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Lonely Planet

Before You Go

 

BELGIUM  
Visas Health issues
EU citizens can enter on an official identity card. Most nationalities willnot require a visa for stays of shorter than 90 days.
Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most up-to-date information. 		No vaccine certificate required.
Malaria not normally present.
Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior
to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Best time to travel: You're unlikely to encounter extremes in weather during an average Belgian year. April to September is the warmest time, but be prepared for grey skies and soggy streets no matter what time of year you go. Visitors may be forgiven for assuming umbrellas and raincoats are part of the Belgian national dress. Traditional Catholic celebrations aside, Brussels' most festive months are July and August. On the first Thursday in July there's the Ommegang pageant, a huge parade of nobles dressed in historic costumes. Belgium's colourful National Day is July 21, which also marks the start of the month-long Brussels Fair.
CZECH REPUBLIC  
Visas Health issues
Nationals of all Western European countries, Japan and New Zealand can visit the Czech Republic for up to 90 days, and UK citizens for up to 180 days, without a visa. US passport holders can stay for 90 days without a visa. Nationals of Australia, Canada, South Africa and many other countries must obtain a visa, which is good for a stay of between 90 and 30 days depending on your nationality.Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most up-to-date information. Vaccines sometimes advised: hepatitis A; tick-borne encephalitis.
Rabies is present, but post exposure treatment should be readily available.
Malaria not normally present.
Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior
to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Best time to travel: May, June and September are the prime visiting months, with April and October as chillier and sometimes cheaper alternatives. Most Czechs take their holidays in July and August when hotels and tourist sights are more than usually crowded, and hostels are chock-a-block with students, expecially in Prague and the Krkonose and Tatras mountain resort areas. Luckily, the supply of bottom end accommodation increases in large towns during this time, as student hostels are thrown open to visitors. Centres like Prague, Brno and the mountain resorts cater to visitors all year round. Elsewhere, from October or November until March or April, most castles,museums and other tourist attractions, and some associated accommodation and transport, close down. Practically every day is a saint's day in the Czech Republic, and 'special days', festivals and public holidays are widely acknowledged. On 30 April in Prague, the Czech version of Walpurgisnacht, Paleni Carodejnic (Burning of the Witches) is a pre-Christian festival for warding off evil. Politically incorrect witch burning is now replaced by all-night bonfire parties on Kampa Island and in suburban backyards. High culture follows for the remainder of the year with the Prazske jaro (Prague Spring) International Music Festival in May and June, the Prague International Book Fair also in May and the Mozart Festival in September. The Christmas-New Year season closes the year
quietly for most of the Czech Republic, but Prague is overcome with tourist revelry during a fast and furious holiday season.
DENMARK  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities will not require an entry visa for Denmark. Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most up-to-date information. No vaccine certificate required. Malaria not normally present. Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior
to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Best time to travel: Considering its northern latitude, Denmark has a fairly mild climate all year round. Still, the winter months - cold and with short daylight hours - are certainly the least hospitable. Correspondingly, many tourist destinations come alive in late April, when the weather begins to warm up and the daylight hours start to increase, and by October they again become sleepers. May and June can be delightful months to visit: the earth is a rich green accented with fields of flowers, the weather is comfortable and you'll beat the rush of tourists. While autumn can be pleasant, it's not nearly as scenic because the rural landscape has largely turned to brown.High tourist season is July and August. There are open-air concerts, lots of street activity and basking on the beach. Other bonuses for travellers during midsummer are longer hours at museums and other sightseeing attractions. The last half of August can be a particularly attractive time to travel, as it still has summer weather but far fewer crowds. Denmark's main events are the hundred-plus music festivals which run almost nonstop, covering a broad spectrum of music that includes jazz, rock, blues, gospel, Irish, classical, country and Cajun. Beginning with Midsummer Eve bonfires in late June, some of the most popular festivals are the Roskilde Festival, northern Europe's largest rock music festival, held in late June or early July; the Midtfyns Festival in Ringe, held in early July, which features international rock, pop, world, folk and jazz musicians; the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, held for 10 days in early July, which is one of the world's major jazz festivals; the Copenhagen Summer Festival which features chamber and classical music concerts during the last week of July and the first two weeks of August; and the T¯nder Festival, one of northern Europe's largest folk festivals, which is held at the end of August.
