Seven reasons to visit Australia

 Australia seems to have it all: an unrivalled lifestyle coupled with great weather, cosmopolitan cities and a stunning coastline. But most people already know that. So we went in search of the best that this alluring country has to offer from the mesmerising orange desert sunsets of Uluru to the top of the dizzying Sydney Harbour Bridge and all the way down to the deep blue underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef.

Europe's best summer events

June 26 – July 12: International Festival of Music and Dance, Spain

Every summer the capital of Andalucia, Granada, plays host to the International Festival of Music and Dance which is set in various venues around the city. Around forty jazz and classical concerts take place in the Alhambra, Generalife Gardens, monasteries and cathedral with smaller performances set in cafés and clubs throughout the city.

Getting there: Ryanair flies direct to Granada from London and Liverpool. Alternatively, fly to Malaga and from there Granada is a two-hour drive.

Search and compare: cheap flights to Granada

Events not to be missed in early 2009

  January 20 – February 1 : Chinese New Year, Hong Hong

This year the Chinese New Year Parade promises to be the most extravagant party of the year and where better to celebrate the New Year than the Wan Chai Harbourfront in Hong Kong. Intricately adorned floats, street entertainers and beautiful flower markets take over the harbour and city streets while thousands of glittering lights cover the buildings like blankets.

On New Year’s Day (January 26) there’s a magnificent Night Parade sponsored by Cathay Pacific Airways which mesmerises audiences with its pageant of performers in flamboyant costumes, marching bands and colourful floats. The fireworks over the Victoria Harbour mark the end of the parade and the beginning of a new year – the Year of the Ox.

Getting there: Hong Kong is a popular destination especially during the Chinese New Year and many airlines fly there on a daily basis. Air New Zealand, British Airways and Cathay Pacific all have direct flights from the UK.

Search and compare: cheap flights to Hong Kong

Getaway Calendar - September

August 27 – September 6: Venice film festival, Venice

The oldest film festival in the world takes place every year on the Venice Lido, an island just across from the main city. The glamorous stars of Hollywood descend upon Venice for a celebration of all things cinematic, which these days focuses mainly on European and international films as opposed to Hollywood blockbusters. The festival is comprised of four main sections: In Competition, Out of Competition, Horizons (feature-length documentaries) and Corto Cortissimo (short films). More than 20 films will be competing for the prestigious Golden Lion award, which last year was awarded to Ang Lee’s film Lust, Caution.

This year’s festival is again directed by Marco Müller and features a series of retrospective screenings, These Phantoms: Italian Cinema Rediscovered (1946-1975), a collection of 30 films made during the 30-year golden-age of Italian cinema.

Search and compare: cheap flights to Venice

Getaway Calendar - December

December 2 - December 3: Chichibu Yomatsuri, Japan
One of Japan’s grandest float festivals takes places every year in the small town of Chichibu, near Tokyo. For nearly 300 years the festival has been held to honour the town's six protective deities, each represented by a float weighing up to ten tons and reaching ten metres in height. Lanterns, wood carvings and tapestries adorn the floats while flute music and drums provide a dramatic soundtrack as they leave the grounds of Chichibu Shrine and wander through the streets.

One of the highlights of the festival is the spectacular fireworks show, which lasts for a couple of hours. And for those courageous enough to brace the cold winter night for that long the food stalls lining the streets provide plenty of comfort food and drinks such as amazake, a sweet rice wine that is sure to warm you up.

Getting there:
Fly direct on Virgin Atlantic and British Airways or take a connecting flight on Alitalia to Tokyo then take a short train ride to Chichibu.

Christmas flights to Winter Wonderlands

Christmas is fast approaching and if you’re still searching for the perfect yuletide holiday but can’t decide whether you want a traditional white Christmas or something a little different, our pick of destinations in Europe and beyond might ease your decision making process.

Frankfurt
Although Frankfurt is best known for its world-class museums, it’s also home to the most popular of all Christmas markets in Europe which has taken place in the city for more than 600 years. Centred around a huge Christmas tree in front of the restored, medieval town hall, the market features elaborate stands selling everything from mulled wine and gingerbread to wooden toys and ceramics.

Lufthansa has low fares to Frankfurt from £83 return.

Getaway Calendar - September

September 1: Elmali Oil Wrestling Event, Turkey
High above the city of Antalya and nestled between the Taurus Mountains is the town of Elmali. Every year for three days more than 100 Turkish wrestlers (pehlivan) take part in this 600 year old wrestling match which involves the participants slathering themselves with olive oil and wearing the kisbet (leather trousers) made of either water buffalo hide or calf leather. After around 40 minutes of battling each other in the stadium the coveted title of baspehlivan (chief hero) goes to the winner who successfully makes a move called the paça kazik which involves effectively holding his opponent’s kisbet.

