April 1 is known as April Fools’ Day in many countries across the world, from Japan to Brazil. It’s simply a bit of fun to most but in many places certain traditions have emerged that define it for that country. If you like a practical joke, then perhaps you’d like to take a holiday to Odessa, Ukraine, where a whole festival is held around April Fools’ Day? Otherwise, simply soak up the quirky traditions that a variety of cultures perform on or around this date.

It’s difficult to pinpoint how or where April Fools’ Day began. There are several theories, many of which seem plausible and all pointing to Europe as the place where the day took on this funny meaning.

Origins in Poetry or Fishing? 

The earliest possible known reference to April 1 and playing a prank is in Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales”, written in the late 14th century. In the poem, a vain hen is tricked by a fox on “syn March bigan thritty dayes and two”. Readers took this as March 32, which would mean April 1. However, scholars have argued that Chaucer states the sun is “in the signe of Taurus” for the events, which could mean it was 32 days after March.

Over one hundred years later, French poet Eloy D’Amerval referred to “poisson d’avril” in 1508, the name which the French call their April Fools’ Day and some suggest that he may be recounting the events of the day.

Concrete accounts about April Fools’ Day emerged from France and Holland around this time, indicating that it may have been a northern European tradition that spread through the Celts. The fishing season began on April 1, but if a fisherman hadn’t brought back a great catch that day, sometimes they lied about how much they had caught. If they were found out, they were the fool.

While we may not know where it originates, it is certainly celebrated in many places now. It is a time that even the national media like to prank their citizens, so before calling “fake news”, remember it’s just a bit of fun!

For the jokers among you, we’ve collected some facts and fun pranks from around the world for this April Fools’ Day.

France 

Paris-France

The French shout “poisson d’avril” for April Fools’ Day. Children draw and make paper fish at school, and people stick them to each other’s backs for fun. If you stop by any patisserie, you’ll find fish-shaped treats to tempt you.

The French media love to catch the unsuspecting public out with their own April Fools’ jokes. In 1986, Le Parisien newspaper ran a story about moving the Eiffel Tower to the site of the new Disneyland Paris. They added credibility to the story by saying that a new Olympic stadium would be built on the site that the iron masterpiece had left.

Last year, when the coronavirus pandemic had much of Europe under full lockdown, there were many news articles about nature reclaiming the streets. So, the Twitter team for the town of Beaulieu-sur-Mer had a little fun by posting some giraffes who were apparently roaming the streets of their town.

Embrace the French joie-de-vivre onLuxury Gold’s French Vogue tour. 

Italy 

Venice- Italy

Despite sharing a 515-kilometer border, the Italians and French have distinct traditions belonging to each country. However, the Italian name for April Fools’ Day is similar – Pesce d’Aprile. In Italy, the most common prank is taping a paper fish to someone’s back, the same as in France. The Italians make a game of it, where everyone in the room is asked who has seen the Pesce d’Aprile? Of course it takes some time for the person wearing the fish to realise!

There are some superb examples of the Italian media playing tricks on the public on April 1. In 1961, Milan’s “La Notte” newspaper reported that all horses would need to be fitted for signalling and brake lights for riding through the streets and surrounding countryside. Some people brought their horses to mechanics with the instructions to do so.

Join in the jokes on the Ultimate Italy tour in April next year.

Sweden 

Sweden

If you’re visiting Sweden around April 1, then you should learn one phrase “April, april dun dumma sill, jag kan lura dig vart jag vill,”. It means “April, April, you silly herring, I can fool you anywhere I want to.” Whenever the person who has been pranked realizes the jokes on them, you must say this, or the April Fool is incomplete.

In 1965 an unknown prankster delivered leaflets throughout Stockholm claiming that the water company would soon switch off the water. Households were encouraged to fill up their bathtubs and as many containers as possible to store water. The culprit of this prank was never discovered. In 2004, a Swedish newspaper reported that mobile phone owners could access 3G simply by shaking their phones – that was probably funny to watch on the day.

