1 . Spring is coming, and if you’ re not planning on making the most of the great weather, then you’ re seriously missing out. Staying in the UK is an option but, with the chances of rain hardly getting any lower, who would really want to? There are some great spring trips abroad below, offering excitement and relaxation.

Generator Dublin

Thinking of celebrating St Patrick’s Day at the source? If you’ re heading to Ireland’s capital, check out fashionable hotel Generator Dublin, which will be getting into the spirit with drinks deals, great room rates and a performance from First Day Lions.

Located in the centre of the city, it’s close to everything from Dublin Castle to the Guinness Storehouse.

The Living Project

Time spent in nature can help relax body and mind, and the Living Project is launching a series of new mindful activities.

With locations in Dartmoor and the Knoydart islands, it lets you choose from a range of shared experiences ranging from yoga (瑜伽) to guided breath work.

Valiant Lady Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages has launched its second ship, Valiant Lady, which will sail Europe while her sister ship, Scarlet Lady, takes care of the Caribbean.

Equipped with 1,330 impressive rooms and 78 “RockStar Quarters”, she also has two “Massive Suites” with their own private hot tub (浴缸). You can also expect first-class entertainment and dining experiences organized by Michelin-starred cooks.

Lonely Planet’s Guide

As we become aware of how to cut down our carbon footprint, train travel becomes popular. Not only is it better for the planet, it can also take you through less frequented landscapes at a slower pace.

Lonely Planet has highlighted dozens of routes which cross the European continent.

Videos of 77-year-old Xu Xiuzhen, who speaks different languages while working at a scenic spot selling water and postcards, have brought her instant fame.

    1    (locate) at the base of Moon Hill, Xu's village is a popular tourist destination famous for a moon-shaped hole. She has been working as a tour guide in Yangshuo,     2    county and resort town in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region since 1998,     3     the area became famous with foreign backpackers and organized tours. To support her family, Xu, who     4     (drop) out of junior school, began to learn different languages in order to attract more foreign customers.

Xu said she would change words in any language     5     Chinese characters based on their pronunciation and then memorize them. Repeating the words in her head before going to bed and immediately after     6    (wake) up has given her fluency in basic conversations with foreigners.

Over the past two decades, Xu     7    (teach) herself eleven foreign languages, including English, Spanish and Korean. In addition to making her incredibly popular, her linguistic skills have made     8    easier for her to communicate with foreign tourists. Xu has also become one of the     9     (busy)tour guides in Yangshuo. Her reputation draws a large crowd of tourists every day, especially foreign visitors, who come to meet the multilingual guide out of     10     (admire).

4 . Do you want to travel to the New England Aquarium and experience it? If you are an aquarium super fan, I believe you must be interested in some information below.       

Animal Encounter Programs

Dive into the water with a seal.   Stand on top of the four storey Giant Ocean Tank to feed the animals. Go behind the scenes of your favorite exhibits. Whether you have an unquenchable curiosity about oceanic animals or you want a brand-new observation on popular exhibits, fascinating Animal Encounter Programs are designed for the Aquarium super fans. Call Central Reservations at 617-973-5206 to book your program.

Daily Performances

Don’t miss a day in the life of the New England Aquarium. Be sure to catch our daily events, which include penguin feedings, seal training sessions, dives in the Giant Ocean Tank and live animal performances. Our daily schedule will tell you when and where to watch your favorite program. All programs are included with admission.

Special Programs

Join us for family activities at the Aquarium, where we explore the blue planet most days through art, animals and other activities. We focus on one animal every month with Blue Discoveries Family Day, from octopuses to whales. These activities are included with admission. For a fee, schools and other qualifying groups can also choose Explorer Classes for kids and special 3-D showings.

Virtual Tours and Videos

Before stepping foot in the Aquarium, explore some of our special exhibits and learn what to expect. Check out the Field Trip Orientation video before arriving with your group. The How to Be a Shark and Ray Whisperer video gives special instructions on how to best experience our shark and ray touch tank. The Blue Impact virtual tour highlights some of our exhibits as it explains the impact of climate change on oceans around the world.

6 . If you’re looking for more than just a great travel destination, and interested in attending a world-famous festival while you’re on holiday, the following list can be helpful.

Burning Man, Nevada, United States

The week-long annual festival takes place in the middle of the desert. It lasts from the last Monday in August to the first Monday in September. The main event is burning a large wooden statue. It has no single purpose, but calls for participants to express themselves, and supports community, art, self-expression, self-reliance, communal effort and so on. Gift giving between participants is also a key principle of the festival.

Tomorrowland, Boom, Belgium

Tomorrowland is the largest annual electronic music festival in the world. Starting in 2005, it quickly became one of the most important music festivals in the world with hundreds of thousands of visitors. The festival is just several days long and takes place during July or August.

San Fermin, Pamplona, Spain

The San Fermin festival is held every year from noon of July 6 till midnight of July 14. The most famous event is the encierro (斗牛), or the running of the bulls, which starts at 8：00 every day of the festival. More than a million people from the world attend the festival every year.

Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany

The largest funfair in the world spans for 16 days starting from late September every year. The world-famous festival has been around since early 19th century. It is held in Theresienwiese in central Munich and is best known for the massive amount of beer that is served to the attendees. Millions of liters of beer are served, and they go along great with the German sausage Weisswurst and other local foods.

8 . Paris is the most wooded (树木茂森的) city in Europe, and around one quarter of its area is taken up by parks, gardens and other green spaces.

Jardin des Plantes: over 28 hectares

This impressive botanical garden is home to four museums, including the Natural History Museum, which houses a variety of African animals. The gardens themselves boast thousands of species of plants. This is a lovely place to relax and explore the beautiful surroundings.

Parc des Buttes-Chaumont: over 24 hectares

If you want to get off the tourist trail and hang out with true Parisians, this park is the perfect spot for a relaxing picnic or a leisurely wander. It is in the 19th district and is one of the largest parks in Paris. Cross its lake on the suspension bridge, or admire the waterfalls and attractive temples.

Jardin du Luxembourg: over 25 hectares

These beautiful gardens were first laid out in 1612 as the gardens of the Luxembourg Palace. They include a geometric (结合图形的) forest, French and English style gardens, as well as a large pond. There is so much to see and do with activities especially for children, such as slides, rides and puppet shows, as well as leisure and sporting activities for adults. The gardens are home to more than one hundred sculptures.

Le Parc de la Villette: 55 hectares

This urban cultural park is so much more than just a park as it is home to numerous music venues, exhibition spaces and cafes. It is also home to no less than 12 gardens, which all follow different themes. The Passenger Gardens, for example, which are built on what was once the sheep market, support a variety of ecosystems, demonstrating the importance of biodiversity.