Four amazing global events you can see by cruise
Make the most of your 2025 travels by pairing one of these global events with a cruise, writes Will Payne
NOTRE DAME REOPENING, FRANCE
Six years on from the blaze that ripped through Notre Dame de Paris, France is gearing up to celebrate the rebirth of its great Gothic cathedral.
Festivities began in December 2024 but will culminate in June 2025 during the feast of Pentecost.
Look out for new features such as contemporary art installations and hi-tech lighting.
TOKYO SICHUAN FESTIVAL, JAPAN
Every year, Nakano Central Park celebrates Sichuan – the spicy cuisine based on the Chinese pepper of the same name.
At the Tokyo Sichuan Festival 2025, you’ll be able to try mala hotpot packed with beef, tofu, greens and chilli oil.
Feeling brave? Follow it with a bowl of Sichuan peppercorn ice cream.
The 2024 edition drew a crowd of 100,000, with roughly 50,000 meals sold. The 2025 event is scheduled for 10-11 May.
THE COMRADES MARATHON, SOUTH AFRICA
Billed as ‘the ultimate human race’, the Comrades Marathon will take place on 8 June, from Pietermaritzburg, the capital of KwaZulu-Natal province, to Durban on the Indian Ocean.
The brutal 55-mile race was established in 1921 by a group of First World War veterans – the original ‘comrades’ – and is considered to be one of the world’s most punishing, thanks to its challenging terrain.
If you opt to take part in this event before joining a cruise from Durban, it’s safe to say you’ll earn a couple of days lounging around the pool bar.
FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR, GERMANY
Established in 1949, Frankfurt Book Fair is one of the world’s major literary events.
Held annually from 15-19 October, the fair is a melting pot of publishers, authors, literary agents and bibliophiles, not to mention the odd superstar (Bob Dylan was there in 2024).
Apart from the great singer-songwriter, that event drew some 230,000 other attendees, as well as exhibitors from more than 100 countries, so expect bustling streets during the 2025 edition
