Everest and Mont Blanc are synonymous with hiking glory but the Rila Mountains in Bulgaria are not only in league with these champions, they’re also far less trodden. Settle in with a guided tour of Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital, followed by a light walk up Vitosha Mountain for spectacular city views. From here, the challenge begins.
Navigate woodland to the glittering Strashnoto and Urdini lakes; scramble to the summit of Mount Musala, the Balkans’ highest peak at 2925 metres, where rugged green vistas stretch for miles; and scale the rocky trails of Mount Malyovitsa, bunking down at the legendary Ivan Vazov mountain refuge for the night. Make your final descent to the tenth-century Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and wander among its striking architecture and art while giving thanks for Mother Nature’s incredible creations.
Walking into Amsterdam’s Bar Botanique is like entering a botanist’s paradise; there’s so much green you’d be forgiven for thinking you had left the Netherlands and arrived in the jungle. Designed by interior designers Studio Modijefsky, this Dutch cafe turned all-day bar has been revamped into a chic open space.
Pink feature walls stand in contrast to the myriad greens throughout. Double-storey windows make up the facade of the corner building, allowing light to spill in over the dreamy palms, ferns and monsteras that hang from the railings, ceilings and walls. Open from 9am, Bar Botanique serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with menus that include a healthy array of vegetarian options, accompanied by wine, cocktails, tonics and, of course, plenty of beers.
In a bid to escape the bedlam of Los Angeles, a move to Berlin in the late 70s would be a pivotal experience for David Bowie. While living on Haupstrasse in the quiet district of Schöneberg, he once described his experience of the city to Uncut magazine as a place of “virtual anonymity” and could often be found popping into cafe Neues Ufer for an espresso. The cafe’s name means ‘The New Side’ (formerly it was Anderes Ufer, aka ‘The Other Side’). Coincidence? We think not. During his self-imposed exile, he penned the enduring hit Heroes, which was inspired by a young couple kissing against the Berlin Wall, a moment he was said to have witnessed from a window in Kreuzberg’s Hansa recording studio (he would later reveal the couple was his producer, Tony Visconti, and his girlfriend).
Today, Neues Ufer is one of Berlin’s oldest gay cafes and retains its original ambience, with the addition of a few photos of the famous rockstar. Join the Bowie Berlin Walk by Berlin Music Tours where you’ll discover his other haunts in the Kreuzberg and Mitte districts before finishing off with a bevvy at this enduring favourite.
Beneath the historic vineyards of Épernay in the Champagne district
is a series of winding tunnels and hidden caves dug into the chalk. Some date back to Roman times and, apart from a period during World War I when the townspeople hid there to flee the conflict, they’ve been used to store and mature bottles of the region’s famous sparkling wine. Until recently this labyrinth below UNESCO World Heritage-listed Avenue de Champagne was mostly off limits to the average punter. That’s now changing, with more maisons opening their doors. That includes Champagne Boizel, which has been in the same family for five generations and offers English-language tours of its tunnels at 11.30am and 4pm from Tuesday to Saturday. When you’re done, head to Atelier 1834, Boizel’s wine bar, where you can sip on its exceptional offerings by the glass. boizel.com
It would take you at least 90 minutes to drive from Darwin to the Lodge at Dundee, the bar at the local holiday park in this remote, seaside town. In one of Airborne Solutions’ helicopters though, you’ll be ordering your first icy beer in a mere 25 minutes having taken in some pretty speccy views of the NT coastline along the way. And that’s just the beginning of your day on a seven-hour Heli Pub Crawl that takes in five memorable Top End establishments. Interesting locals with tall tales, some of the country’s more colourful publicans and even a wildlife encounter – one of the stops is Goat Island Lodge on the Adelaide River, where Casey the Croc often comes for a feed – are guaranteed. airbornesolutions.com.au
What’s better than spending a whole day at a brewery? Staying there overnight. You can now do just that at the DogHouse, a 32-room hotel on the site of Scottish company BrewDog’s Columbus, Ohio, beer factory. The rooms, not entirely surprisingly, have a masculine vibe – some like the Brewmaster Suite overlook the sour beer works – with plenty of suds on offer throughout the stay. It starts at check-in with the lobby bartender ensuring guests enjoy a welcoming ale, while two fridges – one in the room and the other in the shower – are loaded up with the company’s best-known craft beers and seasonal specials. Oh, there’s an in-room tap, too, that can be hooked up to a growler of whatever bevvy your tastebuds desire. Of course, while you’re here, it would be churlish not to do a tour of the facilities and the huge interactive craft beer museum. We’ll raise a glass to that. brewdog.com