England 

London Guards

The one thing to remember on April Fools’ Day in England is that you must play the joke before noon, or else the joke is on you! Presumably this is to catch people out before they even realise the date.

The British media commonly take part in pranking on April Fools’ Day. In 1957, the broadcaster BBC brought in a special report about a record spaghetti crop in Switzerland, even showing Swiss workers pulling noodles from the trees.

The cutest April Fools’ joke came from Cambridgeshire police force, who introduced their drug sniffer bunny Benni to the world via Twitter.

Scotland  

Just north of the border, the Scots used to have two days for playing jokes and pranks on friends and neighbors. April 1 was called Huntigowk day, where gowk meant foolish person. The gowk would be handed a sealed message to bring to someone, that read “Dinna laugh, dinna smile, hunt the gowk another mile.”  On receiving the message, the recipient would tell the gowk to deliver another sealed message to someone else, which read the same. This would continue until the gowk realised there was no message at all and he had been tricked. April 2 was a continuation of festivities called Tailie day, where tails would be pinned on people’s backs. The “kick me” that you stick to someone’s back can be traced back to Tailie day.

Discover the great wit of British noblemen on the British Royale tour.

India

April Fools’ Day has been around for centuries in India, as a result of British influence. It has always been known as a day for light hearted joking, where children were allowed play small pranks without getting into trouble for them. These included things like replacing sugar with salt for tea or cooking, causing frustration to their parents.

More recently, the younger generations now post pranks on social media, such as making up silly news stories or trying to catch out their friends with jokes. It is not as widely celebrated as elsewhere, but many children enjoy the fun of the day.

Ukraine, especially Odessa 

If your favorite day of the year is April Fools’ Day, then it’s worth putting a trip to Odessa to coincide with April 1 on your travel list.

Since 1973, Odessa has held the festival of Humorina around April Fools’ Day. A large parade takes place in the city center with comedians, musicians and clowns putting on performances. People dress in costume to join the parade and plentiful pranks are a given. It’s a joyous event organized by comic troupe, “Masks” who used to have a popular TV show in the country.

The city’s main buildings and monuments are often dressed in funny clothing to mark the event.

Russia 

Russian’s love to have fun on April Fools’ Day. People dream up ways to trick their friends and family, from calling up their neighbors to tell them that their car is being towed (and getting the instant reward of seeing them run outside to check) to swapping their co-worker’s desk family photo for a movie still, and wondering when they’ll notice.

Learn more Russian jokes on the Remarkable Russia tour in 2022. 

Greece 

Cyclades – Greece

The Greeks believe that there is good luck to be had from pranking people on April Fools’ Day. They believe that if you successfully play a trick on someone, that it will bring you good luck for the rest of the year. Farmers believe that a couple of good pranks will bring a bountiful harvest that year, so plenty of neighborly joking occurs on April 1.

Another belief in Greece is that any rain that falls on April 1 has healing properties, so it’s the ideal time to dance in the rain.

Brazil 

Rio de Janeiro – Brazil

In Brazil, April 1 is called “o dia das mentires”, meaning “day of lies”, so white lies are commonly told, with no harm meant. It has been celebrated in the country since 1828, when a satirical paper called A Mentira announced that the emperor and founder of Brazil, Don Pedro, had died. This could have been taken quite seriously, but Brazilians that believed it weren’t angry when they discovered the truth. They like to make light of things, because they believe it’s the solution to the ills of modern life. So, take anything you hear in Brazil on April 1 with a pinch of salt, in the spirit that it’s meant.

Embrace the belief of Brazilians on the Classic South America tour with Luxury Gold.

When you think of a European luxury guided tour, it’s likely that famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Buckingham Palace in London and St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome spring to mind first. While these are all worthy destinations in their own right,  over-tourism can be an issue, so we’re choosing to highlight places where your tourist dollar can provide support. This is part of our commitment to more sustainable travel options that travelers are seeking.

