By Karen Bradbury
Published: April 24, 2008
Every year throughout Germany you will find Sundays when main roads in scenic areas are closed to motorists, and the streets are ruled by cyclists, walkers and in-line skaters. The villages along the route welcome the tourist traffic, and you can usually find plenty to eat or drink along the way. The best-organized events will even offer first-aid stands or emergency bicycle repair services.
Of course, you need to somehow get to the starting point with your bike or gear in tow. I’ve always used trains to do so, but you could just as well drive to not only the start or end points but any small town along the route. You may have to walk or ride a bit from where you park, but isn’t that the whole point?
By Karen Bradbury
Published: April 23, 2008
If you live in Germany and have experience with traveling by rail, you probably are somewhat familiar with the discount cards that can save you significant money on your journeys. These cards are available in two amounts, one offering you a 25% savings, and the other 50%, on all tickets purchased. The cards are generally valid for one year from date of purchase. If you’ve been wavering about whether you could use such a card, now might be a good opportunity to test the waters.
In conjunction with the the Union of European Football Associations’ Championships to be held in Austria and Switzerland this year, the Deutsche Bahn is currently offering a “Fan BahnCard 25” for just 19 euros. If you want to travel in first class, the card allowing you to do so is 39 euros. The cards allow you to save 25 percent on the standard price for each journey. In combination with DB’s other offers, you could save up to 62.5 percent on standard fares.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: April 22, 2008
So, you’ve explored the museums and architecture of Europe’s greatest capital cities. You’ve seen the Alps, the Mediterranean and the North Sea. You’ve gone hyper local and sampled the wares at your town’s wine fest, braved the rides at your local fun fair, and you know the bike trails in your town like the back of your hand. In short, you’ve done Europe.
Now that you’ve gotten that out of the way, why not find the time to celebrate some other cultures of the world? If that appeals, Europe throws on a slew of events that can help you on your way.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: April 21, 2008
Don’t you just love how you can depend on your favorite European festival or event to pop up on just about the same date year after year? You know if you happen to miss it one year, you can easily catch it the next. But there are some popular events that occur less regularly, a few of which will be coming around in 2008, and you won’t have the chance to experience them in 2009. Here are the happenings that make this year just that much more unique:
through June 15 -- Berlin Biennial for contemporary art, Berlin. This international exhibition of contemporary art aims to attract attention to younger, less-established artists.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: April 17, 2008
If “swank” is your preferred mode of travel, consider booking a cruise on the brand-spanking-new Premicon Queen. This river-cruising ship will raise anchor for its first sailing on June 28, 2008, from Düsseldorf, Germany, en route to Basel, Switzerland. From there on, the Premicon Queen will ply the waters of the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers on cruises from two to 10 nights long.
What’s so special about this particular boat? According to its brochure, its exclusive features include a glass-enclosed gourmet restaurant offering panoramic views from three sides, a wellness area with whirlpool, a Viennese café, and a putting green. The ship will hold 106 pampered passengers, who can opt for a range of supplemental services such as limousine transfers or shore excursions by helicopter.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: April 16, 2008
Is your musical playlist a big old mish-mash of artists and eras? You might think that would be a detriment to finding a music festival that would be just right for you, but oddly enough, that doesn’t seem to be the case whatsoever. You can in fact find a festival where the unlikely mix of Neil Young, Jay-Z, R.E.M., Slayer, and Kate Nash are all slated to turn up.
There’s something else a little special about many of the festivals we’ll be seeing this summer. A handful of them (Eurokeenes, Roskilde, Rock Werchter, Quart and Summer Jam) coincide with our long Fourth of July weekend in 2008, so attendance without burning through many precious vacation days is entirely possible.
By Karen Bradbury
Published: April 2, 2008
What are you doing on Oct. 26? If watching the New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers face off at London’s Wembley Stadium appeals to you, contact the Information, Tickets and Travel Office at RAF Lakenheath without delay. See the article “Troops can get tickets to NFL game in London” in the April 2 edition of European Stars and Stripes, or visit the ITT Web site at http://www.ittlakenheath.com/home. If you’re interested, act sooner, rather than later, as tickets are reputed to be selling fast.
