If you live in Europe—or if you just like music—you’ve probably heard of Eurovision, Europe’s yearly song contest that has been running since 1956. This year’s contest will be held in Rotterdam following the victory of the Netherlands in 2019’s contest and the cancellation of the 2020 contest due to the Coronavirus.

If you want to tune in to Eurovision this year, here’s everything you’ll want to know first.

Yes, it is happening. While 2020’s contest was canceled, this year’s will be held with a reduced audience size and an option for participating countries to send in taped performances.

The semi-finals will be held on May 18th and 20th and the final will be on May 22nd.

This year’s current favorites to win are Malta and France, although fans are also throwing their support behind Switzerland, Italy, and Iceland.

If you want to watch the show, it’ll be broadcast live on TV in over 40 countries. But if your country isn’t one of the lucky 40, you can also tune in to a live stream on Eurovision’s YouTube channel.

The post What You Should Know Before This Year’s Eurovision appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

Christmas is a magical time of the year but this year, like many other things, it will be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus may not affect how you spend holidays at home, but what about the famous Christmas markets in European cities?

It’s clear that we won’t get to travel and enjoy the holiday season in the same way we’re used to. One of the most wonderful things about Christmas in Europe is that virtually every city holds a magical Christmas market, and the markets are the most beautiful in big cities like Vienna and Prague. What will things be like this year?

Vienna’s Christas market is scheduled to happen from November 13th to December 26. The organizers are currently trying to make sure all the safety measures can be followed, which means there won’t be any indoor activities and the number of stands and visitors will be smaller.

Some German cities like Köln have canceled their Christmas markets, while others are still hoping to have them. One thing is sure—Christmas markets will look and feel a lot different than in the past years.

The post Will European Cities Host Christmas Markets This Year? appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

If you’ve spent the past few months missing the club and going out to a party, Berlin offers a great solution: the smallest discos in the world are currently located in Berlin and they are a great way to have some fun while following social distance measures. There are two locations in the capital of Germany where partygoers can go for a dance.

The “Teledisko” locations let you choose your favorite song and dance to it for €2. If you pay €4, you’ll also receive a photo, and for €6 you’ll get a video from your tiny party. Of course, you don’t have to go in alone—take your favorite dance partner with you!

The two Telediskos are located in Friedrichshain and in the nightclub Kater Blau. Three other books don’t have fixed locations. They are actually not new — they’ve been around for a few years, but they became popular in recent months. Once you’re in, nobody can get in from the outside so you can relax and dance your stress away! 

Similar booths are about to be opened in more cities around Europe, like London, Vienna, and Paris. There’s already one in Madrid, Spain, and locals and tourists simply love it.

The post Phone Booths in Berlin Become Mini Discos appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

We may have expected many things from the COVID-19 pandemic, like decreased travel and closed borders, but nobody expected practices from the beginning of the 17th century to make a comeback. Yet, that’s exactly what happened in Tuscany, Italy, where around 150 wine windows reopened after nearly 400 years. 

Wine windows allow Italians to serve drinks and desserts without physical contact, which is perfect for times like these. They were actually invented during the Italian Plague in 1629 by wine merchants who needed a way to serve drinks without spreading the disease. Who would’ve known that they will have the same function again four centuries later?

Over 100 of these windows are located in the historical center of Florence. In 2015, three friends founded a non-profit organization Buchette del Vino in order to promote and preserve these windows. Talking about the original wine merchants who made them, Buchette del Vino said: “They passed the flask of wine through the window to the client but did not receive payment directly into their hands. Instead, they passed a metal pallet to the client, who placed the coins on it, and then the seller disinfected them with vinegar before collecting them.”

The post In Italy, Wine Windows From the 17th Century Are Open Again appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

IKEA will build a new store in Vienna, and it’s going to be unlike any of their stores around the world.

The building will be located in one of the biggest subway stations in the city (Westbahnhof), it’s going to be seven stories tall, and built in an eco-friendly manner.

What does that mean? By placing the store in the city, on the location that’s easily accessible by public transport or bike, IKEA is encouraging everyone to reduce the use of cars. The new store won’t even have a parking area!

How would you carry the things you purchase home then, you may ask? You don’t – they get them delivered to you. The store is actually visioned as a meeting place, where you go to browse and to have a good time. Some of the features include a rooftop open for the public, a cafe, and green facades decorated with plants.

What do you think about this new concept? Do you think that carless shopping has a chance to become a big trend?

