EuroTravel Magazine

EuroTravel EDITION 6Paris All you need to know Our utterly comprehensive guideLISBON IVANA TRUMP talks about her home, for beginners lifestyle and famous friendsTop tips on what todo and where to go in fashionable St TropezTwo days in Alternative FlorenceSt Petersburg New ideas on what to seeThe ultimate jewel if you’ve been there beforeof the Baltic cruiseZURICHAn in-depth look atSwitzerland’s gourmetepicentre and capitalof culture

CONTENTS06 INTERVIEW WITH IVANA TRUMPIvana talks about her home,lifestyle and famous friendsin fashionable St. Tropez, theFrench Riviera hotspotST PETERSBURGHere we focus on the major tourist attractionsthat makes this glorious city such a magnet10for Westerners18 34 TRAVEL WEBSITES AND APPS TRAVEL TALK WITH ED GILLESPIE Some more old and new websites and apps Another in our series of interviews with to help you on your travels through Europe travel people. Ed is chairman of European Rail Business Loco2, but is a man of many hats 38 FLORENCE A quick dash through some of the remarkable and different options to the usual Florentine itinerary24 PARIS A comprehensive guide to all that’s best about Paris, from eating and sleeping to sightseeing and shopping2 | EuroTravel

66 LISBON A beginner’s guide to what to do and where to go for the first time visitor to Portugal’s capital city44 NAPLES 74 IRELAND - OFF SEASON Unearthing the secrets. Where to go if Away from the summer you’ve done all the typical tourist stuff. Ireland offers its own verySome simply stunning alternatives 50 special charms, as well as being amazinglyZURICH affordable out of seasonSummertime fun inSwitzerland’s gourmetand cultural capital andEurope’s wealthiest,cleanest and mostefficient city60 CREEPIEST 82 THE CASTLES CISTERCIAN Prepare to CIRCLEbe scared by extracts from A meander along the RutaSupernatural - The World del Cisters in CataloniaGuide to Mysterious Places and an insight into a different world 90 DESBERT WIBSON More rants and raves from the wonderful world of Wibson EuroTravel | 3

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Editors Letter EDITOR Welcome to the sixth edition of EuroTravel Magazine where we cover once again a wide range of destinations, from Ireland to Naples and from St David Jacobs Petersburg to Lisbon. [email protected] Our main feature in this edition is on Paris where we have so much SENIOR EDITORIAL TEAM information for you about hotels, restaurants, shopping, nightspots and touristy things to do plus a calendar of events that we’ve had to extend it into additional Victoria Matthews pages outside the magazine. You’ll see what I mean when you read [email protected] Don’t forget, if you want to make sure you get every edition of the magazine Laura Simone plus lots of free extras do fill in the free subscription form. We are working on [email protected] versions for every sort of tablet and smart phone and these will be out in the very near future. Gabrielle Niman [email protected] We are also working on our first virtual coffee table book: Europe in 100 Destinations which should be available in early October free to subscribers. Desbert Wibson Sumptuously illustrated with photos from the four corners of Europe, it will [email protected] appeal to everyone with a love of our very special continent. WEB DEVELOPMENT I hope you continue to enjoy EuroTravel Magazine, and thanks once again for all your fantastically supportive comments and rave reviews. Martyn Niman [email protected] All the best Davide Halfon [email protected] ART DIRECTOR Mariëtte [email protected] OF ADVERTISING SALES David Jacobs Editor Lara Rocklin [email protected] SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES [email protected] EDITORIAL [email protected] Published by AGL Publications4 Imperial Place, Maxwell Road Borehamwood, Hertfordshire WD6 1JN United KingdomPublications EuroTravel | 5

Interview Ivana TrumpSailing, swimming and socialising in St. Tropez Czech-born socialite, businesswoman, entrepreneur and former championship skier Ivana Trump talks to AngelaSara West about her home, lifestyle and famous friends in fashionable St. Tropez, the French Riviera hotspot which has attracted the A-list for decades.6 | EuroTravel

InterviewWWhile married to Donald Trump, Ivana’s yacht she became the Vice President of Interior Design for the Trump Organization, responsible for all of the interior design of Trump’s real estate. She went on to build her own empire after the marriage ended in divorce in 1992 and by 1997 her clothes range was worth $50 million a year. Among her many illustrious projects, such as her hugely-successful perfume, accessories and cosmetics company Haute Couture, she’s also recently launched a wine collection.What attracted you to the Côte You own several residences Ivana and herd’Azur? I’ve always loved the south around the world. How often do new boyfriend,of France ever since I first visited. you visit your home in St. Tropez? Rosano RubicondiI’ve been coming here for many I now spend around half the year here.years. Donald and I visited as newly- Generally, it’s for long weekends fitted As the ex-Vice President ofweds and over the years I grew to in between my busy work schedule. Interior Design for the Trumplove it more and spent more and Organization, how did youmore time here every summer. It’s What type of property did you buy choose to decorate and furnisha magical place…I love the colours, here? I bought a small, 100-year-old your French residence?warm weather and care-free freedom fisherman’s house right in the heart of It’s terracotta-coloured withof it all. the village in 2004. I’ve since added turquoise shutters. The lounge has new ‘apartments’, so I’m converging wrought-iron lamps and furnitureWhat gives St. Tropez that and having so much fun! and a big open fireplace. I chosemagical ingredient? The light, strong, Mediterranean colours forsounds, food, superb rosé wine, Did you face any difficulties the ‘Moroccan Room’, all warmthbeaches, the people...just everything! buying a property here? No, and vibrancy. It’s casual but elegant,The whole port area and market buying was simple. Just get a great has the latest high-tech gadgets andplace, including the fish market, real estate lawyer who knows how to a low-beamed seating area dressedare a must to visit. The whole weave his way through the various with colourful cushions. I wanted itatmosphere is fun and relaxed, laws and codes. as somewhere to truly relax, spreadinstilling the feeling of ‘eat, drink out and enjoy being with friends...and be merry’. There are many something informal and warm andsuperb beaches. I’m a water baby... it fits the bill.put me beside the water and I’m inand out. I love to sail, parasail, jet skiand swim all day. It’s paradise! EuroTravel | 7

InterviewSt.TropezYou have a very hands-on too much fabulous food and wine, whole area. I also love St. Moritz.approach with all of your too many good friends visiting from Skiing is still my passion and myhomes and development around the world...it’s wonderful… kids are good skiers, too.projects and your penchant there are no downsides! It’s myfor antiques and Italian Morano summer home-away-from-home. Finally, describe your perfectglass is apparent throughout I’m in love and plan to be here for a day in St.Tropez… I arise early,your resplendent homes... long, long time. take a morning stroll, pick up freshYes, I enjoy browsing antique fruit, bread and milk and have ashops and shows and choosing Which other big names do you wonderful cappuccino or espresso. Ieverything myself. socialise with in St. Tropez? head back to my house to check the Everyone - Elton John, Joan Collins, overnight faxes from my New YorkDo you feel like you’re one of Mike Tyson, Diddy, Beyoncé... office, make a few ‘phone calls andthe locals in St. Tropez now? catch up with my European friends.Yes, it’s great. I have the ‘special You host a big party here every Then, it’s to the beach for lunchkey’ that allows me to drive in spots summer...Yes, usually I hold it in and a swim, followed by coffee withforbidden to tourists. The ‘natives’ a big parc and everyone comes and friends. I head home to change andgreet me as a friend. It’s a lovely brings their friends. I’ve also held around 9ish, it’s off to dinner or aspot to feel at home. it at L’Escale in the port, which party. Another wonderful day... Bon could only host 110 friends. I loved voyage à St. Tropez! See you there! ■How’s your French? I speak six it! It meant that I personally knewlanguages, some totally fluently, everyone and could talk, dance, sing factboxothers well enough to understand and enjoy myself with them. It was aand be understood. The more I’m fabulous party. I also love attending Ivana’s websitein France, the better my French is. the Red Cross Ball in Monte Carlo.I’m not fluent, but I can manoeuvre It’s full of tradition and ceremony. www.ivanatrump.comthrough and get all I need. You were a championship skier Ivana’s ‘Legends’ winesAny downsides to this in the Czech Republic. Do youfashionable hotspot? Only too ski in France? Of course! I love www.ivanawine.commuch sunshine, too many parties, Chamonix, Crans-Montana...that8 | EuroTravel

