Central Europe's Star Cites: Summer in the City

Central Europe's Star Cities: Summer in the City

It’s been a long and cold winter. All the sweeter for late spring and summer, and the host of open-air events in Central Europe—many of which are free. These include music festivals, parades with floats, even a samba dancing extravaganza. Come help us celebrate the sunshine!

Berlin

Summer in Berlin brings back-to-back open-air music events, and more.

From June 10-13, the 16th Carnival of Cultures unfolds in Berlin. The four-day street festival culminates in a traditional parade on Whitsunday, between Hermannplatz and Yorkstrasse. On June 11-25, Spandau’s historic Citadel transforms into an open-air stage. Rock music brings the medieval castle alive at the Citadel Music Festival.

The music spills onto the streets on June 21 for the annual The Fête de la Musique, when musicians play from dusk to dawn.

A few days later, Christopher Street Day (June 25) sees a parade of magnificent, decorated floats down the Kurfürstendamm, celebrating Berlin’s gay and lesbian scene. Then, on July 2, the Berlin Philharmonic opens its season at the Waldbühne.

Come fall, the Berlin Festival (September 7-11) lets the party go all night long—for four days. On “Club Night,” 40 clubs open their doors throughout the city, offering an overview of Berlin’s legendary club scene.
 

For more information, visit:
Carnival of Cultures
Fête de la Musique
Christopher Street Day
Spandau Citadel Music Festival
Berlin´s Philharmonic Orchestra
Berlin Music Week

Bratislava

Spring in Slovakia kicks off with a newly renovated hockey stadium, Slovakia’s first-ever International Ice Hockey World Championship, street hockey, cultural events, and more.

Slovakia is nuts about ice hockey. So it makes sense that the 2002 champions of the International Ice Hockey World Championship are hosting the competition for the first time—in the country’s newly renovated Ondrej Nepela Stadium, or the “Orange Arena.” From April 29-May 15, thousands of visitors will pour into the city. Other games are taking place in Košice, the country's second-largest city, in eastern Slovakia.

From June 19-26, the enthusiasm for hockey swivels off the ice. Hard on the heels of the Championship games is the Street & Ball Hockey World Championship, in which 28 countries will compete for the ‘world cup’ of street hockey at the Ondrej Nepela Stadium.

For calmer pursuits, consider visiting for a Long Night of Museums and Galleries (May 14, 2011), when Bratislava's museums and galleries stay open till late, and are accessible for just a single admission price. Then, later in the year, the Bratislava Summer of Culture and Castle Festival.

Come summer, join us for free, open-air concerts—for the 36th year. On stage are local and international jazz musicians, pop and dance performers, and the acclaimed Viva Musica! classical music festival.

At the Coronation Festival (September 3-4), Bratislava witnesses a re-enactment of our city’s 16th- to 19th century crowning of 18 kings and queens of Hungary.

Held every other year since 1967, the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava 2011 (September-October) is one of the world's premier art and illustration festivals for children. The main venue is the House of Art (Dom umenia) in SNP Square. The festival has a permanent presence in the city: the Bibiana International House of Art for Children, open year-round.

Munich

In Munich, the emphasis is on free: free of structures, and free of charge. Enjoy our open-air festivities: from Europe’s largest public rollerblading series, to free opera, and the renowned Oktoberfest.

For 27 days a year, three Auer Dult street fair markets liven Maiahilf Square. First, there’s Maidult (April 30-May 8), followed by Jakobidult (July 30-August 7), and finally Kirchweihdult (October 15-23).

Admission is free to the Tollwood Summer Festival (June 22-July 16).

The annual Opera Festival brings 'Opera For Everyone’ to the open-air. On July 8, you can stand in front of the Opera House and watch Beethoven’s Fidelio performance inside—for free. On July 9, Night on the Bare Mountain will feature the Bavarian State Youth Orchestra.

Every Monday from early May to September 1, Munich Blade Night is witness to thousands of rollerbladers speeding through Munich’s streets in Europe’s largest night rollerblading event.

On June 18-19, Munich turns 853: an auspicious birthday. Adults and families can enjoy music, arts and crafts, and a special children’s play area.

September 10 and 11 brings a Street Life Festival on Leopoldstrasse and Ludwigstrasse, which become zones entirely for pedestrians. Entry to the grounds of the Oktoberfest, the largest folk festival in the world, is also free. September 17 – October 3, 2011.

For more information, visit www.muenchen.de .

Our Munich Packages offer great value starting from 100-184 Euros per person: based on double occupancy for two nights, all breakfasts, three days of public transport within the city center, and a choice of sightseeing, family outings, entry tickets, or coupons. Children under 7 may share their parents’ double room.

Salzburg

The Salzburg Festival is back—this time with two world premieres. Rounding up the cultural calendar: dance, theater, opera, open-air movies, and more.

The Sommerszene International Dance and Theater Festival (June 23-July 16) features 22 projects in dance, theater, performance, and artist installations. All creators come from diverse cultural and artistic backgrounds. www.sommerszene.net

This year, the Salzburg Festival (July 27-August 30) features 185 events at 14 different venues. The theme? "Awakening the ear, the eyes, human thinking."

On the theater program are two world premieres: a new production of the Faust marathon in Hallein and Measure for Measure at the Landestheater, as well as Jedermann and A Midsummer Night's Dream. The concert program will focus on The Fifth Continent series and the 9-part cycle of the Mahler Scenes.

Three opera productions will debut: Riccardo Muti and Peter Stein staging Giuseppe Verdi's Macbeth by Shakespeare—housed within the newly-renovated Summer Riding School. Christian Thielemann and Christoph Loy interpret Richard Strauss‘ The Woman without a Shadow. Leos Janacek presents The Makropulos Case, directed by Christoph Marthaler, at The Large Festival Hall. Anna Netrebko sings the leading role in Tchaikovsky's Iolanta, the Blind Princess. And finally, Ivor Bolton conducts the Mozarteum Orchestra in Igor Stravinsky's Le Rossignol. www.salzburgfestival.at

The Salzburg Festival Nights have become a fixture on the Summer Festival calendar. Recorded performances of Festival productions can be seen daily on a large screen set up on Chapter Square (July 24-August 15). The feeling of an open-air movie and the impressive Chapter Square and Hohensalzburg Fortress as a backdrop make the showing such a unique listening experience. www.festspielnaechte.at

Vienna

Summer shows up well in Vienna. To balance the city’s storied cultural heritage (and world-famous opera) is Europe’s largest music festival.

From May to June, and again from September to October, the famed Vienna State Opera (www.staatsoper.at) will be showing selected performances on a big screen on the square in front of the Opera House. Admission is free.

Starting May 4 until September, the main courtyard of Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier (www.mqw.at) becomes Sommer at the MQ. Along with its artistic and cultural offerings, the trendy quarter offers boules, children’s workshops, outdoor cafés with the latest sounds and a stylish landscape of outdoor furniture for relaxation.

On June 2, against the stunning backdrop of Schönbrunn Palace (www.sommernachtskonzert.at), the Vienna Philharmonic serves up the very best in classical music – free of charge.

June 10–13 brings the Wiener Kirtag on City Hall Square (www.wienerkirtag.at). City Hall Square turns into a beer garden, featuring four days of live music, beer and Viennese wine, sideshows, and colourful carousels.

From June 24-26, three million visitors flock to Europe’s largest open-air festival, Danube Island Festival (www.donauinselfest.at). The festival offers some 600 hours of concerts on 20 stages. Variety is the key, and you can hear everything from traditional Schrammel music to the latest chart-toppers. Admission is free.

For more information, visit www.vienna.info.