International Travel News

Travel Briefs

April 2009 issue | Appears on page 23

Eurostar & city transit tix

Travelers who ride Eurostar (phone +44 0 1233 617 575, www.eurostar.com) now can purchase, on board the train, tickets for public transit within Paris, London or Brussels. Pounds or euros are accepted. For Paris, 10 Métro tickets cost £12. One ticket valid for five journeys in Brussels costs £6.20. A London visitor Oyster Card costs £12.

April 2009 issue | Appears on page 23

Berlin Philharmonic

The Berlin Philharmonic orchestra (Simon Rattle, conducting) will perform an open-air concert at Berlin’s Waldbühne Amphitheater on June 21, 2009, at 8:15 p.m. The program includes works by Aram Khachaturian, Sergei Rachmaninoff and Igor Stravinsky.

A concert ticket costs €21 or €28 ($27/$36), depending on the seat. Visit www.berliner-philharmoniker.de/en or call (030) 254 88 999.

April 2009 issue | Appears on page 23

Copenhagen concerts

Every Wednesday, May through August, Copenhagen Castle Concerts (www.castleconcerts.dk) puts on free performances of classical music in the churches of historic royal residences in and around Copenhagen, including Frederiksborg and Kronborg. The concerts start at 5 p.m. May and June, 5:30 p.m. in July and 4 p.m. in August.

Contact Wonderful Copenhagen (Gammel Kongevej 1, Copenhagen V., Denmark; phone +45 3325 7400, www.visitcopenhagen.com).

April 2009 issue | Appears on page 23

John Calvin at 500

In Geneva, the International Museum of the Reformation (4, rue du Cloitre, CH-1204, Geneva, Switzerland; phone +41 22 310 24 31, fax 310 74 45, www.musee-reforme.ch) will hold an exhibition honoring the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin.

Among other events, “A Day in the Life of Calvin,” April 24-Oct. 31, 2009, will feature a simulated 3-D character of Calvin who, inside 2x2-meter pavilions, goes through activities and conversations of his daily life in the 16th century....

April 2009 issue | Appears on page 23

Venice Connected

Venice, Italy’s, online reservation system Venice Connected (www.veniceconnected.it) helps visitors book and prepurchase public tourist services. It includes passes for public transportation, parking, museums, restroom cards and more. All of the passes are reduced in price if purchased online at least 15 days in advance of your visit.

April 2009 issue | Appears on page 74

Zürich shop map

The free map “Zürich Shopper’s Paradise” covers Zürich, Switzerland, and the nearby towns of Baden, Zug and Winterthur. Suggestions for relaxing breaks are included. Contact Zürich Tourism (phone +41 44 215 40 00, www.zuerich.com). Shipping is free.

April 2009 issue | Appears on page 76

Costa Rica fee

CORRECTION — ITN incorrectly reported (Feb. ’09, pg. 84) that Costa Rica had dropped its 3% hotel tax and was to replace it with a flat fee of $15 to be added to air tickets. The Costa Rican Consulate confirmed that that plan was not carried out and that the current exit fee of $26, to be paid at the airport upon departure, is the only fee being charged to tourists.

April 2009 issue | Appears on page 76

Royal greenhouses, Belgium

In Laeken, a 15-minute drive from Brussels, the Royal Greenhouses (61 Domaine Royal, Avenue du Parc Royal, 1020 Brussels, Belgium) open to the public for three weeks every year, as the flowers are in full bloom. The tallest of the towering glass structures is large enough to contain full-grown palm trees.

In 2009 they are open April 17-May 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 1-4 p.m. and 8-10 p.m. Friday and 9:30-4 and 8-10 Saturday and Sunday. Entry, €2.50.

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