TheBest

Off-SeasonYet!

VISITEUROPE

A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT to THE NEW YORK TIMES, WASHINGTON POST and BOSTON GLOBE.FALL 2009  l VISITEUROPE.COM

CITY BREAKSGreat deals to Dublin,

Berlin, Rome Reykjavík and more

SPECTACLESCarnival in Prague

Passion in Oberammergau Eros in Madrid

WINTER ADVENTURES

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WIN A TRIPTo Brussels!

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Above it all in the Alps

You &Europe.Above it all in the Alps

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Ireland – great value vacation offers, there’s never been a better time!

Embark on a journey that will last a lifetime By Angela C. Rebong

IRELAND – Kiss the Blarney Stone, explore the walled city of Derry, take on the mighty links of Royal Portrush, discover the culinary delights of Galway and set your sights on your own castle in Kilkenny. Once you’re in Ireland, who knows where your adventure will take you!

C.I.E TOURS International: Prices are land only based on double occupancy. Departures are available four times per week. Guaranteed dates and lowest prices on

air-inclusive packages are listed on cietours.com/taste. SCEPTRE TOURS: $599 package price is per person based on double occupancy; includes round-trip economy class

airfare, 6 nights accommodation and standard shift economy car. Rate is based on lowest class of service between December 1, 2009 – January 31, 2010 (excluding holidays).

Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin

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4 The Best Off-Season Yet!Europe’s on sale like never before.

6 City Breaks Make It Simple Save money, energy and time.

8 Pulse: What’s On, What’s NewThree new Cultural Capitals.

10 Art BlockbustersAgony and ecstasy in Madrid.

14 SpectacularsCarnevale and La Bartoli.

18 A New Point of ViewThe Alps celebrate art and culture.

20 Win A Trip!To Oslo! To Brussels and Bruges!

21 Top of the WorldDiscovering Finnish Lapland.

22 Holland in WinterArt, ice skates and brown cafes.

24 Faster Trains,Bigger Planes They’re shrinking the European map.

Presented by the European Travel Commission. For information on all 39 member countries, go to the new visiteurope.com.

October 18, 2009

Copyright © 2009 Donald N. Martin & Company, Inc. • 355 Lexington Ave. • 19th floor • New York, NY 10017 Neil S. Martin • Hans C. Friis-Jacobsen • Susan A. Vultaggio

Design: Louisa McCabe • Images: Jody Potter/ J Group Photo • Map: Kenneth McMullenContact: VisitEurope@dnmartinco.com

Prices are quoted per person based on double occupancy, unless otherwise noted, and are subject to change. This all-advertising supplement was produced by Donald N. Martin & Company, Inc. and did not involve the editorial or reporting staffs

of The New York Times, Washington Post or Boston Globe.

The European Travel Commission comprises the national tourist organizations of

Austria l Belgium l Britain l Bulgaria l Croatia l Cyprus l Czech Republic l Denmark l Estonia l Finland l France l Georgia l Germany l Greece l HollandHungary l Iceland l Ireland l Italy l Latvia l Lithuania l Luxembourg l Macedonia l Malta l Monaco l Montenegro l Norway l Poland l Portugal l Romania

San Marino l Serbia l Slovakia l Slovenia l Spain l Sweden l Switzerland l Turkey l Ukraine

Contact information on page 26.

VISITEUROPE

AS SUMMER FADES into fall, it’s a good time for You & Europe to fall in love allover again. Not only because turning leaves cast a romantic glow over city andcountryside, but also because we’re seeing light at the end of the economic tunnel—meaning more Americans can enjoy the great values being offered for trans-Atlanticvacations.

Europe is shaking off summer’s lethargy to put on a new cultural season, withmajor performances and art exhibits to experience, and favorite winter sports topursue. Linz and Vilnius will bow out as the 2009 European Capitals of Culture,and pass the baton to Essen in Germany, Pécs in Hungary and Istanbul in Turkey.

What’s more, the green spirit rules and Stockholm is Europe’s Environmental Capital for 2010. Always fresh, always new, Europe always delights. Strike the spark, and rekindle the love affair.

Jean-Philippe PérolChairman USA, European Travel Commission

COVER: A sea ofclouds fills the valleybelow Gamsberg (7,825feet) in Switzerland’sAppenzell Alps. Photo by SwitzerlandTourism.

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Last december, alyssa J. gaveher two tweens an unusual present: along weekend in brussels and anintroduction to european culture.

“You should have seen their faces when theysaw the Grand’Place. my 12-year-old said itwas like disneyland! and they loved the newmagritte museum. they’re surrealists now.”

It’s a growing trend among americans on

tight schedules and tighter budgets: travelingto europe in short, intense bursts. singleshitting the hot nightspots of berlin orbarcelona. Honeymooners enjoying the roman-tic esplanades and bridges of Prague andbudapest. couples taking a ski week in the alpsor a theater weekend in dublin. Pa rents intro-ducing their children to Paris, Vienna or rome ina never-to-be-forgotten, week-long immersion.

these days, people need to make the mostof their money and their days off. the

europeans call them city breaks: a trip tojust one metro center (or resort) for as few asthree days or as long as eight. It’s a great way tosave time, money and energy and to really getto know a place.

and that apparently goes double in 2009-2010. “It’s the best year ever for getting themost for your money in europe,” says stevePerillo of Perillo tours, longtime Italy spe-cialists. because of the good deals aboundingright now, he says, “this is the off-season ofall off-seasons!”

and this year, especially, it’s about morethan just scoring bargains, Perillo adds.crowds are gone, flying is more pleasant, andit’s much easier to find everything from taxisto hotel rooms to restaurant reservations.

Europe is just a night flight awayround-trip trans-atlantic fares have beenrunning less than $700 (including taxes andsurcharges), and with so many of europe’sliveliest cities only a night flight away fromNew York, Washington and boston, shorthops to european cities make sense. Iceland’ship capital, reykjavík, is closest of all—justfive hours to geysers, dramatic scenery andthe city’s sizzling club scene, and with pricesmuch lower in this post-meltdown period.

the hard part, in fact, may be in selectingjust one walkable, culture-rich getaway desti-nation. For city after city, americans are find-ing near-irresistible, off-peak air/hotel pack-ages (see page 6). tour operators like Perillo

“can keep costs down because we buy air andmost other services in volume, and at partic-ularly low prices these days.”

some travelers choose two or three citiesand book combinations; it’s easy with shortdistances and fast trains (eurail One-countryPasses are helpful).

City Cards open many doorsHotels and restaurants certainly cost morethan when arthur Frommer wrote the firstedition of Europe on $5 a Day, but many of theprinciples in that seminal book still hold:Live and eat like the europeans (very wellindeed, and not necessarily expensively).there are hotels, b&bs and pensions to fiteven the smallest budget. Virtually every

The Off-Season of All

Off-SeasonsThe crowds are gone, travel is easier and

Europe's on sale like never before.

Holmenkellen to Jump AgainAfter two years’ work, a new ski jump towersover Oslo, enabling leaps of 450 feet-plus. Open-ing will be April 1 for the annual ski festival. Go forthe restaurant view; take the elevator back down.

ByCaraGreenBerG

Lovers’ IslandQ. Why has the Croatian island ofGalesnjak become a Valentine’s Daydream destination? A. It’s heart-shapedand it’s deserted.

