INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL : This Worldwide Agenda Should Be a Smash

Every country around the world is offering a wealth of fun things to see and do this year. There are music and art festivals, carnivals, birthday celebrations, fairs, games, historical recountings, religious observances and sporting events.

As a result, an increasing number of Americans will be seeking out smaller cities, open spaces, off-the-beaten-path countryside hideaways, lower prices, hearty food and comfortable, quiet accommodations. Many will visit big cities, mountains, lakes, hidden coves and bays, castles, forests, villages, deserts, islands and exotic resorts in search of that “perfect” vacation.

To get there, visitors will travel by plane, boat, ship, automobile, bus, train, balloon and barge. What follows is an outline of 10 premiere events expected to be most frequented by travelers this year:

Dublin’s Millennium

Dublin will present exhibitions of art, literature, music, sports, architecture, science and technology, plus street festivals and pageants highlighting the history of Dublin’s Jewish and Italian communities.

St. Patrick’s Day is being extended to St. Patrick’s Week, with the traditional parade March 17. On the same day is the Lord Mayor’s Ball at the Burlington Hotel and the Royal Dublin Society dog show. May 8-17, an international piano competition is scheduled; on May 15 a series of Dublin Millennium walking tours will begin. June 10-24 is the city’s Liberties Festival, with open-air concerts, pageants, exhibitions and poetry readings; June 13-26 a writers’ conference will include public readings celebrating Joyce, Yeats, Beckett, Shaw, Wilde, Behan and others.

A citywide birthday party will be held July 9-10 in Phoenix Park, featuring what is expected to be the world’s largest birthday cake and the release of 100,000 balloons. Antiques, the fine arts, design, every form of craft, music and the theater will take turns in the spotlight during the rest of the year.

Sporting events will be almost continuous, from sailing regattas and the famed Dublin Horse Show to bowling, road racing and cycling. A college football game on Nov. 19 will match two American universities--Boston College and Army.

For more information, contact the Irish Tourist Board, 757 3rd Ave., 19th Floor, New York 10017, phone (212) 418-0800.

Beyond the Olympics

Playing second fiddle to the Summer Olympics (Sept. 17-Oct. 2) in South Korea are numerous tourist attractions that begin with Seoul’s ancient Namdaemun Gate, the nation’s greatest national treasure. The gate sits in the middle of a traffic circle and is passed daily by hundreds of drivers.

Beyond the gate a tranquil countryside awaits visitors. Some of the more popular destinations within the nation are Popchusa Temple; Mt. Songnisan National Park, famous for its “skyscraper” Buddha; Sokkuram Grotto, home of the serene statue of a seated Buddha facing east; Pulguksa Temple in Kyongju, one of South Korea’s greatest Buddhist temples, and Songkwangsa and Haeinsa, two prominent temples in the southern provinces.

However, visitors will discover that although South Korea has more than 7,000 temples, few Buddhist temples are in Seoul. Other popular temples are Chogyesa, in downtown Seoul; Pongwonsa, in western Seoul; Popchusa, northeast of Taejon in Mt. Songnisan National Park; Songkwangsa, 1 1/2 hours from Kwangju by bus, and T’ongdosa, half an hour north of Pomosa.

For more information about tourist attractions and the Summer Olympics in South Korea, contact Korea National Tourism Corp., 510 West 6th St., Suite 323, Los Angeles 90014, phone (213) 623-1226.

Outdoor Opera in Israel

Israel’s observance of its 40th birthday will include the outdoor staging of Verdi’s opera, “Nabucco,” to be held against a backdrop of the old walls of Jerusalem, a site in the original story. The $11.5-million production will run for 12 performances, May 15-29. Special package tours have been created for the event, combining six days of sightseeing in Israel.

