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Star Wars filming locations in the UK, Azores budget flights, and Tunisia advice: Travel agenda

Where to go and what to know

Friday 18 December 2015 10:58 GMT
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Marktgasse Hotel
Marktgasse Hotel

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Old and new

The latest addition to Zurich's accommodation scene, the Marktgasse Hotel, is now open. Housed in two listed 13th-century buildings, the hotel has retained protected features such as stucco work and wood panelling, offset by modern furnishings. marktgassehotel.ch

Green screen

Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Tourism has a new Film and TV Trail taking in shooting locations for productions including Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and the latest Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens. The downloadable guide also features a map and local attractions, dining and accommodation. visitdeanwyefilm.co.uk

Luton links

Vueling, the budget sister airline of British Airways, has moved into easyJet's heartland at Luton airport. From March it will fly to both Amsterdam and Barcelona. The twice-daily flights are likely to trigger a summer fares war. The Luton-Amsterdam fare on some dates in May is as low as £55 return. vueling.com

More Azores

This is the first winter in which the Azores have enjoyed budget flights, and Bensaude Hotels has some short-break specials to the islands of Sao Miguel, Terceira and Faial. The deals include three nights' accommodation and one dinner, from €103.50 per person, excluding flights, and runs until the end of March. bensaudehotels.com

The new Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro
The new Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro

Good science

The Museum of Tomorrow opens in Rio de Janeiro today. One of a number of new tourist attractions to open in the Brazilian city ahead of next year's Olympics, the museum will feature interactive exhibits about climate change, technology and more. museudoamanha.org.br

Curfew over

The Foreign Office travel has updated its advice for Tunisia. It now says: “The curfew in place from midnight to 5am in Greater Tunis has now been lifted.” However, the official advice continues to warn against “all but essential travel” to the country, following two massacres of tourists this year. bit.ly/TunisFCO

Cave concert

A series of cultural voyages sets sail from Bergen in Norway aboard the coastal express ferry Hurtigruten. Features include a pre- departure piano concert inside a cave at Edvard Grieg's former home, on-board lectures on Norse myths, and historic church visits in Alesund and Tromso. hurtigruten.co.uk

On the rails

Eurostar's old rolling stock between London St Pancras, Paris and Brussels is gradually being replaced and upgraded, with a combination of new trains (known as e320) and refurbished 1990s carriages (e300). Both types offer added amenities such as free wi-fi and power sockets at every seat. eurostar.com

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