What to do in Belfast when you've only got two days

Why go now? 

The last few years have seen Belfast emerge from a turbulent past, and shake off its reputation as a troubled city. For years it was off the tourist scene, but now it’s firmly established itself as a destination worthy of a mini break, with bars, museums and sights to rival many a European city. 

With a surge of hip new restaurant openings (and a couple of Michelin stars), there’s never been a better time for excellent food in the city, as well as a bit of craic after dinner. The short flight time and ease of access from all over the UK is a bonus, too. 

Get your bearings 

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A relatively small city, Belfast is divided into several “quarters”, each known for its own distinct character. You’ll likely spend most of your time in the centrally-located Cathedral Quarter, with its rambling streets, buzzing pubs and top-notch restaurants. Further south is the leafy Queen’s Quarter, where you’ll find the Botanical Gardens (1) and Queen’s University (2), alongside some cool coffee shops and restaurants that are well worth the half-hour stroll. To the east, on the other side of the River Lagan, lies the Titanic Quarter, named after the infamous ship that was built there in 1912. It’s home to an impressive Titanic-themed museum (3), an 11,000-seater sports and entertainment arena called the Odyssey Complex (4), and plenty of swish new apartment buildings and restaurants on the harbour-front. Meanwhile, the Gaeltacht Quarter in the west of the city is all about Irish language and culture. Highlights include important political sites, cemeteries and locales where you can take in the best traditional dance and music Belfast has to offer. 

Queen's University of Belfast is in the leafy Queen's Quarter ( Getty Images/ iStockphoto)

The Visit Belfast Welcome Centre is at 9 Donegall Square North in the Cathedral Quarter (5) (028 9024 6609; visitbelfast.com). It’s open 9am-5.30pm Monday to Saturday (7pm in the summer) and 11am-4pm on Sundays.

Day one

Take a hike

Get acquainted with the city and its culinary highlights with a guided food tour. The Belfast Food Tour with Taste & Tour (tasteandtour.co.uk) starts at St George’s Market (6). Tours meander around the stalls, while you taste all the local delicacies – Suki tea, blue cheese, Broughgammon goat and “fifteens” fridge cake. Walks continue through the city, stopping at chocolatiers for truffles, bars for cider and pubs for champ. Tours cost £50 and generally run on Saturdays at 10am.         

Lunch on the run

If you’re not too full from a morning of grazing, head into Coppi (7) (028 9031 1959; coppi.co.uk) opposite St Anne’s Cathedral (8), a contemporary Italian restaurant with a cool, industrial-chic vibe. A selection of their small 'cichetti' dishes make up a good lunch – try the feta fritters, sharp little bites of cheese swathed in truffle honey (£3.30). If you’re more peckish, the duck ragu with porcini mushroom ravioli (£14.50) is decadently rich, topped with crisp shards of duck skin and slivers of truffle. It’s open every day from 12pm-10pm or 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Food tours run from Belfast's St George's market ( Getty Images)

Window shopping

Stroll along Wellington Street just west of Belfast City Hall (9) and you’ll find some great shops within steps of each other. Envoy of Belfast (10) (028 9031 1110; envoyofbelfast.com, closed Sundays) is home to vaguely androgynous, Scandi-style pieces, while Octopus's Garden (11) (075 63147949; belfastrecordshop.co.uk) is a must for fans of vintage and vinyl. Around the corner on Chichester Street, Co Couture (12) (078 8889 9647; cocouture.co.uk, closed Sundays) is a dreamy chocolate shop, selling divine brownies.

There’s nothing remarkable about the high street shops in the Victoria Square shopping centre (13) (victoriasquare.com), but head there anyway and climb up the spiral stairs into the glass dome for great free views of the city and out to the mountains.

Bear in mind a lot of the city’s shops are either closed on Sundays or operate on limited opening hours (usually 1-5pm).

An aperitif

There’s no shortage of great pubs in the city, particularly in the Cathedral Quarter. The party starts early on a Saturday, with groups often gathered for an afternoon pint to kick off the weekend. The Duke of York (14) (02890 241062; dukeofyorkbelfast.com) is filled with antique memorabilia, cool copper tables and an old printing press (with some dirty words hidden within the letters). It’s open every day from 11am-1am, with shorter hours on Sundays and Mondays. 

Muddler’s Club focuses on seasonal ingredients (Muddler’s Club )

Game of Thrones fans should head over the road to sister pub The Dark Horse (15) (028 90 237807; dukeofyorkbelfast.com), where you’ll find a door carved from fallen trees of the Dark Hedges (AKA Kingsroad).

Dine with the locals

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The lights are low in the Muddlers Club (16) (028 9031 3199; themuddlersclubbelfast.com), also in the Cathedral Quarter, and the air is scented with wafts of citrus smoke from many an artisan Old Fashioned. But the food is so good that you barely notice how cool the space is. The menu is small, with a focus on solid, seasonal ingredients – think tender slices of lamb, served with fresh spring greens, pea puree and a dollop of tangy sour cream (£24). It’s open 12-2.45pm and 5.30-10pm, closed Sundays and Mondays, and booking is essential.

Down in the Queen’s District, The Barking Dog (17) (028 9066 1885; barkingdogbelfast.com) is the place to go for laidback gastro food and, unlike many Belfast restaurants, it’s open on Sundays (their roasts are epic). Hours vary. 

Day two

Out to brunch

It can be tricky to eat out on Sundays, with a lot of restaurants closing up shop. Established Coffee (18) (established.coffee) next to the cathedral is one of the few stellar joints open every day, and their weekend feasts are well worth a trip. Their Cheesy French Toast is made with a doorstop of sourdough, topped with braised kale, smoked bacon, sage hollandaise and a poached egg (£7.50). It's open 9am-6pm Sundays, other days differ. 

The Botanic Gardens make for a pleasant stroll ( Getty Images/ iStockphoto)

A walk in the park

The Botanical Gardens (1) are in Queen’s District, around a 30-minute walk south from the Cathedral Quarter, and a great spot to spend a sunny afternoon. Stroll past the flowerbeds and trees to the Palm House, a beautiful Victorian glasshouse home to tropical plants and birds. The gardens are open every day from 7.30am-9pm, and entry is free of charge. 

For a unique walk in the city centre, book in for a Street Art Tour (seedheadarts.com) which guides you through the incredible art and murals that line the streets of the Cathedral Quarter. Walks run at 12pm every Sunday from outside the Dark Horse (15), for £8. 

Cultural afternoon

Belfast is synonymous with shipbuilding, and particularly its most infamous accomplishment, the Titanic. The exhibition centre, Titanic Belfast (3) (028 9076 6386; titanicbelfast.com), is based in the Titanic Quarter a short walk east from the city centre, and a striking sight in itself. The self-guided tour is insightful and sensitively interactive – a ride takes you through the “shipyard”, complete with face-warming coals; a handrail vibrates as you look out over a televised sea view. Voices from survivors depict the moment of disaster in a darkened corridor, as sounds of Morse code fill the air. Submarine footage of the wreckage is shown on a huge cinema screen and also underfoot, below a glass floor. Tickets cost £18, and include access to SS Nomadic. It’s open daily from 9am-7pm in the summer, hours vary slightly in other months.

The Titanic Belfast exhibition centre offers a self-guided tour ( Getty Images)

Take a ride

The city is compact, so you’ll rarely need to use public transport. Taxis are fairly cheap, with a 10-minute ride costing around £5, and much of the city can be reached on foot. If you need them, buses run through the city and out to the airport. 

To see more of the outskirts while learning about the complex history of the city, take a Blackcab Political Tour (077 9860 2401; touringaroundbelfast.com) with someone who knows the city and its intricacies inside and out. You’ll see the Peace Wall (19) and murals, and learn about The Troubles from someone who has lived through them. Tours cost £35 for up to three people or £15 per head for more. 

See the city's murals on a political tour ( Getty Images/ iStockphoto)

Travel essentials

Getting there

British Airways (ba.com) flies to George Best Belfast City Airport (20) from Heathrow from £88 return; Flybe (flybe.com) from 14 UK airports, from £50 return. It's 3 miles from the city centre - a taxi takes less than 10 minutes and costs around £10. Alternatively the Airport Express 600 bus takes around 15 minutes and costs £2.50.

Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies to Belfast International Airport (21) from Gatwick from £26 return; Easyjet (easyjet.com) from 10 UK airports from £34 return. Belfast International Airport is about a 30-minute drive from the city centre – a taxi costs around £33. The Airport Express 300 takes 45 minutes and costs £7.50.

