Feature
52 Reasons to Fly Ryanair in 2010
From parties in beach-side hot spots to festivals in country towns, there's always something going on around the Ryanair network. Mike Peake unearths a selection of ice-cool events*
MARCH
St David's Day, Cardiff
1 MARCH
Not as big a deal as St Patrick's Day, but then the Welsh do know a thing or two about a good party and a sing-song. So warm up the larynx and make the short drive from Bristol.
FLY TO BRISTOL FROM 32 DESTINATIONS.
Sellaronda Ski Marathon
5 MARCH
This 26-mile night dash between the Dolomites' top ski resorts is not for the faint-hearted. But if you've got what it takes, all you need is a partner to join in the action. WWW.SELLARONDA.IT
FLY TO VERONA FROM THREE DESTINATIONS
Royal Palace Sprint, Stockholm
17 MARCH
Not runners, but skiers - this 1km dash around the Swedish capital's imposing Royal Palace is a world cup competition, and you may get a glimpse of King Carl (waving, not racing of course). WWW.SKIDSPELEN.SE
FLY TO STOCKHOLM (SKAVSTA AND VASTERAS) FROM 39 DESTINATIONS.
St Patrick's Day, Cork
17 MARCH
Dublin boasts the biggest knees-up, but Cork offers a more intimate experience, and the hotels won't be so full of faux-Irish Americans. FLY TO CORK FROM FIVE DESTINATIONS.
Festival Voix Publiques, Poitiers
MARCH (DATE TBA)
If you're a decent French speaker and don't mind getting stuck in, this annual festival takes in exhibitions, debates and workshops of all kinds - plus entry to everything is free. Oui, gratuit! FESTIVOIXPUBLIQUES.FREE.FR
FLY TO POITIERS FROM TWO DESTINATIONS.
APRIL
Edinburgh International Science Festival
3-17 APRIL
Up to 68,000 people attended last year and left happy and enlightened by the events, shows and interactive displays for all ages. Just don't touch that. ah, too late. WWW.SCIENCEFESTIVAL.CO.UK
FLY TO EDINBURGH FROM 37 DESTINATIONS.
Irish Grand National, Dublin
5 APRIL
This famous race will be celebrating its 140th meeting in 2011, and offers three-and-a-bit miles of snorting horses, damp earth and 24 jumps. Fiver on number six, please. WWW.FAIRYHOUSERACECOURSE.IE
FLY TO DUBLIN FROM 76 DESTINATIONS.
Antibes Yacht Show
8-11 APRIL
A relative newbie on the posh boat calendar, this event is a great way to explore the Côte d'Azur and nearby towns like Nice and Cannes. The biggest yacht last year was a whopping 65m long. WWW.ANTIBESYACHT.SHOW.COM
FLY TO NICE FROM DUBLIN.
London Marathon
25 APRIL
New sponsor Virgin will be pulling out all the stops to make this year's event a cracker, and it's not hard when you have the streets of London lined with enthusiastic supporters and some of the top names in running. WWW.VIRGINLONDON.MARATHON.COM
FLY TO LONDON (GATWICK, LUTON AND STANSTED) FROM OVER 100 DESTINATIONS
Malta Fireworks Festival
29-30 APRIL
This crowd-pleaser at the Grand Harbour in Valletta sees international entrants and local firework makers pull out all the stops for two days of whizzes, bangs and nervous cats. WWW.VISITMALTA.COM
FLY TO MALTA (LUQA) FROM 12 DESTINATIONS.
