We found this friendly little bar/cafe whilst in Menorca this year. It's in the shadow of a hotel called Mar De Menorca but holds its own where food is concerned. The food was a real taste of home, we could tell it was home made and it was really tasty. The reason we felt the need to post this tip is the family who run Chepas are so friendly and went out of there way to make us welcome. Good food, good drink.
Es Canutells, 7 miles south-west of Mahon. Close to the lovely cove of Cala Canutells.
The Hotel Bolgenschanze is a no-frills snowboarders' hostel with very friendly staff. It doubles as a bar and nightclub with DJs or live bands most nights until late - it also usually offers bunches of tipsy snowboarders moshing energetically to an eclectic mix of hip-hop, indie music and krautrock.
Instead of pool tables, there's a tree trunk, a box full of nails and a hammer - all that you need to play nageln. The purpose of the game is to hammer four nails into the trunk with the fewest blows - the loser buys a round of shots. I ended up buying a lot of shots. Other bars, slightly quieter but with similar clientele are the small and cosy Rotliechtli and the Bolgenplaza where you can drink and watch the crazier snowboarders trying to kill themselves on the floodlit halfpipe.
The Bolgenschanze is situated at the base of the Jakobshorn ski area which is the most popular with boarders as it's all chairlifts (apart from one, long drag that is worth the pain for the off-piste it opens up). With a little bit of hiking, it also has one of the best off-piste rides - an awesome, steep off-piste descent from the top of the Jatzhorn down to Teufi where you can get a bus back into Davos.
This is a fantastic tapas bar in the historic centre of Valencia - great tapas including loads of veggie options (rare in Valencia!), wines by the glass and probably the best mojitos in all of Valencia (and the barman speaks perfect English).
It's a very modern, light, well-priced bar with great food and friendly staff.
Calle Cavallers 19
(next to plaza de la virgin)
Tel: (0034)963914608
www.groovelives.com
Peaceful cafe/bar beside a small lake at the very top of the Parque Eduardo VII. Lovely place to relax and read.
Rua Marquês de Fronteira Jardim Amália Rodrigues, quite near metro São Sebastião.
The Terrace cafe/bar is on the terrace of the Chão do Loureiro market. It's a great place to sit and relax with sofas, armchairs, etc and the most amazing view over Lisbon. Not the cheapest bar, but definitely one of the coolest!
You can get there from Rua da Costa do Castelo.
What does one say about a restaurant that hands you a drinks list when you arrive... with 68 different vodkas on it? And when you turn the page over there is a list of vodka cocktails... more than 25 of them!
The food menu (after you have finished looking through the vodkas) is very European-based with a Polish flavour. Borsch? Yes, it's on the menu. Goulash? Of course! Bratwurst and sauerkraut is included as expected. Come with an empty stomach as the servings are large. The service is cheery, the entertainment fun (a trio dressed as gypsies playing a violin, a piano accordion... and, of all things, a cello!) and if you really want to make a night of it, there is always the theatre next door.
Prices are reasonable and despite the alcohol, 'After the Tears' is kid-friendly. My grandkids loved their meals.
9B Gordon St, Elsternwick
(entrance thru the Classic theatre )
Phone(03) 9523 0969
Across the road from Elsternwick railway station (don't drink and drive, catch a train instead)
Google map: tinyurl.com/qpadfm
It’s been called THE backpacker bar in Sydney and its easy to see why – ping pong tables, discount drinks every day (2 for 1 cocktails on Fridays, yum) and fancy dress theme nights.
Not the most authentic experience in some ways, but as Sydney is so huge on the backpacking trail, it’s definitely worth the experience!
2-24 Rawson Place, Haymarket
www.scubar.com.au
Google map: tinyurl.com/kjktzd
Plenty of dance music, loud crowds and cheap drinks during the week (avoid for the queues and cover charge on the weekend), the World Bar is a good mix of backpackers and Sydney youngsters and makes for a fun night out in this party city.
24 Bayswater Road (Kings Cross)
Score is the best gay bar/club in Miami, situated on Lincoln Road. If you are lucky enough to be heading to Miami I highly recommend you check it out. The staff are adorable (especially Jonathan) and they serve a good range of drinks. The music is also very good.
727 Lincoln Road, South Beach, Miami
The town of Nuoro is in eastern Sardinia's mountainous province of Barbagia.
It's not on the tourist trail but worth visiting for a half day, especially for the Museum of Costume which is small but outstanding. There you find many beautiful traditional costumes and textiles, roomsets showing objects from daily life and spooky sheepskin outfits and masks worn at the local festivals.
