Travel & Leisure

1. Bakeri, Brooklyn

e oral wallpaper at Bakeri’s Williamsburg location has gained a life of its own on social media, and the newer Greenpoint location is just as charming. Settle in at a wooden table for one of the freshly baked pastries and admire the small, thoughtful details of the space: the arched wooden ceiling, the shabbychic wooden panelling, the menu on the antiqued mirror and, of course, the oral wallpaper.

Address: Bakeri, 105 Freeman Street, Brooklyn NY 11222 Website: bakeribrooklyn.com

2. Bar Pisellino, West Village

Ciao, bella! Sit at the marbletopped counter to order a morning espresso and bombolini or relax into the slatted banquettes for an aperitivo Aperol Spritz. e oor-to-ceiling windows mean that the delicately tiled oor is on display, brightening up the small space (they also allow you to gauge the wait outside sister restaurant Via Carota across the street as you sip).

Address: Bar Pisellino, 52 Grove Street, New York NY 10014 Website: barpisellino. com

3. e Fulton, South Street Seaport

Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s seafood-focused restaurant draws on its Seaport location for its nautically inspired interiors. Hand-painted murals by Chandler Noah and Diego Castaño of En Viu lend whimsy to the bi-level space, while light xtures reminiscent of buoys bob above quartz countertops. And of course, the views of the East River from the tip of Manhattan are pretty good too.

Address: e Fulton, 89 South Street, New York NY 10038 Website: thefulton.nyc

Eight to ate in New York City

4. Serra by Birreria, Madison Square Park

A very smart greenhouse on the rooftop of the original Eataly by the Flatiron Building, Serra is a seasonal space that totally transforms with the change of weather several times a year. e rustic menu changes with the seasons too, but you can always expect hearty plates in uenced by the Italian countryside. e current Serra Alpina captures the cosy atmosphere of an Alpine après-ski experience, with snow ake-encrusted trees bowing over the tables.

Address: Serra by Birreria, 200 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10010 Website: eataly. com

5. Legacy Records, Hudson Yards

e way-west side is enjoying a major resurgence in Manhattan, and Legacy Records can take some of the credit for being an early pioneer in the neighbourhood. It was designed by San Francisco interiors supremo Ken Fulk, and every detail, nook and cranny is exquisitely considered (even the bathroom is stunning). e signature of the multi-level space is the sweeping, sexy bar with seats begging to be swivelled on before you move on to the dining room for an Italian-in uenced dinner with dishes such as cavatelli verde pasta with sausage ragu, pecorino and mint and honey lacquered duck with grape and pistachio.

Address: Legacy Records, 517 West 38th Street, New York NY 10018 Website: legacyrecordsrestaurant. com

6. 1803, Tribeca

Let the good times roll: there’s a little slice of New Orleans in downtown Manhattan with interiors as bold as its Cajun avours. e bi-level interior of 1803 combines bright botanical wallpaper with black and white chequerboard oors for a fun, semi-tropical vibe. After dinner, make your way downstairs to the intimate (read: sexy) jazz club.

Address: 1803, 82 Reade Street, New York NY 10007 Website: 1803nyc.com

7. Balthazar, Soho

Keith McNally’s Soho institution has been a New York staple since it opened its doors in 1997. It’s grand and opulent, with high ceilings and mirrors as big as the walls. Come during the festive season and settle into the deep red booths under Art Deco lights with an order of steak frites.

Address: Balthazar, 80 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012 Website:balthazarbakery. com/soho interiors shopping with your supper). With soaring ceilings, elegant banquettes and warm, glowing lighting, this French café is the perfect spot for a chic business lunch or cosy weekend brunch – don’t miss the house-made pastries and the orist putting together bespoke arrangements by the front door.

Address: La Mercerie, 53 Howard Street, New York NY 10013 Website: lamerceriecafe.com

8. RH Rooftop Restaurant, Meatpacking District

Set atop the stunning new Restoration Hardware store in the trendy Meatpacking district, this is a chandelierlover’s dream inspired by the stately gardens of Europe. With its lush greenery, twinkling crystal and panoramic views of the Hudson River, the indoor/ outdoor space is equally gorgeous day or night. e classic American menu with Italian accents is date-night perfect – go for a prosciutto and cheese platter followed by a lobster roll or steak.

Address: RH Rooftop Restaurant, 9 Ninth Avenue, New York NY 10014 Website: restorationhardware.com

Granada was the seat of the last Islamic kingdom in Spain until 1492, when the Emir Mohammed XII surrendered to the armies of the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella. He was the last in line of the Nasrid dynasty, which over two centuries built upon and beautified Granada’s most prominent feature: the Alhambra castle that guards over the city.

Located at over 2400 feet in elevation, Granada can be chilly in winter, with overnight lows in the high 30s, but midday temperatures can reach 60 degrees. It’s worth it for the view of the 11,400foot peaks of the Sierra Nevadas, which are not only sharper in the crisp winter air, but worthy of their name, which translates to “Snowy Range.”

While Granada had been under Muslim rule well before the first Nasrid emirs, it was they who converted The Alhambra from fortress to a palatial residence. The General Day Visit ticket (€ 14, with one additional euro for the audio guide) lets you visit the original Alcazaba fortress, the Nasrid palaces, and the Generalife summer retreat above the Alhambra, with its pools and courtyards. Give yourself time just to relax in the gardens here.

After visiting the Alhambra, walk to the hilltop Albaicín neighbourhood, where 27 minarets have long since become church towers. Stroll between the whitewashed walls of its narrow streets and glimpse the occasional traditional inner courtyard through the front gate. Walk to the viewpoint at 1 Calle del Algave for the classic photograph of the ancient fortress in front of the Sierra Nevadas.

When you head back into the main town in the early evening, you’ll nd a host of tapas bars across the way from Alhambra. e hundred-year-old Bodegas Castaneda is worth stepping into for the interior alone, but order a few tapas — as Andalusia is where the early evening tradition of sharing small plates originated. While Jamón Iberico, aged ham from black, acorn-fed pigs, is adored throughout Spain, the best producers come from Andalusia — so you could start with that. Spinach and chickpeas are also a typical Andalusian dish.

One your second day in Granada, visit the historic center. After a day admiring soothing Islamic architecture at the Alhambra, you’ll need sunglasses when you enter the Basilica de San Juan de Dios, whose interior is almost entirely covered in gold. Built in the early 1700s, it exemplifies not just intensely ornate Baroque architecture, but the wealth that Spain took from its colonies in the Americas — following that other event in 1492. (After all, it was Ferdinand and Isabella who bankrolled Columbus’s voyage).

An eight-minute walk away, the Granada Cathedral was built atop the ruins of an old mosque within decades of the “Reconquista,” or “Reconquering,” as the triumph over Muslim rule is known in Spain. Just next door to the Cathedral is the Royal Chapel where the architects of the Reconquista themselves — King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella — are buried. The nearby museum reflects Isabella’s devout Catholicism: you’ll find her collection of Flemish panels and Spanish paintings depicting pious themes.

Granada is steeped in rich history