city's plentiful sandy beach space.
Failing that, binoculars could come in handy for scouring the seas for celebs. Yachts are a favourite with the great and the good, who enjoy the freedom of floating out to sea with no paparazzi seemingly in sight - until they pick up the next day's papers, of course.
Besides the celebrities and bathing beauties, there's plenty more eye-catching scenery to take in. Not least at Villa Rothschild and Gardens, with its manicured gardens featuring palm trees, roses, and ornamental ponds.
Cannes is also home to numerous examples of impressive architecture, and the Bellini Chapel - Museum and Saint Michel Russian Orthodox Church are just two of the more remarkable pieces.
As for nightlife, the city is teeming with glitzy bars and clubs, with possibly the pick of the bunch being Caliente, a hip Latin bar which is jammed in the summer until dawn with Salsa dancing regulars.
The famous Casin Croisette is also a must-visit, drawing more crowds to its slot machines than any other casino in France.
Other Cannes NewsTorontoToronto magic 2004-11-25Toronto is not a city where the tourist has an exhaustive itinerary.
It is more of a city that grows on you slowly - the traveller is seduced by its summer festivals, markets, boardwalks and food, rather than engaged in a breathless stomp around endless cultural attractions.
Situated reassuringly near to Niagra Falls, it is untrue to say that Toronto has no 'wow' factor, although the city has a reputation as a clean, safe metropolis.
Toronto is also one of the great ethnic melting pots of the world: its many immigrants have meant that the city is in constant cultural flux.
Toronto sits in the Great Lakes region of Canada, on the shores of Lake Ontario.
The downtown area has a distinctively heteroclite aspect: at once bohemian, ethnic and historic.
The Harbourfront area, the CN Tower and the SkyDome, Toronto's vast sports arena are the features on Toronto's wannabe New York skyline.
There is a proper Chinatown (not just a row of vaguely Oriental eateries a la London) starting along Dundas Street.
Just north of Chinatown is a bustling university area and to the west, Little Italy and The Annex.
To the east of downtown lies Cabbagetown, a gentrified neighbourhood that retains some Irish immigrant character.
This ethnic diversity compensates for the paucity of world-class museums and restaurants.7159726"/>
Other Toronto NewsOther destinationsAvoiding stress on short breaks 2005-10-20Record levels of UK citizens are set to take short breaks this Autumn, over 20 million in total, according to recent research carried out by the Post Office.
However, the findings also suggest that the trips, often to romantic or cultural city destinations such as Paris and Prague, may not be as relaxing as envisaged.
Poor forward planning will see almost two thirds (61 per cent) leave key preparation until the last minute, with almost half (46 per cent) suffering from stress as a result.
Differences to emerge between the sexes include the fact that 22 per cent of men will worry more about planning sightseeing itineraries in advance to avoid wasting precious time, while 13 per cent of women would focus on getting their house in order.
Men were also revealed to be greater risk-takers, with 34 per cent saying that they would not bother with travel insurance for a short break.
The reasons given for this are either that they do not see themselves as being away for longenough, or that they have never experienced problems on short breaks before.
The figure is lower for women, 16 per cent, although almost a fifth (18 per cent) of all those questioned regard travel insurance as an unnecessary expense.
Hugh Stacey, Post Office head of travel services, said: "The advice from the Post Office is don’t be short-sighted when it comes to short breaks.
"Make sure you avoid unwanted stress on holiday and enjoy your well-earned break by making sure you take out adequate travel insurance before you leave."
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