Western Europe travel news

Western Europe is always making headlines in travel news and this week is no exception. From the Amsterdam airport to the Festival of Music, there's tons going on.

As always, there’s a lot going on in Western Europe these days. From festivals to new airline routes and more, travel news abounds. So, while I’d like to write blog entries or articles about everything going on, I’m going to have to be content with a roundup of the highlights.

1. Listen to the music: The Festival of Music that started in France and now takes place in more than 100 other countries is Thursday, June 21. If you’re in a participating country, and chances are, you are, just head outside and listen to the music. Or, even better, grab your old guitar, flute, harmonica, whatever, and provide a little entertainment yourself. The festival of music is simply a day for musicians to get out and play and music lovers to listen. It’s really as simple as that.

2. Amsterdam airport best in Europe: The Airports Council International gave the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol a big thumbs up by naming it Europe’s Best Airport 2007. To qualify, airports had to exceed 25 million passengers per year. In 2006, Schiphol served more than 46 million passengers, making it the fourth biggest passenger airport in Europe. The council judged airports on the following categories: facilities, security, retail, community relationship, service and environmental awareness.

3. Rick Steves writes about Andorra: Andorra, that tiny country tucked into the Pyrenees between France and Spain, got some press this week from famed travel writer Rick Steves. He writes about how for centuries, the country was protected by the mountains and now those very mountains are drawing tourists for various recreational opportunities, such as skiing and hiking.

4. Connecting European countries: The much publicized high-speed rail link between France, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland began service in early June. The line is a huge step toward a rapid pan-European transit system. For example, the service cuts the Paris to Frankfurt route to three hours and 50 minutes, down from six hours and 20 minutes.

5. Can you hear me now? The European Aviation Safety Agency has cleared the way for use of cell phones, BlackBerries and other mobile devices by passengers while in flight. Starting in September, passengers on planes outfitted with the OnAir system will be able to use their mobile devices while flying at altitudes above 9,840 feet. Air France is expected to be the first airline to utilize the system, although Ryanair, BMI and TAP have all also signed up for the service.