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For all you need to plan your trip:

Sue and Lori at the Vatican on a fall Perillo tour.

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major city has its city card, perfect for a stayof a few days, offering unlimited transporta-tion and discounts on attractions and restau-rants. Prague’s four-day card, for instance,provides access to 50 castles, museums, cha-teaux and palaces, in addition to city transitand other perks, for about $50.

What did we do before the Internet?Of course, it’s a snap to go online to comparecosts and find the best deals. a good place tostart is with Visiteurope.com, the portal ofthe european travel commission and its 39member countries.

big hotel groups offer rooms at amazinglylow prices through websites like Hotwire andPriceline, and new fare-protection guarantees

like Yapta from Orbitzand travelocity assurethat travelers won’t over-pay, sending them anautomatic refund if anairfare drops afterthey’ve booked.

there’s nothing to stop americans fromchecking out european sites like Gemut.com,which is all about travel to Germany,switzerland and austria, for competitive hotel

rates. another source of ideas and up-to-dateinformation are american ex-pat bloggers,happy to clue visitors in to their favorite spotsfrom nightclubs to bakeries. In Paris alonethere are dozens, including Lacoquette.blogs.com (“don’t hate me because I live in Paris!”),eyePreferParis.com and the popular Parisfoodie blog, chocolateand Zucchini.com.

also worth checking are the websites ofThe New York Times, Washington Post and BostonGlobe for pre-trip research. the Times’ “36Hours in… Porto, Zagreb, Istanbul” series is fullof up-to-the-minute ideas for making themost of limited time.

City Breaks with a focusOne fun way to organize a city break is tochoose a theme. Nan b. is planning a five-daysojourn in berlin in late November for itsvibrant contemporary-art scene. she’ll take inthe galleries and museums, and she hasalready purchased symphony and opera tick-ets online.

On a recent trip to belfast,Julie H. spent considerabletime in “pubs where localmusicians play for the sheerjoy of getting together andmaking good music (OK, for the free beer as well).”stacey r. is going to athens,where she plans to see and doall that’s new since she waslast there in the 1990s, in-cluding the two-mile ped-estrian walkway encompass-ing the ancient sites, the

New acropolis museum and thehappening clubs in the formerlygritty Gazi neighborhood.

London’s street markets, frombrick Lane to camden Passage,can keep an antiques enthusiastbusy for days. readers of JamesJoyce and maeve binchy have beentracing their novels through dublin’scobbled streets since Ulysses cameout. In barcelona, discovering one’sfavorite tapas bars and seeing all ofGaudi’s eccentric masterpieces are

worthy goals. shopping the boutique-filledbackstreets of madrid’s revitalized triballneighborhood, now a fashion and design

Voice of Experience

It is impossible to love... and to be wise.

—Francis Bacon

continued on next page

Holy Year of St. JamesAs the Feast of St. James falls on a Sunday, 2010has been designated a Holy Year throughout Spain.Pilgrimages will end at the cathedral of Santiago deCompostela, where the saint’s remains lie.

Da Vinci’s Codex on Display“Fortresses, Bastions and Cannons”—45 drawingsfrom Leonardo da Vinci’s Atlantic Codex—are onview at Milan’s Santa Marie della Grazie andBiblioteca Ambrosiana. It’s the first of 24 exhibitions.

Above: Frankfurt has plentyto point out, like the his-toric Römerberg, the riverMain and the Museum Mile.Right: On an afternoondrive beyond Belfast,Northern Ireland.

The hard part is

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Reykjavík RocksExperience Iceland’s spectacularNorthern Lights, geysers and all-outnightlife. PER PERSON: airfare fromNew York or Boston, 2 nights at 3-starFoss Hotel, huge breakfast, from$469 per person (November). Taxesand fees extra. Get the Visit ReykjavíkWelcome Card. Icelandair.com.Dublin for TwoFind your shamrock in Ireland. Thepubs of the Temple Bar, the GuinnessStorehouse and great restaurants makeDublin a favorite. FOR TWO: Airfareand 5 nights at Maldron Cardiff LaneHotel, hop-on hop-off bus tour, TrinityCollege, Jameson Distillery; $1,668from Boston, $1,543 from New York.AerLingusVacationStore.com. Save ontransit and more with a Dublin Card.Brussels Art Nouveau Discover the world of Victor Hortafrom the wheels of a Segway anddrive the fields of Flanders. FOR TWO:airfare from Newark, 6 nights at theHilton Brussels City Hotel, rental carfor exploring Flanders; from $2,466.Don’t forget to get the Brussels Card.AAVacations.com.Amsterdam EscapeChristmas Shopping in Amsterdam,the Van Gogh Museum, canal boats,600-year-old city center, plus dia-monds! FOR TWO: airfare from NewYork, 5 nights at the Eden AmsterdamCentre Hotel for $1,740. Expedia.com.And get the I Amsterdam Card.

Multi-City BreaksPutting two or more cities together. PER PERSON: London and Paris,trans-Atlantic flight on Virgin Airlines,airfare and continuing flight, 3 nights’hotel each city, breakfast; from $649.Rome, Florence and Venice, continu-ing flights, 3 nights each city; from$999. Budapest, Vienna and Prague,continuing flights, 2 nights per city;from $849. Many more combina-tions. VirginVacations.com.Oslo and NobelDiscover Norway’s capital and theexhibition “From King to Obama” atthe Nobel Peace Center. PER PER-SON: airfare from New York orWashington; 48-hour Oslo Card; 3 nights at First Hotel Millennium;breakfasts. From $1,093. Extensions,fjord add-on available. Offered as aVisit Europe prize, page 20.NobelPeaceCenter.org.Helsinki by DesignA welcoming city famous for architec-ture. PER PERSON: airfare from Bostonor New York via Reykjavík; 2 nights atHotel Helka; full Scandinavian break-fasts; from $1,115. Icelandair.com.Berlin Nightlife FOR TWO: Berlin after dark with 2-night package at 4-star MövenpickHotel Berlin on the Potsdamerplatz,with breakfast, box lunch, happy-hourdrink, dinner, sauna, fitness center and72-hour Berlin Welcome Card; $694.Airfare not included. VisitBerlin.de.

Stuttgart Cars & ChristmasTour the futuristic Mercedes-BenzMuseum. Plus one hotel night, welcome drink and guidebook. PER PERSON: from $76. Or go forthe Christmas Markets with similarone-night package, Nov. 26-Dec. 23,with added holiday 3-course meal ata choice of restaurants; from $118.Airfare not included. Stuttgart-Tourist.de. Ski SwitzerlandA week of ultimate skiing in theMatterhorn’s shadow. PER PERSON:airfare from New York, 7 nights atHotel Alfa; from $1,229. Lift passesextra. Or 3 days at Interlaken’s CityHotel Oberland, breakfast, 1st-classSwiss Transfer Ticket, 2-dayJungfrau lift pass; from $568. Airfare extra. SkiEurope.com.Barcelona in Winter Warm your soul with tapas and thephantasmagorical designs of AntoniGaudí while rambling La Ramblas.FOR TWO: airfare from New York (mid-January), 4 nights at 4-star MarinaBarcelona Hotel near beach for $1,360.Priceline.com. Get the Barcelona Cardfor transit and discounts.Rome Rendezvous Roundtrip from New York to Rome onAlitalia and 4 nights at the Superior1st-class Rose Garden Palace, justoff the Via Veneto (and next door tothe U.S. Embassy). Buffet breakfasts,hotel pool and gym. PER PERSON:from $1,395, including all taxes, fees,surcharges. PerilloTours.com.Rome and FlorenceBettoja’s five hotels offer thisGourmet Package: For every 2 nightsbooked, guests receive a welcomedrink and free dinner at any hotelrestaurant. Or stay 4 nights for theprice of 3, breakfasts included; subject to availability.BettojaHotels.com.