The nine-day ≈rhus Festival, beginning on the first Saturday in September, turns that city into a stage for nonstop revelry, with music and drama performances of all sorts drawing hundreds of thousands of Danish and international visitors. The program also incorporates a Viking Festival complete with roving jesters, jousting and archery competitions, Viking-style ships, and traditional food, drink and merrymaking.
FAROE ISLANDS  
Visas Health issues
Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most
up-to-date information. 		No vaccine certificate required. Malaria not normally present. Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Best time to travel: Summer time which is June to August. It is rainy throught the year with less rain from May to August. July 02-05 Jazz, Folk and Blues Festival in TÛrshavn - Middle of May to middle of August: Tuesdays Concerto Grotto every Tuesday - G Festival 18-19 July
FINLAND  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities will not need an entry visa for Finland. Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most up-to-date information. Vaccines sometimes advised: tick-borne encephalitis.(As of October 2001, Finland has been given "rabies free" status by
WHO. In the event of an animal bite it should be ensured that the animal involved could not have come from a neighboring infected
country. Post exposure treatment should be available).Malaria not normally present
Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Best time to travel: Whatever time of year you visit Finland, there's something happening. Most museums and galleries are open year-round, and there is as much to do in the depths of winter as there is at the height of summer. Nevertheless, you'll probably have a better time if you come in the warmer months, either in summer or anytime from May to September. As well as the advantages of warm weather, summer is the time of the midnight sun. Winter north of the Arctic Circle is a chilly confluence of strange bluish light and encroaching melancholy. Despite snow falls from November, it stays pretty sludgy until late winter: skiing isn't great until February, the coldest month, and you can ski in Lapland right through to June. Midsummer's Day (Juhannus) is the most important annual event for Finns. People leave cities and towns for summer cottages to celebrate the longest day of the year. Bonfires are lit and lakeside merrymakers swim and row boats. Enthusiastic alcohol consumption is also a feature of midsummer partying. The Pori Jazz Festival in July is one of the country's most popular festivals, but the Savonlinna Opera Festival, held at medieval Olavinnlinna Castle, is the most famous. Some of the best (and the most international) festivals are the most remote: checkout chamber music in Kuhmo, or folk music in Kaustinen (near Kokkola). For rock, there are big festivals during the Midsummer weekend, and big annual events, such as Ruisrock, the longest-running of rock festivals, at Turku in July. On the lighter side, check out the Sleepyhead Day, where on 27 July the laziest person in the towns of Naantali and Hanko is thrown into the sea. Finland's strangest event is the annual wife-carrying championship held every July in tiny Sonkaj‰rvi.
FRANCE  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities do not require an entry visa to France for stays of shorter than 90 days. Except for people from a handful of other European countries, everyone else must have a visa. Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most up-to-date information. Rabies is present, but post exposure treatment should be readily a
vailable.No vaccine certificate required.
Malaria not normally present. Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Best time to travel: Spring offers the best weather to visitors, with beach tourism picking up in May. Temperatures aren't too bad in autumn, although the short days mean limited sunlight and the cold starts to make itself felt towards the end of the season, even along the Cote d'Azur. Winter means playing in the snow in France's Alps and Pyrenees, though the Christmas school holidays send hordes of tadpoles in uniform scurrying for the slopes. Mid-July through the end of August is when most city dwellers take their annual five weeks' vacation to the coasts and mountains, and the half-desolate cities tend to shut down a bit accordingly. Likewise during February and March. The French are a festive bunch, with many cities hosting music, dance, theatre, cinema or art events each year. Rural villages hold fairs and fÍtes which celebrate everything from local saints to agricultural progress. Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in Provence is the venue for a colourful gypsy festival in late May honouring Sarah, patron saint of the gypsies. Enthusiastic singing and dancing characterise this extravaganza. Prominent national days off are May Day (1 May), when people trade gifts of muguet (lily of the valley) for good luck; and Bastille Day (14 July), which is celebrated by throwing firecrackers at friends. Regional events include the primping and preening prÍt ‡ porter fashion show in Paris (early February); the glittering and often-canned Cannes Film Festival (mid-May); the International Music Festival in Strasbourg (first three weeks of June); the mainstream and fringe theatre of the Festival d'Avignon (mid-July to mid-August) and the Jazz Festival in Nancy (9-24 October).
