By FOMO Girl
Anyone who loves a masquerade will have a blast at Italy's annual Carnival festival, held in the beautiful city of Venice every February. The largest of its kind in Italy, every year people come from around the globe to partake in the merriment of this celebration in which colorfully clad masked partygoers roam the streets. Several companies whom specialise in festivals travel provide exciting tours to this amazing event.

Known locally as "Carnevale", this festive holiday is observed just before Lent, in February, but the exact date varies from one year to the next. The tradition started during the twelfth century following a local victory, its lavish and indulgent nature is also believed to stem from the fact that all excessive drinking, eating, and partying is strictly off limits during Lent.

The tradition perpetuated and by the Renaissance it was being celebrated in grand style. Locals would take to the streets of Venice adorned in fancy costumes and wearing exquisitely crafted masks, and various performances would be put on in the city's public squares. These festivities started to lose popularity over the years, first declining in the 18th century, and finally being banned altogether by Mussolini in the 1930's.

Fortunately, by the late 1970's, a group of local artisans successfully managed to get its observance reinstated. The reborn Carnival resulted in a huge boost for Venetian tourism, with about three million people from around the world visiting the city every year for this outstanding two-week event.

Masked balls, both private and public, represent the height of the festivities, but there are also lots of other fun events that take place, most of them being free of charge, such as concerts, candle-lit boat processions, and street entertainment by clowns, buskers and such. One can take in a play, participate in some traditional sporting events, or simply enjoy the abundance of delicious food and drink.

G Adventures provides customers with fun nine-day Venice Carnival tours From Rome to Venice during this special time of the year. This tour also includes 3 nights in Tuscany on the way to the Venice for Carnival, where you will stay for 3 nights. The tour groups are no larger than 16 people in size and includes breakfasts each morning and a traditional local dinner in Rome, an orientation walk in Florence, day trip to Pisa and all transport between destinations and to/from included activities..  You will also have a walking tour of Venice, water taxi transportation, and excursions to such interesting places as quaint fishing villages, St. Mark\s Basilica, a glass-blowing studio and of course the masked partying.

By FOMO Girl
Thousands of people travel to Croatia and other parts of the world every year. There are many different things that attract people to certain regions. Festivals travel is a common reason people venture to Croatia and their capital city Zagreb. A main attraction, especially toward the fall and winter seasons, is the Truffles Festival.

Truffle is the name used to describe a fruiting body. It is a type of subterranean Ascomycete fungus from the genus Tuber species. These are often celebrated as ingredients in many types of cuisine. Some of the most famous truffles have been found in regions of Croatia, which is one reason why this is home to numerous truffle festivals and events.

Black truffles are harvested in this area throughout the year, but the special white truffle does not appear until September and lasts until around January. This is a time when people are out hunting for truffles. Thousands of Croatians, tourists and even dogs will wander through the forests for hours looking for these truffles.

The Festival of Subotica is an annual event that signifies the start of white truffle season. It is held on the second Saturday of September. At the festival, a large truffle omelet is made in a big pan. The dish requires more than 20 pounds of truffles to be made. In the early half of November, Buzet plays hosts to Truffles Weekend. This features a fair in which homemade and local truffle-based products are available. There are numerous festivals and similar events held to honor this time of year and the flavorful delicacy that it brings.

There are several restaurants around the area that serve dishes with this fungus. In fact, visitors may have the opportunity to book a foraging trip in Zigante, spending time out in the wilderness with a hunter and dogs to find and dig out truffles. Once enough has been collected, they can return to a restaurant and enjoy the delicious truffles they just handpicked. It's a forest-to-table experience that many choose not to miss out on. Other opportunities, including truffle tasting, are available through numerous restaurants and businesses.

One of the largest truffles ever discovered in the world was found in Croatia. These are not native to the area but where many travel in search of the best. While black truffles are loved, they are more readily available and not as big of a deal to the locals or most travelers.

However, the season for white truffles is an exciting time for Croatians and visitors alike. These are highly prized, especially among foodies, restaurateurs and of course truffle hunters. They are known for having a distinct, rich and earthy taste, and are often used to make aromatic oils, condiments and pasta-based dishes.

