BUZZ ABOUT… October 2007
GRAN CANARIA"
“One of the best foodie experiences you can have on the Canary Islands is a plate of simple grilled fish, fresh from the surf, in the fishing village of Puerto de las Nieves on Gran Canaria. You can also order local and mainland Spanish wines and tapas at La Cava Triana (Calle Travieso 35, +034 928 381 302), an elegant wine bar in Las Palmas’ chic Triana district.”
The Observer
“The Canary Islands have always been good for a bit of dependable sunshine – but weren’t always so hot on the hotel front. Now that smart new hotels and spas are opening, the islands are coming up in the world, with a lovely ESPA spa at the La Sabore resort.”
Grazia
 | “Enjoy one of the world’s finest city beaches, Las Canteras, after a hard day’s shopping in Las Palma. The island’s other not-to-be-missed beach is the 6km stretch in Maspalomas, with the stunning sand dunes stretching out behind. Keen divers will find an unusually high number of wrecks not far off the coast and some of the world’s finest windsurfing is to be had around Pozo del Izquierdo.” Canary Islands, The Bradt Travel Guide (Bradt Travel Guides, £13.95) |
"RESORTS NEAR CHAMBÉRY
Val d’Isère
“A cluster of traditional Savoyard buildings huddles around the 17th-century church. As night falls, stylish cascades of golden fairy lights illuminate the fir trees and drip like icicles from the eaves. We have no regrets about our zesty Christmas escape. A week on the slopes is a refreshing tonic to kick off the New Year. Perhaps Christmas is a movable feast, after all.”
Fiona Elliott for The Observer
Tignes
“Tignes offers much more than just skiing and snowboarding. You could sign up for a ride on a husky-powered sleigh, and try being the ‘musher’ driving the pack of dogs. Sledge rides are available in the resort one day a week.”
BERLIN"
“Retail therapy gets a unique Berlin twist in the Scheunenviertel, the ultimate shopping mecca for individualists. Boutiques here are edgy, stylish and light years from high-street conformity. From couture to street wear, home decorations to gourmet foods, accessories to art, you’ll find a diverse and mostly home-grown selection in this labyrinth of lanes.”
Berlin Encounter (Lonely Planet, £6.99)
“Berlin’s funky Kreuzberg neighbourhood teems with diverse places to eat. It has Chinese and Thai, a laid-back café with old sofas and dark German beer, and an Italian coffee bar with artisan-roasted beans and organic Provolone cheese. Another flavour – McDonald’s – will soon join the mix and the arrival of the fast-food giant is causing consternation in Kreuzberg, for decades a stronghold of left-wing, anarchist and anti-globalist sentiment.”
The Guardian
“Berlin has become a magnet for musicians and artists of all kinds, drawn by the low rents, amazingly low cost of living, and, of course, the extraordinarily lively arts scene. And increasingly it has become a magnet for visitors, who can soak up a world-beating array of museums and concerts that caters for every taste.”
The Telegraph
Méribel
“Gliding up the mountain in a bubble-lift, I peer out as the chocolate-coloured chalets of Méribel disappear into the valley. I emerge from the lift into the morning sun, and it’s on my first run down, gulping lung-fulls of icy air, that I remember what skiing’s all about: adrenaline, fresh air and mother nature. Nothing beats the thrill of the first run of the season.”
Maggie Davis for Time Out London
Interview: Sophy Grimshaw
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