Postcards from... Booklet 2022

I f the reasonyouembarkona foreigncitybreak is todrownyourself inameltingpotofexperiences, cultures,24/7activityandbrashentrepreneurial energy thenputNewYorkCity to the topofyour wish list. It’sacityofdichotomies,exhaustingand exhilarating,humblingyet inspiring.Like the immigrants whoflocked from thecornersof theoldworldonecannot dispute thatone’sfirstglimpseof the forestofSkyscrapers ofManhattan Islandwill instila senseofwonder that simply shouts“here’saplacewhereanythinggoes,where anyonecanget to the top”! It iscertainlyaplayground forgrown-upsas it livesup to its reputationas the ‘city thatnever sleeps’witha thousanddifferentand interesting things todo everyday.Weare seducedby the frenetic lifestyleofhighflyingNewYorkers, whoworkhard toplayhard -yesweprobablygotahintof thebuzz from watching Sexand theCity .Diverseattractionsabound from the showbusiness heartlandofBroadway, through themanycolourfulneighbourhoodsof GreenwichVillage,Chelsea,ChinaTown,Little Italy,SoHo,NoHo,Meatpackers andonwardsacross theHudsonRiver to the trendyopen spacesof leafy Brooklyn. In this spectacularcityscapeyouwillfindamyriadof restaurants, bars,nightclubs,museumsandparks tofillyourdays. New York B arcelonahas somuch to tempt the senses. Withabackdropofbothgothicandorganic Gaudiarchitecture frontedbywarm Mediterraneanwatersalong5kilometresof beachfront, it isacity that is simultaneously brimmingwithmodern shopping,nightlife,world-class dininganda senseof identitydeeply rooted inCatalan culture. Itall startedgoing rightagain forBarcelonawhen ithosted theOlympics in 1992.Thisheraldedamuch-neededclean-upof theCity.AsNelsonMandela once said, "Sporthas thepower to transform theworld." In thecaseof Barcelonabeacheswerecleaned,newparkswerebuilt,public transport toall areasof thecitywasnotably improvedandaonceugly industrialzoneon the seafrontwasdemolished tohouse thenew,OlympicVillage.Thisarea isnow knownas thePobleneudistrict,achic residentialarea righton theedgeof thecitycentre.The regenerationofBarcelonahasbeen so impressive that it re-established itselfas thepowerhouseofSpain,andyou wouldbe forgiven tobelieve that it is the realcapitalof the nation,andnodoubta reason thatCatalans feel that they shouldbe theirownmasters. Barcelona S omecitieshavemanaged to remainbelow the radarwithLisbonbeinga superbexample. Here isahistoriccapitalcitywithadeep sense ofnational identitypepperedwithcolourful low-risebuildingswithbright terracotta tiled roofs thatcascadeoff itsmanyhills towards theAtlantic Oceanemphasising thecountry’socean-faringpast. With itsback to the restof thecontinentget ready fora quaintyetcosmopolitancitybreak thatpromisesa warmMediterranean styleclimate fromearly spring to lateautumnandmildwinters thanks to theGulfStream, aburgeoning restaurantandbarculture,and is just minutes from someofEurope’sbestbeaches. Thecityhasverydistinctneighbourhoods.Themedievalquarter Alfama, isa labyrinthofnarrowcobbled streetsand steepcrooked alleywaysand theplace toeat in localcafés,wanderamongst the antiqueandbric-a-bracemporiaand loseyourself in the twice-weekly fleamarket.ParquedasNacoes is the regenerated industrialzonenow home to the strikingVascodaGamabridgeand thecity’s impressive aquarium,OceanariodeLisboa.TheTowerofBelem, Jeronimos Monastery, thePlanetariumand theunmissableAjudaPalace lies in D enmarkwasoneof the firstcountries to embraceapost-covid relaxationof restrictions andpositivelyyearns for you tovisit.Andwellyou should becauseCopenhagen, itscapital,as Carlsbergbeermagnateand philanthropist,Carl Jacobsen,might have said ...isprobably thebestcity in theworld tovisit.Perhaps its manageable size ispartof theappeal, since itmanages topack somuch intoa small