GERMANY  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities will not need an entry visa to enter Germany. Unless you're a citizen of a developing country, you can probably
stay up to 90 days.Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most up-to-date information. 		Vaccines sometimes advised: tick-borne encephalitis.Rabies is present but post exposure treatment should be readily available. Malaria not normally present
Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Best time to travel: The German climate is variable so it's best to be prepared for all types of weather throughout the year. That said, the most reliable weather is from May to October. This coincides, naturally enough, with the standard tourist season (except for skiing). The shoulder periods can bring fewer tourists and surprisingly pleasant weather. There is no special rainy season. From pagan harvest romps to black tie opera galas, Germans are keen to party. The Winter Carnival (Fasching) season occurs throughout Germany, with big cities such as Cologne (Kˆln), Munich and Mainz erupting into commotion just before Ash Wednesday. Germany's rich musical heritage is showcased in a plethora of festivals. Some towns concentrate on a particular composer, such as the Thuringian Bach Festival in March or the Richard Wagner Festival in Bayreuth each July, whereas others focus on a particular style. The jazz festivals in Stuttgart (April) and Berlin (November) are lively and popular. Autumn is a great time for harvest-inspired mayhem, especially in the Rhineland, where the Rhine in Flames frolics feature barges laden
with fireworks. Mention must be made of Oktoberfest, Munich's annual lager frenzy, but it's a bit like being stuck in a nightmarish soccer crowd and is more an example of tourism at its lowest ebb than a display of German culture. Most towns in Bavaria have festivals devoted to beer and they're much nicer than Oktoberfest. Christmas fairs are embraced wholeheartedly by German families, including those in Munich, Nuremberg, L¸beck, Berlin, M¸nster and Heidelberg.
GREECE  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities will be able to enter Greece without a visa for stays of less than 3 months (some nationalities are limited to a two month stay) Greece will refuse entry to anyone whose passport indicates that, since November 1983, they have visited
North Cyprus.Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most up-to-date information. 		Vaccines sometimes advised: hepatitis A (not normally for package tourists). Yellow fever certificate required if and over 6 months of age and entering from an infected area.
Malaria not normally present. Always check with your local health professional 60 days priorto travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Best time to travel: Spring and autumn are the best times to visit Greece. Conditions are perfect between Easter and mid-June - the weather is pleasantly warm in most places, but not too hot; beaches and ancient sites are relatively uncrowded; public transport operates on close to full schedules; and accommodation is cheaper and easier to find than in the mid-June to end of August high season. Conditions are once more ideal from the end of August until mid-October as the season winds down. Winter is pretty much a dead loss outside the major cities as most of the tourist infrastructure goes into hibernation from the middle of October till the beginning of April. This is slowly changing, however; on the most touristy islands, a few restaurants, hotels and bars remain open year-round. The Greek year is a succession of festivals and events, some of which are religious, some cultural, others an excuse for a good knees-up. Gynaikratia on 8 January is a day of role reversal in villages in northern Greece. Women spend the day in kafeneia (cafÈs) and other social centres where men usually congregate, while the men stay at home to do housework. The Greek carnival season runs through February-March over the three weeks before the beginning of Lent, and features fancy dress, feasting, traditional dancing and general merrymaking. Easter is the most significant festival in Greece, with candle-lit processions, feasting and fireworks displays. Emphasis is placed on the Resurrection rather than on the Crucifixion, so it is a joyous occasion. There are numerous summer festivals across the country, the most famous being the Hellenic Festival (mid-June to late September), which hosts drama and music in ancient theatres.