Staying there

There’s a serious buzz to Bullitt Belfast (22) (028 9590 0600; bullitthotel.com), with the courtyard bar hopping every weekend, and locals gathering for a glass of wine in the afternoon. Rooms range from dinky (read: tiny) to roomy, and include a breakfast bag hung on your door come morning. Doubles from £100, B&B.

As well as a location right on the edge of the Cathedral Quarter, Malmaison Belfast (23) is also a handy hop away from the Titanic District (028 9600 1405; malmaison.com). Doubles from £115, room only.

The only five-star in the city, The Merchant Hotel (24) (028 9023 4888; themerchanthotel.com) is home to a seriously impressive façade and an elegant cocktail bar. Doubles from £180, room only.

48 Hours in Athens: hotels, restaurants and places to visit

Travel essentials

Why go now?

The Greek islands are renowned as summer hotspots, yet the capital is rarely seen in the same light. But Athens is a fine prospect in August, a starting point for twin-centre holidays which also visit the nearby Peloponnese peninsula, 50 miles to the west and - with a wealth of untouched little villages and ports - a rising star itself. The Athens and Epidaurus Festival (00 30 210 327 2000; greekfestival.gr), a feast of drama, dance and music staged at various venues, continues through the month.

Touch down

Eleftherios Venizelos Airport (1) (00 30 210 353 0000; aia.gr) is 17 miles east of the city. It is linked to the UK by Aegean Airlines (0871 200 0040; aegeanair.com) from Heathrow and Birmingham, and by British Airways (0344 493 0787; ba.com) from Heathrow. easyJet (0330 365 5000; easyjet.com) flies direct from Edinburgh, Manchester and Gatwick, while Ryanair (0843 504 7252; ryanair.com) offers a connection from Stansted.

Line Three of the Athens metro ties the airport to the heart of the matter, including central stations Monastiraki (2) and Syntagma (3), in 40 minutes; single fares are €10 (returns within 48 hours are €18). Airport bus X95 makes the journey to Syntagma Square (3) in 50 minutes, for €6. Taxis take 40 minutes at fixed rates of €38 in the daytime and €50 between midnight and 5am.

Get your bearings

Athens is located almost at the south-east corner of the Greek mainland, and is the capital of the Attica region as well as the country. It spreads out, as it has for at least 7,000 years, around the Acropolis (4) – its landmark rock bluff, crowned by the Parthenon (5) temple since 447BC.

It is easily explored on foot – although the three-line, 65-station metro system covers the city in detail. Single tickets for all journeys in the centre (metro, buses, trams; 00 30 214 414 6400; stasy.gr) cost €1.40, 24-hour passes €4.50. A tourist information kiosk (6) is open on Amalias Ave Dionissiou Areopagitou Street, daily 9am-9pm, between May and September (00 30 210 321 7116; thisisathens.org). A year-round kiosk is available at the airport (1) (daily 8am-8pm; 00 30 210 353 0390). Further details can be found at visitgreece.gr.

Explore ancient history in the National Archaeological Museum (Ricardo André Frantz, WikiCommons)

Check in

The Hermes Hotel (7) is a three-star close to the heart of the action at 19 Apollonos Plaka in Plaka (00 30 210 323 5514; hermeshotel.gr), with a cool bar and a children’s play room. Double rooms from £64, with breakfast. 

St George Lycabettus (8) is a boutique gem - with a glorious rooftop pool - on the lower slope of Lycabettus Hill, above Kolonaki (2 Kleomensus Street; 00 30 210 729 0439; sglycabettus.gr). Doubles from €88, room only.

Hotel Grande Bretagne (9) (00 30 210 333 0000; grandebretagne.gr) is the five-star king of Syntagma Square (3) – all 19th-century echoes, with doubles from €230, room only.

Day one

Take a hike

Begin a morning wander into antiquity in central Monastiraki Square (2). Stroll south on Areos, past Hadrian’s Library (10), a seat of learning from the Roman era that was built in 132AD. It still stands firm, all staunch columns.

Find more of the same as you go south on Dioskouron – where the Roman Agora (11) was one of the city’s focal points in the 1st century BC. The Tower Of The Winds, a grand marble clocktower, is still visible.

Take a hike up Mount Lycabettus for an overview of Athens - or, if you're feeling lazier, hitch a ride on the funicular (Shutterstock)

From here, cut west on Polignotou, and take the path around Areopagus Hill. This gives a leafy view of the Acropolis. Continue to pedestrian drag Dionysiou Areopagitou, and follow it clockwise to number 15 – where the Acropolis Museum (12) is a treasure trove of ancient heritage (00 30 210 900 0900; theacropolismuseum.gr; entry €5). Open daily 8am-8pm (Monday to 4pm; Friday to 10pm), it makes a case for the return of the “Elgin Marbles” – the reliefs which were chiselled from the Parthenon (5) by aristocratic magpie Thomas Bruce from 1800 to 1803. A gallery displays the carvings which survived this act of appropriation – alongside replicas of those that currently reside in the British Museum.

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A walk in the park

The main entrance to the Acropolis (4) (00 30 210 321 4172; odysseus.culture.gr; daily 8am-8pm; €20) is directly opposite the museum on Dionysiou Areopagitou. You need at least two hours to explore this craggy wonderland, hiking up towards a date with the Parthenon (5), the temple to the city’s patron ancient goddess, Athena. It ranks as an epic symbol of civilisation, as does the Theatre of Dionysus Eleuthereus (13), on the south side of the hill. Dedicated to the ancient Greek god of drama and wine, this 4th century BC auditorium held 17,000 people in its heyday – and retains its splendour in the present.

Lunch on the run

The eateries on nearby Makrigianni are tourist traps, but Yard Cafe (14) at No 17 (00 30 210 923 9792; yardcafe.blogspot.co.uk) is a solid pitstop, serving dishes such as pork fillet with figs for €12.

The Theatre of Dionysus is dedicated to the Greek god of drama and wine (Славен Косановић, WikiCommons)

Window shopping

Ermou is the city’s main pedestrian drag. Le Chocolat – Matsouka (15), at No 18 (00 30 210 331 8010; chocolat.com.gr), is a hive of olive oils, wine and Greek produce, as well as fancy chocolate.

The chic Kolonaki district, meanwhile, has some of Athens' best stores. Home décor specialist Box Architects (16) at 9 Charitos (00 30 210 724 8600; boxarchitects.gr) sells lights and lamps in an array of shapes. Jack In The Box (17) at 13 Charitos (00 30 210 725 8735; jackinthebox.gr) is a superb toy shop, full of tricycles and cuddly bears.

An aperitif

Set parallel to Ermou, Kolokotroni is an avenue abuzz with bars. Booze Cooperativa (18), at No 57 (00 30 211 405 3733; boozecooperativa.com), is one of the liveliest; part watering hole, part gallery, with modern artworks on the walls and craft ales for €4.

Dine with the locals

Thissio has many food options on the narrow lane of Herakleidon. The Sowl (19), at No 10 (00 30 210 345 0003; thesowl.com), is a Latin hotspot that dispenses a citrus-heavy seabass ceviche for €10.60.

Psirri is a maze of restaurants. Oineas (20) at 9 Aisopou (00 30 210 321 5614; facebook.com/oineas) serves modern Greek fare, including grilled octopus for €9.50. Liosporos Jazz Cafe (21), at 24 Miaouli (00 30 213 024 9151), clings to Greek traditions – such as soutzoukakia (minced lamb with tomatoes and basil) for €6. 

The Sowl is a sizzling Latin-themed hotspot serving a mean sea bass ceviche (The Sowl, Facebook) 

Day two

Sunday morning: go to church

A religious jewel on Plateia Mitropoleos, the Metropolitan Cathedral (22) (00 30 210 322 1308; daily 7am-7pm; Sunday mass at 6.30am) is one of the city’s most important buildings. It was one of the first landmarks constructed in the capital after Greece wrested itself away from Ottoman control in 1829 – built between 1842 and 1862, using masonry from 72 demolished churches, as a statement of national identity. A place of contemplation, it holds the tombs of two saints (Philothei and Gregory V of Constantinople) who were killed under Turkish rule. Adjacent, the Mikri Mitropoli (23), a tiny church, dates to the 13th century.

Out to brunch

Grab a bite next to the cathedral at Commerce (24) (00 30 210 322 5533) at 5 Evangelistrias, one of a clutch of eateries on this Monastiraki street that are raising their level above photos-on-menu mediocrity. A plate of grilled Crete sausages with sour cabbage is €9.

