Travel Briefs
New Vienna art museum
Scheduled to open in Vienna, Austria, on March 12, 2020, the Albertina Modern will be home to more than 60,000 pieces of post-1945 modern art by more than 5,000 artists. Housed in the newly restored Künstlerhaus, on Karlsplatz, the museum is just off the Ringstraße, a few blocks from the main Albertina Museum.
Swim with sharks in Fiji
Scuba divers in Fiji may see up to eight species of sharks on “The Shark Dive” with Beqa Adventure Divers (Lagoon Resort, Fairway Place, Pacific Harbour, Fiji; phone +679 3450911, fijisharkdive.com).
New footbridge in Cornwall
In Cornwall, United Kingdom, a footbridge over a rocky chasm now connects the ruins of Tintagel Castle, on a land-tied island, with the mainland. Opened on Aug. 7, the bridge restores a medieval crossing that fell into the ocean centuries ago.
WOW Air reincarnated
A new budget Icelandic airline, PLAY (flyplay.com), is being launched in 2020 by executives of the former airline WOW Air, which ceased operation in March 2019. At press time, the company had leased two passenger planes that would serve an initial six European destinations (which had yet to be announced).
Ethical Vietnam elephant tour
At Yok Don National Park in central Vietnam, “Elephant Experience” day tours allow visitors to observe elephants without encroaching on their personal space. The four elephants, once ridden by park visitors, now roam freely.
Food museum in Lyon
A museum and restaurant, La Cité de la Gastronomie (4 Grand Cloître du Grand Hôtel-Dieu; citegastronomielyon.fr/en), opened in a 15th-century hospital building in Lyon, France, in October 2019.
Swiss watch factory tour
Visitors can tour the Corum watch factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
Alkmaar cheese market
For almost 500 years, the city of Alkmaar, Netherlands, has held a cheese market, in recent years each Friday morning in season. In 2020, the cheese market will be held 10 a.m.-1 p.m. each Friday, March 27-Sept. 25. New in 2020, there will also be an evening cheese market (7-9 p.m.) every Tuesday in July and August.
Uber in London
Transport for London (TfL), the board in charge of regulating taxis and ride-sharing services in the English capital, decided on Nov.
Singapore sidecar tours
Visitors to Singapore can tour the city in an open-air sidecar attached to a restored vintage Vespa, with Singapore Sidecars (www.sideways.sg).
European walking tours
On a walking tour with Free Tours By Foot (www.freetoursbyfoot.com), YOU get to decide how much you pay for the experience.
Malawi evisa introduced
An evisa for Malawi was introduced on Nov. 1. To apply for it, visit evisa.gov.mw. A recent photograph, a scan of the bio page of your passport and a letter from your accommodation or host are required.
Accessible Japan tours
Japanese tour company Omakase (omakase-tour.com) offers private one-day tours for travelers in wheelchairs in Tokyo (“Barrier-free Tokyo”) and Osaka (“Barrier-free Osaka”).
Cheese conveyor in London
In the West End of London, England, the world’s first cheese conveyor belt restaurant, Pick & Cheese (Seven Dials Market, 35 Earlham St., London; www.thecheesebar.com), opened in September.
Liria Palace art, Madrid
Paintings, sculpture, tapestries, engravings, furniture, documents and books — the art collection of the Liria Palace (Calle Princesa 20, Madrid; phone +34 912302200, www.palaciodeliria.com) in Madrid, Spain, opened to the public for the first time on Nov. 1.
Austria smoking ban
A law banning smoking in restaurants, cafés and bars in Austria — initially planned to go into effect in May 2018 (Nov. ’17, pg. 48) before being scrapped by a new government (Feb. ’18, pg. 5) that was, itself, later scrapped due to scandal — was finally instituted on Nov.
Kyoto photo ban
As of Oct. 25 in the Gion neighborhood of Kyoto, Japan, photography is banned in privately owned alleys near Hanamikoji street. Gion is known for its traditional Japanese houses and streets and is home to many geishas.
Rome crypt tours
Visitors in Rome can book the 3-hour “Rome Catacombs Tour with Capuchin Crypts” with The Roman Guy (in the US, 888/290-5595, theromanguy.com).
Copenhagen bike/food tour
On the 4½-hour, guided “Culinary Bike Tour,” offered by Foods of Copenhagen (Skraa, Baggesensgade 4C, Copenhagen; phone +45 20 16 15 19, foodsofcopenhagen.com), bikers visit five restaurants in neighborhoods such as historic Christiana, semiautonomous Freetown an
Italy museums free Sundays
From Nov. 3, 2019, to March 1, 2020, every state-operated museum in Italy is offering free entry on the first Sunday of the month.