Attractions & Events

UK million-selling singer-songwriter, James Blunt, who shot to fame in 2005 with the single 'You're Beautiful’ will set the scene at the 16th Barbados Jazz Festival to be held on the island between 12th and 18th January 2008.

'The Australia Way’, a breathtaking new journey through the heart of Australia’s majestic outback, has launched. Based on Baz Luhrmann’s much anticipated epic drama, Australia, the new touring route enables visitors to experience at first hand the dramatic scenery and characters that so inspired the Australian film director.

The Rhine Valley Music Festival (24–31 May 2009) features seven private concerts performed by top rank musicians in a variety of historic buildings along one of Europe’s great rivers. The audience lives on a modern and comfortable ship, chartered exclusively for the week, disembarking for concerts or to explore historic towns and sites along the way.

Rough Guides has named its top travel tips for 2009, the last year of the noughties. Created by a team of travel experts and inspired by books like Make the Most of Your Time on Earth and Ultimate Adventures: A Rough Guide to Adventure Travel, Rough Guides has trawled its best travel minds to come up with its top tips for making the most of 2009, with a top 10 for around the world, and top 5 in Britain.

Wine tasting tours to an array of Chilean wineries can now be booked directly via a recently-launched website. Turisvino.com is the first site that brings together thirty Chilean wineries from ten different valleys, from up and coming Bio Bio Valley in the South via the world famous Maipo region with its spectacular reds, to the Aconcagua region in the North, whose dramatic mountain setting makes for successful organic winegrowing.

The longest purpose-built mountain bike trail in the Lake District was unveiled at the Forestry Commission’s Whinlatter Forest Park near Keswick on Monday 1st December.

With four days, five stages, 5250m of vertical climbing, 259km of stunning scenery, and full logistical support, New Zealand’s first ever multi-stage mountain bike race is set to be an event of ‘epic’ proportions. The Skins Alpine Epic, to be held from 25 to 28 February 2009, will be the first New Zealand mountain bike race to provide a stage race format and all logistical support, eliminating the need for a support crew.

Marilyn Monroe came onboard the R.S. Hispaniola Bar and Restaurant, a ship permanently moored on the Embankment, to enjoy the stunning views upstream towards the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye. The iconic film star is in London for the exhibition Travilla: The man who dressed Marilyn Monroe, which is being showcased on a neighbouring ship - the HMS President.

Situated on the fourth floor of Hong Kong’s Three on the Bund complex, Jean Georges introduces its latest addition, Nougatine, a casual yet sophisticated dining experience located in the previously known JG Bar. Serving a selection of Jean Georges favourites, Nougatine is open to customers every day, from 6pm to 11pm.

English Vine Tours is the new venture from Georgie & Ben Furst of The Sussex Wine Company commencing in January 2009. This exclusive service, the first of its kind for the UK, offers individuals or groups the chance to explore a variety of English vineyards across the South East of England and taste the delights of English wine.

While most of us were probably enjoying our first coffee of the day, eighty-one-year-old thrill seeker Duncan O’Brien was preparing to launch himself into a canyon with Shotover Canyon Swing in Queenstown on Friday morning.

The largest observation wheel in the southern hemisphere is opening in Melbourne on Friday 28 November 2008. A stunning addition to the city’s landscape, the Southern Star Observation Wheel is expected to become Melbourne’s most popular tourist attraction, operating 365 days a year and expected to attract 1.5 million guests in the first 12 months.

Emily Young, one of Britain’s greatest contemporary sculptors, has brought seven and a half newly sculpted Angel Heads to Salisbury Cathedral from 20 November 2008 to 8 February 2009 as the final and most spectacular temporary art installation celebrating the iconic building’s 750th anniversary. Taking her inspiration from the word ‘angel’ and from the architecture of the Cathedral itself, these heads emit a profound spirituality, humanity and optimism.

It is Carnival Time and yes it is time for the Venice Carnival. Starting from the 14th February why not treat your partner to a Valentine's Day which they will not forget in a hurry.

The latest Bond film, Quantum of Solace, throws the spotlight on more than just its Hollywood stars – it also highlights how Ian Fleming was inspired to write the bestselling novels by his favourite county ─ Kent.

