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TRAVEL CORNER

Hitting the rails for the holidays

By Jeremie Feinblatt
For The Prague Post
March 2, 2005



It was sunny over the Vystaviste exhibition grounds in Prague 7 last weekend for the 14th rendition of Holiday World. Central Europe's largest tourism fair was as exotic as ever with 700 exhibitors from 50 countries. All 30,000 visitors welcomed the escape and left the show with bags full of brochures, catalogs and posters of enticing destinations.

Not so great for domestic tourism. CzechTourism and the Regional Development Ministry (RDM) were hoping to convince Czechs to stay here for their holidays. But no matter how beautiful Cesky raj may be, we came here for the excitement and the escape, more than for niche tourism such as balneology (spas), hunting, wine tourism, golf tourism, beer tourism and cultural tourism sponsored by RDM. Even Ukraine, the official partner this year, barely made it to the eyes of professionals and the public despite the many eye-catching animations on display. Instead, we all rushed to the nearby stalls of Tunisia, Malaysia, the Dominican Republic, Malta, Egypt, Mauritius, Cuba, Portugal, India, Lebanon, Venezuela, Indonesia, Greece -- the list goes on. The atmosphere was cheerful: professionals looking for the next hot spot for Czechs; visitors browsing through Cedok's new catalog, longing for their next holiday.

Get on the train

Common to all trade fairs, the bigger you are, the more attention you get. That wasn't a problem for France, Spain and Italy, the world's first, second and fourth largest tourism destinations, whose stalls took more space than those of the 13 destinations cited earlier. They did a good job seducing visitors (the brochures of Bonifacio in Corsica and Messina in Sicily sure caught my eye), but they missed out on marketing a segment that could appeal to those travelers seeking a combination city break and exotic escape. High-speed rail, cruising at 300 kilometers (190 mph) per hour in these countries, can provide such a combination and make the trip very rewarding, even for the most jaded of travelers.

From the Paris Gare de Lyon train station, hop on a TGV high-speed train that takes you in a mere three hours to the bustling, ethnic Mediterranean city of Marseille. The train journey is a trip of its own; you pass sumptuous, changing landscapes from the grayish Parisian skyline to partly arid Provence. In Marseille, sample hot and steamy bouillabaisse, stroll through the colorful Panier neighborhood (France's oldest) and hike along jagged white cliffs and Les Calanques -- narrow rocky inlets, some of Europe's most dramatic scenery. From Marseille you can fly back to Prague direct with Czech Airlines. TGV fares vary from 19 euros ($25.08/479 Kc) if purchased online to 80 euros. For youth and senior discounted rates, contact French Railways (www.voyages-sncf.com).

In Italy, split your time between Rome and Naples. Catch a high speed Eurostar or conventional Intercity train from Rome to Naples (in under two hours), home of pizza, mozzarella and mussels soup. With its great food, UNESCO heritage sites, a southern, laid-back atmosphere and vibrant cultural scene, Naples is an ideal base for day trips to the breathtaking Amalfi Coast or to the ancient sights of Pompeii and Herculaneum, accessible in half an hour with the Circumvesuviana regional trains. The tourist office sells packaged tickets to the different attractions. The train fare between Rome and Naples varies between 16 and 22 euros, depending on the type of train.

If you're in the mood for tapas and flamenco, fly to Madrid, where you can take an ultra-modern AVE, the Spanish high-speed train, down to Seville (two and a half hours; fares from 50 euros). From there, many of Andalucia's most beautiful sights and towns such as Cordoba, Ronda or Grenada are only a short commute away.

SmartWings flies to Paris, Rome and Madrid, among other destinations, with fares starting at around 3,500 Kc round trip, including tax.

Where will you be when spring comes ?



Do you have a travel-related question? Send it to business@praguepost.com





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