Unfortunately the Museo d'Arte is closed on Mondays, when we visited but it houses modern art and sculpture from Sardinia's best known artists. You can get a taste by looking at the outdoor sculptures in Piazza Satta which commemorate the life of local poet Sebasiano Satta.
Stop for a coffee nearby at Caffe Tettamanzi on Corso Garibaldi and admire the mirrored interior painted with cherubs, where struggling local artists would meet in the past.
Great area especially on a Thursday and Friday when they have a food market that attracts the local workers. Also has some great restaurants: Moro, Medcalf and The Ambassador.
Exmouth Market, just off Farringdon Road. 10 minutes' walk from Farringdon and Angel tube stations
Cool place with lively crowds that has an impressive international list of drinks and happy hours where it's as little as $4 a drink – refreshing in a pricey town.
Head down weekdays between 4.30pm-6pm to take advantage of the discounts…
3847 Main Street, Culver City
A club in Shoreditch where you can enjoy very good food, a games lounge, ten pin bowling, spa treatments, a rooftop swim with magnificent city views.
Ebor Street, London E1
Closest tube Liverpool Street
Tiny, cosmopolitan New York City-esque cocktail bar with foreigner friendly service. Always crowded by models and hip people.
Anker koz 3. Kiraly u corner. Downtown, 5th district Budapest. Near metro station "Deak Ter".
A nice small hotel situated on the east coast of Zanzibar, right at the beginning of Jambiani village. 10 palm-thatched roof beach bungalows, set in the peaceful tropical gardens.
The hotel has a quiet, peaceful, friendly and very relaxing atmosphere for an affordable sunny holiday.
Right at the beginning of Jambiani Village, Jambiani (on the east coast of Zanzibar).
Tel:00 255 777843622
Email:mbuyunibeachvillage@yahoo.co.uk
www.mbuyuni.com
Devassa Ipanema has a great atmosphere, and the beers are great too. I tried all of them: Loira, Ruiva, Negra and Índia. They have a snack called escondidino - very tasty!
Rua Prudente de Moraes, 416 - Ipanema
(55)(21)2522-0627
devassaipanema@devassa.com.br
www.devassa.com.br
A low-key bar in a basement behind an unmarked door, Lounge Bohemia manages to avoid the Hoxton Saturday night invasion and remain a calm and laid back place to drop in for a cocktail, a chat and complimentary canapes. Strictly retro decor, very friendly and beautuful staff, the place is absolutely tiny and perfect to impress a date and tuck them away in a cosy corner.
Delicious cocktails start at £5 and it's easy to lose track of time and work your way through the whole menu. Tea For Two (£10) comes served in a chunky pattered teapot with matching cups and saucers and - be warned - a generous amount of alcohol. The perfect way to start an evening, or begin the end of an evening, depending on how well your date went...
1e Great Eastern Street
London
EC2 3EJ
07720 707 000
www.loungebohemia.com
Old Street tube
Liverpool Street tube
Churchills has got to be the best value Thai kitchen in London, delicious menu at £6 a main, in a great traditional pub that is regularly voted the Capital's best.
Walk it off down nearby Portobello market then head to the funkiest, friendliest little space at NHAC - groovy Brasilian beats (after-carnival was great) in a really creative environment - top Saturday in Notting Hill!
Tube to Notting Hill Gate, NHAC directly opposite (go early) and Churchills on Kensington Church St, adjacent.
PJs is a restaurant in Covent Garden. The food is always outstanding and the crowd of theatre patrons and West End/Theatreland insiders makes the people-watching and eavesdropping great. The staff of the restaurant is always kind, charming and attentive. A big plus is that it is also within a five minute walk of about half a dozen theatres. PJs also has late night jazz live music on weekends.
PJ's is at 30 Wellington Street WC2E, Covent Garden is the nearest station.
The community narrowboat called Angel II takes either community groups or private groups on tours of the canal. You can sleep up to twelve but it's nicer with less. It's based in Angel, near the tube. The skipper will take you either west through the Islington tunnel up to Camden and through London Zoo and Little Venice, or east to Broadway Market, Victoria Park, The Palm Tree pub in Bow and so on. You can turn up the Hertford Canal and go up to Hackney Marshes too.
There is a great wealth of history in terms of the industrial revolution and the various types of architecture but also the canal provides a welcome corridor of nature right through the centre of London. At 2mph it's an easy pace and you will learn how to do the locks and steer the boat. You can do an evening, a day or a week. It's self-catering.
Along the way is the London Canal Museum and various lovely old pubs. The Islington tunnel is 886 metres long - it's very impressive. Bring a nice bottle of wine and cruise through some of London's finest history. It's so peaceful.
www.acct.org.uk/
just off Graham Street N1, by the City Road Basin, it's just down from Angel Tube.