what’s on: Cork
Although celebrities are thick on the ground in West CORK, come November it’s time to turn your gaze upwards as the LEONIDS METEOR SHOWER puts on its amazing annual display in the skies above Ireland. According to Mitch Carr, from the Schull Planetarium and Observatory here, the best way to see the shooting stars when they peak on 19 November is to nestle down in one of the sand dunes in BARLEY COVE. www.schullcommunitycollege.com/planetarium.html
what’s on: Cardiff
Get ready for the return of Wales’s coolest family attraction: the bmibaby CARDIFF WINTER WONDERLAND. Central to this magical experience is the open-air ice rink, which will be outside the Civic Centre from 12 November to 4 January. Over the years more than a quarter of a million skaters have taken to the rink, but there are heaps of other things to do as well. With rides for the kids (including a carousel and traditional helter-skelter), visits from Santa and 100 Christmas trees dotted around the enchanting site, it really is a winter wonderland. The 60m high Wheel of Wales Cardiff will also be back, offering spectacular views from its 40 gondolas to the ice rink below and across to Cardiff Castle, the Millennium Stadium and even as far as the Bristol Channel. There’s a packed schedule of free family entertainment at City Hall Lawn in the countdown to Christmas, while other festivities in Cardiff include the Christmas Lights Switch On (12 November) and Cardiff Council’s Calennig New Year’s Eve celebrations, featuring free entertainment including live music, the Admiral Family Fire Show and free buses – so you can leave the car at home. www.bmibaby.cardiffswinterwonderland.com
what’s on: Scotland
Throw yourself into the celebrations for St Andrew’s Day on 30 November, when massive free céilidhs are planned to kick off in West Princes Street Gardens, EDINBURGH, and George Square, GLASGOW. It’s a particularly good time to plan a visit if you’re watching your holiday budget, as more than 60 of Scotland’s top visitor attractions will be free on the day, including Edinburgh’s Palace of Holyroodhouse and Huntley Castle in Aberdeenshire. www.scotland.org/standrewsday/visit-for-free
what’s on: Lisbon
Following in the footsteps of the “restaurants in the dark” concept comes a new sensory-deprivation experience. Eight walkers at a time are blindfolded and accompanied through LISBON’S HISTORICAL ALFAMA DISTRICT by a blind guide from ACAPO (Association for the Visually Impaired). The guide will share his heightened sensorial experiences and you’ll be accompanied by a Lisbon Walker Guide, who’ll give you the historical background to what you aren’t seeing.
The walks have been hugely popular since they began earlier this year and need to be booked in advance. www.cabracega. org/lisboa-sensorial/ langswitch_lang/en
what’s on: Paris
Forget Jay-Z, the real star of this year’s Glastonbury Festival was indisputably the legendary singer-songwriter LEONARD COHEN. If you missed him at Glastonbury this summer, there’s one more chance to catch the Master of Melancholia when he plays three nights at the Olympia in PARIS from 24-26 November. www.olympiahall.com
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