The events held around this special truffle season are accessible through many tour-operating companies. This makes it easier for visitors to navigate the area and have a chance to see some of the Croatian culture. People can learn more about the history of truffle hunting, the ways these can be incorporated into dishes and other interesting information.

G Adventures have a fantastic 5 day Croatia Truffle Festival tour, which includes all your transportation, 3 nights accommodation in hotels and 1 night in a multi-share homestay set up, with breakfast included each day.  You will also have orientation walks with olive oil tasting and a truffle hunt during the Truffle festival.

By FOMO Girl
People in many countries around the world believe that All Hallow's Eve (Halloween) is the one night a year when the living and the dead come together as the veil temporarily drops between their two worlds. Dressing up in costume, trick-or-treating, exploring haunted houses, and other spooky activities are among the most popular past times on the final day of October. Adventure seekers who want to take their celebration to another level can consider Halloween travel to Transylvania, the setting for Bram Stoker's classic vampire story, Dracula.

Many historians believe the folk beliefs of people living in Celtic-speaking countries had the greatest influence on many of today's most popular modern customs. Many link it to a festival known as Samhain, which marks the end of summer and was celebrated in Scotland and Ireland. Traditions include setting a place for dead relatives to invite them home, performing rituals to divine the future, and lighting bonfires to hold off the coming winter.

The ancient tradition of wearing animal pelts to escape detection by the dead as they walked among the living evolved into donning elaborate costumes. Popular modern designs include vampires, werewolves, witches, and other scary creatures, though some adults now opt for funny or sexy costumes on this one night when they can drop their inhibitions and be anything they want to be.

Transylvania is in Romania at the foot of the Carpathian mountains. Vlad the Impaler belonged to the House of Darculesti and ruled the region during the mid-1500s. Also known as Dracula, his name inspired Bram Stoker to call the main character in his 1897 novel Count Dracula.

Visitors to this region for Halloween will find a more authentic and less commercialized observance of this season than is typically seen in the United States. Guests travel back through time as they make their way through winding streets of quaint historic villages. Exploration of Gothic castles and Saxon citadels offer unique vistas and the opportunity to delve deeper into the region's history and culture.

Many tour operators offer package deals for travelers who want to experience this charming yet mysterious region of the world. Some focus on the spooky aspects of the region, especially its ties to Stoker's Dracula. Others highlight the culture and traditions of the area with wine tasting adventures, Romanian folklore presentations and castle tours.

Busabout offers a six day Halloween trip that travels round trip from Budapest, Hungary to Brasov. Guests enjoy a scenic journey through the Carpathian mountains with stops at Cluj, Brasov, Sibiel and Racatau Valley. Other activities include an orientation walk through Sighisoara, where Vlad the Impaler was born as well as a visit to his castle. The highlight of the tour is attendance at an exclusive fancy dress party inside a mountain retreat.

G Adventures offers a seven-day Halloween tour to Transylvania that includes a costume Halloween party inside Hunyard Castle, which locals believe is haunted. Another highlight on the tour is the opportunity to walk around the ruins of Poenari Castle where the real Dracula stepped foot several centuries ago. Travelers also have a chance to explore Peles Castle, Bran Castle, and Prejmer Fortress.

If you're looking for more information on festival travel in Europe, then check out the guys from FOMO Travel.  They are sure to have you sorted with the best Festival and Events travel advice.

By FOMO Girl
Festivals Travel is increasing each year in many parts of the world. Travelling is considered a right of passage by many people from all walks of life. Nowadays people are travelling from one place to another with an aim of attending a certain event or festival. Festivities take place all around the year and they attract a huge attendance and audience. Some of the major international or globally recognized festivals are the Oktoberfest, Rio Carnival, Running of the Bulls, Mardi Gras and Hogmanay.

A festival is basically an event or an occasion where people from all parts of the world meet up with an aim of socializing and really getting into the festivities of the occasion. People go to great lengths to attend these major festivals and a lot of income and finances is set aside by people to cater for the expenses incurred during such expeditions.