footprint.Historicmonuments, quaintcobbled streets,andcutting-edge newarchitecture seem toflowgracefully together inameanderingwaterside cityscape.And thebestbitof itall is that it isbestappreciatedby foot orbetter stillon twowheelsmaking fora thoroughlypleasanturbanexperience. Be like theDanes,getonyourbike!The Frenchhavebecause in2022 theTourde Francewill start there. Copenhagenactuallyextends from themain islandof Zealandacross to the islandofAmagerwhere the internationalairport issituated. Lyingat theeastern edgeofacountrywithastaggering1,419 islands, the nextnearestcity isMalmo inSwedenconnectedby the OresundBridge,anamazing featofengineering,which includesa5kmbridge,anartificial islandanda tunnel witha totaldistanceof13kms. In itself this isa spectacularsightand if timeallowsmightbegood reason tohopacross toMalmo for theday. However, thesightsofCopenhagenwillcertainlykeepyoumore thanoccupiedona long,weekendbreak. DubrovnikOldTown,UNESCOWorldHeritage site, isknownasoneof theworld’sfinestandmost perfectlypreservedmedievalcities in theworld. Forcenturies,Dubrovnik rivalledVeniceasa tradingport,with itshuge sturdy stonewalls,built between the11thand17thcenturies,affording protection to this formercity-state.Today, these walls stillencloseDubrovnik’shistoriccentreand it ispossible towalkalong them toenjoy thebest viewsof the ‘Pearlof theAdriatic’and the surrounding lushgreen islands.Dubrovnik’s Baroquechurches,monasteriesandpalaces; its Renaissance fountainsand facades,areall A s fortified,historic townsgoDubrovnik’s instagram- worthyOldTown isoneof themostmemorable,with its networkofancientalleys,prettypiazzasand terracotta rooftopsallwrappedup ingrand stonewalls.Bathed in sunshineand surroundedby ruggedmountainsand the invitingbluewatersof theMediterranean it is the jewelof the DalmatianCoast,awonderfullybeautiful regionofCroatia that stretches for350kmalong theAdriatic. It shouldcomeasno surprise that the1,000yearoldcity,witha slightbitof tacticalCGIwasakey location forKingsLanding in theepicTV series,GameofThrones. 68 36 Lisbon Copenhagen Dubrovnik 44 52 60 The Ritz-Carlton New York , Central Park The Dominick Gansevoort Meatpacking Casa Cipriani The Four Seasons NewYork , Down town Conrad New York The Plaza Hotel The New York Edition The St.Regis New York Crosby Street Hotel Baccarat Hotel New York The Quin Central Park The Lowell Equinox Hotel The Carlyle , A Rosewood Hotel The NoMad Hotel Grand Hotel Central W Barcelona Hotel Arts Barcelona El Palace Barcelona Mandarin Oriental Barcelona Hotel Neri ABaC Restaurant Hotel Cotton House Hotel, Autograph Collection Mercer Hotel Barcelona Soho House Barcelona Majestic Hotel & Spa Gran Hotel La Florida Monument Hotel Hotel The Serras Almanac Barcelona Casa Bonay Four Seasons Ritz Olissippo Lapa Palace The One Palácio da Anunciada As Janelas Verdes Inn Bairro Alto Hotel Valverde Hotel Solar do Castelo Hotel Lisboa Plaza The Ivens , Autograph Collection Altis Avenida Tivoli Avenida Liberdade Altis Belém Hotel & Spa Pousada de Lisboa Hotel Britania Pestana Palace Hotel Penha Longa Hotel & Golf Resort Hotel D’Angleterre Hotel Nimb 71 Nyhavn Hotel Nobis Hotel Copenhagen Copenhagen Marriott Hotel STAY Radisson Collection Royal Hotel Hotel SKT. PETRI Hotel SP34 Copenhagen Island Manon Les Suites Sanders Villa Copenhagen The Socialist Copenhagen Admiral Hotel Skovshoved Hotel Villa Orsula Villa Dubrovnik Hotel Excelsior St. Josephs Hotel Bellevue Dubrovnik Hotel Dubrovnik Palace Hotel Kompas Dubrovnik Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera Hot el Lopud 1483 Hotel Imperial Dubrovnik Sun Gardens Dubrovnik Grand Villa Argentina Boutique Hotel Stari Grad One Suite Hotel Royal Princess Hotel Fresh* Sheets Kathedral Dubrovnik