TRAVEL: Save The Date

TRAVEL: Save The Date

June 27, 2014 • Features, In the Magazine, Travel

For the jet-set crowd, there’s no shortage of things to see, places to go and parties to attend in 2014. Plan your travels right so that you don’t miss this year’s biggest events.

By Cindy Sosroutomo

It’s not enough to simply lie on a beach somewhere and call it a vacation. Nowadays, with more niche travel products and luxury getaways on the rise, people are looking to venture far beyond the traditional all-inclusive in favour of a bona fide, no holds barred experience.

This year certainly offers every excuse in the book to go all out for your next vacation, with a number of high-profile events taking place in the world’s most exciting destinations. From New York City to Paris to the sizzling city of Rio de Janeiro, 2014 looks jam-packed indeed. The only thing left to do is book a ticket on the next flight out.

HONG KONG
Art Basel, May 15-18

Everyone’s heard of Art Basel, the contemporary art show, which has taken place in Miami every December for the last 12 years. But have you heard of its newest show in Hong Kong? Debuting for the first time in Asia last May, Art Basel Hong Kong showcases some of the region’s most celebrated works of modern art, including museum-caliber paintings, sculptures and classical photography. Some 2,000 artists took part in the inaugural show; look for it to grow even bigger this spring.

artbasel.com

TOKYO, JAPAN
Great Japan Beer Festival, May 31-June 1

Would you fly halfway around the world for all you can drink beer? Well, people have travelled for far crazier reasons. Japan’s answer to Oktoberfest promises to be a debaucherous good time, with 250 craft beers available for sampling on site at the Ebisu Garden Place. All the drink samples you can taste for just the price of admission – sounds too good to be true. But be warned – with 350,000 rowdy beer lovers in attendance, you’ll be lucky to come out unscathed.

beertaster.org

SAN FERMIN, SPAIN
The Running of the Bulls, July 7-14

To many, it may be considered an odd tradition to be trampled by hundreds of raging bulls in the middle of the street. But for the thousands of willing participants at the annual Running of the Bulls in Spain, it is the rush of their lives. Dating all the way back to the 14th century, the adrenaline-charged event lasts only about four minutes and begins in Calle Santo Domingo when the clock of San Cernin church strikes eight o’clock. After that, for the next 825 metres, your only purpose in life is to stay alive.

bullrunpamplona.com

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
FIFA World Cup, June 12-July 13

Anticipated to be one of the biggest events of the year, the FIFA World Cup will, for the second time in its history, take place in Brazil. In fact, the country is only one of five to have hosted the tournament twice, which makes its celebrated return a crowning achievement. In total, there will be 32 teams vying for the trophy and 12 host cities around Brazil, including São Paulo, Brasília and Rio de Janeiro. But if its party reputation is any indication, Rio is where you’ll want to be.

fifa.com

PARIS, FRANCE
Paris Plages, July 20-Aug. 20

There’s no better time to be in Paris than in the summer months. And if you’re there during Paris Plages, you’ll find that the City of Lights will have transformed into a full-fledged seaside resort. Dubbed a ‘Seine-side holiday’, Paris Plages, or Paris Beaches, started in 2007 as an incentive for city dwellers to forego the annual exodus to the cooler countryside and instead stay within the city limits. What the Mayor’s Office proposed (rather ingeniously, we might add) were makeshift sandy beaches all along the banks of the Seine, complete with palm trees and lounge chairs. The annual event has since evolved to include summer’s favourite pastimes, like wall climbing, rollerblading and even tai chi for the uber-zen.

paris.fr/parisplages

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND
Commonwealth Games, July 23-Aug. 3

All eyes will be on Glasgow this summer as it hosts the XX Commonwealth Games, regarded as the biggest multi-sport event ever held in Scotland. Over two billion pounds have been spent to gussy up the city, which means better infrastructure, cleaner streets and even more things to see and do while on vacation. But nothing will take priority over the sports, 17 to be exact ranging from hockey and gymnastics to cycling, boxing and wrestling. And even though Glasgow edged out Halifax for the bid, we doubt Canadians are harbouring any ill feelings.

glasgow2014.com

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Sziget, Aug. 11-18

Like Woodstock before it, and more recently Burning Man in Nevada, the annual Sziget is everything a music festival should be: open air, extremely loud and totally uninhibited. Held every August in northern Budapest, Sziget has quickly grown from being a relatively low-profile student event in the early 90s to one of Europe’s biggest festivals, welcoming up to 400,000 music fans and over 1,000 rock performances. There’s even a dedicated party train complete with resident DJs that transports festivalgoers from all over Europe. It’s getting so big that this year, event coordinators have branched out to debut in Kiev, Ukraine.

szigetfestival.com

LONDON, ENGLAND
Centenary of WWI, August 2014

If you’re a history buff, you’ll want to be in London this summer as it commemorates the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of WWI. With a price tag of $84 million, city-wide events are scheduled throughout the year ranging from a candle-lit vigil in Westminster Abbey to special exhibitions at art galleries and museums. The Imperial War Museum will reopen mid-year after a major refurbishment of its WWI galleries while the National Portrait Gallery is already paying homage with an exhibition that kicked off earlier this month.

1914.org

NEW YORK CITY, USA
Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, Oct. 16-19

Culinary travel has never been so popular, with more and more foodies following their stomachs wherever they may lead them. Not to be missed this year is New York’s top wine and food event, now in its seventh year and featuring some of the city’s most innovative and celebrated chefs. This year’s installment will feature 500 culinary personalities and Food Network stars, over 100 wineries and spirits producers and a slew of seminars and tastings. And if you’re lucky, you may just find yourself splitting apps with the likes of Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay and even Martha Stewart herself.

nycwff.org

REYKJAVIK, ICELAND
Iceland Airwaves, Nov. 5-9

If it’s good enough for Rolling Stone, it’s good enough for us. Dubbed “the hippest long weekend on the annual music-festival calendar” by the famed magazine, Iceland Airwaves has become one of the world’s most premier annual showcases for new music. Anyone who’s anyone has performed there, including Fatboy Slim and Flaming Lips, not to mention Iceland’s top musical talents like Björk and Sigur Rós. And with spectacular thermal springs and lava fields as backdrop to it all, you’re guaranteed one of the coolest travel experiences ever.

icelandairwaves.is

Art Basel Brazil Festivals Hong Kong Iceland Japan London Pamplona Paris Running of the Bulls Spain Travel World Cup