Travel Briefs

December 2015 issue

Holy relic in France

Purported to be the seamless garment that Jesus Christ wore before he hung on the cross, the Holy Tunic of Argenteuil will be displayed at the Basilica Saint-Denys d’Argenteuil (17 rue des Ouches, 95100 Argenteuil, France; phone +33 01 39 61 03 29, www.catholique95.com/basilargenteuil [in French only]), March 25-April 10, 2016, in honor of the Year of Mercy declared by Pope Francis.

Usually displayed only once every 50 years (last in 1984), the tunic has been kept in Argenteuil since around 800.

The tunic is no longer seamless, as, during the French Revolution, a monk,...

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April 2017 issue

Badenfahrt 2017

Located just south of Zürich, the spa town of Baden, Switzerland, hosts the folk festival known as Badenfahrt (www.badenfahrt.ch [in German only]) every 10 years. The festival, with theater performances and open-air concerts plus parades, special events at area restaurants and bars and fireworks over the Stein Castle ruins, is scheduled for Aug. 18-27, 2017. A million-plus visitors are expected. 

A 10-day festival pass costs CHF45 and a one-day pass, available Aug. 1, CHF15 (near $15). Contact the Info Baden Tourist Office (Bahnhofplatz 1, Baden; info@baden.ch).

Located...

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March 2017 issue

Free China cruise visa

Visitors to China who first arrive in Shanghai by cruise ship each can receive a free 15-day tourist visa. The visa also allows travelers to continue to the cities of Beijing and Tianjin as well as ports of call in the coastal provinces of Liaoning, Heibei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi. For a visitor to qualify for the visa, travel must have been arranged by a travel agency registered in China. That agency must submit the traveler’s information at least 24 hours before the ship arrives in Shanghai. A list of registered travel agencies can be...

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March 2017 issue

Toronto tower EdgeWalk

In Toronto, visitors to the highest freestanding structure in the Western Hemisphere can walk outside along the circumference of the tower’s restaurant’s roof, 1,168 feet above the ground, on the EdgeWalk. 

During the 20-minute EdgeWalk at the CN Tower (301 Front Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2T6, Canada), trekkers are strapped into safety harnesses, allowing them to lean over the roof’s edge. For the mobility impaired, EdgeWalks utilizing a specially designed wheelchair are available.

EdgeWalk is available seasonally (April 10-Oct. 31 in 2017) and...

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April 2017 issue

Eiffel Tower wall

In early February, the Paris municipality approved a plan to build a bullet-proof glass wall around the Eiffel Tower to help prevent any terrorist attacks, including vehicle attacks, at the world-famous monument. The nearly 30-foot-tall, clear-glass wall is expected to be completed in the fall of 2017. At press time, the tower was still surrounded by an approximately 8-foot-tall metal barrier that was erected prior to the Euro soccer tournament held in France in 2016.

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August 2016 issue

Cuba-ready credit card

The first US-based credit card able to be used in Cuba was released on June 14 by Stonegate Bank (Pompano Beach, FL; 954/315-5500, www.stonegate bank.com). The Stonegate Platinum, World and World Elite MasterCards are the chip-and-PIN type and can be used at any point-of-sale (POS) terminal in Cuba. 

To apply for a card online, visit www.stonegatebank.com/credit_cards.htm and, from the red “Online Applications” menu, select “Consumer credit card.” 

Anyone wishing to use his card in Cuba also must sign a document certifying that he falls under...

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March 2016 issue

Schengen zone suspensions

The Schengen Agreement, ratified 30 years ago, allows for passport-free travel between 26 cooperating European countries. To combat the influx of migrants from North Africa and the Middle East, some countries within Europe’s Schengen zone have made plans to suspend free movement between their borders for up to two years. Currently, border controls have been initiated between Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic, between Austria and Hungary and between Slovenia and Croatia. To those without travel documents, Hungary has closed its borders with Serbia and Croatia, and Serbia and Croatia...

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August 2016 issue

Train to Taj Mahal

The Gatimaan Express began operating high-speed rail service from Hazrat Nizamuddin Station in Delhi, India, to Agra, location of the Taj Mahal, in April. The train makes the nearly 130-mile journey in about an hour and 40 minutes. Food service, TV and Wi-Fi are offered on board.

The Gatimaan Express has over 600 seats between two classes: AC Class, costing INR690 (near $10.25), and Executive, at INR1,395. International travelers can purchase Indrail passes for unlimited travel on all India Rail routes for periods of a half day up to 90 days. A one-day pass costs $95 for AC Class....

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