Smag31 We are wading back to the anchored skiff after and slowish morning on the sand-flats, when our guide stops, crouches, and points urgently into the shallow sea. Out goes James’s fly-line, the little shrimp pattern pitches down, a silvery fin wags briefly above the surface. his rod bucks and the reel begins to whizz like … Read more
Madeira… Yep, we couldn’t believe it either. But forget your preconceptions as these destinations shake off their package-holiday reputations and reinvent themselves as cool and luxurious places to visit Trendy, Exotic Downtime In Funchal, Madeira The funchal Municipal Gardens are a cool oasis in the summer heat The pool at the Choupana My grandma used … Read more
Pubs and Cafés Patisserie Valerie A classic Soho café with a wide range of delicious cakes and pastries: the fresh croissants make it a good place for breakfast. Its Frenchness extends to the Toulouse-Lautrec style cartoons byTerroni. 44 Old Compton Street W1 Maison Bertaux This little corner of Paris in the heart of Soho attracts … Read more
A Walk Around the West End Morning Start the day in Trafalgar Square at 10am when the fountains are switched on. You could spend a day at the National Gallery , but limit yourself to an hour, perhaps just visiting the Sainsbury Wing. For coffee, head next door to the Portrait Restaurant at the National … Read more
London’s West End is where everyone heads for a night out. Clubbers from outside London catch the last trains into the capital and head for its bars and music venues, knowing they won’t leave till dawn. Here are the great theatres of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road, the star-struck cinemas of Leicester Square and, … Read more
Three of the best water sports destinations Hotel Eden Roc Ascona, Switzerland Influenced by its close proximity to Italy, Ascona is the charming Swiss town graced with a unique micro-Mediterranean climate that appears to escape the rest of Switzerland. Though the snow-peaked landscape provides a striking backdrop, its other claim to fame is Lake Maggiore, … Read more
13. Get A Beach Body In Mexico Beach view at Tulum This boho hotel at Tulum is where the supermodels come to get picture perfect. You’ll do five hours exercise a day – power-walking, beach workouts, dance, yoga and snorkeling. Meals are low on fat and crabs, but you won’t starve on the healthy menu … Read more
7. Team Games In Devon How do circuits and team games in 52 acres of meadows and orchards, followed by chill-out time in your own luxe cottage in Devon grab you? Expect every day to be different here as military PT instructors take you on a ‘high-energy journey’, including boxing, pool sessions, beach workouts, rock … Read more
Who says you have to rough it on a bootcamp? These breaks promise serious results in luxe surroundings 1. Ibiza’s A-List Hideaway Island idyll: the peaceful side of Ibiza ‘Last time I tried a residential bootcamp, it was hardly glamorous – I spent it in a wet West Country field, covered in mud and sheep … Read more
Each month Alice Holland will entertain us with her daily struggles to manage her new life in New York City. The Adventures Of Alice In New York A Brief Introduction… I moved to New York City almost one year ago, escaping the humdrum but secure life as a biological science researcher at Vanderbilt University in … Read more
With the huge success of The Killing, Borgen and The Bridge, Scandinavia has kept us all riveted to our TVs. But it also offers a very tempting smorgasbord of outdoor pleasures, says travel editor David Wickers. Norwegian Wood With its wonderful mountains coastline, Norway has much to offer visitors A third of Norway is forested, … Read more
Where the Taw and Torridge rivers meet on the North Devon coast is the old boat-building village of Appledore, with its narrow streets of fishermen’s cottages jostling down to the quay. Most of the gardens are pocket handkerchiefs, and many of the houses have no outside space at all – so Val and Gavin Robbins’ … Read more
Pubs, Bars & Discos Ankerklause An unrefined but hugely popular late-night place for students and artists. Kottbusser Damm 104 030 69 35 649 Riverside at Ankerklause Yorckschlösschen A pub-restaurant with a great Old Berlin feel. Live jazz concerts at the weekend. Yorckstr. 15 030 215 80 70 Mister Hu Thanks to its magnificent cocktails this … Read more
A Day in Kreuzberg Morning Start from the famous ruins of Anhalter Bahnhof, which you can reach by S-Bahn. From here continue along Stresemannstraße in a northwesterly direction to the Martin-Gropius-Bau. It is easy to while away a few hours in this impressive building if there is a special exhibition. You could take a break … Read more
Kreuzberg is possibly Berlin’s most notorious district, and it definitely qualifies as its most colourful area. Here, in historic tenement blocks that are slowly but surely being renovated, Turkish families live next door to drop-outs and alternatives, artists and students. Social tensions, still characteristic of Kreuzberg today, make this a varied and interesting district – … Read more
If the Old Town is the heart of Barcelona and the green mountains of Tibidabo and Montjuïc the lungs, the Eixample is the city’s nervous system – its economic and commercial core. The area began to take shape in 1860 when the city was permitted to expand beyond the medieval walls . Its design, based … Read more
Country Stays Prince of Wales Hotel Impeccable service, opulently decorated rooms, a spa, and a wine list to match the fabulous cuisine at this historic hotel in the heart of town. 6 Picton St, Niagara-on-the-Lake 1 888 669 5566 www.vintageinns.com Prince of Wales Hotel Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa This country mansion welcomes … Read more
The site of the old airport, Kai Tak has not been allowed to lie fallow, with the former terminal converted into the world’s largest golf driving range. In the neighbouring streets are excellent budget dining and seconds outlets, for this is where locals go bargain-hunting. Culture is found to the north, in the Tang Dynasty-style … Read more
African beats on the mediterranean There are many beach destinations in the world but very few with the gastronomic buzz you will find in Marbella. Perhaps it is the Costa de Sol’s generations-old ‘chiringuito’ culture; the Malaguenos know all about creating a very particular atmosphere by the sea, seducing diners with their casual vibe, fresh … Read more
A Morning Walk Around Old Madrid Begin the morning at Plaza de la Villa with its handsome 16th- and 17th-century palaces. Take the busy Calle Mayor as far as Calle de Felipe III, then turn into Plaza Mayor . Cross this magnificent square diagonally, leaving by the ancient Calle Toledo, once the main exit south … Read more