The post New Eco-Friendly IKEA Store Coming to Vienna appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

If you live in Europe—or if you just like music—you’ve probably heard of Eurovision, Europe’s yearly song contest that has been running since 1956. This year’s contest will be held in Rotterdam following the victory of the Netherlands in 2019’s contest and the cancellation of the 2020 contest due to the Coronavirus.

If you want to tune in to Eurovision this year, here’s everything you’ll want to know first.

Yes, it is happening. While 2020’s contest was canceled, this year’s will be held with a reduced audience size and an option for participating countries to send in taped performances.

The semi-finals will be held on May 18th and 20th and the final will be on May 22nd.

This year’s current favorites to win are Malta and France, although fans are also throwing their support behind Switzerland, Italy, and Iceland.

If you want to watch the show, it’ll be broadcast live on TV in over 40 countries. But if your country isn’t one of the lucky 40, you can also tune in to a live stream on Eurovision’s YouTube channel.

The post What You Should Know Before This Year’s Eurovision appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

Christmas is a magical time of the year but this year, like many other things, it will be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus may not affect how you spend holidays at home, but what about the famous Christmas markets in European cities?

It’s clear that we won’t get to travel and enjoy the holiday season in the same way we’re used to. One of the most wonderful things about Christmas in Europe is that virtually every city holds a magical Christmas market, and the markets are the most beautiful in big cities like Vienna and Prague. What will things be like this year?

Vienna’s Christas market is scheduled to happen from November 13th to December 26. The organizers are currently trying to make sure all the safety measures can be followed, which means there won’t be any indoor activities and the number of stands and visitors will be smaller.

Some German cities like Köln have canceled their Christmas markets, while others are still hoping to have them. One thing is sure—Christmas markets will look and feel a lot different than in the past years.

The post Will European Cities Host Christmas Markets This Year? appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

If you’ve spent the past few months missing the club and going out to a party, Berlin offers a great solution: the smallest discos in the world are currently located in Berlin and they are a great way to have some fun while following social distance measures. There are two locations in the capital of Germany where partygoers can go for a dance.

The “Teledisko” locations let you choose your favorite song and dance to it for €2. If you pay €4, you’ll also receive a photo, and for €6 you’ll get a video from your tiny party. Of course, you don’t have to go in alone—take your favorite dance partner with you!

The two Telediskos are located in Friedrichshain and in the nightclub Kater Blau. Three other books don’t have fixed locations. They are actually not new — they’ve been around for a few years, but they became popular in recent months. Once you’re in, nobody can get in from the outside so you can relax and dance your stress away! 

Similar booths are about to be opened in more cities around Europe, like London, Vienna, and Paris. There’s already one in Madrid, Spain, and locals and tourists simply love it.

The post Phone Booths in Berlin Become Mini Discos appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

We may have expected many things from the COVID-19 pandemic, like decreased travel and closed borders, but nobody expected practices from the beginning of the 17th century to make a comeback. Yet, that’s exactly what happened in Tuscany, Italy, where around 150 wine windows reopened after nearly 400 years. 

Wine windows allow Italians to serve drinks and desserts without physical contact, which is perfect for times like these. They were actually invented during the Italian Plague in 1629 by wine merchants who needed a way to serve drinks without spreading the disease. Who would’ve known that they will have the same function again four centuries later?

Over 100 of these windows are located in the historical center of Florence. In 2015, three friends founded a non-profit organization Buchette del Vino in order to promote and preserve these windows. Talking about the original wine merchants who made them, Buchette del Vino said: “They passed the flask of wine through the window to the client but did not receive payment directly into their hands. Instead, they passed a metal pallet to the client, who placed the coins on it, and then the seller disinfected them with vinegar before collecting them.”

The post In Italy, Wine Windows From the 17th Century Are Open Again appeared first on toppoptoday.com.

IKEA will build a new store in Vienna, and it’s going to be unlike any of their stores around the world.

The building will be located in one of the biggest subway stations in the city (Westbahnhof), it’s going to be seven stories tall, and built in an eco-friendly manner.

What does that mean? By placing the store in the city, on the location that’s easily accessible by public transport or bike, IKEA is encouraging everyone to reduce the use of cars. The new store won’t even have a parking area!

How would you carry the things you purchase home then, you may ask? You don’t – they get them delivered to you. The store is actually visioned as a meeting place, where you go to browse and to have a good time. Some of the features include a rooftop open for the public, a cafe, and green facades decorated with plants.

What do you think about this new concept? Do you think that carless shopping has a chance to become a big trend?

The post New Eco-Friendly IKEA Store Coming to Vienna appeared first on toppoptoday.com.