Cultural afternoon

If you want to experience more of the past, the National Archaeological Museum (25), at 44 Patission, in the slightly more northerly Exarcheia area (00 30 213 214 4800; namuseum.gr), is an Athens essential. Open daily 8am-8pm (€10), it has been a shrine to Ancient Greece since 1889. Exhibits include the Artemision Bronze – a sculpture of (probably) Zeus that was discovered in a shipwreck off the country’s northern coastline in 1926 – as well as the Mask of Agamemnon (a gold funeral mask, dated to 1,500BC, which supposedly belonged to the Mycenaean king who commanded the Greek forces at Troy).

Athens' Technopolis is a 19th-century gasworks repurposed as a hipster-ish hive of music and art (Dinos P, Flickr)

To glimpse a more modern side of the city, try the Technopolis City of Athens (26) at 100 Pireos Street in the Gazi district (00 30 210 347 5518; technopolis-athens.com). A 19th-century gasworks reimagined as a hotspot of music and art, it includes the Industrial Gas Museum (daily except Monday, 10am-6pm; €1), which preserves machinery of this oil-rag era. It also has the Skywalk, an aerial nest of suspended bridges and walkways (daily 10am-10pm; free).

Take a view

Rising to 908ft (277m), north-east of the centre, Mount Lycabettus (27) offers a wide snapshot of the city. You can approach the summit on foot, taking the trail which presents itself on Kleomenous, to the rear of the St George Lycabettus hotel (8) – an upward route which is awash with cacti and slow-moving tortoises. Or you can take the funicular - its base station waits at Aristippou 1 (28) (daily 9am-2.30am; €3.50 each way). This saves on shoe leather, though you have to walk up steep Ploutarchou to find it. The 19th-century Chapel of St George is a whitewashed joy on the hilltop.

The icing on the cake

Elsewhere on the summit, you can take in the sunset from the terrace at Orizontes Lycabettus (00 30 210 722 7065; orizonteslycabettus.gr) – a seafood specialist serving specialities including sautéed sea bream in citrus sauce for €19.

Click here to view our Classic Greece Tour, with Independent Holidays

Why a SuneoClub holiday gives you more bang for your buck

Everyone’s a fan of getting more for less, and there’s no feeling like heading off to make holiday memories knowing you haven’t broken the bank. Enter, our SuneoClub collection.

All the hotels in this range are geared around getting the most out of your trip, and having plenty of pennies left over for absolutely necessary extras – like that celebratory piña colada at the airport, for instance. But, that doesn’t mean there’s been any skimping either – every SuneoClub hotel is filled to the brim with all the must-haves, and they all stick to a tried-and-tested, no-frills formula.

Location, location, location

Budget shouldn’t mean being stuck at the back, so we’ve made sure that all of our SuneoClub hotels are less than a 10-minute walk to the beach – and some are perched right on the sand. They’re all less than a 20-minute drive from the city centre, too, making souvenir shopping super easy. . Take one of our brand new hotels for example – you’ll find the SuneoClub Odessos bang in the middle of Bulgaria’s Golden Sands resort, and the beach is just a five-minute stroll away. Plus, every single hotel’s in a top Mediterranean holiday spot, so whether it’s a waterpark in Cyprus or a Greek island boat trip that’s on the agenda, you’re sorted.

Top-notch pools

Every SuneoClub hotel has a huge pool, meaning there’s bags of room for a splash about. They’re all really central, too, so no long walks to the water. It’s a friendly scene poolside, so meeting new people or just having a chat’s the norm around these parts. And, we always make sure there are loads of sunbeds up for grabs. At the SuneoClub Garden Nevis, in Bulgaria’s Sunny Beach, you’ll find a jumbo pool, and a snack bar sat right next to it for topping up those energy levels.

Eat your way around the world, jet lag not included

SuneoClub’s signature WorldCuisine set-up does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s an All Inclusive outfit, and you’ll find a mix of buffet stations, fresh salad bars and grills, with flavours thrown in from more countries than you can shake a breadstick at. Plus, we always have at least two spots where live-action cooking happens – think personalised stir fries, and your pizza twirling in front of you.

Catch some Z’s

We’ve revamped the idea of hotel bedrooms – after all, how often are you actually going to use that fancy in-room hot tub, when the beach, the pool and the bar’s outside in the sunshine? __holidays aren’t about sitting in your room, so we’ve stripped it back to basics – without dialling down the style. You’ll find bright, welcoming rooms in all our hotels, with comfy beds and a few mod-cons. Plus, we make it easy on solo travellers, families and groups, by having single and triple rooms, as well as apartments, across our SuneoClub roster.

Smiles come as standard

Our friendly teams are on hand to make sure you have a holiday to remember, for all the best reasons. Forget any ideas of sprawling resorts with staff that you barely see – we’ve got a friendly vibe going on. Fancy playing cards at your sunbed? Just ask. Looking to keep the kids occupied? Our SuneoClub team love a poolside game or five. On that note, we’ve also made sure younger guests are taken care of – our SuneoPlay zones are designed with an airport theme, and are chock full of interactive games. Plus, when it’s time for the little ones to get out of the sun for a while, this is the ideal spot.

Fancy heading off on a SuneoClub holiday? Check out our hotels, or find out more about the collection.

11 Things You Didn’t Know About Varna

Bulgaria’s pretty new to the tourism game, but more and more holidaymakers are getting wise to its secrets – The Varna region is one of the country’s best kept. This wedge of north-eastern Bulgaria is our new destination for summer 2018. And it’s got lots to offer, lining up gorgeous beaches, plenty of history and mysterious natural wonders. Read on for some of Varna’s most surprising quirks…

Beaches

When you think beaches, Bulgaria might not spring to mind, but in fact the Varna region plays host to some stellar swathes of sand. Its biggest beach sits at the mouths of the Kamchiya and Shkorpilovska rivers and stretches out for 13 kilometres.

Wine

Bulgaria’s one of the world’s biggest winemakers. Around 200,000 tonnes of the tipple is produced there every year, and a third of that comes from the Varna region. There’s even an annual festival celebrating the patron saint of wine on the 14th of February. Growers water their crops with wine, then gear up for an all-night party.

Yoghurt

Bulgaria’s famous for its yoghurt, which is said to taste better than its Greek rival – yum. The secret ingredient’s a type of Bulgarian good bacteria which is used to make the stuff.

Thermal Springs

You can splash around in natural thermal springs in Varna – the Ereka spring’s a good spot. You won’t be the first, though. Varna’s springs have been used for centuries, famously by the Romans, who’ve left the 2nd Century Roman Thermae behind as proof.

Ski Slope

Varna’s got its own ski slope. It’s called Valchi Dol, which translates as ‘wolf ravine’. Don’t worry – swooping down the slope’s not as scary as its name.

Stone Forest

The region features Bulgaria’s only desert, which is home to a mystical natural wonder. The Stone Forest or Pobiti Kamani, is a group of massive rock structures arranged in a circle. Legend has it that they have magical powers.

Rocky History

History buffs will feel at home in Varna. Some of the region’s sites, like the Aladzha monastery, are carved right into rock, and they’re still in really good nick.

Ostriches

You might think that ostriches only live in far-away, exotic countries, but it turns out Bulgaria’s home to a few of these big birds, too. Varna’s Ostrich Valley – a working farm – even gives you the chance to cuddle a baby ostrich.

Cape Kaliakra

This red-cliffed cape’s the longest on the Black Sea coast. It’s got some stories to tell, including one about a group of 40 14th-century girls with their hair tied together (don’t ask). Now, it’s bursting with history and ruins, along with a couple of golf clubs for good measure.

Music

The country’s oldest music festival is hosted in the city of Varna in June and July. The Varna Summer International Music Festival made its debut in 1926 and has shown off the best of Bulgaria’s classical music scene every year since.

World Record

Varna made a worldwide name for itself in 2016, when 4,000 volunteers set a new world record on the city’s beach. What was the record? Well, it was for the longest DNA strand made by people. Of course.

Intrigued? Book your summer 2018 holiday to Varna and see it for yourself.

48 Hours in Hong Kong: hotels, restaurants and places to visit

Travel essentials

Why go now?

The oppressively hot days of summer will soon be coming to an end and the high-rise metropolis of Hong Kong will once again be a joy to behold. Throw in new flights, a wave of new bars and restaurants and some of the most iconic sights and experiences in the Far East and you’ve got a city break of epic proportions.

