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
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
Picnic Providers Rue de Buci Market Head for this chic daily market where you’ll find the very best regional produce, wine and pastries . Rue de Buci market Poilâne Get the best bread for your picnic, made from the recipe of the late king of bread-makers, Lionel Poilâne. 8 rue du Cherche-Midi, 75006 Maubert Market … 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
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
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 on the Left Bank Morning This area is as much about atmosphere as sightseeing, so take time to soak up some of that Left Bank feeling. Begin on the Quai de la Tournelle, strolling by the booksellers here and on the adjacent Quai de Montebello, which runs parallel to rue de la Bûcherie … 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
This area of the left bank is possibly the most stimulating in Paris. St-Germain-des-Prés, centred around the city’s oldest church, is a synonym for Paris’s café society, made famous by the writers and intellectuals who held court here in the first half of the 20th century. Although it’s more touristy today, a stroll around the … 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
Pubs and Cafés Beach Blanket Babylon Famous for its wildly gothic interior, this bar serves coffee and snacks during the day, and becomes a swanky cocktail lounge in the evenings. A good place to mingle with the fashionable Notting Hill crowd. 45 Ledbury Road W11 Churchill Arms Filled with intriguing bric-à-brac and Churchill memorabilia, this … 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
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
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
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
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
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
A Day in Berlin’s Green Southeast Morning Begin your tour of Berlin’s Southeast at Alexanderplatz. Sights in this area are not always near each other, so taking the S-Bahn from here is recommended. First, take S-Bahn line S3 to Karlshorst, where you can visit the Deutsch-Russisches Museum . From here it is not far to … 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
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