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Russia10 | EuroTravel

RussiaPorts of Call 4:St PetersburgTwo days in the city of white nightsTo Book Hotels in St Petersburg, CLICK HERE To Research this Destination Further, CLICK HERETThe centuries have been kind to the former once housed such great Russians as Dostoyevsky, Gogol and Tchaikovsky. The Neva is still a vitalcapital of the Russian Empire - St Petersburg conduit for the ships of the Russian Navy, andlooks as grand today as when Peter the Great patriotic Russians queue to board the Cruiserlaid the foundation stones in 1703. From his Aurora, whose rebellious crew fired the shot thatcabin on Petrogradskaya Storona, the Russian ushered in Bolshevik rule.emperor invited Europe’s leading architectsto fill the streets with extravagant palaces and If Moscow is Russia’s head, St Petersburg is itselegant Baroque cathedrals. Today, the historic heart. For 300 years, this has been Russia’s culturalcentre is preserved as a UNESCO World capital, home to authors and poets, painters andHeritage site, along with the grand palaces of the playwrights. The city is still a bustling hub for theRomanovs at Peterhof, Pushkin and Pavlovsk. arts, from Russian music, painting and literature to street theatre and rebel rock. Culture reaches Often described as the Venice of the North, its zenith at the Mariinsky Theatre, home to the St Petersburg is a city defined by famous Kirov ballet company, and the Hermitage, water. The mighty Neva River the world’s largest art museum, founded by empties into the Gulf of Catherine the Great in 1764. Finland near the Fortress of Peter & Paul - the final While the Soviet era transformed Moscow resting place of the tsars - into a monument to Communist Russia, St and canals snake through Petersburg was allowed to endure as relic of the the backstreets, passing tsars. Even the tumult of the Seige of Leningrad stately townhouses that and the economic stagnation of the 1980s failed EuroTravel | 11

Russiato destroy the grand boulevards laid by Peter the Great. as it will coincide with the city’s famed White Nights,With support from the United Nations, the historic centre when the sun barely sets from mid June to early July.has been restored to its former glory, evoking the goldenage of the tsars and tsarinas. The historic heart of this timeless, romantic city is focused on the crescent of land bound by the Neva and Superimposed over the old city is a modern Fontanki Rivers. Here you’ll find the Admiralty, themetropolis, complete with wireless internet, metro Hermitage and Dvortsovaya ploshchad (Palace Square),stations, bohemian cafés and techno clubs but notably, and Nevsky prospekt, St Petersburg’s most elegant avenue.no skyscrapers - though all that is set to change with the West of the Admiralty is Mariinsky, home to the famousconstruction of the controversial Okhta Centre in the theatre, and north across the river are Vasilyevsky Island,northern suburbs. In addition, a new football stadium is with its universities and museums, and Petrogradskayaplanned in the city as it limbers up to help host the 2018 Storona, home to the Peter & Paul Fortress and moreWorld Cup. Fans are in for a memorable time, particularly famous museums.Hermitazh (Hermitage) Opening TimesDesigned by the Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, Tues-Sat 1030-1800, Sun 1030-1700.the glorious baroque Winter Palace of Empress Elizabeth Admission Fees Yesis famous as the setting for Russia’s finest collection of Telephone (812) 571 3420.art and antiquities. Founded by Catherine the Great in Website http://www.hermitagemuseum.org1764, the collection has expanded to cover three million Disabled Access Yesworks, which are lavishly displayed in the galleries of the Unesco World Heritage Site YesWinter Palace and the linked Small Hermitage and LargeHermitage. Despite the name, no hermits ever lived here- the buildings were purpose-built to house Catherine’sprivate art collection, and the doors were only opened tothe public in 1852. Highlights include works by Leonardo da Vinci,Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, Rubens, VanGogh, Matisse, Gaugin, Rodin and many of the FrenchImpressionists. The interior of the museum is extravagantlydecorated with gilded ceilings, marble colonnades, elegantstatuary, crystal chandeliers and intricate mosaic floors- the flamboyant styling reaches its zenith in the famousJordan Staircase. It would take around 10 years to tourthe Hermitage, spending just one minute at each exhibit,but the 90-minute guided tour of the highlights providesa convenient overview. Note that parts of the collectionare being displayed around Europe as part of the GreaterHermitage Project, which also includes new galleries andperformance spaces around the St Petersburg museum.Entry is free on the first Thursday of each month.12 | EuroTravel

RussiaIsaakievsky sobor Opening Times Cathedral: Thurs-Tues 1100-1900 (Oct-(St Isaac’s Cathedral) April); Thurs-Tues 1100-2230 (May-Sept). Colonnade: Thurs-Tues 1100-1800 (Oct-April), Thurs-Tues 1000-Commissioned by Tsar Alexander I to build a spectacular 1800 (May-Sept).imperial cathedral, French-born architect Auguste de Admission Fees YesMontferrand executed a masterpiece of engineering on Telephone (812) 315 9732.the marshy ground west of Nevsky Prospekt. Completed Website http://www.cathedral.ruin 1858, the gilded dome of St Isaac’s Cathedral stilldominates the skyline of St Petersburg, though the tsarnever saw the finished cathedral and Montferrand diedwithin months of signing off his masterwork. The interiors are dazzling, with malachite and lapislazuli columns, mosaic icons, painted ceilings and, inthe sanctuary, the large stained-glass Resurrected Christ.The climb to the colonnade of the dome (accessible ona separate ticket) is rewarded by marvellous panoramicviews over the city. The church became a museumof atheism during the Communist years, but churchservices are now held here on special occasions.Piskariovskoye MemorialnoeKladbishche (PiskarivskoyeMemorial Cemetery)Far from being a mainstream tourist attraction,Piskarivskoye Memorial Cemetery is a place ofpilgrimage for the dwindling survivors of the 1941-44siege of Leningrad. A visit here is all the more poignantfor this reason. Below large grassy mounds, under thegaze of a massive bronze of Mother Russia, lie the massgraves of 500,000 St Petersburg citizens who starved todeath in the Nazi blockade. The story of the sufferingand endurance of the city is powerfully told in theMemorial Halls. Every year on Victory Day (9 May),survivors and descendants of those who perished gatherto pay their respects.Opening Times Daily 1000-1700.Admission Fees NoTelephone (812) 247 5716. EuroTravel | 13

RussiaKreyser Avrora (Cruiser Aurora)Launched in St Petersburg in 1900, the Cruiser Aurora played asignificant role in the major events of Russian history in the firsthalf of the 20th century. After serving in the Russo-Japanese Warof 1904-5, the cruiser fired the shot that signalled the storming ofthe Winter Palace in 1917 and the beginning of Bolshevik rule.The Aurora was sunk during the Siege of Leningrad in 1941 butraised again 1944, and refitted as a museum in the 1950s. Inside youcan see the crew’s quarters and the gun that fired the historic shot.Opening Times Tues-Thurs, Sat and Sun 1030-1600.Admission Fees NoTelephone (812) 230 8440.Muzyei Antropologiy i Etnografii imena Petra Velikovo (Peter the GreatMuseum of Anthropology and Ethnology)The oldest state museum in all of Russia, the Museum of Opening TimesAnthropology and Ethnology is centred on the cabinet of Tues-Sun 1100-1800 (Oct-Apr); Tues-Sun 1100-1900curiosities assembled by Peter the Great during his grand (May-Sept); closed last Tues of the month.tour of Europe. Although the museum has numerous Admission Fees Yesexhibits on people and cultures from around the world, Telephone (812) 328 1412.the collection of physically abnormal foetuses preserved in Website http://www.kunstkamera.rualcohol is what draws in the crowds. The collection is bestfor visitors with an intense scientific curiosity, as well as astrong stomach.14 | EuroTravel