Mediterranean CruiseDeluxe 16-day cruise aboard premi-um-class Aegean Odyssey (350 pas-sengers) to ports too tight for largevessels. Athens to Rome, 6 daysexploring Sicily; stops at Salerno,Amalfi, Naples, Capri, Pompeii. PERPERSON: from $3,695 includes allmeals on ship, wines at dinner, shoreexcursions, lectures. Includes airfarefrom New York, Boston, Washingtonor Miami. VoyagestoAntiquity.com.Croatian DreamEleven-day package to Trogir, Hvarand Dubrovnik. PER PERSON: airfare,hotel, private transfers by car and driv-er, from $1,699. Take $100 off by men-tioning Jauntee’s ad. Jauntee.com. Kraków and its Royal CastleSee the castle and cathedral onWawal Hill, and follow the RoyalRoute through St. Florian’s Gate.FOR TWO: airfare from New Yorkand 5 nights at the Radisson SASHotel Kraków; from $2,081. Get theKraków Tourist Card for free entryinto 32 museums. Expedia.com. Prague Super PackagePER PERSON: Airfare from NewYork, 6 nights at hotel of your choice,breakfasts, private airport transfers,half-day tour; from $699.CzechVacations.com

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hotspot, is yet another. the evocativeJewish quarter in Kraków, Poland’s old royalcity, is enjoying a mini-revival, with newbookstores, cafes and klezmer music clubs(and Kraków’s vast square and market hallalways impress).

Where they’ve never been beforeJoseph m. discovered Helsinki in the winter,when the sky is a dark, dark blue for 22hours. “that made it more interesting. and I

loved the food, especially vorschmack, pre-pared from minced lamb, anchovies or herring, and onions, garnished with picklesand served with sour cream.” He ticked offrestaurants he liked—Lasipalatsi (Glass Pa-lace) and seahorse. “I even tried bear withblackberry sauce at saslik, the best russianrestaurant. Helsinki is not as cold in winteras you might think. I sat outside each morn-ing with coffee and a meat pie at the open-air market near the harbor.”

Of course, on any european vacation,

there are those serendipitous moments thatcan’t be planned. Walking through Warsaw’sleafy Lazienki Park last fall on their first tripto eastern europe, michael and christine c. followed the strains of piano music to an18th-century villa on a lake. “It happened to be Nov. 11, Independence day in Poland,and there was a free public concert,”christine recalls. “We went in and foundseats, and spent the next hour being trans-ported by chopin’s sonatas. It was the mostromantic thing ever!” n

Free Massage on Board AMAWaterways is including a complimentary 60-minute massage with select European river cruisesbooked by Nov. 30, with travel in April next year.There’s a code to quote: VEM. AMAWaterways.com.

Shadows in Bronze Budapest’s outdoor Memento Park displays 45 “heroic”sculptures from the Communist era to remind citizens and visitors of dark days past. See “Stalin’s Boots,” and “Workers’ Monument,” right. SzoborPark.hu.

Packages Make it Simple

Offers compiled by Michael January. For more good ideas, see his website, BargainTravelEurope.com.

Exploring Switzerland's SegantiniMuseum in St. Moritz.

from previous page

Here’s a smorgasbord of packages for short trips. Many arenotable for low price; others for how much they include. Actualchoices range far beyond what can be shown here.Travel agents can help plan a trip or you can buy directly

online. Per-person rates are based on double occupancy. Citycards are bought separately. See page 25 for Eurail Passes.

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NORWAY POWERED BY NATURE

Oslo—Capital of Culture and NatureMuseums and art galleries are aplenty; Viking Museum where original longboats are on display, to the Munch Museum and the National Gallery where Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream is housed. Situated on Oslo’s water front is the spectacular new Opera House which already rivals its famed counterpart in Sydney. At the Nobel Peace Center, the exhibit “From King to Obama” portrays the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s—the effort that paved the way for Barack Obama’s historic election. The Norwegian Nobel Committee hosts the Nobel Peace Prize Concert each year in honor of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate of the year.

Bergen—Gateway to the FjordsCharming Bergen is a lively, modern metropolis where culture, shopping, dining, and entertain-ment are all within easy reach. Discover the city’s harbor, its tiny hidden lanes and the one-of-a-kind, outstanding, medieval Bryggen Wharf, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Trawl the harborside Fish Market, and ride the Fløibanen funicular for spectacular city views. Enjoy exciting day trips to some of the country’s most beautiful fjords such as the Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord.

Fly Scandinavian Airlines to Oslo to experience the capital city’s cultural hotspots, and to take the Norway in a Nutshell® to Bergen. Norway’s most popular roundtrip includes Bergens-banen, Flåmsbana, Nærøyfjorden, and Stalheimskleiva. For more information and booking, visit www.bortonoverseas.com.

SEEPhoto © Bergen Tourist Board/Willy Haraldsen

Photo © Bob Adelman/Magnum Photos

Photo © Christopher Hagelund Photo © Terje Rakke/Innovation Norway

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Trend: Local ImmersionParis Greeters organizes free walks with volun-teer guides who introduce their neighborhoodsto American visitors. Make requests at leasttwo weeks in advance. ParisGreeters.com.

For the Girl who read Stieg LarssonFans of the late author of the Millennium thrillerseries can take a 90-minute tour of Sodermalm inStockholm. Guides point out streets, bars, cafesand offices featured in the three novels.

For a full calendar of major events:

2010 will be a busy year forEssen (where the Krupp indus-trial empire was founded 200years ago), for neighboringDortmund and Gelsenkirchen,and for Germany’s entire Ruhr district.

As a European Capital ofCulture, the Ruhr will showcaseits industrial heritage, as well asits metamorphosis from a valleyof mines and smoke-belchingstacks into an offbeat metropo-lis-in-the-making.

More than 3,000 concerts

and other happenings will takeover former blast furnaces, boil-er rooms and coking plants.Much-anticipated is the reopen-ing of Essen’s Folkwang muse-um in an edgy new building byDavid Chipperfield. Alreadydrawing crowds is the interac-tive AufRuhr1225! exhibit(medieval knights and mystery!)at the Museum of Archae-ology in Herne.

Take the Ruhr’s innovativepulse by driving the 250-mileIndustrial Heritage Trail, link-

ing the most vibrantsites and attrac-tions. SeeRuhr2010.de.

—Andrea Schulte-Peevers

Istanbul and Pécs, Hungary, are alsopreparing to welcome visitors from aroundthe world to celebrate their designation,along with Essen, as Capitals of Culture.

Istanbul, Europe’s largest city, will be inits element—or more precisely, all four ele-ments. The Earth program, through March,will focus on continuing traditions, withoperas and music planned for Hagia Sofia,the Topkapi Museum and other famoussites. A 300-year time tunnel is to be creat-ed in the city center.

The Air program, beginning in April, isinspired by Istanbul’s many minarets,reaching heavenward. Music will play a bigrole, including concerts by U2 and REM.Summer is for a Water theme, and fall forFire, to reflect on Istanbul’s modernization.

