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You know a cave hotel is the real deal when you wake to find ceiling rock crumbling over the bed. Hezen’s elegant rooms have been fashioned out of the ancient caves that pockmark Cappadocia, and you can still very much feel the rocky atmosphere.
Each alcove and shelf has been hand carved with pockets of light accentuating the rock detail. Multiple terraces provide the perfect vantage point for enjoying the dramatic scenery, with views out across Ortahisar Castle. Located out of the tourist hub, this petite hotel has a homely atmosphere and is a Cappadocian experience in itself.
region: Europe
Get Your Skates on at Zurich Airport
Feel the wind beneath your wings as you scoot around Zurich Airport on a bike or a funky pair of inline skates. The airport hires out gear and helmets to travellers itching to escape outdoors and get the blood flowing back into their legs.
If a red-eye flight has sapped your sense of balance, hire a pair of Nordic walking poles instead and let your feet lead you exploring. If you’d prefer to stay airside, join one of the airport tours, or perhaps treat one of the kids to a birthday party. How many other kids get to have an A380 at their birthday bash, complete with real, live pilots?
Aurora Safari Camp
It may not be Narnia, but this Swedish camp is every bit as enchanting. And you don’t need a magic wardrobe to get there, just access to a snowmobile.
Constructed in the forest by Lapland’s Råne River and far from light pollution, the camp is the ideal base for admiring the Milky Way and, if you’re lucky, the northern lights. Capture the phenomenon on camera under the guidance of owner and photographer Fredrik Broman, and when the cold gets too much, sink into an armchair by the fire in your teepee-like lavvu tent and defrost your fingers and toes.
During the day in the winter, snowshoe trekking is a mandatory pastime. Otherwise, you can book a husky expedition, go snowmobiling or try your hand at ice fishing. In summer, there’s canoeing, kayaking and nature treks, but best of all are the photography courses run by Broman. The camp is well off the grid and surrounded by the best of Nordic nature. You may not meet Mr Tumnus the faun, but plenty of moose, fox and reindeer hide in the woods, leaving trails for you to follow.
Sleep underwater at Hotell Utter Inn
It may look like a typical Swedish house from afar, but the shimmer around Utter Inn ain’t no mirage. Floating on Lake Mälaren, this miniature underwater cottage enables guests to sleep with the fishes, literally. Slip through a hatch in the floor and descend into a watertight bedroom, where your bed wallows three metres below the surface, and wake to the puckered kiss of a pike sucking on the glass by your head at sunrise.
Despite its tiny 25-square-metre size, the cottage squeezes in a fridge, stove and loo. If you suffer cabin fever, make your escape by rowboat and explore the Västerås archipelago, or fish for perch from the shade of the verandah. Happy floating!
Treehotel
Scandinavian architecture meets the great outdoors in the futuristic treehouses at Treehotel. These five unique dwellings feature sleek design suspended among the native pines, blending with the environment so you feel part of the forest itself.
Go incognito in the Mirrorcube, which could easily be mistaken for a Bond villain’s lair, or disappear into the Bird’s Nest, an oversized construction of twigs and branches that manages to pull off looking bizarre and seriously cool at the same time. The Treesauna is the perfect refuge to unwind in. More treerooms are planned for the future, and we can’t wait to see what those look like.
Hotel Marqués de Riscal
Unveiled in 2006, the Hotel Marqués de Riscal was an opportunity for Frank Gehry to showcase his signature style against an exquisite backdrop – the rolling hills of the Rioja wine region. Looking at the result, you can see why Vanity Fair described Gehry as “the most important architect of our age.”
Gleaming ribbons of titanium almost mimic the undulating surrounds, while the tilted walls and cathedral ceilings contrast with the warmth of wood and canny homely touches found in the 43 rooms and suites. We imagine that sipping tempranillo on the angled terrace while gazing across to the medieval town of Elciego would keep most lovers of wine and design satisfied for quite some time.
Garden Village Bled
Located in a country already considered something of a hidden gem, Lake Bled is one of the most beautiful and idyllic places on earth, surrounded by forests and alps dotted with castles of the sort you thought only existed in story books. Among all this natural splendour is the eco-friendly paradise of Garden Village, offering a top spot to rejuvenate during a grand European adventure.
There are two options of the tented variety: cute and comfy pier tents sitting over the water, and luxurious two-storey glamping tents – complete with mezzanine bedroom, living space and mini-bar – set in the forest. Opened in June 2014, Garden Village really is in some ways like a youth hostel, but without the scary share dorms. Instead there is an infinity pool, communal living area with an open fire, Finnish sauna, smart restaurant and electric rental cars.
During the day there’s a hit parade of activities in which to partake, from river tubing to bike tours, hiking to paragliding. Pack a picnic and head, via pletna, a traditional wooden boat, to beautiful Bled Island.
Transylvania Horse Ride
Saddle up your horse and gallop off into the mysterious land that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Get a dose of fresh mountain air as you canter through meadows of wild flowers, climb mountains and visit traditional villages.
You could very well spot the footprints of bears and wolves as you ride through the ancient forests near the Carpathian Mountains, or ascend the mountains for unencumbered views. After a couple of hours’ riding, let your horse graze and soak up the tranquility.
Italy
Divine art, Renaissance history, fashion, pasta that’s better than – well, you know – even more art. We’re all familiar with Italy’s attractions and allure – and even if there was any doubt, there are multiple shelves at the local bookstore dedicated to tomes regaling the joys of spending a year learning Italian in Tuscany while falling in love to remind us.
From porn stars to political scandal, the Italians don’t believe in doing anything by halves. Moving between north, south and central Italy you’ll encounter everything from designer-fixated cool cats and effervescent, pseudo-charming Romeos to “eat, eat” nonnas and every type of person in between.
Don’t let the hordes discourage you; Florence, Venice, Lake Como and the Amalfi Coast are all popular because they are worth it. Travelling in the off-season may help, but ‘discovering’ enchanting villages like Chiusa in the Dolomites or the tiny island of San Pietro in Sardinia will make you feel as though you’ve found another country entirely. In summary: tutti bene. It’s all good.
Poland
In the very centre of Europe lies a country rich in culture, history and scenery all competing for your attention. Poland is both urban and traditional, with the energetic Warsaw boasting beautiful architecture, while forests, lakes and mountains can be found outside the urban landscape. Hiking is a popular activity in the Tatra Mountains, look for bison in the Bialowieski National Park or descend into the eerie world of salt chambers at Wieliczka. Then there are the 500 kilometres of Baltic coastline, with their pretty seaside villages and health resorts.
Poland has a thousand years’ worth of kings, queens, castles and wars to discover and history buffs will fall in love with the former capital of Kraków. There’s a museum set in the Renaissance-style Wawel Royal Castle and moving interactive displays at Oskar Schindler’s former enamel factory. That tragic more recent history is also remembered in cities like Lublin, where visitors can trace the country’s Jewish history.