GREECE  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities will not require an entry visa for Hungary. Nationals of Australia require visas, which are valid for between
30 and 90 days. Visas may be purchased upon arrival. Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most up-to-date information. 		Vaccines sometimes advised: tick-borne encephalitis. Rabies is present but post exposure treatment should be readily available. Malaria not normally present.
Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Best time to travel: Though it can be pretty wet in May and June, spring is just glorious in Hungary. The Hungarian summer is warm, sunny and unusually long, but the resorts are very crowded in late July and August. Like Paris and Rome, Budapest comes to a halt in August (called 'the cucumber-growing season' here because that's about the only thing happening). Autumn is beautiful, particularly in the hills around Budapest and in the Northern Uplands. November is one of the rainiest months of the year, however. Winter is cold, often bleak and museums and other tourist sights are often closed. Animal lovers will also want to skip this season: half the women are draped in furry dead things throughout the winter. Hungary's major celebration is the Budapest Spring Festival (March), a two-week cultural extravaganza of local and international performances, conferences and exhibitions. Other important events include: the Budapest Film Festival (February), which premieres new Hungarian films; BusÛj·r·s (Moh·s; February also), the nation's top Mardi Gras; Sopron Festival Weeks (Sopron; June/July), showcasing ancient music and dance performances; the Folk Arts Festival (Nagyk·llÛ; August), one of the biggest and best events of the year; and Jazz Days (Debrecen; September), which is Hungary's top jazz festival.
ICELAND  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities will not require an entry visa for Iceland. Tourist stays are granted for up to three months, and can be easily extended at local police stations. Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most up-to-date information. No vaccine certificate required. Malaria not normally present. Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior
to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Every year after 31 August, someone puts on the brakes and Icelandic tourism grinds slowly to a halt. Hotels close, youth hostels and camping grounds shut down and buses stop running. Many late-summer travellers are disappointed to find that all the most popular attractions are practically inaccessible by 15 September, and by 30 September it seems the entire country, save ReykjavÌk, has gone into hibernation. Although it's safe to predict that the situation will change in coming years, for now it's a good idea to plan your trip with this in mind. The largest nationwide festival of the year is Independence Day (17 June), a time of colourful parades, street music and dancing, outdoor theatre and general merriment. Other nationwide celebrations include: SjÛmannadagurinn (first week in June), which is dedicated to seafarers, and has participants competing in swimming contests, tugs-of-war and sea rescues; Midsummer (24 June), when tradition has it that Midsummer Night's dew possesses magical healing powers and that to roll in it naked will cure 19 different health problems; and Sumardagurinn Fyrsti (the third Thursday in April), a carnival-style celebration for the first day of summer. Among the local festivals is PjÛdh·tÌ Vestmannaeyjar (August; Vestmannaeyjar), an earth-shaking event of immense bonfires, outdoor camping, dancing, singing, eating
and getting uproariously drunk. Elsewhere in Iceland Verslunarmannahelgi (August) is celebrated with barbecues, horse
competitions, camping out, family reunions and excessive alcohol consumption.