RussiaRusskiy Muzyei (Russian Museum)The State Russian Museum is often overshadowed bythe grand Hermitage, but the sprawling galleries containthe world’s finest collection of Russian painting, fromthousand-year-old icons to old masters and modern legendslike Malevich, Kandinsky and Chagall. The museum wasestablished in 1895 in the Mikhailovsky Palace (anotherexquisite Carlo Rossi creation) but it has since expanded tocover the Benois Wing and the beautifully restored MarblePalace, Stroganov Palace and St Michael’s Castle. RussianImpressionists are particularly well represented, as are theartists of the Revolution and the great propaganda artists ofthe Soviet era. There is an additional charge for the galleriesoutside the Mikhailovsky Palace and Benois Wing.Opening TimesWed-Sun 1000-1800, Mon 1000-1700, closed Tues.Admission Fees YesTelephone (812) 595 4248.Website http://www.rusmuseum.ru/engPetropavlovskaya krepost Opening Times(Peter and Paul Fortress) Tues 1000-1800, Thurs-Mon 1000-1900 Admission Fees No (admission fee for the cathedral, bellPeter the Great laid out the plans for the Peter and tower, museum and wall walk)Paul Fortress on Zayachy Island in 1703 to defend the Telephone (812) 238 4550.area from the Swedes, but it soon became a political Website http://www.spbmuseum.ruprison. Among the famous prisoners to be held herewere Dostoevsky, Gorky and Trotsky, as well as Peter’sown son, Alexei. The bleak cells have been convertedinto a museum, along with the Commandant’s Housewhere prisoners were tried. The highlight of the fort isthe imposing Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul, whosesoaring gold spire is visible from all over St Petersburg.For an additional fee, you can enter the cathedral tosee the gorgeous baroque interior and the surprisinglymodest tombs of Russia’s pre-revolutionary leaders, fromPeter the Great to Nicholas II. The bell tower can only bevisited on an organised tour. You can also buy a ticket towalk along the fortress walls for stunning views over theNeva River towards the Admiralty and Hermitage. EuroTravel | 15

Russia Khram Spas-na-Krovi (Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood) Modelled after the famous St Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, the Church on Spilled Blood was built on the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated by socialist radicals on 1 March 1881. The richly ornamented exterior of colourful enamelled domes, gilded mosaic panels, ceramic tiles, and stained-glass windows with intricately carved arches is matched by the gleaming marble and glittering mosaics of the interior, which has been stunningly restored to repair the neglect of the Soviet years. The best views of the exterior are from across the canal, on naberezhnaya Kanala Griboedova. Opening Times Tues-Mon 1100-1900 (Oct-Apr); Tues-Mon 1100-2000 (May-Sept). Admission Fees Yes Telephone (812) 315 1636.16 | EuroTravel

RussiaMuzyei-domik Petra I(Cabin of Peter the Great)The first house built in the newly founded St Petersburgin 1703 was not a grand palace but a humble woodencabin, from where Peter the Great supervised theconstruction of his grand imperial city. Now encased ina protective brick enclosure and furnished with periodfurniture, its spartan simplicity is a strange contrast tothe grand cathedrals and palaces all around. Peter livedhere between 1703 and 1708 and some of his belongingsremain, including his rowing boat, his compass and hisicon of the Redeemer.Opening TimesWed-Mon 1000-1700; closed last Mon of month.Admission Fees YesTelephone (812) 314 0374. EuroTravel | 17

ReviewEuroTravel RecommendedTravel Websites and Apps By Richard BevanWebsitesThe one most important factor about any travel guide or website is accuracy. Obviously travel writers like folk in anywalk of life differ in their tastes and appreciation of things – one man’s meat and all that - but a guide, irrespective ofits writing style or target audience should be trusted by the reader. Most of the following Travel Websites describedhere, in spite of their differences share common ground in that they are established or have an illustrious history withhumble beginnings in print form.Lonely Planet Travel Guides – The Thorn Tree websiteLonely Planet’s Thorn Tree site offers a community of independent travellerstrusted for their content. It’s also a useful social arena allowing discussion/debate and presents a platform where fellow travellers can advise and help eachother. Although a bit clunky to navigate the easiest way to access informationon here is to go straight to the ‘menu’ which provides forums relating to variouscountries. Thorn Tree is a ‘have your say’ travel companion which even informsreaders how to raise finance and plan holidays, and most uniquely even requesta travelling buddy!https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree Fodor’s Long on history and respected for its detailed research this is a simple site to navigate offering stunning pictures, travel news, features, forums and deals. There are also useful categories clearly marked in list form detailing information on airlines, hotels, restaurants and discounts. In many ways it acts as a ‘one shop’ travel boutique. A ‘New’ section offers weekly destination tips and suggestions sometimes at ‘deal’ prices. Particularly of appeal is its feature space on emerging destinations for intrepid travellers who like to explore off the beaten track. The website was launched in 1996. It has more than 700 permanently placed researchers all over the world. http://www.fodors.com/18 | EuroTravel

Guardian TravelAs the Guardian itself has produced a run-down of the best travel websites‘ever’ it would be churlish not to mention the respected magazine’s own effortsamong them. Guardian.com is an eclectic Aladdin’s Cave of travel goodiesoffering a wide diversity of travel features both abroad and relating to the UK,along with five minute video clips under the heading Latest Video. I recentlyenjoyed learning how to cook a Catalonian fish speciality while perusing thesite’s Insider Guides to the world’s best cities. One invaluable portal is the ‘Where’s Hot Now?’ interactive window whichallows users to type in details and then see which destinations offer the best places to visit. This tool alone can make abig difference to where a reader decides to holiday during certain times of the year.http://www.theguardian.com/travel Mrandmrssmith.com The travel publisher and travel booking service specialises in boutique hotels and reassuringly claims to have vetted and secretly reviewed every hotel advertised on their website. If you’re looking for luxury and style at chic hotels, often at affordable prices, then this is one site to check out mainly because of the range of discounts on offer. One quick and convenient facility is the site’s ‘Explore by Collection’ where, depending on the kind of holiday desired you can search via categoryranging from ‘Budget Boutique Hotels’ to ‘Summer in Europe’ and ‘UK stays this weekend’ Undoubtedly an appealing portal for honeymooners seeking dream hotels and destinations, what also gives thistravel company the edge is its attention to detail and thoughtful gestures such as offering complimentary bottles of winefor all guests on arrival. Depending on the hotel you may even be the recipient of quality snacks or even a free Spa treatand bicycle ride, which are all part of the ‘Smith’ extras. It’s an attitude designed to make guests be they honeymoonersor ordinary vacationers to feel special and not simply tourist fodder. Discounts can be found, up to 10% in some cases,on the site’s ‘Offers’ section. Membership presents customers with a range of discounts, upgrades and perks. A world map guide allows users to seek out boutique hotels by destination and a more detailed ‘filter’ search facility isavailable listing hotels with specific features such as pools and gyms. With the focus on ‘boutique’ this is not one for the EuroTravel | 19

Reviewbackpacker crowd although the ‘Budget’ section does throw up some surprisingly natty packages, such as quality rooms atmoderate rates as illustrated by a recent offer of a hotel stay in on the Aeolian Islands, Sicily, for £122 per night or for a mere£97.00 nightly a stay at a rustic converted Catalan farmhouse. The website is easy to navigate with a restrained number of pictures and a short video global guide of hotels to backup descriptive info. An App version is available free on iPhone.http://www.mrandmrssmith.com/ Raveable.com An alternative to the ubiquitous Trip Advisor the site’s mantra in a nutshell is ‘Your unbiased hotel shopping assistant’ and is specifically focused on hotel quality as detailed by every day punters. Similarly the site acts as a message board for personal reviews, either raving or ranting about a particular venue. What makes Raveable different from Trip Advisor or other social chat review sites is that the onus is on the written review rather than relying on pictures. As the site specifically makes a point of steering away from photos, either amateur or professional that can be misleading, the reviews when covered tend to be long and detailed, almost to the point of pedantry. Again, they are written from a personal perspective and experience of the traveller and should be viewed as such. One drawback is the lack of review info uploaded by travellers of hotels not well known or at the lower end of the market. At first glance the site appears to be more ‘international’ orientated particularly with its ‘Recent Reviews by City’but even when typing in the search box the name of a provincial hotel, such as The Swan in Halifax, West Yorkshire,the goods came up with a rating chart, a subheading The Good and The Bad for comments and interestingly a recordof whether the hotel had suffered thefts or incidents of bed bugs in the last 12 months! Bed Bug vigilance is one subject Raveable takes seriously and devotes a considerable amount of coverage detailinghotels and destinations with issues. As this nauseating by-product of international travel has become an increasingproblem the site sees it as an essential part of travel information for customers. A hotel review page will even askcustomers for reports on bed bugs. The Rates Check facility on the site is quick and convenient, often linking to the likes of Booking.com to stateprices of rooms and discounts. There is also a clear map guide to a hotel’s location and on occasions details of local andnearby areas of interest. Perhaps not as comprehensive at Trip Advisor but Raveable is still an appealing first stop tocheck for problems at hotels across the globe.http://www.raveable.com/ Richard Bevan’s Top Tips for Total Beginners As a general rule of thumb my process for booking a holiday goes along these lines. I would browse through our very own Euro Travel Magazine or the likes of Lonely Planet to work out whether I want to go to a particular destination. Then I’d type into Google “Who flies to Tbilisi?” for instance. Next stop the Opodo website and click hotel and flight and search for 3-4 star hotels closest to the city centre. Then a gander at the hotel’s own website to see what it really looked like and its facilities on offer, followed by a check on Tripadvisor to see its ratings. In order to avoid any nasty surprises I would also check its actual location on Google Maps to see its relation to the city centre, nearest town and the airport.20 | EuroTravel

