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From a small park next to the Sherazade mosque, find the start of the remaining part of the aqueduct. There should be a hole in the fence it's possible to crawl through. Do so and you can then climb to the top of the aqueduct itself. Walk or crawl along the top for breathtaking views of the city and the Golden Horn. Jump off the other side and you're almost next to the Fatih Camii, a gem although off the normal tourist route.
Ataturk Bulvari
Stand on the Erzsebet Hid and look east towards the parliament building. It gives a fantastic view of the city, and is one of the most beautiful sights in the whole world. Alternatively, get on any train out of the rat race that is Budapest to any of the other cities in Hungary, where the pace is slower, calmer, and less touristy.
Crossing the Duna (Danube) river
Vientiane's very own replica of the French monument, with a Laotian twist, of course. Built from concrete donated by the US government, intended for a runway. Beautiful at sunset, as the lights begin to illuminate the facade.
On Lane Xang Avenue, the Laotian Champs Elysee
Rooftop Bar with live Cuban music and beautiful views over Havana at night.
Parque Central
The cafe at the top of Metz Department store has amazing views over the skyline. Its on the sixth floor (there’s lift access too) and has windows on three sides. The views are incredible. Wide selection of tea and cake too. Well worth it.
455 Keizergracht (on the intersection at Keizergracht and Leiderstracht)
Nestled high in the hills, this is Ireland's highest pub. Great seafood, a scenic drive and heaps of good music.
Glencullen Cross, Glencullen; An irregular bus service leaves from the city centre; To drive head south for Enniskery and take the turnoff for Glencullen. The pub sits on right-hand side of road
Swayambhunath is a Buddhist stupa atop a hill in the Kathmandu valley. It's best to get there before sunrise - you'll be unlikely to meet any other tourists, just crowds of Nepali and Tibetan people. Swayambhu is a hive of activity at this time, with chanting, meditation and worship playing alongside the pre-school karate class, police training up those steep steps, earnest young men doing their exercises, the games of the monkeys and dogs.
It's a wonderful place at any time, but I think you see it at its best and most natural at sunrise. Beautiful light for photography too, if that's your thing. And there's a lovely view across the Kathmandu valley. If you fancy a walk, there's a lovely peaceful monastery at the top of the next hill along.
It's an easy walk from the centre, but you could also take a bus from Sohrakhutte, or find a taxi. Ask to be dropped at the bottom of the steps, rather than at the top. Then walk up to the stupa
The obligatory boat trip up to the falls. Yes, you will get wet (hideous yellow plastic coverall is supplied) and is not recommended for those suffering motion sickness.
You do get a close up of this impressive natural feature however.
Just on the Old Town Square and opposite the Astronomical Clock is a roof garden where there are wonderful views of the centre of the City. The food might not be great but for an hour or so mid-afternoon when your feet are feeling tired it is a great place to be.
Everyone who goes to Sydney raves about the beaches at Bondi and Manly and rightly so - they are iconic Sydney beaches.
Yet any trip to Sydney would not be complete without a visit to Cronulla Beach in Sydney's south. This is a beach in wide-scape with something for everyone.
The northern part (known locally as Wanda Beach) is a haven for surfers, fishermen, kite-flyers and groups of young lads who simply want to impress the hordes of bikinied blondes who gather there for the sake of being impressed.
The southern part is the elevated end of Cronulla, adjacent to The Royal National Park, and it's a spot where families picnic in the parks high above the beach.
In between these two points is Cronulla central - where the beach meets the restaurants, cafes, nightclubs and cinemas. By day a place for families to enjoy a stroll along the boardwalk and, after dark, a gathering place for the beautiful people of southern Sydney.
Plane-spotters will also enjoy fabulous views of aircraft landing at, and taking off from, Sydney's Mascot Airport from all parts of Cronulla Beach.