IRELAND  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities will not require an entry visa for Ireland. Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most up-to-date information. No vaccine certificate required. Malaria not normally present. Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior
to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Best time to travel: The weather is warmest in July and August and the daylight hours are long, but the crowds will be greatest, the costs the highest and accommodation harder to come by. In the quieter winter months, however, you may get miserable weather, the days are short and many tourist facilities will be shut. Visiting Ireland in June or September has a number of attractions: the weather can be better than at any other time of the year, it's less crowded and everything is open. Many diverse events and festivals take place around the country over the year. February sees the Dublin International Film Festival. St Patrick's Day, 17 March, is a public holiday. In Northern Ireland, Easter is the start of the Orange/Protestant marching season. June 16 is Bloomsday in Dublin, with re-enactments and readings throughout the city. Listowel in County Kerry holds a Writers' Week literary festival during June, and there's a Jazz & Blues Festival in Belfast. July is when marching really gets into its stride in Northern Ireland, and every Orangeman hits the streets on the Glorious 12th to celebrate the Protestant victory at the Battle of the Boyne. August is horse-racing month, with the Dublin Horse Show and races in Tralee in County Kerry. In the same county, at Killorglin, the ancient Puck Fair heralds unrestricted drinking for days and nights. The first weekend in August is the date for Ireland's major annual rock festival, at Thurles in County Tipperary. In September Cork has its Film
Festival and Belfast has a Folk Festival. In October, Dublin has its Theatre Festival, Ballinasloe in County Galway hosts the country's largest cattle and horse fair, and Kinsale in County Cork is home to Ireland's gourmet festival. In Wexford the November Opera Festival is an international event. Christmas is a quiet affair in the countryside, though on 26 December the ancient practice of Wren Boys is reenacted, when groups of children, traditional musicians and Irish dancers
perform at area homes, asking donations in exchange for a year's worth of good luck.
ITALY  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities will not requir an entry visa for Itlay for stays of shorter than 90 days. Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most
up-to-date information. 		Vaccines sometimes advised: hepatitis A (not normally for package tourists). No vaccine certificate required. Malaria not normally present. Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Italy is at its best in spring (April-May) and autumn (October-November). During these seasons, the scenery is beautiful, the temperatures are pleasant and there are relatively few crowds. Try to avoid August, as this is the time that most Italians take their vacations, and many shops and businesses are closed as a result. The ski season generally lasts from December to late March; sea swimming is best between June and September; and July and September are the best months for walking in the Alps. The further south you go, the longer you can linger into November and December without feeling the pinch of winter. Italy's multitude of festivals and traditional events may be a factor in planning your visit. Easter, in particular, is celebrated fervently, and every second town has a festive Saint's day. Religious, cultural and historical events pepper the Italian calendar. The pre-Easter Carnivale is closely associated with Venice; Holy Week Easter processions are especially flamboyant at Taranto, Chieti and Sicily; and Florence explodes a cart full of fireworks on Easter Sunday. Festivals honouring patron saints are also particularly colourful events; for example the Fiestas di San Nicola in Bari and San Gennaro in Naples, the Festival of Snakes in Abruzzo (May) and the Fiesta of Sant'Antonio in Padua (June). Events betraying more than a hint of history include the Race of the Candles and Palio of the Crossbow in Gubbio (May), the Sardinian Cavalcade (May), the Regata of the Four Ancient Maritime Republics (which rotates between Pisa, Venice, Amalfi and Genoa, and is held in June), Il Palio in Siena (July & August) and Venice's Historic Regatta (September).
NORWAY  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities will not requir an entry visa for Itlay for stays of shorter than 90 days.Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most
up-to-date information. 		Vaccines sometimes advised: tick-borne encephalitis. Malaria not normally present.
Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Norway is at its best and brightest from May to September. Late spring is a particularly pleasant time - fruit trees are in bloom, daylight hours are long, the weather is mild and most hostels and sights are open but uncrowded. Summers are marked by the phenomena of the midnight sun, especially north of the Artic Circle. At Nordkapp, in the far north, the sun stays out from 13 May to 29 July, but nowhere in the country - even the far south, experiences true darkness between late May and late July. Unless you're heavily into winter skiing or searching for the Aurora Borealis of the polar nights, Norway's cold, dark winters are not the prime time to visit. The country's biggest holiday is Constitution Day (17 May), when many Norwegians take to the streets attired in traditional folk costumes. Another popular holiday is Midsummer's Eve (usually held on 23 June), which is celebrated with bonfires on the beach. The Sami people (Lapps) also hold colourful celebrations at Easter in Karasjok and Kautokeino. Festivities include reindeer races, joik (traditional chanting) and concerts.
