Lufthansa offers six new destinations from Frankfurt and Munich

IF you want to escape the foul weather in autumn and winter, you can now book additional and attractive winter destinations with Lufthansa. Because Europe’s leading airline is expanding its offers from Frankfurt and Munich to include six new tourist destinations. 

Lufthansa now flies from Frankfurt and Munich to Eilat (Ovda), the attractive holiday resort on the Red Sea in the south of Israel. 

Starting this winter, Lufthansa will fly to Agadir (Morocco) located on the southern Atlantic coast of Morocco, in the foothills of the Anti-Atlas mountains. The capital of the province of Agadir Ida-Ou Tanane is a popular holiday destination featuring golf courses and endless beaches. 

Trieste (Italy), the capital of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia in the north-east of Italy, is considered one of the literary capitals of Europe, and its many ethnic and religious groups have earned it the moniker of ‘early New York’. 

From winter 2018, Lufthansa once again offers flights to Thessaloniki (Greece) from Frankfurt. The town is the ideal starting point for hikes and explorations of the north of Greece, and it is the transit airport for onward travel to Chalkidiki in the south east. 

Edinburgh (United Kingdom) is the new European destination from Munich. From December 2018, Lufthansa will fly to the Scottish capital, Edinburgh not only has an interesting old town, it is also the perfect starting point for visiting the Highlands. 

Munich is also the starting point for another new destination, Tromsø (Norway). The city is an important cultural centre north of the Arctic Circle and is regarded as an ideal starting point for experiencing the Northern Lights.
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Up in the air . . .

BERGEN Airport is following the example of its Avinor sister airports, Oslo and Stavanger, by implementing BlipTrack queue management technology to eliminate wait time guesswork, optimise resource utilisation and improve the passenger experience. 

Bergen Airport, Norway´s second busiest with over 6 million passengers annually, has adopted the BlipTrack queue management solution to accurately measure and predict how many people are standing in line and for how long. The detailed, minute-by-minute measurements and prediction insights will help the airport to better comply with service level agreements and minimise queue build-up in, to ensure that passengers have an optimum airport experience.

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The Great Nordic Feast

THIS autumn, the vivid and soothing flavours of Nordic cuisine will take over London’s Southbank Centre as eight Nordic destinations come together to serve up the tastiest treats from the lands of the midnight sun, for all food lovers to enjoy.

Taking place from 20 – 22 October, The Great Nordic Feast aims to introduce the best tastes and culinary talents from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland as well as the more unknown Nordic countries of the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland to London foodies, through inspiring artisan breakfasts and dinners, hosted by a collaboration of renowned chefs. The autumn feasts will be infused with Nordic flora, talks and music and cooked using traditional Nordic techniques, inside Scandinavian style tipi tents on Southbank Centre’s Festival Terrace.

Gastronomic experts from across the Nordic regions and the UK will combine their talents to serve up a creative Nordic eating experience for food lovers.

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Cruise resolutions for the New Year

A #CRUISE holiday gives holidaymakers the chance to visit far-flung places and ‘off-the-beaten-track’ destinations, and is the ideal choice for a stress-free getaway, where food, accommodation and entertainment are all included.

Fred. Olsen highlights five exciting and unusual destinations to spark guests’ imaginations in 2017/18:

1. Nordfjord, Norway

The tranquil and enchanting Nordfjord offers breath-taking scenery in every direction, including the chance to pass the magnificent Hornelen, Europe’s highest sea cliff.

2. Prins Christiansund, Greenland

Dramatic icebergs and glistening glaciers; crossing the glass-like waters of Prins Christiansund is not to be missed!

3. Akureyri, Iceland

Magnificent scenery, Iceland is a ‘must’. Fred. Olsen offers an impressive whale-watching adventure from Akureyri – named on Lonely Planet’s ‘Best Places in Europe’ 2015 list – which is ideal for nature-lovers wanting to marvel at these fantastic creatures in their natural environment.

4. St. Petersburg, Russia

St. Petersburg is a ‘must-see’ destination in Eastern Europe. It is easy to fall in love with the beauty and elegance of the city, and visiting Peterhof Palace, the world-famous Fabergé Museum, and the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood, will be top of your ‘to do’ list.



5. St. John’s, Antigua

Antigua is simply stunning, and for those looking for a relaxing holiday, with beautiful sandy beaches, a Caribbean cruise is definitely something to tick off the list. St. John’s has as many as 365 pretty beaches – one for each day of the year, so the locals say!

www.fredolsencruises.com

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Arctic exploration

FRED Olsen #Cruise Lines is offering guests the chance to discover and explore the #fjords of the #Arctic as seen on the current popular BBC Two programme ‘Arctic Live’ – on an epic 27-night journey to Norway, Spitsbergen, Iceland, Greenland, and even the secluded Faroe Islands. Setting sail on board 804-guest ship Black Watch, from Dover on 14th July 2017, this voyage will call into 12 destinations and sail over 30 areas of scenic cruising.

Highlights of the holiday include; crossing the Arctic Circle; shore tours to the iconic North Cape; the chance to see a Polar Bear in Svalbard; witnessing the magical Midnight Sun; uncovering a deserted soviet settlement in Pyramiden; and experiencing majestic scenery.

www.fredolsencruises.com

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Ryanair cancels Norwegian routes following airport passenger tax

RYANAIR has confirmed it will close its base in Oslo Rygge in October and reduce its traffic in #Norway by approximately 50 percent.

