What's hot and cool (really, really cool) in Europe this season

Every year, the European Travel Commission meets to talk over the latest travel trends on the Continent. This year, members noted a desire among travelers for slowing down, for comfort and escape -- perhaps hopoing to get away for a while from out electronic gadgets, our computers and television screens. Accordingly, here is what's trending:

* They're going for the waters. Health through water, is making a comeback as the benefits of thermal waters, ocean bathing and mineral springs spark new interest in this time-honored European tradition among aging Baby Boomers. Accordingly,  Europeʼs spas are turning up the taps on treatments and amenities. Portugalʼs Vidago Palace Hotel, for instance, reopened in October 2010 after an extensiver enovation. With 70 rooms and suites, this Belle Epoque builting now sports a modernist wing housing a new spa, where guests try the Vidago spring waters, with hydro and Vichy showers, steam baths and sauna. Massages and treatments are taken in 20 rooms.

* Farm-fresh. What with many Americans turning to organic, locally grown foods, Europe is providing that via farm and mountain vacations. Example: “Holidays in the Countryside” offers farm stays along with B&Bs, guesthouses and small hotels throughout Czech Republic. Pension Javořice (pictured) in southern Moravia is a 400-year-old organic farm where guests can dine on honey, sheep products, apples, pears, cherries, fruit ciders and spirits, and mingle with three generations of the family owners. Gothic castles dot the  landscapes, and the nearby town of Telc is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.


* Foodie heaven. Europe has been making it easy to discover its gastronomicdelights. Take Austria’s Via Culinaria  -- “Appetite Way” -- featuring seven  routes to culinary achievements in the region around Salzburg. The websiteʼs interactive maps unlock all things food, from bistros, coffeehouses and haute cuisine restaurants to farms and mountain huts serving country specialties. It also tells where to find the best wild game restaurants, the best seafood, the best stores, as well as how to find classes in making pastry, cheese, bread and beer. 


*LGBT. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender travel is not only out of the closet but actively encouraged. Germanyʼs gay and lesbian culture, for instance,  is legendary and the German National Tourist Board website has a gay-dedicated section that gives in-depth detail on gay travel for points north (Hamburg), south (Munich), east (Berlin) and west (Cologne, site of Gay Games VIII Jul. 31-Aug. 7), complete with hotels, bars, scenes and events.


* Memorable design. Europe these days is full of  arty, boutique hotels. Example: Hotel Fabian is a fashionable newcomer in Helsinki. Designed around a courtyard and a short walk from the
Market Square, the Esplanadi gardens and the Museum of Finnish Architecture, this boutique hotel, known for its stylish interiors, has 58 rooms. The hotel's Restaurant Savoy,  meanwhile, features an original Alvar Aalto interior.


* Sailing, sailing.  Cruisegoing is hot this year , especially in the Mediterranean, the Baltic and the famous
rivers with their fabled landscapes. Whatʼs more, Europe is again affordable for most budgets as new and bigger ships come on line. The average price of a 12-day Med cruise has steadily dropped since 2009.Many upscale cruise lines are offering free round-trip economy flights from North American gateways.  New vessels plying European waters in 2011 include Carnival Cruise Linesʼ Carnival Magic (3,652 passengers); Costa Cruisesʼ Favalosa (pictured; 3,502); Celebrity Cruisesʼ Silhouette (2,850); Oceania Cruisesʼ Marina (1,260); Seabourn Cruise Lineʼs Quest (450); Avalon Waterwaysʼ Panorama (166); Amaverde (162); and Uniworld Grand Boutique River Cruisesʼ Douro Spirit (128) and SS Antoinette (164).

Search Amazon.com for Europe travel 

Trivial question
Here's one for World War II buffs, among others: In what island  group do you find Guadalcanal? (Answer somewhere below.)