PORTUGAL INCLUDING AZORES AND MADEIRA  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities will not requir an entry visa for Itlay for stays of shorter than 90 days. Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most
up-to-date information. 		Vaccines sometimes advised: hepatitis A (but not normally for package tourists). Yellow fever certificate mandatory if over 1 year old and entering from an infected area and travelling to the Azores and Madeira. Malaria not normally present. Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior
to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Portugal's climate is temperate, and you'll find agreeable weather just about everywhere (except in the Alto Douro and the Alentejo where summers can be painfully hot and droughts common) from April
to October, and nearly year-round in the Algarve. Overall the wettest season is from November to March: the soggiest regions are in the extreme north and in the Serra da Estrela mountain region in the country's centre.		 The ski season is from January to March but
February is best. Peak tourist season is roughly from mid-June to September, except in the Algarve where it really only quiets down in the dead of winter. Carnaval and Easter are two holidays celebrated with gusto all over the country and are worth going out of your way for.
POLAND  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities will not requir an entry visa for Itlay for staysof shorter than 90 days. Australians still need visas. Border laws are being liberalised so check with a Polish Embassy before you leave. Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most up-to-date information. Vaccines sometimes advised: poliomyelitis; hepatitis A; tick-borne encephalitis; rabies; typhoid; hepatitis B; diphtheria; tuberculosis. Malaria not normally present.
Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
The tourist season runs roughly from May to
September, peaking in July and August. At this time the Baltic beaches are taken over by swarms of humanity, resorts and spas are
invaded by tourists, Masurian lakes are crowded with thousands of sailboats, and mountains can hardly be seen for walkers. Perhaps the best time to come is either late spring (mid-May to June) or the turn of summer and autumn (September to mid-October). These are pleasantly warm periods and there are plenty of cultural activities going on. During winter it's cold and dark (as you'd expect) and many camp sites
and hostels are closed, but its still a good time for visiting Poland's cities.		 With a strongly Roman Catholic population, Christian celebrations are of huge importance. This is particularly evident at Christmas and Easter, but any Sunday is a good Sunday for getting a taste of Polish
devoutness and religious fervour. All the churches (and they are truly in good supply) fill up beyond their capacity during the Sunday masses. Among the musical highlights, KrakÛw hosts the Music in Old KrakÛw Festival every August, and Wroclaw follows in September with the Wratislavia Cantans, replete with oratorios and cantatas. Warsaw is a thriving cultural centre, with contemporary music showcases in autumn, including jazz in late October. The Warsaw Theatre Meetings in January review the achievements of the best Polish theatres over
the past year. The Polish Film Festival in Gdynia in November is the foremost presentation of Poland on celluloid. Small local feasts, fairs and contests, often dependent upon local folklore, occur throughout Poland, with a pleasing glut in early summer and early autumn.
RUSSIAN FEDERATION  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities will require a visa for Russia. Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most
up-to-date information. 		Courses or boosters usually advised: hepatitis A; diphtheria; typhoid (for areas east of Ural mountains). Vaccines sometimes advised: poliomyelitis; typhoid; tuberculosis; hepatitis B; rabies; tick-borne encephalitis; Japanese B encephalitis. Malaria not normally present. Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
July and August are the warmest months and the main holiday season. They're also the dampest - it might rain one day in three. So if you want to avoid the crowds and the rain, try May-June or September-October. In early autumn the leaves are turning and you can pick mushrooms and berries. Although winter is bitter, theatres open, the vodka comes out, buildings are warm and the snow is beautiful. Spring is slushy, muddy and generally horrible. Easter and Christmas are celebrated with midnight services, candlelight processions and flourishings of folk art. In April St
Petersburg celebrates Music Spring, an international classical music festival, and the last 10 days of June feature the White Nights, a time for general merrymaking and staying up late. A film festival is held in Moscow in autumn in odd-numbered years. The Russian Winter Festival is celebrated in St Petersburg, Moscow and Novgorod from
late December to early January, and includes folklore shows and vodka. The other main winter celebration is New Year, celebrated with presents, champagne and yet more vodka.
