Travel tips

Jul 19, 2011, 4:06 GMT

Colourful summer in culture capital Turku

Turku, Finland (dpa) - Approximately one hundred large and colourful sphere-like chambers linked together into a giant labyrinth form the 'Colourscape' experience from July 23 in the Finnish town of Turku.

Colourscape allows the audience to walk through, and spend time, in the chambers listening to music performances, according to the Turku 2011 Foundation. The exhibition runs until August 14 and entrance costs 8 euros (11 dollars). Turku has been designated the 2011 European Capital of Culture together with Estonian capital Tallin. (www.turku2011.fi)

Dive with sharks in the Dubai Aquarium

Dubai (dpa) - Visitors to the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo can now dive with sharks in the attraction's 10-million litre tank.

The aquarium says it has the largest collection of sand tiger sharks in the world as well as silver-tipped, reef, leopard and nurse sharks. Divers are accompanied by professional diving instructors and the dives are suitable for certified and non-certified divers alike. There is a difference in price, however, with certified divers paying 625 dirham (168 dollars) and non-certified divers needing to pay 825 dirham. (www.thedubaiaquarium.com)

Puppet festival in the Ardennes

Charleville-Mezieres, France (dpa) - The 50th World Puppet Festival takes place in Charleville-Mezieres in the French Ardennes this autumn with performers from 25 different countries expected between September 16 and 25, according to the local tourist office.

Performances are planned in theatres, halls and a church as well in the town's pedestrianised areas. The festival runs under the motto 'Puppets: Memories and a New Reality' to mark the variety of traditional and contemporary performances taking place. (www.festival-marionnette.com)

Berlin Museum shows the Blue Mauritius

Berlin (dpa) - The Museum for Communication in Berlin is the location for a unique exhibition this September when three-quarters of the 27 legendary Blue and Red Mauritius stamps still in existence are put on show together.

'The Blue Mauritius: Meeting of the Queens in Berlin' runs for three weeks between September 2 and 25 in an unparalleled exhibition for philatelists, which includes a Blue and Red Mauritius stamp belonging to the museum. The show's highlight is the 'crown jewel of philately': the 'Bordeaux cover' stamped with both a Blue and a Red Mauritius, valued at around 5.7 million dollars. Just 500 of the stamps were issued in 1847 in the British colony Mauritius. Tickets to view these rare and expensive stamps can be booked online. (www.mauritius-in-berlin.de)