Other events and celebrations during the anniversary year include the Ein Gev Festival of classical and popular music and dance, plus local artists, musical ensembles and soloists from abroad Saturday through Tuesday beginning April 2 in Ein-Gev; Jerusalem’s Israel Festival of music, dance and theater May 14 to June 11; an international hot-air balloon contest in the Negev, with 50 to 150 contestants July 5-13, and the Zimriya festival for Jewish choirs from around the world on Mt. Scopus in Jerusalem Aug. 7-14.

For more information, contact the Israel Government Tourist Office, 6380 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1700, Los Angeles 90048, phone (213) 658-7462.

England’s Great Victory

The 400th anniversary of the defeat of the Spanish Armada off the coast of England in 1588 and an exhibition highlighting Wales’ medieval heritage will be among events held in Britain this year.

Several medieval castles along the English Channel coast, including Carisbrooke, Dover and Walmer, will stage Spanish Armada theme events from July 16 through Aug. 6. An Armada exhibition will be shown at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London, April 20 through Sept. 4.

In July the south coast city of Plymouth, from which Sir Francis Drake embarked as one of the English ship captains, plans a monthlong program of activities, including costumed banquets, exhibitions and shows, climaxing with a re-enactment of the battle in Plymouth Sound with dialogue, music, special effects, laser lights and pyrotechnics.

The 800th anniversary of the 600-mile, 54-day trek through Wales by Gerald of Wales to gain support for the Crusades will be the subject of an exhibition at the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, March through October.

For more information, contact the British Tourist Authority, 350 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles 90071, or call (213) 628-3525.

Australia’s Big Party

Australia will show the world what it does best: throw a party. The main attraction for the nation’s 200th birthday celebration is the $600-million World Expo 88, revving up in Brisbane for a six-month whirl, April 30 to Oct. 30. They’re expecting 7.8 million visitors.

Other bicentennial activities will include the Adelaide Festival and Bicentennial Exhibition, through March 26; a big carnival, the Moomba Festival, in Melbourne through March 14; a balloon race from Perth to Sydney with 88 competitors, March 30 to April 15; a Bicentennial Around Australia relay race in which 16,000 people will each run one kilometer, linking all of Australia and starting from the New Parliament House in Canberra when it opens May 9, ending back there 219 days later on Dec. 13.

A 200-exhibitor travel and trade fair will be held in Melbourne July 23-31; international youth orchestras will congregate in Brisbane for “Festival Fanfare” Aug 1-11; an Australian Military Tattoo, with 1,500 participants, will perform during the year throughout the country, and a round-Australia ocean yacht race starting Aug. 20 is due back in Sydney in December. Also, there’s the Adelaide Grand Prix Nov. 10-13, with the race on the last day.

Meanwhile, the $40-million traveling Australian Bicentennial Exhibition is crisscrossing the country in a fleet of 60 vehicles and carrying a portable 600-seat theater, taking the party to every shore and to the most remote corners of the Outback.

For more information, contact the Australian Tourist Commission, 2121 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1200, Los Angeles 90067, phone (213) 552-1988.

Danish Fairy Tales

Odense, Denmark, hometown of Hans Christian Andersen, will celebrate its 1,000th birthday with the opening of the new Carl Nielsen Museum, in honor of the noted composer, by Queen Margrethe II on March 19. In addition, there are the European Ballroom Dancing Championships on April 30, a tall ships parade in Odense Harbor June 9-12 and the Round Funen Yacht Race in which 1,000 sailboats will participate, also in June.

Viking ships will sail again during this year off Odense in celebration of the city’s Viking Days, and several of Andersen’s fairy tales will be staged.

In addition, Christian IV, one of Denmark’s most beloved kings and builder of many of the nation’s castles, will be honored with various exhibitions and displays of jewels, musical scores and instruments, paintings and tapestries.

For more information, contact the Scandinavian National Tourist Offices, 655 3rd Ave., 18th Floor, New York 10017, phone (212) 949-2333.

Daedalus’ Escape

Sometime during April, depending on the weather, Daedalus’ escape from King Minos 3,500 years ago will be re-created with the lightest human-powered, pedal-pushing aircraft yet built.