All-inclusive Caribbean getaway is free for Mom
During a sale, starting at midnight on Monday, May 2,  and ending at 11:59 p.m. on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8, travelers who book an all-inclusive Elite Island Resorts vacation will be able to bring Mom for free.  In fact, every booking  will be buy one, get one free, so anyone else is eligible, too. The "secret" booking code will be announced at midnight on Monday, May 2.  This offer will be valid for travel through Dec. 20,  also includes VIP treatment and a complimentary room category upgrade, when available at the time of booking. Prices and locations vary. Visit www.eliteislandresorts.com or call 800-858-4618.

Worth quoting

"Live, travel, adventure, bless, and don't be sorry." -- Jack Kerouac


Family time in Paradise, starting at $219

The Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort has launched a new Family Time in Paradise package that includes connecting rooms or suites where available, a daily $50 resort credit, free food and beverage for children under 12, complimentary non-motorized water sports, one welcome amenity per child per stay, a kids cup that can be filled up with juice, milk and soft drinks for free at the pool,  and a complimentary rollaway, subject to availability. Rates start at $219. For more information or reservations, call 866-716-8106 or visit www.sheratonnassau.com.

Fascinating fact

Many of us have flown into Chicago's O'Hare Airport, and at least a few of us have wonered why the airport's designation is ORD. We need wonder no longer: ORD  comes from the location's old name of Orchard Field.

 'Compliments of Bermuda' extended through June
The Bermuda Department of Tourism and its hotel partners have extended their “Compliments of Bermuda” promotion, inviting visitors to enjoy every third night free for hotel rooms booked in April.  In addition, travelers  who book a three-night stay in May will receive the fourth night free, and guests booking a four-night stay in June will receive their fifth night free. Thedeal is available at more than a dozen participating hotel properties, available for booking through May 30 for travel through June 30.  Accommodations range from luxury resorts and boutique hotels to beach clubs and historic beachfront properties. Prices, of course, vary. Visit www.bermudatourism.com/compliments or see a travel agent.

 Trivial answer

Guadalcanal is part of the Solomon Islands.

 

Where your money goes further in Europe

There's something decidedly medieval about Carcassonne.

Europe isn't always inexpensive for the traveler, but there are places where you can stretch those newly acquired euros -- places that are sometimes offbeat but always enjoyable. The European Travel Commission suggests these destinations for a late-summer or off-season getaway:

* Medieval marvel. The walled city of Carcassonne, France,  still dazzles with its fairy tale splendor. The largest fortress in Europe now attracts families , not invaders. Entrance is free, and youngsters can imagine carrying out their own feats of knightly derring-do. The Museum of Fine Arts is also free, with French and Dutch paintings spanning the 17th-19th centuries. Visit www.franceguide.com.

* Musical Manchester. With one of Europe’s largest university campuses, Manchester, England,  is young, edgy, creative, musical,  and easy on the wallet. Lower-priced  hotels and hostels abound and transport is free on the hop-on/hop-off Metroshuttle bus. There are nightclubs, bars, culture, shopping and the legendary music scene.  The Manchester International Festival is going on now, and free festivals and events fill the calendar year round. Check it out at www.visitmanchester.com.

* Filled with flowers. The floral capital of Europe, home to Northern Europe’s greatest portrait painter and ancestral seat of the first settlers of Manhattan, Haarlem in the Netherlands  charms with its cobblestone streets, historic buildings, churches, museums and antique shops and grand mansions.  St. Bavo Protestant Church  boasts an 18th-century organ that was played by Mendelssohn, Schubert, Liszt, Handel and Mozart. The St. Bavo Catholic Cathedral has an acclaimed choir and a pipe organ, with free recitals in summer.  Go to www.holland.com.

* Walled wonder. One of only three cities with complete walking walls, Lucca, in Italy's Tuscany region,  has had walls since Roman times and is still encircled by its medieval ramparts, for three miles surrounding the car-free old city. The tree-lined top is paved for easy walking and biking. One highlight is the Guinigi Tower, the 15th-century seat of Lucca’s leading family, easily spotted by  the oak trees growing out of the top ...  and into the room below. It’s 230 steps to the top for spectacular views in all directions.  Click on www.italiantourism.com.

