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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In ancient times the largest of Rome’s seven hills was almost entirely residential, consisting mostly of upper-class villas. The western slope of the quarter, just behind the Imperial Fora was considered rather unhealthy as it was densely populated – the massive wall at the back of the Fora was intended to keep the squalid slum … Read more

Exploring Rome’s Early Churches Morning Start with San Clemente , with its fascinating layers. At the lowest level use a torch (flashlight) to appreciate the beautiful fresco of the head of a bearded man. Walk one block over to the Via dei Santi Quattro Coronati to glimpse the produce market; turn left and walk up … Read more

Child-Friendly Hotels Note: Unless otherwise stated, all hotels accept credit cards, and have en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning Holiday Inn Capitol Outdoor rooftop pool with a view, where kids under 12 eat free, one block from the Air and Space Museum – this combination is hard to beat. The on-site deli provides quick meals and … Read more

Boutique Hotels Note: Unless otherwise stated, all hotels accept credit cards, and have en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning Topaz Hotel The striking interiors here are in the highest contemporary style along with exquisite design. The Topaz Bar is among the best in the city, and hotel services include a daily proverb. 1733 N St, NW … Read more

Neighborhood Hotels Unless otherwise stated, all hotels accept credit cards, and have en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning Hotel Del Sol Called “festive and spacious,” this place really is a ray of sunshine. Bright colors and cheerful patterns greet you around every corner, and the staff is just a nice as can be. An especially great … Read more

Budget Hotels and Hostels Unless otherwise stated, all hotels accept credit cards, and have en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning Coventry Motor Inn A good, basic motel, offering large pleasant rooms with bay windows, located on the Marina’s “Motel Row.” It isn’t beautiful, but it’s functional and reliable. All rooms are no-smoking, and parking is complimentary. … Read more

Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg district attracts locals and tourists like virtually no other part of town because it has undergone the most dramatic changes in recent years. Today, the old tenement blocks in the former workers’ district of East Berlin have been taken over by cafés, pubs and restaurants, and the nightlife is exciting and vibrant. … Read more

A Day in Prenzlauer Berg Morning Set off from U-Bahn station Senefelderplatz – one of the lively spots in Prenzlauer Berg. From here, explore the old tenement blocks and backyards. Now continue in a westerly direction along Fehrbelliner Straße to Zionskirchplatz with its eponymous church. There are numerous cafés on the square, such as Kapelle, … Read more

This is where London’s gentry live. Nannies push prams around Kensington Gardens, uniformed school children line up in Hans Crescent and the social “in-crowd” gossip in the Fifth-Floor Café at Harvey Nichols. Whatever time of year, nobody is without a tan. Harrods is the light beacon of the area; the solid rocks are the great … Read more

Kensington on Foot Morning Start at South Kensington Underground station, and follow the signs to the Victoria & Albert Museum . Spend a delightful hour in the new British Galleries and see the recreated period rooms. Follow Old Brompton Road to the Brompton Oratory , where you should take a look at its sumptuous Italianate … Read more