Viestra Magazine Spring 2020

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N

V I ESTRA M A G A Z I N E

spring 2020

Divine Illumination Norway The Other Side of Orlando Mellow Down in Morocco

Bangkok About as Edgy as it gets Top 10 Luxury Nordic Hotels

viestramagazine.com

WIN a trip to Oman

"THIS WAS UNDOUBTEDLY THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME AND ONE WE SHALL BE SHARING STORIES ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME." GH, Staffordshire

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE Speak to an expert on 0208 712 9673 or start your journey at journeylatinamerica.co.uk

Sacred Valley, Peru

4.9 / 5 Service Rating

As the UK's No.1 specialist in travel to Latin America, we’ve been creating award-winning holidays to every corner of Central and South America for 40 years.

Trust in our experience to create yours.

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N

Journey Through The Stars In The United Airlines Polaris Cabin

All-aisle access seats that lie flat and provide up to 6'6” of sleeping space Cool-gel memory foam pillows and Saks Fifth Avenue luxury bedding – including pillows, blankets and duvets Take pleasure in a selection of delicious decadent dining inspired by chefs from The Trotter Project Stay refreshed throughout your travels with award-winning, high-performance skincare amenities from Sunday Riley Available on selected flights. Speak to a member of the Premier team for more information*.

Premier

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N

Where in London can you see a private doctor within 15 minutes?* Just walk in to one of our

Urgent Care Centres The Portland Hospital for Children Open 8.00am-8.00pm

The Wellington Hospital Open 8.00am-11.00pm

The Princess Grace Hospital Open 8.00am-10.00pm

The Lister Hospital Open 8.00am-10.00pm

London Bridge Hospital Open Monday-Friday 8.00am-9.00pm Saturday-Sunday 9.00am-6.00pm

No appointment needed

www.urgentcarecentre.co.uk

85% of people seen within 15 minutes, HCA Healthcare UK statistics 2018* Initial consultation ÂŁ100 for adults, ÂŁ150 for children. (0-17 can only be seen at The Portland Hospital) For any life-threatening conditions, always ring 999 or go to your nearest emergency department.

U130080201HCA Viestra magazine 2019 advert booking - HCA V2.indd 1

21/02/2019 17:24

V I ESTRA M A G A Z I N E

HELLO TRAVELLERS! Fresh starts are so fun, like the first blank page of a brand new notepad - the possibilities of what you can fill it with seeming endless. That’s why I’m so excited that we’ve stepped into this new decade. I can only look at it with the excited eyes of someone seeing something new for the first time. Because, wow! A whole clean 10 years ahead of us to fill with all the things we want. I mean, technically, every day is the beginning of a whole new 10 years, but this just feels so much more significant. Studies have proven that significant dates make us more inclined to ‘start over’ so I’m listening to science and embracing this fresh start with a warm feeling in my heart.

I’ve personally done the whole ‘new year, new me’ shebang - a life evaluation and a written plan of how I want this year/decade to be. Who doesn’t love a bit of life design? I have a Pinterest vision board and a positive outlook. What more does one need? My vision board obviously features images of beautiful destinations but, actually, having spent a large part of the past decade travelling solo, my vision board is filled with a whole lot of community. This year I want to travel more with friends, with family, deepen my bonds, connect with people over new experiences and enjoy life with the people I hold dear.

How do you want to travel this year? Where do you want to visit this decade? And who will you be inviting to accompany you on your journeys? Our time on this earth is precious and fleeting - spend it wisely friends.

Enjoy your travels.

Alex Holman, Editor Editor: Alex Holman alex@viestramagazine.com Advertising: Simon Hossack simon@viestramagazine.com Marketing and PR: Serena Bhandari serena@viestramagazine.com

Alex x Contact Advertising and Editorial call 020 3623 0567.

Publisher: Paul Williams paul@viestramagazine.com

Viestra Magazine is published by Vencor Ltd, Unit 22, 295 Chiswick High Road, London, United Kingdom W4 4HH. 20,000 distributed at major travel hubs, corporate HQ’s and supermarkets.

30,000 distributed via supermarkets and subscriptions.

viestramagazine.com

Design: Raja Lockey

@viestramag

Viestra Magazine and the Viestra logo is a registered trademark registered as a Trade Mark with the UK Intellectual Property Office Trade Mark number: UK00003257230.

Viestra Magazine

©Vencor Ltd 2019. All rights reserved.

@viestratravel

Contributing writers: Jo Gardner, Paul Williams, Aine McGinty, Sarah Rodrigues, Gareth Davies, Ina Yulo, Katie Saunders, Adam Jacot de Boinod

6 | VIESTRA MAGAZINE | SPRING 2 0 2 0

Cover image:Skaret Lodge, photo: @EvenTryggstrand

C O N T E N T S

Mellow Down in Morocco Aine McGinty

Hit The Road in New Zealand Jo Gardner

Sacred Siena

Paul Williams

A Cruise For All Seasons Jo Gardner

Gareth Davies

Island Hopping in The Caribbean Jo Gardner

page 8

page 12

page 18

page 22

page 26

page 30

Top 10 Luxury Nordic Hotels Ina Yulo

Great Drives Around The World Jo Gardner

Bangkok – About as Edgy as it Gets Paul Williams

36 Hours Exploring Lisbon & Cascais Jo Gardner

Unfolding Layers of History in Istanbul Adam Jacot de Boinod

Wonderful Afternoon Teas Jo Gardner

page 36

page 42

page 48

page 52

page 56

page 60

The Other Side of Orlando Katie Saunders

Twin Centre Holiday Guide Jo Gardner

Philadelphia’s Prevailing Art Scene Sarah Rodrigues

Vegan Friendly Cities

K West Hotel & Spa

Classic Cars on show at Olympia

Jo Gardner

Rob Tindall

page 64

page 68

page 72

page 76

page 80

Divine Illumination

page 82

SPRING 2 0 2 0 | VIESTRA MAGAZINE | 7

L O C AT I O N

8

N O R WA Y

Divine Illumination

BY PAUL WILLIAMS

Driving through the dark arctic wilderness just north of Tromsø in Norway, I reach my lodgings for the night, an exclusive hideaway set aside for the more affluent traveller seeking ultimate seclusion. With an affordable on-site alternative, my first port of call sets the tone for the next few days ahead-a Nordic adventure with a ‘Laplandish’ twist, omitting the tourist clichés, satisfying my need for adventure on the hunt for nature’s greatest light show.

H

aving visited the metropolitan hubs of Oslo and Bergen, I’d got a feel for pushing North after an exhilarating journey to Flåm, where I’d first experienced the majestic fjords and mountains at the base, of what is possibly Western Europe’s last true wilderness.

Skaret Lodge, photo: @EvenTryggstrand

From the moment I arrive I know this is different.

For a start, it’s dark, and at just 3pm - your natural mechanism as a creature of this planet starts questioning what the hell’s going on as your body clock and senses start adapting to the new surroundings. Oh, and it’s cold. I mean Arctic circle cold. That aside, the jovial northern Norwegians welcome me with wondrous smiles and a healthy glow that, bearing in mind they don’t see a lot of sun this time of year, looking at them you think they have free passes to a solarium.

Arrival and the case of the windy midnight mount Weaving my way up through the tree lined roads, at the side of which traditional retreats light the darkened clearings, at the Skaret Lodge my host, Tolgrim, greets me with the enthusiasm of a long lost relative, a warm welcome to counter the biting cold which, believe it or not, has a charm about it....if you’re wearing the right gear!

So, out here in the middle of nowhere I find myself in a luxurious dwelling, fit for a celeb travelling incommunicado, or a family gathering for that once in a lifetime ‘roll the boat out’ vacation. I love

the open plan feel, the wide surround windows that look out to the....erm, darkness at the mo, can’t wait for the mid-morning light!

This place is pretty special and undoubtedly comes with a price, but exclusivity demands that.

My room is warm, an abundance of pillows adorn the bed (you’ll notice a trend here in Norway), eloquently decorated with maintained minimalism.

Anyway, you get the gist. Downstairs, my private chef awaits along with his waiter/barista. Gunnar Jensen runs Mathallen, a top notch restaurant in Tromsø, and for the right price he’ll send your pallet into heaven with his wonderful fusions.

The scene is delightful mid-December, Christmas gnawing at my emotions as a king crab soup is served followed by a second course of cod, then reindeer. Delicacies prepared with precision and thought - 5/5.

Joining me at dinner is Professor Torsten Aslaksen, an atmospheric physicist and expert in the science of the northern lights - why, when and how, we know where. Interesting stuff: The Northern Lights, which have been spotted as far south as Hampshire, are a result of the solar wind slamming into the magnetosphere, causing disturbances strong enough to alter the trajectories of charged particles - mostly electrons and protons - which cause the brilliant light displays we are all familiar with.

SPRING 2 0 2 0 | VIESTRA MAGAZINE | 9

N O R WA Y

With our bellies full, we adorn full arctic explorer garb for a jaunt up the nearby hill for a midnight viewing of the northern lights. The night sky is unbelievable, more and more stars become visible as my vision becomes familiar with the dark. No light pollution is a joy when you live in London, the evident benefit being a galactic star and planetary light show. Quite simply mesmerising. But no aurora on this occasion! The hunt continues......

Arriving in Tromsø, one of Norway’s most northern cities, the dark mid-afternoon skies rest heavy on the horizon. It’s bitterly cold as I check into Clarion Hotel The Edge which is so warm you could roast chestnuts on the receptionist’s desk. The hotel is centrally located, everything in walking distance with some great bars and restaurants

- as with most Scandinavian countries don’t be surprised by the price, be prepared - around £10£12 a pint.

Daylight is scarce at this time of year, so I make the most of it! You have a window of between 11am and 3pm - you won’t see the sun - instead an eerie glow tries its best to light the day. So, what’s to do? It’s a vibrant place, culturally significant with museums and a the city has a rich maritime past - worth checking out is the Tromsø University Museum, dedicated to natural and cultural sciences. I leave the hotel and head for the Tromsdalen Church, more commonly known as the Arctic Cathedral, a stunning building, a quick stop off before catching the cable car up to the mountain ledge Storsteinen (421 m above

10 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

sea level). The spectacular panoramic views of Tromsø and the surrounding islands, mountains and fjords is breathtaking; I am looking at a true winter wonderland, the blue sky and the white of the snow across the land is something to (here comes the cheesy bit) ‘BEHOLD!’.

I am dumbfounded.

I am amazed. I’m on another planet surely?

The heavens are alive!

N O R WA Y

How to do it

Visit Lapland Visit Lapland help those planning an Arctic adventure to find, assess availability and book activities from across the Lapland region of Sweden, Norway and Finland. To find and book your dogsledding, Northern Lights, Sami or snowmobiling experience, visit: www.visitlapland.com For an extensive list of activities in Tromso and booking options, visit: www.visitlapland.com/destinations/ norway/tromso

Stay Skaret Lodge Grønliskaret 9130, 9130 Hansnes Basic from price for Cabin is 2500 NOK per night; and the main lodge is 35000 NOK per night. www.skaretlodge.com Clarion Hotel The Edge Kaigata 6, 9008 Tromsø Prices start from 1290 NOK www.nordicchoicehotels.com/hotels/ norway/tromso/clarion-hotel-the-edge

Night rolls in at 15:12 hours. This is weird. I’m feeling a little lost, slightly out of the comfort zone of regular daylight in the UK but, at the same time, loving it! It’s a magical land, the biting chill in the air and the ice under foot all add to the experience of tuning in with this land of winter - must come back in the summer though!

Tesla, Lights, Action 23:30 hours and I wonder why the hell, now its -6 degrees, I have booked myself onto another Northern Light hunt? The last one almost led to frost bite (exaggeration! But it was frikkin’ freezing)! But this is with a bit of a difference - a heated Tesla model X and expert driver/guide will lead us to, hopefully, a successful spot to catch the elusive aurora borealis.

It’s dark; REALLY dark. We drive on into the forests, the moon gently lighting the snow covered mountains either side of the fjord. We pull over and walk to the rocky shore. There is a strange ambience in the air - a thin misty blue cloud cover begins to clear, the stars begin to shine through with spectacular abundance. Eyes start to get used to the darkness, no light pollution helps you focus. All is quiet. Damn quiet, you can hear the silence.

Our guide points upwards to the east as a small slither of green starts to meander across the sky.

It’s growing in size and in magnitude. The darkness begins to dissipate. From the black, a huge white whisp of what seems like cloud transforms into an electric green. The wind from our nearest star ignites the dance of aurora borealis. The

northern lights have switched themselves on!

Words cannot describe what I am witnessing. I am humbled. I am dumbfounded. I am amazed. I’m on another planet surely? The heavens are alive!

To have seen what I have seen will have you wanting more of the same. Nature’s greatest light show was something I was quite happy to watch on the TV from the comfort of my own home.

Being here, seeing this, nothing between me and the swirling mass of natural neon, is an emotional time, our beautiful planet connecting with its life force, Sol, invigorates the sense of being human and our place in the universe. Divine.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 11

A CRUISE FOR ALL SEASONS

A CRUISE FOR ALL SEASONS

BY JO GARDNER

No longer the preserve of retirees spending the kids’ inheritance, cruising is taking the world by storm. And there’s one for every season...

12 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

A CRUISE FOR ALL SEASONS

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 13

A CRUISE FOR ALL SEASONS

photo: Manuel Cosentino

photo: Erik Eastman

Spring Japan Cherry blossom here we come… This ‘cruise and stay’ offers the best of both worlds: time aboard the luxury Diamond Princess - with its large pool, Italian restaurant, and movie nights under the stars - with two nights in a sleek four-star hotel in Tokyo. This fascinating city is an intoxicating riot of colour, noise and smells that will stay in your memory forever. Eat noodles at a street market, shop for electronic goods at Yodobashi, get a bird’s eye view of the city at the top of the Tokyo Skytree – the world’s tallest tower – and dine at the Robot Restaurant where robots play the piano and sing while you tuck into a Bento box. Only in Japan! A ride on the iconic bullet train between Tokyo and Mount Fuji is a real highlight of this cruise; if you have timed your visit well, Japan’s iconic cherry blossom will be in full bloom here.

The cruise then heads to the unspoilt islands of Okinawa where time seems to have stood still – relax on a pristine beach, take a boat around the islands or head to an observatory to see Jupiter.

photo: Torsten Dederichs

Tokyo. This fascinating city is an intoxicating riot of colour, noise and smells that will stay in your memory forever

14 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

Holland April is the best time to see Holland’s annual floral display of red, yellow, lilac, pink, purple and white tulips, daffodils and hyacinths gracing the fields and gardens of the country each spring. A fiveday river cruise to this annual event begins with a Eurostar trip to Amsterdam, the city of bikes and clogs where you can explore narrow cobbled streets, drink a beer by a sunny canal or walk around a fragrant flower market. The MV Prinses Christina will then take passengers along the pretty Dutch waterways to Enkhuizen, an old fishing village where traditional folklore still exists, and Lisse, where fields of fragrant flowers are guaranteed, before moving on to Keukenhof. Green fingers at the ready for the famous Keukenhof Gardens, where nine miles of footpaths lead visitors through displays created from the planting of seven million bulbs, including a staggering 800 varieties of tulips. The park also includes canals, picnic areas, a maze and a windmill. Taking place on smaller vessels, river cruises don’t just offer a more intimate cruising experience but can take you to areas that larger liners can’t access.

A CRUISE FOR ALL SEASONS

photo: Anastasia Zhenina

photo: Owen Williams

Sognefjord

Summer

Keukenhof Gardens, photo: Luca Vavassori

The Fjords The best time to explore the magnificent Norwegian Fjords is July, when the sun shines for most of the day and night (black out blinds please) and temperatures sit at around a pleasant 25 degrees. Head to Newcastle and board TUI’s Marella Explorer 2 – with its nine restaurants, 10 bars, casino, Broadway Show Lounge and Champney’s Spa – for a seven-night trip of no airports, planes or hotels. This particular ship is also all-inclusive (those glasses of fizz really add up) and reserved for adults, ensuring a civilized, peaceful holiday.

Norway’s biggest fjord, Sognefjord, is an absolute stunner with its picture-perfect scenery – think rolling green hills, snow-capped mountains and glimmering lakes. Take a walk around a local farm and taste some fresh raspberries before taking a dip in the cool lake. The best way to see the village of Nordfjordeid is from above – head up the Loen Skylift and get a birds-eye view; a coffee or lunch in the restaurant at the top is a must. Excursions on this cruise include boat rides to see killer, sperm and humpback whales which are more prolific in the summer months.