The move follows a decision by the government of Norway to introduce a new tax of 80 Norwegian kroner (£6.76/$9.78) to be paid by all airline passengers departing from any airport in Norway on domestic and international flights.

That 50 percent reduction in traffic translates to 900,000 fewer passengers and a loss of approximately 1,000 jobs as a result of the tax, argues Ryanair.

In Oslo, Ryanair chief commercial officer, David O’Brien said: ‘The illogical decision of the Norwegian government to introduce a flat rate, environmentally-unfriendly tax unfairly penalizes passengers on efficient, green, airlines such as Ryanair in favour of passengers on high fare, half empty, gas-guzzling airlines, and destroys the cost competitiveness of privately-owned Oslo Rygge Airport in favour of the state-owned Avinor monopoly.

‘As a result, Ryanair has no choice but to close its Oslo Rygge base which will result in our Norwegian traffic being cut in half. Since Oslo Rygge has confirmed it will be unable to sustain reduced non-based services offered by Ryanair, we will move our remaining eight Rygge routes to Oslo Torp from October.’

‘This tax will severely damage Norwegian tourism, particularly around regional airports. The Norwegian government has instantly made Norway uncompetitive and less attractive to airlines and tourists. The Italian government, which hiked passenger taxes in January, has already said it will review its decision, given the impact its tax will have on its airports.’

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Up in the air … to Jersey and Norway

BMI REGIONAL will fly direct from Bristol to Jersey from July 16 for the summer season. The new route is designed for leisure travellers, with a Saturday morning flight each week.  Fares start from £80 one way.

The airline is also starting flights between Newcastle and Stavanger, Norway, from May 31. The Norwegian city is both a major business destination due to the proximity of North Sea oil fields and a tourist base with original dockside warehouses and 18th century streets.

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Views from a train

#TRAINholiday company Railbookers shares its top picturesque routes in Europe:

Swiss lakes and mountains – In the summer months, verdant pastures roll from the edge of the tracks into the horizon, and in the winter, the country unfolds. Travel from Montreux to Interlaken on the Golden Pass Line. Rise up over Lake Geneva, gaze at the Swiss Riviera, plunge through a mountain tunnel and coast through resorts such as Gstaad and Châteaux d'Oex. Perhaps stop-over in Interlaken and take a trip to Europe's highest railway station at the summit of Jungfraujoch.

Norway in a nutshell – This is a route with no off season: snow-dusted in winter, set ablaze by autumn hues, verdant and sleepy in the spring and sparkling in the summer. Norway in a nutshell combines the Bergen Railway, the Flam railway, the Aurlandsfjord, the Nærøyfjord, and the Stalheimskleiva road. Hard to pronounce, easier to enjoy, the route is possible in a day but turning it into a holiday with a night or two in Oslo is worthwhile. From Oslo, it’s full steam ahead over the Flam railway, descending deep into the fjord along the world's steepest regular-track railway line. You drop hundreds of feet in an hour as the panorama shifts from mountains to waterfalls.

London to Fort William – Arrive at Euston after work, doze off after a dram of whiskey and wake up the next morning across the border. It is civilized, time-effective and harks back to a different, more romantic era. Fall asleep through London’s suburbia and wake up seemingly in the middle of nowhere, the sun glinting through the blinds and deer bounding past the window. After exploring Fort William, the treat begins. Often voted one of the world's most picturesque rail journeys, you will catch glimpses of crofter's cottages, tiny churches, the pristine coastline, and mountain panoramas, before crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct famous for its starring role in the Harry Potter films.

Germany's Rhineland – Catch the train from London to Brussels and change onto a high speed train to Cologne before moving on into the German countryside. Board a train winding down the Rhine Valley through greenery to Koblenz, abundant with palaces, churches, and fountains. Cruise down the river or take a daytrip to historic Rudesheim, before heading up the Moselle. The tracks trace the river bank along the Moselle Stretch from Koblenz to Trier, Germany's oldest city.

Munich to Verona, via the Brenner Pass –Combine some of Europe's most stunning cities with rail travel as scenic as anything the continent has to offer. The Bavarian capital of Munich plays host to every delightful Alpine cliché imaginable. There are fast trains that will take you from here to the Austrian skiing capital of Innsbruck, but why sacrifice scenery in favour of time when you are on holiday? Skirt around the bases of the Alps, meander past lakes and glide through the resort town of Garmsich-Partenkirchen on the regional train instead. Lap up the mountainous views before taking to the tracks once more, this time past the vineyards and mountains of the Brenner Pass to Verona.

Railbookers has offices in London, Los Angeles, and Auckland. www.railbookers.com

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Heritage list updated

THESE are some of the world’s historic or significant cultural sites given UNESCO World Heritage status this year:

• Christiansfeld, Moravian Church Settlement (Denmark)

• Champagne hillsides, houses and cellars (France)

• Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus district, Hamburg (Germany)

• Cultural landscape of Maymand (Iran)

• Necropolis of Beth She’arim—a landmark of Jewish Revival (Israel)

• Arab-Norman Palermo and the cathedral churches of Cefalú and Monreale (Italy)

• Sites of Japan’s Meiji industrial revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining

• Rjukan-Notodden industrial heritage site (Norway)

• Singapore Botanical Gardens (Singapore)

• Ephesus (Turkey)

• Fray Bentos Cultural-Industrial landscape (Uruguay)

• The Forth Bridge (Scotland)

• San Antonio Missions (US)

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