Coronation celebration

Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 60 years on the throne by opening her gardens at Buckingham Palace to the public. The event, from July 11 to 14, is part of London's Coronation Festival, and will see more than 200 royal warrant holders exhibiting their products and services. Royal warrant holders are businesses that have supplied the queen, Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles for more than five years, some of which include John Lewis, Gieves & Hawkes and Garrard. Visitors will sample food and drink, interact with technology and see its advancements during the queen's reign, and view the best of British fashion, pastimes, home interiors and more. Tickets are £30 (HK$362) for the day and £90 for an evening gala.

Although the Dolomites in northeastern Italy are best known for winter activities, such as skiing, the area also offers summer spa and culinary options. Guests at the family-run five-star spa resort, Hotel Ciasa Salares in Alta Badia, can re-create the gourmet dishes of Fabio Cucchelli, executive chef of the hotel's two-Michelin-star restaurant, La Siriola, during June and July. The five-hour lesson is conducted by a chef de cuisine and includes bio-friendly ingredients and local seasonal produce that the restaurant is known for. The package also includes four nights per person, with a double-occupancy room, a visit to a local winery with wine tasting, a mountain walk with a local guide, and a three-course dinner at Wine Bar Siriola.

Originally built as a hotel by Theophil Edvard von Hansen for the 1873 World Exhibition, and later used as a municipal building, the newly opened Palais Hansen Kempinski Hotel Vienna has been restored to its former glory. The 152-room property blends Renaissance Revival architecture with contemporary designs and modern amenities. There are also 17 private residential apartments in the property, which also includes Vienna's largest hotel cigar lounge, a bar, two restaurants and a spa. Situated in the heart of Vienna, Palais Hansen Kempinski is just minutes away from sights such as the Burgtheater and the Sigmund Freud Museum.