Norwegian village on the water

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 15

A CRUISE FOR ALL SEASONS

Maine

New England

Autumn

Winter

Canada & New England Autumn’s annual display of reds, coppers, oranges and yellows can stop traffic anywhere in the world but New England and Canada put on the best shows. A 25-day Canada & New England in the Fall cruise takes in both destinations without needing to weigh your luggage, step into an airport or board a plane – simply get to Southampton or Newcastle and let your liner of choice (Marco Polo and Princess Cruises both run itineraries here) take you all the way to the states.

En-route passengers can visit the historic sites of Boston, sample fresh seafood in Maine and shop until they drop in New York (remember: no baggage restrictions). In Canada, passengers will be able to spend time in the cosmopolitan cities of Quebec and Montreal – where maple trees in red, gold and green line the streets, as well as smaller towns such as Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, where you can kayak, fish, raft, surf and whale watch. Don’t leave without trying the Masstown Market’s seafood pie – a rich and creamy chowder pie containing Atlantic haddock, cod, cold water shrimp and sea scallops.

The Amazon Welcome to the jungle… Escape the grey British winter and head to South America, where reversed seasons will guarantee that the sun has got his hat on. Running 4,345 miles from the Peruvian Andes to Brazil, the mighty Amazon is the second largest river in the world. Cruises here take place on charming wooden river boats with just 30 or so passengers on board, making them friendly and intimate. This cruise isn’t about bells and whistles but exploring one of the world’s most bio-diverse landscapes, where monkeys, sloths and tropical birds inhabit the trees; jaguars prowl the forests, and manatees, dolphins and otters float through the river’s murky waters. Watch long-tailed monkeys swing between towering kapok trees while listening to a jungle soundtrack of cicadas, frogs and birds. Two of the most eco-conscious cruise companies in the area include Aqua Expeditions and Delfin Amazon Cruises, both operating small, luxury vessels with floor-to-ceiling windows for watching the incredible sunsets from your cabin. Excursions on an Amazon cruise range from swimming with pink dolphins and fishing for piranhas in Peru to meeting native tribes and relaxing on picture-perfect beaches in Brazil.

New England

16 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

A CRUISE FOR ALL SEASONS

How to do it JAPAN Princess Cruises T: 0344 338 8663 www.princess.com

HOLLAND The Trans River Line Company T: + 31 70 3907843 www.transriverline.com photo: Torsten Dederichs

THE FJORDS TUI T: 0203 636 1862 www.tui.co.uk

CANADA & NEW ENGLAND Marco Polo Cruises www.marcopolocruises.net Princess Cruises T: 0344 338 8663 www.princess.com Antarctica If, like Elsa in the movie Frozen, the cold never bothered you anyway (the coldest temperature ever recorded was -128F), a cruise around The White Continent is for you. November, December and January are the best months to go, with 20 hours of sunshine a day ensuring you avoid frost bite. Whether you board a 10-seater zodiac boat and cruise within an inch from the iridescent blue icebergs, penguins and polar bears or do a ‘sail by’ on a large liner as part of a wider itinerary, the outer-worldly scenery of Antarctica will touch even the coldest of souls. This is cruise territory with sixteen ships running 46 itineraries for 2019-2020; break the bank with a luxury 18-night Silversea Cruise aboard the Silver Explorer (where grand suites start from £62,000) or board an 11-night Hurtigruten cruise and swap facilities for evening lectures run by local experts. During the day you’ll see phenomenal amounts of wildlife, including humpback and killer whales, seals and birds. With climate change on our doorstep – and the ice caps melting faster than we can stop – there has never been a better time to visit Antarctica.

There has never been a better time to visit Antarctica

THE AMAZON Aqua Expeditions T: + 65 6270 4002 www.aquaexpeditions.com Delfin Amazon Cruises T: +51-1 7190998 www.delfinamazoncruises.com

ANTARCTICA Silversea Cruises T: 0844 251 0837 www.silversea.com photo: Eamonn Maguire

Hurtigruten T: +1 888 670 9173 www.hurtigruten.com

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 17

MOROCCO

Mellow down in Morocco BY ÁINE MCGINTY

T

hanks to the Vichy Célestins Spa Hôtel Casablanca, you don’t have to fly all the way across the world to experience a luxurious wellness retreat. Perfectly located less than an hour from both of the international airports in Rabat and Casablanca, the hotel may be out of this world but it is not out of reach.

Boasting 130 rooms and suites, this new five-star hotel in Bouznika overlooks the Atlantic Ocean in the Bahia Golf Beach, in fact no matter where you stay in the hotel you will either have a view of the sea, the magnificent 18-hole golf course or the garden.

The hotel perfectly combines the Vichy method of wellness and nutrition with nods to the culture of its location.

Wellness The Vichy Célestins Spa Hôtel Casablanca is the home of Morocco’s first wellness clinic, a 3,200 m2 medical spa which holds a heated seawater pool, a cardio-training studio and various treatment rooms with high tec equipment for a wealth of needs.

Treatments and this blew any spa treatment I’ve ever had before out of the water.

Due to the hotel’s proximity to Rabat, Moroccon royals tend to visit the spa, so since it is fit for royalty my expectations were just a bit high.

The treatment begins with a seawater hydromassage bath, the multi-jet hydromassage combines with the salts of Vichy waters, delivering deep muscle relaxation as well as chromotherapy benefits. This is inspired by Roman thermal pools as the Romans were the first to discover the benefits of Vichy’s thermal waters.

All of the therapists in Vichy Célestins Spa Hotels are Vichy-accredited - travelling to France is a requirement as well as undergoing five years of studies and wow does that show when you experience a treatment. I had the Trilogy of Signature

Next up is the phyto-mineral mud wrap where mud with anti-inflammatory ingredients is applied all over your body before you are wrapped in a heated blanket and your therapist leaves the room- although very warm, it’s very calming.

18 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

MOROCCO The best is saved for last with the Vichy thermal water shower and 2 hand massage- you can also opt for the Vichy 4 hand massage, Vichy’s most famous treatment. The water shooting down on you combined with the therapist’s magic hands means this is the height of relaxation any tension you have is soon a distant memory - it’s so good that I’d almost travel to Morocco again just for the massage.

After your treatments you slip your bathrobe back on and are taken to the relaxation room with the option of either Vichy Célestins mineral water or Wright’s Herbal Tea to hydrate.

The wellness clinic also offers a variety of high technology treatments including bodysculptor, cryotherapy and LPG endermologie of face or body care.

There is also a Bahia wellness boutique which stocks Vichy cosmetics as well as marocMaroc products and a hairdresser and nail salon, meaning you can look as good as you feel.

The hotel perfectly combines the Vichy method of wellness and nutrition with nods to the culture of its location

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 19

MOROCCO

Dining You can’t write about a Vichy retreat or a trip to Morocco without discussing dining, if there’s one thing I’m certain about after this trip it’s that Morocco is all about the food.

Health and nutrition are at the forefront of a Vichy retreat and of course the Vichy Célestins natural mineral water plays a huge part with the chef, trained in Vichy (France), using the water in traditional and European dishes.

Breakfast at the hotel takes place in the V restaurant which also plays host to brunch and dinner.

You can have a continental breakfast including fruit and pastries or have an omelette of your choice made.

ensure that health and flavour become one - this is actually one of the first of its kind in Morocco.

My visit coincided with a Dîner d’exception in which Michelin star chef Joel Cezari joined renowned chef Sébastien Bontour to cook a delicious six course meal - featuring delightful French dishes. The hotel organises special nights like these often and they attract local visitors as well as hotel guests.

Lunch can also be eaten at the Italian restaurant, La Bella Vista, which is located at the Beach Club. Both the salad and the pasta are to die for - healthy and delicious, what a combination. You can also dine outside with a beautiful view of the golf course.

The hotel’s Sense restaurant is a gastro-diet restaurant where the chef works with dieticians to

20 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

If there’s one thing I’m certain about after this trip it’s that Morocco is all about the food

MOROCCO

Casablanca Metropolis photo: Aymane Fahssi

Things to do Some people could easily go to the hotel and never leave but, as mentioned, in Bouznika you are located in the middle of both Casablanca and Rabat and, if you can bear to drag yourself away from the serene hotel, excursions and cultural visits give you the perfect opportunity to get a taste of Morocco.

The city of Rabat is known for its busy but enjoyable zouks - where you can pick up everything from traditional clothing to carpets, handbags, jewellery and art work. There truly are some fantastic bits, although you might have to also buy another suitcase for coming home.

When in Rabat you must also see the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Hassan Tower.

Whilst the Kasbah of the Udayas provides some excellent views as well as a picturesque walk.

Casablanca is also a must, where you can see the Hassan II mosque, the third largest mosque in the world and quite possibly the most stunning building I have ever seen.

Casablanca also has some wonderful restaurants including the Umayya restaurant where you can enjoy dinner and watch the sunset with a sea view. There is also an outside shisha area, an excellent opportunity to get to know some locals.

Most importantly though, for all the foodies out there, the traditional dish, B’stilla, is a must. It is a Moroccan chicken pie which mixes both sweet and savoury, delighting the taste buds.

Visit the zouks, visit the mosques, and try some local cuisine to really get a sense of Morocco before returning to your calm haven.

Ideally located between the cities of Casablanca and Rabat, the Vichy Célestins Spa Hôtel Casablanca is located in Bouznika facing the Atlantic Ocean in the splendid Bahia Golf Beach and its luxurious garden. It is less than an hour from each of the international airports (Rabat and Casablanca), accessible by the highway.

Vichy Célestins Spa Hôtel Casablanca Bahia Golf Beach , coastal road km 44, Bouznika +212 529 041 111 casablanca@vichycelestins.com www.vichy-celestins-spa-hotel.com/ casablanca-morocco

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 21

NEW ZEALAND

Hit the Road in New Zealand

BY JO GARDNER

New Zealand may be compact but it’s also incredibly diverse with different scenery at every turn, and one of the best ways to see it is by campervan.

N

ew Zealand is packed to the rafters with incredible hotels and lodges but having to book in advance can be tricky - how many nights will you want to stay? What if the town isn’t what you expected? Or the chosen property, for that matter…

New Zealand is almost designed for campervans: the roads are empty, the petrol is cheap and the scenery en-route is stunning. You can also rock up almost anywhere without prior notice – park on a deserted beach and the locals won’t bat an eyelid. With your accommodation already in tow, it’s a cheaper way to see the country, too. Here’s how to do it.

A Natural High As the propellers begin to spin, slowly at first and then whirring into a blur, I feel a surge of excitement. I’ve been in a helicopter before - talking to the pilot through big headphones while he points out landmarks below is an experience I’ll never forget - but I’ve never headed towards a glacier before.

And Franz Josef is the world’s commercially steepest – as we rise higher into the sky, I ponder telling my guide that I’m terrified of heights, but am unable to speak: the glistening blanket of snow and ice below literally takes my breath away.

Kitted out in weather-proof clothes and boots, and wielding a pole, I take my first tentative step on the ice… and fall over. This is going to be harder than I thought. Then I spot an ice cave

22 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

with an iridescent blue centre and am transfixed.

While my guide tells me how it is formed, I trudge inelegantly towards it, camera at the ready.

Back in the Britz van I have hired for three weeks, I turn the stereo up and drive the winding lanes to the local campsite singing at the top of my voice as Blondie’s One Way or Another blasts out from the stereo – the snow-capped mountains follow me all the way.

When I arrive, my fellow Britz travellers are already tucking into beer and firing up the BBQ; the topic of conversation? Where to go next... there’s talk of a skydive but, personally, I’m already as high as a kite on New Zealand’s natural wonders.

NEW ZEALAND

Lake Tekapo, Canterbury photo: Christopher Moss

How to do it

Franz Josef Glacier West Coast, photo: Fraser Clements

Two of the biggest campervan providers in New Zealand are Britz and Maui, both offering a range of vans to suit your needs, complete with creature comforts – think dining tables that turn into double beds, kitchen areas with fridges and microwaves, showers and flushable loos. Driving a large van with a bed in the back might seem daunting at first, but being higher up actually makes you feel safer on the road; oversized mirrors allow you to see everything clearly. Drivers also have modern stereos, cup holders and a choice of automatic or manual gearboxes at their disposal; making them feel right at home (driving is on the left). Both companies will also let you pick the van up in one town and drop it in another, meaning you can see both islands without having to double back on yourself. With prices from just £25 per day, what are you waiting for?

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 23

NEW ZEALAND

Bay of Plenty, Rotura, photo: Adam Bryce

Craggy Range Winery, Hawkes Bay, photo: Graeme Murray

Glow Worm Cave, Waitomo, photo: Shaun Jeffers

Wellington City, photo: Rob Suisted

can do just about any water-based activity you have heard of (and some you haven’t) as well as skydiving and horse-riding. It’s then a further two hours to Waitomo where ancient underground limestone caves are illuminated by hundreds of glow-worms. Stop the night at Waitomo Top 10 Holiday Park.

spite the welly-related name, don’t boot Wellington out of the water either – recover from the long drive in the town’s peaceful botanical gardens and pretty churches. Tired? Stay at Camp Elsdon, a basic yet pretty campsite with everything you need. The ferry from Wellington to Picton the next morning will take three hours.

How to see both islands Spend some time in Auckland before heading to a Britz or Maui office downtown to organise your hire. You will then be shuttled to the airport to pick up your campervan.

First stop: the dramatic North Island, with its green rolling hills dotted with cows and sheep (sound familiar?), rugged mountains, deserted coastlines and large lakes. Rotorua, around three hours from Auckland, is a must. Famed for its bubbling mud, volcanic mountains and Maori locals, visitors can stop at Hell’s Gate and wallow in boiling mud pools before bathing in hot waterfalls. Stay at the nearby Blue Lake Holiday Park.

From here it’s an easy 1hr, 20min-drive to Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand, where you

Like your wines? Get an early start and drive 3hrs, 30mins southeast to Napier where the vineyards around Hawke’s Bay produce some of the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc – lunch or dinner overlooking the vines is a real treat. Quaffed a little too much? Stay the night at Hawke’s Bay Holiday Park and get a good night’s sleep. Fuel up on breakfast - the drive to Wellington, the crossing point to the South Island, could take around five hours. De-

24 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

NEW ZEALAND

All you need to know Tourism New Zealand www.tourismnewzealand.com Britz www.britz.com/nz/en Maui www.maui-rentals.com/nz/en Blue Lake Top 10 Holiday Park 723 Tarawera Rd, Lake Okereka 3040 www.bluelaketop10.co.nz

Roys Peak, Wanaka, photo: Miles Holden

Waitomo Top 10 Holiday Park 12 Waitomo Village Rd, Waitomo 3977 www.waitomopark.co.nz Hawke’s Bay Holiday Park 3 Onehunga Rd , Bay View , Napier 4104 www.hbhp.co.nz Camp Elsdon 18 Raiha Street, Elsdon , Porirua 5022 www.campelsdon.co.nz Kaikoura Peketa Beach Holiday Park 665 SH 1 (7km South of Kaikoura), Peketa Beach, Kaikoura 7374 www.kaikourapeketabeach.co.nz

Queenstown, photo: Adam Bryce

New Zealand’s South Island is a different world a majestic land of blue glaciers, dramatic fjords, snow-capped mountains and cute-as-a-button towns. First stop: Kaikoura, around 150 km from Picton, to join a whale-watching cruise and spot giant sperm whales. Stay at The Kaikoura Peketa Beach Holiday Park and take in the snow-capped mountain views with a glass of something cold (just the one).

Break up the long six-hour drive to Franz Josef Glacier the next day with a stop at Arthur’s Pass National Park, with its dense rainforest, shingle-filled riverbeds and thundering waterfalls. A real highlight of any trip to New Zealand is a helicopter ride over the glacier, a spectacular world of azure blue caves and icy mountains. Join a heli-hike tour and

walk across the glacier itself, stopping to crawl into the blue caves and take pictures. The nearby Franz Josef Top 10 Holiday Park is a good place to stay the night. Set against the backdrop of Mount Aspiring National Park, Wanaka (3hrs, 30mins from here) is an adventure hub, with adrenaline-pumping activities including heli-skiing, canyoning, climbing and skydiving. Or simply spend some time in the cute town itself, sipping coffee and tucking into sticky cinnamon buns.

From here it’s just an hour to Queenstown, a skiing town that’s as hip as they come – think good-looking locals, quirky cafes and a backdrop of snow-capped mountains. Take it all in one last time before dropping your van off at the Queenstown depot.