Early highlights in Pécs (“Pesh”) will

include the Day of Hungarian Culture onJan. 22 and the annual Spring Festival,March 15-April 9 that includes jazz concerts.

Vilnius and Linz, the Cultural Capitalsfor 2009, conclude their reigns inDecember. For updated information:Istanbul2010.org and Pecs2010.hu.

—Joel Fishman

More Cultural Caps: Istanbul & Pécs

Once-Rusty Ruhr asCULTURAL SWAN

The Cathedral of St. Peter dominates Pécs.

Fireworks frame Shaft 12 of the former Zollverein coal mine, knownaffectionately as “the Eiffel Tower of the Ruhr.”

The dome of Hagia Sophia—basilica, mosque,museum—dates back to the 8th century.

WHAT’S ON WHAT’S NEWPULSE

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Su� ering, death and resurrection

� e Oberammergau Passion Play

www.cometogermany.com

Destination Germany. Great deals. Easy booking. Every ten years, the Oberammergau Passion Play takes place in the heart of the Ammergau Alps in southern Germany. Once again, a cast made up exclusively of Oberammergau villagers will re-enact the fi nal fi ve days in the life of Jesus – in a production that lasts for six captivating hours. The play dates back to 1633 when the plague subsided after months of torment. As thanks for divine mercy, the people of Oberammergau vowed to perform “the su� ering, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ” every ten years. The Oberammergau Passion Play enjoys an enduring reputation around the world as one of the leading cultural events in Destination Germany. For information on the performances, tickets and more, please visit

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SPAIN—The grand Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid enters psychosexualterritory this fall with TEARS OF EROS(Oct. 20–Jan. 31). The show examines therelationship between sexual desire anddeath, taking its title from a controversialtreatise by French philosopher GeorgesBataille. Other Bataille themes are woven in,such as the need for beauty, and the paral-lels between erotic and religious sacrifice.

The show ranges from the 18th centuryto the 20th—from the museum’s own homo-erotic “Death of Hyacinth” by GianbattistaTieppolo (1753) to John Everett Millais’“Ophelia” (1851-52), on loan from the TateBritain. At right, Lucien-Levy Dhurmer’s“Salomé” bestows her kiss upon the lifelesslips of St. John the Baptist (1896, pastels).MuseoThyssen.org.

WHAT’S ON WHAT’S NEW

BLOCKBUSTERS

This fall and winter will see a parade of superb new exhibitions, from theflowing grace of Botticelli in Frankfurt to the ‘Happy Birthday, Brigitte Bardot’show in Paris. Here are just a few of the big ones. —Text by Gemma Elwin-Harris

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IRELAND—One hundred years after thebirth of Francis Bacon in Dublin, the city’sHugh Lane Gallery has mounted a majorexhibition of his work—or more precisely, ofhow he worked, because the show focuseson technique.

Six years after Bacon’s death in 1992,the gallery acquired the entire contents ofhis Reece Mews studio in London; morethan 7,000 items. Archaeologists painstak-ingly catalogued and mapped every painttube, canvas and oil-stained rag beforerecreating, in Dublin, the paint-daubedspace at right (Bacon didn’t own a palette,so often mixed colors on his walls).

A TERRIBLE BEAUTY (throughMarch 7) brings together more than 500photographs, sketches, books, drawingsand makes a scientific study of semi-destroyed, slashed canvases, shown along-side works loaned from galleries and collec-tions around the world. HughLane.ie.

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FLANDERS—Charles theBold was no more than 27and not yet duke ofBurgundy when he sat forthe brooding portraitabove by Rogier van derWeyden (1399-1464).

Van der Weyden andJan van Eyck were thefirst of the great Renais-sance painters from theLow Countries, introduc-ing a new realism. Van derWeyden’s paintings—his subjects were bothreligious and secular—were celebrated for

their detail and their emo-tional impact. The latterinspired Hans Memling,particularly, in the followinggeneration.

Scores of Van derWeydens are on view in theMASTER OF PASSIONSexhibition (at left, “MaryMagdalene”), which this fallinaugurated the new Mmuseum in Leuven, thegreat university city of

Flanders. It runs through next June.RogiervanderWeyden.be.

TURNER PRIZE 2009.Contemporary-art prize thateach year courts controversy.Previous nominees includeDamien Hirst and TraceyEmin. Tate Britain, London.

Through Jan. 3. Tate.org.uk.

RENOIR. 100 works by Renoir, plusPicasso, Matisse and Bonnard. GrandPalais, Paris. Through Jan. 4. GrandPalais.fr.

THE ART OF FASHION. Top designersproduce wild and wonderful fine art;includes Viktor & Rolf and HusseinChalayan. Museum Boijmans VanBeuningen, Rotterdam. Through Jan. 10.Boijmans.nl.

CARAVAGGIO-BACON. Drawing parallelsbetween two “cursed” painters; on 400thanniversary of Caravaggio’s death.Galleria Borghese, Rome. Through Jan. 24.Caravaggio400.org.

BARDOT. Rare photos, portraits and stills celebratethe sex kitten’s heyday, andhonor her 75th birthday.Boulogne-BillancourtMusée des Années 30,Paris. Through Jan. 31.BoulogneBillancourt.com. 

ALBERTO GIACOMETTI. Major retro-spective of sculpture and paintings. MuséeRath, Geneva. Nov. 5-Feb. 21.http://Mah.Ville-ge.ch. 

BOTTICELLI. Goddesses,saints and Medici portraits;80-plus works; marking 500th anniversary of hisdeath. Städel Museum,Frankfurt. Nov. 13-Feb. 28.StaedelMuseum.de.

WORLD PRESS PHOTO 09. Prize-winningimages from prestigious contest. Forum deMaia, Maia, Portugal. Nov. 20-Dec. 13.Galeria Sztuki Wspolczesnej, Opole,Poland. Nov. 28-Dec. 21. Cankarjev Dom,Ljubljana, Slovenia. Dec. 4-27.WorldPressPhoto.org.

GUSTAV MAHLER ANDVIENNA. Part of 150th-birthday celebrations; arti-facts from libraries andmuseums all over the city.Austrian Theatre Museum,Vienna. March 11-Oct. 3.Mahler.Vienna.info.

Early Master of Emotional Impact

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NORWAY—This was an everyday scenethrough most of the U.S. South whenMagnum’s Elliott Erwitt took thephoto and captioned it “North Carolina1950.” No one—virtually no one—couldimagine that within a single lifetimeAmerica would inaugurate its first black

president. A major photo

exhibition atOslo’s Nobel

Peace Center documents the rise ofthe Civil Rights movement and ofMartin Luther King, Jr. FROM KINGTO OBAMA combines images from thefamed Magnum archive with R&B androck music of the day to immerse visi-tors in the momentous events of the

1960s. It runs through April 11.

King was 35 when hereceived the Peace Prize in

1964, making him the youngest-ever laure-ate. A record 172 individuals and 33 organi-zations were nominated for the 2009 PeacePrize (the winner was to be announced in

Oslo after this magazine went to press). Thepresentation will take place Dec. 10, theanniversary of Nobel’s death in 1896.NobelPeaceCenter.org.

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IRELAND—A writers’ theater, the Abbey hasbeen an essential force in Irish culture sinceWilliam Butler Yeats co-founded it in 1904.

