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Almost a town in its own right, it's on the Asian side, a pleasant place reached by ferry from Kadiköy. A very Turkish resort and a stop-off point for the unmissable Princes Islands. It also has the best fish soup this side of Atlantic! Find it at the Yildiz Yakamoz restaurant right in the centre. The squid was pretty amazing too.
On the edge of the Sea of Marmara, on the Asian side of Istanbul.
We rented a flat direct from a Venetian Family just 50m from the Rialto Bridge and shopped at the famous markets for fish and vegetables. Wander the backstreets and copy the local habit of eating ciccetti with a glass of prosecco at any time between 11am and 8pm.
For great value food and wine eat at an enoteca in the quiet areas of Castello or San Polo, for luxury arrive in a water taxi at midnight during Carnevale!
We found or flat at www.holiday-rentals.co.uk
Most people know of Châteauneuf-du-Pape because of its excellent wines, which are known worldwide. However, as well as the wine growing area of the name, there is also an historic village of the same name well worth a visit.
The old village sits on a hillside overshadowed by the ruins of the old chateau (from which the name comes from). Go explore the narrow streets.
Don't forget to taste and buy the local wines. A visit to the weekly market (held on Fridays) is also recommended.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is 20 km from Beaumes de Venise by car.
Orange is 24 km away.
www.beyond.fr/villages/chneuf_pape.html
www.beyond.fr/map/map2p12.html
This is a delightful family-run B&B type hotel. It consists of about 14 small, simple but utterly charming rooms on the edge of the sea, put together round a small courtyard in the style of the old Greek 'village rooms'.
You can swim in the clear sea just below, or you can simply sit on one of the small terraces, drink in hand, and contemplate the view of Aegina across the water. Once there, you may find you have little inclination to move very far! Rosy provides delicious lunches, and in the evening two minutes' stroll will take you to the open-air restaurant, the Alkyone, from where you can continue your contemplation of Aegina and the sea as long as you want.
Do not bother with the Alef. You will find the food bland and the service surly. An excellent trio - The Saints - saved the evening.
If you want Jewish food, try one of the others around the square.
Kazimierz
We went for new year's eve and no surcharge, just the regular first class Mediterranean menu. Relaxed atmosphere and good location behind main square. It is, apparently, the best restaurant in Krakow at the moment. Not expensive.
If you're visiting Paje on the East Coast of Zanzibar you have to visit Mr
Chaamu's restaurant.
An enterprising one-man band, he has set up 3 tables under cover on the beach and offers fantastic seafood dishes with traditional breads.
Bring your own beverages and be sure to book in advance as he sources everything on the day.
Also, ask about his early morning fishing trips. He will take up to 4 people out on his boat to catch the restaurant's fish for the day. He then cooks your catch for you and all of this is done at a fraction of the cost of similar trips at nearby
hotels. An absolute highlight of our holiday!
North of the Paje dive site, 10 min walk along the beach
The south of France is the place of dreams for many, idyllic villages, vineyards, historical sites and access to all the places in south-east France worth visiting - Nimes, Arles, Avignon, Aix', Orange and smaller villages like Gordes, Isle-sur-la-sorgue and of course, Menèrbe.
The best way around the region is by car despite parking restrictions in places like Gordès.
Beaumes-de-Venise is in the region of the Cötes de Rhöne wines and the appellation Cötes de Ventoux wines. It also has it's own appellation, Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, one of France's best sweet white wines.
Choose a local farmhouse for a stay.
Beaumes de Venise, Vaucluse, Provence, between Carpentras and Vacqueyras.
Take the TGV from Paris to Avignon and then hire a car.
Where to find it -
www.beyond.fr/map/map2p12.html
www.beyond.fr/villages/beaumes.html
Cafe Mersand has apparently been an institution in Tel Aviv for decades (the Walllpaper* chic interior is original and absolutely authentic), but new youthful owners have recently taken over to make this one of the hippest, most relaxed places in central Tel Aviv to have a coffee break while watching the locals come and go.
The friendly young baristas turn out top quality espresso, cappucino and cafe latte, and the small kitchen does tasty sandwiches and cakes. They have laid back music (the Beatles featured when I was there last), artists doing film installations and a good selection of newspapers (Haaretz English language version of course). This place is a must for anyone who appreciates a non-chain, slightly left, cafe.
Corner of Ben-Yehuda & Frishman Streets
Tel: 03-5234318
The world's only regular Slow Food Market. Held at St Nicholas Market on Corn Street on the first Sunday of every month, the market features stalls of fresh, local food of the very highest quality.
Now the largest food market in Bristol, its undoubted highlights include artisan bread from the Thomas Bakery, the lush Chocolate Workshop, top juices from St Nicholas Market stars The Big Banana, the almost legendary Pieminister Pies, Ginger Gallery's sensational brownies, organic meats, locally grown veg and much more.
This is the place to find out what south west food is really all about.