SPAIN INC. ANDORRA AND CANARY ISLANDS  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities will not requir an entry visa for Itlay for stays of shorter than 90 days. EU passport holders can come and go as they please.Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most up-to-date information. Courses or boosters sometimes advised: hepatitis A (not normally for package tourists). Malaria not normally present.
Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
The ideal months to visit are May, June and September (plus April and October in the south). At these times you can rely on good weather, yet avoid the sometimes extreme heat - and the main crush of Spanish and foreign tourists. That said, there's decent weather in some parts of Spain virtually year-round. Winter along the southern and southeastern Mediterranean coasts is mild, while in the height of summer you can retreat to the northwest, or to beaches or high mountains anywhere, if you need to get away from excessive heat. If you want to make sure you hit some parties, the best festivals are concentrated between Semana Santa (the week leading up to Easter Sunday) and September. In true Spanish style, cultural events are almost inevitably celebrated with a wild party and a holiday. Among the festivals
to look out for are Festividad in San Sebasti·n in January, when the whole town dresses up and goes berserk. Carnaval takes place throughout the country in late February; the wildest is said to be in Sitges. In March, Valencia has a week-long party known as Las Fallas, which is marked by all-night dancing, drinking, first-class
fireworks and colourful processions. Semana Santa (Holy Week) is the week leading up to Easter Sunday with parades of holy images through the streets; Seville is the place to be if you can get accommodation. In late April the Feria de Abril in Seville is a week-long party counterbalancing the religious fervour of Semana Santa.The last Wednesday in August sees the Valencian town of BuÒol go bonkers with La Tomatina, in which the surplus from its tomato harvest is sploshed around in a friendly riot. The Running of the Bulls (Sanfermines) in Pamplona in July is Spain's most famous festival. Along the north coast, staggered through the first half of
August, is Semana Grande, another week of heavy drinking and hangovers.
SWEDEN  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities will not requir an entry visa for Itlay for stays of shorter than 90 days, but South Africans, Hong Kong residents with Chinese passports and residents of many African, Asian, South American and some Eastern European countries should check requirements with
Swedish embassies.Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most up-to-date information. 		Vaccines sometimes advised: tick-borne encephalitis. Malaria not normally present.
Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
If you want sunshine, visit between late May and late July, bearing in mind that August can be both hot and wet. Many youth hostels, camping grounds and attractions open only in summer, from late June to mid-August. Summer in Sweden can be hot, sunny and
beautiful, but travel in winter should be better planned and restricted. Big cities are in full swing all year-round.		 Midsummer, held at summer solstice, is Sweden's most enthusiastically celebrated festival. Pagan rites, such as maypole dancing, mingle with public holiday tie-loosening and liberal helpings of schnapps.
The Lucia festival (13 December) has only been celebrated for about 60 years but has become very popular. As well as commemorating the martyrdom of a pious Sicilian girl, Lucia celebrates the coming of
Christmas with processions of robed youngsters, plenty of glˆgg (a hot alcoholic fruit's punch) for the grownups, and singing. Christmas trees are decorated with straw animals and stars, cookie baking
begins, and Santa Claus makes his final assessments of children's behaviour and does the last minute shopping. Santa obviously favours Swedish kids as he delivers presents in person rather than just chucking them down the chimney. Most households serve up ham at Christmas time, and many families still partake in the tradition of
'dipping in the pot' when slices of bread are soaked in ham juices. New Year's Eve is a highly social time when friends get together,
often setting off fireworks. Easter in Sweden incorporates the pagan belief that witches hang out with the devil in hell for the duration. Kids dressed up as witches doorknock houses in their neighbourhood,
scamming lollies in exchange for drawings. Walpurgis Night (30 April) is a pagan festival celebrating the end of winter with bonfires and fireworks. May Day (1 May) is observed by marches and labour movement
events.
TURKEY  
Visas Health issues
Most nationalities will need an entry visa for Turkey which can be obtained on arrival. New Zealanders will not need a visa for stays
of shorter than 90 days. Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most up-to-date information. 		Courses or boosters usually advised: hepatitis A; diphtheria;Vaccines sometimes advised: tuberculosis; hepatitis B; poliomyelitis; rabies; typhoid. Malaria precautions are essential only in the far eastern provinces of Cukurova, Amikova and the low lying areas around Side and Adana
in coastal Anatolia, from May to October.
