Upcoming Major Events in Europe

Festival of Paris Gardens September 2009

The spectacular Festival of Paris Gardens is taking place on 27 th and 28 th September. Paris has some of the best kept gardens in the world. The French take their gardens very seriously. They keep their gardens always beautiful. Every park in the capital city is well looked after by very competent gardeners. The Paris Garden Festival or Fete des Jardins de Paris, in French, is celebrated with great fervor every year. On these two days all the gardens closed for the public are open to them. Even the private gardens belonging to the monasteries are thrown open. Guided tours are conducted for those who require them. Special programs are held for children and there are guided tours especially for them. Special guided tours for the blind and the deaf are also held. All these guided tours of the gardens are free of any charge.

The area around Notre Dame Cathedral wears a festive look during these two days. On these two days of the festival the Notre Dame Cathedral also opens its gardens for visitors. The 600 year old Cathedral is open to visitors daily from 8 am to 6.45 pm. It is worth seeing the gardens behind the Cathedral buildings. There are many other gardens too which are open to visitors during the Festival of Paris Gardens. Jardin des Plantes, Parc de Villette, Jardins du Luxembourg and Jardin des Tuileries are some of the other gardens in Paris where you get free entry during this festival. It is not the entry alone which is free. You will get free information about gardening. Full time paid gardeners take care of each garden. They are only too happy to teach you gardening. They will gladly answer your questions about the fine points on nurturing each plant.

There are many free events in Paris during the festival. They include walks to concerts and exhibitions and guided tours. All these are free of cost. This year’s main events will be held at Parc de Bercy. Gardening workshops are held for the benefit of the visitors. It is held by the people who are in the profession for a long time. Any query from the visitors is welcome. Demonstrations involving actual work of gardening are also held. You are allowed to do hand on jobs in the garden during this time. All these are absolutely free. There is no charge for any of them. Free concerts and exhibitions are also held at several venues.

The Parisians are proud of their gardens. Their gardens may be smaller in size when compared to the big parks of the United States. But for quality, there is none in the world which can surpass the gardens of Paris, be it public owned or has private ownership. Each one of them is a work of art. Anyone visiting Paris in September this year is highly recommended to take part in the Festival of Paris gardens. This is a festival that no tourist in Paris can miss. For any further information please contact the Paris Tourist Office in Paris.

London Notting Hill Carnival 2009

London Notting Hill Carnival has its origin in 1966 and ever since it has turned out to be the largest festival celebration of its kind in Europe. It is held every year in the August Bank Holiday and during this time the streets of London virtually becomes passionate with hue and colors and the real beauty of a street festival began to unveil.

Originally the London Notting Hill Carnival has been only a local festival that was set up by the West Indian community that was in Notting Hill area. Later it has turned out to be a full-blooded Caribbean festival that attracts millions of people from all over the world. Now it is not just the festival of a particular community, but also that of the people of the whole country and to many around the globe. As everyone knows London is one of the greatest tourist locations in the world and it is the most coveted place for many of the people. During the time of the carnival whole atmosphere of the city will change and people will be in an ecstatic mood. This is one of the ideal time for people to visit the country as no where else in the world you can find such diversity and such action.

The band of the traditional drums, sounds of different musical instruments and scores of sound systems and the hundreds of stalls that will lined up in the streets of Notting Hill will drive a person to a wonderland. There will be over 40,000 volunteers for the event and more than a million people come to see the event.

The action of the London Notting Hill Carnival usually unveils on the Saturday before the bank holiday with the steel band competition. On Sunday, the Kid’s Day, the costume prizes are awarded and on Monday, the Bank Holiday, the main parade takes place. Usually it starts from the Great Western Road and then moves on to Chepstow Road and then to Westbourne Grove and finally to Ladbroke Grove. The floats leave the streets in procession in the evening and the people continue to engage in various activities and parties.

London Notting Hill Carnival is one of the greatest events that take place in the country and the color, the splendor, the joy and passion of the event is unparalleled. During a typical London Notting Hill Carnival, the whole atmosphere will change and the people who come to watch the event will be in a world of fantasy. This is one of the events that has to be enjoyed by participating it and if you are watching it in television you may lament that you are not actually in the scene.

London Notting Hill Carnival is the festival of the Londoners and the people will prepare themselves for the event in advance. This is a part of the culture of a great city and a great country. See it, love it and enjoy every moment of the vibrant atmosphere the event creates.

Venice Marathon 2009

Venice Marathon is a great event that usually occurs in every October since 1986 and every year the number of participants as well as the number of spectators are increasing. Moreover, a good number of people are now interested in it and has evolved out as an international event. Currently the race is sponsored by Casino di Venezia.

During the time of the Venice Marathon the whole of Italy becomes alive and the people are ecstatic about the event. About 6,000 runners from around the globe will come to participate in the event and many more will watch the event. Italy, as everyone knows is one of the greatest tourist destinations in the world and everyone who comes to Italy includes Venice in their list of places to visit. Venice has a charm of itself and no other place in the world can offer the charm and beauty of the place. When it comes to the Marathon time, the place will adorn her with some mystic charms and if there is anything that can be said about the mood of the people during the Venice Marathon, it is ecstasy.

A participant in the Venice Marathon has to cover exactly the same distance as in Olympics (42.195 km). The movement is a downhill one and a typically flat one. The starting point is at Stra and from there the runners have to go along the River Brenta, passing thorough the majestic Palladian Villas of the area. They come to the city of Venice through the Liberty Bridge that links the mainland to the city. They have to cross the 400 feet long floating bridge over the Grand Canal that leads to St Mark’s Square. From there the runners will be directed to the picturesque waterfront of Venice, the Riva dei Sette Martiri where the finishing line of the Venice Marathon is located. For a spectator and of course for the runner the most amazing moments of the Marathon are the last few kilometers along the lagoon and over the special pontoon that lies across the Grand Canal.

The 2009 Venice Marathon is all set to take place this October and the organizers are preparing it to become a great event. It is more than a marathon now and has evolved as something that is in the very core of the civilization of a people. There is not going to be any event that is so professionally organized comparing the popularity of a marathon race. There may not be any magical moments as in the case with a football, tennis or basketball match. There may not be the adrenaline rush as with a sprint event, but the passion and glory of the fittest people in the world participating in a great county in a great city for a noble cause will definitely a treat to your heart and you will love and enjoy every moment of the race. The passion, the glory and the charm of the race is unchallenging and unparalleled.