ReviewHandy iPhone and Android Apps For TravellingWeatherPro (offers weather reports for well over two milliongeographical locations)Given four stars out of five by Tech Advisor, this invaluable travel App fromMeteoGroup for travelling anywhere around the globe shows a slight pricedisparity between iPad and iPhone but is still good value for money at under£3.00. One handy facility is WeatherPro’s ability to share forecasts by textmessage, mail, Facebook or Twitter but in text message only. Initially thescreen page looks daunting reflecting the controls of a cockpit but the brightdisplay offers temperature as well as rainfall readings. WeatherPro’s eight day forecast includes Cloudy, Sunny Spells,Sunny Intervals and various permutations of snow and sleet. As well as the weather there are tabs for Radar, Satelliteand Maps. The one drawback is having to set your location of preference from a range of countries pre-programmed atdefault. More detailed information is available from WeatherPro Premium which you get on a 12 month subscriptionfor £3.99. Onavo Extend (essential roaming plan that helps users get 5 times more out of a mobile’s data) We have all been stung by extortionate charges for mobile phone roaming when abroad so this is one App that will help soften the blow to your wallet when back home. It works by compressing and saving your data by running continuously in the back of your phone. Its impressive technology also means you won’t use up extra data to load up the same images every time you visit the same website. The Onavo Extend widget allows you to monitor precisely how much data you are using and help you stay within your roaming plan. Drawbacks include occasional crashing – as happens with other roaming app systems – and in some cases can slow down applications.TravelSafe (Ideal for emergency info abroad)This natty app has been likened to a virtual ‘Mary Poppins’ for your iPhoneoffering a life saving database of emergency service numbers for mostcountries. TravelSafe is designed for people who appreciate having peace ofmind when travelling abroad, knowing that you are just one 5 sec click awayfrom emergency services. The technology also cleverly detects your locationbringing up appropriate information when you need it. Winner in the 2013 Australian Mobile Awards the app functions as apersonal safeguard no matter which county you visit. It does this primarilyas a one stop portal to contact emergency numbers wherever you travel. Alsoreassuring is knowing that should an accident occur your personal contacts,family and friends can be notified. And if you can’t contact the emergencyservices yourself, someone else can do that for you. All you need to do is somepre loading of contacts and setting information before taking off on yourholiday of a lifetime. EuroTravel | 21

Review Translate Voice Free (talking in many tongues with this nifty translation app) No matter how many translation books you may have on your person it is simply too time consuming having to look up a foreign phrase or a word to translate when you’re on the go. The Translate Voice Free from Intellectual Flame is one of the most recommended translation apps on the market allowing its user ‘voice to voice’ translation of up to 100 languages. One cool facility with this app is that you can talk on your phone in one language, say your own native tongue and then hear yourself in another. This is one smart device to help break down the language barrier when travelling or doing business abroad. Asmany people lack confidence on holiday due to language obstacles the Translate helps on a social as well as informativelevel. The PR blurb says it all when it states ‘imagine how romantic it is to text your girlfriend or boyfriend in all kinds oflanguages to say ‘I love you’? Very, providing of course they have a Translate Voice Free to interpret the messages!Google Goggles (search the web for info using images)It is still relatively early days for visual search technology from Google so this useful Appallowing the user to point, shoot and then read information about the subject is limitedto famous and well known landmarks. But equally impressive is Google Goggles abilityto scan book covers, DVD’s, wine, artwork and QR codes. It can also read text in avariety of languages and translate it into your own. Be aware Visual Search is not goingto work perfectly on every item you shoot and there are issues with Arabic signage. But imagine if you just want to know a little more background to the EiffelTower in Paris or Bridge of Sighs in Venice? Simply point your mobile, take apicture and enjoy facts and figures that you may not be aware of about the subject.Another smart and helpful appliance is being able to enquire where a restaurantwith a particular cuisine may be allocated. And if you’re in Rome desperate to find arecommended Chinese eatery, that can be very helpful indeed. Presently the systemwill only work with iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS. ■22 | EuroTravel

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France Get prêt forParis! To Book Hotels in Paris, CLICK HERE To Research this Destination Further, CLICK HERE24 | EuroTravel

FranceHome to haute couture, awe-inspiring architecture, exceptional heritage, mouthwatering Michelin- starred gastronomy and high-fashion hotels, thismultifaceted, constantly-changing capital’s among the world’s most visited cities, choc-a-bloc with copious culture and chicer-than-chic charm for super-stylish stays with that je ne sais quoi... By Angela Sara West EuroTravel | 25

France Effortlessly elegant and dazzling innovative conceptual stopovers… reputed for its distinguished Le with timelessness, the cosmopolitan classic historic hotels oozing French Cinq restaurant and hip Bound City of Light’s the world’s fashion panache… Some establishments bar, ‘hotel for kings’ and Salvador capital with 2,000 years of culture are dedicated to artistic discovery Dalí Le Meurice, A-list fave Parc while others scream luxury with Hyatt with chef’s-private-table-Eand romance thrown in. With sensational private-spa suites, starred restaurant Pur and Plaza Athénée chefs and celebrated barmen, ultra- (which starred in Sex & The City) iconic landmarks, including personalised select services, including with megastar chef Alain Ducasse’s internationally-famous pièce de private butler/concierge ensuring three-Michelin-starred eaterie, très résistance the Eiffel Tower and premium bespoke stays. Luxury and trendy bar and super-exclusive Dior impressive 19th-century neo- discretion are watchwords here. spa. Those in the running include classical façades, Paris has a timeless eco-friendly design-hotel Fouquet’s familiarity but nevertheless impresses Affordable and mid-range Barrière with its magnificent U spa with its modernity. A contemporary retreats include pretty Villa and ‘secret’ garden, Hôtel de Crillon city of creativity at the heart of Fénelon, wonderfully-positioned (currently closed) and forthcoming numerous design movements, world- panoramic Timhotel Montmartre, Peninsula. Showstopping Asian- class Paris is all about new concepts, charming Hôtel Beaubourg and fusion deluxe hotels include haunt transforming and reinventing itself atmospheric antique-filled Hôtel for royalty, musicians’n’movie stars every day. Fashion divas need look Langlois. Enjoy über-trendy Streets (including Madonna and Jude Law) no further… with some of Europe’s Hotel by Murano and its celebrity- coolest shops, restaurants and hotels filled lounge bar without blowing Villa Fenelon it’s a second home for catwalk queen the budget, or splash out on its Kate Moss and front-row-Fashion private-pool suites. Internationally- Weeker Victoria Beckham. Full of renowned interior/concept designers finesse, whether you’re there when including Christian Lacroix and it ‘sizzles’ or it ‘drizzles’, Paris is ubiquitious Philippe Starck have seriously à la mode! left their signature on cutting-edge design hotels like Mama Shelter, Compact Paris is perfect for swish French-Oriental Buddha- serendipitous wandering, with Bar and fabulous fantasyworld wide tree-lined Napoleonic- Hôtel Original. Whimsical Seven’s era boulevards and sinuous levitating beds, ‘ceiling sunsets’ and cobblestoned backstreets, artists cool 007 suites guarantee supercool on every corner, wonderful vistas sleeps, while design-driven boutique at every turn. Shop stylish streets hotel Pershing Hall has a glam bar drowning in designers, admire and vertical fairy-lit garden. Steeped celebrated sights and alluring art in history, classically-Parisian nouveau treasures like ornate Métro boutique jewel La Maison Favart entrances, gallery-hop exploring displays wonderful 18th-century some of Europe’s finest art before décor. Establishments meeting the consuming its superlative cuisine. ultra-discerning ‘Palace’ distinction include multi-award-winning Le Your Own Private Paris Bristol with its ‘Fashion High Par Excellence Teas’, history-steeped George V, Plush Parisian pied-à-terres… atypical apartments...designer digs…26 | EuroTravel

