Europe wants you. It wants to feed you, house you, transport you, entertain you and send you home richer for the experience and poorer for the pocketbook.
There will be, as ever, much to do and see this year across the Atlantic. There also will be much to buy, and that process may not be quite so painful as it was.
“Against most currencies, the dollar isn’t down as much as it was toward the middle and end of last summer,” said Neil Martin, vice president of the European Travel Commission. “And in recent weeks, it’s picked up even against the strongest currencies in Europe, like the (German) mark.”
Martin expects a third straight record year in terms of numbers of U.S. tourists touring the continent. Travel planners say that while some destinations-France and Germany among them-will remain expensive, there are some countries that will be relative bargains. The consensus list: Italy, Spain, Portugal, Great Britain, Greece and Turkey.
Especially Turkey, where the dollar has gained about 30 percent in recent weeks against the inflating lira and where Turkish Airlines has kept round-trip fares from U.S. gateways below $1,000. Slight nuisance: Turkey, alone among the European Community nations, now requires a visa ($20) from U.S. tourists.
Nations formerly in the Soviet bloc-the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary-are expected to continue attracting growing numbers of tourists. Poland has stepped up its promotion efforts, Martin said.
Russia will continue to struggle as more pressing domestic and territorial concerns force its tourism infrastructure to lag.
“I had some people on a very fine tour with one of the best tour companies tell me they had cockroaches in the room,” said Richard Curren of Thomas Cook Travel in Chicago. “At a good hotel in Moscow.”
Fares to most European destinations have held, Curren said.
“I can get somebody to London from Chicago for around $400 with connections through Newark,” Curren said, “or they can go on direct flights for a little bit more. That was about the same last year.”
What’s new this year, of course, is the English Channel tunnel (the “Chunnel”). Florence’s Uffizi Gallery is almost fully recovered and reopened from the bombing of a couple of years ago. Luxembourg has become the designated “City of Culture.”
Last year’s D-Day commemorations will yield in many countries to ceremonies celebrating 50 years of liberation. And others, such as Croatia, will be welcoming tourists as they continue recovering from more recent upheaval.
“Most of Croatia is OK-Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb,” said Mirna Jelovac of Chicago’s Adriatic Sunshine Travel, the country’s official tour agency. “Most of the four- and five-star hotels are fine.
“But a lot of the hotels are not, because they are full of refugees.”
The following list is meant to provide a taste of what’s happening in selected European countries this year, and is not a complete events summary. For more on what may be happening in your destination of choice, write or call the country’s consulate or bureau of tourism, or consult your travel agent.
Austria: The enormously popular Salzburg Festival marks its 75th anniversary July 25-Aug. 31. A feast for conductor groupies, with orchestras performing at various times under the batons of Solti, Barenboim, Muti, Mehta, Maazel and Previn. And of course, all the Mozart anyone can stand.
Belgium: The 180th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo will be June 17-18 in, of course, Waterloo, with a re-enactment of the battle that was Napoleon’s you-know-what, plus a sound and light show and other festivities.
Bulgaria: Join the pickers at the Rose Festival, celebrating the harvest of this country’s main cash crop. Parade, singing, dancing, food and folk art June 3-4 in the Valley of Roses towns of Karlovo and Kazanluk.
Cyprus: “Kataklysmos”-a festival commemorating Noah and the flood-runs June 9-14, but the big day is June 12. That’s when Cypriots throw water at one another. Folk dancing, singing and good times in Lemesos, Larnaka, Pafos, Polis, Agia Napa and Paralimni.
Denmark: The nation celebrates its Liberation Grand Jubilee-the 50th anniversary of the end of German occupation during World War II-with special concerts, pageantry and memorials May 4-5 in Copenhagen and throughout Denmark.
England: The Aldeburgh Festival of Music and the Arts is June 9-25-but if you’ve never witnessed Royal Ascot, be at Epsom, a short train ride from London, June 20-23. Dress up big-time to join the party, or dress down for the grandstand and gawk between races.
Estonia: The Rolling Estonians? The country’s monster event, the twice-a-decade Song Festival, is four years away-but there’s still Rock Summer, an international rock festival, July 13-16 in the capital city of Tallinn. Past participants: Procol Harem and Jethro Tull.
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Finland: The Helsinki Festival, with concerts, theater, ballet and arts exhibitions, runs Aug. 21-Sept. 3 in the capital. For other tastes: The Rolling Stones (the real ones) hit town for a June 6 concert in the Olympic Stadium.
France: The French, who invented the projected movie in 1895, will be celebrating the centennial of cinema in a big way all year, with some 500 events throughout the country. For those with no interest in Jerry Lewis retrospectives, there’s always Provence and the Festival d’Avignon, July 7-31. And every seven years since 1519, from April through June, Limoges has been host to a series of colorful processions honoring Limousin saints. This is the year.
Germany: Bavaria will be celebrating King Ludwig II’s 150th birthday all year, but it will be especially fun in Fuessen, marking its own birthday-700th-with a festival July 14-23. For traditionalists, Munich’s Oktoberfest runs Sept. 16-Oct. 1 and the Wagner Festival at Bayreuth is July 25-Aug. 28. But for everyone else, artist Christo and hundreds of assistants will wrap Berlin’s Reichstag (it’s 100 years old this year) in 119,000 square yards of shimmering but recyclable fabric. That’s June 23-July 6.
Greece: Sound and light shows will please tourists in Athens, Rhodes and Corfu, but the best place to experience a Greek chorus will be the Epidaurus Festival. There, on weekends in July and August, ancient Greek plays (in Greek, but English summaries will be available) will be presented in an ancient Greek amphitheater.
