Setting the Year Ablaze with Business Class Deals and European Events

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Whether you’re a Viking or a dove, fire-filled events are a fun part of festivities held throughout Europe in the winter. Scotland, Spain, Greece and Italy each set their countries ablaze with exciting festivals that will have you booking business class seats to Europe every winter.

The dawn of a new year is often a time to reflect on the past, make plans for the future and start anew. To help you start the new year on a blazing high note, IFlyFirstClass offers cheap business class tickets to Europe for winter travel dates. Last week, we listed some of the reasons you should consider a trip to Europe this winter. This week, we list even more fiery enticements to travel to the continent.

Scotland
Immerse yourself in the Viking spirit with Scotland’s legendary Up Helly Aa festival held on the last Tuesday of January. Lighting up the skies of the stunning Shetland Islands, this is the country’s largest fire festival. The 24-hour festival start is announced with a rocket explosion and the lighting of the torches. A dazzling procession takes the crowd and flaming torches to a replica Viking ship where the “Guizer Jarl,” representing a different Norse character each year, appears. There, “townsfolk” cast their flaming torches into the ship, creating a bonfire unlike any you’ve ever seen. The ensuing party lasts all night and throughout the morning. While Lerwick hosts the largest Up Helly Aa festival, eight other communities host their own version of the event throughout winter.

Valencia, Spain
If your business class flight to Europe takes you to the southern mainland in March, check out Spain’s incredible Fallas de Valencia from March 15 to 19. Honoring Saint Joseph, the five-day marathon celebration includes parades, fiestas, pageants and nightly fireworks displays.

 During the first four days of the celebration, each of the city’s 750 neighborhoods holds a parade to present its spectacular, firecracker-filled cardboard and papier-mache fallas. The fallas are fascinating works of art depicting characters, humorous scenes and creative creatures. On the final night of the event, the city lights are dimmed and the firecracker-laden fallas are set afire. The revelry, explosions and fires last throughout the night, with visitors and townspeople dancing in the streets, feasting and enjoying the town’s many street vendors.

Greece
While many communities celebrate the Easter season with spring-like colors, bunnies and palms, Greece holds its Rocket Wars or Rouketopolemos. The event is held on Chios Island, where two churches hurl 60,000 homemade “rockets” or firecrackers at the other’s bell tower.

Italy
The Explosion of the Cart event in Florence is held on Easter Sunday each year and carries on a 350-year-old tradition. On Easter morning, a priest lights the Easter candle that is used to light a cart of coals. The cart is also packed full of firecrackers. A parade carries the cart through town for presentation to the Archbishop. The Archbishop releases a flaming “dove” rocket that collides with the cart, setting off many explosions and celebrations.

From Scotland to Italy, there are plenty of other fiery events to keep you warm during your travels to Europe this winter. If you really want to start your new year off with a bang, IFlyFirstClass has the business class deals to get you there in style.