It’s interesting that a highlight this seasonis by an American, Pulitzer Prize-winningSam Shepard. His AGES OF THE MOONhad its premiere at the Abbey earlier this yearand returns to the main stage Nov. 13-28.

The play, Shepard’s second commissionby the Abbey, ruminates on aging, loss andshared memories between two friends whohaven’t seen each other in years. Shepardwrote it for Irish actors Stephen Rae andSean McGinley, and the two are reunited,like the friends, for this production.

Overlapping, on the smaller Peacockstage, will be Mark O’Rowe’s Terminus, afantasy of singing serial killers in modern-day Dublin, Nov. 10-Dec. 5. ConorMcPherson’s acclaimed The Seafarer, follows Ages on the main stage, openingDec. 4. AbbeyTheatre.ie. —Laurie Werner

Abbey to stageShepard’s ‘Ages’

Stephen Rae and Sean McGinley return to theAbbey in Ages of the Moon.

Light for Lennon The Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland’sReykjavík Harbor—Yoko Ono’s tribute toJohn Lennon—will shine again throughDec. 8. The stories-tall beam of light eman-ates from a wishing well with the words“imagine peace” in 24 languages.

Unveiled Oct. 9, 2007, on what wouldhave been Lennon’s 67th birthday, it is tobe lit each year through Dec. 8, the date ofhis death, “so it has the feeling of the short-ness of life, but the light is eternal,” in Ms.Ono’s words. —Mary Ann Poust

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WHAT’S ON WHAT’S NEWSPECTACULARS

Bartoli Coversthe Castrati SPAIN—Cecilia Bartoli is loved for her passion-ate performances and admired for unearthinglittle-known music from operatic eras past.

Earlier this year, for instance, Catalanswent wild in Barcelona when she sang selec-tions from her last album, Maria, in homage toanother mezzo-soprano—Maria Malibran—famous throughout Europe in the 19th century.

La Bartoli is on the march again, to 14cities from Amsterdam to Zurich and, on Dec.12, into Madrid’s Teatro Real. She will singarias from her new album, SACRIFICIUM,which celebrates the Baroque music of thecastrati (sopranos Farinelli and Caffarelli weremale superstars of the day). Accompanyingher will be Il Giardino Armonico, 30 musicianswho play 18th-century instruments.

The concert is part of Teatro Real’sGrandes Voces series. Teatro-Real.com,CeciliaBartoliOnline.com.

The Passion ofOberammergauGERMANY—More than 2,000 villagers willpresent THE PASSION OF CHRIST in 2010,just as they have every 10 years since 1633.This fulfills the vow made by their ancestorswhen the village of Oberammergau wasspared the worst of a plague that ravagedmost of Bavaria.

Shown is the opening, with Christ enter-ing Jerusalem (from the 2000 pageant).

Andreas Richter, a psychologist, playsJesus in the new production, which runsseven hours with a three-hour break for din-ner. Eva-Maria Reiser, a flight attendant,plays Mary Magdalene. Christian Stückl is thedirector (another Oberammergauer, he alsoruns Munich’s Volkstheater). Performancesbegin May 15 and run to Oct 3.passionplay-oberammergau.com, cometogermany.com.

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CZECH REPUBLIC—Carnival (or Carnevale)will take over European cities from Cádiz toCologne in the days before Lent, butBohemian Prague, with its twisty alleys,Baroque squares and ancient bridges, hasbeen built for fantasy and magic.

Organizers promise that anyone can“be whoever you want to be!” and urge thecitizenry “to prepare your masks!” Night-time highlights include the BELLARIAfashion party, Feb. 6; the masked CRYSTAL BALL in 18th-century dress,

Feb. 13 (minuets and décolletage!); and thefloat-jammed FAT TUESDAY PARADEand fireworks finale on the medievalCharles Bridge, Feb. 16.

The Carnevale tradition, nearly forgot-ten here since its heyday in the 1700s, hasroared back under the patronage of LordMayor Pavel Bem. The Czech capitalknows how to party, and this one is open toall visitors, including children. The ballsrequire tickets, but many events are free.Carnevale.cz, CzechTourism.com.

Carnevale, Prague’s Way

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A New Home Waitsfor the Marbles

The Elgin Marbles, the famous 5th-century BC friezes removed fromAcropolis temples 200 years ago, have a home-in-waiting at the NewAcropolis Museum in Athens.

The debate continues over where the Elgin Marbles belong—intheir native Greece or in the British Museum, which bought them in1816 (Greece asserts that Lord Elgin, the seller, had no title).

But there is now a designated space for the marbles in the large,sunny stack of glass and concrete, which opened in June near thebase of the Acropolis. Bernard Tschumi was the architect.

The new museum has a strong collection of other works, includingfive female statues from a porch on the Erechtheum temple (withspace for the sixth, which is in London), and sections of theParthenon Frieze in a top-floor gallery with a direct view of theParthenon itself. NewAcropolisMuseum.gr. —M.A.P.

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PULSE Speeding on the Glaciers

Largest Cruise Ship YetRoyal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, abuilding inTurku, Finland, will carry 5,400 passengers and2,160 crew. It has 18 decks and 37 bars. It hasneighborhoods. Next year, it will have a sister ship.

Accidental DiscoveryPortugal’s new Discoveries Museum in Belmontetells how Pedro Álvares Cabral ran into Brazil bychance in 1500, while his fleet was on its way to theCape of Good Hope and India. CM-Belmonte.pt.

Acropolis Treasures: East Frieze fragment with Poseidon and other gods; the Peplos Kore, ca 530 BC; inside the main gallery.

Confession

Fashion is made to becomeunfashionable.

—Coco Chanel

Snowmobilesare the only way to go on the Langjökullglacier.

ICELAND—They come for youin super-big trucks capable ofnavigating to the best cornersof Langjökull, Snæfellsjökulland other Icelandic glaciersnot so far from Reykjavík.When you get there, off yougo on snowmobiles, withguides showing the way.

Snowmobile excursionsare arranged by experiencedagents who also provide allthe warm gear needed. Tripscan last a full day.

Participants must be 21and have a driver’s license,

but no previous knowledge ofsnowmobiles is necessary.

Arctic Adventures offersdaylong trips beginning ataround $600. They leavedirectly from Reykjavík andrequire at least two people.

Guided glacier trips con-tinue through the winter. Thewildest excursions are toVatnajökull, Europe’s largestglacier, covering much ofsoutheast Iceland, includingseveral active volcanoes.Adventures.is/Iceland/SnowScooter/.

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Sculpture ofStereotypesEntropa is a four-story satire ofEuropean national stereotypes(Italy = football; Sweden =IKEA) that graces the courtyardof Prague’s DOX Center forContemporary Art.

Creator David Cerný want-ed to know “if Europe is reallyable to laugh at itself.” Well,much of Europe failed this test;newspaper reaction wasstormy. Decide for yourself; theshow runs through Jan. 4.

The mission of the two-year-old DOX,in the hip Holesovice neighborhood, is to

display the best of contemporary Czechand international art. DoxPrague.org.

The Wall Falls AgainWhere were you on Nov. 9, 1989? Hint: That was the day the Berlin Wall collapsed. Withouta single shot being fired, the Cold War was over and Germany was no longer divided.