FranceRoyal Monceau-Raffles with its range hotel spas After the Rain, intellectual Left Bank with itsprivate cinema, the Imperial-style Six Senses, U-Spa and 28 or in legendary Latin quarter. Home toShangri-La, renowned for its Abeille designer locations, like zen sanctuary thousands of historic monumentsrestaurant and unobstructed Eiffel Aquamoon, in magnificent and internationally-renownedviews from Chaillot hill, and Hong Haussmannian buildings. landmarks, the majority of must-seeKong-meets-Paris-style Mandarin sights lie near Paris’ birthplace IleOriental with Lalique crystal-set Bar Myriad Monuments’n’ de la Cité, with focal point being8, Paris’ largest spa and Sur Mesure’s Museums & Art Galleries: the magnificent Gothic cathedralMichelin-starred alchemy. Sightseeing Heaven! Notre-Dame. Reflecting the art of The classy French capital’s divided Parisian living, a constantly-revolving From hair spas to traditional into 20 arrondissements (districts), outdoor gallery of exhibitions,Thai massages and exotic Oriental each containing four characterful myriad museums and art gallerieshammams, a comprehensive quartiers (neighbourhoods). The include Musée d’Orsay, impressingarray of refined expert treatments River Seine runs through its with Impressionism. Strut yourrange from ancestral traditions historic heart, splitting it into the stuff at the Fashion Museum, smileto hi-tech and male pampering’s distinctively-different, traditionally- at the Mona Lisa in the world’smassive. Sublime spas and upscale wealthy and business-oriented grandest art gallery the Louvre withsalons aplenty flaunt major beauty Right Bank with must-be-seen-in its contrasting contemporary glassbrands like La Prairie, Clarins and le Marais, and artistic/cultural/ pyramid. Grand and Petit Palais andGuerlain. Indulge in top-of-the- Notre-Dame EuroTravel | 27

FranceParisian Shoppinginside-out Pompidou are also cultural to the ‘Golden Triangle’ (between Saint-Lazare-Opéra houses upscalehavens. The guillotine long gone, flashy Champs-Élysées and avenues department stores Galeries LafayetteRevolution Square’s now Place de la Montaigne and George-V), Faubourg and Printemps, epitomisingConcorde, the city’s largest square. Saint-Honoré, cool Saint-Germain- quintessential Parisian chic. BrowseStroll along former royal carriageway des-Prés and Palais-Royal’s elegant Bon Marché, BHV Marais and well-the grand Champs-Élysées, crowned arcades. Leading fashion houses and kept-secret go-to store Franck &with the commemorative Arc de sparkling designers’ stores showcase Fils. Style-conscious ‘Bobos’Triomphe and people-watch, soaking catwalk collections while fashion- (bourgeoisie bohemians) frequentup the city’s atmospheric pavement forward couturiers create future area-on-the-up So-Pi’s (south ofcafé culture. trends. Whether it’s Sèvres-Babylone Pigalle) vintage boutiques. and rue de Rennes’ chic boutiques,Welcome to the World Mecca Forum des Halles designers’ corner or Boucheron...Bulgari…Cartier…of Fashion & Design Porte Maillot mall, get set for some Tiffany…it’s all about the bling inWith flair in its genes, this fashion- serious shopping! rue de la Paix and Place Vendôme,focused city’s been setting trends for Paris’ most glamorous square, acenturies. The place for prestigious Die-hard fashionistas give credit catwalk strut away. Fouquet’s alabels and emerging brands, Paris cards a workout at Givenchy and true art nouveau gem and takeoffers the very best in haute couture Agnès B, emblematic of French the time to browse watchmakers(born here) and luxury ready-to-wear, excellence. Colette was Paris’s first Bucherer, Montblanc and Rolex.with high-density shopping, endless concept store; now numerous outlets The perfume industry’s an artexciting openings and experimental like Le 66 are devoted not only form here, synonymous withpop-up shops from the likes of to fashion but books, hairstyling, personalised exclusivity and luxury.Prada. It’s flagship HQ for la crème music, films and food. For the Sniff out cult parfumier Fredericde la crème of designers, drawn latest must-have collections, the Malle’s emporium and rue Scribe’s commercial heart Haussmann- Fragonard perfume museum/shop.28 | EuroTravel

FranceGigantic Franck Gehry-designed Cafe in Paris‘glass cloud’ Fondation Vuittonhouses contemporary fashion Star-Studded Culinary Capital creative cuisine, bringing renewedand art, while avant-garde design of Fine Flavours energy to the city’s culinaryhotspot NoMa’s (burgeoning- Traditional bistros, smart Michelin- scene. World cooking contributesbe-seen-in North/Haut-Marais) starred and über-trendy eateries to a colourful melting pot of16-17th-century mansions dish up old-fashioned classics with Japanese…African…Tibetan…accommodate fashion boutiques, modern twists and imaginative Indian…Afghan specialities tobars and de rigeur design/ decadent treats. As one of the name but a few. The trend-of-décor showrooms. world’s most dynamic trendsetting the-moment’s street food, with gastronomic cities, top chefs all gourmet food trucks serving Score cut-price designer goods have restaurants here. Its reputation high-brow burgers and hauteat Moda, A.P.C and Vallée Village. maintained by legions of star- hotdogs’n’cocktails. Unique ‘set’Paris’ animated market streets are spangled chefs and phenomenally- menus, funky ‘bistronomy’ (a savvydelightful places, full of life and high standards catering for the mix of traditional bistro spiritbursting with riots of colour and most discerning bon viveur, French and gastronomic fare), food bars/delicious aromas. Flea markets gastronomy received UNESCO cellars and monomaniac-single-foodare veritable treasure troves... humanity heritage status in 2010… specialists (be it caviar…oysters…Saint-Ouen is the biggest antique and Paris is the best place to enjoy it! truffles) are a hit, as are unusualmarket in the world. Stumble The city’s home to some of France’s dinners with unusual atmospheresupon food’n’flowers, curios and top restaurants, around 80 of which in talk-of-the-town conceptcutting-edge-design markets. are Michelin-rated. establishments including mini two-Check out cool Marché Serpette tabled eateries, historic monumentsfor vintage and couture costume Inspired by Le Fooding clothed in contemporaryjewellery including Chanel and (‘food’/‘feeling’movement), art or themed affairs (thinkthe city’s oldest Marché Vernaison innovative chefs introduce inventive jungle…island…racecourse...)for sparkling Yves Saint Laurent establishments with evermorecreations. Rue Cler’s Café duMarché makes for a chic marketpitstop or take a break at Starck’sfleamarket canteen Ma Cocotte.From Alpine cheeses and colourfulfruit’n’veg to mountain hams andPicardy apples, offering a real feelfor French culture, fashionablyatmospheric rue Montorgueil’srenowned for its exceptionalcheesemakers, while historic rueMouffetard’s daily market andtraditional French restaurants lineone of the city’s oldest streets. Theselect market in Place Monge is amust for food specialist stalls. EuroTravel | 29