Designed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the craft will fly from Crete to southern Greece, the Peloponnesus, across the Sea of Crete. Resembling a flying bicycle mechanically, the craft will be constructed from pink Styrofoam, will weigh 70 pounds, have the wingspan of a jet passenger plane and will attempt a four-hour crossing.

Also, the New York Philharmonic, under the direction of Zubin Mehta, will perform at the Athens Festival in the 5,000-seat Herod Atticus amphitheater at the side of the Acropolis Aug. 16-17.

For more information, contact the Greek National Tourist Organization, 611 West 6th St., Suite 1998, Los Angeles 90017, phone (213) 626-6696.

Swiss Mountains

The Swiss mountains will be alive with the sound of birthdays this summer. Among the festivities are several anniversaries: the 100th anniversary of the “Gorge of the River Aare,” the 500th birthday of the church of Lauterbrunnen, the 800th anniversary of the village of Berguen, 100th anniversary of the Bruenig Railway, and a celebration commemorating the first ascent of the famed Eiger North Face, which was in July, 1938.

On the Gemmi Pass above Kandersteg, the 31st Shepherds’ Festival will take place July 31, and the Swiss Alpine Club will observe its 125th anniversary Oct. 29-30 with festivities in St. Gallen.

Yodeling, cheese distribution, costume and Alpine folk festivals will be held throughout the summer, with the first ones in late June when the cows are led up to summer pastures. Visitors can watch cow fights--held to see which cows will lead the herds up the mountain--in Grimentz, Saas Fee and Martigny in the Valais Canton.

For more information, contact the Swiss National Tourist Office, 250 Stockton St., San Francisco 94108, phone (415) 362-2260.

Quebec’s 400 Festivals

Each year the French Canadians of Quebec and Montreal draw more than 9 million tourists. As the “Latins of the North,” residents of Quebec hold more than 400 festivals and carnivals each year, the largest on June 24, which was originally the Feast of St. John the Baptist. Now it is called “La Fete Nationale,” or National Day, really a long weekend of celebrations complete with roaring bonfires and dancing in the streets.

In recent years Montreal has drawn millions of visitors to popular attractions such as the annual fireworks show in May, the La Ronde amusement park and the free dancing and concerts in the city’s many parks. Montreal’s International Jazz Festival, with 1,000 musicians from 15 countries, takes place during 10 days in June.

For more information, contact the Canadian Consulate General, 300 S. Grand Ave., 10th Floor, Los Angeles 90071, phone (213) 687-7432.

Burning the Caricatures

Visitors to Spain this year will discover that Spanish hotels range from palatial to student hostels, with a place for every budget. In addition, Spain has more than 80 moderately priced, government-run paradors, which are often converted castles, convents or monasteries usually in villages or towns of historic or scenic significance.

Fallas de San Jose, one of the most popular events of the year, will take place March 12-19 in Valencia. When the weeklong celebration ends with the crema, the fallas --which are towering papier-mache caricatures--end up on bonfires at midnight of the last day. Holy Week celebrations, March 27 to April 3, are noted for the solemn pasos, platforms bearing sculptured scenes from the Passion, which are carried through the streets of Cuenca, Malaga, Seville, Valladolid, Murcia, Granada and other Spanish cities.

For a week every year in late April, Seville, the Andalusian area capital, is transformed with colorful tents, wreaths and paper lanterns. Riders perform on horses, major bullfights are held and there are singing and dancing every night.

During June, Spain holds its Rocio Pilgrimage. Carts drawn by oxen, decorated with flowers and wax figures and accompanied by hundreds of riders stream across the countryside from Heulva, Cadiz and Seville to the sound of flutes and tambourines. They meet at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Rocio in Almonte for religious ceremonies.

For more information, contact the National Tourist Office of Spain, 8383 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 960, Los Angeles 90211, phone (213) 658-7188.