Royal Greenhouses of Laeken

Mid April-Early May-Belgium

Each year the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken are opened to the public for a three week period. These monumental pavilions, constructed in the 19th Century for King Leopold are not only architecturally stunning, they also house important exotic plant flora and fauna. Click here for more information.

Laeken Photos: FlickR / Spigoo

Check out the UHOTW properties while you visit Wallonia.

Foire de Paris

30th April-12th May-France

The Paris Fair is a large trade fair, showing off cultures, food, home, lifestyle, and even the latest inventions. For more information click here.

Check out these UHOTW properties in Paris

Cotswold Olimpicks

30th May-Chipping Camden, United Kingdom

Chipping Camden hosts the annual Olimpick games, founded by Robert Dover in 1612. This year marks the 400-year anniversary. Games include shin-kicking, wrestling and obstacle races. The day ends with fireworks and a torchlight procession.

Check the Olimpicks website for further details. 

Great Escape

16th-18th May-Brighton, United Kingdom

This festival in Brighton runs for three days and has 30 venues with over 300 new artists performing. More information can be found here.

Check out these cool and funky UHOTW properties in Brighton

Festival of Fools

3rd-7th June-United Kingdom

Muncaster Castle hosts the Festival of Fools, where comedians and jesters compete to win the crown of “Fool of Muncaster”. This year, it concludes the castle's Jubilee celebrations.

For more information, check Muncaster's website

Rocket Festival

11th-13th May-Thailand (dates TBC)

In Laos and Thailand, the locals launch homemade bamboo rockets of various shapes and sizes into the sky as part of an old rain-making ceremony. Otherwise known as the Bun Bang Fai Festival, the celebrations in Yasothon are particularly impressive. The legend is that the townspeople created a rocket (a “Bang Fai”) to send to heaven, where the rain god Chao Pu lived, believing that he would bless them with lots of rain for the cultivation of rice.

Find more properties in Thailand click here.

Cannes Film Festival

15th-26th May-France

The world-famous Cannes International Film Festival is invitation-only; however, many people visit to see their favourite actors and celebrities, and enjoy the ambiance of the festival. Find out more here.

Czech Beer Festival

16th May-2nd June-Czech Republic

The Czech Beer Festival brings breweries from across the country to the Prague Exhibition Grounds in Holešovice. Each tent features its own entertainment stage and beers are served in glass pitchers, regardless of company or brand. Hundreds of waiters in traditional costumes and several catering companies provide a speedy service with no waiting in line. You pay in the festival's own currency, the Tolar, which you can buy at your table. Find out more here.

Find more properties in the Czech Republic.

Vogalonga

19th May-Venice, Italy

Rowing event in Venice – over 6000 rowers took part last year. Celebrates the “people of the oar”. For more details click here.

For more properties in the Venice region click here.

Abbey Road on the River - World's Largest Beatles Tribute Festival

23th-27th May-Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Abbey Road on the River, North America's largest and longest running Beatles tribute festival, will be held Memorial Day Weekend at the Belvedere Festival Park and Galt House Hotel & Suites, in Louisville, Kentucky. The five days of peace, love, and rock and roll will feature over 60 international bands performing on eight stages and 30,000 fans from all across the globe. Festival goers can also enjoy free guitar lessons, Beatles film screenings and presentations, Beatles karaoke, a costume contest and parade, and a Beatles merchandise marketplace - all taking place against the waterfront and skyline in downtown Louisville. For more information click here.

Cheese Rolling Festival

Spring Bank Holiday-Brockworth, UK

This 200 year old festival, created in the village of Brockworth, is an annual event in which the competitors (of all ages) chase a block of Double Gloucester cheese down a very steep hill (and it is believed that the cheese can reach speeds of up to 70mph) with the winner taking the cheese home. This traditional and exciting festival has, unfortunately, been abandoned by official management in recent years, which shows the true value of the event to the people of Brockworth as they continue to hold it every year. A great experience for both competitor and spectator.

Visit the Cheese rolling website for more information.

Liege Jazz Festival

13th-14th May-Belgium (dates TBC)

This prestigious festival brings together both local and foreign jazz performers of all levels of professionalism and fame.

Brussels Jazz Marathon

24th-26th May-Belgium

Over 450 performers can be found showing their talents during this large free jazz party.

Sainte Rolende March

20th May-Gerpinnes, Belgium

The day after Pentecost (at 2am), Sainte Rolende's remains are marched along a 35km (around 22 miles) route through local villages until the evening, accompanied by fifes and drums.

El Rocio Pilgrimage

20th May-Spain

Spain’s largest annual pilgrimage, the journey to El Rocio attracts devotees of the Virgen del Rocio (Virgin of the Dew) from across the country, and even from abroad. Processions bound for El Rocio often consist of ox-drawn, flower-decorated gypsy wagons, tractor-drawn carts, women riding side-saddle while wearing flamenco dresses, and men in cropped jackets and flat, broad-brimmed hats riding horses with fringed leather headpieces. The pilgrims all aim to be in El Rocio by the weekend before Pentecostal Monday. On the Sunday, the statue of the Virgin is brought out and shown around. The town itself is reminiscent of the Wild West. The whole spectacle is like being transported back in time to a previous era.

Click here for more information.

Stay in an Unusual hotel in Andalucia - in the historic town of Ronda

Corpus Domini

30th May-Italy

Also known as Corpus Christi, this celebration is held 60 days after Easter each year. Rome has an outdoor evening mass, followed by a procession led by the Pope. Another notable place for this day is Orvieto, where there is a procession of over 400 people along the streets, which are carpeted by flowers.

Want to stay in an Unique Hotel during the Corpus Domini in Italy?

Or specifically see the Pope during your stay in Rome?

Also check out

Rhein in Flammen (May) - staying at

http://www.unusualhotelsoftheworld.com/BaseCampBonn

Find out what's going on in June <here>