When an event is not nearby, it is necessary if planning to attend to make travel arrangements to get to the event and quite often this needs to be booked well in advance.  For this reason, many companies have been established to help recreational travelers to reach their destinations. One of the most popular tour companies that specialise  in the youth travel, as well as festivals travel markets, is called Contiki. Contiki runs tours to many festivals around the world with utmost ease and generally at a fairly low cost.

Another well-known tour company that operates tours to the above festivals is G Adventures. G Adventures is another tour company that specialises in adventure travel, but they also operate shorter festival trips. Their personnel who are in charge of these tours are very professionals and have years' experience in their work.

TGW Travel Group, also known as Tours Gone Wild, is an alternative tour company that offers excellent and superb services to all its clients. This is a company that has vast experience in Brazil and they are definately the Brazil and Rio Carnival specialists. Busabout is another popular tour company that operates tours to most of these major events and festivals.  All these companies provide accommodation and transportation for the above mentioned festivals.

The Youth Travel market is mostly the group of people who are potential customers to the above listed companies.  However, these events also target other specific audiences such as families, couples or even children.  For special types of customers such as disabled persons, special amenities have to be provided in addition to the ones present in the normal travel packages.

The cost of travelling varies depending on the means of transport used. Use of air transport is considered the most expensive as compared to alternative means such as road and rail transport. Most tour companies give a wide range of options to their clients and customers on various means to move from one place to the other.

Festivals Travel will continue to grow and expand in the coming years with more and more people expected to attend these international festivities. As the customers for this service increase, so will the income from the above business.

FOMO Travel are the Festival and Events Travel specialists and they provide a wide array of information on the major festivals and events from across the globe.

By FOMO Girl
If you are interested in finding out more about youth travel tours, there are many resources in print and online to help. The 18-35 Travel website now has some great information on youth travel tours and below I have included some useful tips on where to get more information. Potential destinations, operators and other practical pointers are also included.

There are a wide range of choices all over the world where it is possible to book a youth tour. However, some of the most popular options, which already have a network of providers available, include Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Canada and the United States. Many of these destinations are predominantly English speaking and therefore less of a challenge to navigate for many travellers.

Among the choices in Europe, some of the most in demand destinations include Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, particularly Amsterdam. There are a variety of companies which can provide youth travel trips to these areas, which include visits to attractions from Big Ben to the Sistine Chapel and the Eiffel Tower. One option is to opt for an all inclusive package which includes flights. Alternatively, there is a large student population in most of the major cities in Europe. Therefore, you will likely be able to find a company offering a tour once you arrive.

In the United States, there are thousands of options, but some of the most popular destinations for youth tours include San Francisco, New York, Las Vegas, Miami, Boston and Washington D. C. If you are based in the States, it is not difficult to find a range of low cost city break options geared for students and young people. Many include reduced price ticket fares, accommodation and activities.

There are a number of companies which offer discounted packages for youth. Some examples are Contiki, Busabout and G Adventures. To receive student discounts on these tours, it may be necessary to present your student ID or a letter from your university. Particularly in Europe, an ISIC (International Student Identity Card) is often required to get special discounts on youth travel.

You might be wondering what to expect from youth tours, so an explanation of what types of travellers take part may be useful. Of course, most who take part are young. However, there are also many mature students who are able to take advantage of this type of travel thanks to their studies. Therefore, you should expect to see a wide range of ages represented.

As well, the type of tour impacts upon the types of travellers who take part. It is possible to find highly specialized trips, such as art tours of Italy. These can be counted upon to attract students of art history from around the world. As well, if you study at a university, it could be worth checking to find out if your school organizes any tours for students. This can be a fun way to get to know people better at your school in addition to having a travel adventure.

For further tips to help with youth travel tours, there is much information which can be found online and in print. For instance, there are a myriad of guides dedicated to student travel at many book stores. You can select a guide according to the place you plan to visit. In addition, there are many blogs and websites which provide helpful advice for young people who are planning a trip. 

The Youth Travel section of the 18-35 Travel website is a great resource to get you started.