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PHOTOS © ALAMY<br />
Right Royal Destinations<br />
Dig out your fi nest hat, put the champagne<br />
on ice and stock up on those souvenir tea<br />
towels – Royal Wedding fever’s set to sweep<br />
the nation. History will be made on 29 April,<br />
as Prince William marries Kate Middleton at<br />
Westminster Abbey. We’re celebrating the<br />
impending nuptials by looking at destinations<br />
that have a special link to the royal couple,<br />
along with other great reasons to visit them.<br />
LONDON<br />
Over 600,000 people lined the streets of<br />
London for the wedding of Charles and<br />
Diana in July 1981, including Prime Minster<br />
David Cameron, who camped out on the<br />
Mall. Though Dave will enjoy a ringside seat<br />
in Westminster Abbey for Wills and Kate’s<br />
nuptials, you can still have an unforgettable<br />
day by being part of the crowds at this<br />
historic event. With an abundance of pomp<br />
and ceremony, the atmosphere is sure to be<br />
electric – just don’t forget your fl ask of tea<br />
and sandwiches.<br />
We fl y to London from Belfast International,<br />
Belfast City, Edinburgh, Glasgow and<br />
Newcastle from £29.99*<br />
ST ANDREWS (EDINBURGH)<br />
Take a trip to where the fairytale began:<br />
Scotland’s picturesque St Andrews. Kate<br />
met her Prince Charming while studying at<br />
its historic university and she wasn’t the<br />
only girl to graduate with fi rst-class honours<br />
in the love department. A recent survey found<br />
10% of St Andrew’s alumni married a fellow<br />
student, making it the “Best Matchmaking<br />
University in the UK”. The town is also famous<br />
for its golf courses, which are sure to provide<br />
a perfect getaway for anyone who needs<br />
a break from the bunting.<br />
We fl y to Edinburgh from Gatwick, Luton,<br />
Stansted, Bristol and Belfast International<br />
from £23.99*<br />
IBIZA<br />
Kate wowed onlookers as she soaked up<br />
the Balearic sunshine in a white bikini while<br />
holidaying with Wills and pals in 2006. Though<br />
the elusive twosome spent most of their time<br />
onboard a private yacht, it’s believed that they<br />
enjoyed nights out on the island’s legendary<br />
party scene. Get your groove on in the White Isle<br />
this summer and dance till dawn and beyond at<br />
the likes of Pacha, Space and DC10.<br />
We fl y to Ibiza from Gatwick, Luton, Stansted,<br />
Belfast International, Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool<br />
and Newcastle from £40.99*<br />
KLOSTERS (GENEVA)<br />
Royal watchers round the world felt a fl urry of<br />
excitement when Wills and Kate were pictured<br />
skiing at Klosters with Prince Charles in March<br />
2008. Though the couple had visited the<br />
resort numerous times before, many correctly<br />
guessed the presence of Wills’s father meant<br />
that wedding bells were imminent. Slope off and<br />
enjoy the last of the snow in this pretty Swiss<br />
Village, or visit in summertime and explore its<br />
grassy meadows on horseback.<br />
We fl y to Geneva from Gatwick, Luton, Stansted,<br />
Belfast International, Bristol, Birmingham,<br />
Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool,<br />
and Newcastle from £29.99*<br />
GIBRALTAR<br />
Sitting at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea,<br />
the Rock of Gibraltar proved the perfect launch<br />
pad for Charles and Diana’s honeymoon cruise<br />
on the royal yacht Britannia. The newlyweds’ visit<br />
created hysteria in this fi ercely patriotic British<br />
territory, with almost all of its residents lining<br />
the harbour to bid the couple farewell. Hop over<br />
to Gibraltar and enjoy its colonial charm and<br />
favourable climate while meeting its famous<br />
Barbary apes, the only wild primates in the<br />
whole of Europe.<br />
We fl y to Gibraltar from Gatwick and Liverpool<br />
from £33.99*<br />
* Prices are single including taxes. Correct as of<br />
14 January for travel between 27 March<br />
and 29 October<br />
NEWS | UK<br />
New Routes<br />
for Spring<br />
Bologna from 28 March<br />
Though often overlooked by<br />
visitors in favour of its more<br />
famous neighbours, the small yet<br />
perfectly formed city of Bologna<br />
is well worth a visit. Spend time<br />
exploring its grand opera house<br />
and quirky street arcades, or<br />
make a wish at the Fontana di<br />
Nettuno. And no visit to Bologna<br />
is complete without experiencing<br />
the local cuisine; an abundance<br />
of creamy pasta sauces make<br />
Bologna “Italy’s Cuisine Capital”.<br />
We fl y to Bologna from Gatwick<br />
from £29.99**<br />
Seville from 16 April<br />
Nestled in the heart of Andalucìa,<br />
Seville is famed throughout Spain<br />
for its springtime celebrations.<br />
Semana Santa honours Holy<br />
Week – the last week of Lent<br />
and the most important in the<br />
Catholic calendar. From 18–24<br />
April a series of street processions<br />
take place across the city as<br />
sevillanas commemorate the<br />
fi nal days of Jesus in a sombre<br />
yet beautiful style. Then it’s time<br />
to party, as the Feria de Abril rolls<br />
into town from 3–8 May. A river of<br />
sherry fl ows as fl amenco dancers<br />
and musicians provide round-theclock<br />
entertainment at this world-<br />
famous spring fair. Olé!<br />
We fl y to Seville from Gatwick<br />
from £29.99**<br />
**Prices are single including taxes.<br />
Correct as of 14 January for travel<br />
between 27 March and 29 October,<br />
though some launch dates may vary<br />
MARCH 11 | TRAVELLER | 191
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