France Le Moulin Rouge Nightclub30 | EuroTravel

FranceMultidisciplinary restaurants-cum- Sharon Stone, Sartre sat at La Bank’s Oberkampf, Ourcq and Saint-bars-cum-clubs-cum-art galleries- Coupole’s table no.149, while Martin (in the recently-regeneratedcum-shops, tables in grocer’s or Bardot adores Gare de Lyon’s 10th arrondissement ) attract abutcher’s, plus the craze for open theatrically-gilt-decorated Le Train cool crowd, whilst arty types hangkitchens like Michelin-starred- Bleu and the locals love Aux Folies. out on the Left Bank and jetsettershotspot Dame de Pic for watching head to flashy Champs-Elysées,masterchefs at work and ‘show Secure elite tables at three- sparkling with exclusive nightspotscooking’ grills/fireplaces for ‘show’ Michelin-starred L’Ambroisie, like legendary Lido’s. Are YOU prêtcooking meat are all the rage. L’Arpège or Epicure or savour Sofitel’s à party?!! Les Collections. Presidents and prime Sweet tooth? Paris is your ministers feast on inventive cuisine Apéritif o’clock? Paris is fullparadise, where presentation is at glorious gastronomic restaurant/ of ‘in’ bars, whether simple bar-everything. Scrumptious displays art gallery/tearoom Cristal Room tobacconists’ like Chez Jeanette,grace pâtisseries and fine food store Baccarat, while trendies taste tapas at loft-style watering holes such as Lawindows. Munch on Ladurée’s the Hôtel W Opéra and flock to big- Raffinerie, or trendy Costes venuesmelt-in-the-mouth macaroons, name-chef addresses like Le Terroir Café Marly and Georges with theirindulge at Jean-Paul Hévin’s gourmet Parisien and retro-modern rotunda La priceless views. Sip bubbly in trèschocolate bar and don’t miss a Grande Cascade. Secret steakhouse- trendy Flûte Bar, Radisson Blu’sscoop of Berthillon or Martine bar-club Le Beef Club, (Joe) Allen’s ultra-chic Dokhan’s, knockoutLambert icecream or Breizh Café’s Market and underground Truffière all Hôtel Sezz’s Veuve Clicquot bar,Breton crêpes. Haute pâtisserie’s come recommended while panoramic on l’Apicius’ superb garden terracea gastronomic cornerstone, with eateries include Starck-styled Kong, or from Louboutin shoes in Hôtelelegant tearooms like Angelina Les Ombres, La Vue du Concorde Konfidentiel’s converted cave.(where hot choc’n’Mont Blancs are and the Eiffel’s fêted Ducasse-run Serve yourselves the finest vintagesmusts!) and Hermès’ Le Plongeoir, Jules Verne. at futuristic Wine by One. Fash-housed in an former art deco pack fave, opulent rococo-gemswimming pool, heaving with Budget diner with haute Le Carmen’s where Bizet wrotethe well-heeled. cuisine taste? Bakery/grocery Be his famous opera, while exclusive Boulangépicier’s part Ducasse- Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels Quality, authenticity and owned, while Bistros Duc De has made a splash with Grands-Cruoriginality are the hallmarks of Montmorency, La Boulangerie tastings. Feel Paris’ sophisticatedParisian delicatessens; Potel et Chabot and Le Mesture serve up great, pulse in glam cocktail bars,and department store delis/foodhalls low-cost traditional cuisine. including literati haunt Lapérouse,make for great gourmet mid-shopping snazzy Le Magnifique, hipsters’bites. Reflecting a rich cultural, Glittering Nightspots with hangout Prescription Cocktail Clubliterary and artistic past, bustling Parisian Pizzazz & French and Hôtel Westminster’s piano bar,brasseries boast inimitable charm and Joie de Vivre…Oh là là! or drink in incredible views at Lesumptuous belle époque/art nouveau Amidst brilliantly-floodlit-and- 7th. Dominating by day, the Eiffeldécor. Veritable institutions Pierre moonlit monuments’n’buildings, tower twinkles with shimmeringCardin-owned Maxim’s, Mollard playful Paris’ vibrant nightlife lights by night, sparkling onand Zimmer are perpetual purveyors presents first-class ballet/theatre/ the hour. Drink in astoundingof classic French dishes served by opera productions, top-notch Champagne-bar-views at the top.passionate, traditionally-attired nightclubs, spectacular dinner showswaiters, 120-year-old landmark and cabarets like risqué Cancan Dance to DJ sets at Le Zorba’s,Lipp’s a fave for politicians and home Moulin Rouge. The Right Mix or afloat at Batofar. Premium EuroTravel | 31

France If you go• April, May, June and September encompassing Paris’ past and gardens to Marie Antoinette’sare the best months to visit. Many modern glamour in places usually fairytale country-style palace Petitestablishments close for the closed to the public. Art limousine Trianon. Château de Fontainebleau’scustomary month-long holiday in tours take in the best galleries another grand royal estate.August and most shops are shut on and artists’ ateliers etc., while • Play at being a Parisian with anSundays throughout the year. guided tours of historic glass-roofed array of archetypal experiences and• Manners matter and a polite shopping arcades filled with shops/ chic’n’trendy courses for mastering“Bonjour” or “Bonsoir” (“Hello”) in tearooms/restaurants/art galleries the art de vivre (art of living)…the evening and “Merci, au revoir” like Passage Jouffroy offer old-world Paris-style. Bed down in an artist’s(“Thanks, goodbye”) on leaving charm. Do the ‘Cracking The Da Vinci studio-turned-contemporary loftshops and restaurants always goes Code’ tour with your own private with private balcony, go on gourmetdown well. Lunchtime’s the best symbologist, tracking down clues walks, chocolate and market tourstime to find bargain plats du jour (set from the bestselling thriller! and learn the secrets of Frenchmenus) and restaurants like to know • Shopaholics should pick up the cooking with express lessons fromyou’re coming so it’s best to book in pocket-sized Paris Shopping Book top chefs, visit vineyards on anadvance. To be treated like a local, from tourist information points for top oenology tour or create your owndine later. Similarly, always book shopping addresses and itineraries couture scent! For an unforgettableahead to secure a room. for the select, trendy, Bohemian-chic, day that’s soooo Parisian, let Paris• Skip the queues with The Paris creative and savvy shopper. Entrust Pour Un Jour (www.parisforaday.Museum Pass, allowing fast-track your look to a personal shopper/ com) be your guide.entrance to over 60 museums coach for informed style advice, • From open-air cinemas andand monuments in the city and tips on shops to visit and brands to museums to gastronomy and opensurrounding areas along with adopt. Pressed for time? Some will days in artists’ studio, check out thediscounts. Available from the even shop for you! Try Paris Princesse tourist office’s list of free events andParis Tourist Office: (www.parisprincesse.com) for places to visit to savour the Parisianhttp://en.parisinfo.com bespoke experiences. way of life without spending a penny! • Little Ones love L’Aquarium de http://en.parisinfo.com/discovering-• Everyone wants to head up the Paris-Cineaqua, one of Europe’s paris/themed-guides/paris-for-freeEiffel for the views, but the Arc de largest aquariums, and the world’sTriomphe, Trocadéro, Montparnasse oldest zoo. Disney magic awaits Château de Versailles at enchanted kingdom DisneylandTower, Notre-Dame’s gargoyle’s Paris, just 30km away. • No trip to Paris is completeeye vista, plus open-air terraces at without a visit to the magnificentthe Pompidou Centre and several Château de Versailles for a glimpsedepartment stores all boast amazing of opulent Louis XIV splendour. Don’tpanoramas...with the photogenic miss the dazzling Hall of MirrorsEiffel in them! or a stroll through the impeccable• Avoid tourist traps with tailor-made tours. Themes includeculture, fashion and shopping,32 | EuroTravel

Franceclubs VIP Room, Le Montana and Rod Stewart proposed to Penny for magical moments and imperial-Cab draw the beautiful people. Lancaster atop the Eiffel, while chic château Saint-James’ ravishingNostalgia’s big, with vintage venues Hollywood’s hottest duo Angelina three-storey Love Pavillion seduces.inspired by the past popping up and Brad recently locked lips at Oscar Wilde’s final home, L’Hôtel’sall over town. Ballroom dancing, David Lynch-designed Silencio Club hosted Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor;burlesque evenings, dancing to a live after dining at famed Il Vino. Set its exclusive vaulted-cellar pool’sorchestra at funky Cabaret Sauvage, sail on Bateaux Parisiens or Bateaux- candlelit on request.even tiny American 1920s-style Mouches river cruises, sneakingbars roar back to eras past. Step kisses under bridges, smooch at ‘Je Amélie fan? Alive with La Belleback in time with rock’n’roll and t’aime’ wall or Rodin’s The Kiss Époque’s decadent bohemian spirit,swing at1950s retro-cool zinc-bar and re-stage THAT ‘French Kiss’ mesmerising Montmartre’s wherebistro Le Béguin, boogie to 80s outside City Hall. Canal Saint- Paris paints its pictures, pens itstunes at Globo discothèque or take Martin, the Seine-side floating prose and parties. Its gleamingafternoon tea dances at gardens and Luxembourg and white basilica Sacré-Coeur’sRétro Dancing. Chaumont parks beckon hand-in- esplanade’s perfect for popping hand promenades, while romance the question…Paris at your feet.Romantic Rendezvous… tours follow legendary lovers’ Wed aboard VIP Paris Yacht HotelSynonymous with romance, this footsteps. Hire a traditional Citroën and wow your guests at Europe’sdreamy destination boasts archetypal 2CV or fly high in a helicopter or highest panoramic bar/restaurantbackdrops built for amour. Love was the world’s biggest air-balloon. Bel Montparnasse Tower’s Le Ciel decertainly in the Parisian air when Canto’s opera-singing waiters make Paris. With Paris’ picture-perfect views your work is done! ■ EuroTravel | 33