Touch down

Hong Kong is served by a number of direct flights from the UK. I travelled with Virgin Atlantic (0844 209 2770; virginatlantic.com), which departs every evening from Heathrow on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Return fares from £460.

British Airways (0344 493 0787; ba.com) also operates from Heathrow, as does Cathay Pacific (020 8834 8888; cathaypacific.com), which from 2 September will also fly from Manchester and Gatwick.

Around 12 hours later you’ll touch down at Hong Kong International Airport (1), located on Lantau Island, 34km north-west of the city centre. The Airport Express train whisks new arrivals to downtown Hong Kong in 24 minutes. Services depart every 10 minutes between 5.54am and 12.48am bound for Central (2) and Kowloon (3) stations. A one-way ticket costs from HKD60. A taxi will cost from HKD285 to Hong Kong Island and HKD220 to Kowloon.

Currently, £1 is worth HKD10.31, while US$1 is worth HKD7.76.

Get your bearings

The British have long had a love affair with Hong Kong. A colony until it was handed back to China in 1997, it is now an autonomous “special administrative region” of the People’s Republic. It consists of 263 islands and a peninsula that juts down from mainland China.

The principle destinations for visitors are historic Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, located to the south on the other side of Victoria Harbour and known for its futuristic shoreline crammed with gleaming skyscrapers. But the outlying islands – notably Lantau, the largest in the archipelago – are also worthy of some attention.

The Star Ferry is a ride that's not to be missed, offering unique city views (Hong Kong Tourism Board/discoverhongkong.com)

The main tourist information centre (4) is at the Star Ferry Concourse in Tsim Sha Tsui (00 852 2508 1234; discoverhongkong.com; 8am-8pm daily).

Check in

Dating back to 1928, the Peninsula Hotel (5) on Salisbury Road (00 852 2920 2888; hongkong.peninsula.com) may be the oldest hotel in Hong Kong but there are 21st century touches throughout: rooms with king-sized beds, waterfall showers and specially designed control panels. Elsewhere, unwind at the heavenly spa with treatment rooms overlooking Victoria Harbour. Doubles from HKD3,880, room only.

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Unwind at the Peninsula's spa, with treatment rooms overlooking the Victoria Harbour (Peninsula Hotel)

Design property Hotel Icon (6) at 15 Science Museum Road (00 852 3400 1000; hotel-icon.com) is kitted out with contemporary Chinese art but it’s the harbour views that really impress. Doubles from HKD1,846, room only.

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The 148-room Butterfly on Hollywood (7) at 263 Hollywood Road (00 852 2850 8899; butterflyhk.com) is stylish, well located and reasonably priced. Doubles from HKD710, room only.

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Day one

Take a hike

Start at one of Hong Kong’s oldest temples. Dedicated to the gods of war and literature, Man Mo temple (8) at 124 Hollywood Road (00 852 2540 0350; 8am-6pm) was built in 1847 and its crimson interior is heady with the aroma of countless coils of burning incense. From there, cross the road and walk down the short flight of stairs, turning left onto Cat’s Street (9). This pedestrianised strip is lined with stalls selling faux antiques and quirky souvenirs. Chairman Mao watch, anyone?

Take in the historic Man Mo temple, built in 1847 (Hong Kong Tourism Board/discoverhongkong.com)

Backtrack onto Hollywood Road and walk east. Pause for a maca-taha smoothie (coconut yoghurt, maca powder, chia seeds and spinach) at Grassroots Pantry (10) at number 108 (00 852 2873 3353; grassrootspantry.com; 9am-11pm) and continue, keeping watch for the interesting street art on display at the junctions to other streets. Finish at Shelley Street where you’ll find the Mid-Level Escalators (11), a pioneering elevated walkway system that extends over 800 metres in a bid to provide the thousands of residents living on the steep hillsides with easy access to Central.

The Mid-Level Escalators were built to connect the city's steep hillside areas to Central  (Hong Kong Tourism Board/discoverhongkong.com)

Window shopping

Mong Kok (12) in Kowloon is the place for gadgets, but far more interesting are the fine art and rare Chinese artefacts on show in the antique stores along Hollywood Road (13).

Hong Kong is also home to some of the best tailors in the world. Gents can get a bespoke suit from Cuffs (14) at 2F 27 Lee Garden Road (00 852 241 36033; cuffs.hk), which has recently opened its second store in Causeway Bay. Favouring more contemporary designs, owner Ian Fong has devised a unique process that customises everything from the cut to the thread of the buttons. Typical opening hours are 10am-8pm daily.

Lunch on the run

Read more

Where to eat in Hong Kong: Join the queue for a culinary

Replenish your energy levels with a plate of stir-fried scallops with black garlic (HKD248) at SohoFama (15) at 35 Aberdeen Street (00 852 2858 8238; sohofama.com; 12pm-10.30pm daily) – best enjoyed at an outdoor table beside the restaurant’s vegetable garden.

SohoFama forms part of the PMQ complex (00 852 2870 2335; pmq.org; 7am-11pm daily), a former police station transformed into a creative space with around 100 independent food and retail outlets, many design – and fashion – focused with local connections.

Take a view

There’s no better vantage point to appreciate Hong Kong’s vertiginous skyline than from Victoria Peak (16) (00 852 2849 0669; thepeak.com.hk; 10am-11pm daily), best seen at dusk. If time permits, walk the one-hour circular Peak Trail for a different perspective. The nicest way to reach the 552m summit is on the gravity-defying 125-year-old Peak Tram which departs from 33 Garden Road (17), in Central, every 10-15 minutes between 7am and midnight. A return ticket costs HKD83. Pre-book tickets as queues are often lengthy.

Victoria Peak is the best place to get a full view of Hong Kong's extraordinary skyline (Hong Kong Tourism Board/discoverhongkong.com)

An aperitif

The newest and hottest bar in town is Ophelia (18) at 1/F The Avenue, Lee Tung Avenue (00 852 2520 1117; ophelia.com.hk; 6pm-2am closed Sunday and Monday), where cocktails are served in birdcages. Pass through the aviary-themed entrance and into a decadent and dimly-lit space inspired by the city’s 19th century opium dens. The attention to detail is astonishing – there are 600,000 handpainted ceramic tiles with peacock eye motifs and resplendent feathers. Try the “Cheongasm” cocktail with tequila, homemade pomegranate cordial, lemon and cinnamon mist.

Dine with the locals

Hong Kong’s culinary scene is not only exciting but also constantly evolving with new innovative restaurants opening on an almost daily basis. One such eatery is Cobo House (19) at 8/12 South Lane (00 852 2656 3088; cobohouse.com; 12pm-11pm daily), from celebrated pastry chef Janice Wong. Dishes include duck breast with herbs and mocha mugi (a Japanese glutinous barley), and cod with smoked aubergine puree and dill cream. Mains from HKD168.

Another new hotspot is QI Nine Dragons (20) at 20/F Prince Tower, 12A Peking Road (00 852 2799 8899; qi-ninedragons.hk) which serves blow-your-socks-off Sichuan cuisine. Even the chocolate ice cream is spicy. Try the fried calamari with Sichuan miso (HKD128) and cool off with a nightcap on the rooftop terrace.

Day two

Sunday morning: out to brunch

Do as the locals do and dine out on dim sum. But not just any old dim sum. Upon first impressions there’s nothing particularly special about Tim Ho Wan (21) at 2 Hoi Ting Road (00 852 2332 2896; timhowan.com; 10am-9.30pm daily) – the dining room crowded and a little drab with people eating on black plastic plates – but looks can be deceiving. Considered to be the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world, the dumplings are simply divine. Go early to avoid the queue. The slightly sweet barbequed pork buns are not to be missed. Dishes from HKD18.

A walk in the park

Kowloon Walled City Park (22) on Tung Tsing Road (00 852 2716 9962; 6.30am-11pm daily), with pavilions and peaceful pathways, is based on the Jiangnan gardens of the Qing Dynasty and has a fascinating history; it stands on the site of a former ungoverned settlement that was once the most densely populated place on the planet.

Kowloon Walled City Park was once a bustling sought-after space, now a city garden (Hong Kong Tourism Board/discoverhongkong.com)

Fought over by both sides when Britain leased Hong Kong from the Chinese, it was eventually abandoned by both nations and became a place of brothels, opium dens and unlicensed health practitioners with 350 residential tower blocks crammed into an area the size of four football fields. The city was torn down in the 1990s.

Cultural afternoon

Discover more of the city’s colourful past at the Hong Kong Museum of History (23) at 100 Chatham Road South (00 852 2724 9042; lcsd.gov.hk; 10am-6pm daily except Tuesday; HKD10), which traces 400 million years of geological and cultural history.

