{"id":11220,"date":"2010-12-20T05:00:54","date_gmt":"2010-12-20T11:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=11220"},"modified":"2016-12-15T13:49:39","modified_gmt":"2016-12-15T19:49:39","slug":"facebook-your-top-10-experience-vacation-destinations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2010\/12\/facebook-your-top-10-experience-vacation-destinations\/","title":{"rendered":"Your top 10 \u201cexperience\u201d vacation destinations"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Piazza<\/a>

Piazza del Campo, Siena, Italy, site of the Palios horse race. Credit: PhillipC.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n
By Vince Font<\/em><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

We recently posed the following question to our Facebook<\/a> friends: “If you could travel to any place in the world to experience one event or festival, what would it be?” Travelers (and aspiring travelers) around the world chimed in to share this bucket-list of international events and vacation destinations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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1. The Running of the Bulls: Pamplona, Spain<\/a><\/strong>
\nWithout a doubt one of the most notorious and wildly popular events in all of Europe<\/strong> is the Running of the Bulls in\u00a0Pamplona<\/a>, Spain, which was brought to international fame when Ernest Hemingway<\/strong> wrote about it in his book \u201cThe Sun Also Rises.\u201d Good news to the bold: anyone can participate, so get your padded clothing on and hit the street running. It\u2019s actually not the only Running of the Bulls event there is. There are others held throughout Spain, Portugal<\/strong> and Mexico throughout summer, but the high-profile version that everybody\u2019s familiar with takes place during the Festival of San Fermin in Pamplona<\/strong>. The festival is a week-long celebration held every July that, aside from charging bulls, also has sporting events, fireworks, and a daily event called the Giants and Big-Heads Parade where 12-foot tall wooden effigies dance down the street to the beat of traditional music. The Festival of San Fermin usually attracts about a million people every year, so book your stay early. My favorite lodgings: the\u00a0Zenit Pamplona Hotel<\/a>, which offers free shuttle service to the festivities.<\/p>\n

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Book your Spain vacation now to see La Tomatina and get 15% off when you stay at the 4-star Melia Valencia.<\/p><\/div>\n

2. The Tomato Festival: Bu\u00f1ol, Spain<\/a><\/strong>
\nNot many people would travel thousands of miles to get involved in a food fight, but if you\u2019re one of those people, you\u2019ll definitely be into this. La Tomatina (the Tomato Festival)<\/strong> happens every August in the town of Bu\u00f1ol, Spain. But there\u2019s more to it than just an epic tomato fight. It\u2019s also got what makes for truly great family vacations<\/a>: parades, events, fireworks, music, dancing and the best paella in the world. The day begins with an event the locals call the \u201cpalo jabon\u201d which directly translates to \u201csoap stick;\u201d it’s actually a lot more like a greasy pole event. In Bu\u00f1ol, a ham is attached to the top of the pole and participants are showered with hoses as they try to make the nearly impossible climb. Once the ham is dropped, La Tomatina is officially launched and the epic food fight ensues. If you\u2019re interested in going, take note that while the city of Bu\u00f1ol is tiny, there are plenty of accommodations to be found at nearby\u00a0Valencia hotels<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3. Oktoberfest: Munich, Germany<\/a><\/strong>
\nMention the words \u201csoundproof rooms\u201d and I\u2019m sold no matter the cost. Especially when spending time in Munich for Oktoberfest, where things can get a little raucous. A mere fifteen-minute walk from the epicenter of Oktoberfest, the\u00a0InterCity Hotel Muenchen<\/a>\u2019s proximity to the city train station is what sold me. You\u2019re sure to have heard about Oktoberfest before. You may even have seen pictures or been on the receiving end of glowing testimonials by past visitors, but there\u2019s a huge difference between hearing about something and actually being there. When it comes to length of festivals, Oktoberfest is one of the longest running, typically lasting between 16 and 18 days from September to the first weekend of October. During that time, celebration reigns supreme as 5 million visitors walk the streets of Munich, partaking of beer, tons of delectable traditional dishes, beer, carnival rides, beer, and traditional and contemporary music. (Did I mention the beer?)<\/p>\n

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Take a break from Rio's raucous Carnaval action to lounge pool and beachside at Pestana Rio Atlantica Hotel.<\/p><\/div>\n

4. The Festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mexico City<\/a><\/strong>
\nMexico City<\/a> is a beautiful place to visit year round, but every year on December 12th<\/sup>, an influx of millions make the pilgrimage to the city\u2019s Basilica in tribute to the country\u2019s patron saint, the Virgin of Guadalupe<\/strong>. Butthis is no somber event — there\u2019s enough dancing, singing and celebration to rival Oktoberfest. There are fireworks, performances by folk dancers parades, and street vendors selling everything from food to keepsakes. For an excellent place to lay your head once the festivities have ended, try the\u00a0Melia Mexico Reforma<\/a> hotel, which I found to be upscale, classy and a great value to boot.<\/p>\n