Getting there: There are connecting flights from the UK to Antalya on Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines and British Airways. Once there, the town of Elmali is a short drive from Antalya Airport.

Review: How Low Can You Go? by Tom Chesshyre

How Low Can You Go? Round Europe for 1p each way (plus tax) by Tom Chesshyre

In his hugely entertaining and unputdownable book, Tom Chesshyre, a travel writer at The Times, flies to several hidden corners of Europe on one of those 1p flights (each way plus taxes) that low-cost airlines such as easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air offer regularly. He snaps up these fares basically because, as he says in his introduction, "no one else wants to go" to these destinations.

Chesshyre has "seen the Venices, the Monacos and the Barcelonas". He admits that he has been lucky enough to travel to "many of the world's most famous sights: Macchu Picchu in Peru, the pyramids in Egypt, Uluru in Australia, the Grand Canyon in America, Petra in Jordan, the Serengeti in Kenya, Table Mountain in South Africa, the Grand Palace in Bangkok and the Great Wall of China" but while browsing Ryanair's website for a flight to Dublin, the names of other little-known cities in Europe catch his eye.

"Where exactly was Brno?" "Where or what was Oujda?" "Bydgoszcz and Poznan?" The established travel writer admits that he didn't even know where these places were. This is the starting point for his book: to see for himself "all these places I hadn't been to, couldn't pronounce and would never have heard of, if low-cost airlines didn't fly to them."

Getaway Calendar - June

June 1 - June 2: Qoyllur Rit'I, Peru
The largest pilgrimage of all the indigenous nations of the Americas - Qoyllur Rit'I or Ritual Pilgrimage for the Snow Star – takes place on the glacier outside Cusco. Thousands of pilgrims including shepherds and traders gather at the shrine of Sinakara, on Mount Ausengate 4,700 metres (15,419 feet) high. They reenact an ancient pagan ritual that ironically pays homage to Christ and brings man closer to nature. On their way back down from the shrine to the Quechua communities, the pilgrims carry blocks of ice on their backs to symbolically irrigate the lands with holy water.

Getting there: There are connecting flights from the UK to Lima on Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and American Airlines. Once in Lima, you can take a direct domestic flight to Cusco on LAN Peru.

Getaway calendar - May

May 11 - May 13: St Lucia Jazz Festival, St Lucia
Sway to the smooth sounds of new age jazz and soulful rhythm and blues at one of the top music events in the Caribbean: The St Lucia Jazz Festival. Taking place at different picturesque locations around the island, the event will feature well-known artists including Al Jarreau, George Benson, John Legend, Blue Mango, Tania Maria and David Murray. There’s also a tea time jazz that will take place at La Place Carenage where Phase 5 and the Tabernacle Gospel Jazz band will be performing.

Getting there: There are connecting flights from the UK to St. Lucia on American Airlines, Air Canada, BA and US Airways.

Getaway calendar - March

March 3: Maghu Puja, Thailand
Maghu Puja is one of the holiest days in the Buddhist calendar. It marks the occasion when 1,250 disciples of the Lord Buddha gathered to hear him preach. This evening ceremony is celebrated at the Royal Temple Complex of the Emerald Buddha and although visitors aren’t allowed to enter there are many other temples where the abbot reads from the "Declaration of the Magha Puja" and the "Offering of flowers, candles and incense". And at the end of the ceremony people recite prayers while the main temple is wrapped with a long orange cloth.

Getting there: Fly direct to Bangkok from the UK with Air New Zealand, British Airways, Thai Air International or Qantas Airways .

Getaway calendar - January

January 1, 2007: New Year's Day Concert in Vienna, Austria

With a tradition that stretches over 65 years the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Day concert is possibly the most famous concert in the world. The spectacular Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein where the concert takes place has seen some of the finest composers perform there. This year top maestro Zubin Mehta will be returning to the podium making this event a truly unforgettable experience.

Getting there: Fly direct to Vienna International Airport from the UK with Austrian Airlines, Air Berlin, bmi and British Airways.

January 2: Bikaner Camel Festival, India

A colourful procession of bejewelled dancing camels and skirt-swirling fire dancers swaying beneath a brightly illuminated desert sky - is it a mirage? After all this is the desert city of Bikaner. But take a closer look and you’ll realise that this spectacular site is in fact the yearly Bikaner Camel Festival.