Franz Josef Top 10 Holiday Park 2902 Franz Josef Hwy, Franz Josef Glacier Westland 7886 www.top10.co.nz/park/franz-josef-top-10holiday-park

New Zealand’s South Island is a different world - a majestic land of blue glaciers, dramatic fjords, snow-capped mountains and cute-asa-button towns.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 25

SIENA

Sacred Siena

BY GARETH HUW DAVIES

Siena, among the most handsome small cities of Italy, has other compelling attractions beyond the artists’ favourite. One is a marvel to compare with many of Italy’s better-known cathedral treasures, concealed most of the time under a protective carpet...

nce everyone would have walked, or ridden, to Siena, the medieval city sitting high and radiant above dreamy Tuscan countryside.

O

Assunta, built 300 years after his visit. Soaring above a sea of terracotta roofs, it dominates the city’s main hill.

Sigeric the Serious, an archbishop of Canterbury, passed through on his journey to Rome in 990, to pick up his ecclesiastical vestment. His extreme travel option of walking is available today on a signposted route.

I first heard of Siena from my paintbox at school.

Burnt Sienna (and, confusingly, it does have two “n”s) conjured up a dark brooding elegance. How could our workaday reds and blues and greens compete?

You may retrace his steps (he wrote an account of his return journey), if you care for the extended trek, on the Via Francigena. It runs from Canterbury, via France and Switzerland. It has the same long-distance route status as the better known Way of St. James, to Santiago de Compostela.

Siena, among the most handsome small cities of Italy, has other compelling attractions beyond the artists’ favourite. One is a marvel to compare with many of Italy’s better-known cathedral treasures, concealed most of the time under a protective carpet.

We reached Siena by car, driving across the Tuscan countryside, which presses close to the little city. But, unlike Sigeric, we took in the tremendous view of the Cathedral of Santa Maria

The city boasts an older, and possibly greater, race than even the Grand National and the Derby.

And they hold it not on a conventional racetrack, but around the city’s huge, sloping central square.

And if that sounds too furious, Siena is a keen

26 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

contender for leadership in “take it easy tourism”.

The cathedral drew us first. Every autumn they roll up a protective carpet. Revealed for just a few days is a masterpiece of Renaissance art, an exquisite inlaid marble mosaic floor telling mainly Biblical stories. It was the creation of 40 artists, working between the 14th and 16th centuries.

A joint ticket took us into the adjoining Museo dell’Opera. Here there are works by Bernini and Donatello. The Maestà from 1311 is said to be the largest altarpiece ever painted. This is the centrepiece of the work, by Duccio di Buoninsegna, Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels and Saints. In 1711 the original fivemetre high piece was taken apart. Other panels were sold and have been acquired by galleries, including the National Gallery in London.

Inside the Museo we took the 131 step climb up to the Facciatone Terrace. From here there are superb views of Siena and the Tuscan countryside.

SIENA

Siena Cathedral

Across from the cathedral was Santa Maria della Scala, now a museum, where the pilgrim would be offered soup and a bed. It’s been there since 1090, possibly earlier. Did Sigeric take a bite here?

In any event he was too early to inspect the relics, possibly to stimulate the pilgrim trade, acquired in 1359. They included, so it was claimed, part of the Virgin Mary’s girdle and her veil.

Our picnic choice was more lavish than the pilgrim’s. We stocked up with the real taste of the province at the city centre food emporium (the word shop doesn’t do it justice) Consorzio Agrario di Siena, run by the local farmers’ association.

We sat on the smooth and venerable steps of the nearby church Chiesa di San Cristoforo to feast on finocchiona di cinta senese (fennel-flavored pork sausage), pecorino sheep’s milk cheese and local pan co’santi, a sweet brown bread made with raisins and walnuts.

The Palio Horse Race, photo : Anastasia Borisova

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 27

SIENA

It was time to inspect the course of the Palio di Siena, the thunderous horse race three times around the huge, sloping main square, Piazza del Campo.

This twice a year event is played out under the great tower of the Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall).

On days in July and August ten horses and bareback riders race for the honour of the the Sienese contrade, the city’s ancient districts. The complete event takes four days, with a schedule of trials and other preliminaries. The race itself is on the fourth day.

The event opens with a blessing ceremony and a parade in historical costume through the city.

Proceedings are concluded with a church service.

It costs nothing to watch the frantic dash. But it is enormously popular, so spectators gather hours ahead. Or try to book a place on a balcony facing onto the piazza.

This is a perfect spot for a drink and an ice cream the rest of the time. We felt ourselves at an important location in an immense cultural phenomenon, the blossoming of the arts and architecture across Europe.

The source of one of the vital materials of the great artists lies out of town. The clays containing the iron oxides from which Burnt Sienna was made were mined close by, on the slopes of Mount Amiata, near Arcidosso. Prehistoric people used

28 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

them to colour their cave paintings. Medieval artists first fired the raw clay to turn it a rich reddish brown. It produced the dramatic, deep shadows of Caravaggio’s chiaroscuro, and the dark, eloquent browns of Rembrandt’s portraits.

The Mount Amiata clays were exhausted by the 1940s. Today they are mined mainly in Sardinia and, in the USA, in the Appalachians. Many artists now use a synthetic version, which must be a poor inspiration to the schoolchild. The Burnt Sienna legacy can be found at the boutique resort Residence Terre Gialle, near Siena, once a booming production centre for the paint. They have made a decorative lake out of one of the original mines.

SIENA

How to do it For more information on the area visit: www.visittuscany.com/en www.terresiena.it/en

WHERE TO EAT Consorzio Agrario di Siena Food Emporium where you can find components for a fine picnic www.capsi.it/en Nannini www.pasticcerienannini.it/en Nocino www.facebook.com/BarPasticceriaGelateriaNocino Bini www.facebook.com/pasticceriabini1944

HOW TO GET THERE Budget flights to Pisa Airport, or take the train www.thetrainline.com/trains/europe

WHERE TO STAY Residence Terre Gialle Loc, Terre Gialle, 1, 58033 Castel del Piano www.terregialle.com/en-gb

The Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall)

The Treno Natura steam train runs close to those original clay mines. Siena, a leader in the field of “take it easy tourism”, won first prize at the International Go Slow Competition for these railway trips. They run from the city, through the sumptuous Tuscan countryside of folding hills topped with cypresses, past Monte Antico and through Val d’Orcia to various destinations, on lines closed years ago to regular services.

Passengers are dropped off for a few hours at towns en route to taste the local pecorino cheese, sample freshly-pressed olive oil, and to visit antiques fairs, mushroom festivals and truffle markets. Trains run throughout the year apart from a high summer break, when there is a risk of sparks

starting line-side fires. Asciano is worth a visit at any time for its National Etruscan Museum and the Archaeology Museum and Sacred Art Palace.

Then back to the city to sample one of Siena’s tastes of paradise at Nannini. Cavallucci, little horses, are biscuits the shape of half apricots, made with flour and honey. Lozenge-shaped ricciarelli are a sublime mix of marzipan, orange peel and candied citron. The perfect Siena footnote.

We also stayed at an Airbnb in a medieval house in the Tuscan hill village of Montaione, which is equidistant (about an hour’s drive to each) from Pisa, Florence and Siena. In Siena and Pisa, park on the outskirts and walk in. In Florence find free parking at the end of the tram line and buy an all-day ticket.

GETTING AROUND Via Francigena long distance trail www.viefrancigene.org/en Treno Natura steam train www.terresiena.it/en

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 29

CARIBBEAN ISLANDS

Island Hopping in The Caribbean

BY JO GARDNER


From winning awards to introducing new initiatives, the islands of The Caribbean are making waves when it comes to eco-tourism but which should you visit? Jo Gardner shows us how to island hop and hones in on the islands pushing the boat out eco-wise.

30 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

CARIBBEAN ISLANDS

Turks and Caicos Islands, photo: Romello Williams

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 31

CARIBBEAN ISLANDS

Why just visit two or three islands when you could see a little bit of everything?

I

t seems fitting that a country with a lush green backdrop would be green at heart. From farm tours and wildlife spotting to hiking in rainforests and staying in eco lodges, there are plenty of eco-friendly things to do in The Caribbean. But, with over 7,000 islands to choose from, how do you hone in on one? You don’t... get a holiday of two (or more) halves by island hopping. With regular internal fights, a comprehensive ferry schedule and several cruise lines to choose from, island hopping in the Caribbean is as easy as pie.

Fly and hop Internal flights between the islands are regularly available within The Caribbean – perfect for those who go green at the gills at the thought of getting on a boat. InterCaribbean Airways flies from Antigua to Jamaica; Haiti to Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Bahamas; Dominica to Jamaica, St Lucia and St Martin; and St Lucia to Dominica and St Martin, while LIAT Airlines shuttles to and from Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Martin, St Vincent. Fly Jamaica Airways, meanwhile, will transport passengers between Jamaica and Guyana.

How to do it Roll your boat ashore The islands of the Caribbean are surrounded by warm, crystal clear waters making getting around by sail boat, catamaran, speed boat, ferry or cruise liner easy – some smaller boats can even access deserted, Robinson Crusoe-esque islands that are too small for planes or cruise liners; peace and tranquillity here we come.

Ideal bedfellows for a twin-centre or day of island hopping include St Kitts and Nevis, which are just three miles apart, Grenada and Tobago (the former sitting just above the latter), and St Lucia and Barbados (the latter positioned conveniently south of the former). The cluster of small, idyllic islands that form The British Virgin Islands are also located just east of Puerto Rico, making a great day trip or overnight stay away from a resort.

If you fly into St Kitts you might even be picked up and shuttled to your hotel on nearby Nevis by boat, courtesy of your hotel – a great way to start your holiday. If none of these float your boat, why not hire a yacht and float around the Caribbean in style – under your own steam or using a skipper.

32 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

CARIBBEAN ISLANDS

Cruising ahead Why just visit two or three islands when you could see a little bit of everything? Cruising is the ideal way to get a taste of the whole region, visiting islands large and small, pristine and built up to see which ones impress (and perhaps plan a return visit later in the year).

The Caribbean islands is a very popular product for cruise companies too, with far too many itineraries to mention here; some of note for 2019/2020, however, include Princess Cruises’ 17day Ultimate Caribbean Collection cruise taking in St Martin, Antigua, St Kitts, Martinique, Barbados, Belize and Trinidad on a cruise and stay basis, and Celebrity Cruises’ 15-day Contemporary Caribbean Island Hopping cruise which visits St Lucia, Barbados, St Kitts and St Martin aboard the luxury full-board Celebrity Silhouette.

Other cruise companies offering itineraries around the Caribbean include Royal Caribbean, Holland America, TUI, Igu Cruise, Virgin Holidays Cruises and P&O Cruises.

Dominica

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 33

CARIBBEAN ISLANDS

Where to go Guyana Guyana is a country familiar with receiving praise for its eco efforts - it was voted one of the Top 10 most sustainable destinations at the Green Destination Foundation in 2019 followed by Best in Sustainable Tourism at the LATA Achievement Awards a few months’ later. The country has made considerable strides to incorporate sustainable tourism best practice into all aspects of its strategy, including job creation for residents, low-carbon lifestyles and a livelihood for indigenous communities. Visitors to Guyana will find extensive forests, mountains, waterfalls and a wide array of wildlife, including the highest single-drop waterfall in the world, a multi-purpose rainforest reserve and a beach where endangered sea turtles come to nest each year. There are numerous eco lodges and campsites in the country’s interior, too, including Iwokrama River Lodge, where guests can boat, fish and swim; and Atta Rainforest Lodge, which is located at the base of a canopy walk.

34 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

St. Eustatius ‘Leave no trace’ is the motto for this relatively undiscovered island which has taken considerable steps to avoid mass tourism. Since launching, the St Eustatius National Park Foundation (known as STENAPA) has introduced many ecotourism initiatives to protect the marine and land environment, as well as monitor endangered animals and plant species. Minimal diving pressures ensure the waters around the island remain some of the most pristine in the world; 30 buoyed dive sites are located in the island’s marine park which opened in 1998. Anchoring has also been banned here to protect the coral reef. STENAPA also manages the island’s national parks, including The Quill - a dormant volcano containing a tropical rainforest – and Boven Subsector – an extinct volcano in the north. As well as diving and snorkelling, visitors can hike along one of seven dedicated trails in search of Statia Morning Glory, a beautiful plant that grows exclusively on the island, and the colossal Kapok tree.

CARIBBEAN ISLANDS

Nevis

Belize

‘Unspoilt, Unpretentious, Unforgettable’ goes the strap-line for ‘naturally…

Nevis’, the smaller island in the St Kitts and Nevis duo. Blessed with white colonial-style buildings, clean air and long, empty beaches, the island is ripe for eco tourism. Protecting its natural environment is key to tourism with construction forbidden beyond one thousand feet above sea level, keeping accommodation low and intimate. The interior’s rainforests and foothills are filled with trails for hikers, ramblers and mountain bikers who will come across beautiful flowers and wtall trees, as well as donkeys, goats, monkeys and tropical birds. Each year, sea turtles frequent the pristine shores with a group of volunteers working through the night to tag them in order to collect information about their nesting and movements. Presentations of their findings are then given at local schools to teach children more about where they live.

Belize may be small but it packs a punch when it comes to eco tourism with an unprecedented quantity (over 27%) of its land mass dedicated to national parks, nature reserves and wildlife sanctuaries. The country is also at the forefront of sustainability with initiatives put in place to protect the island’s marine life, reefs and rainforests. These include reef protection programs delivered to dive schools (divers and snorkellers will also receive strict instructions on what not to do before getting into the water) and conservation projects that are run on a not-for-profit basis to protect the island’s whale sharks and Jaguars and Scarlet Macaws. Seven reserves on the Belize Barrier Reef were also declared UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1996, including Blue Hole and Half Moon Cave Natural Monument. As well as diving and snorkelling, visitors to Belize can explore Mayan caves, zip-line across jungles, hike through rainforests and go kayaking, canoeing or horse riding.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 35

NORDIC HOTELS

36 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

NORDIC HOTELS

10 Luxury Hotels for a Nordic Getaway

BY INA YULO

With breath-taking landscapes, majestic fjords, and copious amounts of hygge, it’s no wonder the Nordic region is home to some of the happiest nations in the world.

Whether you fancy basking under the Northern Lights from an igloo in Finland or sipping on bespoke cocktails from a rooftop bar in Oslo, we have handpicked the best luxury hotels in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland for the perfect Nordic getaway.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 37

NORDIC HOTELS

Deplar Farm, Iceland This former sheep farm was expertly converted by the team at Eleven Experience to deliver a truly off-the-grid experience with all the comforts of a luxury hotel. Hidden in the remote Fljót Valley within the Troll Peninsula of northern Iceland, Deplar Farm is the ideal location for adventure seekers who are looking for that perfect balance of adrenaline-filled days and relaxing evenings.

Deplar Farm’s thirteen en-suite bedrooms feature sheepskin and Moroccan wools whilst the firstclass wellness facilities include Isopod flotation tanks, treatment rooms, a gym and yoga space.

After a long day of mountain trekking, whale watching, or sea kayaking, guests can eat like a Viking with dishes prepared by Iceland’s 2018 Chef of the Year. End your day at the outdoor swimming pool, which is heated by the nearby thermal springs and is the perfect spot to enjoy the beauty of the Northern Lights.

Website: www.elevenexperience.com Address: 570 Fljót, Ólafsfjörður, Iceland

38 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

NORDIC HOTELS

The Thief, Oslo Centrally-located in the Tjuvholmen arts district of Oslo, trendy waterfront hotel The Thief exudes Scandi cool. Though the area was once a dodgy quarter frequented by smugglers and bandits, it has since turned into a hip borough filled with design inspirations at every corner. The Thief proudly shares that their mission is to “steal guests away from everyday life”, and that they do.

A member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, The Thief oozes lavishness, from the swish rooms to the delicious dining options and ultimately the intuitive service. The hotel is a combination of work by international designers such as Norwegian firm Mellbye Architects and interior designer Anemone Wille Våge and artists Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons, giving off a quirky and unique aura.

Make your way to the top floor and you’ll be welcomed by one of the most popular rooftops in the city with panoramic views of Oslo alongside dishes from Thief Roof Grill and the latest beats.

Website: www.thethief.com/en Address: Landgangen 1, 0252 Oslo, Norway

Helenekilde, Denmark The coastal town of Tisvildeleje is known for its relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere and is often referred to as the Hamptons of Denmark. This quiet luxury is exactly what popular seaside refuge Helenekilde Badehotel provides to all of its guests. Rooms feature rattan furniture, private balconies, and are swimming in natural light.

Whilst the tradition of a badehotel or bathing hotel is nothing new to the Danes, Helenekilde delivers an authentic but fresh take on a seaside escape.

Ett Hem, Stockholm Oftentimes, luxury translates to cold and distant.

