Smag31

Long-Stay Hotels 22 Peel St Centrally located above a bustling produce market, this modern block offers cosy studios and spacious-looking apartments with smart furnishings, daily maid service and, for HK$250 extra, monthly unlimited broadband Internet access. 22 Peel St, Central 2522 3082 www.shama.com HK$20,900–$56,000 per month The Wesley The fittings are tired and the rooms … Read more

A Day in Manzanares Morning To get to Manzanares, take bus No. 721 from Plaza de Castilla, alighting at Avenida de Madrid. There’s a supermarket near the bus stop if you want to take a picnic. Take Calle del Castillo as far as Calle de Cañada and the restored 15th-century castle, from where there are … Read more

The Comunidad de Madrid is a vast region covering 8,000 sq km (3,000 sq miles), with a population now exceeding five million. To the north of the capital is the Sierra de Guadarrama, a majestic mountain range, stretching more than 100 km (60 miles) east–west, and visitors to El Escorial, Valle de los Caídos, or … Read more

The entries on these two pages are arranged in geographical order, providing an itinerary for a tour through the region. Burghausen hosts the renowned annual International Jazz Week at the end of April, beginning of May. Rott am Inn Perched high on the banks above the Inn River is the abbey of Sts Marinus und … Read more

Outdoor Activities Rafting & Kayaking One of Europe’s best rivers for white-water sports is La Noguera Pallaresa in the Pyrenees. Late spring is the best time to go, as the mountain snow thaws. Yeti Emotions Llavorsí, 14 km N of Sort 973 62 22 01 www.yetiemotions.com Scuba Diving The beautiful Reserva Natural de les Illes … Read more

A Scenic Drive Morning From Barcelona take the AP7 motorway until exit 4, then take the C260 to Cadaqués. The journey should take about two and a half hours in all. Just before dropping down to the town, stop at the viewpoint and take in the azure coastline and the whitewashed houses of this former … Read more

Steeped in tradition, with its own language and an enormous sense of pride in its separate identity, Catalonia is immensely rich in both cultural heritage and physical geography. It is no exaggeration to say that Catalonia really does have everything. To the north are the 3,000-m (9840-ft) peaks of the Pyrenees. The coastline is dotted … Read more

Bed & Breakfasts For more bed & breakfasts, visit the websites www.bbtoronto.com, for Toronto, and www.fobba.com, for Ontario Toronto Townhouse This is a 140-year-old beautifully renovated and raved-about home in leafy Cabbagetown. It is located close to Riverdale Farm, an area of great shopping, and Yonge subway. 213 Carlton 877 500 0466 www.toronto-townhouse.com Accommodating the … Read more

Luxury & Boutique Hotels Unless otherwise stated, all hotels accept credit cards and have private bathrooms and air conditioning Soho Metropolitan Lovers of luxury adore this boutique hotel in the Entertainment District. Duvets, walk-in closets, extravagant bathrooms with heated marble floors, and many high-tech gadgets are standard. Senses, a top restaurant, is located on the … Read more

Nightclubs & Bars The Middle East A live music club to rival any in New York or Los Angeles, the Middle East rocks its patrons from three stages and nourishes them with delicious kebabs and curries. 472–480 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge 617 864 3278 Adm Western Front Live soul, R&B, hip-hop, Latin, and especially reggae make … Read more

The Cambridge Curriculum Morning Call the Museum of Science early to learn what features are playing at the Omni Theater and book tickets over the phone for an afternoon show. Then begin your morning with a stack of pancakes at Davis Square’s legendary Rosebud Diner. Next, ride the “T” inbound to Harvard and head straight … Read more

Harvard may hold Cambridge’s undeniable claim to worldwide fame, but that is not to diminish the city’s vibrant neighborhoods, superb restaurants, unique shops, and colorful bars lying just beyond the school’s gates. Harvard Square, with its international newsstands, name-brand shopping, and numerous coffee houses, is a heady mix of urban bohemia and Main Street USA. … Read more

Places to Eat Le Jules Verne Book a window table for the view and then sit back and enjoy the fine food from Alain Ducasse. Reserve in advance. 2nd Level, Eiffel Tower, Champ-de-Mars, 75007 01 45 55 61 44 No disabled access Le Divellec One of the best fish restaurants in town, including oysters, salmon … Read more

Mansions Hôtel Biron Built in 1730, this elegant mansion was home to the duc de Biron. From 1904 it was transformed into state-owned artists’ studios. Among its residents was Auguste Rodin (1840–1917), who agreed to donate his works to the nation in return for his apartment and studio. After the sculptor’s death the house became … Read more

A Day Around the Invalides Quarter Morning Begin the day with an early morning visit to the Musée Rodin . A magnificent collection of Rodin’s works are displayed both indoors and outside in the attractive garden. There are also excellent temporary exhibitions. Stop for a coffee at the garden café with its leafy terrace. Move … Read more

Midtown Museums & Art Morgan Library & Museum The library reopened in 2006 after a major expansion to hold this private collection of rare books, prints, and manuscripts . 225 Madison Ave at 36th St Open 10:30am–5pm Tue–Thu (to 9pm Fri), 10am–6pm Sat & Sun Admission charge Morgan Library Museum of Modern Art Reopened in … Read more

A Day Exploring Midtown Morning Start at the Morgan Library & Museum , and see Morgan’s opulent study, then proceed to 42nd Street and turn east for a tour through Grand Central Terminal . Continue east on 42nd Street, stopping to look at the outstanding lobbies of the Chrysler Building , the Daily News Building, … Read more

The lights of Times Square, The Spires of the Empire State and Chrysler buildings, Rockefeller Center, the United Nations Headquarters, stores on 5th Avenue, museums, theaters, and grand buildings galore – all are found in the midtown area between 34th and 59th streets, extending from the East River as far as Broadway. The concentration of … Read more

A Day in the Gardens Morning If it’s a fine morning get an early start and enjoy a stroll in the Jardin des Plantes before the city gets truly busy. The Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle doesn’t open until 10am, but the garden is close enough to rue Mouffetard to enable you to enjoy the fabulous … Read more

Traditionally one of the most peaceful areas of Paris, the medicinal herb gardens which give the quarter its name were established here in 1626. It retained a rural atmosphere until the 19th century, when the city’s population expanded and the surrounding streets were built up. Near the gardens is the Arènes de Lutèce, a well-preserved … Read more