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The Big Travel Events for 2008
Have you always dreamed of running the bulls in Pamplona, but never quite got your act together? Are you fed up with trying to book a bed in Munich for the Oktoberfest in September? Have you tried desperately to find a hostel in Edinburgh for the Festival?
To make sure that 2008’s different, here’s a quick rundown of the biggest events around the world. We’ve obviously missed a fair few out (the world’s a pretty big place, after all!) but we feel that these are the biggest dates on the backpacking calendar.
January
Mardi Gras: The 'BIG EASY' at its best!
Mardi Gras
New Orleans, USA: 19th January-5th February
The New Year kicks off with a bang in the unmistakeable shape of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras. The entire city is turned upside down as people organize themselves into ‘krewes’, and then parade through the streets in a burst of music, color and amazing floats!
And in the last couple of years, Mardi Gras has been even more important than ever, as the city has managed – with its usual aplomb – to get back on its feet after 2005’s Hurricane Katrina.
Don’t miss out on Mardi Gras – Book hostels in New Orleans now!
Venice Carnival
Venice, Italy: 26th January-5th February
Over in Italy, on the other hand, Venice’s annual carnival celebrations are totally in keeping with this stunning city. With acrobats, elaborate outfits and iconic Venetian masks galore, the city becomes a wonderfully decadent costume ball!
Like the sound of the Venice Carnival? – Book hostels in Venice now!
February
Carnival at Ipanema Beach
Rio de Janeiro Carnival
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 2nd February-5th February
But when it comes to carnivals, there’s only one contender for the title for the biggest of them all: Rio de Janeiro. The main event is, obviously, the huge samba competitions (held in the massive Sambadrome), a riot of extraordinary floats, music and dancing.
And it doesn’t stop there. Across the city, the bars and clubs shake (even more than usual) to the seductive samba beat… After a long night out in Lapa, it usually all ends up, tired but ecstatically happy, watching the sun come up from Copacabana Beach.
Can’t wait for Carnival? – Book hostels in Rio de Janeiro now!
Chinese New Year
Beijing, China: 7th February
Hot on the heels of the Rio Carnival comes this year’s Chinese New Year celebrations. The coming of 2008 – the Year of the Rat – will be celebrated throughout Asia (and the world), but nowhere is the party bigger than in Beijing.
Known as the ‘world’s largest human migration’ the whole spectacular event reaches a climax with the beautiful ‘Lantern Festival’ on the 15th. Huge as it is, though, this year’s celebrations are really just a warm-up act for the massive outpouring of national pride that will be the Beijing Olympics (see July).
Check out Chinese New Year – Book hostels in Beijing now!
March
A somber procession of 'Nazarenos' pass through Seville
Semana Santa
Seville (and throughout Andalucia), Spain: 14-23rd March
March is a huge month in the travelers’ calendar, and this year it starts off with the sensational ‘Semana Santa’, or Holy Week celebrations, of Andalucia. The week is awash with an endless series of somber processions (by day) and serious partying (by night).
Seville undoubtedly puts on the grandest show, but Malaga, Cordoba and Granada all have plenty to recommend them by.
Since Lent falls early this year, travelers to Spain are left with the dilemma of having to choose between Andalucia’s Semana Santa processions and the incredible pyrotechnic displays of Valencia’s ‘Las Fallas’ (15-19th March).
Ah, decisions, decisions!
See Semana Santa for yourself – Book hostels in Seville now!
Fancy Las Fallas? – Book hostels in Valencia now!
St. Patrick’s Day
Dublin, Ireland: Leading up to the 17th March
Come March 17th, New York, Boston and many other US cities throw some pretty extravagant celebrations of all things Irish. But you really can’t beat Dublin – the event’s spiritual home – when it comes to the definitive St. Patrick’s Day.
The city witnesses more than 4,000 performers descend on and around O’Connell St. Oh, and then there are the rivers of Guinness that flow endlessly down the throats of thirsty spectators at all hours of the day and night!
Determined to spend St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin? – Book hostels in Dublin now!
April
Queen’s Day
Amsterdam, The Netherlands: 29-30th April
Every year more than a million people descend on Amsterdam for the celebration of the Queen’s birthday. Never exactly a quiet city, at the end of April it really goes wild as it’s swept by a wave of orange-clad revelers.
As an interesting aside, for one day only, you’re permitted to sell anything at all on the streets and the city becomes one big flea market… Just another thing that makes Queen’s Day the day when a famously permissive, tolerant country becomes even more permissive and tolerant!