5. Carnaval: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil<\/a><\/strong>
\nYou know it\u2019s an event to get involved in when even the locals get excited for it. Such is the case with Brazil\u2019s Carnaval, which has become one of the biggest festivals in the world, and is considered the biggest and most widely celebrated holiday in all of Brazil. Festivities are held all over the country in the 40 days leading up to Easter, but\u00a0Rio de Janeiro sees some of the most lively attractions including street parties, parades and balls. This is one of the liveliest and most colorful festivals that I\u2019ve ever witnessed. The streets are filed with people in costumes, traditional and contemporary music and performances can be found in every corner of the city, and a prevailing spirit of celebration permeates the air. These people know how to throw a party, and it shows.<\/p>\n

6. Christmas in New York: New York City<\/a><\/strong>
\nOne of the best family vacation ideas for the holidays is to gather up your kids and take them to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree<\/strong> lighting ceremony, which happens the Wednesday following Thanksgiving. But the event isn\u2019t just about lighting up a really tall tree and hearing the collective \u201coohs\u201d and \u201cahhs\u201d of those present (as well as those watching on TV across the nation). The day is also accentuated by numerous performances by world famous music acts, and has become a staple of the American Christmas Holiday experience that\u2019s not quite the same unless you\u2019re actually there. If you\u2019re planning a trip for next year, consider\u00a0The Hilton Garden Inn<\/a> which puts you smack dab in the middle of the bustling heart of New York City, and close enough to the Rockefeller Center to be able to race back to the warmth of your hotel room when the ceremony and fanfare has wound down.<\/p>\n

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Celebrate the holidays NYC style at the Doubletree Guest Suites, Times Square.<\/p><\/div>\n

7. Festival of Flowers: Medellin, Colombia<\/strong>
\nIf you\u2019re thinking the Festival of Flowers sounds a little, well, flowery<\/em>, you\u2019re right. But that\u2019s not all you\u2019ll find in Medellin every August. There\u2019s a bit of everything: horse parades,fireworks, concerts, pageants, comedy performances and, of course, loads of flowers. My favorite event? The Silleteros Parade<\/strong>, which is a rich and incredibly colorful homage to the long tradition of native farmers who, to this day, walk their wares from their homes in the surrounding mountains into nearby towns and villages to sell their expertly cultivated goods. For one of the best hotel experiences in the area, check out the\u00a0Estelar Milla de Oro<\/a>, which has two great restaurants with colorful dishes that complement the rich color of this unique event.<\/p>\n

8. The Palios: Siena and Ferrara, Italy<\/a><\/strong>If you dig horse races, you\u2019re in for a treat — but the Palio competitions held in both Siena and Ferrara, Italy, aren\u2019t exactly the Kentucky Derby<\/strong> you may be used to. The Palio di Ferrara<\/strong> is held on the last Sunday of May each year in Ferrara; the Palio di Siena<\/strong> happens twice a year in July and again in August. In Siena, the race is preceded by the Corteo Storico<\/strong>, a parade rich with colorful costumes and — you guessed it — lots of horses. Ferrara also holds a historical procession that\u2019s 1,100-people strong, all adorned with 15th century period costumes. As far as lodgings go, I found great\u00a0package deals<\/a> for family vacations to both cities. Best digs in each town? The architecture at the\u00a0Grand Hotel Continental<\/a> in Siena screams magnificence, and the\u00a0Hotel Carlton<\/a> in Ferrara puts you a stroll away from incredible castles and cathedrals.<\/p>\n

9. Regatta Storica: Venice, Italy<\/a><\/strong>
\nI\u2019ve never needed a good reason to go to\u00a0Venice<\/a> and I doubt many people do. But if you\u2019re planning far enough ahead, shoot for the first week of September when you can catch the historic Regatta Storica<\/strong>, a series of water races whose opening ceremonial parade down the Grand Canal<\/strong> is one of those sights you should put on your short list of things to witness in this life. If you\u2019ve never seen a parade on the water, this is your opportunity; an historical procession of elaborate 16th-century replica boats on the Grand Canal officially launches the week\u2019s events. For an elegant hotel experience that situates you right on the canal, visit the\u00a0Starhotels Splendid Venice<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Stay right on the Grand Canal at the elegant Starhotels Splendid Venice.<\/p><\/div>\n

10. Gilroy Garlic Festival: Gilroy, California<\/a><\/strong>
\nGarlic ice cream, anyone? It’s definitely something you don\u2019t find every day and there\u2019s only one place you can get it. And probably the only time of year you\u2019ll ever want to try it is during the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival in California. But the festival is much more than it sounds. Sure, there\u2019s plenty of garlic on hand. Evidence can be found in the numerous cook offsand food stands that offer culinary delights as interesting as the aforementioned garlic ice cream, garlic pizza, garlic soup and garlic anything-else-you-can-think-of. In addition, the festival boasts an impressive roster of musicians, guest celebrities, workshops, arts and crafts, and even a Miss Gilroy Garlic Festival pageant<\/strong>. An estimated 100,000-plus visitors attend yearly, with attendance that\u2019s been growing steadily since the festival\u2019s 1979 start as a fundraiser for local charities. I grew up around Gilroy and can attest to the fact that you can smell the garlic from miles away, most often in the early morning. Best place to stay in town? The\u00a0Hilton Garden Inn<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Related resources<\/strong><\/p>\n