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By Julia Pond, Editorial Director
Budget Tribe: St. Louis
by: Herkie flickr – Courtesy: Trip.com
Meet us in St. Louis’ French-inflected Soulard district, which throws a big, fabulous party each year with lots of free events around it. Flights from inside the continental US are reasonably priced, or you can jump in a car for a long road trip if you’re a broke kid of a coastal elite. Once you’re there, more than a few downtown St Louis hotels have great deals (Great bang for the buck to be found at the Cheshire, with James Bond and Lewis Carroll themed rooms.) The Soulard Farmer’s Market is one of the oldest in the country and has great deals on fresh produce and Southern traditions like alligator sausage.
Luxury Tribe: Malta
by: Ronny Siegel flickr – Courtesy: Trip.com
One of Trip.com’s Rising Stars, Malta has a long Carnevale (Mardi Gras) tradition. The epicenter is Valletta, where you can watch the parade and stroll the UNESCO world heritage streets the next day. Don’t forget to score tickets to one of the lavish masked balls. Or drop by Nadur in Gozo where Carnival is a spontaneous event, truly dedicated to disguise. Reserve a room at Le Meridien St Julien’s or Hotel Phoenicia in Valletta for a pampering stay.
Art & Design Lovers: Baranquilla
by: Gogobot Editors – Courtesy: Trip.com
A huge celebration in the Colombian coastal city, you probably haven’t heard of this “other” South American carnival, but you should. A real flowering of diverse music and culture, Barranquilla’s carnival focuses more on traditional music: from cumbia to mapalé (which is African-influenced), to chandé and more, they are all imbued with Colombian colors and personality to “celebrate the Caribbean self.” There is also a great battle of flowers on opening day, so you won’t want for colors and art.
Source: gogobot.com