St Nicholas Market, The Exchange, Corn Street, Bristol BS1 1JQ
telephone: 0117 922 4014
email: markets@bristol-city.gov.uk
www.slowfoodbristol.org
We toured the Alsace wine route, the vines bare, of course, after the harvest but the little wine towns of Kaysersburg and Riquewihr were simply ravishing.
For one afternoon we popped over the Rhine to the pretty university city of Freiburg in Baden-Wurtemburg for great shopping and a look at the gorgeous high-Gothic Munster. In the Christmas markets there we sampled hot bratwurst in crusty rolls, currywurst and 'dampfnudel' - a suet pudding with a cherry sauce and custard.
Then we drove north and back over the border for an evening in Strasbourg and dinner in the shadow of its famous cathedral.
The Bacchus Restaurant is well worth a visit; right in the middle of Eguisheim.
12b rue Rempart Nord
68420
Bryce Canyon Lodge is the sole concessionnaire hotel within the wonderful Bryce Canyon National Park, and if you want to be really close to the action, it's the place to stay - their "hotel rooms" at US $136.50 + tax are a little expensive, but very well equipped and comfortable, their restaurant excellent.
Beware, they close for several months during the winter.
It is important to book direct with the hotel - we foolishly booked through an organisation called Hotels-by-City on their "Utah-hotels.org" web site, which claimed to be "the official Utah hotels site". This was completely untrue, and they seriously ripped us off, charging us US $238.99 + tax a night. Be extremely wary!
Great restaurant hidden behind the casino in Puerto Del Carmen. Looks out on to the sea. Swimming pool on the terrace and great big four poster beds to relax on. The restaurant itself has a Turkish theme and serves a wide range of food including Chinese. Lovely for a relaxed romantic evening. Service could have been better though.
Main Strip in Puerto Del Carmen situated behind the casino.
My boyfriend and I wanted to spend a week relaxing in Tuscany, somewhere where we could get away from it all but still have the option to get out and do things if we felt the need. We found a real hidden gem – a gorgeous 18th century family run villa, Hotel Villa Lecchi, which was right in the heart of the Chianti wine tasting region…what more could we ask for?!
The villa is surrounded by medieval walls and offers a pretty pool, garden and terrace. Not to be missed is the food served in Hotel Villa Lecchi’s restaurant. It uses traditional recipes and these have earned it a great reputation with both locals and tourists alike and it really does have a great atmosphere.
For those wanting to venture out, there are plenty of opportunities nearby to sample the local wines and bikes can be hired at the hotel to get out and see the stunning local scenery. For those who fancy exploring a bit further afield, Genoa is only a short drive away and offers an abundance of churches, palaces and interesting museums.
We booked through Keyplaces and stayed in a lovely double room, which had air-con, mini fridge etc and was really reasonably priced.
Travel wasn’t included in the price, but we got cheap flights with Meridiana from London to Florence, which is about an hour’s drive away.
Keyplaces - 0845 688 0833 or www.keyplaces.co.uk
Meridiana - www.meridiana.it
Hotel Villa Lecchi is less than 10 miles from San Gimignano.
One of the best restaurants I've ever eaten in, vegetarian or otherwise. They now also have a few bedrooms upstairs
Walk west about three minutes along Washington St. from the city centre, and it's on your right.
Tel. +353 21 4277939
Lovely rustic restaurant at the top of the hill above Korcula. Good food and wine plus breathtaking views.
Restaurant Grubinjac
Zrnovo
Island of Korcula
Croatia
Tel: 00 385 20 711 410
web: www.korculainfo.com/restaurants/restaurant-grubinjac-zrnovo-korcula.htm
It is a pub, right at the top of the town. It has recently been taken over and is wonderful. The food is some of the best I have ever tasted, beautifully presented and delicious. I bet soon this is a place you will have to book a table for weeks in advance.
Why am I telling you this? Because it desevers it, it really is head and shoulders above any other pub I have eaten in.
Risotto, hot chocolate pudding, the yummiest chips, veg so fresh it's almost rude, on and on I could go. And not silly london prices either, lunch for under a tenner.
Brilliant, it can be done, go there soon. You won't regret it.
Leechwell Street (off Kingsbridge Hill), Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6BY - tel: 01803 863324
A friend who lives in Rome took us to Alceste, a shudderingly expensive seafood restaurant near the Piazza Navona, recently and the meal was a disaster. In fact it's been ages since we were so thoroughly ripped off.
Though the three of us speak Italian and explained that we wanted to split an assorted antipasto, we were served three full antipasti, which were awful, and charged for all three. The sea bass cooked in salt looked like it had been dropped on the kitchen floor and service was snarly. Best meal of our trip: Trattoria Monti, a superb little place with delicious food, a Roman crowd and charming waiters.
Trattoria Monti, Via San Vito, 13/A, (011 39) 06 446 6573
Other read posts directed me to Yang Sing in Manchester, where I had the worst Chinese meal I've ever eaten yesterday.
Food was barely edible, service was slow and unfriendly. If you want great Asian food, go to London, New York, Paris or Hong Kong.
Is this your business?