Always check with your local health professional 60 days priorto travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Spring and fall which is April/May and
September/October. December to February is winter with average temperatures
being 7.		 Seker Bayrami, a 3-day festival at the end of Ramazan - Kurban Bayrami March-April
- camel-wrestling in mid-January, in the village of SelÁuk- National Sovereignty Day, April 23- Folklore and Music Festival in mid-July - Diyarbakir's Watermelon Festival in mid or late September- The whole country stops, just for a moment, at 9.05 am November 10, the time of Atat¸rk's death in 1938.
UKRAINE  
Visas Health issues
All visitors need visas. 'Emergency' visas good for 72 hours are available at border posts, and a one month visa can be obtained on arrival at Kiev's Boryspil Airport. Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most
up-to-date information. 		Courses or boosters usually advised: hepatitis A; diphtheria.Vaccines sometimes advised: poliomyelitis; rabies; tuberculosis;
hepatitis B; typhoid; tick-borne encephalitis.
Malaria not normally present. Always check with your local health professional 60 days priorto travelling.
When to travel Festivals
The best time to go to Ukraine is in spring
(late April to early June), when the trees and flowers are in bloom. During this season attractions are less crowded and rainfall is
lighter than in summer. The beaches at Odessa and Crimea are packed in summer (July and August). Winter (December and January) is cold and snowy, so travellers should be prepared to don thick wool
sweaters and eat their vegetables pickled.		 Ukrainians place gifts under fir trees and sing holiday songs for New Year's Day. The country celebrates Orthodox Christmas Day on 7 January. Paskha (Easter) is the main festival of the Orthodox Church year, beginning with midnight services and continuing with parades around village churches throughout the country. In Lviv, the National Virtuoso fills the month of May with musical and theatrical performances focussing on national themes. The capital celebrates spring during Kiev Days, held the last weekend in May. In August, Crimea fetes itself at Yalta's Crimean Stars. On 28 August, religious pilgrims flock to the monastery in Pochayiv for the Feast of the
Assumption. Cities and towns honour Independence Day on 24 August with performances and special events.
UNTITED KINGDOM  
Visas Health issues
EU citizens may live and work free of any immigration controls. Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand are generally allowed to stay six months without a visa. Visa requirements often change, so always check with the consulate for the most up-to-date information. Always check with your local health professional 60 days prior to travelling.
When to travel Festivals
Anyone who spends any extended period of time in England will sympathise with the locals' obsession with the weather, although in relative terms the climate is mild and the
rainfall is not spectacular. The least hospitable months for visitors are November to February - it's cold and the days are short. March and October are marginal - there's more daylight but it can still be
very cold. April to September are undoubtedly the best months, and this is, unsurprisingly, when most sights are open, and when most people visit. July and August are the busiest months, and best avoided if at all possible. The crowds on the coast, at the national parks, in London and popular towns like Oxford, Bath and York have to be seen to be believed.		 For the sporty, the traditional Oxford/Cambridge University Boat Race
is held in London on the River Thames in late March; the famous but gruelling Grand National steeplechase takes place at Aintree,
Liverpool, on the first Saturday in April; the FA Cup final takes place in May; Lawn Tennis Championships, complete with strawberries
& cream and tantrums by major players, take place at Wimbledon in late June; the champagne-quaffing set head for the Henley Royal Regatta at Henley-on-Thames also in June; and the Cowes Week yachting
extravaganza pushes off on the Isle of Wight in late July. Those uninterested in ball games and fast-moving animals should check
out the Chelsea Flower Show at London's Royal Hospital in May; the Trooping of the Colour pageantry on the Queen's birthday in London in mid-June; the bacchanalian Glastonbury Festival music extravaganza
which swamps Glastonbury's paddocks in June; and the riotous (in the best possible sense) Caribbean carnival in London's Notting Hill in late August.