Travel Agenda: Okinawa Day; Hotel Le Seven; Britain to Rio de Janeiro

Today: Find out about Japan's southern islands at Okinawa Day in London's Spitalfields, which celebrates art, music and food from this sub-tropical archipelago (okinawaday.org.uk). From Asia to Iberia ... the capital is also celebrating Spanish food in Potters Fields Park next to City Hall with Tapas Fantasticas. The event, which runs over the weekend, celebrates wines from Rioja and the country's venerated food ( winesfromrioja.co.uk/tapasfantasticas ).

This week: In Paris, Hotel Le Seven opens in the Latin Quarter on Thursday. Guests can expect interiors reminiscent of a nightclub with black walls, "levitating" beds, blue neon lights and screens showing 3D bubbles ( sevenhotelparis.com ). Meanwhile in Istanbul, the Istancool festival takes over the city from Friday to Sunday with fashion, art installations, music and talks from Gore Vidal, Michael Nyman, Lily Cole and more ( liberatum.org.uk ).

In the diary: From 10 August, competition from Britain to Rio de Janeiro increases when BA's existing non-stop service from Heathrow is matched by the Brazilian carrier TAM Airlines ( tamairlines.com ).