April: Take a hike across the Channel Islands

Where to go, what to do in 2011

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The destination


This month's royal wedding at Westminster Abbey is the love story that's launched a thousand hotel reservations, so book now if you want to wave Wills and Kate into church on the 29th (visitlondon.com).

The route

Efforts to find a biofuel for aircraft gather pace this month as Lufthansa (lufthansa.com) launches a long-term trial on its Hamburg-Frankfurt route. Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic (virgin- atlantic.com) launches traditionally fuelled flights from Manchester to Las Vegas, twice weekly.

The accommodation

Three big hotel openings take place this month. In London, The Corinthia (corinthialondon.com) returns the building that housed the Metropole from 1886, to a hotel. It has 294 rooms and a bar by prolific designer, David Collins. Rooms from £450. The 40-room Georgian-fronted Eccleston Square Hotel (ecclestonsquarehotel.com) reopens in Pimlico, London. Rooms from £250. And the five-star all-inclusive, all-villa Buccament Bay Resort (buccament bay.com) takes accommodation on the Caribbean island of St Vincent up a notch. Rooms from £243.

The cultural attraction

Juan, a new movie version of Don Giovanni, opens at the Imperial Cinema, Copenhagen, on 3 April before an invited audience. It then goes on Danish release from 7 April (sf-film.dk). Juan marks the film debut of opera wunderkind Kasper Holten.

The great outdoors

The Channel Island Way, running for 110 miles, opens officially (jersey.com). The walk links trails on Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm and aims to show the diversity of culture and wildlife across the islands.

The family holiday

Feather Down Farm Days (featherdown.co.uk), which specialises in luxury family camping is opening four new farms this month in Somerset, Oxfordshire, the New Forest and Shropshire. This season will also see a host of innovative add-ons for these "glamping" holidays, including optional pre-ordered meals and private showers.

The adventure

Brittany Tourism (goforit.brit tanytourism.com) is launching weekend activity packages. Try your hand at surfing and sand-yachting on the golden beach at Mane-Gwen, then rest your sea legs in a local youth hostel. From £180 for three nights.

The British day out

The once-traditional seaside resort of Margate, in Kent, will finally reveal its homage to modern culture on 16 April when the Turner Contemporary Gallery (turnercontemporary.org) opens in time for Easter. The seafront building, designed by David Chipperfield Architects, is set to become one of the leading visual arts venues in the country.

The winter sports

The end-of-season weekend concert at Ischgl (ischgl.com) in Austria has become the biggest in skiing since Elton John's white piano was airlifted on to the mountain top for his show. This year's free gig is on 29 April and the star will be announced nearer the time.

All prices are per person, based on two sharing, unless otherwise stated. Hotel room prices are per room per night, unless otherwise stated

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