Many travelers are keen to learn the stories behind some of the world’s most fascinating buildings, and how they were dreamt into existence. Innovative and interesting design is a magnet for art lovers, engineers, and those with a discerning eye. Luckily visitors to Europe are spoiled for choice, from ancient religious monuments to futuristic masterpieces in every grand city.

Luxury Gold travelers have the opportunity to delve deeper into a destination, with VIP experiences to beautiful architectural landmarks such as the Schönbrunn Palace. If you have a passion for architecture, be sure to inform you Traveling Concierge so they can further shape your journey to suit your tastes and identify point of interest along the way. Now, let us ignite your imagination and introduce you to the most unusual architectural marvels in Europe.

The Dancing House, Prague

Photo by thewonderalice

Prague is renowned for its magnificent architecture, from the Baroque splendor of St. Nicholas’ Church to the high-tech architecture of Zizkov TV Tower, with its giant metal babies climbing its frame. However, its most unusual architectural offering is that of The Dancing House on the Rasinovo Embankment.

An interesting history surrounds the site where the Nationale Nederlanden building, as it is formally known, stands. The previous building was destroyed by the Allies at the end of World War II. The site stood empty during the Communist era, but writer and philosopher, Václav Havel, who later became president of the Czech Republic, had a plan. He wanted a new building that leaned out over the crossroads to represent democracy as the country evolved. The Dutch company who bought the building heard of Havel’s idea, and merged it with their own for a modern headquarters designed by an internationally accomplished architect, so Frank Gehry was brought in.

The result is a postmodern masterpiece with 99 alternative shaped façade panels with two front towers that resemble a dancing couple. Once nicknamed “Fred and Ginger” after Astaire and Rogers, now it has become “The Dancing House” with its own identity in the city. Visitors can admire it from the outside, take in the outstanding views across Prague from its rooftop terrace or explore the art gallery on the ground floor. Luxury Gold guests begin the Harmony of Central Europe tour in Prague making it easy to add it to your itinerary.

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao

Photo by Willian Juste de Vasconcello

Another audacious design by the renowned Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim Bilbao sits on the bank of the Nervion river. When the influential architect first presented his plans, he used rolled up paper taped together to demonstrate the image he imagined for the museum. In fact, conventional construction methods would have prevented his dream from becoming a reality. It was only with advanced aerospace software that it became possible. The result is an iridescent swirling sculpture that curves along the riverside, both a complement to the city and a bold statement in itself.

The seeming chaos of the building is resolved inside where cathedral-like ceilings and ever-changing light work perfectly for the galleries housed within. In fact, it is easy to move around to the rooms of different sizes and appreciate how functional this astounding form is. However, the true beauty of the museum is found when viewing it from the outside, seeing how the exceptionally thin titanium sheets reflect the weather and light. Qualified guides are available at the Guggenheim to take you on a special tour.

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao took four years to complete and was opened to the public in 1997. It was a symbol of the cultural rebirth of the city and has grown to be a must-visit for art lovers visiting the city. It’s definitely worth adding a day or two onto your Spain & Portugal In Style tour to check out the Guggenheim and there are other modern architectural delights in the city to be discovered too.

The Hundertwasser House, Vienna

Photo by widewalls.ch

Completed between 1983 – 1985, this residential building is the creation of visionary artist and architect, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, who wanted to prove that more harmony can be found between nature and architecture. He saw it as “a conversation with nature … an oasis of humanity,”. It is certainly an eccentric choice for a municipal building, but the 50 apartments within are inhabited to this day and draw many tourists to view the colorful exterior. In fact, when a resident moves into the building, he can choose what color he’d like his exterior to be. It’s a quirky site and unlike anything you’ll find on the other streets of Venice, or indeed any other European city. Hundertwasser didn’t accept payment for the building but extracted a promise from the council that nothing ugly would ever be built in place of the building.