* Gaudi, not gaudy. In Barcelona, budget travelers can  bunk down in hostels, pensions
or small hotels, and take advantage of all the free and inexpensive attractions of this Catalonia capital, beginning with Park Guell, Antoni Gaudi’s mosaic fantasyland with 84 stone columns and a tiled, sinuously carved bench overlooking the city. At ground level, La Rambla is one of the world’s great boulevards with people-watching galore. The Gothic Quarter’s meandering byways are free to visit, and the Barcelona Cathedral is filled with medieval splendor. City museums, such as the Picasso Museum, are free on the first Sunday of the month. Visit www.spain.info.

* Summer in Slovenia. Kranjska-Gora, near the borders of Italy and Austria, is Slovenia’s leading ski area and the site of the Alpine World Cup. Nestled in the Zgornjesavska Valley amid
the towering peaks of the Julian Alps, laced with alpine lakes and fast-running rivers, it is beautiful in summer as much as in winter. Prices are far lower than at other mountain resorts, too. In addition to hotels,  accommodations runs from tourist farms to Alpine hostels and wellness resorts. Activities include a summer toboggan run, hiking for all levels, cycling, golf, rafting, canyoning and fishing. Go to www.kranjska-gora.si.

* Viking voyage. For about $600, you can sail ancient Viking routes amid the archipelagos, shallow channels and hilltop forts from Västervik, Sweden, to Stockholm or vice versa. With five nights on
board, you’ll learn about  he Viking era and experience shipboard duties including steering, cooking, cleaning, setting sails and navigating. The journey is just  one of many ecotourism tours endorsed by the ecologically-minded Nature’s Best. Visit www.naturensbasta.se.

Fascinating fact

St. Paul, Minn., was originally called Pig's Eye, after Pierre "Pig's Eye" Parrant, a tavern keeper tavern there. But Father Lucien Galtier, the first Catholic pastor of the region,  put a stop to that and gave the settlement its current name.

Still time to snag some really low airfares

You have to act quickly and there are conditions, but three airlines are offering fares starting at $30, one way.  Southwest, Air Tran and Frontier have the offers.

For details, go to www.southwest.com, www.airtran.com and www.frontierairlines.com.

Wednesday's trivia answer: It's Monaco

The most densely populated nation on earth is Monaco, which is a mere .75 square miles and has a population density of 43,780 people per square mile. But if you exclude microstates, then Bangladesh, with 2,200 people per square mile, wins, according to about.com. Macau, which is a region and not a nation, has a density of 48,450. And we know we will get an argument about these statistics.

Not so fast on Four Corners location  

The other day we cited reports that the famous Four Corners marker, where people go to  stand in four states at once, is 2 1/2 miles from the actual junction. But those reports are erroneous, writes Dave Doyle, chief geodetic surveyor for the National Geodetic Survey. For his organization's complete response, click here.

------------------------------

Blueberry pedicure comes with Maine deal

Through Labor Day, The Cliff House Resort & Spa in Ogunquit, Maine, is offering one free Maine Blueberry Pedicure per room with any three- or four-night package. Those  packages  include Seaside Shopper (a girlfriend getaway), Spa & Golf Combo  and Celebration (recommended for romantic retreats, special occasions like reunions and anniversaries or just a long weekend .) Prices vary. As for the blueberry bonus, which normally costs $70, it is a 50-minute pedicure said to combine the antioxidant benefits of blueberries with the moisturizing properties of a Blueberry Smoothie Mask. 

Visit www.cliffhousemaine.com or call 207-361-1000.

Let's hear it for this flying fellow!

Kudos to Mark Malkoff, 33, who broke a Guinness World Record with 135 flight segments within a month. (The previous record was 128.) We hope he sat back, relaxed and enjoyed his flights, but we wonder about the "enjoy" part.

To learn all about his adventure, click here.

A look at just some of Europe's free attractions

Europe is overflowing with free attractions this summer. Here are a few.

