Malta at Thanksgiving
Visit the island of Malta Nov. 21-25 on a tour organized by RTTtravel in Ramstein, Germany.
The itinerary includes a city tour of the capital Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage site with the Barracca Gardens, Grand Masters Palace, Archaeological Museum and St. John’s Co-cathedral; a bus and ferry ride to the island of Gozo, with a tour of the city of Victoria, ruins of Ggantija, Fungus Rock, Inland Sea and the Azur Window; the city of Mdina with St. Paul’s cathedral; Rabat with St. Paul’s church and St. Agatha catacombs; and a drive over Busket Garden to the cliffs of Dingli.
The trip costs 699 euros per person, double occupancy, and includes a round-trip flight from Frankfurt, four hotel nights, breakfasts, three lunches and itinerary.
More details available at (+49) (0)6371-46360 or at the Web site www.RTTtravel.com.
Castle holiday
The German Tourist Board offers a castle holiday in the four-star Castle Rheinfels in St. Goar along the Rhine River.
The Schlossurlaub, or castle vacation, begins at 195 euros per person, double occupancy. It includes two nights lodging, breakfasts, four-course dinner, six-course candlelight dinner and use of the wellness center.
Get details at telephone (+49) (0)6741-8020. The e-mail address is info@schloss-rheinfels.de. The Web site is www.schloss-rheinfels.de.
Best BetsBELGIUM: It’s St. George vs. the dragon again Sunday on Mons’ main square during the annual Battle of the Lumecon. The medieval play, which begins at 12:25 p.m., is based on the fourth-century legend of St. George’s rescue of the king’s daughter from the monster and its eventual slaying. The cast includes 31 players making up the escorts for St. George and the dragon. The audience joins in as well, grabbing the monster’s tail and hair for good luck. The battle is preceded by the 10 a.m. Procession of the Golden Chariot, centered on the city’s four parishes. It gets its name from the golden Louis XVI-style gilt carriage drawn by six horses, which brings up the rear and carries the reliquary of the St. Waudru parish. The tourist board telephone number for more information is (+32) (0) 65-33-55-80.
FRANCE: June 6 marks the 63rd anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. Many towns and cities in the region are honoring the event with ceremonies, entertainment and exhibitions. A listing of the programs is under “Events” at www.normandiememoire.com.
GERMANY: Don’t plan to drive along the Moselle River between Schweich and Cochem on Sunday. On this day, the annual Happy Mosel Days, the roads are closed to automobiles along this stretch of the wine- producing countryside. Some 85 miles are set aside for cyclists, skaters and walkers from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Details at www.happy- mosel.de (in German).
After London and Paris, Düsseldorf has the largest Japanese community in Europe. On Saturday, the city celebrates its Asian influence with Japan Day, which begins at midday and ends at 10:30 p.m. with fireworks designed by Japanese artists. On the program are samurai presentations, origami and ikebana demonstrations, a kimono show, manga exhibitions and other cultural events. Details at www.japantag-duesseldorf-nrw.de.
IRELAND: It’s been 15 years since Temple Bar in Dublin established itself as the city’s cultural center. This year, the popular tourist area along the south bank of the Liffey River holds its annual Diversions Arts Festival June through August. On the program are traditional Irish music sessions, outdoor films, a Moroccan market, an outdoor street circus on Sundays and a variety of family events. For details, check www.templebar.ie.