InterviewTravel Talk withEd Gillespie Waiting for a train in Slovenia Our series continues with an interview with Ed Gillespie,co-founder of www.loco2.com, author of “Only Planet”, a flight free adventure around the world, and environmentalist.Why arent you a marine auspicious start to a round the world of adventure that overland travelbiologist? After specialising in trip! Much of the European leg of the creates, passing through the worldfisheries, doing a Masters degree round the world mission was done not just over it. It was about thatand working in Orkney, New on the train. I particularly loved the slow sensuous seduction of theCaledonia in the South Pacific Semmeringbahn railway through the transition of landscape, culture,and Australia I was worried that Austrian Alps, gorgeous mountain people and language not the brutallyI was going to spend my whole scenery, castles, bridges, tunnels and discombobulating ‘wham-bam-career saying ‘if you don’t stop viaducts its about both the natural thank-you-ma’am’ of aviation.catching all the fish there won’t be beauty of the landscape and theany fish’. So I decided to get into incredible engineering required to You’re also involved withmore broad based environmental push a railway line through such www.loco2.com, a websitecommunications and campaigning, challenging topography. dedicated to making bookingthis led to me co-founding my trains in Europe easy. I’veagency Futerra 13 years ago. To what extent was this used it recently to book environmentally driven or a complicated journeyYou are however lots of other was it more that you dont from London to Rome viathings, including the author of like aeroplanes? I’m actually fine Lille,Cannes, Milan and“Only Planet” described as a with flying and still do take a plane Florence and found it easyflight free adventure around very very occasionally for work when to use, but what preciselythe world”. I’m guessing that I really have no other option and it does it do that other railyour crossing of the bay of feels justified in a carbon context. travel booking sites don’t?Biscay by car ferry was one of So the trip was very much aboutthe low-light of the European cutting the environmental impact Glad you found Loco2 useful! Ourleg of your journey but what of travel. But equally it wasn’t about mission is to make European travelwas the highlight? Yes, the rather ‘giving up flying’ in some sort of by rail as easy as possible, and for‘turbulent’ Biscay crossing on the hair-shirt sacrifice, rather it was it to be as simple to book a railPride of Bilbao was not exactly an more about rediscovering the sense journey as it is to book a flight. The key difference is our integration34 | EuroTravel

Interviewwith many of the different rail environmental element to what I and was absolutely blown away bycompanies across Europe. This do – a purpose if you like to do the beaches in the north west ofallows us to provide the best tickets well by doing good. I think that’s the island. As it was pre-season weat the best prices, plus we do an really exciting and suggests that pretty much had them to ourselvesintegrated service that includes there are actually just better ways and in the Maddalena Islands,UK rail (you can also use the site of doing business and living our many of which are nature reserves,to just book UK rail journeys. lives that might be more fun, more it was really wild and wonderfulWith no booking fee!) so you can rewarding and that don’t stuff other with brilliant white sandy beaches,book Birmingham to Barcelona, people or the environment! little rocky coves and the mostAmersham to Amsterdam or Do you have any spare time? aquamarine waters imaginable. ItLiverpool to Lyon in a few clicks. What do you do with it? Haha! I was like the Caribbean. have a little time off. My girlfriendYou’re also the author of is quite a successful sailor so I enjoy Favourite hotels in UK andan occasional column in getting out in the wind and there’s Europe? I love the Nobis Hotel inthe Guardian which has a nothing better than a beautiful long Stockholm. Futerra has a Swedishstrong environmental flavour. walk or bike ride in the countryside office so very occasionally I get to stayWhat else do you do? I’m to clear the head and blow away the there and it’s absolutely stunning.passionate about environmental cobwebs. I also love cooking and They do a ‘Don Draper’ cocktail thatentrepreneurship, and work relish experimental or intriguing you can sip under a giant crystalwith/am an investor or advisor international cuisines. Sichuan chandelier that dominates the atriumin several pioneering companies Chinese is a current favourite, I in the bar and pretend you’re indemonstrating that green means love the strange ‘mouth tingle’ of an episode of ‘Mad Men’. In thebusiness. These include Loco2, but the Sichuanese peppercorns. UK I love the Blakeney Hotel inalso Zero Carbon Food, a company Do you have a favourite north Norfolk where I grew up, notgrowing salads and vegetables in an destination in Europe? I went necessarily to stay but they have anold underground tunnel beneath on holiday to Sardinia in May this amazing lounge on the top floor withClapham North in south London year (by train and ferry of course!) views out over the saltmarshes andusing renewable energy powered mudflats which is pretty special.LED lighting and hydroponics. I’m Riding ‘Die Semmeringbahn’ railwayalso involved in FoodTrade.com a through the Austrian Alpslocal food web platform that connectsproducers and buyers. And throughmy role as a London SustainableDevelopment CommissionerI mentor ‘London Leaders’ -those making a real differencein the capital, and advise (andconstructively critique!) the Mayorand the GLA on sustainability.Is there a commondenominator in all of yourworking interests? I guessthere’s always a positive social and EuroTravel | 35

InterviewFavourite London restaurants? Beneath Louise Bourgeois’s spiderAs a Brixtoner the transformation outside the Guggenheim, Bilbao, Spainof Brixton market in recent years isa foodies paradise with dozens of (it also has a corkscrew on it). And quayside too…but who needs sanddifferent tiny eateries catering for a good hat to cover the bald head when you have all that lovely mud?!the whole world, from Korean street from cold winds or fierce sunshine.food to Basque Pinxos, through Worst travel nightmare? WellCaribbean rotis to Pakistani Travel tips for readers (eg I had quite a few on the roundcurry, via Thai and Mexican. It always take an extension the world trip! I wouldn’t callis incredible and the Beijing-style lead, keep credit cards them nightmares as such more thedumplings at Mama Lan’s are as separate, don’t take plain black ‘interesting’ experiences that tend toauthentic as anything you’ll find cases, don’t pack plastic pots make for good anecdotes - no–onein China. of custard in a soft case). wants to hear about your perfect Buy food to share with fellow holiday where everything wentBest travel books? Well pretty passengers. Breaking bread swimmingly and you relaxed by themuch anything by Patrick Leigh together is the most basic of pool for a fortnight, ate well, sleptFermor or Paul Theroux grabs human connections and it has like a baby etc. However, if like weme pretty successfully everytime. led to some of the most memorable did on the trip you got arrested byBut the master of narrative, story- and wonderful encounters and Chinese border guards, accused oftelling and understated brilliance experiences I’ve ever had. drug smuggling by Japanese customsthat shows you don’t (ahem) have officers, and felt like the ferry wasto go round the world to have First holiday you remember going to capsize in the Bay of Biscay,an adventure and a tale to tell is Playing in the black mud of the then that’s a bit more intriguing.W.G.Sebald. ‘Rings of Saturn’ is an beach in Blakeney north Norfolk. But you’ll have to read the bookabsolute classic and I love it. There’s a sandy stretch next to the to find out… ■Do you check emails on Ed Gillespie is the author of ‘Only Planet - a flight-free adventureholiday? On short trips generally around the world’ , Chairman of European Rail Business Loco2 and Co-no. I like to properly switch off. Founder of Futerra Sustainability Communications, one of the world’sBut on longer trips I usually have only communications consultancies to specialise solely in sustainableto – I’ve got a business to run! development and corporate social responsibility. Ed is also a London Sustainable Development Commissioner, a Director of carbon emissionsWhat three things wouldn’t campaigning organisation Sandbag, and an investor in FoodTrade.you travel without? eg externalcharger for phone, extensionlead, music. I always travel witha book, often about or set in theplace I am travelling to or throughto add some context. I read BorisPasternak’s Doctor Zhivago whiletravelling through Russia on theTrans-Siberian Express for example.My trusty Swiss Army pen knife ofcourse for impromptu train picnics36 | EuroTravel

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ItalyExplore Florence To Book Hotels in Florence, CLICK HERE By Mark Gordon Smith To Research this Destination Further, CLICK HERE38 | EuroTravel

ItalyFFor cruise passengers who wish to explore Florence without using one of the shore excursions offered from Livorno, those with limited time in Florence, or for those who wish to explore unique and unusual sights while in the city/ area, here is a list of remarkable options to the ‘usual’ Florentine itinerary. We call this our “Alternative Florence”. Some logistics if arriving by ship in Livorno: Taxis from the Livorno port to the train station average Euro 20.00. Round trip train service is available to Santa Maria Novella station in the heart of Florence every thirty minutes between 6:00AM and 11:30PM. The train trip takes an hour and twenty minutes each way. Fares range between Euro 9.00 per person to Euro 15.00 per person each way depending upon type of train/level of service selected. Palazzo Davanzati Steps from Florence’s most remarkable monuments, including the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria, is the Palazzo Davanzati. Reopened in 2010 after a lengthy restoration, the palazzo affords visitors the opportunity to walk through a wealthy renaissance family’s private residence, complete with original furnishings, restored frescoes and tapestries. The beauty of the home is remarkable. Often overlooked, this is a treasure of the city and should not be missed. The Palazzo is open Monday through Sunday 08:15 – 13:50. Closed the second and fourth Sunday of each month, the first, third and fifth Monday of each month, January 1, May 1 and Christmas Day. The Ground Floor and First Floor of the palazzo are open without reservation. However, if you wish to visit the second and third floors of the palazzo, where some of the more spectacular rooms are located, you must call the museum in advance and reserve space on the tours scheduled offered each day at 10:00, 11:00 and 12:00 during regular opening days of the museum. Tickets are: € 2.00 Via Porta Rossa, 13 50123 Firenze, Italy Tel: +39 055 238 8610Palazzo Davanzatti Interior Palazzo Davanzatti Exterior EuroTravel | 39