Immerse yourself in Hong Kong's rich history with the sea (Hong Kong Tourism Board/discoverhongkong.com)

Alternatively, focus entirely on its relationship with the sea at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum (24) at Central Pier 8 (00 852 33717 2500; hkmaritimemuseum.org; HKD30) which documents the naval history and trade of the city and the surrounding Pearl River Delta.

Take a ride

No trip to Hong Kong would be complete without at least one ride on the green and white Star Ferry (starferry.com.hk) across Victoria Harbour. Boats depart every 8-12 minutes between 7.20am and 11pm from Tsim Sha Tsui Pier (25) in Kowloon, and two piers on Hong Kong Island: Central (26) and Wan Chai (27). The crossing takes around eight minutes and one-way tickets cost from HKD2.50.

Icing on the cake

Green and mountainous Lantau Island, which sits at the mouth of the Pearl River, is ripe for adventure. Ride the panoramic cable car, stand under the 34m-tall bronze Tian Tan Buddha (28) and hike the three-hour Dragon’s Back Trail for views across the island, its peaks and bays.

Lantau Island is the ideal destination for those looking for adventure (Hong Kong Tourism Board/discoverhongkong.com)

Also set aside time to visit the traditional fishing village of Tai O, where homes are built on stilts above the tidal flats. Stay overnight at the charming colonial style Tai O Heritage Hotel (29) on Shek Tsai Po Street (00 852 2985 8383; taioheritagehotel.com). Doubles from HKD710, including breakfast.

Click here to view Asian tours and holidays, with Independent Holidays.

Oakland: How San Francisco's poor cousin became the coolest city in the Bay Area

Why go now?

Long dismissed as a dangerous ghetto on the wrong side of the Bay Bridge, industrial port city Oakland has lately earned itself a rep as a more down to earth, soulful version of rival San Francisco, which twinkles in all its tech-dollar glory just eight miles away, across the water.

In fact, Oakland grudgingly owes this new lease of life - and falling violent crime rates - to its better-known older brother. Thanks to SF’s increasingly unaffordable rents, Bay Area creatives are decamping here, reviving neighbourhoods with exciting restaurant, bar and arts scenes. Where once gritty Oakland was considered a no-go area, today it is attracting curious visitors with new venues like car-dealerships-turned-brew-bars and warehouse wineries, and the inherited beauty of the Oakland Hills and Lake Merritt. So much so that, on March 28, British Airways launched flights to Oakland International from Gatwick.  

But even if you consider Frisco the main attraction, basing yourself in Oakland can be a shrewd move. The East Bay airport is a smaller, quieter operation to fly into and only a mile further from SF’s Downtown than SFO; plus, if you don't mind settling for basic accommodation, the hotels can be much cheaper. And Oakland certainly deserves at least two days of your time: people might say the heart left San Francisco in a flood of Silicon Valley money, but you can find it again here. 

An aerial view of Lake Merritt in the centre of Oakland (Steven Dos Remedios)

Get your bearings

Oakland’s main attractions are set in a compact, walkable area to the south and east of Lake Merritt (1), a tidal lagoon and urban park in the heart of the city. You’ll be most interested in the theatres, bars and restaurants of Uptown (2), shopping in Downtown (3), and waterfront entertainment at Jack London Square (4), which sit in a neat line from north to south. The city runs a free shuttle bus along Broadway stopping at all of them; the “Free B” (bshuttle.com) comes along every 10-15 minutes. 

Day one

Take a view

To get a knockout overview of the area, head behind the 100-year-old Claremont Club & Spa (5) (fairmont.com/claremont-berkeley) in the Oakland Hills. This East Bay icon and designated historical landmark sits at the foot of the Stonewall Panoramic Trail (6), which offers a steep climb through a eucalyptus grove to give sweeping views of Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco Bay below. Though only 1.6 miles long, it really is steep - no judgement if you settle for the first lookout point just above the sports field. 

Window shopping

Now heading Downtown, Oaklandish (7) (oaklandish.com) is more than a cool local apparel store. Its Oakland-branded tees, hoodies, mason jars and even skateboard tape aim to create civic pride in a troubled town and, in using pro bono design work and marketing, the business is able to donate 10 per cent of its proceeds to grassroots, non-profit community groups and gives inner-city jobs to struggling youth. Note the realism in the designs; one represents “Oakland Paradise” with a palm tree and a port container crane. 

The Oaklandish store's Oakland apparel features down-to-earth designs (Laura Chubb)

Venture slightly south into Old Oakland and see the historic street lamps lining 9th, a street stuffed with indie boutiques. Check out the elegant homeware fashioned from reclaimed wood and Coke bottles in just-opened Shop Be Home (8) (shopbehome.com), or the American-crafted goodies in Marion & Rose Fine Goods (9) (marionandrose.com), great for funny, hand-drawn cards and uniquely scented candles (shout out to “fresh air and sea salt”). 

Lunch on the run

Oakland’s economy was built on shipyards and automobile services, and while the city can still claim the fifth-busiest port in the US, General Motors’ manufacturing facility shuttered in the Sixties. Drake’s Dealership (10) (drinkdrakes.com) pays homage to the past by slinging wood-fired pizza and house-brewed beers in an old red-brick Dodge dealership - the open-air beer garden, under the iron skeleton of the original roof, is a must if weather allows. Get your pizza “Draked” by adding a slow-poached duck egg or order up poutine with double-duck gravy. Servers dressed in Fifties-style autorepair shop shirts help you navigate the lengthy beer list. Take a moment to observe the mixed crowd of man-bun hipsters, families, couples and older groups, a sign of Oakland’s strong community feel. 

Pair pizza with craft beers at Drake's Dealership, a former Dodge showroom (Drake's Dealership)

Take a hike

Oakland hasn’t just hopped aboard the craft beer bandwagon - its surplus of warehouses and proximity to California wine country has fostered a fertile crop of urban wineries. The Urban Wine Trail (oaklandurbanwinetrail.com) stretches east to west around Jack London and is a great way to explore on foot. Each winery has its own story and style, from the lighter French-accented wines of Dashe (11) (dashecellars.com), co-owned by a couple from Brittany and LA, to the focus on family-owned wineries at Rosenblum (12) (rosenblumcellars.com), which started life in a factory on the docks in the Seventies and now occupies a more romantic waterfront position by Oakland Ferry Terminal. 

Dine with the locals

Five years ago, the stretch of San Pablo Avenue south of John B. Williams Freeway was no good to anyone. Then Hopscotch (13) (hopscotchoakland.com), a collab between a bar manager and a chef who had worked at the same SF restaurant, gave people reason to make the pilgrimage. Today, it’s a hoppin’ thoroughfare proffering craft coffee, Indian street food, and long lines for California-Korean burritos. But Hopscotch remains the main event: Japanese-meets-American comfort food, a seriously inventive cocktail menu (pisco, meet beet vodka) and a fun, unforced environment of found art and fixtures. Best reserve ahead.

Hopscotch is a Japanese-American eatery decked out in found fixtures (Hopscotch)

Day two

Sunday morning: out to brunch

Start your day a short stroll from Lake Merritt (1), where new kid on the block The Gastro Pig (14) (thegastropig.com) prides itself on its #baconslut breakfast sandwich - aleppo chile aioli, cheese, over-easy egg and bacon on sweet brioche. But better still is the waffle iron hash brown with melted cheddar and spring onion - you’ll wonder how on earth you ever lived without it. Co-owner Ann Thai, another SF refugee turned Oakland entrepreneur, walks round chatting to customers and gave us a top tip - order up a cup of their creamy tomato soup for hash brown dunking. Too good. 

A walk in the park

Work off brunch with a turn around the grassy shore of Lake Merritt (1), packed with joggers and amblers on weekends. A serene oasis in the midst of Downtown skyscrapers and traffic, spot rowing teams and sailboats on the water, and to the east of the lake you’ll see the glass-and-steel exterior of the futuristic Cathedral of Christ the Light (15). Make a pit stop at Lake Chalet (16) (lakechalet.com), serving seafood, Southern fare and craft brews from sister SF resto and brewery The Beach Chalet. Grab an al fresco table on the dock if you can. 

