Sit at a cafe table in this small quiet square by the church and watch the storks fly to and from their nests on the church steeples.

Travessa do Ferrador, Alcácer do Sal, Setúbal 7580, Portugal
Google map: bit.ly/Rn4nOz

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Don't want to be the only adult among the teenagers in the graffiti tours? This is a more adult-oriented, art-focused tour of Berlin's most famous street art.

Info and booking at streetcooltour@yahoo.com or check facebook.com/bdberlim (link)

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Sunday is flea market day in Berlin and the coolest market (Mauerpark is a bit touristy, though still good) is RAW at Revaler Strasse, inside a derelict train station.

raw-flohmarkt.de/
Revaler Straße 99, 10245 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 2924695

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Tempelhof is a recently disused airport that has become one of the largest green spaces in Europe. Best way to enjoy it is to rent a bike and cycle down the runaway at full speed. Go on, VRROOOOOM!

Tempelhof S-Bahn (you can take your bike on the train)
Platz der Luftbrücke 5, 12101 Berlin, Germany
Google map: bit.ly/JWW8FY

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It's free and they have the real Checkpoint Charlie (the one the tourists go to is a replica of a earlier version.) Plus a cool 1940's jeep and lots of other military stuff.

www.alliiertenmuseum.de/
Clayallee 135 14195 Berlin, Germany
+49(0)30 8181 990
Google map: bit.ly/KeCJlS

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Not the one at the Che memorial but the one outside the communist party HQ just down the road from the train monument. Not only is it brilliant, but you can also have your photo taken next to a life-size Che without any bother as there's no guard.

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Stationed outside the Capitol building in Havana you'll find some brilliantly restored convertible Cadillacs. These are available for one-hour tours for about 30 CUC. Not cheap by Cuban standards but, once you've seen them, you may just not be able to resist.

Barcelona, Havana, Cuba
+53 7 8637861
Google map: bit.ly/x1b8HR

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If you're three people or more using a taxi to travel between towns is actually slightly cheaper than the Viazul bus. Find yourself a vintage Cadillac and travel like Elvis!

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Once you've booked your first casa particular you enter an unofficial chain where the owners of your present casa will offer to book your next one and arrange for you to be picked up at your point of arrival. We were gently bounced from one casa to the other up and down Cuba. Of course they're taking a cut but it does make things easier for you.

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There's plenty of lovely beaches in Cuba, but this is special. While other beaches are all palm trees/blue water club med cliches (not that there's anything wrong with that) this is the only place where you'll feel like Captain Jack Sparrow might just be lurking behind the next mangrove tree. You'll wish you brought a treasure map to this (almost) desert island.

Google map: bit.ly/ya7GCt

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Mid-December this was the only happening place in town, everywhere else was sadly deserted. It is very nice, open air on some steps up from the main square, great bands, wild dancing. Worst daiquiris in town though, stick with the beer.

Calle 20 esquina 35, Miramar
+53 7 204 0447
Google map:

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This probably only happens in low season (we went mid-December), but the ever present touts are actually offering deals - 6 or 7 CUC for a meal that will cost you 10 CUC untouted.

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Do get yourself some pesos and buy food from the stalls/windows. It's delicious (freshly made egg tortillas, oyster cocktails, flan pudding hot from the tin), ridiculously cheap and completely safe - food hygiene is fanatically enforced. Also, it's a lovely change from the endlessly repeated chicken/pork/prawns/lobster plus rice plus symbolic amount of salad combo you get in the restaurants. Hard to believe as it is, you can get very tired of lobster.

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Not just for Napoleophiles (who will definetely think they've died and gone to heaven), this is set in a huge hilltop mansion with glorious views over Havana. Also boasts Havana's most charming tour guides and the field glass Napoleon used at Waterloo.

Calle San Miguel No. 1159 esq. a Ronda. Ciudad de La Habana
+53 7 8791412
Google map: bit.ly/w3FUwz

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Actually named Cayo Macho but renamed for the tourist trade, this is a iguana reserve on a desert island - basically Galapagos on a budget. The iguanas are completely unafraid of people and just hang around waiting for your meal leftovers like a bunch of scaly pigeons. There's also some extremely cute giant tree rats (they are cute, honestly) and the biggest hermit crabs I've ever seen. Well worth the two hour boat trip from Trinidad.

www.netssa.com/iguana_island_cuba.html
Google map: bit.ly/wSb4By

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