Travel Briefs

The 500-year history of Madrid’s Royal Guard is the focus of a 2-hour guided walking tour, available in Spanish and English. At the end of the tour, walkers can watch the Solemn Changing of the Royal Guard, which involves 400 troops and 100 horses.

The tour is not given in January, July, August or September or on days with official events. In other months, walkers simply meet at the Plaza Mayor Tourist Center (Plaza Mayor 27, Madrid, Spain; phone +34 91 454 44 10) at 10 a.m. on the...

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On the southern Caribbean island of Curaçao, visitors of all ages can interact with some of the 21 trained dolphins at the Dolphin Academy (phone +5999 4658900), located at the Curaçao Sea Aquarium in Willemstad.

In the “Dolphin Encounter” package, up to six people and a trainer stand in water and gently interact with a dolphin (15-20 minutes for $89 adult or $44.50 child). 

“Dolphin Swim” is in the lagoon (30 minutes, $159). 

In “...

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A 3-hour drive southwest of Bristol, England, near Newquay, the museum Classic Air Force (Hangar 404, Aerohub 1, Newquay Cornwall Airport, St. Mawgan, Cornwall, TR8 4HP, U.K.; phone 01637 860717) exhibits more than 20 vintage airplanes.

Open daily 10 a.m.-8 p.m. July and August and until 6 p.m. other months. £10 (near $15) adult or £6 senior.

In May and June, planes are available for sightseeing flights over the Cornwall countryside for £60 to £150 ($90-$225) per person. Ride...

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As India expands its “Visa on Arrival” program, the VoA booths in the Immigration areas of international airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Goa and several other cities in India may confuse some arriving air travelers. 

Only citizens of 11 countries currently qualify for the VoA program: Cambodia, Finland, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Luxembourg, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. Visitors from other countries still must procure their visas prior to...

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The Spanish rail company Renfe has announced the Renfe Spain Pass. The pass, valid for six months, is activated on the first rail journey. Within the next month, travelers can make 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 more trips, depending on the type of pass chosen. It can be purchased online or at stations. A 4-trip pass costs €163 (near $215) and a 12-trip pass, €392 ($515).

In South Korea in April, two central inland region tour trains of Korail began providing access to the mountain areas of Chungcheongbuk-do, Gangwon-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do, formerly accessible only by twisting, sometimes unpaved roads. Purchase tickets on site or at www.korail.com/en.

The O train runs a 159-mile, circular, 4-hour 50-minute route, departing Seoul four times a day and stopping at 13 stations, including Jecheon, Yeongju and Taebaek. It carries 205 passengers and has an...

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In the Krabi province of southwestern Thailand, signs posted on popular beaches warning visitors of aggressive monkeys have had a positive effect. The signs were placed at Long Beach, Monkey Bay and Phi Phi Island, where bites and attacks have been fairly common. 

In 2012 more than 600 people were treated at Phi Phi Island Hospital for monkey attacks, and 75% of the cases were tourists. Since the posting of the signs, the incidents have decreased, with only 50 cases in the first three...

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At Stockholm’s new ABBA The Museum (Djurgård­svägen 68, Stockholm, Sweden; phone +46 8 12 13 28 60), devoted to the 1970s Swedish pop group ABBA, you can don a digital replica of a costume, sing and dance with holograms of the band and have photos and video of your experience to keep. Memorabilia, gold records and exhibits, including a helicopter and a mixing board, are on display. 

Admission includes entry to the Swedish Music Hall of Fame. Open daily 10-8. Timed tickets cost SEK195...

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