Paris – Around Town : St-Germain, Latin and Luxembourg Quarters (part 3) – Late-Night Bars, Literary Haunts

by

Late-Night Bars Le Bar Dix Incredibly lively bar, aimed at people who like to talk, smoke and drink. Happy hour 6–9pm. 10 rue de l’Odéon, 75006 Le Bar Dix Le Crocodile Potent cocktails are what this schoolroom-themed bar is all about. Choose from 350 combinations. Happy hour runs from 10pm until midnight. 6 rue Royer-Collard, … Read more

New York – Around Town : Chelsea and Herald Square (part 1)

by

A neighborhood that has seen a great deal of recent change, Chelsea was a quiet enclave of 19th-century brownstones that never made it as a fashionable address. Now it is a hub for gay New Yorkers and center for the city’s avant-garde art galleries and nightclubs. Buildings along 6th Avenue are now occupied by superstores … Read more

Mad About India

by

Whether it’s exotic adventures, spiritual nourishment or stunning scenery and wildlife, the Indian subcontinent has an experience to thrill everyone. India is on the boil. There is no other country that offers the diversity, the complexity, the weirdness and human drama as India. Not least among its virtues is the balm of spirituality, not always … Read more

Rome – Around Town : Trastevere and Prati (part 1)

by

Trastevere, which literally means “across the Tiber”, is Rome’s left bank and Bohemian neighbourhood. The former working-class ghetto has retained its medieval character better than any other part of Rome, despite having become one of the most restaurant- and nightlife-packed zones of the city. The Borgo is Vatican turf, a largely uninspired grid of streets … Read more

Rome – Around Town : Trastevere and Prati (part 3) – Locals’ Favourite Shops, Pubs, Cafés and Bars

by

Locals’ Favourite Shops COIN This good-value department store is where real Romans shop, for back-to-school clothes, kitchen utensils, stationery, household appliances, and much, much more. There’s also a supermarket in the basement, which is great for buying a picnic. Via Cola di Rienzo 173 Franchi One of the best grocers in the city, extremely popular … Read more

Berlin – Around Town : Berlin’s Southeast (part 1)

by

Berlin’s East and South are remarkably different in character. Friedrichshain, Lichtenberg and Hohenschönhausen in the east are densely built-up, former working-class areas, while green Treptow and idyllic Köpenick in the far southeast seem like independent villages. The tenement blocks of East Berlin were steeped in history during World War II and later under the East … Read more

London – Around Town : Regent’s Park and Marylebone (part 1)

by

North of Oxford Street and south of the park are the grand mansion blocks of Marylebone. Once a medieval village surrounded by fields and a pleasure garden, now it is a fashionable and elegant inner city area. In the 19th century, doctors started using these spacious houses to see wealthy clients. The medical connection continues … Read more

London – Around Town : Regent’s Park and Marylebone (part 2) – Shopping, Eating and Drinking

by

Exploring Marylebone Morning Before setting out for the day, reserve a ticket for Madame Tussaud’s for the afternoon. Start at Bond Street Underground, exiting on Oxford Street. Opposite is St Christopher Place, a narrow lane with charming shops, which opens into an attractive pedestrian square. Stop for a coffee break at one of Sofra’s pavement … Read more

Paris – Around Town : Jardin des Plantes Quarter (part 1)

by

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

New York – Around Town : Midtown (part 1)

by

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