From 28 January to 1 February 2009, Nantes will play host to the largest classical music event in Europe - La Folle Journée de Nantes. Now in its 15th year, the event comprises over 1,800 musicians and 270 concerts and sees the city come alive for a weekend of compelling performances themed around a particular classical era and/or composer.

HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality children’s entertainment, and Merlin Entertainments Group, the leading name in location-based family entertainment, have commissioned SD Entertainment and Threshold Animation Studios to bring the innovative movie, Bob the Builder in 4-D: Bob the Builder and the Roller Coaster exclusively to Legoland family theme parks worldwide beginning in March 2009.

CityPass, the consumer-friendly attraction booklet of the best sightseeing in North America, beefs up its money-saving and line-bypassing appeal with a Winter Special that stretches the use of CityPass booklets in five of its big cities. In New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle and Hollywood, CityPass booklets used on December 15 or beyond, are valid to March 31, 2009.

Inspired to explore Scotland's History but short on time? A project from the Forth Valley can help visitors uncover over 2000 years of history within a 30-mile area. Forth's Timeline can help travellers plan a trip around the stories and people who have shaped the whole of Scotland.

11,000 consumers have spoken and named Shotover Canyon Swing the ‘Best Experience’ in New Zealand for the second year running. The Queenstown tourism adventure operator was announced winner of the Best Experience in New Zealand category at the Golden Backpack awards in Sydney last night.

A new high velocity thriller activity swung into action in Queenstown today (14 November), launched by its first paying customer. 26-year-old Paul Officer from Peterhead, Scotland, was the first of many paying customers from around the world to do AJ Hackett Bungy’s Nevis Arc, pronouncing it “so exhilarating – it was unreal!” In fact, it was so good he did it again.

Living with these credit crunch times and the cost of Christmas looming, we thought it would be useful to highlight some things to do and see in London that cost very little, if anything at all. . .

Their extraordinary march to the edge of the sea to mate and spawn has intrigued nature lovers for years, and this year, unpredictable weather has added a further degree of mystery to the annual migration of Christmas Island’s famous red crabs. Each year nature-lovers from all over the world flock to Christmas Island to witness the crab migration which takes place after the onset of the wet season, and in synchronisation with the cycle of the moon.

Following a nail biting finale to the Formula One season in Brazil last week, the ripple effect of Lewis Hamilton’s world champion winning ways are already being felt in the UK where Grandstand Motor Sports, the UK’s leading motor sport travel specialist, who have just launched their new first edition brochure for 2009, are already reporting unprecedented demand for tickets to next seasons races.

For the second year in a row, Santa Monica’s seasonal ice rink ‘ICE’ will be opening on Fifth Street on 7th November.

Be a part of the history at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. You will take an unbelievably ‘real’ journey through time and come face to face with fascinating artefacts and historic ships that helped shape British history. With six landmark attractions, there really is something for everyone.

In the old Italian village of Cocullo located on the slopes of the Apennine Mountains in the region of Abruzzo, every year on the first Thursday of May a peculiar fest is celebrated in honour of San Domenico. Here you will be able to witness an event which will be different to any event experienced. Snakes are freed on the streets and squares of the village, an old ancient tradition.

On November 22, a single flick of a switch will bring the 15th annual edition of the Nights of Lights to life and create a magical holiday atmosphere in St. Augustine, Florida – the Nation’s oldest city. Lit by the gentle glow of more than two million tiny white lights, the historic buildings, plazas and narrow, brick-paved streets will be transformed into an enchanting destination where lasting holiday memories can be easily made for the entire family.

The Dubai Mall, the flagship shopping mall by Emaar Malls Group, will open doors to the public tomorrow, Tuesday, 4 November at 2pm. The opening of The Dubai Mall marks the largest-ever opening of a shopping mall in the world in terms of retail offer. The mall will have smooth and easy access from Sheikh Zayed Road, off Financial Street Road (previously Doha Road), Emaar Boulevard, Downtown Burj Dubai and through the newly opened bridge off Interchange One.