Parking can be a problem. Visitors staying in the Central Business District of Sydney are best advised to take the train to Cronulla from Martin Place (platform 2), Town Hall (platform 4) or Sydney Central (platform 25). Trip time about 50 minutes each way for just a few quid return. A taxi will cost about 20 pounds each way.
Alone in Rio on the weekend? Want to be occupied without doing much? Want to see Rio beach life?
Rent a bike in Ipanema and pedal all the way up to Gloria and back. Don't forget to take in Urca. It's flat, safe (95% bike paths) and very cool; you'll need about four hours if you take it easy (how else?); you'll see a great cross section of Rio people and the view on the way back is quite different from the view on the way there.
Lonely Planet suggests two or three places. It cost me less than 10 quid.
One of the best-kept secrets in town is the cafe atop the Post and Telegraf Museum. A stunning view of town and light, traditional Danish courses for lunch. Loads of blue-haired, sophisticated ladies, but that’s part of the charm.
Café Hovedtelegrafen
Købmagergade 37, 5th floor
Use the elevator at the back of the museum
Tel: (+45) 33 41 09 86
This gargantuan hanging wall of ice is one of the visually defining features of Chamonix. It's often lit up at night when it takes on a very surreal air, but the best time to see it is by day, from close up. A pleasant stroll through the woods above Les Bossons takes you to the edge of the ravine, from where you can often see huge chunks ofice falling off. Don't get too close!
Les Bossons, Chamonix
One of the northern suburbs as the bay curves around, it offers great views back to the city and Table Mountain (from the same sort of angle as Robben Island).
The beach is quite good too.
Map here - www.safarinow.com/destinations/Atlantic-Seaboard-North/map.aspx
A beautiful Italian restaurant, with a very scenic view (the restaurant lies directly next to a bridge which spans the picturesque Landwehrkanal - very romantic in the evenings!!).
It is a busy, but nevertheless charming restaurant which tends to attract younger people who like to enjoy genuine Italian cuisine. The menu is simple (antipasti, pasta, pizza, dolci), but everything (and I mean everything: we went up and down the menu) is of extraordinary quality and taste. Try the desserts and don't forget to make a reservation!
Il Casolare (Trattoria-Pizzeria)
Grimmstraße 30, Ecke Planufer
10967 Berlin-Kreuzberg
U-Bahn: Kottbusser Tor (U8+U15)
Tel.: 030-69 50 66 10
This bar on the 52nd floor of the Bank of America building has the best views of San Francisco and the Bay. At around 4 or 5pm, you can watch the fog roll in over the Golden Gate. Cocktails are OK and served by ancient waiters.
carnelianroom.com/ 555 California St 52nd Floor San Francisco, CA 94104 Tel: (415) 433-7500
Even with a city as beautiful as Prague, it's sometimes nice to get out for a while. On the north-west border of the city is the spectacular Divoká Šárka, where you can wander through forests and gaze at spectacular rock formations surrounded by streams, waterfalls and lakes.
At the north-west terminus of the number 26 tram. Map at: tinyurl.com/2byaf4
Location - location - location. I haven't found a place in the Cape which feels so quiet and so yet close to the sea - it is so beautiful. The sea has a unique colour at this side of False Bay - just magical. The restaurant has great seafood. The 3 times I have been there the service has been really friendly. Almost the ideal lunch spot for those on trips to or from Cape Point or the penguins in Simonstown (3 miles away). The only warning is that it is quite exposed so if the wind is blowing you may need a sheltered outside spot. I really hope you go and enjoy it as much as we did.
The queues (in America they call them 'lines') for the Empire State are very long on a clear day. However, tickets are valid any day so if you pass by on a cloudy day when there are little or no queues pop in to buy tickets for use later in your trip. This should save about 20-30 minutes queue time when you want to go up on a clear day.
Empire state building - 5th Avenue at 34th
It's not free but it is high ... there's a 360 degree panorama from here, and it's captivating. About $10 for adults.
555 West Hastings Street (downtown not far from the waterfront); www.vancouverlookout.com
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