If you are into cinema or theatre, then the experience of going to see a film or a film festival is as exciting as what you see when you are there. Be it a world-class première cinema or an edgy film festival, turning the whole experience into a holiday can be the perfect excuse for a trip away now the weather has turned colder.
New York is also home to a myriad of film festivals, including the prestigious New York Film Festival which runs every September/October and the New York City International Film Festival which takes place every May and June.
Apart from its festivals, some of film’s most famous moments have been created on New York’s streets . Why not take your holiday to New York, see the sights and include one of the festivals? Better yet, why not visit one of the famous cinemas like the IMAX in Lincoln Square in the Upper West Side or the Paris Theatre on 58th Street that was opened in 1948 by Marlene Dietrich?
If New York is too far to travel, why not try some European cinema and visit Amsterdam? Famous for its canals and nightlife, Amsterdam is also host to the eclectic Amnesty International Film Festival each March and the International Documentary Film Festival which takes place in November. Hotels are plentiful in the city and there are outlets to suit all tastes and pockets making it easy to find ideal Amsterdam accommodation whichever festival you are going to visit.
As you would expect, Amsterdam is also home to many different types of cinema, from the modern to the historical, art-deco to urban-funk. You will also find a wide range of film genre on offer including art-house, English & American, animation and student. Most of these are located around the popular Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein regions of the city. Transport around the city is very simple and straightforward, so getting to any venue is never a problem, wherever you are staying.
For something closer to home, but also a little more unusual, why not combine a visit to a drive-in cinema with a trip to Manchester? A drive-in is a unique cinema experience where, of course, every seat in the house is the best seat in the house! In the Old Trafford area of Manchester you will find Europe’s only digital drive-in, the Route 66 Drive-In. Screening all the latest films, this venue offers all the amenities you would expect from a normal cinema with the added bonus of taking your car into the theatre!
Manchester itself is a vibrant city and has a lot to offer the weekend visitor or the more intrepid holiday maker. Events include the Manchester Food and Drink Festival in September/October, the Manchester Literature Festival in October and, of course, at any time of the year you can tour the stadiums in this football-crazy city. So, why not plan a break in Manchester, take in the sites and some of the festivals and try the Route 66 Drive-In in Manchester as well?
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to finding the coolest film haunts and festivals but we hope it serves it’s purpose to get you exploring! We suggest you begin here on our site, you need not even leave your house. Check out our very own “Facial Fur & Wet Shave Cinema“! Enjoy the show (s)!
Cailen McToldridge is a young writer from Scotland working in the digital world who enjoys travel writing and blogging.
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