Travel Briefs
Shroud of Turin in 2010
The Shroud of Turin, revered by many Christians as the cloth Jesus was wrapped in when placed in his tomb, will be on display at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy, April 4-May 20, 2010 — the first time on public display in over 10 years. It was restored in 2002.
South Africa telescopes
The Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), which saw first light in 2005, is the largest single optical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere. Its hexagonal mirror array spans 36 feet.
Elegant Cruises uncertainties
A reader reported having been informed on June 12 that their June 17-24 Dalmatian Coast cruise with Elegant Cruises & Tours (Port Washington, NY; www.elegantcruises.com) had been canceled.
Acropolis Museum, Athens
The new, 3-story Acropolis Museum, 1,000 feet southeast of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, opened June 20. Hundreds of statues and artifacts from the old museum and around the Acropolis are displayed in one building for the first time.
No Saga Pearl II
As of Sept. 16, 2009, British-based Saga Holidays (Folkestone, Kent, UK; phone +44 [0] 1303 771 111; www.saga.co.uk) will be a one-ship cruise line.
Vienna New Year’s
Austrian Airlines Vacation Center (800/790-4682, www.austrianair-vacations.com) is offering a 6-day/5-night “New Year’s in Vienna” package, Dec. 28, 2009-Jan. 3, 2010.
TSA Secure Flight rules
A Transportation Security Administration requirement that all airlines operating within the US collect the full name, date of birth and gender of each passenger began to be phased in on May 15.
Thai ATMs
The Thai Bankers Association in April began charging a 150-baht fee (near $4.25) for ATM withdrawals made with a foreign debit or credit card at TBA member banks. You can find a list of member banks at www.tba.or.th/tbamembers.htm. Other banks in Thailand also may raise the rates.
Free in Switzerland
Free sightseeing and free activities are among suggestions from Switzerland Tourism (New York, NY; 212/757-5944, www.myswitzerland.com).
Cadw pass in Wales
The Cadw Explorer Pass allows free admission to historic properties in Wales operated by the Welsh government conservation organization Cadw (Plas Carew, Unit 5/7, Cefn Coed, Parc Nantgarw, Cardiff, CF15 7QQ, U.K.; phone 01443 33 6000, fax 6001, www.cadw.wales.gov.uk).
Darwin in Italy
The exhibition “Darwin 1809-2009,” celebrating the 200th anniversary of the naturalist’s birth, is being hosted through Oct. 25 in Milan at the museum Rotonda della Besana (Via Besana Enrico, 15-20122, Milan, Italy; phone 199 199 111 02 4335 3522, www.darwin2009.it/eng/Milan).
Rent Dylan Thomas’ home
The family home in Wales where the poet Dylan Thomas lived and wrote for many years can be rented.
Singles and OAT/GCT
The single supplement now will be waived or offered at 50% off on all land trips and some river cruises of Overseas Adventure Travel (Cambridge, MA; 800/493-6824, www.oattravel.com) and its sister company, Grand Circle Travel (Boston, MA; 800/959-0405, www.gct.com).
Rentalo’s guarantee
The free online booking service Rentalo.com (www.rentalo.com) lists more than 120,000 rental properties in nearly 15,000 destinations worldwide — B&Bs, hotels, villas, condos and vacation homes.
Passengers of size pay double on United et al.
United Airlines (www.united.com) announced in May that “passengers requiring extra space” now must purchase a second seat.
Byzantine mosaic
A 1,500-year-old Byzantine mosaic, which was found during an excavation in 1957 and has been undergoing restoration at Jerusalem’s Rockefeller Museum since 2006, was reinstalled at its original site this spring at the settlement of Ma’on-Nirim in Israel’s western Negev Desert.
Luxury steam train
The Keighley & Worth Valley Steam Railway (West Yorkshire, England; phone 01535 645214, www.kwvr.co.uk) is offering a “Super Luxury All Day Guided Tour” from Keighley through Brontë Country for £350 (near $509) per person for up to 12 people.
Eiffel Tower touchup
The job of repainting the Eiffel Tower — by hand using small brushes — began this spring. The 18-month task is done every seven years. It will cost €4 million (near $5.3 million).
Homecoming Scotland
There are hundreds of free attractions during “Homecoming Scotland 2009” (www.homecomingscotland2009.com or www.cometoscotland.com).
Camp in Antarctica
Aurora Expeditions (Level 2, 88 George St., The Rocks, NSW 2000, Australia; phone +61 2 9252 1033, fax 9252 1373, www.auroraexpeditions.com.au), on selected Antarctic cruises, allows passengers to camp under the stars on the ice at no extra cost.