Getaway calendar - December

It's the month of Christmas, so naturally most of the events taking place around the world in December have a lot to do with Saint Nicholas, a red-nosed reindeer and shopping. But look a little further and there are other attractions to be enjoyed in the winter month...

© Carole Parodi

December 1 - January 15: Festival of trees and lights, Switzerland
Get into the festive spirit early with an arty take on the humble Christmas tree. Every year 23 artists are selected to transform the trees in the centre of Geneva into large scale artworks, complete with lights and music.

The first night of the festival sees a huge celebration take place on the streets of Geneva, with roasted chestnuts and vin chaud served around the base of the trees, fire eaters, musicians and jugglers parading the streets, and the artists on hand by their particular "tree of art" to answer any questions you might have about their installations.

Getting there: Geneva is a popular airport for skiers, which means a host of low-cost airlines fly there. Fly direct with bmibaby, easyJet, flybe, Flyglobespan or Jet2.com. Larger carriers with direct flights from the UK and Ireland include Aer Lingus, BA and Swiss.

Focus on Val d'Isere

Location
The world famous Val-d'Isere ski resort is nestled in the heart of the French Alps, a short stone’s throw from both Switzerland and Italy. It offers some of the highest on and off-piste skiing in the world. Twinned with the neighbouring Tignes resort, collectively referred to as The Espace Killy (after Jean Claude Killy, a ski racer from Val d'Isere who won three gold medals in the 1968 Olympics), the area boasts almost 300km of marked runs for every level of skier. Visitors can also enjoy spectacular alpine views and a lively après ski culture.

Focus on New York

With its bright lights, numerous sights and retail delights, New York is a great year-round destination. But come Christmas, there are few places on the planet that can rival NYC’s magical atmosphere and festive mood.

Location
New York City is located on the Eastern Atlantic coast of America, at the mouth of the Hudson River, where its five boroughs are separated by various waterways. Brooklyn and Queens occupy the western portion of Long Island while Staten Island and Manhattan are completely on their own land mass. The Bronx, to the north, is attached to the New York State mainland.

Focus on Sydney

Sydney was once again declared the number one city in the world at the prestigious Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards last month, and for good reason. Australia’s oldest and largest city has long been popular with international jet-setters, attracting visitors in their thousands all year round. With the summer season soon to kick off downunder, we found out what makes Sydney so special.

Location
Sydney is Australia’s biggest metropolis with a population of more than four million. Its superb location in New South Wales on the country’s south east coast affords it many advantages including numerous natural attractions, miles of coastline and a breathtaking harbour.

Focus on Madrid

EasyJet has recently announced plans to set up its first Spanish base at Madrid airport in February 2007, and to introduce several new routes to its flight schedule (See Madrid to be first Spanish base for easyJet). So, thanks to the airline's "more flights and miniscule fares" philosophy, we thought it was time to put Madrid under the microscope and discover exactly what makes this thriving, cosmopolitan city one of Europe’s most popular holiday hangouts.

Location
Madrid is Spain's ultra modern, awe-inspiring, non-stop partying capital city, located in the heart of the country on the river Manzanares. The city is crammed full of bustling boulevards, picturesque parks, world-renowned museums and fashionable shopping areas and is home to some 3.5 million Madrilenos as well as the Spanish Government, parliament and royal family.

Getaway calendar - September

September 7: Festival of the Diving Buddha, Thailand
The festival of the diving Buddha, or Um Phra Dam Nam in Thai, is held annually in the Phetchabun Province as part of the nationwide Sart Thai festival. Sart Thai is a day when Buddhists remember and commemorate their dead. The residents of the Phetchabun province carry an image of the Buddha through the streets in a spectacular procession. The local governor then dives into the river with the Buddha, blessing that part of the river.

Travel: The Phetchabun province is in the north of Thailand. Fly to Bangkok with Thai Airways, British Airways, Air France or Cathay Pacific and then catch a connecting internal flight, or train.

Focus on Bulgaria

There has been a dramatic increase in travel to Eastern European countries during 2006. According to a recent study by Opodo, Bulgaria is emerging as the top destination of 2007; beating Russia, Morocco, Cuba and Australia to the number one spot.

Bookings to the country have risen by 40 per cent in the last six months alone. With the added prospect of Bulgaria joining the EU next year, visitor numbers are expected to continue to increase.

