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One of the few restaurants in the medina that serves alcohol. The food was nice but to be honest the food in many of the places surrounding Djemma El Fna was equally nice and cheaper.
14 Derb J'did near Place Des Ferblantiers in Mellah area in the south of the medina.
Worthwhile checking out the old Jewish quarter in the Mellah area in the south of the medina. The number of Jews in the area now numbers about 260 compared to more than 15,000 at the turn of the century.
You can see the evidence with the occasional Star of David and Hebrew lettering on buildings. There are still three active synagogues out of nearly 30. For a few coins the local kids will show you where the working synagogues are.
Mellah area south of medina
We don't normally go for city tour buses but this was definitely worth it. We paid 260 dirhams (about £18) for two tickets valid for 24 hours that allowed us to jump off/on the tour bus along the route.
The main reason why we recommend it was that one of the routes took us out to the Palmeraie area (palm trees, camels etc) which we would not otherwise have seen.
Red bus just off the Jemma El Fna square on Av. Mohamed V.
Superb location. Just inside the medina walls and across from the Koutobia Mosque. Very central and in a good location. It cost us £114.00 for four nights for a double room in August 2008.
It is basic three-star accommodation in Morocco. May not be the equivalent of three-star in Europe but comfortable none the less. Only word of warning is that it is not a particularly quiet hotel.
279 Avenue Mohamed V, Marrakech
(across from Koutobia mosque)
Book with www.hotelconnect.co.uk
If you are visiting le Marche and fancy a real adrenaline rush and the most incredible views of the region, then head up to the Scoula di Volo (flying school) above Sarnano. They teach hangliding and parascending and launch from a wonderful meadow at about 1500metres. You can fly tandem with an instructor for €60. One of our crowd experienced a flight over a golden eagle exploiting the same thermal below them and didn't even have to pay extra! For stylish accommodation in the area try www.villasanraffaello.com
www.limanhouse.it
Near San Liberato Monastery 5km from Sarnano, Macerata, Marche
While more people tend to make the slog up the hill to Piazzale Michelangelo for great views of Florence, the Forte di Belvedere is its match in every way.
On a summer evening, sitting high above the almost unbelievably beautiful city, quivering in the haze below, is a genuine Florence must-do.
Forte di Belvedere, Oltrarno
The Aiguille du Midi is what every tourist comes to Chamonix for. It's the highest cable car in the world and the €38 return ticket is worth every cent. In just eight minutes you're whisked from Chamonix town centre to Plan d'Aiguille where you change cable cars and in another eight minutes you're taken up to the Aiguille du Midi station where you're rewarded with stupendous views of Mont Blanc and Italy.
Fortunately, I chose the right time to go (7.30am) as the light shone on Mont Blanc in just the right way and there were only six tourists on the highest terrace which looks over Mont Blanc, be warned though the cable car does get cramped with all of the skiers with their skis and poles taking up every inch
Note to parents - children under two are not allowed on the cable car.
Aiguille du Midi cable departs from Place de l'Aiguille du Midi cable car station - just a 30 minute walk from Chamonix train station (but bizarrely there are no signs showing you the way from Chamonix train station).
Awesome views whatever the time of year. Mystery and magic - just the best place to go in Cornwall - fantastic!
A sky resort mainly, but there are some mountains you can climb and other trails you can follow.
A local told us you can follow a trail from Puerto de Navacerrada back down to the town of Cercedilla which takes about three hours.
Absoutely amazing views on top of the mountains of Madrid and Castilla y Leon. Makes for an amazing day out.
Take the train from Nuevos Ministerios, Atocha or Charmartin to Cercedilla where you change to take the train up the hill to Puerto de Navacerrada. Takes about two hours in total from Charmartin.
From there, follow other hikers up the hill and the various trail signs.
Children love the idea of going in a tunnel under the Mersey and crossing over on a boat. Park at Hamilton Square in Birkenhead, get the ferry to Liverpool (superb, heartbreakingly lovely view) and, after a stroll, picnic and visit to the Albert Dock, get the train back from James Street station. Steep escalators, lifts and friendly station staff. Cheap and good fun.
Hamilton Square is signposted from central Birkenhead and is itself an interesting area. The ferry is a five-minute stroll downhill from the station. Ask if you're not sure.
Everyone wants to complete the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb, but at $180 a pop (around £90) each, plus paying for their photographs (you are not allowed to take a camera with you) not everyone can afford it.
An equally good option, but one which is little advertised, is the Sydney Pylon Lookout. This involves climbing the interior of the concrete tower of the Harbour Bridge and is the tower nearest the Opera House.
It has three floors of exhibits and a film show but best of all, the view from the open top is only a few feet below the top of the bridge and is equally as stunning.
You can stay as long as you like and take your own photographs. And it is only $9.50 each - under a fiver!
Use the 'Bridge Stairs' from Cumberland Street in The Rocks for access.