This Nov. 9, two decades later, Berlin will commemorate the moment with the Festivalof Freedom, an extravaganza of music, fireworks, speeches and merriment at the iconicBrandenburg Gate. The climax will be thetelevised toppling of more than 1,000 hugedominos along a 1.2-mile section of the for-mer Wall. For the full lowdown, seeMauerFall09.de.

Exhibits include the open-air PeacefulRevolution 1989/90 on the Alexanderplatzand Leipzig on the Path to the PeacefulRevolution in that city’s former Stasi(secret police) headquarters.

—A.S.-P.

The morning after: The joyous people of twoBerlins meet at the Brandenburg Gate.

‘Entropa’ generated outrage in some European capitals.

Villa Vauban to Re-open Next spring, Luxembourg City will re-open itsMusée d’Art in the Villa Vauban. The collection,bequeathed by wealthy 19th-century citizens,includes many 17th-century Dutch works.

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WITH HUNDREDS of9,000-foot-plus peakssprawling across

77,000 square miles, the Alpshave long stood as the world’smost fabled mountain region.

Awe-inspiring, yes, butnowhere is it easier to experiencehigh mountains on foot, ski or

snowboard—or just toscale them with youreyes from a soothing,thermal pool.

Five of Europe’sgreat countries sharethe Alps, so a passion for culture,cuisine, architecture, history andan eco-friendly lifestyle can all be

indulged in this one place.Impressive new museums, gal-leries and stunningly modernarchitecture are everywhere.

That may not be the Alpsyou thought you knew, but it

keeps me going back to myfavorite place on the planet.

—Randy Johnson

Germany: High-PeakHighlightsTHIS winter, snowlovers bound for theBavarian Alpsshouldn't miss Garmisch-Partenkirchen’s breath-taking panoramas and theculinary delights of thenew Glacier Garden atopthe Zugspitze, Germany’sloftiest peak (9,718 feet).The spectacular, glass-enclosed construction invites the outdoors in-side, and comforts visitorswith a rustic interior ofnatural wood and stone.

Stay overnight at thenearby Zugspitze IglooVillage, designed by inter-national artists and builtanew every winter fromsnow and ice. The igloos’

offerings include a bar,restaurant, whirlpool andsauna—and you wake upto magnificent views ofGermany, Austria andSwitzerland.

After the snow melts,Bavaria’s green forestsand majestic peaks—notto mention fairytale castles and villages— become the perfect back-

drop for biking, hikingand golf, all serving thetrend to year-roundadventure travel. cometogermany.com

/active_vacations.

Austria: Designon the RiseAUSTRIA takes alpinearchitecture seriously.Visitors to Innsbruck, theTyrolean capital, marvel atthe works of über-architectZaha Hadid. Great foodand breathtaking viewsmeet at Café Im Turmatop her curving, 150-foot-tall Bergisel ski jumptower. And Hadid’s swirly-modern stations on thenew Hungerburg funicularare mountain landmarks.

Austria’s westernmostprovince of Vorarlberg—“the most progressive partof the planet when itcomes to new architec-ture,” according to designguru Tyler Brûlé—dazzleswith its KunsthausBregenz for contempo-rary art by Pritzker Prize-winning architect PeterZumthor. Next year,Vorarlberg will be the siteof Antony Gormley’sHorizon Field, comprising100 life-size, cast-iron figures dotted across 40square miles of alpine val-leys. Austria.info/art.

Glacier living:It’s cheeryinside theZugspitze

igloos.

Last stop: Zaha Hadid’sHungerburg funicularstation overlooksInnsbruck.

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THE ALPSA New Point of View

EVEN FOR skiers,food comes first inItaly, especiallyamong the curtain-like Alps called theDolomites. Local cuisineis the winter-long focus atthe resort of Alta Badia.The Taste for Skiing pro-gram here will featureculinary events for anyonewho loves skiing, snow-boarding and fine food.

Cooks at the variousmountain huts will bepaired with Michelin-starred chefs in the cre-ation of simple and

superb farefocused on SouthTyrol produce.Skiers will voteon the dishes

through mid-January. Other events tempt,

including cooking coursesat famous Alta Badiarestaurants. Michelinstars have been bestowedon three of them.

Those who rise earlyon Tuesday can catch theSnowcat breakfast tripover to historic Corvara,site of Italy’s first chairliftin 1947. AltaBadia.org.

THE ALPS are still aboutskiing (and snowboard-ing), and one reason isthat they serve up theworld’s greatest verticaldrops. A most iconicexample is Vallée Blanchein Chamonix, aclassic, 12.4-mileoff-trail slope witha vertical drop of1.6 miles (nearly8,500 feet).

The easiest run is wellwithin the capability of anintermediate skier. Andthere are mountain guidesto lead even the mostadvanced skiers. Which-ever route you choose,

there’s high-altitudescenery, includingmajestic glaciers and15,780-foot MontBlanc, the most mas-sive Alp of them all.

Add the extensive valley-to-valley ski area connections that are thealpine norm—and a doseof ski culture and tradi-tion (Chamonix hostedthe first Winter Olympics in 1924)—and you havearguably the best lift-accessible ski run in the world. US.FranceGuide.com

/what-to-do/wintersports/.

SWISS WINTER resortsaverage 1,315 feet higherin altitude than others inEurope, which meansskiers can count on goodsnow. They also empha-size local cuisine; cozy,rustic huts; and pristine,untouched nature.

Case in point: TheHotel Victoria Ritter inKandersteg, in theBernese Oberland. TheVictoria Ritter is one ofthe many designated“Typically Swiss” hotels,because of its ambiance(see especially the inn’s

Ritter Rooms)and its tradi-tion of hospi-tality goingback two centuries.

At each “Typically Swiss”hotel or inn, menus featurelocally sourced foods andwines. Whether it is acountry guesthouse or aluxury hotel, the design isalso unique, with warmhospitality that includeslocal advice on what to seeand where to go. See thefull roster of these hotelsat MySwitzerland.com.

France: Downhill in a hurry

Switzerland: ‘Typically’unique hotels

Italy: A Taste for Skiing

Cozy inn: TheVictoria Ritter hasbeen welcomingvisitors for morethan 200 years.

Salute! At AltaBadia, thechefs competeharder thanthe skiers.

Hard to stop:ValléeBlanche is aFrench Alpthrill ride.

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FREE TRIPS1. Visit Europe Drawing. If youcannot enter the contest online, youmay Circle No. 1 on the coupon andyou will be entered into the drawingfor Free Trips to Flanders, Belgiumand to Norway. Please provide youremail address for notification andspecial information.

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4. Holland. Yes! Please sign me upfor the Holland News Digest andkeep me updated on events inHolland and great travel deals. holland.com.5. Iceland. Pure. Natural.Unspoiled. Iceland is America’s clos-est neighbor with all of its awesomenature, exciting adventure and gour-met cuisine awaiting you! Come tastefor yourself. IcelandTouristBoard.com. 6. Ireland. Ireland has the combi-nation of place and people, of char-acter and characters that make it aunique vacation experience. Gowhere Ireland takes you! discoverireland.com.7. Norway. Visit Norway at its mostspectacular; a land of cosmopolitancities, charming towns, ancient Vikingships and breathtaking nature andcoastal voyages. visitnorway.com/us.

EUROPE/ SOUTH8. Spain. Visiting Spain is not onlyabout sun, great cuisine, and a warmwelcome, but also its rich monumen-tal heritage and dazzling natural envi-ronment. spain.info.