Location:
The Republic of Bulgaria is in the southeast of Europe, bordered by the Black Sea to the east, Greece and Turkey to the south, Serbia and Montenegro and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Romania to the north. Over half of the country is made up of mountains, contributing to a diverse and varied landscape. From lush, green valleys to snow-capped peaks, Bulgaria’s mountain ranges are one of its biggest attractions, not least for outdoor sports enthusiasts who love to ski, hike or climb. June

Getaway calendar - August

© HSBC Celebration of Light

July 26 - August 6: Celebration of Light, Canada
The annual fireworks display takes place to music in English Bay, Vancouver. The crowd oooh and ahhh at the "latest pyro-musical techniques" (otherwise known as fireworks set to music). One of the largest displays in the world, this year's event sees four countries taking place to compete for the prize. Italy, China, Mexico and the Czech Republic will battle it out to impress the judges with their skills of synchronization, architecture, colour, design and length. A six-minute celebration finale also takes place on the last day (August 6).

More than 1.4 million people are expected to come to the event this year. For an even more romantic view, join the 1,000 boats on the bay and watch from the water. (Do heed the organisers' warning, though: "If you are not thoroughly familiar with operating your boat at night please consider watching the display from the beaches instead." Wise words.)

Travel: the second busiest airport in Canada, Vancouver International is served by many airlines with direct flights to the UK, including Air Canada, BA, and Zoom.

Focus on Istanbul

Istanbul hits the headlines this week with easyJet's first flight to the Turkish city scheduled to take off from London Luton on August 1. Book your seats now. Daily flights are planned from September by easyJet (currently, they are flying three days a week), which paves the way for travellers to enjoy the sights and delights of this fascinating city, with regular, low-cost fares.

Location:
Istanbul is a unique and diverse metropolis divided into two continents by the Bosphorus Strait. European Istanbul comprises the bulk of the city to the west, while Asian Istanbul lies to the east of the Bosphorus. Home to eleven million people, it is Turkey’s most populous city as well as its economic and cultural centre. Few other cities encompass the remnants and ruins of ancient civilisations alongside such a modern, sophisticated culture and infrastructure.

Getaway calendar - June

May 29 - June 1: Chianti Wine Festival, Italy
The Mostra del Chianti takes place in June each year in the Tuscan town of Montespertoli. Local law has it that last year's wine can be uncorked at the start of June, so, in good Italian style, a wine celebration has grown up around the event. The local Chianti makers all set up stalls in the Piazza del Popolo, the town square. Grab a festival wineglass (yours for about €5) and spend an afternoon sampling the year's vintage from the different stalls...

Travel: The closest airport to Montespertoli is Pisa. You can fly there from the UK with Ryanair, BA, Thomsonfly, Jet2.com and easyJet.

May 30 - June 13: Annual World Sacred Music Festival, Morocco
The locations themselves for events at the World Sacred Music Festival are enough to make you jump on the first plane to Fez. Free concerts are held "in the vast Bab Boujloud Square and late at night with Sufi brotherhood musicians in the Dar Tazi Gardens," but if you are prepared to spend a bit of money, you can attend one of the paying concerts, "under a giant Barbary oak in the gardens of the Batha Museum and in the Arabian Nights splendour of the Bab Makina palace courtyard."

A place to pamper before baby makes three

© Alamy

This is shaping up to be a bumper year for celebrity babies. Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise are celebrating the recent arrival of baby Suri and Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow have welcomed Moses into the world. We still have the Gwen Stefani-Gavin Rossdale little one and the Brad Pitt-Angelina Jolie child, not to mention Rachel Weisz’s, Geri Halliwell’s and Davina McCall’s bairns to coo over too.

Remember that picture of a very pregnant bikini-clad Madonna (baby: Rocco) with her mud-smeared body? To ease her swollen ankles and aching muscles she headed to Pantelleria, a tiny volcanic island 110km from Sicily and 70km from Africa, that served as the backdrop to Il Postino, and is very popular with celebrities. Giorgio Armani has a house there, and Martin Scorsese and Julia Roberts have both visited.

Holiday like the A-list in Cernobbio

Rumours of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie marrying in Cernobbio led the world’s media on a wild goose chase to the Italian town this month. Although the couple left the paparazzi disappointed, the beautiful resort on Lake Como – where George Clooney has a holiday house – is the perfect A-listers getaway.

Lake Como is 30 miles long and is the deepest lake in Europe. Situated at the southern end is the town of Cernobbio, popular with celebrity long before Clooney and Brangelina pitched up. Cernobbio was the favourite resort of Queen Caroline, exiled wife of George IV, in the early 19th century.