COMPASS
Amsterdam
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KISS ON A BRIDGE
Romantics should take a walk over the Magere Brug (“Skinny Bridge”). This illuminated structure stands over the Amstel, joining the Theater Carré on one side and the Stopera (opera/ ballet hall) on the other. As daylight fades and the laser show lights up, see silhouetted lovers embrace or grab the opportunity to snap an awesome photo. Find it between Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht.
DISCOVER A SECRET Near the American bookstore, just off the Spui, the Begijnhof is hidden behind an insignificant-looking wooden door. The buildings date back to Medieval times, making them the oldest inner courts in Amsterdam. www.. begijnhofamsterdam.nl
PICK A TULIP Remember that scene in Notting Hill when Hugh finds the enclosed garden? Then why not stroll through the Jordaan neighbourhood to see the “Hofjes”, a series of beautiful courtyards hidden behind large house fronts. www.jordaanweb.nl
OUT AND ABOUT
DINE Housed in a huge nursery, De Kas takes organic food to the max. The daily changing menu is a mixture of home-grown vegetables, edible flowers and herbs, and all the produce is grown on site. www.restaurantdekas.nl DANCE New York-style jazz palace the Cotton Club will have you dancing the night away. www.cottonclub.music.nl AN HOUR AWAY The 900-year-old town of Haarlem has an historic centre full of medieval buildings including the oldest museum in the Netherlands: the Teylers Museum. Wander the streets or watch the world go by from a traditional cafe. Keep going to get to the beach resort of Zandvoort. www.haarlem.nl FAMOUS EXPORT TULIPS As the first signs of spring appear, the Dutch countryside bursts into life with reds, oranges, purples, yellows and pinks. Take a tour of the Keukenhof Gardens to see for yourself, but don’t forget a bunch for your mum! www.keukenhof.nl
SPEAK-A DE LANGUAGE
I love you = Ik hou van je
Goodbye = Tot ziens
PRICE OF BEER £2.30
Budapest
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GO UNDERGROUND Don some overalls, a head torch and helmet, then set off into the depths to explore the only capital city where you can go caving deep beneath the streets. Hike through damp coves and climb steel ladders to cool down in the height of the Hungarian summer. Guided tours with qualified cavers are available. www.buda.pestinfo.org/caves.html
PARTY IN A KAYAK Ride along the Danube on a sea kayak tour, which culminates in one of the most popular clubs in Budapest. Take a look at lit-up bridges, listed buildings and islands, then party the night away. Don’t worry, after sampling the local beverages you wont be expected to kayak home again. www.unique.budapest.hu
TAKE A THERMAL SPA Budapest is renowned for its thermal spas, but for something a little different try one of the “magic bath nights” at selected spas throughout the city. See www.spasbudapest.com
OUT AND ABOUT
DINE Set in an 18th-century inn at the foot of Castle Hill, Aranyszarvas (“Golden Stag”) is a great choice for quality local game. www.aranyszarvas.hu/eles
DANCE Boutiq’bar is a brand new venue in the VI district, serving a mouthwatering range of turn-of-the-century cocktails made from a selection of more than 200 spirits. Try the Cardamoned: a sweet-spicy combo of strawberries, vodka and cardamom. www.boutiqbar.hu AN HOUR AWAY The city of Pécs (around 90 minutes drive south of Budapest) is one of the European Capitals of Culture 2010. Sitting neatly on the slopes of the Mecsek Mountains, the small town boasts a wealth of historic buildings, ranging from early Christian burial chambers to Turkish mosques.
FAMOUS EXPORT THE RUBIKS CUBE This 1980s favourite, originally named “magic toy”, was invented by a Hungarian professor of architecture called Ernö Rubik.
SPEAK-A DE LANGUAGE
I love you = Szeretlek
Goodbye = Viszuntlátásra
PRICE OF BEER £1
Toulouse
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BRING SPACE TO YOU With two auditoriums, an IMAX and a 360-degree planetarium, La Cite de L’Espace is as close as you can get to the real thing! www.cite-espace.com
GET LOST Set in the grounds of Château de Merville, this 6km labyrinth is simply a-mazing, with grand, old oak trees looming spookily over the alleys. There are also a variety of treasure trails to explore. www.labyrinthedemerville.com has all the info.
SEE SOME ART Les Abattoirs means “The Slaughterhouses” – a strange name for an art gallery. Set in beautiful grounds filled with sculptures, this is an inspiring place for artists and art-lovers alike. www.lesabattoirs.org
OUT AND ABOUT
DINE The family-run Le Bon Vivre (“The Good Life”) is open long after the competition has closed, the prices are good and the portions gigantic. The menu features fine French cuisine (duck is a speciality) and a huge choice of locally produced armagnac. It’s a popular local haunt so you won’t be bothered by hordes of tourists. www.lebonvivre.com
DANCE Fiesta Latina is the perfect summer club to get saucy to salsa beats, cool off in the lagoon swimming pool, watch plays or participate in Latin workshops. The cocktails are exotic and the atmosphere is hot. For info, visit www.fiestalatina-31.com
AN HOUR AWAY Lourdes is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s very easy to see why: take a day trip to see the fortified castle or jump on a charming 100-year-old train up to the Pic du Jer for a 360-degree views over the surrounding towns and villages. www.lourdes-infotourisme.com
FAMOUS EXPORT WINE Apparently you don’t get hangovers from drinking authentic French wines straight from the vineyards. One of the country’s oldest vineyards is in Gaillac, which has such a diverse landscape and produces lots of great wines. www.winetour-france. com/gaillac-region.asp
SPEAK A-DE LANGUAGE
I love you = Je t’aime
Goodbye = Au revoir
PRICE OF BEER £2.50
York
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GET DIRTY Fancy yourself as Indiana Jones? Make that dream a reality by joining DIG York. The excavation sites are filled with Roman, Viking, Medieval and Victorian arte-facts, and the tours are lead by working archeologists. www.digyork.com
CURE YOUR HICCUPS Take a ghost walk around the spooky streets of York, named the most haunted city in the world by the Ghost Research Foundation. The Ghost Hunt Of York takes in Shambles, England’s most famous medieval street, and Caesar’s restaurant, where participants are sometimes subjected to more body parts than they ordered! www.ghosthunt.co.uk
DRINK SOME HISTORY A second tour takes you to four of the oldest pubs in the city centre to learn about the area’s sordid past while sampling some tasty real Yorkshire ales (included in the price). www.yorkhistoric.pubtour.co.uk
OUT AND ABOUT
DINE “Good and hearty home-cooked food!” claim the Yorkies who frequent Café Concerto. Whether it’s soup or a full three-course meal – whatever you choose, it will be locally sourced and served to some smooth jazz sounds. www.cafeconcerto.biz/page2.htm
DANCE Showcasing established and new artists, Fibbers feels more like a country pub than an inner-city bar. Air guitar is perfectly acceptable here! www.fibbers.co.uk
AN HOUR AWAY Get out into fresh air and jump on the North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway from Pickering into the North York Moors National Park to explore miles of heather, ancient woodland and dramatic coasts. www.north.yorkmoors.org.uk
FAMOUS EXPORT YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS This favourite side dish originated as a means of padding out the Sunday roast because it was cheaper than the other ingredients. Today the love of Yorkies has been taken to the extreme with an annual British Yorkshire Pudding day in early February.
SPEAK A-DE LANGUAGE
I love you = Put kettle on, luv
Goodbye = Ta-ra
PRICE OF BEER £2.75
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