EUROPE/ CENTRAL9. Czech Republic. Over 2,000castles and châteaux, 12 UNESCOWorld Heritage Sites, cosmopolitanand never boring Prague, worldfamous spas... the Czech Republic!czechtourism.com. 10. Croatia. The Pearl of theAdriatic, the cleanest sea in theMediterranean. Explore more than1,000 islands, visit Croatia’s oldestcities and castles, rich in history andculture. Europe as it used to be…Year-round destination. 800-829-4416or croatia.hr.

EUROPE/ ALPS11. Austria. Offering a stunningcombination of a thousand year longhistory, spectacular scenery and avibrant contemporary creative scene,Austria is a must on everyone’sEurope itinerary. Don’t miss Vienna’sspectacular museums and music.Visit Austria’s Alpine region andexperience the Alps anew. Beginyour discovery at austria.info.12. France. Come experience aland known for its famous capital,cultural heritage, cuisine and wines,as well as its high-speed trains thatwill whisk you to 22 distinct andunique regions such as Provence,Burgundy, Rhone-Alps, Aquitaine andmore. Let us welcome you to Francefranceguide.com/us.13. Germany. DestinationGermany. Great deals. Easy booking.Visit cometogermany.com for infor-

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NORWAY

‘From King to Obama’

Two roundtrip economy tickets toOslo, Norway’s capital, on SASScandinavian Airlines, fromNew York (Newark), Washington,DC, or Chicago. Three nights atthe designer First Hotel GrimsGrenka, plus 2 Oslo passes for 3days’ travel on all public transit,and free admission to museumsand attractions, including the“From King to Obama” exhibitionat the Nobel Peace Center.

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Cartwheeling at the Nobel Peace Center, Oslo.

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FLANDERS NIGHTS

In Brussels and BrugesTwo roundtrip economy tickets toBrussels on American Airlinesfrom New York or Chicago. Staytwo nights in the uniquely decorat-ed Hotel Welcome right in theheart of Brussels, and two nights inthe Romantik Pand Hotel, inBruges, a luxurious private mansionfrom the 18th century.

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Canal at twilight, Bruges.

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Chopin in ExileGeorge Sand said that while Frédéric Chopin livedmost of his life in France, he was “more Polish thanPoland.” His homeland returns the love for theRomantic composer on March 1, his 200th birthday.

CentennialsA Dutch ship brings the first green tea to Europe,1609... Jan Hus, reformer in Prague, is excommuni-cated, 1410... Monaco’s Musée Océanographiqueis inaugurated by Prince Albert I, 1910.

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mation on air, accommodation,events, travel tips, special offers andmore.14. Italy. Italia Much More.Everything is ready for your next visitto Italy. All that is missing is you. Visititaliantourism.com.15. Switzerland. Switzerland – aunique vacation destination with pris-tine nature and genuine people in theheart of the Alps. Order all free travelguides online. myswitzerland.com.

TRAINS & AUTOS16. Eurail. Rail travel is the easiestand most reliable way to see Europe.For more information and to orderEurail passes visit eurailgroup.com.17. Hertz. Find out what makesHertz the perfect travel companion.Visit us at hertz.com.

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HOTELS23. Bettoja Hotels. BettojaHotels, four in Rome, one in Florence,are known for old world, personalservice, fine cuisine and good loca-tion. bettojahotels.com. Call 800-783-6904. Email reservations@bettoja.com. IT’S A PLACE OF MAGICAL

and endearing surprises,where winter turns trees into

surreal icicle-crusted sculpture;where visitors are greeted by fam-ilies of reindeer, and find a sim-plicity and purity of life in con-trast to cities left behind. Nowonder Santa Claus calls it home.

This is the vast land of theSami, who arrived at the snowytop of the world centuries beforethe Finns. Their capital in Fin-land, Rovaniemi, lies directly onthe Arctic Circle. Stay here in aunique, glass igloo (it’s heated), aluxury hotel with a spa, or achalet or cozy cabin; shop forindigenous crafts in authenticSami villages; trace the history ofArctic life in the Arktikum and

Siida museums; take part inancient Sami face-smudging ritu-als; board an icebreaker cruise inKemi; and, if you dare, take a dipin a Gulf of Bothnia that’s con-siderably colder than 320F (wetsuits supplied).

In Levi, a leading ski resort,ride the gondola to the heightsfor steaming reindeer stew andcrusty homemade bread. After aday of skiing, snowmobiling,reindeer-sledding or ice fishing,relax in a sauna or by a roaringfire, enjoy the fun nightlife, anddine on local specialties.

And you will never forget theNorthern Lights—the AuroraBorealis—sweeping across themystical polar sky. n

—Babbie De Derian

Roaming across Finnish Lapland.

Top of the World

Fly non-stop to Finland’s attrac-tive capital from New York, or byway of leading European gate-ways from Washington andBoston. Stay a day or two; easy-walking Helsinki offers diversifiedarchitecture, world-class musicand opera and a happeningnightlife. Browse Art Nouveauneighborhoods and the DesignDistrict’s galleries, shops and

restaurants. Don’t miss theAteneum’s “Pablo Picasso”show (through Jan. 6), theKiasma museum of contempo-rary art (“Tracking Traces,”through Feb. 14) or the chanceto get an Arctic-cloudberry facial.TO LAPLAND: Fly from Helsinkito Rovaniemi, Kittila and Ivalo(1½ hours), or take an overnightsleeper train.

Getting There via Helsinki

The NorthernLights are attheir peak in fall andwinter. Left,reindeer do it all inLapland.Helsinki, right, is amost invitingstopover.

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VisitFinland.com  LaplandFinland.com  VisitHelsinki.fi.

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This drawing is open only to legal residents ofthe United States, aged 18 or older as of the dateof entry. Only one entry per person will be consid-ered. Contest ends Nov. 13, 2009 12 midnight ET.Mailed entries must be postmarked by Nov. 14,2009 and received by Nov. 20, 2009.No responsibility is assumed for late, lost or

misdirected mail entries, or for telecommunica-tions system or computer software or hardwareerrors or data loss. Winners will be chosen at ran-dom from among all eligible entries received bythe publisher of Visit Europe magazine, whosedecisions on all matters relating to this drawingshall be final. If a winner does not respond withinthree days of a telephone or email attempt tocontact him or her, another winner will be selected.Odds of winning are estimated at 1 in 4,000,

based on previous Visit Europe contests. Totalvalue of each prize is less than $5,000.Winners will be notified by email or regular

mail, which will detail prizes and any restrictions.Winners will be posted by Dec. 4, 2009 on thevisiteurope.com website. The list of winners canalso be obtained by writing to Donald N. Martin &Company, Inc., 355 Lexington Avenue, 19th Floor,

New York, NY 10017. Entrants may receive informational material

from prize sponsors. Winners will be required tosign and return an affidavit of eligibility and liabili-ty/publicity release within two days of notificationattempt or alternate winners may be selected.Travel companions of winners may also be askedto sign and return a liability/publicity release priorto ticketing. By accepting the prize, each winnergrants to Sponsor the right to use his/her name,hometown and biographical information for anylawful purpose, including on Sponsor’s website,without further permission or compensation,except where prohibited by law.Prizes are non-transferable and no cash alter-

native will be offered. T o people sharing a doubleor twin. All travel is subject to availability of airseats and hotel rooms. Also, blackout datesmay apply. All expenses not specified are thesole responsibility of the participants. Furtherconditions may apply. Employees (including family members) of the

Visit Europe publisher, Donald N. Martin &Company; InterKnowledge Corp.; the EuropeanTravel Commission and its member offices andrepresentative agencies, participating advertisersand related agencies; and commercial firms con-tributing prizes are not eligible to enter.

