Ethiopia to LA, George Clooney crowding and five exhibits not to miss

How about Los Angeles from €499 return?

Ethiopian Airlines' much-anticipated new route from Addis Ababa to Dublin and on to Los Angeles kicks off on June 20th, and its pre-launch promotional fare is valid on flights from Dublin to either Addis or LA until November 31st – as long as you book by April 30th. It's the first time there's been a direct route from Ireland to sub-Saharan Africa and the first direct flight to Los Angeles since Aer Lingus ended its service in 2008. It'll also be the first airline to serve Ireland with the new 787 Dreamliner, Boeing's newest flagship. See ethiopianairlines.com

TOO CURIOUS ABOUT GEORGE

The mayor of the Italian lakeside town where

George Clooney

has his villa has signed ordinances imposing fines up to €500 on passersby who linger too long hoping to catch sight of the star. Clooney bought an 18th-century mansion with private dock in the town of Laglio, on the western shores of Lake Como, about 12 years ago.

Mayor Roberto Pozzi says he’s merely responding to the “problems of public order” that have resulted in “knots of visitors” gathering outside the villa gates or approaching the residence by boat. The ordinances, which are in force until September 30th (by which time Clooney has usually left), “aren’t aimed at repression”, says the mayor, and will not be imposed on tourists who merely want to take a photograph and move on.

FIVE GREAT ART EXHIBITIONS IN EUOPE 2015

The 56th edition of the Venice Biennale kicks off on May 9th, drawing art lovers from all over the world. It’s a big deal, no doubt, but it’s not the only show worth travelling for:

Rembrandt, Amsterdam

(Rijksmuseum;

[ rijksmuseum.nl ]

; until May 17th). There’s only a month left to see this major exhibition of works from Rembrandt’s late period: 90 paintings, drawings and prints including a number of self-portraits, the Family Portrait and Portrait of Jan Six. It’s the largest exhibition of his late period ever assembled.

Leonardo Da Vinci, Milan

(Palazzo Reale;

[ artpalazzoreale.it ]

; until July 19th). The largest-ever Leonardo exhibition in Italy is divided in 12 sections, featuring paintings, drawings, his famous codex manuscripts and models of his inventions – as well as an interactive reproduction of The Last Supper, which is currently under restoration. Also in the city is the multi-disciplinary Milan Expo (expo2015.org), which runs from May 1st-October 31st.

Jackson Pollock, Liverpool

(Tate Modern;

[ tate.org.uk ]

; June 30th-October 18th). Best known for his multi-coloured “drip” paintings, this exhibition focuses on his lesser-known “Black Pourings”, painted between 1951 and 1953 and, as the name suggests, made by pouring rather than dripping paint onto the canvas.

Tracy Emin & Egon Schiele, Vienna

(Leopold Museum;

[ leopoldmuseum.org ]

; April 24th-September 14th) Two unlikely bedfellows perhaps, but this exhibition of new work and installations by the YBA (Young British Artist) will be complemented by a selection of drawings by the Austrian expressionist Egon Schiele, whose own work exhibits the same unfettered sexuality that is a feature of Emin’s creations.

Sandro Botticelli, Berlin

(Gemäldegalerie;

[ botticelli-renaissance.de ]

; September 24th-January 24th, 2016). The Renaissance master and creator of Primavera has become an icon of the pop-art movement, and this exhibition explores how it happened. More than 100 paintings from other collections form the evidence, including 20 works by Botticelli that are being displayed for the first time.