Travel News

Berlin carries on from where the German brothers Grimm left off by passing on some of the world's most famous fairytales this autumn.

Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm were academics who set about researching one of the best-loved collections of children's stories in history.

They gathered together tales like Rumpelstiltskin, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Hansel and Gretel.

Book a cheap hotel in Berlin for your children to see productions of the plays as well as hear the stories before bed time.

During the Berliner Marchentage, Berlin Days of Fairy Tales, children can listen to readings, hear music and see stage performances of these classics.

The TellStories festival runs from November 6th to 23rd at venues around the city.

Work from famous German writer Johann Goethe is also featured, touching on his romantic, poetic and fictional sides.

But this year the 19th festival will mainly focus on myths and legends from Switzerland.

It will also touch on stories from other countries that border the river Danube.

Take a trip into this fairy wonderland to hear tales of heroes, animals and mythical creatures.

Berlin is renowned for its progressive thinkers.

While you are staying in the city why not check out the outdoor exhibition that commemorates the fall of the Berlin Wall?

There's the Jewish Museum, which celebrates integration this autumn, and free attractions like the Brandenburg Gate.

Corks will fly on St Martin's Day in Vienna as Austrians celebrate his legacy with the start of the wine season.

The soldier cum monk became famous for tearing his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm.

Although St Martin's Day is most celebrated in Germanic countries, it is also recognised in the UK as Martinmas.

Here beef cattle are slaughtered to mark the supposed sunny spell that is meant to come around this time.

It is more traditional in Austria to celebrate the saint's day with paper lanterns and song, which is swapped for treats around the town.

Farmers used to be taxed on this day and had to give away some of the harvest, so it is now customary to eat goose with blaukraut and serviettenknodel.

The wine of the year is formally introduced to heruigens (bars) around this time, which also merits a bit of singing.

Vienna usually produces more white than red and not a lot is exported so there's plenty to drink.

Gruner Veltliner is a favourite in the capital, but for those who can't wait partially fermented Sturm is available around town from September.

Try one of Vienna's many markets, notably Naschmarkt, where many vendors will offer samples.

Everywhere in the city and country will be celebrating, so there will be plenty to do no matter which cheap hotel in Vienna you book.

Choirs from all over the world descend on Vienna for one of the world's greatest musical events.

Since the musica mundi series of concerts began 20 years ago, more than 220,000 people have taken part.

They have sung in 5,000 choirs at 89 events all over the world.

More than half of participants have been young people under the age of 25.

Vienna's event is called the International Franz-Schubert Choir Competition and Festival.

It runs at various venues crammed with heritage around the city, including the Konzerthaus, which is used to big names, and the neo-Gothic City Hall.

Additional events have been planned for the Lichtental parish church where Schubert was baptized then later played.

To see the masters of music perform, book into affordable accommodation in Vienna to watch the whole programme.

The Interkultur Foundation has organised the event, which will run from November 12th to 16th this year.

Next year's dates are November 11th to 15th.

Schubert wrote about 600 songs, nine symphonies, including the famous Unfinished Symphony, and opera during his life.

He composed chamber and piano music, and was a good friend of poet Goethe, who was among those who urged him on in his career.

Sadly, Schubert is believed to have contracted syphilis and died at the age of 31.

Prague is the perfect place to pick up unique handicrafts for Christmas while sampling traditional food and drink.

The capital of the Czech Republic becomes a winter wonderland of markets of all shapes and sizes from November 29th.

Specialist glass is on sale alongside wooden toys, scented candles, hand-made jewellery, ceramic mugs, knitwear and ornaments.

Traditional food is made in front of passers by who can sample some of the specialities as well as the normal tummy-fillers like hot sausages or corn on the cob.

Shopping is also much easier with a glass of mulled wine or two, so make sure you check out the local svarene vino or svarak.

While wandering round the stalls there's also plenty for the children to do, with sheep, goats and llama to stroke and a Christmas manger to see.

The main attraction in the 12th century Old Town Square is the enormous Christmas tree that is chopped down from the Sumava Mountains in the south of the country each year.

Lights are switched on here and in the other market squares at about 17:00, local time, which adds to the atmospherics, especially if it has been snowing.

Other markets take place at Wenceslas Square, where a statue of St Wenceslas cuts a fine figure for Christmas.

Wenceslas Square is large enough to fit 400,000 people, so if more intimate venues are more your thing why not check out the markets at Havelske Trziste or Namesti Republiky?

All the temporary Christmas shopping areas are within a ten-minute walk of each other and by many of the cheap hotels in Prague.

Tottenham Hotspur will return to European action when they take on Wisla Krakow in the first round of the Uefa Cup.

The North London side endured a disappointing European campaign last season, crashing out of the Uefa Cup at the last 16 stage to Dutch side PSV Eindhoven.

Spurs head coach Juande Ramos, who won the trophy twice during his time in charge at Sevilla, will be hoping for a much better showing this time round after embarking on a major squad rebuilding exercise over the summer.

When Wisla, the early pacesetters in the Polish league, travel to White Hart Lane on September 18th, they can expect to face big-money signings such as David Bentley, Roman Pavlyuchenko, Luka Modric and Giovani dos Santos.

Spurs fans will be hoping that their side builds a healthy lead to take to Krakow for the second leg on October 2nd.

Supporters planning to travel to the away match will find the trip is not as expensive as they may have feared.

Budget airlines Ryanair and easyJet both operate direct flights from London and there is a selection of cheap hotels in Krakow.

Any Spurs fan who wishes to take a break from the traditional ritual of a few pre-match beers will find plenty to see in the area, including the world-famous Wieliczka Salt Mine.