Finding a designated driver for a vineyard crawl is always a drag. Even more so if you’re voted it. There’s no need to worry in this part of South Africa, located about 80 kilometres east of Cape Town, because here you can board the Franschhoek Wine Tram. The vintage-style railway employs open-air trams and buses to ferry folks around the region, which boasts fine views and a 300-year history of winemaking. Choose from eight hop-on, hop-off lines taking in all the major estates. We think it’s hard to go past the Red Line, which stops at, among other places, glorious Mont Rochelle, where you can partake in wine and canape pairing. Make sure you get an early start if you want to get up close to a cheetah at Grande Provence or take the cellar tour at Rickety Bridge. winetram.co.za
It’s hard to forget what surrounds you when you settle into your unique accommodations at Quinta da Pacheca in the Duoro Valley. These rolling hills have been home to vines for almost 500 years – back then they were the purview of local monasteries – and nothing about your environs lacks atmosphere. Designed by owners Paulo Pereira and Maria do Céu Gonçalves, each of the 10 mega barrels has a pine exterior and an elegant fit-out that includes a round bed, private bathroom and deck overlooking the vines. Grab yourself a bottle of Pacheca Grande Reserva Tinta Roriz (aged for 18 months in oak barrels) or tawny port, since the region is famous for it, and stare out across the landscape. Otherwise, tour the vineyard, do a tasting, take a cooking class or tuck into a meal of traditional Portuguese cuisine in the restaurant. quintadapacheca.com
Ring the doorbell on the black door and a member of the waitstaff, in full face paint and enchanting costume, will transport you into a world of ‘drink me’ potions. Stepping into this dimly lit bar is a little bit like falling down Alice’s rabbit hole. Taking its inspiration from the Märchenbrunnen (fountain of fairytales) across the road in Volkspark Friedrichshain, this tiny establishment gets full marks for its air of mysticism.
Everywhere you peer there seems to be a secret door, cabinet of curiosities or mirror that contorts facial features so you may not recognise yourself. Or perhaps that’s thanks to the cocktails. Each is expertly crafted and perfectly presented. The Cinderella, for instance, is served in a glass slipper. The drinks lists are fairytale books and when you take a browse, you will be greeted with a special surprise…no spoilers!
After a day spent splashing about in the sparkling water of a beautiful cove on the Makarska Riviera between Split and Dubrovnik, head to Club Deep, set in a natural cave formation that also served time as a weapons depot during World War II. There’s a great sun terrace outside – perfect for catching those last rays while enjoying an ice cold Karlovacko – but things get started much later in the evening (usually at about 11pm) when local and international DJs turn up the volume on the latest R&B and house beats. Be warned: when this place is crowded – and since it’s popular with cruises on this part of the coast it often is – it gets really hot. Luckily, no one seems to be too bothered about dress codes. deep.hr
As far as having fun in the dark goes it doesn’t get much crazier than this. Pull on a wetsuit and, for the next three hours, climb, clamber and coast through Ruakuri Cave on the North Island. For part of the journey with the Legendary Black Water Rafting Co you’ll be taking the plunge over underground waterfalls, but there’s also the chance to kick back on your inner tube and float through limestone galleries lit by glow worms. Each tour, with a maximum of 12 adventurers, is led by a guide who’ll make sure you emerge safe and sound into the sunlight. The Black Labyrinth tour costs about AU$130. waitomo.com
If you’re looking to escape the crowds, sun and everything green, why not head underground? This single suite is located 155 metres below the surface in a former silver mine. Guests are given a guided tour of the caverns on arrival – winter woollies are a necessity because the temperature hovers at around 2ºC – before being escorted to the suite to enjoy the peace and complete silence. There’s a bed tucked into one chamber and a dining area where wine, cheese and fruit await. The space is appropriately decked out in silver-hued furniture and candlelight adds a touch of romance. There are a couple of down sides: no mobile reception, although there’s an intercom to communicate with the world above; and the loo is down a dark tunnel (plumbing is a bit of an issue this far underground). The Sala Silver Mine suite costs about AU$750 a night. salasilvergruva.se