When enjoying Vienna Your Way, perhaps take some time out at the kitsch Hundertwasser Village to walk across curved floors, see the unusual fountain and admire the abundance of foliage that springs from the 19 rooftop gardens of the main house. You can even have a drink at the bar under which a stream flows. Fans of Hundertwasser may also like to visit the KunstHausWien just five minutes away, which showcases more of the artist’s typical style.

The keen environmentalist is also behind the golden domed-municipal waste incineration plant, Spittelau, which looks like something straight off a cartoon movie set.

Casa Battló, Barcelona

Photo by Ruggiero Calabrese

Those embarking on the Spain & Portugal In Style tour will likely pay a visit to the famous La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s unfinished basilica in Barcelona. However, the genius architect has other remarkable gems well worth visiting within the city. One of these being Casa Battlo at 43 Paseo de Gracia, also known as the Illa de la Discòrdia, due to the irreverent buildings that line this boulevard.

Originally owned by prominent businessman Josep Battlo y Casanovas, the house was initially scheduled for demolition, but Gaudi’s ambitious plans removed that need. The Catalan architect managed to redesign the entire façade as well as the interiors, creating a highly functional and beautiful piece of liveable art. The house has gained many nicknames from locals, including “House of Bones”, which some associate with the skeletal appearance of the frontage. The roof looks like a dragon, and there’s a textural harmony to the discs and glass that decorates the façade that recalls the works of impressionist, Claude Monet.

In 2005, Casa Battlo was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and cultural guided tours are offered to guests who want to immerse themselves in Gaudi’s dreamlike, yet practical design. It’s possible to visit the noble floor, the attic and the terrace, and your Traveling Concierge would be happy to organize a guided tour of this architectural wonder.

The City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia

Photo by Ana Abad

Those hungry for architecture usually head to Barcelona and Granada, but the often overlooked city of Valencia has plenty of amazing buildings, from the Gothic 15th century Silk Market to the attractive North Train Station. However, the City of Arts and Sciences is a futuristic paradise and a must-see for those interested in architecture, particularly the work of Santiago Calatrava, Valencian engineer, sculptor and architect.

A collection of buildings rather than just a singular monument, the City of Arts and Sciences is the largest cultural and scientific complex of its kind in Europe. Located in the former bed of the river Turia, Calatrava decided to make water a major element in the design, also making it a mirror for the architecture of the buildings. Each construction is breathtaking in its form, from the curved Oceanografic, which houses Europe’s largest aquarium to the towering L’Agora, where the Valencia Open tennis tournament was held.  It’s arguable which edifice creates the most spectacle but the opera house, Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia is an exquisite monument of cantilevered steel covered in white trencadis, a ceramic shard mosaic favored by predecessor Gaudi.

Guests traveling on Spain & Portugal In Style will reach Valencia on Day 3 on their tour, and we recommend taking some time to explore the City of Arts and Sciences.

Krzywy Domek, Sopot

Photo by idesignarch

Poland is known for the Brutalist architecture that is prevalent across its cities, but Krzywy Domek is a far cry from that. The name translates as crooked house, which is fitting for this cartoonish commercial building. The design inspiration came from the paintings of Jan Marcin Szancer and Per Dahlberg, Polish illustrators, but the Szotynscy & Zaleski team brought it to life in 2004.

Situated just by the corner of Monte Cassino Street and Morska Street, Krzywy Domek houses salons, stores and a radio station. It’s fascinating because no matter how long you look at it, it’s still difficult to know how it works! Polish people even have a joke that if you’ve been out enjoying their specialty Zubrowska and the building appears normal to you, it’s time to call it a night.

Krzywy Domek also contains a Wall of Fame with signatures from famous Polish celebrities. If you’d like to spend a few more days exploring Poland after the Harmony of Central Europe tour ends in Warsaw, then add Sopot and this postmodern spectacle to your list.