ItalyMuseum of Florence of the Age Donatello Gallery Bargello(di “Firenze com’era”)A rare find: an almost free, rarely crowded, museum in BargelloFlorence. Located two block behind the Duomo, this Along the curved stretch of the Via Proconsolo areis an often overlooked, important, in the city center. the doors to a gorgeous and, again, often overlookedSince 1956, the museum has been housed in the former museum in the city’s center; the Bargello. Whileconvent of the Oblate Sisters. Contained within are improvements to the façade of the museum now permitnumerous maps, etchings and studies of the city plans passers-by the ability to glance into the ground floorfrom the renaissance to the current day. Giusto Uten’s gallery, the museum is rarely crowded. An advantage tolunettes, paintings of the various Medici Villas, are those who seek the greatest treasures of renaissance art!displayed here as are the Giuseppi Zocchi’s 18th centuryetchings of Florence’s many churches. Contained within are Michelangelo’s Bacchus, various works in a special retrospective of Baccio Bandinelli, works A final treasure to note is the scale model of by dell Robbia and, most notably, the bronze David byRenaissance Florence overlaid with the location of the Donatello. Michelangelo is reported to have said that hadcity’s most well-known monuments. More than worth it not been for this bronze, and for Donatello’s skills asthe € 2.70 admission fee. sculpture, the Renaissance would never have occurred. On the second floor is a bust of “Lady with Primroses”,Admittance time. Weekdays: Monday Tuesday attributed to Andrea dell Verrocchio and equally reflectiveWednesday 9 am- 2 pm; Saturday 9 am - 7 pm; from of the genius of da Vinci.June 1 to Sept 30: Monday and Tuesday 9 am - 2 pm;Saturday 9 am - 7 pmHolidays: closedClosed on: Thursday and Friday; from June 1st to Sept.30th: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. December 25,January 1.Entrance: € 2.70Museo Storico Topografico “Firenze com’era”Via dell’Oriolo 24 - Firenze - Tel. 055 2616545 Cloister of the Museo di The museum is normally open Monday through Sunday Firenze com’era 08:15 – 13:50. The museum is closed the 1st, third and fifth Sunday, as well as the second and fourth Monday of each month, January 1, May 1 and Christmas Day. Note: The museum is operating extended hours between April 9, 2014 and July 13, 2013, from 08:15 – 17:00 to accommodate visitors to the Baccio Bandinelli exhibit. It will only be closed the second and fourth Monday of each month until the Bandinelli exhibit closes. During the Baccio Bandinelli exhibit, April 9, 2014 – July 13, 2014, tickets for the museum are € 7.00 per person. Ticket price will return to the usual fee of €4.00 per person after July 13, 2014.40 | EuroTravel

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Italy View of the Duomo and Baptistery Museo del Opera del Duomo in Florence - CLOSED FOR ONE YEAR The news that the Museum of the Works of the Duomo in Florence, famous for its Michelangelo Nicodemus Pieta, the Della Robbia and Donatello choir lofts and the Donatello Magdalene is closed for one year comes with mixed emotions. The final open day was May 19, 2014 and while no specific date has yet been announced for the grand reopening, Italian journals are mentioning late fall of 2015. The planned restoration of the museum space will be stunning. Included in the expanded museum will be a replica of the original façade of Santa Reparata, the church which once occupied the Duomo’s land. Key pieces of Santa Reparata’s original façade, including the work of Arnolfo di Cambio, will be placed in the newly redesigned space. Additionally, the original panels of the three Baptistery doors will be constructed, while copies stand outside on the actual structure. In the interim, the city has placed a large painted canvas cover across the front of the museum and a large section of the Piazza Duomo to protect passers-by from the heavy work being done. Be patient and come back next fall for what promises to be one of the Italy’s most incredible restorations to date. ■ You can reach author Mark Gordon Smith at [email protected], through his travel blog www.travelsacrossitaly.com or his company web site, www.private-italy.com.42 | EuroTravel



ItalyAlternative Naples To Book Hotels in Naples, CLICK HERE By Mark Gordon Smith To Research this Destination Further, CLICK HERE44 | EuroTravel

ItalyFFor those travelers who arrive in Naples on a cruise They offer exceptional, safe and bonded private drivers with exceptionally well maintained vehicles ship, have just the one day to visit and prefer to not for explorations across the Campagna Region. join one of the land excursions offered, here are some historic and interesting alternatives to the usual trots Flavio Gioia Agency to Pompeii, Herculaneum, Sorrento, Capri and the Via C. Colombo, 49 Amalfi Coast. 84017 Positano - Salerno tel.: +39 089 811 895 Transfers to all of these sites is easy by taxi. If you http://www.flaviogioia.com/ prefer, a private car with driver can easily be secured using the services of Flavio Gioia Agency in Positano. EuroTravel | 45

ItalyCapella Sansavero InteriorCapella Sansevero The life-like quality of the sculptures are astoundingWhile the crowds fill the galleries of the National and visitors, in this rarely crowded chapel, leave deeplyArchaeological Museum in Naples, take a different path and moved by the beauty contained within.walk to the Chapel of Sansevero. From the Archaeologicalmuseum take the easy ten minutes’ walk on the Via del The chapel is open Monday and Wednesday – SaturdaySole. Just across the Via Tribunale, steps from the Church 10:00 – 17:30. CLOSED Tuesday. Sunday 10:00 – 13:00.of San Domenico Maggiore, is where you will find this Phone: +39 081 551 8470unforgettable chapel. Contained within are various late Tickets are €7.00 per personbaroque works by Giuseppe Sanmartino and others. Mostfamous of the sculptures is Sanmartino’s Veiled Christ, Via Francesco de Sanctis, 19, 80134 Napoli, ItalyCristo Velato, placed at the center of the chapel’s floor.46 | EuroTravel

ItalyVilla Poppea, Torre Annunziata If you are planning on visiting up to eleven major historicTo avoid the frustrating crowds of Pompeii and sites during your stay, including Pompeii, HerculaneumHerculaneum, drive to the village of Torre Annunziata, and the Villa Poppea, you may be interested in the threelocated south of Naples along the coast. There you will find day pass available through TickItaly (www.tickitaly.com).the country villa of Emperor Nero’s second wife, Poppea.Located in the ancient city of Oplantis, the villa has been Villa Poppea Frescoesovertaken by the high rises so typical of this part of Italy.The villa contains some of the most vibrant and remarkablefrescoes of the Roman era. While Pompeii can claim a largerland mass and more variety, this is a rarely crowded treasurewhich you should not miss.Notes: It is best to use a private car/driver to access the VilaPoppea site, unless you are well versed in driving the roadsof southern Italy. The Circumvesuviana train does stop atTorre Annuziata, but not near the archaeological site.The villa is open for visitors every day: 08:30 – 19:30April through October. November through March thehours are 08:30 – 17:00Villa Poppea Exterior EuroTravel | 47

Italy Mosaic Catacombs of San Gennaro Catacombs of San Gennaro Catacombs of San Gennaro Named for the city’s patron saint, these are some of the best preserved catacombs in all of Italy. Guided visits run throughout the day in various languages. The entrance is off of one of the main streets in Naples, making such access easier than most of the catacomb sites in this area of Italy. The catacombs are spacious, clean and offer remarkable opportunity to more deeply understand how early Christians worshipped and lived. Guided Visits every day of the week, every hour from 10:00 – 17:00 Sunday: from 10:00 – 13:00 Tickets are €8.00 per person Via Tondo di Capodimonte, 13 Basilica del Buon Consiglio Phone: +39 081 744 3714 ■ You can reach author Mark Gordon Smith at [email protected], through his travel blog www.travelsacrossitaly.com or his company web site, www.private-italy.com.48 | EuroTravel

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SwitzerlandZÜRICH HAS ZIP! ByAngelaSaraWest To Book Hotels in Zurich, CLICK HERE To Research this Destination Further, CLICK HERE50 | EuroTravel