As I’m sure you’ve heard, the crown observation area in the Statue of Liberty reopened on July 4th for the first time since September 11 2001. Tickets are already sold out through November, so check out this video to see the views for yourself.Â

July 14 is France’s independence day. In Paris, it is celebrated with an elaborate military parade. The festivities end with  fireworks at the Eiffel Tower, complete with an orchestra.Â

For the first time ever, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill last week to curb global warming. No country understands the issue of climate change more than Greenland. At the same time that some of the country’s coastal sea-ice routes are melting and tundra flowers are blooming earlier than ever, the country has seen an uptick in tourism–perhaps because people want to experience the cold beauty of this country before it is too late. Â

June 13 was the Feast of St. Anthony in Lisbon (who knew that the guy most commonly associated with Padua was actually Portuguese?). It’s a holiday of rituals both solemn and not and involves eating lots of sardines. The parties and sardine consumption continues throughout the month. Last night the skies over the Tagus River were lit up with fireworks.Â

The Northern Hemisphere summer solstice is just around the corner. From the Pagan hippie crowd at England’s Stonehenge to the rowdy party scene in Norway to the folksy celebrations in Austria–where people build bonfires on mountaintop ridges–see how people celebrate the longest day of the year.Â

The French Open is in full swing at Roland Garros. It’s also the unofficial start of the Paris summer tourism crunch.  Get in the mood with this slideshow showcasing the city of lights’ major attractions.Â