CITY BREAKS GUIDE • EXPERIENCES • 39
to eat. There are more restaurants per capita than any other major city. San Francisco claims the honour as the birthplace of both the modern farm-to-table movement and West Coast cuisine. Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, cuisine here is a marriage of regional ingredients seafood, and the city’s international population. If you had to pick two districts to kick off a culinary crawl, start in either the Mission District or South of Market.
WATER VANCOUVER, CANADA
With eight ocean beaches and one fresh water beach, Vancouver is a destination for sunning, swimming and watersports. The multicultural city is surrounded by mountains and water, providing stunning views in every direction. Restaurants, volleyball courts and playgrounds can all be found along Vancouver’s 18 kilometres of beaches. Kitsilano or “Kits” Beach is home
BELOW LEFT: In Hanoi, everything pops with colour, including shallots BELOW RIGHT: Promenade de Anglais is a popular Nicoise beach
VANCOUVER IS A DESTINATION FOR SUNNING, SWIMMING AND WATERSPORTS to an outdoor, saltwater pool. While dogs aren’t allowed at public beaches, off-leash parks with water access allow pups to enjoy the best of this coastal destination, too. Saunter, jog or cycle around Vancouver on the Seaside Greenway – the seawall pathway billed as the longest uninterrupted waterfront path in the world.
NICE, FRANCE
A vacation in the La Côte d’Azur has capital of the long been a haven Alpes-Maritimes for those seeking equal parts glitz and département might glam in Mediterraas well be the closest nean France. Picture thing to a dream centuries old villages nestled on a wavy come to life. You coastline that feels are in the French like a Claude Monet Riviera with the painting come Mediterranean coast to life. at your front door. A walk through the old city streets and hidden corners will feel like living in a Pierre-Auguste Renoir painting. Yes, Nice is known for its regional food but travellers really come for the breathtaking
coastline views. The city is perched beside Mediterranean water that seems to change colour from dawn to dusk. When you’re ready for a break from the sand, walk through the Cours Saleya, one of the liveliest parts of the city.
FARO, PORTUGAL
The cultural capital of Portugal’s Algarve region is known for Roman and Moorish architecture and its hot summer Mediterranean climate. While you’re still in the city, the beauty of Faro is its slower pace of life and leisure. Visitors will appreciate that while Faro is located on the coast, there are many other ways to spend time in nature besides going to the beach. The coast of Ria Formosa in Faro is lush, with one of the most diverse nature parks in Portugal, and there are plenty of boat tours. Hop on a ferry to Ilha da Barreta, a narrow island located just off the coast with a sandy beach. Inland, get lost exploring the neoclassical architecture of the old town and then finish your tour by tucking into a plate of fresh seafood cataplana at a traditional restaurant. ◆
Liberia by Perry Grone; Hanoi by Alice Young; Nice by Oscar Nord