This is something that the family behind Stockholm hotel Ett Hem wanted to change. Originally built as a private residence in 1910, the Arts and Crafts home was transformed by owner Jeanette Mix into a refuge for modern travellers.

The in-house restaurant describes its food as Modern Nordic and changes regularly with each season. The hotel has one of Denmark’s oldest forests as a neighbour, so fresh produce and berries often make their way into the menu. The bar also has an extensive wine menu and guests can often be seen with a glass in hand out on the terrace.

The name Ett Hem means “a home”, and this is exactly the type of environment that guests are welcomed into from the moment they step foot into the hotel’s beautiful garden courtyard. Meals are available whenever you please, and the locally-sourced, seasonal food can be enjoyed on a communal table in the kitchen, in the more formal library, or even in the al fresco Greenhouse. The twelve bedrooms and suites embrace Ett Hem’s ethos of luxurious comfort and are beautifully designed by acclaimed designer Ilse Crawford to preserve the building’s authentic Scandinavian character.

Website: www.helenekilde.com/en Address: Strandvejen 25, 3220 Tisvildeleje, Denmark

Website: www.etthem.se Address: Sköldungagatan 2, 114 27 Stockholm, Sweden

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 39

NORDIC HOTELS

Kakslauttanen, Lapland, Finland Situated just 250 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort is a family hotel deep in the Finnish Lapland. The Urho Kekkonen National Park is right in its backyard, and no matter which season you decide to visit, you will find an activity to keep yourself occupied.

From canoeing in the summer, horse safaris in the autumn, to ice fishing in the winter, a stay at Kakslauttanen is ideal for the entire family.

Hotel Union Øye, Norway A favourite of royalty, writers, and musicians, the historic Hotel Union Øye by the Norangsfjord continues to captivate visitors with its old world charm, distinct design, and incredible location.

The hotel first opened its doors in 1891 and has retained its original splendour in both its look and level of service. Meals are prepared using the finest local ingredients and an emphasis on true Scandinavian cuisine.

The brainchild of entrepreneur Jussi Eiramo, Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort is now divided into East and West villages with a selection of accommodation options: log chalets, earth lodges, a nearly 100-year-old traditional house, gold digger chalets on the banks of the golden river, and an array of glass, kelo-glass, and snow igloos.

The hotel’s 27 rooms are all named after famous guests such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, playwright Henrik Ibsen, and adventurer Roald Amundsen. Some unique bedroom features include four-poster beds, sitting areas, and mountain views. Surrounded by the Sunnmøre alps, majestic valleys and fjords, it is of no surprise that this storied hotel remains one of Scandinavia’s most loved retreats.

The lodge benefits from being in close proximity to the Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, the village of Äkäslompolo, and the Ylläs ski resort.

Guests are invited to don some snow shoes or cross-country skis and explore over 28 hectares of private forest. The hotel’s guides are also available to accompany visitors on snowmobile, husky, or reindeer safaris.

Website: www.unionoye.no/en Address: Norangdal 41, 6196 Norangsfjorden, Norway

Website: www.luxurylodge.fi Address: Tiurajärventie 27, 95970 Äkäslompolo, Finland

Website: www.kakslauttanen.fi Address: Kiilopääntie 9, 99830 Saariselkä, Finland

40 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

Luxury Lodge L7, Lapland, Finland Set within the Finnish wilderness on the banks of Lake Kukaslompolo is the L7 Luxury Lodge.

Promising a tranquil experience with nature right at your doorstep, the 7-bedroom lodge is owned and run by the Qvist family, who are expert hoteliers. With a full gourmet dining offering, a sauna, an outdoor Jacuzzi, and a large living room with a stone fireplace, the lodge creates an atmosphere that perfectly complements the Lappish outdoors.

NORDIC HOTELS

Tower Suites, Reykjavik If you’re looking for a city break that is at the pinnacle of luxury, Tower Suites in Reykjavik should be on the top of your list. With only eight private suites, guests can enjoy an intimate stay with sweeping views from the highest point in the capital. The combination of modern design and extreme comfort is evident in each of the carefully thought out suites; a number of them even have connecting options to allow you to have your own private wing.

Andersen Hotel, Copenhagen In the heart of Copenhagen’s hip Vesterbro neighbourhood lies the award-winning Andersen Hotel. The family-run hotel takes inspiration from its location with wallpapers from Designers Guild and furnishings by a number of international designers such as Jasper Morrison and Philippe Starck. The boutique hotel’s 69 rooms are uniquely decorated and follow three distinct colour schemes for guests to choose from. There is even a menu where you can choose the ideal pillow to help you get a good night’s sleep!

Upper House, Sweden Conveniently located on the topmost floors of the Gothia Towers, the exclusive Upper House hotel is a luxury gem in the city centre of Gothenburg.

The five-star hotel has 53 rooms and suites; all of which are spacious and stylishly designed. If the hotel’s proximity to attractions like the Liseberg Amusement Park, Scandinavium Arena, and The Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre aren’t enough, perhaps you’ll be persuaded by the glass-bottom pool with views over the city or the Michelin-starred Upper House Dining.

The team at Andersen Hotel understands that time is luxury. This is why they developed a CONCEPT24 package, which allows guests to relax and enjoy their rooms for 24 hours from check-in to check-out. The urban and artistic feel of Vesterbro is evident in the lobby lounge which holds art exhibitions every other month, has its own honesty bar, and a resident DJ.

As a leader in Scandinavian luxury and wellness, the Upper House Spa offers a plethora of treatments that will help ease your mind, body, and soul. From a sleep retreat in a state-of-the-art spa bed to the Nordic Harmony scrub, wrap, massage and facial, prepare yourself for a spa experience like no other.

The hotel operates both a 24-hour full concierge service as well as an Invisible Service—their handsoff approach to luxury. Whether you prefer the personal interaction with a team that aims to cater to your every need or would rather live the life of an independent local with smart phone checkins and a digital Local Guide, Tower Suites is at the forefront of contemporary luxury travel.

Website: www.upperhouse.se/en Address: Gothia Towers, Mässans gata 24, 402 26 Göteborg, Sweden

Website: www.towersuites.is Address: 105, Katrínartún 2, Reykjavík, Iceland

Website: www.andersen-hotel.dk/en Address: Helgolandsgade 12, 1653 København, Denmark

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 41

G R E AT D R I V E S

Great Drives Around the World

BY JO GARDNER

From Route 66 to The Garden Route, these epic journeys will make you fall back in love with driving
 42 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

G R E AT D R I V E S

Mount Hutt, Canterbury photo: Julian Apse

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 43

G R E AT D R I V E S

Route 66, North America Running 2,488 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, Route 66 is as about as iconic as the classic cars that cruise down it. Built in 1926, and made famous by John Steinbeck in his book The Grapes of Wrath, battered signs direct drivers through Arizona, Saint Louis, Oklahoma City and LA. Driving down this desolate track can feel like going back in time, when technology’s grip on the world was still a twinkle in an Apple’s eye; gas stations that have seen much better days are still being manned by dungaree-wearing, grass chewing locals – queue tumbleweed. It’s all part of the charm. Hire a Chevrolet, Buick or Cadillac, take the top down, turn the stereo up and drive, baby.

Typical American diners and motels line the route – re-fuel with a cup of Joe and a slice of cherry pie;

when tiredness hits, pull into a motel and picture yourself in just about every American movie ever made since 1926. If you can, try and stay at the Wigwam Motel in either Holbrook, Arizona or Rialto, California – two of only three surviving ‘wigwam villages’ in the US. Each concrete teepee has a genuine vintage car parked outside.

Other highlights along the route include the former mining town of Oatman, Petrified Forest National Park and the Route 66 Museum. While The Grand Canyon isn’t technically within Route 66 it is only an hour outside and well worth the detour if you are in the area.

44 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

The Great Ocean Road, Australia The 151-mile ocean-backed stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia is a national icon for one reason: the 12 Apostles, towering limestone stacks that stand side by side off the coast of Port Campbell National Park. Sadly erosion has reduced them to eight but that doesn’t make them any less impressive.

Tracing the coastline between Geelong and Warrnambool west of Melbourne, the scenery along the Great Ocean Road, technically the B100, is a mix of cliff-hugging curves, seascapes and rainforests; the winding, 25-mile section to Apollo Bay yields a different view around each corner. But there is much more to this road than geographical wonders: head down a short dirt track to the Cape Otway Lighthouse, a beacon on

G R E AT D R I V E S

The Twelve Apostles

Akaroa,Canterbury, photo: Graeme Murray

Great Ocean Road, photo: Kareni

Arrowtown, Otago, photo: David Wall

these shores since 1848, swim with bottlenose dolphins at Port Phillip Bay or kayak with Platypus in Cape Otway. En route you’ll see wild kangaroo, koalas and blue whales. For an aerial view, book a heli-safari and appreciate the region the way birds do. The Great Ocean Road’s biggest asset is its location: it’s so close to Melbourne that you can head out for a day of fresh air, scenery and fish and chips and be back in time for beer o’clock.

North Island to South Island, New Zealand With beaches, cities, fjords, forests, glaciers, mountains, volcanoes and waterfalls, Mother Nature really spoilt New Zealand. And the best way to see it in all its glory is by road; a journey along the 677-mile route from New Zealand’s North to South Island will leave no stone unturned. Hire a camper van or motor home and stop whenever the mood takes (or when tiredness kicks in). Arriving in the dark will guarantee a new view each morning, be it the billowing geysers of Rotorua, the buzzing Auckland skyline or mountainous Queenstown.

New Zealand is so sparse (and, frankly, chilled out) that you can set up camp pretty much anywhere without being asked to move on. Evenings spent admiring the vast sky with a glass of wine and nobody else for miles around will etch in your

memory forever. Driving around this country is pretty easy, too with left-hand drive cars, gear boxes (try finding one of those in Australia), wide roads and low traffic (you might get stuck behind the odd agricultural vehicle, however). And unlike driving through desert plains, the pace changes regularly – one minute you’re negotiating hairpin bends across mountains; the next through primary rainforest with trees standing long before even the Maori were here. New Zealand’s bounty also creates some fantastic places to stop and eat along the way, be it a vineyard with an exemplary drop of Sauvignon Blanc, a waterside restaurant serving fresh seafood or a fish and chips shop with the best pie and peas around.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 45

G R E AT D R I V E S

The Garden Route, South Africa Hugging the curve of the coast around the very southern tip of Africa, from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, this celebrated 120-mile route takes drivers past white sandy beaches and over mountain passes. Named after the region’s bountiful wildflowers, the area gifts visitors with forests carpeted in 800-year-old trees, vineyards selling world famous wines from colonial buildings, and plenty of wildlife – if you’re lucky you’ll see elephants and buffalo casually strolling by. Stop at Wilderness National Park with its lakes, lagoons and wetland teeming with bird life. This route has something for everyone, too, whether you want to whale watch in Hermanus, dive with sharks in Gansbaai (gulp), cuddle ostriches in

Oudtshoorn (yes, really), dine on the waterfront at Knysna, abseil down waterfalls in Africanyon, bungee jump off Bloukrans Bridge or surf in Jeffreys Bay, it’s all here. If you like your holidays a little tamer, simply drive from vineyard to beach and quaint town to boutique hotel and relax. The favourable rate on the rand will also make car hire, petrol, eating, drinking and staying overnight superb value for money.

46 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

G R E AT D R I V E S

How to do it North Coast 500, Scotland Scotland’s answer to Route 66, the North Coast 500 is an atmospheric, circular, 500-mile route that links some of the highland’s most remote roads. It’s also far more varied than its US counterpart. The best way to tackle this stretch is to fly into Inverness, hire a car and head up the craggy west coast before returning down the north and east coasts. Along the way, you’ll be able to admire typical Scottish scenery (and weather patterns) in the form of mountains, castles, lochs and coastline. The twisty roads can hamper driving times; book accommodation in advance and end each evening with a few drams in front of a crackling fire. A dedicated website for the route shows where to stay, where to hire a car (Porsche

or Aston Martin anyone?) and where to eat and drink. You’ll even find dedicated itineraries for golfers, foodies, dog-owners, whisky aficionados or luxe-lovers. Drive through all six main regions - namely Black Isle (for dolphin spotting), Caithness (for Royal connections), Easter Ross (for malt whisky distilleries), Inverness-shire (for culture, cuisine and live music), Sutherland (for mountains that meet the sea) and Wester Ross (for mist-shrouded mountain peaks) – and you’ll get a real sense of how varied and beautiful Scotland really is.

Route 66, North America www.historic66.com The Great Ocean Road, Australia www.visitgreatoceanroad.org.au North Island to South Island, New Zealand www.tourismnewzealand.com The Garden Route, South Africa www.gardenroute.co.za North Coast 500, Scotland www.northcoast500.com

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 47

BANGKOK

48

BANGKOK

Bangkok – About as Edgy as it Gets

BY PAUL WILLIAMS

Bangkok, a city like no other - a beautiful testament to the ancient people of Thailand - upholding the religious and monarchical allegiances forged through the ages, and a bastion of modernity, its financial and military significance as a gateway to the east ever prevalent. Along with many tourist friendly attributes, the city has an edge - akin to something like a sex planet, the nightlife and blind eye attitude of the authorities is so damn obvious that the city’s decadent notoriety has an appeal that will see you test your social tolerance or assess your moral compass.

Either way, you’ll love it here.

It’s a bit of a jaunt from Heathrow, around 11 to 12 hours direct into Bangkok, and I’d recommend the Thai Air flight - great service and the aircraft seems to have a bit more space, so deffo worth considering - love the A380.

Wat Sa Ket and Wat Ratchanatdaram, Bangkok, photo: Preecha.MJ

Bangkok is hot; tropical hot. You may sweat like a madman on Ketamine but if, like me, you don’t suffer too much in the sun, you’ll just boil! Suvarnabhumi Airport has undergone a complete overhaul and, dare I say it, is actually a joy to walk through - clean, efficient and quick.

Grab a cab or the Skytrain to downtown Bangkok. There is an app similar to Uber called, funnily enough, Grab - unlike Uber, the drivers are registered and licensed taxi drivers with the Thai government - very professional and exceptionally courteous. Bob the driver was sound - I don’t think Bob was short for Robert.

by the concierge and hostesses is an absolute delight - I swear, the Thai people along with people from the Black Country in the West Midlands of the UK, really are the friendliest on the planet.

The rooms are impeccable, an incredible high standard throughout - the main atrium is awesome, bars cool as fuck and the rooftop swimming pool is a right touch. The view at night is awash with high rises and their glittering light shows.

This city is what I’d call a ‘citadel ultra’ - people, markets, more people, street food, loads and loads of people, music, open bars - as you wind slowly though the streets you become enveloped by the electric atmosphere and the alluring appeal of the night time neon haze of Soi Cowboy, Nana Plaza and Patpong - the notorious red light district of the central Bangkok.

I’m lucky enough to be staying at the magnificent Lancaster Bangkok, a four-star hotel (should be 5), on the edge of central Bangkok and a short walk from the metro station which is only 2 stops from the main drag. The renowned Thai welcome

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 49

BANGKOK

Soi Cowboy, photo: Kojach, CC BY 2.0, https://bit.ly/2Rsa4E2

The red light district is quite simply unbelievable. I have never seen anything like it! Frankly, sex is for sale everywhere - straight, bi, lesbian, transsexual, lady boys - it’s all here with hotel rooms available for 30 mins. Says it all really! The thing is, pornography and prostitution are both illegal in Thailand, yet here it is on public display. It seems to be in a time warp from the Vietnam war, all associated with the R & R allotted to US troops.

I 100% recommend visiting the red light district it’s important to see how part of the population of Bangkok makes a living from the notoriety it has garnered over the years. The reason it’s ignored by the law is the fact that money talks and wealthy ‘westerners’ pay big bucks for sex. Simple as that.

Aside this, there are some great bars that cater for ‘normal’ clientele, with live bands and DJs playing into the small hours.

It’s exploitation, it’s financial gain; it’s hard to watch perverts and deviants drool over their chosen pick up, whatever that may be. It also caters for a section of Western society who would never under ’normal’ circumstances stand a chance with a relationship. I’m in no way justifying the situation, but I do get it.

Away from the neighbourhood of lust and degenerates, Bangkok has an amazing street food culture, so much so that new build high rises don’t have kitchens. You can buy a substantial vegetable dish for 27p which even to locals is cheap. Almost every street downtown will have any number of food stalls cooking fresh and healthy food

50 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

- never saw one overweight Thai person whilst in the city. One place that has to be visited is a restaurant called The Local - absolutely incredible - family owned and situated in an affluent area, you’ll dine in traditional surroundings. A UK expat community use this place often and it’s a compulsory stop off - you will not be disappointed.