AUSTRIA 

In Innsbruck through  Oct. 26, the hiking bus is free for guests with a Club Innsbruck Card staying in Innsbruck or one of the holiday villages. The hiking program is also free. 

ESTONIA

Tour the old town of Narva and its 13th-century castle of the Order of Germanic Knights that faces Russia’s opposing fortress of Ivanogrod.

FRANCE

The Fête de la Musique celebrates the June 21 summer solstice with free music and events in Paris and  throughout France. 

GERMANY 
On Berlin Museum Island, visit the Pergamon, the Old Museum, the Old National Gallery, the Bode Museum and the New Museum free every Thursday after 2 p.m.

 

That streak you see in the sky is an entrant in the Red Bull Air Race, to be held in Hungary Aug. 19-20.

(Photo by Red Bull Air Race)                                                                  

HUNGARY 

The Red Bull Air Race, Aug. 19-20, lets you witness breathtaking aerial speed and acrobatics above the Danube River as  pilots navigate an obstacle course in the sky in the fastest possible time, and fly beneath the historic Chain Bridge.

SWITZERLAND

With a giant rave, a major carnival and a a demonstration for love, freedom and tolerance, Zurich’s Street Parade has been called the world’s most colorful house and techno party. The event will be on Aug. 8.

LONDON 

The British Museum is filled with cultural treasures, including the Rosetta Stone. Also free is the National Gallery, brimming with Botticelli, Da Vinci and Monet, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, with 3,000 years of art, jewelry, photographs, sculpture and fashion. 

FLANDERS 
Antwerp’s Brewery Haacht offers a free one-hour guided tour of the sprawling facility and a taste of one low- and one high-fermentation beer. 

NORWAY 
Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream” can be seen at Oslo’s National Museum of Art. And at the bar of the Hotel Continental, several original Munch pictures hang on the walls.

IRELAND 
The mystical Ring of Kerry is a center for golf, cycling, walking, riding and fishing, and fine
beaches. It is also an outdoor museum of Ireland’s ancient heritage, with Iron Age forts, old monasteries and a landscape carved by the last Ice Age 10,000 years ago. 

The Leading Hotels of the World, of which Oslo's Hotel Continental is a member, has several specials. Click here.

Answer to Monday's trivial question

The Statue of Liberty is on Liberty Island, formerly known as Bedloe's Island. Although the name was officially changed in 1956, the isle was informally know as Liberty Island since the early 1900s. 

Orbitz wipes out those annoying booking fees

Orbitz is the latest online travel agency to permanently remove airline ticket booking fees on domestic and international flights. The move follows a promotional trial began in April.  CheapTickets, operated by Orbitz Worldwide, also has done away with those fees.

Let us hoist a glass to LaCrosse and St. John's

LaCrosse, Wis., is said to have the most bars per capita of any city in the U.S. In Canada, the honor reportedly goes to St. John's, Newfoundland.

Getting all revved up for a Rally In The Valley

Rally In The Valley is five days of mountain motorcycle adventure in New Hampshire's Mount Washington Valley, June 15-19. The  event will feature  guided and self-guided rides each day, including a Ride to the Sky up the Mount Washington Auto Road, where that day the road will be “owned” by motorcycles. There will be fashion shows, concerts and live entertainment, beach parties, motorcycle shows and prizes.  Wristbands offering many discounts  and entrance to Rally in the Valley events will be available through lodging packages or may be bought for $5 at Rally HQ or the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce. Proceeds go toward scholarships.
For more information, click here.

Sharks will be circling California's LegoLand

Children (and older people, too) love Legos, but not all of them are crazy about sharks. Nonetheless, "Sharks Revealed" is the newest exhibit at LegoLand in Carlsbad, Calif. There are live sharks and shark eggs, among other things. Come June 13-14, the park will host a Star Wars Weekend. And on June 25, LegoLand adds an adventure slide with an Egyptian Bazaar theme.

For more, visit www.legoland.com.