Deep green meadows, snow-capped mountains, steep gorges carved out by streams, ancient monasteries, and old houses with colourful painted façades – in this region, Bavaria looks like a picture postcard come to life. Germany’s highest peak, the towering Zugspitze (2,950 m/9,700 ft), soars into the sky here. Locals also refer to the region encompassing Garmisch-Partenkirchen, … Read more

Store Hours Regular store and mall hours are usually 10am to 9pm, Monday to Saturday, and 11am to 6pm Sunday. However, Northside boutiques and stores along the Mag Mile often stay open ‘til 7–8pm. Taxes Chicago state and local sales taxes are among the highest in the country at 9 percent on all non-food items. … Read more

Booking a Room To book a room, contact the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (CCVB). Discounted rates can be found by checking the Internet on sites such as www.877chicago.com, calling the hotel directly, or contacting a reputable, no-fee reservation service such as Hot Rooms and Hotel Reservations Network. To hold a reservation, a credit card … Read more

Shops in La Latina Caramelos Paco The display windows of this famous sweet emporium are ablaze with colour. Some of the flavours – rice pudding, for example sound less appealing than others. Sugarfree sweets for diabetics. Calle de Toledo 55 Caramelos Paco El Transformista Delve into this Aladdin’s cave for antique and secondhand furniture – … Read more

Places to Eat and Drink La Trucha Bar restaurant patronized by show-business types from the Teatro Español next door. Relaxed ambience and a great place to sample tapas. Try rabo de toro (bull’s tail). Calle de Núñez de Arce 6 91 532 0882 Closed Sun–Mon, Aug La Trucha Casa Alberto This historic tavern is where … Read more

Shopping Tips Directory Mandarin Oriental 5 Connaught Rd, Central, Hong Kong Island 2522 3336 94 Nathan Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui 2367 9423 12 Pedder St, Central, Hong Kong Island 2525 7333 Opening Hours Most shops open daily but not usually before about 10:30am and will not generally close before 6:30pm. Many, especially in the busy … Read more

Accommodation Tips Directory Info 2375 3838 Reservations 2769 8822or 2383 8380 www.hkha.org 2713 9211 www.accomline.com www.asiatravel.com www.lastminute.com www.rentaroomhk.com 2522 3082 www.shama.com 41 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui 2268 7888 22 Hennessy Rd, Wan Chai 2866 6688 Making Reservations Booking through the HKTB or a travel agent will almost always be cheaper than just turning up … Read more

Here is Rome at its most orderly and elegant, carefully laid out under 16th-century papal urban planning schemes. Baroque popes such as Leo X and Sixtus V redeveloped the all but abandoned area around the Corso, the extension of the ancient Via Flaminia from northern Italy, for their rapidly growing city. Romans now call it … Read more

An Afternoon Roman Passeggiata Begin in Piazza SS Apostoli to see its namesake church (see Santissimi Apostoli) and the 2nd-century AD relief of an Imperial eagle against the portico’s right wall. Then continue straight across Via dell’Umiltà and through the elaborate iron, glass, and frescoed 1880s pedestrian passage. Turn right on Via di Muratte to … Read more

High Fashion Boutiques Giorgio Armani Stylishly cool service for one of Italy’s top names. Emporio Armani branch (Via del Babuino 140) sells the designer’s couture line at lower prices. The lowest-end line, Armani Jeans, is at Via del Babuino 70A. Via dei Condotti 77 Giorgio Armani Prada The most highly priced of the top Italian … Read more

Pubs, Cafés and Bars Enoteca Antica Delicious antipasti and wine by the glass, are served in this old-fashioned lively establishment. Via della Croce 76b Gilda Rome’s most central disco has remained popular for years, with a pizzeria in the evening and dance music cranking up at midnight. High cover charge on weekends, but always an … Read more

The Monumental Core of Washington, D.C. is so rich in sights that visitors may be tempted to look no farther. But many delights lie within easy reach of the city center. The Michigan Avenue NE area near North Capitol Street is home to the stunning Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception; the … Read more

A Day in Old Town Alexandria Morning Begin at Christ Church ( 118 N Washington St Open 9am–4pm Mon–Sat, 2–4pm Sun Donation ), a handsome Georgian-style building completed in 1773. George Washington’s box pew has been preserved. Then turn right onto Cameron Street toward the harbor. Continue three blocks and turn right onto North Royal … Read more

Bars and Clubs Lucky 13 A chill-out punk bar where you can sport your new tattoo to an admiring audience. The jukebox is full of indie alternative sounds. 2140 Market St at Church 415 487 1313 DNA Lounge The recent return of this clubbers’ favorite brings with it a juiced-up sound system, five bar areas, … Read more

As with every segment of this city, the area that faces the Pacific Ocean is a study in contrasts. Surprisingly to many, it contains terrains of natural beauty that are just as untamed and craggy as they always have been, particularly the rocky, windswept micro-climates that make up the cliffs and hidden ravines of Land’s … Read more

A Two-Hour Hike Around Land’s End This section of the coast is amazingly wild, especially considering that it is actually within the city limits. Note that portions of the hike are very rugged, so dress accordingly, with good footwear. Begin at the far end of the Merrie Way parking lot and take the steps down. … Read more

The Scheunenviertel, literally the “barn quarter”, Berlin’s former Jewish quarter, has experienced a unique revival in recent years. Originally, the thriving Jewish community lived in neighbouring Spandauer Vorstadt, beyond the city limits, while the Scheunenviertel was better known as a red-light district. The Nazis, however, applied the name of “Scheunenviertel” to both areas, in order … Read more

A Day in Scheunenviertel Morning Take the S-Bahn to Friedrichstraße and explore this road, Berlin’s former entertainment district. Walk north along the street up to Reinhardstraße, and turn left here towards Bertolt-Brecht-Platz. Continue south to Albrechtstraße to the Berliner Ensemble . Once you have admired the theatre where the great playwright used to work, you … Read more

Pubs, Bars & Discos Riva This elegant and trendy bar is named after an Italian soccer player. Dircksenstr., Arch 142 6pm–4am daily 030 24 72 26 88 Bellini Lounge Head this way for some of the most authentic tropical cocktails mixed north of the equator. Oranienburger Str. 42 4pm–5am Fri–Sat, 4pm–3am Sun–Wed 030 970 056 … Read more

Sightseeing is for the day time In Madrid, the rule of thumb is: the later the hour, the louder the nightlife. This is a city that doesn’t seem to sleep. Taxi drivers told me there are more people on the streets at 3 a.m. than at 3 p.m., and it seemed to me to be … Read more