You can fill your days easily, but do get an itinerary together and stick to it. Getting to places can be chaotic, but if you have it mapped out beforehand you’ll be fine. Locals are helpful and will point you in the right direction - and they don’t expect to be tipped, so don’t offend by presuming so.

BANGKOK

How to do it Thai Airways - frequent scheduled flights from Heathrow to Bangkok; depending on dates and advance bookings fares can start from around £400-£500. www.thaiairways.com Lancaster Bangkok - excellent rates available when booking direct The Lancaster Hotel, 1777 New Petchaburi Rd, Huai Khwang, 10310 +66 (0) 2 262 8000 www.lancasterbangkok.com The Local - superb traditional Thai cuisine 32-32/1 Sukumvit 23, Klong Toey Nue, Wattana +66 (0) 2 664 0664 www.thelocalthaicuisine.com

Wat Phra Kaew, Temple of Emerald Buddha, photo: Basile Morin

Here are a few recommendations: ɁUse the Chao Phraya River network of canals to get around the perimeter of the city, cheap and cheerful, fast and punctual. DO NOT GET ANY OF THE SPRAY FROM THE WAKES OF PASSING BOATS IN YOUR MOUTH! God only knows what the hell is lurking in the waters of these canals, not exactly the cleanest. You’ll test your carbon footprint as the boats are all diesel powered.

to it as JJ Market, where you can buy literally anything. You can get brilliant street food here, highly recommended.

ɁGet to Rattanakosin Island, home to the opulent Grand Palace and its sacred Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha). The royal palace is not open to the public but the area is architecturally ornate, great for selfies so it seems. (I hate selfies). Seriously, a historically rich area of Old Bangkok Town, it’s on the tourist trail, but nevertheless its charm is one to behold.

ɁKing

Power MahaNakhon Skywalk, currently Thailand’s tallest building. Great views across the city with all the amenities you’d want - bars, restaurants and, of course, a King Power outlet for a bit of duty-free shopping.

ɁJust round the corner from the main palace is Wat Pho temple where the enormous Reclining Buddha lies - a sacred site for Buddhists, be respectful and courteous - monks actively use the temple and pray at certain times, so time your visit as per its public opening hours. ɁIron Balls Distillery & Bar - visit - it’s ace. ɁChatuchak

Weekend Market is great for having a no-obligation-to-purchase wander. Locals refer

ɁNamed

after the Buddha’s birthplace in Nepal (Lumbini), Lumphini Park is Bangkok’s main park.

Great to chill out, unwind and watch the world go by. Very popular with locals.

ɁWat Saket or The Golden Mount. Well worth going up the 300 odd steps to get a 360 degree view of Bangkok. Go early morning or late afternoon as it will get busy as the tourists arrive. Nonetheless, it’s an awe inspiring view across the city. Like Wat Pho, it’s a working temple, so be respectful at all times.

Some Things to Note ɁEntry

to many sites is free but donations are expected so carry some cash with you. Ɂ ɁAlthough

crime is low in central Bangkok, always be aware of your surroundings and let the concierge at the hotel know about your plans for the day. Ɂ ɁUse public transport or registered cab and motorbike cab drivers, easily identifiable.

Thai people are incredibly friendly and helpful and great to engage with. Ɂ ɁBe respectful at all times and never speak badly of the Royal Family - you can be arrested and receive a jail sentence. Ɂ ɁYou will notice a lot of signs warning you not to create images of Buddha - 100% adhere to this, again a custodial sentence will be handed down to anyone suspected of breaking this law.

For more information visit https://www. gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand or www.tourismthailand.org/home

ɁBangkok

is a hell of a place, one of the best cities I’ve visited. I love its urbanised chic, the energy is addictive, a city with many stories to tell and is a dichotomy between progressive modernism and social values of a bygone era.. Planet Bangkok deserves a universe unto itself.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 51

36 Hours Exploring Lisbon & Cascais

BY JO GARDNER

Often overlooked in favour of other European cities, Lisbon is a charming surprise that you can return to again and again. Here’s how Jo Gardner and her daughter got the most out of the city in 36 hours
.

52 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

LISBON & CASCAIS Morning It’s raining on our first day so we decide to stay dry and visit the Oceanarium (aquarium). Sadly, the rest of Lisbon has had the same idea and we end up queuing at the entrance (in the rain) for 25 minutes. Buy tickets in advance if you can (either online or at your hotel) or visit after lunch when it tends to be less busy.

Catch the 728 bus towards Est. Oriente from outside Baixa-Chiado station and you’ll be dropped outside in around 20 minutes. This is Europe’s largest aquarium and we spend over three hours marvelling at sharks, mantra rays, clownfish, sea otters, penguins and other colourful fish. Afterwards we walk around the stylish and eco-friendly shop (even the coat hangers are made out of cardboard) and head into the ice-cream shop for a scoop with sprinkles (her) and a beer (me). Hungry? Head back on the number 728 bus and hop across the road from Baixa-Chiado station to the Time Out Market, an indoor market of shops and food outlets carefully selected by writers at Time Out Lisbon.

This is a great place for a quick lunch with a good number of local dishes to choose from, as well as pizzas, burgers and chips, making it friendly for fussy kids too. Unlike the food halls in shopping centres at home, the Time Out Market is stylish and sophisticated with each outlet selling beer and wine alongside food. My cod and chorizo croquettes with white wine is quick, good value and tasty. There’s also a selection of shops to mooch around, with stalls selling flowers, fruit & veg and craftwares.

Afternoon One of the best ways to see Lisbon is on the iconic yellow Tram 28 which heads around most of Lisbon in around 30 minutes for just 3 euros. There are tram stops all over the city – stand by a sign for 28E and wait (it gets very busy so be prepared to wait for another one to arrive or to stand the whole way). En-route, we marvel at the castle, lots of pretty squares, pastel-coloured crumbling buildings and people drinking coffee and beer in the sunshine.

photo: Fulvio Ambrosanio

Unfortunately, the tram doesn’t loop so we get off at the final stop (Martim Moniz) and get a tuk tuk back. This isn’t the most economical way to get home but, speeding through the cobbled backstreets at top speed, is definitely the most fun.

One of the delightful things about Lisbon, however, is the narrow streets and tiny bars you stumble

across when you’re lost – if you have time on your hands, walk back and see what you find.

Evening With the sun finally wearing its hat, we head downhill towards The Tagus river where there is a string of restaurants with seats outside facing the water. We choose Vestigius for its unusual interior décor – swing seats made out of tree trunks, half a boat for a bar and hundreds of crystals hanging from the ceiling. The menu is a little on the pricey side but come before 7pm and you can order a series of small plates and a glass of wine or beer for 15 euros. We stay and watch the sun set over the water before heading next door for gelato. After dinner, we wander down nearby Pink Street (the old red light district where the ground is still painted hot pink) and head into Livraria Bar, a bar-cumbookshop with live music, great cheese boards, cheap beer and a jar full of poems to buy for 50 cents. Every time I look at the lead singer, she is in a different outfit, playing a different instrument or singing in a different language. Impressive – particularly as the show is completely free.

Our hotel of choice is the family-friendly Martinhal Chiado, the newest property in the group with 37 studios, one- or two-bedroom apartments, a café/bar and a free kids’ club with a climbing wall.

Our one-bedroom pad is spacious and stylish with a large lounge with oversized orange sofa, large flat-screen, faux Eames chairs and large French-style floor-to-ceiling doors (which are permanently locked for safety). Open the blinds in the morning and let the sunshine flood the room before making coffee in the Nespresso machine in the shiny black and silver kitchen.

The king-size bed in our separate bedroom is so comfortable – and the shutters so effective – that we sleep for a full nine hours without waking.

The iconic yellow tram, photo: Marija Murenaite

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 53

LISBON & CASCAIS

Cascais beach, photo: Thomas Peham

Passionate, soulful and easy to get happily lost in

Morning After a powerful shower in the large bathroom (which has both a bath and a shower, and Voya bathroom products), we head downstairs to have breakfast in the M Bar (which is open to the public). Choose from a selection of meats, cheeses, yoghurts and juices from the buffet (including a local shoulder of ham which you slice off the bone) before ordering coffee and eat eggs.

In the centre is a real car which children can play in – genius. Before leaving we grab Pasteis de Nata to take with us for the day. A great thing to do when the sun shines is take the 30-minute train journey out to Cascais, a pretty costal town with beaches, pretty squares and a good amount of culture.

As we chug out of Baixa-Cascais station, we say goodbye to the mustard yellow and dusky pink buildings of Lisbon and hello to the white buildings with terracotta roofs of Cascais. First stop: A Bijou de Cascais bakery for a muchneeded coffee.

54 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

You can’t visit Cascais without going to the beach – Praia de Ribeira is right in the centre of town, and has a large arc of soft, caramel sand and boats bobbing about on the water. We spend a very pleasant couple of hours watching people play volleyball, paddling in the sea and looking for pretty shells in the sand before rain drives us inside.

Cascai

LISBON & CASCAIS

Praca do Comercio square, photo: Vitor Pinto

Afternoon The main thoroughfare in Cascais has cobbled streets leading to a large square – we stop at Palm Tree Pub & Restaurant for lunch, tucking into grilled codfish (a locally speciality), pizza and Super Bock beer while watching the world go by. For a small town, there is a lot to see here: walk past the beach and head up the hill to the fort, where several statues of famous (or maybe infamous) locals overlook the town. Inside the attractive archway, you’ll find quirky shops and restaurants; cross the road for pristine gardens and the museum quarter – several pristine white houses with galleries inside.

Buy a 24-hour museum pass from your hotel (or tourist information on the main square) and you can hop in and out of as many museums as you like for free. We enjoy a photography exhibition and spend a good amount of time writing down words that we think describe the images we are looking at – a quaint idea which keeps the little one entertained.

Evening Back in Lisbon, the kids’ club at the Martinhal Chiado runs a pyjama party on Friday and Saturday nights, allowing parents to leave the property and go for dinner or a few drinks – if only more hotels offered such a service.

Clad in her pyjamas, Lily-Jane eats pasta with tomato sauce and yoghurt with six other children (now friends for life), watches a movie projected on a white wall while lounging on bean bags and tucks into popcorn until 10pm when I return.

I, in the meantime, go on the hunt for fado, the traditional music of Lisbon born in the 1800s.

Meaning fate, fado is a mournful form of music based around the notion of longing. There are several places around the city to watch this for free; I head to Restaurante A Nini, a restaurant hosting fado music every night. After an hour, I realise that fado is a lot like Lisbon itself: passionate, soulful and easy to get happily lost in.

How to do it LISBON Lisbon Oceanarium www.oceanario.pt Time Out Market www.timeoutmarket.com/lisboa The 28E tram www.carris.pt/en/tram/28e Vestigius www.vestigius.pt/en Livraria Bar www.facebook.com/ livrariabarmeninaemoca Martinhal Chiado www.martinhal.com

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 55

I S TA N B U L

Unfolding Layers of History in Istanbul

BY ADAM JACOT DE BOINOD

W

alking down the street in Istanbul you can see layers of history unfolding before you: the Old City with its cultural influences of the many empires that once ruled over it; the famous Hagia Sophia with its soaring 6th-century dome and rare mosaics; and the Sultanahmet district, with its open-air Hippodrome which once held chariot races. Here an extraordinary cultural experience lies around every corner.

56 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

Hagia Sophia Built at the command of Emperor Justinian in the years 532 to 537 it’s the city’s oldest and largest building and every brick remains intact. Initially designed for Christians, then for Muslims, it’s now a museum and is particularly impressive not just for its history but for its scale as an architectural feat with its many buttresses. Here there’s a column where tourists make a wish and stick a thumb into a hole, then attempt to rotate it in a perfect circle. Supposedly, if it gets wet, their wish comes true or their illness is cured. Look out for people jamming their fingers into its small orifice!

Pera District Full of former embassies and where Florence Nightingale asked the British Ambassador for linen napkins to bind up the soldiers’ wounds. Now, at the former American consulate, there’s the new Soho House, with its dark Italian décor for groovy local ‘Istanbullus’. Bang next door the Pera Palace Hotel proudly showed off its former glory. Room 101 was occupied by Ataturk, 103 is where Garbo slept and 411 where Agatha Christie wrote much of ‘A Murder on the Orient Express’.

I S TA N B U L

Hagia Sophia

Topkapi Palace

Süleymaniye Mosque Go up a steep hill past Ottoman-era wooden houses to look back spectacularly over the Haliç (Golden Horn), the city’s primary inlet. At the top is the Süleymaniye Mosque whose immense splendour and majesty was built to Sinan’s plans, the architect of 42 mosques in Istanbul.

Blue Mosque With its magnificent series of domes and semidomes and its spacious courtyard it has a glorious interior and the stunning Iznik tiles.

Bosphorus Boat Trip It’s really the Bosphorus (meaning the ‘shallowest point where an ox can cross’) that’s the true founder of Istanbul since, as a strait, it controls the main crossing point between Asia and Europe; the Bosphorus also acts as the passageway between the ‘Sea of Marmara’ and the ‘Black Sea’.

The trip passes stunning palaces as big oil tankers and small boats share the shipping lanes. Board at Besiktas to go to Emirgan, Küçüksu to Beylerbeyi and back again. Along the banks the milky teal water lap at both ‘yalis’ (summer residences built

of wood) and, on the European side, the glorious miniature Ortaköy Mosque and, on the Asian side, the imposing Küçüksu Palace, a rococo building whose two bowed balconies on consoles added to the staggering beauty of its façade.

our from the Iznik tiles. It was where Mozart found inspiration for his ‘Abduction from the Seraglio’ and Melina Mercouri and Peter Ustinov starred in ‘Topkapi’, the 1964 film about the theft of the sultan’s emerald-encrusted dagger.

Dolmabahçe Palace In the mid 19th century, as the Ottoman Empire had aspirations to westernise, the Sultan abandoned the Topkapi and moved to the Dolmabahçe Palace and it was here that Atatürk died in 1938. It’s an enormous edifice of white marble and by far the grandest imperial Ottoman palace on the Bosphorus: ornate, luxurious and opulent.

Dolmabahçe means ‘filled-in garden’, and this former inlet was made into a royal park with beds of scented flowers and shrubs surrounded by an imposing wall only penetrable through two gloriously elaborate grill gates.

Grand Bazaar Apart from a few rug stalls generally there’s too much touristic tat. However you can still see the rich colourful displays in pyramid heaps of the open sacks of sandalwood, henna, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and pistachios. Rich with the bustle and hustle of people busy making a buck or rather a lira!

Topkapı Palace The classic fortress with its strategic defence coming from its imposing spot overlooking the confluence of waterways. Set amongst plane trees and cypresses, the buildings offer an explosion of col-

Spice Market Displaying the exotic allure that caught the attention of western merchants; it’s an L-shaped building but, as a market, it now has only six from the 88 shops devoted to its original products. Nearby is the ‘Avenue of the Mat-Makers’ where you can see every shape and size of rope and buckle, bucket and cooking knife, hessian bag and basket.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 57

I S TA N B U L

Tips ɁIf you do see a mosque open to visitors pop in as it’s often closed for prayers to take place. Don’t put your shoes upside down on the shelf as it will mean someone will die at home. As a woman always take a scarf or else risk losing your place in the queue by being sent to the back to borrow one. ɁGetting

there from the UK takes 3½ - 4 hours and the weather is typical of Southern Europe.

Take lira not euros and don’t buy anything you can’t carry home (like a carpet!) ɁBe careful to grasp the locals’ gestures. A head tilted back means no, a hand moving up and down means yes and a head moving from left to right expresses doubt while a hand over the heart means thanks. And don’t expect English to be understood by more than a few locals, most of whom are in the tourism business. ɁFor getting about, taxis are comparatively cheap for when your feet go on strike but only step into a yellow cab (not orange) and only take a driver with a Sat Nav screen. And always get a second opinion on street directions, ferry companies and their timetables and all opening times as there’s no definitive website or guidebook. ɁTypically

men get served first in Turkey and, unlike British department stores where men descend to the basement, in Istanbul the loos for women (and position in some mosques) tend to be upstairs.

WHERE TO STAY ɁFour Seasons Bosphorus, a former palace and gardens. What a great front row seat for the Bosphorus and beyond to Asia.4.65 mm ɁFour

Seasons Sultanahmet, a spice yellow building and former jail, fantastically bestriding the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.

