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 Most Visited Spas in Tuscany

Your tour of Tuscany is not complete without a spa experience. Tuscany is one of the most important spa regions in Italy. The springs used in Roman times are the same springs you can enjoy today. Here is a list of the most visited spas in Tuscany:

Chianciano Terme – This is the most visited spa in Tuscany with nearly 2 million people coming every year.

Montecatini Terme – Close behind is the Montecatini Terme spa with over 1.5 million visitors every year.

You might also want to check out Tuscany’s grotto-spas and hot springs. Monsummano Terme probably is the most visited grotto-spa in the region. The most popular hot springs are: Bagni di Lucca, Bagni San Flippo, Caldana, San Carlo, San Casciano dei Bagni, San Guiliano, San Giovanni, Montepulciano, Petriolo, and Saturnia.

Related post:

The National and Regional Parks of Tuscany http://www.bubblews.com/news/442220-the-national-and-regional-parks-of-tuscany

* Photo shows Bagno Vignoni, a hot spring and spa resort in Tuscany

Kid-Friendly Activities and Workshops in Florence, Italy

Traveling to Florence in Italy becomes more meaningful with cultural experiences that introduce the city's rich culture and history. If you are planning to visit the place with very young kids, you may want to consider signing them up for workshops and activities that can help them appreciate more the culture and art of Florence.

Inquire at these places for kid-friendly tours, workshops and activities:

Palazzo Vecchio

For kids age 8 and above, Palazzo Vecchio offers a tour of the place’s secret passageways accompanied by actors and animators. Workshops, experiments and historic re-enactments are also provided at the Museo dei Ragazzi (Children’s Museum). Younger kids are welcome to spend time at the play area “di Bia e Garcia”. Stay at the Children’s museum is free with entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio. Booking is recommended.

Museo e Parco Stibbert

School-age children interested in the history of war can check out the tools of ancient warfare at the Museo e Parco Stibbert (Stibbert Museum and Park, Via Stibbert 26). This museum has a fascinating collection of ancient weapons, medieval standards and samurai swords.

Museo di Storia Naturale “La Specola”

Youngsters will learn much about natural history at the Museo di Storia Naturale “La Specola” (La Specola Museum of Natural History, Via Romana 17). This museum owns a rich collection of anatomical waxworks and over 5,000 animal specimens.

Biblioteca dei Ragazzi Santa Croce

Little bookworms will find a great selection of books in Italian and in English at the Biblioteca dei Ragazzi Santa Croce (Children’s Library in Santa Croce). Other than the library’s huge selection of books, kids can take advantage of various activities from book-readings to puppet shows.

Ludoteca Centrale

An indoor play area is available for smaller kids at the Ludoteca Centrale (Children’s Recreational Center, Piazza SS, Annunziata). Admission is free.
While many of these places admit children for free, the activities and workshops may limit seating and the number of participants per session. To avoid wasting time, call the establishment a day before and inquire about tour and workshop schedules.

Copyright 2013 Tip Sheet Writer

Guided Walking Tours in Florence

Walking tours are a great way to explore Florence, Italy. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or someone with limited travel time, you will find a guided walking tour that suits you and your companions.

You may want to consider any of these three guided walking tours in Florence:

Florence Introduction Tour

This guided walking tour includes history and insider’s information on Florence. If you are a first-time visitor, this is the perfect choice. You can book through via www.initaly.com. Packages are available for two people, three to six people, and seven to 10 people.

Mercurio Tours

For tourists with limited travel time, take on one-day walking tours through Florence’s past and present. These tours include guided visits to the Uffizi, Accademia, bargello, Palazzo Pitti and Medici Chapels. Tours cost include museum entry. Go to www.mercurio-italy.org for more details about tour packages.

Walking Tours of Florence

These tours offer a three-hour tour of Florence by day and a one and a half hour night tour, trips around the Uffizi and a performance tour of the Palazzo Pitti. Children may be offered free tours. Inquire at www.artviva.com for more information.

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Walking and Hiking at Corfu Beach

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Cruises, Sailing & Yacht Charters in Turkey

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