Book Your Own Tailor-Made Luxury Tour

While this list is by no means exhaustive, we hope it provides some inspiration for your next European tour with Luxury Gold. Remember, we also offer Tailor-Made Group tours, so if you’d like a guided tour to take in the most interesting architectural sights in Europe, we can design a journey just for your group.

The coronavirus pandemic has been a huge blow for the travel industry, but it has also impacted many small local communities and indigenous groups who were reliant on tourism. The positive result of this is that many people are considering more responsible travel. Sustainable tourism is rightfully becoming the choice of travelers worldwide, as we move forward to a new era. It’s not simply enough to bring money into a community, it’s important that it is distributed fairly and in a way that preserves the culture and spirit in the most sustainable way possible.

Luxury Gold’s parent company, The Travel Corporation, have had sustainable travel at the forefront since 2008, when the Travel Corporation Conservation Foundation was founded, as a joint initiative among its brands. In 2012, that evolved into the TreadRight Foundation and six years later introduced the #MakeTravelMatter pledge and the three pillars of People, Wildlife and the Planet.

#MakeTravelMatter

This official pledge is a commitment to protecting our Planet, the People and Wildlife when we travel. It is making the choice to tread right as we travel, say goodbye to single use plastics, recycling, environment protection, honoring people’s homelands and treating them with respect. When experiencing wildlife, it is done in the creature’s natural habitat and not disturbing them.

As part of this commitment, TreadRight have appointed three ambassadors to help raise awareness of the inspiring projects that take place around the world and how travelers can make a difference. These three women are passionate storytellers and activists who promote meaningful travel and deeper understanding of the world around us.

Céline Cousteau became the first TreadRight Planet Ambassador in 2015. Then, in 2019, Sarain Fox joined as TreadRight People Ambassador and in 2020, Ami Vitale became the TreadRight Wildlife Ambassador. As we look at indigenous cultures, Sarain Fox amplifies the voices from those communities and encourages people to connect more with the stories when they travel.

Amplifying Indigenous Voices

Sarain Fox became involved with TreadRight through their first project in North America, the Manitobah Mukluks Storyboot School, which engages Indigenous artists and teaches the tradition of mukluk-making to Indigenous children, both preserving the tradition and offering economic opportunity to the artists, providing a platform to reach international markets. Travelers on Luxury Gold’s Indulgence in Eastern Canada tour can stop by the school at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto to learn more and see the wonderful artisans making moccasins and mukluks.

Born in Batchawana First Nation in Canada, Sarain is an Anishinaabe dancer, broadcaster and activist. She is known as being one of the country’s most prominent Indigenous voices and she is passionate about uplifting Indigenous people and helping them represent themselves, primarily in their communities but also on a global stage.

Sarain encourages travelers to respect and nurture the places they visit as well as looking for the thriving cultures that exist, that we may not be aware of. As we begin getting back to travel, we can seek out even more immersive experiences that enrich our minds and provide support for the people and places that we visit. Luxury Gold offers guests these opportunities through our  Perugia, Italy, Daintree National Park in Australia, and many more.

Identifying with a Destination Through Community Projects

Sarain’s work has taken her to other TreadRight projects across the globe, where she has found that sharing her own stories as an Indigenous person have encouraged other people to share theirs. In Perugia, Sarain spent time at the Laboratorio Giuditta Brozzetti, one of the last surviving hand weaving workshops in Italy, where it is possible to watch the ladies work on traditional looms that date from the 18th and 19th century. Seeing the similarities of her own traditions and hearing the stories from the Umbrian women about the history and techniques that are being protected and passed on, Sarain says that this understanding makes it easier to identify with the narrative of the place. Visitors can admire the beauty of the work, but also hear about the rich textile tradition and how it is interwoven with the place.