In the heart of Minnehaha Regional Park in Minneapolis, you’ll find a creek that eventually cascades 16 metres into a pool not far from the Mississippi River. The Minnehaha Falls has been a top tourist attraction since 1855, when Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote about it in A Song for Hiawatha (you can see a statue of the co-founder of the Iroquois Confederacy not far from the falls). But for part of the year the water stops falling. In the depths of winter, it freezes up, creating a bright blue, glowing grotto. There are paths down to the falls and it’s quite safe to walk behind them and take photos. minneapolisparks.org
All year round the Cuevas de Nerja are a popular Malagan tourist attraction. Remains found in them suggest they’ve been inhabited since about 25,000BCE and have, in the years since, been used for everything from farming to pottery production. But once a year they take on a much grander role, hosting the Festival Internacional de Música y Danza de Granada. The festival is held in June and July each year. Internationally renowned performers including Yehudi Menuhin, José Carreras and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa have all filled the caves with their soulful songs, while dancers from the Ballet Nacional de España and La Lupi Flamenco have soared across the stage. cuevadenerja.es
Balance rejuvenation with partying by Croatia’s crystalline waters at Obonjan Island. Touted as the first dedicated arts and wellbeing isle in all of Europe, Obonjan continues to grow worldwide supporters with an impressive program that combines both the Zen and more hedonistic of pursuits.
Obonjan’s point of difference is its selection of holistic treatments, including yoga and massage, workshops, talks, live music, comedy and water sports, as well as offering restaurants, bars and beachside DJs.
At night, you’ll snooze among pine trees in minimalist, eco-friendly surrounds that can sleep up to four and pay homage to the local environment with furnishings made from natural materials. Choose from an A-frame bell tent, or a more luxurious safari-style forest lodge, which comes with extra frills such as an en suite bathroom and fridge.
Move over Guinness, there’s a thirst for a different kind of brew growing in Northern Ireland. Tap into the beer boom at several iconic Belfast establishments on this three hour brewery and street eats tour.
Taste and Tour’s resident beer expert will guide you through the burgeoning local beer and street food scene in Belfast. You’ll visit a range of fantastic craft beer bars and street food venues, tasting at least seven beers and sampling four very different street eats.
Start at Ireland’s oldest independent brewery, Hilden Brewing, where they’ve been perfecting six craft beers over the past 35 years. Next, it’s off to Boundary Brewing, a co-operative that invites beer evangelists to purchase a stake in the business and become co-owners, allowing the crew to experiment with unusual flavours, such as the Pari Gagnat: a saison with seaweed and green tea.
Your final brewery? It’s a surprise and will be revealed on your tour day. Interested? We are too! There’s more to Ireland’s drinking scene than Guinness.
Give Michelangelo a run for his money by refining your artistic expertise in the Eternal City. Your journey begins with an introduction to Rome, exploring its numerous piazzas, ruins and cobbled streets. Later you’ll delve into a relief sculpture workshop, using an arsenal of glass and acrylics to create your first masterpiece (definitely too precious to bring home in checked baggage). Private tours of the Vatican Museums and Galleria Borghese will take you into Italy’s rich past to gape at some of the world’s best Renaissance artworks.
Once you’ve fuelled up with inspiration, dive into learning fresco-painting techniques and the delicate art of mosaic. Plenty of free time is provided between classes, so when you’re not nurturing your inner artist, you can hunt down the finest supplì (the local take on arancini) and red wine Rome has to offer – after all, sustenance begets art, right?
Delicious seafood, surprising landscapes, entertaining history and a dash of mythology – Portugal has it all. And there’s no better way to suck the marrow from this bucket-list destination than by hiking it. Meet your guide in Sintra, where colourful palaces freckle the green landscape and twisted, tiled alleyways connect the town’s many tabernas and bakeries.
Later, amble up the Sintra Mountains for a picnic as the sun sinks into the Atlantic Ocean. The next day, wander Europe’s westernmost point, Cabo da Roca, stopping for a dip in the ocean and to fill your belly with clams, prawns and fish served up at a local restaurant by the sand. Take in coves, sample wine from one of Portugal’s oldest cellars, and discover the magic that has drawn nobles to Sintra for centuries. Earn your appetite.
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