The UK’s first designated City of Culture is Derry, Northern Ireland, with more than 266 events scheduled in 2013, including sports, dance, theater, art, film, storytelling and historical reenactments. Most are free.

For example, the city will host the Highland Dance Festival in April. In August, the Derry Regatta will hold a month-long rally of traditional sailing yachts, and the Fleadh Cheoil na h’Éireann, the world’s largest festival of Irish music, will be held.

For four...

A guided tour of the real-life locations in Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy (“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” “The Girl Who Played with Fire” and “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest”) is available in Stockholm.

The 2-hour tour departs from the home of the main (fictional) character, Mikael Blomkvist, at Bellmansgatan 1, and ends at the Stockholm City Museum.

It is offered 11:30 a.m. Saturday, October-May, with an additional tour at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June-September. Buy...

In the UK, you can operate or ride construction machinery to dig for “treasure” or get hoisted in the Spindizzy at four Diggerland (phone 0871 22 77 007) adventure parks — located in Strood, Kent; Langley Park, Co. Durham; Cullompton, Devon, and near Castleford, West Yorkshire. (Some rides have height requirements.)

Licensed drivers age 17 and up can race front-loader (scoop) tractors; including general park admission for the day, this costs £125 (near $200). Or race dumper-truck...