Party Dutch-style on Queen’s Day! – Book hostels in Amsterdam now!
June
June: football fever hits Austria & Switzerland
Euro 2008
Austria, Switzerland: 7-29th June
For all but the most passionate hater of football, in June this year Europe will turn its attention to one event: Euro 2008.
Here in HostelBookers’ London office, England’s failure to qualify was particularly keenly felt. But the array of top footballing talent on display over the summer goes some way to making up for it! (For more on Euro 2008, see one of our other newsletter articles: ‘Euro 2008: A Sizzling Summer of Football’)
Fanatical about football? – Book hostels in Austria and hostels in Switzerland now!
July
The Running of the Bulls (San Fermin)
Pamplona, Spain: 6-14th July
July sees the quiet town of Pamplona become swamped with brave (foolhardy?) travelers looking to follow in the footsteps of Hemingway’s Jake Barnes, and take part in the ‘encierro’, or the Running of the Bulls.
Throughout the Festival of San Fermin, every morning – generally after a night of hard drinking – you line up on Calle de Santo Domingo… Then the bulls are released, and you’ve got 800 meters to cover as fast as your legs can carry you!
Raring to run with the bulls? – Book hostels in Pamplona now!
August
La Tomatina: 140 tons of tomatoes thrown!
La Tomatina
Valencia, Spain: 27th August
Another month, another major Spanish event. Nowhere else in the world has as many events that are perfectly suited to the backpacker. Valencia’s ‘Tomatina’ festival, though, is possibly the messiest, and generally craziest of the lot!
The nearby town of Buñol is the final destination of the many, many travelers who make the annual pilgrimage to the town to pelt each other with ripe tomatoes in the baking summer sun… It just doesn’t get any better than that!
Tempted by the Tomatina? – Book hostels in Valencia now!
Edinburgh Fringe
Edinburgh, Scotland: 3-25th August
Every August, Edinburgh gears itself up for the ‘Edinburgh Festival Fringe’, a couple of weeks of the best comedy, alternative theater, music and all manner of cultural offerings among the 15,000-plus performances.
Along with its slightly more sober cousin – the Edinburgh Festival – it makes up the world’s biggest arts event. Suffice to say that for the whole month of August, the atmosphere in the city is absolutely electric!
Get cultural with the Fringe! – Book hostels in Edinburgh now!
August: The Beijing Olympics gets under way Beijing Olympics
Beijing, China: 8-24th August
August 2008 will see the greatest event of them all come to Beijing, as the Olympics wagon rolls into town. This is China’s big moment; the event for which they’ve been preparing for years now, and it’s going to be absolutely spectacular!
Be a part of the biggest event of the year – Book hostels in Beijing now!
For more on the Beijing Olympics check out our article ‘Beijing 2008: The Greatest Show on Earth’
October
Oktoberfest
Munich, Germany: 20th September-5th October
Six million visitors. Several thousand ‘hendl’ (roast chickens) consumed. Countless millions of liters of beer drunk. And when it’s all over, an awful lot of sore heads. This is the Oktoberfest, a glorious homage to, well… drinking!
Away from the vast beer tents, there are parades, marching bands and fairground rides galore, in what’s held to be the ‘World’s Biggest Fair’. But this is hardly the point: It’s beer that draws the crowds, and beer that unites them. Prost!
Get a taste of Oktoberfest – Book hostels in Munich now!
November
'Catrina' – Lady of the Dead
El dia de los muertos/Day of the Dead
Mexico: 1-2nd November
The Day of the Dead is undoubtedly one of the world’s more intriguing spectacles. A merging of ancient Aztec and (more recent) Roman Catholic traditions, rather than being a sad occasion, it is, instead, a genuine celebration.
Although the day is celebrated across Mexico and the southern United States, it’s perhaps most spectacular on and around the islands of Lake Patzcuaro (to the west of Mexico City).
‘Dying’ to see the Day of the Dead? – Book hostels in Mexico now!
December
As 2008 draws to a close, most people will be turning their attention to where to see in the New Year. And you’re not exactly short of options, either, as most of the world’s big cities tend to put on lavish New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Two in particular, though, probably represent the most prestigious places to party on 31st December: New York and Sydney. As the big crystal ball drops over Times Square, and Sydney’s skyline erupts in a glorious explosion of fireworks, the whole incredible cycle starts again…
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