Holland: There’s no anniversary, but someone thought it would be a good idea to make 1995 the year the Dutch honor the pilgrims, who landed in Holland after fleeing England but decided then to try America instead. Though a Rotterdam-to-Cape Cod sailing race launches July 4, memorial events really get under way in September in Rotterdam, Leiden and Delftshaven.
Ireland: Ennis, a pleasant town in County Clare, will be host of the Fleadh Nua Traditional Music Festival May 25-June 29. Merriment and stout will flow in Galway during Race Week July 31-Aug. 5.
Italy: Italy is so lively that “festivals” are almost redundant-but locals break into joyful tears when they talk about Il Palio, the twice-yearly (July 2, Aug. 18) pageantry-filled horse race around the Siena town square. The Venice Historical Regatta, the magical city’s best, is Sept. 3 this year.
Latvia: Two big weekends in Riga: Sudmalinas, the city’s International Folk Dance Festival, June 15-18; and July 12-16, the Baltic-Nordic Song Festival ’95.
Lithuania: It happens every four years, and this is the year for the Worldwide Sports Festival, primarily Lithuanian but with delegations expected this summer from the U.S. and Australia (July 31-Aug. 5 in Vilnius and Kaunus.)
Luxembourg: This year’s official “European City of Culture” is going to be just that, all year. Samples, just in July: Live at Vauban, a rock festival, July 8-16; Jazz Festival, July 21; International Song Festival, July 26-30. And hard to beat: the July 17-20 Percussion Festival.
Malta: Maltafest runs mid-July through mid-August (its Jazz Festival is the last weekend in July), but nothing beats Rabat’s Mnajra, a harvest festival held June 29 complete with horse races through the streets, lots of stewed rabbits and lots of stewed celebrators.
Monaco: Remember the great scene with Cary Grant and then-Grace Kelly in “To Catch a Thief”? To relive those literal fireworks, the 29th International Fireworks Festival fires up July 18, 22, 25 and Aug. 5 and 8. Best view is from the foot of the Hotel de Paris.
Norway: The country will be celebrating the 1,000-year anniversary of its introduction to Christianity June 2-5, with most of the festivities-concerts, ballets, plays, sermons-in and around Moster Church, Norway’s oldest. The church is near Haugesund in the southwestern fjord region.
Poland: Warsaw will mark the end of World War II with ceremonies May 9. For those who need a reminder of what that war did to Poland and much of Eastern Europe, Krakow will be the site of a Jewish Culture Festival June 18-21.
Portugal: For a good time, be in Porto, in the north of the country, June 23-24 for the Festival of St. John. Other Portuguese towns will be celebrating, too, but none with the delicious fury of Porto. This is wine country.
Scotland: This year marks the 250th anniversary of the ill-fated Jacobite Uprising led by Bonnie Prince Charlie, which is as good an excuse as any for a summer that will be full of re-enactments, Highland games and musical events. Among the best: songs, dances and a piping competition June 16 at Armadale, and the Highland Games at Glenfidden Aug. 19.
Slovakia: Summer finds folkloric festivals all over the country. Exact dates are still pending, but June will see major folkloric music festivals in Komarno and Kosice, and the next month Dolny Kubin is host to a Gypsy Festival.
Slovenia: Ljubljana, normally a gentle old capital, will liven up Aug. 28-Sept. 1 for the city’s 41st International Wine Fair, with tastings flavored by outdoor dance and music performances.
Spain: The San Fermin Festival-the one where people run with the bulls-is July 6-14 in Pamplona. Those who prefer local color other than crimson can enjoy Cordoba’s Flamenco Guitar Festival, the first two weeks in July; or the Horse Fair, May 7-14 in Jerez de la Frontera.
Sweden: The whole city will be putting on a party when Goteborg welcomes the World Track and Field Championships-the closest thing to the Summer Olympics-Aug. 4-13. Time it right and take in the Stockholm Water Festival, too, Aug. 11-20.
Switzerland: One of the country’s nicer northern villages, Schaffhausen, will celebrate its 950th birthday June 10, but for something completely different, don’t miss the Yodeling Festival of Central Switzerland, June 30-July 2 in Brunnen. Or the Hornuss Festival, Aug. 26-27 in Grafenscheuren/Burgdorf.
Turkey: The Greek-Roman site at Bergama is host June 5-11 to its 56th International Festival, featuring folk dances, games, handicrafts and music. Too tame? Mix in traditional bull wrestling and oil wrestling with the artsy stuff at the Kafkasor Art and Culture Festival, June 22-25 at Artvin.
Wales: Sample the glories of Welsh music at the International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen, July 4-9; or the Welsh-language Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales in Colwyn, Aug. 5-12. Where to call for details on European countries
FOR INFORMATION REGARDING TRAVEL TO SPECIFIC EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, CONTACT:
Austria: 312-644-8029
Belgium: 212-758-8130
Bulgaria: 212-573-5530
Croatia: 312-561-7444
Cyprus: 212-683-5280
Czech Republic: 613-562-3875
Denmark: 212-949-2333
Estonia: 212-247-1450
Finland: 212-949-2333
France: 212-838-7800
Germany: 212-661-7200
Great Britain: 800-462-2748
Greece: 312-782-1084
Hungary: 212-752-0661
Iceland: 212-949-2333
Ireland: 212-418-0800
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Italy: 312-644-0990
Latvia: 202-726-8213
Lithuania: 718-423-6161
Luxembourg: 212-935-8888
Malta: 212-695-9520
Netherlands: 312-616-8790
Norway: 212-949-2333
Poland: 312-236-9013
Portugal: 212-354-4403
Romania: 212-697-6971
Russia: 212-758-1162
Slovak Republic: 212-689-9720
Slovenia: 212-682-5896
Spain: 312-642-1992
Sweden: 212-949-2333
Switzerland: 212-757-5944
Turkey: 212-687-2194
Ukraine: 312-642-4388