Visit Europe Drawing Coupon

If you don’t wish to go online to visiteurope.com/freetrips to enter the drawing, fill out thiscoupon, circle numbers and mail to: Visit Europe/ 104 Lincoln Ave./ Stamford, CT 06902.Must be postmarked by Nov. 13, 2009.

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1 Free Trip Drawing 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

22 visiteurope.com

When It’s Cold,Holland’s Hot

EVERYONE IS ON the ice in Hendrick Avercamp’s merry“Winter Landscape with Ice Skaters.” The painting may dateback to 1608, but it captures the spirit of the Dutch who still take

to their skates at the first snowfall. That is, if they’re not taking in a per-formance at the Concertgebouw, spending a leisurely afternoon in a“brown” cafe, or hitting the late-night clubs.

Winter in Holland means Christmas mar-kets and glittering shopping streets. It meansa dizzying choice of restaurants where thewelcome is always warm.

It also means a chance to step into one ofHolland’s world-famous museums, from TheHague’s Mauritshuis to Amsterdam’s historicRijksmuseum. The latter is where you can seeAvercamp’s vibrant canalscape and 19 otherdelightful masterpieces.

It’s all happening in Holland—where thewinter scene is always worth the trip.

Classic windmillsdusted with snow, in

Zaanse Schans.

THE NEW CHURCHis just one of The Hague’s his-toric buildings (17th-centuryphilosopher Baruch Spinoza isburied here).

There is also the Binnenhof(where the Parliament has beengathering since 1446), the PeacePalace (for the World Court),the queen’s Noordeinde Palaceand the Lucent Dans Theater(home of the acclaimedNederlands Dans Theatre group).

Out on the canals or inside the cozy cafes,the Dutch know how to enjoy a good winter.

THE HAGUE is famous forbeing the seat of Dutch govern-ment, for Queen Beatrix... andfor Madurodam!

Children and adults love thismagical 1:25-scale world of clas-sic Dutch landmarks, from theRoyal Palace to the ErasmusBridge to the Zeeland dikes.

The planes can’t take off fromthe miniature Schiphol Airport,but the yellow-and-blue trainsrun just fine. Madurodam islocated in the Scheveningenharbor district. —Text by Mary Ann Poust

LOOK CLOSELY for theboy who fell, the men holdinggolf clubs, the young skaters in aline dance and, yes, a couplemaking love. See them all at theexhibition Hendrick Avercamp(1585-1634)—The Little Ice Age,Nov. 20-Feb. 15 at theRijksmuseum Amsterdam.

Meanwhile, the big draw atThe Hague’s Gemeentemuseumis Cézanne-Picasso-Mondrian,tracing European art fromImpressionism to Cubism toAbstraction. (“Oval in ColorPlanes II,” above, is by Dutch-born Piet Mondrian). On displaythrough Jan. 24, it’s part of theHolland Art Cities theme year,running through 2010.

SHOPPING is a winter

specialty of The Hague.

The elegant, glass-

roofed De Passage dates

back to 1882, but its

great shops and restau-

rants offer the very lat-

est trends. Or stroll

along the Frederik

Hendriklaan, the shop-

ping mecca known as

‘the Fred,’ for clothing,

linens, gourmet foods

and more.

In Amsterdam, the

historic Nine Streets

district features an

eclectic mix of restau-

rants, cafes, galleries,

jewelers, boutiques and

vintage shops, perfect

for strolling through

with a cup of hot cocoa.

23visiteurope.com

BROWN CAFES are the fav-orite local gathering spots for anafter-work drink, a snack andfriendly conversation. Cozy andcomfortable, you can find themanywhere in Amsterdam. You willknow them by their dark brownwalls—stained, it’s said, by years ofsmoking patrons. Local beers arethe drink of choice, along withthe potent Dutch gin, jenever.But no more smoking; it’s beenforbidden since July 2008.

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visiteurope.com24

25visiteurope.com

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26 visiteurope.com

Austrian Tourist OfficeAustria.info212-944-6880

Belgian Tourist Office VisitBelgium.com212-758-8130

Tourist Office for Flanders, BelgiumVisitFlanders.us 212-584-2336

VisitBritainVisitBritain.us 800-462-2748

Bulgarian Tourism AuthorityBulgariaTravel.org

Croatian National Tourist Office Croatia.hr 800-829-4416

Cyprus Tourism Organization VisitCyprus.com 212-683-5280

CzechTourism CzechTourism.com212-288-0830

VisitDenmark VisitDenmark.com 212-885-9700

Estonian Tourist Board VisitEstonia.com

Finnish Tourist Board VisitFinland.com212-885-9700

Atout France US.FranceGuide.com514-288-1904

Department of Tourism and Resorts of Georgia Tourism.Gov.ge

German National Tourist Office CometoGermany.com 800-651-7010

Greek National Tourism Organization VisitGreece.gr212-421-5777

Hungarian National Tourist Office GotoHungary.com 212-695-1221

Icelandic Tourist Board IcelandTouristBoard.com212-885-9700

Tourism Ireland DiscoverIreland.com 1-800-SHAMROCK

Italian Government Tourist Board ItalianTourism.com212-245-5618

Latvian Tourism Development Agency LatviaTourism.lv

Lithuanian State Department of Tourism Travel.lt

Luxembourg National Tourist Office VisitLuxembourg.com 212-935-8888

Ministry of Economy,Republic of Macedonia Economy.gov.mk

Malta Tourism Authority VisitMalta.com

Monaco Government Tourist Office VisitMonaco.com212-286-3330

National TourismOrganization of MontenegroVisit-Montenegro.org

Netherlands Board ofTourism and Conventions Holland.com

Innovation Norway VisitNorway.com/us212-885-9700

Polish National Tourist Office Poland.Travel 201-420-9910

Portuguese Trade and Tourism Office VisitPortugal.com646-723-0200

Romanian National Tourist Office RomaniaTourism.com212-545-8484

San Marino Ministry of TourismVisitSanMarino.com

National TourismOrganization of SerbiaSerbia-Tourism.org

Slovak Tourist BoardCometoSlovakia.com

Slovenian Tourist BoardSlovenia.info

Tourist Office of Spain OKSpain.org212-265-8822

VisitSwedenVisitSweden.com 212-885-9700

Switzerland TourismMySwitzerland.com 877-794-8037

Turkish Tourist Office TourismTurkey.org212-687-2194

National Tourist Organization of Ukrainemfa.gov.ua/usa/en

With visiteurope.com, planning a trip to

Europe is easier and more fun than ever.

The one-stop portal to 39 countries has

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all the essential information they need, as

well as inspirational articles and the chance

to share their own European itineraries.

The new website is presented by the

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A unique blend of European flavors, a country of fascinating diversity, rich in

history and culture. Europe as it used to be.Croatian National Tourist Officecntony@earthlink.net 800-829-4416

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7UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The Pearl of the Adriatic

As throughout this magazine, the “www” prefix has been dropped for all websites.

A multitude of sensations overwhelm youwith every step you take.

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