I first sampled Level 25 on a girls' weekend in Miami, and we all fell in love with it for its completely creative cocktails. It serves all your old faves, but given a unique twist and served with flair (by very attentive bar staff). It also has its own speciality cocktail menu - trust me, you'd need more than one visit to work through it! As well as all this, the setting is quite literally out of this world, 25 floors above the ground. The bar is all glass, with the city and the sea glittering away outside - quite enough to take your breath away (if the cocktails haven't knocked you out already!). The clientele is stylish and atmosphere electric. Without a doubt my favourite cocktail corner in the world.
Level 25, Conrad Miami
1395 Brickell Avenue, Miami, FL, 33131, USA
Tel: 1-305-503 6500
Eduardo Chillida is a much-loved Basque son and his sculpture can be enjoyed at many locations in the region, including the breathtaking Wind Comb work, which looks out to sea on the edge of La Concha. But it is also well worth a trip to the Chillida-Lexu sculpture park, which is a short drive outside the city.
Chillida and his wife bought the estate the park lies on in the eighties, restoring the 16th century farmhouse on the grounds and eventually turning the gardens into an outdoor museum.
Today, posthumously, it remains a site for fans to come and observe the artist's vision. The stark realist sculptures set on the green Basque landscape is quite a sight to behold.
To see a stunning view of the Charles River and, on your left, the BU bridge, the Back Bay area, the Hancock Tower, the Prudential Centre and, on your right, the Museum of Science and the Zakin Bridge, there is no better place to be than the Red Line Train between Chalres/MGH and Kendall/MIT stops.
The train goes over the Charles River, and on a bright day the view is simply amazing. All for the cost of a "T" ride.
Plus, while you're on this train, you may as well stay on it to discover the joys of Cambridge, and all its wonderful squares - Central, Harvard, Porter, Davis, Inman, Teele.
The MBTA train. Charles/MGH station.
www.mbta.com for trip planning.
An excellent place to refuel before tackling the steep climb up Box Hill, the King William IV pub in Mickleham, near Dorking, has excellent roast dinners on Sunday.
The standard menu is also worth travelling for though (see their website), and as Saturday lunch is less crowded than Sunday, there's no need to limit yourself to one day of the weekend.
Parking can be a problem (the pub is up a narrow lane, but there is parking on the main road), but once you get there, there is a lovely beer garden, with stunning views over the Mole Valley. Named best pub in Surrey three years in a row.
www.king-williamiv.com/
Byttom Hill, Mickleham, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6EL
01372 372590
Monday - Saturday 11am - 3pm & 6pm - 11pm.
Sunday 12noon - 3pm & 7pm - 10.30pm.
A pretty bay on the other side of the city harbour with cafes, beaches, and some lovely walks. Climb up through bush and look across at Wellington city. It's accessible by bus or car. Makes a nice day out if you want to get away from the city.
While you're there, you can carry on to the next bay, Eastbourne, where you can walk to the lighthouse and watch the ferries on their way to and from the South Island.
I stumbled across a little secret the first time I visited Wellington; Mount Kaukau.
Most visitors opt for the look-out point that is Mount Victoria but the locals will tell you that Mt Kaukau is the summit you really should visit, and how true I have found that to be!
Kaukau is on the western side of Wellington harbour near the pretty districts of Johnsonville and Khandallah. The summit is 445 metres above sea level and is the most visible point in the Wellington area.
It provides stunning views of the city, harbour and the Rimutaka and Tararua Ranges.
Every time I go back to Wellington I make a point of walking up Kaukau. I have also at different times run up it and biked down it - it's fantastic for mountain bikers!
The view is inspiring; the green rolling hills of Crofton Down, looking down into Wellington city and harbour, or looking across the Cook Strait to the snow-capped Mt. Tapuaeoenuku on the Inward Kaikoura Ranges in the South Island, Mt Kaukau demands solitude and silence to fully appreciate its glory.
On a sunny day the view is endless and majestic. When the storms roll into Wellington from across the Tasman Sea, the power of the wind and rain makes Mt Kaukau not for the fainthearted. Yet if anything, it adds to the mystique and grandeur of the place.
Go there and you won’t be disappointed; I never am whenever I go back.
www.wellington.govt.nz/services/resbelt/recreation/recreation.html
Train: Johnsonville Line train from Wellington Station to either Simla Crescent, Box Hill or Khandallah.
Buses: From Courtenay Place or Lambton Quay in Wellington. Services 43, 44, 45 to Khandallah or 53 to Johnsonville West.
The 'Church in the Rock' is the most striking piece of religious architecture in Helsinki.
The chuch was hewn from a huge chunk of granite, the walls left as jagged bedrock, into which a concrete altar was poured. The copper roof seems to float above the church as the light come from a circular window on to which the roof sits. A proper 'wow' moment.
Lutherinkatu 3, Helsinki
The train journey by night in sleeper coaches is an unforgettable experience. Do try the trip if you have time. You will not regret it.
Stay overnight in Aguas Calientes and get the first bus up the mountain in the morning (5.30am). It really is worth being there for sunrise and before the hoards arrive. Fantastic sight. Expect to be wowed and want to stay all day.
Take water with you as they don't stop you taking it in and you will need it up there. The cafe sells water but at vastly hiked costs. Just remember to take your rubbish home with you.
Up a mountain!
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