Bosphorus Strait of Istanbul

58 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

I S TA N B U L

Blue Mosque

Getting there AtlasGlobal has daily flights direct from London Stansted to Istanbul AtatĂźrk Airport with onward conctions to more than 40 destinations including Iraq, Iran, the Ukraine and Kuwait. All flights have a dedicated business class service. www.atlasglb.com

STAY Rates at Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus and at Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet start from ÂŁ180 per night. www.fourseasons.com/istanbul www.fourseasons.com/bosphorus Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 59

AFTERNOON TEAS

Weird and Wonderful Afternoon Teas

BY JO GARDNER

What’s more British than afternoon tea? Due to our nation’s love of tea we’ve scoured the world to come up with eight high teas with a difference that you can enjoy while at home and on your travels 60 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

WONDERFUL AFTERNOON

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 61

AFTERNOON TEAS

S

cones with jam and cream, crust-less sandwiches, fancy cakes, a pot of tea and even a glass of fizz… if the English have got one thing right, it’s afternoon tea. But that doesn’t mean you have to stick with tradition – there are some quirky versions out there for those willing to break the (cake) mould.

Crumpets in the Capital THE JAPANESE TEA The five-star Courthouse Hotel has really thought outside the box: a Japanese afternoon tea for two served in a bento box. Tuck into a range of sweet and savoury Japanese treats prepared by Head Chef Rajesh Parmar, as well as a cup of Asian tea and a glass of Japanese plum wine. You’ll even be given chopsticks to eat with. On the menu: rice cake with Azuki bean filling, Japanese style sweet omelette, honey marinated tofu filet with rice, steamed vegetable Gyoza and a sushi roll filled with smoked salmon and cucumber. And for dessert: apricot and almond cake and yuzu tart. Yum. www.courthouse-hotel.com

Japanese Afternoon Tea at The Courthouse Hotel, London

THE CHOCOLATE TEA Calling all chocolate lovers… the five-star Mayfair Hotel is serving an award-winning Charbonnel et Walker chocolate-themed afternoon tea, with chocolate scones, flourless chocolate and orange cake, doughnuts with chocolate sauce and tiramisu with chocolate shavings. The tea takes place in the May Fair Kitchen, the hotel’s stylish restaurant, where guests can tuck into five types of crust-less sandwiches, three versions of scones, three mini deserts and, to end, a selection of truffles served with coffee: choose from dark chocolate, sea salt or laced with champagne (all all three). The perfect Christmas treat for someone you love? www.themayfairhotel.co.uk

THE FRENCH TEA Patisserie boutique Cake Boy is the venue for the French tea, a patisserie-laden, contemporary afternoon tea where guests can sample filled petit pains, fine mini pastries, French macaroons, fruit tarts and gourmet shots, as well as tea and a glass of champagne. Situated in the award-winning – and downright trendy - Battersea Reach, a cafécum-cooking school set right beside the River Thames, sit back and tuck into acclaimed chef, Eric Lanlard’s, cake creations. Ooh la la. www.cake-boy.com

62 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

Cake Boy, London

Babingtons

THE BOTANICAL TEA Say it with flowers at The London Marriott Hotel on Park Lane, where a Botanical Afternoon Tea includes treats like elderflower, gin and lime marshmallow; blackcurrant and hibiscus tea mousse; rose, rhubarb and chocolate soil; and scones with clotted cream and orange and Kaffir lime jam. Work your way from the top to the bottom with four different sandwiches (including coronation chicken and smoked salmon), four types of scone, three pastries (think pistachio cupcake and pink rose cheesecake) and two sweet treats.. To drink? Rosé Champagne, of course. www.lanesoflondon.co.uk

If the English have got one thing right, it’s afternoon tea. But that doesn’t mean you have to stick with tradition

A world of flavour Twists on afternoon tea aren’t just the preserve of the Brits; cafes and restaurants all over the world are getting their hands on (and mixing up) our classic. Here’s the cream of the crop:

TEA BY THE SEA - AMERICA Overlooking the vast Pacific Ocean in Los Angeles, California, Tea by the Sea is inspired by the flavours and fruits of the sea. Afternoon tea-ers should head to the Founder’s Room of The Getty Villa – a grand white mansion housing an art gallery, café and gardens - and tuck into delights such as pumpernickel bread shrimp toast topped with radishes and tahini. Like the fruits of the sea, the menu changes with the seasons; you’ll be salivating over crispy seaweed and shrimp pate one month and salt and pepper squid and mini fish pies topped with creamy, cheesy mash the next. Eat like a king - there’s a free tour of the villa’s vast culinary gardens afterwards. www.getty.edu/visit/villa

TEA WITH ADDED SPARKLE - CHINA Head to Hong Kong, Shanghai or Beijing and add sparkle to your afternoon tea with an experience inspired by ‘the King of Diamonds’ himself: jeweller Harry Winston. The colours from four of

his most iconic jewellery collections are reflected in limited-edition teas served at Peninsula Hotels in each of these three cities. Expect a twist on traditional smoked salmon sandwiches, plus a splash of Winston’s iconic pale blue in the china, table linen and the rich blue shortbread squares that are lavishly served with vanilla cream. www.peninsula.com

TEA WITH A VIEW – ITALY How about taking high tea in a 125-year-old tea house? Babington’s Tea Room is run by two eccentric English women who put on a Grand High Tea each day with finger sandwiches, cakes, scones, pastries and biscuits all made from scratch on site. The tea shop overlooks one of the most beautiful squares of the world (Piazza di Spagna) in one of the most historic cities of the world, Rome. But what people really come here for is the huge selection of tea – from circulation and sleep aid teas to fruity teas and blends for children (plus teas from China, India, Japan and Taiwan), it will take you an hour to pore over the menu. Luckily, Babington’s serves high tea until 9.15pm. www.babingtons.com

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 63

L O C AT I O N

The Other Side of Orlando

BY KATIE SAUNDERS

Orlando is Central Florida’s most visited city and is home to the world famous theme park, Walt Disney World Resort. But Orlando also has a lot of amazing un-Disney related gems to experience too. Katie Saunders experienced it all on her recent trip there...

Orlando is a popular place to visit due to it being warm all year round – it really only seems to have two seasons, being hot and hotter! So forget your heavy duty winter coat at home, it definitely won’t be needed here.

Things to do Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride Wake up bright and early to view Florida as you’ve never seen it before! North America’s leading hot air balloon company, Orlando Balloon Rides, offers sunrise flights that last approximately one hour and ascend anywhere from tree tops to several thousand feet high. After all the safety checks have been made and the balloons have been filled with air (which takes about 20 minutes), the basket, which was previously laying on its side, is pulled up-right and all the passengers have to jump into their allocated sections. It’s an exciting and nerve wracking way to start the day! Once airborne, the pilot points out spectacular sites around you, from theme parks to the orange groves and forests, to swamps untouched for

64 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

thousands of years. I was initially a bit nervous about this hot air balloon experience, but once I was up in the air I felt very relaxed and the views were incredible.

After landing, the experience is topped off with a traditional champagne toast – champagne for breakfast? Yes please! This experience was unique, amazing and extremely peaceful! I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Winter Park’s Scenic Boat Tour Winter Park’s Scenic Boat Tour is an 18 passenger pontoon boat ride on the pristine Winter Park chain of lakes. Every tour guarantees swaying palms, towering cypress trees, lush ferns and a

ORLANDO

variety of sub-tropical flowers. Breathtaking views of opulent private homes and estates sprawling along the shores are also a key feature of the scenic cruise.

Our boat drivers were great fun, and they told us interesting stories about the houses around the lake and the famous people who’ve lived there in the past. Visitors seeking flora and fauna or an offthe-beaten-track vacation experience won’t be disappointed when they choose the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour.

After the boat ride I had some time to peruse the clothing and cosmetics shops in Park Avenue.

Winter Park’s Park Avenue is like Orlando’s Rodeo

Drive, lined end to end with brands visitors will recognize (Lilly Pulitzer, Lucky Brand, Restoration Hardware) and one-of-a-kind specialty boutiques.

The dock is located less that 5 minutes from this upscale shopping district so it’s the perfect opportunity to have a browse and maybe buy some gifts for your loved ones back home.

Clear-Bottom Kayaking Get close to nature with this incredible kayaking tour with Get Up And Go Kayaking in Rock Springs. Hop into your see-through kayak and get a workout paddling against the current while nature surrounds the clear spring water everywhere you turn. Animals you may see: turtles, birds, fish, otters, deer, alligators, and more!

After spending the first part of the excursion paddling upstream, the way back downstream is an absolute dream as you get to relax while the current takes control and guides your way. It was so quiet and peaceful, and there was so much beauty to soak in. We saw extravagant homes with back gardens leading onto the lakes and a rare snapping turtle swam directly under our kayak! For those who are married to the gram, these see-through kayaks floating on the crystal clear water really do make for some great pictures.

For dining in Animal Kingdom I suggest Tiffins Restaurant, a fine dining restaurant/lounge serving African, Indian & South American cuisine inspired by exploration and adventure.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 65

ORLANDO

Great places to eat K Restaurant K Restaurant is a locally owned restaurant serving New-American cuisine - a daily changing menu (according to the availability of fresh ingredients from locally sourced Central Florida farms and artisans) ensures freshness and variety at every meal.

Located near downtown Orlando, this old house (converted into a restaurant) has a one of a kind herb/vegetable garden in the backyard. As Orlando’s longest running chef owned and operated restaurant, and a proud sponsor of all local farms and artisans, they pride themselves on their food quality and service.

The Glass Knife This counter-service dessert shop, inspired by a hobbyist baker whose talents transformed her passion into a profession, sells sweets, savouries and coffees in a bright modern space. Pastries, cookies and cakes are the superstars at this bakery!

Walt Disney World Resort For anyone who’s been living under a rock Walt Disney World is the most visited vacation resort in the world. The park comprises four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom) as well as water parks, themed hotels and more. It was my first time ever visiting Disney World and, even at the age of 31, I loved it. Had I gone when I was a child, I believe my life would have been made!

The highlights of my time at Disney’s Magical Kingdom were seeing Cinderella’s iconic castle, riding Space Mountain, an indoor dark high-speed outer-space-themed roller coaster, and having my picture taken with Mickey and Minnie Mouse!

With the Private VIP Tours package we were able to drive between Disney theme parks with our very own tour guide. It was such a perk and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to take some of the hassle out of navigating these busy theme parks.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a zoological theme park and is different from the other of Walt Disney

World’s theme parks because, as well as featuring traditional attractions, it also exhibits hundreds of species of live animals. It was here that I experienced Pandora – The World of Avatar, a themed area inspired by James Cameron’s 2009 sci-fi film, Avatar, and Avatar Flight of Passage, a 3D flying simulator attraction where visitors can take flight on a mountain Banshee and soar across the landscape of Pandora where there are floating mountains, alien wildlife, and bioluminescent plants.

This ride was absolutely breathtaking and was, without a shadow of a doubt, the best ride I’ve ever been on!

For dining in Animal Kingdom I suggest Tiffins Restaurant, a fine dining restaurant/lounge serving African, Indian & South American cuisine inspired by exploration and adventure.

My long day at Disney World ended with Fantasmic!, a nighttime show featuring decorated floats, characters, pyrotechnics and fireworks accompanied by music and lots of merriment. I am so glad I’m finally able to tick this magical place off my bucket list! It was a long but very memorable day.

66 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

Traditions at Reunion Resort Traditions at The Nicklaus Clubhouse features American regional cuisine served in an upscale sports bar setting. The menu is seasonal and local with farm to table elements. Enjoy weekend entertainment, craft cocktails and great views of the 18th hole of the signature Nicklaus course. For breakfast try the Traditions Skillet Breakfast with eggs, andouille sausage, caramelized onions, spinach, potatoes and mozzarella cheese. For lunch or dinner enjoy delicious entrees such as Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Boneless Braised Short Ribs or Bangers and Mash.

Chef Angelo Bersani Private Dining Service Providing personal chef services to private clients from around the world and across the nation in their vacation homes, Chef Angelo Bersani brings over thirty years of hospitality and entertainment leadership experience to your table. Specializing in global fusion cuisines, the Chef’s passion for service and elegance is second to none. Whether it’s an intimate meal for two, a family style feast, private dinner party, special occasion, or corporate event, every meal is planned to meet the vision and expectations of the client. Chef Angelo Bersani uses only the freshest organic ingredients prepared at your location with the utmost attention to detail. His passion for perfection is the secret to his success.

ORLANDO

How to do it

DO Winter Park’s Scenic Boat Tours +1 407-644-4056 www.scenicboattours.com Orlando Balloon Rides +1 407-894-5040w www.orlandoballoonrides.com

Reunion Resort 1600, pool

Get Up And Go Kayaking (Rock Springs) +1 407-212-7306 www.getupandgokayaking.com Walt Disney World Resort +1 407-939-5277 www.disneyworld.disney.go.com

EAT K Restaurant – 1710 Edgewater Dr, Orlando, 32804 +1 407-872-2332 | www.krestaurantorlando.com Reunion Resort 1600, Bowling Alley

The Glass Knife - 276 Orlando Ave, Winter Park, 32789 +1 407-500-2253 www.theglassknife.com Traditions at Reunion Resort - 7880 Tradition Blvd, Kissimmee, 34747 +1 407-396-3150 www.theclubatreunionresort.com/dining Chef Angelo Bersani Private Dining Service - Orlando, FL, 32819 +1 407-346-0664 www.chefangelo.com

Reunion Resort 1600, Harry Potter room

Where to stay During my time in Orlando I stayed at Reunion Resort 1600. Located a short drive from Walt Disney World, this sprawling holiday home offers 13 ensuite bedrooms, 15.5 bathrooms and has enough space to sleep up to 32 guests.

The property backs onto a golf course and has amazing in-door entertainment including a bowling alley, private gym, home cinema and pool table. Despite it being able to accommodate so many people, there is so much space that you can also enjoy some time to yourself too.

Large groups of friends and families will enjoy a home-away-from-home experience staying here.

STAY Children can experience the enchanting Harry Potter room with their own secret entrance, and everyone can enjoy the garden with its private infinity-edge pool with a spillover hot tub, large pool deck, covered veranda with an alfresco dining area, and outdoor kitchen with a built-in BBQ.

Reunion Resort 1600 - 7593 Gathering Dr, Kissimmee, 34747 +1 407-662-1000 www.reunionresort.com www.thetopvillas.com

This home is situated in the popular Reunion Resort where you will find a fantastic clubhouse and amenities including a communal pool, fitness center and children’s playground. This resort is perfectly located for easy access to Orlando’s major attractions.

This home is situated in the popular Reunion Resort where you will find a fantastic clubhouse and amenities including a communal pool, fitness centre and children’s playground. This resort is perfectly located for easy access to Orlando’s major attractions.

Rates for Reunion Resort 1600 start at £2,897 pp per night, which when at full occupancy works out to approx. £90 pp per night.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 67

TWIN CENTRE GUIDE

Twin Centre Holiday Guide

BY JO GARDNER

Can’t decide whether to head on a cultural city break, relax on the beach on go on safari? Book a twin-centre and get the best of both worlds!

68 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

TWIN CENTRE GUIDE

How to do it

ICELAND The Blue Lagoon www.bluelagoon.com

DUBAI Burj Khalifa www.burjkhalifa.ae/en Burj Al Arab Jumeirah www.jumeirah.com Atlantis, The Palm (including Atlantis Aquaventure) www.atlantisthepalm.com Copenhagen

BERLIN Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp www.introducingberlin.com/ sachsenhausen-concentration-camp The Reichstag www.berlin.de/en Berlin Zoo www.zoo-berlin.de/en Legoland www.legoland.de/en Madame Tussauds www.madametussauds.com/berlin/en

VENICE Doge’s Palace www.doge-palace-tickets.com

FLORENCE Florence Cathedral www.introducingflorence.com/ florence-cathedral Uffizi Gallery www.uffizi.it/en Boboli Gardens www.uffizi.it/en/boboli-garden

Iceland

Copenhagen & Iceland This delightful duo contrasts stylish life with some of the best natural wonders of the world. Often dubbed the ‘happiest city’, Denmark’s capital is a pretty, cultured hub with brightly-coloured buildings and cobbled streets filled with chic cafés - and even chicer shops. It’s also small (meaning you can see most of it in a long weekend), safe (nobody will swipe your mobile here) and friendly (everyone speaks embarrassingly perfect English). It’s also designed for all weathers. Sunny day? Walk along the river, mooch around the interesting streets or enjoy a picnic in the park. Raining? Visit art galleries, shop ‘til you drop or take shelter in a quirky café and sip hot chocolate until the heavens close again.