Hire a gondola for a tour of Lake Merritt (Jerry Ting)

Take a ride

Surreal as it may seem, for US$60 you can take a 30-minute gondola tour of the lake, rowed by a stripy-T-shirt-clad gondolier who’ll even sing to you in Italian. Gondola Servizio (17) (gondolaservizio.com) was launched by a genuine Venetian gondolier who moved to Oakland for love. He imported the gondolas, took on some local apprentices, and now offers a splash of Venetian romance in inner-city O-Town, peppered with fun local facts (who knew Oakland invented the Mai Tai and the fortune cookie folding machine?). Bonus: you can BYOB. 

Cultural afternoon

Sunday afternoons are made for museums. Right by the lake, the Oakland Museum of California (18) (museumca.org) hosts special exhibitions, like the recent “Rise of Sneaker Culture” show, as well as permanent galleries. Don’t miss the excellent Gallery of California History, which covers everything from how the state got its shape to Japanese internment and the making of Hollywood. You’ll need a good two hours to make the most of it. 

Uptown Oakland's lavish Fox Theatre has hosted some of the world's biggest bands (Tom Tomkinson)

The icing on the cake

If you plan ahead, you could catch a gig at Uptown’s Fox Theatre (19) (thefoxoakland.com), a city mascot and trippily Ottoman-ish example of lavish 1920s architecture. Upcoming gigs include Bonobo, Deamau5 and The Flaming Lips. 

Or keep it sweet and head to old-school Fentons Creamery (20) (fentonscreamery.com). This ice cream parlour dates back to 1894 and claims to have invented the Rocky Road recipe. The menu offers almost 40 regular and 18 seasonal flavours. Watch out for the gut-busting sundaes. 

Getting there

Oakland International Airport (21) is around 10 miles south of Downtown Oakland. Both British Airways (ba.com) and Norwegian (norwegian.com) fly there from Gatwick. The BART train (bart.gov) connects to Lake Merritt - a single ticket costs $7.95. Or make like a Bay Area local and order an Uber - there’s a dedicated “Smartphone App Rides” pick-up point outside arrivals. An UberPool to Downtown costs from around $13, or UberX from approx. $31.  

You can see the tower of the Claremont Club & Spa from Bay Bridge on a clear day 

Staying there

Styled as an “urban resort” in the Oakland Hills, the Claremont Club & Spa’s (5) (fairmont.com/claremont-berkeley) historic white building stands as a decadent symbol of the early days of the Gold Rush. Recently acquired by Fairmont, all 276 guest rooms have just undergone major modernisation. While the building resides in Oakland, the spa and palm-dotted gardens technically belong to Berkeley - perhaps to uphold its chi-chi reputation, the hotel has a Berkeley address. For a stylish stay in the city, and unbeatable views of the Bay, nowhere else comes close. Rates from $292 per night, room only, inclusive of taxes and facilities charge.

If you're on a budget and don't mind basic, the Imperial Inn motel (22) (imperialinnoakland.com/motel) is just a block from the McArthur BART station, which takes you to Downtown. Rates from around $80 per night, room only.

More information

visitoakland.com

Martin Kemp talks holidays and making movies

We chat to much-loved TV favourite Martin Kemp about helping 10-year-old avid film fan, Beth Ward, transform her homemade holiday film into a movie masterpiece…

It all started when we received a heart-warming letter from 10-year-old film fan, Beth Ward, telling us all about her holiday to First Choice’s Azul Fives by Karisma in Mexico and urging us to watch her homemade holiday film. We decided to make her dream of becoming a filmmaker a reality, and enlisted the help of actor and director Martin Kemp. He gave Beth a special masterclass in directing, and even helped her to edit her very own holiday film. You can read more about Beth’s story here and watch our film below.

 

In between putting together Beth’s film, we chatted to the British star about his amazing travels, extensive career, and how to make a great holiday movie…

You must have travelled all over the world throughout your career. Where are your favourite places?

If I wanted to go on holiday to relax, I’d probably go to Barbados, but I’m kind of easy really. Once I’m on the beach and I’ve got my eyes shut and a cocktail in my hand, then I’m just really relaxed and could be anywhere. So sometimes we’ll plan __holidays to far off places like Hawaii and sometimes we’ll stick close to home and do Spain, it’s just whatever takes us in the moment. But saying that, the older I get, the closer to home I like to be.

The most exciting place that I ever go to is Hong Kong. That for me has got everything that I love about the East – just how nice the people are – and it’s got the excitement of New York, so it brings the two things together. Whenever I’m there I just feel this buzz that I don’t get anywhere else.

Where would you jet off to for a short break?

For a short break, I would go to Italy. I’m in love with Italy. I spent a lot of the eighties touring up and down the country with Spandau Ballet and we pretty much covered it all, because that was our biggest fan base outside of the UK. We just toured there two years ago, and played all of the old Gladiator arenas like Verona Arena and the one in Sicily. It’s the most incredible country, and if I moved abroad I would move to Rome. I love the food there, the restaurants are unbelievable, the people are amazing and I like their lifestyle.

What kind of traveller are you? Do you prefer the beach, city sightseeing or activities?

I prefer to mix it up a bit. I like to go somewhere that has a beach, definitely, but also where you can get out and have a bit of adventure. I couldn’t go to the beach every day – although when I was a bit younger I probably could have. I’ll usually do a couple of days of exploring the nearby cities, and then get stuck into mountain biking or whatever the area has to offer. And then, when I’m completely knackered I go to the beach or pool – a good swimming pool is really important! But, I like to come back from a holiday feeling like I’ve achieved something other than just a suntan.

You’re a well-known face on British screens – both from performing with Spandau Ballet and playing Steve Owen in Eastenders – but how did you move into working behind the camera?

The very first thing that I bought with my wages from Spandau Ballet, which was £70 at the time, was a Super 8 camera. That camera went with me everywhere around the world. And in fact, lots of the footage I took on that camera ended up on the Spandau Ballet documentary we had out recently, called Soul Boys of the Western World.

Cameras have always been a part of my life, thanks to my career, and whenever I go away I take one with me. It’s something I’ve always done, and when I get home, I edit the footage into short two-minute movies so people don’t get bored of the 45 minute shots. What I love about making films is that it involves everything I do in entertainment. It involves photography, music, acting – it’s everything that I do wrapped up in one big bubble.

Do you have any memories of yourself or your children growing up on film?

Not of me unfortunately, no. I don’t have anything on film from when I was a kid, as my mum and dad barely had the money to take us on holiday. It was expensive to take still pictures and get them developed in those days as well. How they got us on holiday in the first place I’ll never understand to be honest, they must have saved up a lot.

So, my early memories aren’t on film, but maybe that’s why when I go away with my kids, I take a GoPro and film as much as I can. But even when we get back and I’m looking at the films I’ve taken of my kids, no matter how many I’ve got on there, I always want more. You just can’t film enough of your kids and those holidays, because they’re such great memories.

Your daughter Harley, 27, is also a photographer, has she given you any tips over the years and vice versa?

Well, I gave her all of my tips, and now she’s teaching me hers. Harley’s a photographer, my son Roman is in the entertainment business, and my wife Shirlie is a photographer as well. So in my house we’re all in the same industry and we all share the knowledge. But Harley is a really good photographer, so that’s her specialist area.

Your son Roman, 24, is a keen Instagrammer, what are your thoughts on today’s social media generation?

I think it has got its good sides and its bad sides. The good sides are that people are doing something artistic, cutting footage together on their phones, and making great little videos for people to watch online. Everyone has access to that medium and the chance to become a presenter, even if just ten people watch it. But, obviously, there’s a danger that goes with social media and we all know what those dangers are and have to be aware. I use Instagram and Twitter, but just to upload onto and put stuff out there.

What was the best part of editing Beth’s holiday film?

It was Beth absolutely. She comes from that YouTube generation where all the kids know how to turn the camera on themselves and present. She did it with such charisma that when I was editing her film, I kept as much of her in as possible, because she is the driving force and charm of the film.

Did you learn a lot from her then?

I learn from all kids. When you watch kids do anything, they do it with a kind of naivety – they just do it for fun and say what they think without worrying about the way they look. I think all adults can learn a lot from kids, actually.

What word would you use to sum up Beth’s holiday film and why?

Exciting. I think it was really exciting. What she was showing us, the holiday in Mexico she was on with her family – you could feel how happy they were. It came across as really exciting.

What advice or tips would you give to somebody who wants to create a memorable holiday film?

There’s a few tips really. My big one is to always shoot something in a wide angle, a medium angle and a close-up. If you use those three angles in the same variant, like filming a conversation, you will be able to cut together something that’s fantastic. When I’m looking through a camera I will always try and capture those three angles of a single scene. Also, hold the camera steady when filming and move it slower than you think.

Who are your favourite film directors?

