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Travel agenda

From airport lounge specialists and Michael Palin to travel towels and free gondola rides

Friday 07 June 2013 16:24 BST
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Sicily in style

SoloSicily has a new range of self-catering villas for summer. The collection includes two apartments, Lilla (sleeps two) and Viola (sleeps three), which can be booked separately or together. Both have direct beach access and balconies that look towards Isola Bella, offshore from the town of Taormina. Weekly rental from €1,732 (soloSicily.com).

Float away

InterRail is offering a free 25-minute gondola ride in Venice from 19 and 28 July, when travellers book the InterRail Global Pass (InterRail.eu).

NYC for free

The Museum Mile Festival is in New York on Tuesday with free entry to venues such as the Guggenheim (6pm to 9pm; museummilefestival.org).

Croatian cycling

The fertile plains and benign climate of the Istrian peninsula have earnt it a reputation for being a gastro hotspot, famed for fine wines, olive oil, white truffles and fresh pasta. Until September, you can explore the region's "wine roads" on a new eight-day cycling tour with Macs Adventure for £659pp, with B&B hotels and luggage transfers, but not flights (macs adventure.com).

Summer fête

Michael Palin kicks off the inaugural Travel Festival at Kings Place in London's King's Cross on 22 June with a talk on "The Truth and Other Adventures". The next day, a host of other speakers will discuss their travels, with food and wine from around the world, and a pop-up bookshop from Stanfords; day tickets £25 (kingsplace.co.uk/travelfestival).

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The number of bright, summery colours these new quick-drying travel towels are available in. Ideal for backpackers moving from beach to bag, the super- absorbent cotton drys 40 per cent faster, £18 (thebestbedlinenintheworld.com).

Lounge luxe

The only executive lounges at Heathrow Terminal 5 belong to BA, but the pay-to-use lounge specialist No 1 Traveller has struck a deal with the Gordon Ramsay Plane Food restaurant that buys you a two-course set menu (breakfast or daytime dining), with buck's fizz, bloody mary or wine for £30; children's menu, £15 (No1Traveller.com).

Happy camper

Canopy & Stars has launched its Great Moveable Feast competition, with the chance to spend 11 days touring the UK. To win, submit your 150-word travel memory: canopyand stars.co.uk/tgmf

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