Travel Briefs

Those exploring Britain by bicycle can use a collection of pocket-sized map cards called “Cyclist’s Britain in a Box” (2011, Interlink Publ,. ISBN 1566568579 — 50 cards, $19.95).

Each card has a cycling route fully illustrated, with directions, plus info on transportation and points of interest. Routes vary in difficulty, and many begin near transportation hubs in towns.

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The first third of “Antarctic Wildlife: a Visitor’s Guide” by James Lowen (2011, Princeton University Press. Stiff, large-format paperback, 240 glossy pages, $22.95) has general tips on spotting wildlife, then it lists plant, sea and bird life by geographic regions. Densely illustrated with photos (both juvenile and adult animals), the rest tells how to identify varieties of seals, whales, dolphins, gulls, penguins, ducks, etc., with short text descriptions of their...

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The website www.cyclecopenhagen.dk allows travelers to plan bike routes through Copenhagen and nearby Frederiksberg, Denmark. Users can select multiple stops, then choose the shortest route or the route with the most bike lanes or the route with the most green spaces visible. Also at no cost, maps may be printed out with turn-by-turn directions.

For two generations, the art-collecting Nahmad family has invested in classic paintings, including works from the Impressionist, Surrealist and Abstract periods by Picasso, Kadinsky, Magritte, Monet, Modigliani, Renoir and Degas.

For the first time, over 100 pieces from the private collection will be exhibited in one venue, the Kunsthaus Zürich (Heimplatz 1, CH-8001 Zürich, Switzerland; phone +41 044 253 8484), Oct. 21, 2011-Jan. 15, 2012. Open 10-6 Sat.-Tues., 10-8 Wed.-Fri. CHF22 (...

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iPhone users can load over 2,000 walking tours of more than 180 cities worldwide with GPSmyCity applications.

Each walking tour features still pictures of sights with text, turn-by-turn navigation and walking directions and a “FindMe” autotracker (so you know you’re headed in the right direction). The tech is not Internet based, so there are no roaming charges.

You can download a free demo sample before buying a city’s app ($2.99-$4.99, depending on the...

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Almost 9,000 guided day trips in more than 150 countries (mostly in Europe, the Caribbean and South America) and most major cities are listed on the booking and review website Viator.com. Users can build an itinerary for a location and book all the tours online.

Searches for the excursions can be filtered by location, region, city, dates, type of activity and more. Search results can be sorted by price, best sellers and travelers’ ratings. Each tour listing shows the itinerary,...

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On the Saturday closest to the full moon, enjoy dinner at sunset in a field on a hilltop farm in Jamaica’s St. Elizabeth parish. The monthly dinner, prepared at tableside, has a rotating menu. Among dishes that have been served are local fruit cocktail, lamb with coconut milk and penne with lime basil.

“Farm Dinners” are offered by Jakes Hotel (Calabash Bay, Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica W.I.; phone, in the US, 877/965-3000), located at Treasure Beach on the...

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Travelers at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol might try a tour on the Floating Dutchman, an amphibious bus that holds 48 people. For the tour of two hours and 45 minutes, passengers transiting Schiphol should allow at least a four-hour stopover, timing it for one of the tour departures daily at 9, noon and 3 from Schiphol Plaza.

With commentary in English and Dutch, the Dutchman heads to Amsterdam, entering the water near the NEMO Science Centre. A 45-minute sailing on the canals takes...

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