I think Martin Scorsese, easily. Goodfellas is my favourite film, and that’s directed by him. Another old classic that I love is Sunset Boulevard.

Quick fire questions:

Sun or snow

Sun

Beach or pool

Beach

Short haul or long haul

Both – there are some amazing places to travel to long haul, but the Med is just easier to get to.

You can watch Beth in Mexico in Vue nationwide this spring. Find out more about our First Choice holidays.

Not just Brits and booze: How to do Paphos, Capital of Culture 2017, in two days

Why go now? 

On the last weekend of January Paphos takes over as joint European Capital of Culture (along with Denmark’s Aarhus). The ancient port, soaked in Greek mythology and legendary birthplace of Aphrodite the goddess of love, is set around one of the most dazzling harbours in the Mediterranean. 

In a sense Paphos has already been a city of culture for more than two millennia. Throughout 2017 it will be a happening place, drawing on its classical and mythological heritage as themes for a year-long “open-air factory of culture”. This will be made up of dance, musical and theatrical performances in parks, beaches and on the streets. 

Get your bearings

Paphos is out in the far west of Cyprus where the mountains meet the sea. There are two distinct sectors: Ktima, the stately old town, uphill and inland, where there are elegant colonial houses and several museums; and Kato Paphos, the main tourist area of restaurants, souvenir shops, low-rise apartments and a few British pubs scattered around the harbour.

The resident population is only about 60,000 but numbers are swollen year round by tourists. One reason it was chosen as cultural capital is because it is a 12-month destination; winters are warm, mild and generally sunny with January temperatures often nudging 20C. Summer – the peak beach season – is hot, while spring and autumn are usually cool enough for sightseeing while warm enough to swim. 

Day one

Take a hike

Stroll along the Kato Paphos waterfront (1) towards the harbour and castle, keeping the sea to your left. The east to west direction is important because it leads to the Paphos Archaeological Park (​2) (open 8am-7.30pm every day, entry €4.50). It will take the rest of the morning to hike round the vast, Med-side ruins of Neo Pafos, an ancient city founded in the 4th century BC and the capital of Cyprus for nearly a millennium.

Saranta Kolones Fortress was once an impressive castle

Stop at the House of Dionysos and prepare to be mesmerised by glittering mosaic floors depicting stories from Greek mythology. It is worth taking the time to follow some of these, such as the tragic tale of Phaedra and her bizarre love for her stepson Hippolytus.   

Continue on round the park making sure not to miss more amazing mosaics at the Villa of Theseus, where the depiction of Theseus fighting the Minotaur in the labyrinth is astonishingly well-preserved and vivid. Then pass by the Agora (forum) and semi-circular Odeon theatre, on your way to wander among the arches and columns that are all that remain of the Saranta Kolones fortress, a vast Byzantine castle from the latter days of the Neo Pafos era.

The mosaics at the Villa of Theseus are not to be missed

Lunch on the run 

The archaeological park exit is bang next to the harbour. Bag a table at The Pelican (3) on Apostolou Pavlou Ave 102 (00 357 26 952500; no website) by the waterside for a seafood mezze of everything from soft-shell crabs to grilled cuttlefish and freshly-landed swordfish. It is on the pricey side but the setting, looking across to the medieval castle, is unimprovable. 

Window shopping

Duck into the winding Kato Paphos backstreets (4) behind the rows of tat-peddling tourist shops along the harbourside main drag. You’ll find a bewildering amalgam of boutiques selling local jewellery, ceramics and handmade lace, all cheek by jowl with familiar-sounding department stores such as M&S or Debenhams (5). The latter is just behind the stone pillar where St Paul was tied up and whipped for spreading the news about Jesus Christ.

Stop for lunch at The Pelican, overlooking Paphos harbour

The best bargains in Cyprus, however, are for spectacles. Bring your prescription, choose your frames and get a new pair in 24 hours, all for around €50-60 at any of the numerous opticians. 

Some shops are closed on Sundays and on Wednesday afternoons. In summer, some close from 1-4pm for a long lunch, but stay open till 8pm.

Take a view

The Axiotheo Hotel (6), at 2 Ivis Malioti Street (00 357 2693 2866; axiotheahotel.com), set into a hillside above Ktima or 10 minutes by taxi from the harbour, has the standout panorama. You don’t have to be staying here to sip a sundowner cocktail while soaking up views over the town, coastline and Mediterranean beyond.

Dine with the locals

Ktima, the old town, is the place to dilute tourists with Cypriots. Fetta’s (7) at Ioanni Agroti 33 (00 357 2693 7822; no website) is as traditional a taverna as you’ll find anywhere in Paphos, specialising in classic local dishes such as stifad, a rich stew of beef with onions and red wine, and koupepia (various ingredients, meaty or veggie, wrapped in young vine leaves).

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There is no attempt at anything fancy or fussy. If you go the whole mezze hog, you’ll find it less fishy than at harbourside eateries. When booking, you can choose a table indoors or outside.

Day two

Sunday morning: out to brunch

Omikron Brunch, in a beautiful renovated old Ktima House (8) at 25 Martio (00 357 2695 5965; no website) will keep you away from the “Full English Served All Day” cafés found round the harbour. Inhale aromas of fresh ground coffee and sip homemade lemonade before poached eggs on muffins served with local twists, such as crumbled feta. It’s very chic and perhaps the only place in Paphos specialising in brunch. Open every day from 7am till 10pm. 

Explore excavated burial chambers at the Tombs of the Kings (Cyprus Tourism Organisation)

A walk in the park

Return to the harbour and follow the coastal path westwards. The scenery becomes increasingly wild with jagged rocks and crashing waves as you swing north round the headland. Make for the lighthouse beach bar (9) about 2km on, before retracing your footsteps. Or stop at one of the pebbly coves for a dip.

Cultural afternoon

The so-called Tombs of the Kings (10) (open 8.30am-7.30pm every day, entry €2.50) is another unmissable expanse of ancient wonders. Slightly confusingly, it forms part of the Paphos Archaeological Park (2), though the pair are separate. Scores of excavated tombs and burial chambers in soft, sandstone caves and pits dug into the ground make up this astonishing necropolis, dating from the 3rd century BC. However, they served as final resting places for local bigwigs, not royalty as the name suggests.

The view from Mare Mare bar, a great spot for pre-dinner drinks (Facebook)

An aperitif

As the sun sets, Cypriots sip Koumantaria, the tawny-coloured local “wine of kings and king of wines” grown in the foothills of the Troodos mountains. It is sweet, so often described as a dessert wine, but to go native try it with nibbles before dinner at Mare Mare bar (11) on Poseidon Avenue (00 357 2693 1987; no website), while watching evening colours dancing on the water.

Getting there

Paphos airport (12) is 8km south west of town. Shuttle bus 612 runs to Paphos harbour, 613 to Ktima (both €1.50 one way). Taxis are metered and cost roughly €30, one way.

Staying there

The quieter, smarter end of Kato Paphos is east of the harbour where there is a string of stylish five-star hotels. It is hard to beat the marble splendour of the Annabelle (13) (annabelle.com.cy), set in lush gardens next to a stony beach right by the waterside. Doubles from €205, including breakfast.

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Find Dionysos Central Hotel near Paphos Castle (Facebook)

There are plenty of mid-range options around the busier (yes, noisier) harbour area. Three-star Dionysos Central Hotel (14) (dionysoshotelpaphos.com) is moments from the castle and beach, and good value. Doubles from €89, including breakfast. 

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Family-run Axiothea Hotel (15), at 2 Ivis Malioti Street (axiotheahotel.com), is a traditional little no-frills place in the old town. It makes up for the lack of pool and its distance from the sea with the warmest of welcomes, and a commanding position (see Take a view, above). Doubles from €50, including breakfast.

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Expert Cyprus operator Sunvil (sunvil.co.uk) also offers three-night and seven-night breaks to Paphos, including accommodation and return flights, from £394 per person.

Have a Cool Runnings bobsled adventure in Jamaica

It’s been 29 years since the first Jamaican bobsled team competed in the Calgary Winter Olympics, a story that was made into the cult Disney film – Cool Runnings. And the good news is, you don’t need to wait for the sequel, you can have a bobsledding adventure of your very own. Here’s how…

Jamaica has a long list of famous exports, from Usain Bolt and Bob Marley to James Bond and jerk chicken. And of course, there’s Cool Runnings – a nineties Disney classic based on the real-life Jamaican bobsled team who made their bid for Gold at the Calgary Winter Olympics in 1988. Filming took place along the west coast of Jamaica between Negril and Montego Bay, and in Lucea, too. Remember the scene where the team are fundraising for their Olympic bid? That’s outside the Lucea Municipal Building near our Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort and Spa hotel.