A short plane ride later and the wonders of Iceland await. The capital, Reykjavík, is a city with a difference – bright red and yellow corrugated buildings contrast with a mountainous backdrop. The bars are hip, the music scene even hipper (this is where Bjork hails from) and the hotels something out of a designer catalogue. A day trip into Iceland’s countryside is a must: slather yourself in hot mud before washing it off in the thermal waters of the Blue Lagoon, or go horse riding across lava fields. If you time your visit well enough, you may even see the northern lights.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 69

TWIN CENTRE GUIDE

Dubai

Berlin

Mauritius

Venice

Dubai & Mauritius Can’t decide between a high-end city break and a beach holiday? Why not do both? This twin-centre begins in glitzy Dubai with its designer shops, incredible skyline and Michelin-star restaurants. This is a city on steroids, with everything seemingly bigger and better than anywhere else: the Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest building (standing at a lofty 828metres), the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah the world’s most luxurious hotel (think seven stars, £16,000 a night) and Palm Jumeirah, the world’s largest man-made island. Shaped like a palm tree, it contains several five-star hotels, a large waterpark (Aquaventure Waterpark) and 520km of beach. It’s not all high-end living though, with residents spending their weekends relaxing by the pool or heading out for a long brunch.

Berlin & Venice City breakers wishing to see two completely contrasting cities will love this twin-centre idea. Arty, pithy Berlin is like the naughty school boy of Germany, breaking the rules with its techno clubs, abandoned airport cafes and urban graffiti. This is still Germany though; despite its wayward charms, Berlin is rigorously punctual, spotlessly clean and meticulously organised (this is a country that apologises to passengers if a train arrives half a minute late). This city may have a thirst for partying but it also displays a heavy heart – visitors can see what remains of the Berlin wall, a sobering reminder of the atrocities of WWII, and walk around the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. Fans of architecture should visit the Reichstag building, German’s Parliament, with its glass domed ceiling designed by Sir Norman Foster; take children to Berlin Zoo, Legoland and Madame Tussauds.

Once your credit card is maxed out, allow Mauritius’ white sands and blue waters to soothe your brow. Spend days reading books in hammocks, walking along the beach, snorkelling and eating fresh seafood in beachside restaurants. Most of the accommodation on Mauritius is made up of large resorts but there are several ways to see more of the island. Day trips to local villages, food markets and other islands are good value and worth doing for a change of scenery. Active types will find plenty to keep them happy too, including hiking in the rainforests, playing golf, or kayaking, canoeing or diving.

70 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

The private school girl to Berlin’s badly-behaved school boy, romantic, watery Venice barely puts a foot wrong. Soak up the atmosphere in Piazza San Marco, visit one of the many art galleries or museums (Doge’s Palace is a must), hop on a boat to visit one of the nearby islands or watch a classical music performance. A ride on a gondola, while somewhat cheesy, is also a must – go in the evening when it’s cooler and hop off when you reach your restaurant of choice. Arriving in style is all part of the charm.

TWIN CENTRE GUIDE

Las Vegas

Rome

San Francisco

Florence

Las Vegas & San Francisco One city never sleeps the other is utterly laid back; Las Vegas and San Francisco couldn’t be more different. Set deep in the heart of the Nevada desert, Las Vegas - or Sin City as it is also known - is a place to party. Filled with casinos that have no clocks or windows (so that time stands still), 24-hour nightclubs and restaurants, it’s a city place for livewires, stag dos and celebrations.

Watch live entertainment – from Cirque du Soleil to drag acts - try your hand at black jack or roulette or party the night away under a dazzling skyline. You can even board a helicopter and circle the area at dusk.

Rome & Florence Two incredibly different Italian cities, one unforgettable holiday... Rome is a must-visit for fans of history and architecture, with the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel, the Spanish Steps and Vatican City all within the city borders. It will take you a few days to get around the lot – keep your energy levels up (and your feet blister-free) with regular pit-stops for coffee or beer in local cafes and bars, or join a tour and take the leg-work out of sightseeing, particularly if it’s a hot day or you are travelling with children.

Once you’ve ticked off the sights, walk around Rome’s maze of cobbled streets, creamy gelato in hand.

When it all gets a bit much, transfer to San Francisco and relax. This is where the hippie movement began – the summer of love where peace and printed fabrics ruled. While the hippies have moved on, remnants of San Francisco’s 70s vibe live on in Haight-Ashbury. Other neighbourhoods to explore include Mission for thrift stores, Mid-Market for high-tech stores and Michelin-star restaurants, and the quirkily-named Dogpatch for craft breweries and butchers selling organic, locally farmed cuts of meat. Visitors can also catch a tram up impossibly steep hills, cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge, cruise around the bay on a catamaran or spend some time on the beach.

What Rome is to architecture, Florence is to art, with many rare paintings setting up camp in the city’s art galleries and museums. But you don’t have to go indoors (or look up) to appreciate art in Florence; the city is like a Renaissance painting in itself, with its domed red roofs, architectural masterpieces and glistening river. Must-sees include Florence Cathedral, the Uffizi Gallery (where the original Doni Tondo by Michelangelo lives) and the Boboli Gardens with its 16th- 18th-century sculptures. Once you’ve exhausted the sights, sit back and enjoy Florence the way the locals do – at a stylishly slow pace and with a glass of something cold in hand.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 71

PHILADELPHIA

Philadelphia’s Prevailing Art Scene

BY SARAH RODRIGUES

Public art in Philadelphia weaves an extraordinarily compelling narrative and shapes the city to this day. Sarah Rodrigues looks at how the city became the ‘museum without walls’ that it is today.

72 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

C

rafting your way out of crisis: it’s no secret that keeping the hands occupied, the mind absorbed and the creative spark alight are beneficial to staving off depression and anxiety.

For most people, this will mean small domestic projects, such as knitting or ceramics: for Isaiah Zagar, it has meant the transformation of a city.

Arriving in Philadelphia in the late 1960s, after spending three years volunteering for the Peace Corps in Peru, Zagar, who had suffered for years with an undiagnosed bipolar disorder, experienced a devastating breakdown, which left him suicidal and hospitalised. It was after this that he started to construct his healing narratives through mosaic, taking what is shattered and, while not making it whole again, giving it new life, new beauty and new meaning.

PHILADELPHIA

Dreams, Diaspora, and Destiny, photo: Kyle Huff for PHLCVB

At the time, Philadelphia’s South Street neighbourhood was run-down; cheap rents drew Zagar and other low-income artists to the area, where their combined creative talents spearheaded an era now known as the South Street Renaissance.

Working in a state somewhere between mania and meditation, Zagar mosaicked the walls of his studio until, dismayed by the decrepit ugliness of the surrounding vacant lots, he extended his fractured reach into them. Building walls, warrening out tunnels and hewing out chambers, he maximised the available surface areas of the adjacent lot and then began smothering every square inch of them with mosaics.

The Renaissance of which Zagar had been part boosted interest and, in turn, prices in the neighbourhood; having paid no heed to the existence

Philadelphia Magic Gardens, photo: Kyle Huff for PHLCVB

of his land in over ten years, the out-of-state owner decided to seize the opportunity to capitalise on his original investment and sell, demanding that Zagar tear down his decade of his work.

Zagar appealed to the public, sparking a public outcry, community solidarity and a wave of donations that enabled the formation of Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, a non-profit organisation created to purchase the land and maintain it in its shimmering, fragmented, otherworldly state. Broken glass and mirrors glint amidst folk art statues and the vacantly staring eyes of disembodied dolls’ heads, above which bicycle wheels spike revolutionary messages and bottles thrust outward from unsmoothed cement. Lines of text weave around the artful chaos; seeming intended to confuse rather than clarify, they’re a stream-of-con-

sciousness swirl of words encompassing poetry, politics and personal observation.

A visit to Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens is the best way to fully immerse yourself in Zagar’s mayhem and genius, but even if this doesn’t feature on your Philadelphia itinerary, you can’t fail to witness his work on your exploration of downtown Philadelphia, where his mosaics cover more than 50,000 square feet. Shattered ceramics, broken tiles, cruel shards of glass and disconcertingly splintered reflective surfaces crawl up the sides of buildings and line narrow alleyways, seemingly random and impenetrable until you school your eyes to fix upon details: a pair of hands releasing a winged creature, a gravity-defying dinner service laid out on the vertical, a squatting man in bumble-bee striped socks, an anguished sun.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 73

PHILADELPHIA “No museum was willing to exhibit my work, so I put it on public display in the street,” Zagar has said. “It’s been called visual pollution.” Yet as unauthorised and initially contentious as Zagar’s works may have been, Philadelphia is renowned for its support of public art, with a thriving culture around murals and sculpture presented at street, rather than gallery, level - and a host of organisations dedicated to promoting and facilitating it.

The Association for Public Art, for instance, has the creation of a ‘museum without walls’ at its heart, blending urban design with public art - and for proof of how deeply ingrained such aims are within the City of Brotherly Love, look no further than the fact that the aPA was established as long ago as 1872.

A more recent innovation has come by way of Mural Arts Philadelphia, which started life in 1984 as a way of addressing the issue of graffiti. The initiative originally saw dialogue opened with ‘graffers’, and relationships developed in encouraging them to redirect their creative output. Now, the programme sees the creation of up to 100 public art projects annually, transforming the urban landscape into what’s billed as the world’s largest outdoor gallery, a riot of considered colour, large scale renderings and social commentary. Regular events take visitors on explanatory walking, bike or car tours through the streets; in some cases, the tours are even taken by rail, with the elevated Market-Frankford trainline offering the best perspectives of the 2010 project, A Love Letter for You, which comprises 50 murals by legendary street artist Steve ‘ESPO’ Powers.

Even without the insights of a guide, your Philly perambulations pop with bursts of colour at every turn. As well as imbuing the city with a vibrancy that grey walls lack, their messages are timely and thought-provoking: for instance, Peace Wall, a large scale rendering of the photographed hands of local residents, was created in response to episodes of racial violence, a symbol of the community’s commitment to promoting harmony and ending division. At the Universal Institute Charter School in South Philadelphia, Octavius Catto is honoured; an early civil rights activist, who was assassinated in 1871 for agitating for voting rights for black citizens, this is the first ever mural to celebrate him.

Rights and liberties have shaped Philadelphia’s history as much as the city has shaped those precepts: this is, after all, where the Declaration

LL Everafter, photo: Adam Wallacavage

Independence Hall, photo: Paul Loftland

of Independence and US Constitution were hammered out and signed. Unsurprisingly, testaments to this chapter in history abound throughout the city, not only at the Independence National Historical Park, where Independence Hall, the President’s House and the Liberty Bell Centre are located, but also at ground level, where commemorative statues punctuate busy streetscapes. Other figures are immortalised too; from marketing pioneer John Wanamaker and revolutionary Francisco de Miranda, to President Abraham Lincoln, poet and essayist Walt Whitman and heroine Joan of Arc, Philadelphia fairly bristles with sculpture. And it’s not just historical figures one encounters either - there’s the intriguing Clothespin, the iconic LOVE statue and, of course, at the end of Museum Mile, where art and cultural institutions lure you in every few metres, there’s the statue of Rocky Balboa. Based at the foot of the stairs to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, up which he makes his triumphant run in the film (a feat emulated by just about everyone who visits)

74 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

he stands, arms triumphantly held aloft, delaying people from exploring the artistic wonders inside by just a few minutes: who can resist posing for a photo with Rocky?

Based on the sequence of landmarks that Rocky passes on his fabled run, it’s been estimated that he covers a distance of over 30 miles before storming up the museum steps. Fortunately, part of that run takes him through the Italian Market, where fuel abounds for accidental marathoners and tourists alike: come here for authentic Philly cheesesteaks and shabby corner coffee houses, where mountains of cannoli press against the hand-lettered windows. Delicatessens are festooned with salamis, counters groan under the weight of piled-up cheeses and sagging shelves house industrial-sized tomato tins. Along the street, trestle-tables, against which piles of empty cardboard boxes lean, are heaped with fresh produce, while the glisten of raw meat dangles from lethal hooks in the macelleria.

PHILADELPHIA

Reading Terminal Market, photo: Kyle Huff for PHLCVB

As one of the largest and oldest open- air markets in America, the Italian Market has, as one might guess, incredibly strong links with an Italian heritage, with diverse influences from Mexico, Thailand, Korea and Laos all recent additions to the mix. It’s testament to these more recent layers of ethnicity and flavour that Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Programme recently caused consternation by referring to the area as the “market formerly known as the Italian market” in an appeal for public input on the Frank Rizzo mural .

Regardless of where you’re from, the market is closely woven with identity. In Continuity within transition: Different Paths, One Market, the stories, both of recent arrivals and long-resident families are told. The mural celebrates the willingness to work, the pursuit of the American dream, the tenacity, hope and grit that both old and new immigrants have demonstrated - and that now give people the opportunity to shop in a way that’s rarely still accessible in America.

As for Zagar, he is still, at the age of 80, working - and still contentious, too: recent disputes over the sale of a performance space to a developer have been all the more heated because of the fact that 7,000 feet of Zagar’s work glitters from its external walls. Yet if art divides, it also heals, just as it did for Zagar himself: a recent addition to the Kensington neighbourhood, Healing Begins Through Connection, celebrates those marginalised by trauma and addiction, following a successful series of workshops where self-care and harm reduction were facilitated through visual art. Fragmentation, unification, togetherness, independence and, perhaps above and most iconically of all, love: public art in Philadelphia weaves an extraordinarily compelling narrative.

How to do it Mural Arts Philadelphia www.muralarts.org Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens www.phillymagicgardens.org For further details on Philadelphia, visit: www.discoverPHL.co.uk Sarah stayed at The Aloft Downtown; room rates start at US$179 www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/ phlad-aloft-philadelphia-downtown

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 75

V E G A N F R I E N D LY C I T I E S

Vegan Friendly Cities

BY JO GARDNER

It’s estimated that 3.5 million people around the world are now vegan, citing animal welfare, health and environmental impact as reasons. From Berlin to Toronto, Jo Gardner looks at five vegan friendly cities around the world.

N

o longer the preserve of hummus-loving, jumper-clad hippies sporting slightly tangy armpits, veganism is all the rage. The vegan diet – which involves shunning meat, fish and dairy (so no beef burgers, salmon steaks, cheese, milk or honey – bees are animals too you know) – once caused countless problems for people wishing to head abroad on holiday. This is particularly true of France which, despite coming from a pig, widely considers ham to be vegetarian (we know…). But veganism has become so popular in recent years that hundreds of vegan cafes and restaurants are opening up all over the world, making it easier for vegans to travel.

It’s not just about food either – strict vegans avoid wearing leather shoes, wear vegan-friendly makeup and drink vegan-friendly wine (despite being made out of grapes, many wines are filtered through fish guts so aren’t vegan). While the sacrifices can appear great (even some vitamins aren’t vegan-friendly; read the label carefully) the benefits are greater, with animal welfare, health advantages and a reduction in environmental impact all reasons to ditch the chorizo and cheese, and adopt a plant-based diet. It’s so on trend right now that several celebs are following suit, from millennials like Ariana Grande to men in their 50s, like Brad Pitt. Here’s where vegan city breakers should go to be in good company.

76 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

V E G A N F R I E N D LY C I T I E S Paris, France Ask for a vegetarian menu in France and you’re likely to see jambon (ham) on it but not in Paris, where international influence and futuristic thinking has put it high on the list of vegan-friendly cities to visit. Yes, Paris has transformed its dining scene over the past few years to offer more dedicated vegan-friendly cafes and restaurants, including several vegan burger houses (try Gentle Gourmet or Hank Vegan Burger) and hot dog stands (try either Hot Vog or Le Tricycle). The city also has several vegan cake shops selling cakes, pastries, cookies and even slices of vegan quiche; a vegan Asian restaurant; and a vegan cocktail bar for virtuous drinkers. For vegan shopping, there’s Mon Epicerie for groceries and Veganie for vegan cosmetics. Visitors can even buy a vegan version of Foie Gras called Faux Gras. C’est tres bon.

