With so much being promoted by the tourism authorities around Europe and further afield it would be a shame not to take advantages of 2018’s carnivals, festivals and openings. Here is just a snapshot of what the year has to offer.
Visit Sweden announces EuroPride Gothenburg, ‘Two cities, one country – for a united Europe, open to the world’. For the first time in EuroPride history, this international event, which attracts visitors from all over Europe, will be jointly hosted and organised by the Stockholm Pride and West Pride festivals. Welcome to an unforgettable festival for LGBT rights in Gothenburg from 14 to 19 August 2018.
Turismo Lanzarote welcomes all to join the new Jameos Nights, held in Jameos del Agua. Experience the beauty and magic of of Jameos through a special evening out which combines music and gastronomy. Taking place every Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday during June through to September 2018, restaurant Jameos del Agua will open from 7pm and offer a special menu. From 10.30pm there will be a timple concert, featuring the traditional five-string instrument from the Canary Islands and performed by the Lake.
Visit Portugal launches Portuguese Trails, a brand-new platform for cyclists and walkers. Acting as the pilot region, the Algarve offers more than 140 trails for cycling and walking, run by 11 companies which are “bike and walk friendly”, and around 60 programmes aimed at Portuguese and international tourists. Centro de Portugal and Alentejo will soon be part of this platform too, with the remaining regions following later in 2018.
VisitDenmark announces Denmark’s hot happenings 2018: World-renowned restaurant Noma will open at the beginning of 2018 in a new Copenhagen location with an urban farm; the Danish capital will also get its own artificial ski slope, Copenhill, in the autumn of 2018, built on top of Copenhagen’s new green waste management centre; and, finally, the new hotel Herman K will offer a super-cool and modern hotel experience when it opens in June 2018 in the heart of Copenhagen.
The Tenerife Tourism Corporation is excited to announce that the island’s highly anticipated carnival, The Santa Cruz Carnival, has a fantasy theme this year. Taking place between 7 and 13 February 2018, this is the island’s largest and most anticipated festival and is considered to be the world’s second largest carnival after Rio. Expect spectacular parades, fancy dress and non-stop street fiestas!
The Spanish Tourist Office is promoting Murillo and Seville: The 400th Anniversary Of The Birth of a Universal Painter – a multifaceted program of activities put together by the capital of southern Spain and taking place during 2018 to honour the 400th anniversary of the death of celebrated painter, Murillo. Seville has become a multidisciplinary museum that follows the trail and work of the greatest exponent of the Sevillian School of Baroque.
The Malta Tourism Authority is celebrating Malta’s capital city, Valletta (see cover image), awarded the accolade of European Capital of Culture 2018 in recognition of its role in driving cultural, social and economic regeneration across the Maltese archipelago. Launched on 20 January 2018, the award will be celebrated throughout the year, with over 400 island-wide events and exhibitions.
The Macao Government Tourism Office is celebrating the region’s appointment as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, recognising Macao‘s distinctive 400-year old culinary legacy and unique gastronomic culture, with the 2018 Macao Year of Gastronomy, featuring a line-up of special activities and celebrations throughout the year.
The Jordan Tourism Board announces the opening of the W Amman in Jordan, a vibrant, urban hotel located in the heart of the capital’s financial district. Opening 28 March 2018, this hotel is the brand’s first property in the Hashemite Kingdom, featuring 280 rooms, 44 of which are suites, a heated outdoor swimming pool, state-of-the-art spa and four dining options serving a range of world cuisines.
The Greek National Tourism Organisation invites visitors to two new museums which have recently opened their doors in Athens. The first is The Benaki Toy Museum, featuring a collection of approximately 20,000 Greek toys, books, ephemera, clothing and artefacts of childhood. The second is The Tourism Museum, which showcases the history of Greece’s tourism through valuable historical files, documents, posters, publications and objects that have contributed to the Greek tourism sector for the last 60 years.
