Summer Festivals Around The World

One of the best parts of summer is the excitement and fun of spending time with family—this year, why not take an adventurous trip across the seas and spend time at one of these interesting summer festivals?

• White Nights Festival- Do you love art, music, or theater? How about festivals in Russia? Why not do both and go to the White Nights Festival! This annual arts festival takes place in St. Petersburg, and the name—White Nights—is derived from the fact that the sun doesn’t set during the time of the festival (and the whole city is naturally lit up 24 hours a day). From late May until the end of July, enjoy theater performances, costumes and carnivals, fireworks, live shows, and even a pirate battle on a gigantic ship to cap it all off. This year, the White Nights Festival will take place between the 24th of May until the 28th of July.



• Madrid Water Fight- In the second week of July, the people of Madrid prepare themselves for a gigantic party in the streets of Vallecas, where everyone is invited to join the fun. The best part? It’s a water fight! People take water balloons, water guns, and buckets full of water to splash each other. The 2013 celebration will take place on July 16th, and crowds are estimated to be around 10,000 people.

• Pflasterspektakel- This “pavement spectacle” is a street festival that takes place in Linz, Austria. Over 200,000 people gather to watch acrobats, plays, musical performances, magic tricks, and parades—there’s even a special segment just for kids. This year, it’ll run for three days on July 18,19, and 20.



• Boryeong Mud Festival - Mud has traditionally been used in makeup products to purify and detox the skin. One beauty company took it a little further, however, and started the Boryeong Mud Festival. This celebration takes place in Daecheon Beach, South Korea, and has over 2.2 million people attending each year. The festival includes mud slides, mud wrestling, mud throwing, and even mud sculptures! After sunset, the beach comes alive with music, parades, and even fireworks. This year, the festival is from July 19 to July 28.

So whether its watching daring pirates battle it out in a “sea”-worthy battle or slinging mud at your closest friends, there’s plenty of things to do and see out there this summer! To know more about these exciting festivals and places around the world, check out the Little Passports program for kids.

The Different Types of Accommodation in Italy

If you are visiting Italy for the first time, you will have to look for the kind of accommodation that would suit your budget and your travel itinerary. There is a standard star-classification system for hotels in Italy, ranging from deluxe five-star to one-star. The rates, however, vary between provinces. Prices are generally more affordable during the off-season months of November, December, January, February, and March. The accommodation rates usually include taxes, service, heating and/or air-conditioning.

Bed and Breakfast

Italian B&Bs are small hotels that offer rooms on a bed-and-breakfast basis. They are generally affordable and offer enough comfort for travelers. You will find a lot of bed and breakfast accommodations in the most popular parts of Italy and you can actually just scout for one once you get there.

Affitacamere

Affitacamere are rooms for rent in private homes. There is no standard rating for this type of accommodation. If you need to get more information, search for references in a local tourist office or read online reviews. You can make reservations through the Associazone Gestori Alloggi Privati (AGAP).

Agriturismi

These are farm-based houses that are normally rented out on a weekly basis. Some owners prefer shorter terms like two to three nights stay. Farm holidays are ideal for families that have young children. The kids will surely enjoy the scenery and the sight of farm animals. To get more information and a listing of agriturismi in a particular town or province, get in touch with Agriturist, Terranostra, or Turismo Verde.

Image source: affaritaliani.libero.it

Youth Hostels

Youth hostels in Italy are managed by the Associzione Italiana Alberghi per la Gioventu, which is based in Rome. You will hostels in most places, even in major Italian cities. They’re cheap and perfect for people who are traveling on a budget. Youth hostels in Italy do not have an age limit or impose a curfew. You do not have to be a YHA member either.

Other popular types of accommodation in Italy include convents, monasteries, and other religious institutions. You can obtain information about these places through local tourist offices.

Recommended Reading:

Bed and Blessings Italy: A Guide to Convents and Monasteries Available for Overnight Lodging

by June Walsh

* This article first appeared in ExpertsColumn. Published with permission from the author.