Hank Vegan Burgers, Paris

Hank Vegan Burgers, Paris, photo

Portland, USA It’s no surprise to find Portland on the list of vegan-friendly cities - this is, after all, home of the much-loved TV show Portlandia, a tongue-incheek comedy which takes a satirical look at the town’s animal-loving hipsters (in one episode, diners at a restaurant ask if they can go and meet (and name) the chicken they are about to eat so that they can put a name to their dinner). This may sound completely bonkers but Portland has over 50 fully vegan restaurants within a five mile radius, as well as 27 vegetarian restaurants and 154 vegan-friendly establishments. If that wasn’t impressive enough, more are set to open within the next few months. Head to Vtopia Cheese Shop & Deli to try 20 different types of vegan cheese (including peppercorn Brie and port cheddar), Next Level Burger for vegan burgers, Doe Donuts for vegan doughnuts and Back to Eden for vegan pizzas. The town also hosts a vegan festival every year with visitors coming far and wide to sample vegan dishes and buy vegan-friendly products such as shoes, bags and toiletries.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 77

V E G A N F R I E N D LY C I T I E S Berlin, Germany Berlin has been at the forefront of the vegan movement for many years, with an impressive 471 restaurants now catering for vegans, including Kopps which is something of a city institution open in the evenings. Berlin also boasts the world’s first ever street dedicated to animal-free products - Schivelbeiner Strasse; also known as Vegan Avenue, the whole length of this long street is lined with vegan restaurants (16 at the last count), bars, cafes and clothes stores. If that wasn’t incredible enough, Berlin is also where visitors will find the world’s largest vegan grocery store (Veganz) which, according to Mintel, launched more vegan products than any other country in the world last year. Visitors overwhelmed by the choice of vegan options in the city (and, frankly, who wouldn’t be) should book a place on a Fork & Walk tour and discover the city’s plant-based world with the help of experts.

Hundreds of vegan cafes and restaurants are opening up all over the world, making it easier for vegans to travel Norwich, UK Despite having glorious beaches, miles of waterways and quaint urban hubs, places in Norfolk rarely top the list of towns or cities to live in (often beaten by places in neighbouring Suffolk).

But capital city Norwich, with its reputable University and independent shopping, fares well on its own. The city’s famous market was recently crowned Britain’s Best Outdoor Market, while the city itself topped the list of vegan-friendly cities UK wide, beating Bristol which was awarded the title the previous year. The first dedicated vegan restaurant to open in Norwich, The Tipsy Vegan, sells vegan pizzas, wine and cocktails; for plant-based food head to Erpingham House on Tombland, a grand Georgian house with three floors of living walls and flowers. A vegan festival is also held outside the city centre’s Forum each August where visitors can sample vegan street food, get their faces painted using veganfriendly paint and buy vegan cosmetics. Rainbow Wholefoods, in the pretty cobbled Lanes, is the place to go to buy vegan-friendly groceries.

Toronto, Canada A plant-based butcher’s might seem like a bit of an oxymoron but the cleverly-named YamChops is just that. This vegan butchers-cum-market – selling vegan chops (try the quinoa and white bean), sausages (made from wheat), burgers (created using tofu and spices) and even slices of smoked salmon (razor-thin slices of carrot that are smoked and served with vegan cream cheese) - is the only one of its kind in Canada.

Everything is made from scratch on site daily. The number of vegan cafes and restaurants has also exploded in recent years in Toronto with more branches opening on a monthly basis, including plant-based do-it-yourself protein bowls from Urban Herbivore (with four locations all over the city) and Kupfert & Kim (with six). Other places of note around the city include Planta Burger, which sells vegan burgers, crab cakes and milkshakes, and One Love Vegetarian which creates animalfriendly Jamaican food, including a vegan take on the much-loved local favourite, Jerk Chicken.

78 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

V E G A N F R I E N D LY C I T I E S

How to do it

PARIS

PORTLAND

Gentle Gourmet - 24 Boulevard de la Bastille, 75012 +33 1 43 43 48 49 | www.gentlegourmet.fr

Vtopia Cheese Shop & Deli - 1628 SW Jefferson St, 97201 +1 971 271 7656 | www.vtopiancheeses.com | www.eatvtopia.com

Hank Vegan Burger - 55 Rue des Archives, 75003 +33 9 72 44 03 99 | www.hankrestaurant. com Hot Vog - 10 Bis Rue Vavin, 75006 +33 1 42 49 36 69 | www.hotvog.com

Next Level Burger - 4121 SE Hawthorne Blvd, 97214 +1 503 719 7058 | www.nextlevelburger.com Doe Donuts - 8201 SE Powell Blvd, 97266 +1 503 333 4404 | www.doedonuts.com Back to Eden - 2215-2217 NE Alberta St, 97211 +1 503 477 5022 | www.backtoedenbakery. com

Le Tricycle - 51 Rue de Paradis, 75010 +33 6 11 93 39 01 | www.facebook.com/ Le-tricycle-525366447501365

Mon Epicerie Paris - 31 Rue des Gravilliers, 75003 +33 9 83 44 48 83 | www.monepicerieparis. fr Veganie - 96 Rue Quincampoix, 75003 + 33-950434145 | www.veganie.com Market stall, Norwich, photo: blueprint2015

TORONTO YamChops - 705 College St , M6G 1C2 +1 416 645 0117 | www.yamchops.com Urban Herbivore - 64 Oxford St, M5T 1P1 (+ other locations) +1 416 927 1231 | www.herbivore.to Kupfert & Kim - 140 Spadina Ave, M5V 2L4 (+ other locations) +1 416 504 2206 | www.kupfertandkim.com

Planta Burger - 4 Temperance St, M5H 1Y4 +1 647 348 7000 | www.plantarestaurants. com One Love Vegetarian - 854 Bathurst St , M5R 3G2 +1 416 535 5683 | www.oneloveveg.tel

NORWICH The Tipsy Vegan - 68-70 St Benedicts St, NR2 4AR + 44 1603 666 788 | www.thetipsyvegan. co.uk Erpingham House - 22 Tombland, NR3 1RF +44 1603 733 834 | www.erpinghamhouse. com

Rainbow Wholefoods - Labour in Vain Yard, Guildhall Hill, NR2 1JD +44 1603 625 560 | www.rainbowwholefoods.co.uk

BERLIN Kopps - Linienstraße 94, 10115 +49 30 43 20 97 75 | www.kopps-berlin. de/en

Veganz - Schivelbeiner Strasse 34 , 10439 (+ other locations) +49 30 44 03 60 48 | www.veganz.com Fork & Walk Tours Berlin www.forkandwalktoursberlin.com

Kopps, Berlin

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 79

K W E S T H O T E L & S PA

K West Hotel & Spa K

West Hotel & Spa underwent a dramatic interior redesign in November 2014, inspired by the cult West London hotel’s rich music heritage and history of musicians staying at the hotel.

The story of the K West building began in the 1950s when it became the home of the BBC Recording and Broadcasting Studios in Shepherd’s Bush.

The building was the base of an eclectic mix of BBC services. From The World Service to David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley, legendary sessions and broadcasts were captured within the walls of K West.

The hotel is West London’s Neighbourhood Hideaway. The cherished location is an authentic

London residential neighbourhood, a stone’s throw from the vibrancy of Shepherd’s Bush, White City, and well connected to the heart of London. Fashionable areas such as Notting Hill, Portobello Road and Kensington are also just a short walk away.

A definig characteristic of all 219 guestrooms is the generous space, with the smallest being just under 300 sq ft. The rooms are designed to offer a soothing respite from the fast pace of London life, with luxurious oversized beds and a calming colour scheme. Modern flourishes including LCD flat screen TVs, sandblasted glass, and original artwork give the rooms a distinctive K West stamp.

At the upper end of the scale, the six spectacular K Suites offer the ultimate experience. Dramatic walls of glass divide the bedrooms from the lounge areas, which are fitted with Bose surround sound entertainment systems, a 42” plasma screen television and ultra-comfy sofas.

Two-metre square beds and Aromatherapy Associates toiletries are also staples in the suites, and

80 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

the bathrooms have been fitted with designer Philippe Starck double-ended baths and fixtures.

On the ground floor by the entrance, Studio Bar has been given a moody, music-infused atmosphere come the evenings. Industrial style pendant lamps hang low over raised tables, and textured silver wallpaper by Dixon & Turner gives the bar a modern edge. The polished dark walnut-wood flooring brings warmth to the area, which is opened up with the use of floor-to-ceiling mirrored pillars and relaxed seating arrangements. Up-cycled furniture is used to create high backed booth seating along the back wall, separated by silver and black voile curtains to create intimate VIP style corners. Chic black and white artwork depicting musicians hangs above each booth, with punchy contrasting accents of colour adding vibrancy. Even the drinks menu has been injected with some Rock ‘N’ Roll swagger, with six signature Bourbon Whiskey Cocktails available, plus the quirky K West special ‘Pickleback’ shot of Jack Daniels whiskey accompanied with a shot of pickle juice.

K W E S T H O T E L & S PA By day, Studio Bar is a light and airy space for creative media meetings over coffees and laptops. Plugs are fitted conveniently by seats; ensuring meetings never run out of charge, and a ‘Geek Hub’ laptop bar with complimentary iMacs for guests to use can be found tucked into a snug area around the corner from the bar.

On the mezzanine floor above the Bar, Studio Kitchen is an informal eatery with an urban New York vibe. Edgy city landscape sketches stretch along the walls, mirrored by a quirky wave of banquet seating hugging the back of the room.

Sprinklings of filament light bulbs suspended on individual wires add an abstract, arty feel to the room.

The Library has been redesigned to complement the front of house bar, providing a relaxed, informal and creative atmosphere which can be completely sealed off from the buzz of the bar with black and silver drapes suspended between a giant wooden frame. Statement Andy Warhol style artwork depicting Amy Winehouse is displayed at one end of the room, a tribute to yet another music legend who loved the hotel. Against the opposite wall, a large flatscreen TV sits in the centre of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, which display an eye-catching collection of coffee table books. The Library will be a multifunctional space which will be used for screenings, events, pop-ups and various other antics as well as providing a chill space for guests. In keeping with the music theme, a Glam Rock Afternoon Tea will also be launching.

It will be available in the afternoon from 2-6pm, and with cocktails from 10pm until 12am.

Awarded ‘Best Spa in London’ at the Good Spa Guide Awards 2015 and winner of a World Luxury Spa Award, K West’s holistic spa offers a range of exclusive treatments. K Spa introduced the first ‘Snow Paradise’ to London, which mimics the Finnish experience of alternating between freezing and steamy environments. The spa also features a twinkling hydrotherapy pool, sanarium, sauna, dry flotation tank, aromatic herbal steam room and the fully equipped K Fit gymnasium.

Prices start from £109 per room per night, and the K Suites are from £540 per night including VAT. Spa packages are also available and include overnight accommodation and treatments.

K West Hotel & Spa, Richmond Way, London W14 0AX For reservations, please call: 020 8008 6600 or visit www.k-west.co.uk

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 81

EVENTS

82 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G 2 0 2 0

EVENTS

The best classic cars on show at Olympia London’s premier classic car event returns on 2023 February 2020, at its new home of Olympia, London in Kensington, marking the next chapter in the history of The London Classic Car Show. Now in its seventh year, the show is firmly established as the must-attend event for discerning classic car owners, collectors, experts and enthusiasts.

Not only will visiting classic car collectors and connoisseurs have the opportunity to view and purchase over 500 desirable cars, they will also be treated to a brand-new selection of carefully curated features and celebrations of some of the most exotic and exquisite marques from throughout the decades.

2020 sees the introduction of an exciting new ‘Car Stories’ stage featuring six of the most iconic and interesting cars in the world, presented by industry personalities and previous owners, delving into the history and heritage that makes them special. Car Stories will be hosted by classic motoring expert Max Girardo and will give visitors the chance to go under the bonnet of such illustrious cars as the 1987 Rothmans Porsche 962C, the Maserati 250F driven by Sir Stirling Moss in 1954 and the Lotus 49 rebuilt by Adrian Newey.

Also celebrating a landmark anniversary is one of the most iconic models to grace both road and rally – the Audi Quattro, with 2020 marking 40 years since its unveiling. A specially curated display of some of the finest Audi Quattro models will be showcased at this year’s event.

So, whether you’ve got a penchant for the classic, are a serious buyer or simply want to dip your toe in the water and admire these beautiful vehicles, make your way to Olympia, London from 20-23 February 2020. Standard and Premium tickets are available plus the opportunity to attend the Thursday evening exclusive Preview Night and Icon Awards presentation.

Tickets are available online at https://www.thelondonclassiccarshow.co.uk/

2020 also marks the 50th anniversary of one of the UK’s greatest cars, the Range Rover. The benchmark 4x4 continues to be the utility vehicle of choice amongst those who appreciate the finer things in life and The London Classic Car Show will be celebrating 50 years of the car marque from the first prototype through iconic ‘challenge’ versions to the Range Rover of today.

S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 | V I E S T R A M A G A Z I N E | 83

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N

CHISWICK HOUSE | 4-6 SEPT 2020 A CELEBRATION OF MICHELIN-STARRED FOOD, WORLD-CLASS CHEFS, AWARD-WINNING PUBS & INCREDIBLE MUSIC

MARCUS WAREING

ATUL KOCHHAR • KAISER CHIEFS • CHANTELLE NICHOLSON BASEMENT JAXX DJ • NIEVES BARRAGAN • THE FEELING TOM BROWN • MARC ALMOND • ANDREW PERN • REEF TICKETS ON SALE NOW

*

Festival line up varies in each location and is subject to change. Please see the website for full details.

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N

THE CAPITAL’S PREMIER CLASSIC CAR SHOW COMES TO OLYMPIA, LONDON

20-23/FEB/2020 The must-attend event for the classic car connoisseur Over 500 cars on display and to purchase Legendary Car Stories retold by motoring heroes Tribute collections to mark 40 years of the Audi Quattro and 50 years of Range Rover

Buy Tickets Now - thelondonclassiccarshow.co.uk Standard Adult ticket £25 / Premium tickets start from £60    Stay up to date with the latest news

LCCS Ad Chiswick Mag 185x271.6.indd 1

16/01/2020 13:30

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N

VIESTRA EXCLUSIVE COMPETITION FEATURE

WIN 7 NIGHTS IN OMAN Full board, all flights and transfers included from UK to Oman

This competition allows for travel to Oman on a full board basis between 01/ 10/20 and 31/03/21. Competition closes 10/08/20.

Full details at viestramagazine.com/oman

To enter this competition you must be over 18 years of age, a resident of the UK a basis between 01/ 10/20 and 31/03/21 and includes all flights and transfers fr Competition closes 10/08/20. Full terms and conditions at viestramagazine

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N

To win a 3 night stay for 2 people in a Royal Tent at Dunes By Al Nahda and a further 4 night stay at Sahab Resort and Spa in Oman text the word

OMAN to 60109 (texts cost £1.50 per text)

and have a valid UK passport. This competition allows for travel to Oman on a full board rom London Heathrow to Oman. Texts cost £1.50 per text. Helpline 020 3623 0567. e.com/oman. Vencor Ltd, Unit 22, 295 Chiswick High Road, London, UK W4 4HH.

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N

Take me to the top tremblant.ca

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N

Take me to the top

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N

Enhance your experience with Heathrow’s Fast Track security

To book visit heathrow.com/fast-track Important information: All passengers flying out of Heathrow Airport are subject to the same security procedures and regulations. Heathrow recommends that passengers ensure that they have allowed enough time for the usual security and x-ray screening. As a premium experience, customers who have purchased access to Fast Track Security will be given a priority service to ensure that waiting is kept to a minimum. However, we cannot guarantee a maxi-mum or minimum queue length or time. Access to Heathrow’s Fast Track Security is granted through a pre-booked time slot. Whilst Heathrow will endeavour to ensure that all passengers are able to access Fast Track, access may be denied for latecomers. Please remember that it is the passenger’s responsibility to ensure they arrive at the departure gate at the published boarding time as stated by the airline. Heathrow Airport is not responsible for any passengers who miss their flight because they did not allow enough time to go through the check-in and security process. Please note all passengers including infants and babies require both an airline ticket and a Fast Track ticket if they want to pass through Fast Track security.

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N

Superbly connected to Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4 via a covered walkway, Hilton London Heathrow Airport offers contemporary accommodation and premium facilities. Whether staying for business or leisure, enjoy excellent links to the capital and convenient air connections to the world.

• 398 guest rooms and suites • Three restaurants and a bar on site • LivingWell Health Club, pool, steam room and sauna • Business Centre and 15 meeting rooms • 300-delegate capacity event suite • 30 minutes to Central London from Terminal 4 • Easy links to all Heathrow Terminals

HILTON LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT | Terminal 4 | Heathrow Airport | Hounslow Middlesex London | TW6 3AF United Kingdom | T: +44 (0) 20 8759 7755 | E: events.heathrow@hilton.com | heathrow.hilton.com

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N

www.berninaexpress.ch

Bernina Express From glaciers to palms

Experience one of the most spectacular ways to cross the Alps: The Albula and Bernina lines of the Rhaetian Railway. One of the highlights is the panoramic journey through the UNESCO World Heritage RhB. Information / Reservation / Sales Rhaetian Railway, Railservice, Tel +41 (0)81 288 65 65, railservice@rhb.ch, www.rhb.ch

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N

F U RT H E R I N S P I R AT I O N