Sarain has also travelled to Peru to meet another TreadRight grand recipient, Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez, the director of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco. The Center aims to keep Cusqeñan textiles traditions alive and supports Indigenous weavers throughout the region. They provide educational opportunities and workshops and there is a distinct to maintain the unique ancestral styles that were in danger of dying out just 30 or 40 years ago. This has been Nilda’s work since the 1970s, and the TreadRight Foundation have given her the opportunity to expand those efforts, open a museum in Cusco and run an international event, Tinkuy: Gathering of Weavers, when people from Peru, Mexico, India and other places around the world come together to share weaving traditions and learn more about the Andean styles and techniques.

Indigenous Groups of Peru

Of the 32 million people living in Peru today, Indigenous peoples comprise 45%, and within that number, there are some 51 different groups. Many retain their links to a Pre-Columbian past, which gives the country its rich and varied heritage. By far the highest number of Indigenous groups are the highland Quechua, who have been at the forefront of agriculture in the country for over 600 years. They have drawn much attention from scientists and doctors, fascinated with how their bodies have adapted to live at such high altitudes. Spanish rule during the 16th century put strain on the Quechua way of life, but some traditions have remained.

Guests who embark on Luxury’s Gold Treasures of the Incas tour get the opportunity to discover more about these Indigenous groups through a variety of experiences on their adventure. From meeting Nilda and the weavers at the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco, where over 500 individuals keep 10,000-year-old techniques alive, to seeing ancient salt mining techniques used by a Quechuan family in Maras, and even having the chance to try it out for oneself.

During Treasures of the Incas, guests also witness an ancient shamanic ritual that is practised by Quechuan people throughout the year called Pachamama. An offering of natural goods is prepared by families, consisting of cocoa beans, Amazonian flowers, incense, sugar, nuts, a splash of wine and vicuña wool, which is very expensive due to its scarcity. Sometimes the blood of a baby alpaca is added to the offering. This is bound up in a package that is blessed by the elders of the community, held against participant’s foreheads and finally wrapped in a colorful blanket that has been woven by the women in the community and placed in a homemade smoking oven. This is giving back to the Mother Earth, or Pachamama, the Inca goddess. This ritual has been practised for thousands of years and its purpose is to give thanks to Mother Nature for her gifts and keep a balance between man taking from the land and giving back to her. Local people express their deepest desires in the Pachamama ceremony, and if Mother Earth is appeased then her blessings will be abundant.

The Uros People of Lake Titicaca

Another Indigenous group that Luxury Gold guests meet on their Peruvian tour is the Uros of Lake Titicaca. This tribe pre-date the Incas, who many of the Quechuan’s are descended from, and they have preserved their fascinating way of life for hundreds of years.

The floating islands that the Uros live on are made from dried Totora reeds woven together. New layers need to be added regularly to replace the ones rotting from the water. The reeds are also eaten by the islanders, and used to make tea, which heals pain and cures hangovers! Some of these islands last 30 years when they are properly maintained, which is a testament to how they are managed by the Uros.

As more of the younger generation migrate to the land in seek of work and an easier life, the Uros have found that tourism is a boost to their economy, and a crucial element in keeping their culture alive. Luxury Gold guests will join locals for a lunch of regional specialties on Amantini island, and hear more about the unique way of life that stretches back to the time of the Incas.

Connect with Indigenous People on Your Travels

Luxury Gold affords travelers the opportunity to meet indigenous people in their villages and towns through experiences that directly support employment and help preserve heritage. When you see the people that have lived in an area for millennia, it changes your perspective and makes you more conscious of the impact we are making.

When planning every journey, sustainability is at the heart of each tour, so that tourist dollars are spent in the right way and truly support projects and people that live in each place we visit.

We invite you to join us in taking the pledge to Make Travel Matter so we can travel with purpose and improve the lives of those who are underrepresented. As Sarain Fox says, “Travel like you’re about to meet the most incredible person you’ve ever met and that they’ll teach you something new. Travel with an open heart and listen.”