You’ll find the original bobsled on display at Montego Bay Airport at the Jamaican Bobsleigh Cafe along with signed memorabilia from the team. And, you can even have your own bobsled race on Mystic Mountain in Ocho Rios. The action-packed adventure park crams in an aerial gondola ride, a bobsledding adventure, 10 zip-lines and even an infinity pool and waterslide. We put it to the test to see how much fun you can have on a mountain in one day…

Sky Explorer

Our adventures on Mystic Mountain started in the most exhilarating way – with an 8-minute gondola ride to the top of the mountain. You might have been on a ski lift before, but have you taken one through the jungle? It’s an entirely different experience. The speedy lift ascends swiftly over the treetops of the rainforest and you’ll take in spectacular views of the bay and sea below, travelling over 700 feet above the Caribbean Sea. Once we got our heads around the height, we were able to enjoy the incredible views (it’s so peaceful up there!) and take a few snaps.

The bobsled

We hopped off at the top and went straight over to the bobsled to get the Cool Runnings experience. The 1,000 metre tree-lined track twists down the mountainside and through rainforest, and best of all, the Jamaican-inspired bobsled looks just like the ones from the films. You can ride on your own, in tandem, or even as a family with all the bobsleds linked together. You just need to make sure you trust your driver at the front, because they can use the handbrake to slow down and take in the pretty surroundings or really crank up the speed. We decided to do what the real Jamaican bobsled team would do, and go full throttle. Because, how fast can it be?

All we were missing was a lucky egg. But thankfully, we made it to the end in one piece. The ride might have started off nice and slowly, but as we plummeted down, we reached an exhilarating speed of around 40 mph and the landscape became a bit of a blur. Once the ride finishes, a lift takes you back to the top of the mountain and you can ride again if you fancy and try to beat your own record.

Museum, hummingbirds and butterflies

Before getting ready for the next adrenaline-packed adventure, there was plenty to see at the top of the mountain. There’s a Butterfly and Hummingbird Attraction Garden which has been designed to attract the creatures in their natural environment. You can spot native species of hummingbird among the plants including Jamaican Mango, Eastern and Western Streamertail and the Vervain Hummingbird which is the second smallest bird in the word. There’s also a small museum which displays bobsledding and sports memorabilia, and a café where you can grab a snack. There’s even an infinity pool and waterslide where you can cool off and get views over Ocho Rios.

Zip-lining

There’s only one way to get down the mountain, and that’s on a zip-line or ten. Ok, well you could take the sky explorer but that’s hardly the most exciting option. There are ten zip-line platforms to cross with increasing difficulty – each one seemed to get longer and higher. You can even see the ocean in the distance from the longest line. The friendly, fun loving guys who run the zip-line tour make the experience even more fun, and entertain you as you go. There were a few apprehensive members of our group, but by the end we were all zip-lining pros.

Fancy having a bobsledding adventure of your very own? Check out our __holidays to Ocho Rios here and book our Mystic Mountain excursion.

How to do Manila in two days: From Trump Tower to huge steaks and the world's weirdest cemetery

Why go now?

The Philippines megacity is back in fashion for the first time since Imelda Marcos stunned the world with her insane shoe collection. Paris Hilton’s team have broken ground on her second Manila beach club, while the arrival of the Milano Residences, a Versace-designed behemoth, marks a giant leap forward for the city’s trend credentials.

They’ll be joined in early 2017 by the ultimate skyline disrupter: Manila’s poutiest new landmark, the US President-elect’s shimmering 57-storey Trump Tower. If you thought the Philippines’ capital was all about chaos and monsoon rains, then think again: it’s undergoing a transformation so bonkers it may as well be screaming “Look at me”.

Get your bearings

Manila is at its sparkling best as seen from 71 Gramercy (1), a fantasy 71st-floor rooftop bar in Makati (115 D Tuazon, 00 63 917 809 4093; 6pm-6am), the city’s hyper-realised business and shopping district and one of Metro Manila’s 16 satellite towns. 

To the north, hidden by towers and the perpetual fug of a traffic-fuelled haze, lies Intramuros (2), the medieval Spanish walled city and historic focal point for government and trade. To the fort’s south, the city’s green lung, Rizal Park (3), is home to ornamental gardens, fountains and a pantheon of national hero statues. Dwarfing them, modern Manila continues to shoot up at pace, the Second World War-battered centre now cradled by wave after wave of concrete shards, residential blocks and unfinished Jenga-like condos.

Day one

Take a hike

Begin a morning stroll in Intramuros (2) when it’s still cool. At this time, the tricycle guides are snoozing and the vintage horse-drawn carriages are tied up, so you won’t get hassled.

View the distinctive façade of the San Augustin Church (4), originally made of bamboo, then head towards nearby Santa Lucia Street to ogle the likes of Ferdinand Marcos and his cronies at the Philippine Presidents’ Gallery (5). Conspicuous by his absence from the series of outdoor sculptures lined up against the crumbling fort walls is current President Rodrigo “The Punisher” Duterte, who continues to cause international outrage with his hardline crackdown on the drug trade.  

The intricately carved doors of San Augustin Church (Getty)

Farther north on Plaza de Roma, you’ll find the eighth reincarnation of Manila Cathedral (6), a church that simply refuses to go quietly. Damaged by fires, destroyed by typhoons and earthquakes, and a casualty of war during the Battle for Manila in 1945, it’s a testament to the dogmatic spirit of Filipinos, one of the most devoutly religious peoples you’ll ever meet. As a reminder you’re still in the tropics, its wrinkled masonry brow is pierced with stone-carved pineapples.

Lunch on the run

In the Philippines they swear by lechon, one of the world’s unhealthiest national dishes. A fatty suckling piglet soaked in salty soy then barbecued until cherry red, it’s served on street corners throughout the country. For a sleeker, stiff-upper-lip version, drop in to Ilustrado (7) (ilustradorestaurant.com.ph; dishes from £6.50), a restaurant steeped in old-world charm where the speciality is also kare kare, an oxtail and tripe stew drowned in sticky peanut sauce.

The Philippines’ favourite street snack is lechon, fatty suckling pig (Getty)

Window shopping

Across the courtyard you’ll find General Luna Street and Si-lahis Arts & Artifacts (8) (silahis.com; 10am-7pm), a colonial townhouse of antiques and local treasures where time seems to have stopped. Spread across its four floors are beautiful masks from the island of Palawan, intricately woven baskets, hand-spun textiles and beady-eye statues, most of which are never going to fit in your suitcase.

An aperitif

To mingle with local millennials, hop in a taxi to the new go-to destination Fort Bonifacio (9) before the city’s unbearable rush hour crush ruins your plans. Here modern Manila shows off its best hipster face, no more so than on Burgos Circle (10), a precinct crammed with US-influenced beer bars, smokehouses and burger joints.

The line-up of craft beer taps at brew bar Big Bad Wolf (Facebook)

Two to try for Filipino beer-food pairings are Big Bad Wolf (11) (Forbestown Rd, 00 63 2 822 5833; 11am-2am) and The Perfect Pint (12) (32nd Street, 00 63 2 823 1320; 10am-2pm). Also highly worth sniffing out are devilishly-good beers from the all-female run Palaweño Brewery, available at both of these bars. 

Dine with the locals

Unlike other South-East Asian capitals weaned on noodles and broth, Manila is all about the meat, preferably when served up in slab-size portions. That explains the wall-to-wall well-heeled Manileños dining at Raging Bull Chophouse and Bar (13) (ragingbullchophouse-fort.com; dishes from £27), a new steakhouse only a short walk along 28th Street. While it firmly has its roots in 1930s New York (cue monochrome tiles, couchette booths, a lamp-lit whisky bar, and art deco fittings), the beef is grain-fed, dry-aged Australian and all kinds of good.

A 1.1kg Tomahawk wagyu steak at Raging Bull Chophouse and Bar (Facebook)

Day two

Sunday morning: out to brunch

Swamped with food markets, feng shui shops and faded temples, the neighbourhood of Binondo (14) is said to have been home to the first Chinatown in the world. There is no escape from this on Ongpin Street where the dim sum dumpling is king, so give in to a no-frills teahouse such as Mei Sum Tea House (15) (965 Ongpin Street; dim sum from £1.50) or President Tea House (16) on Salazar Street (mains about £3.50). They’re both survivors from a different era, but few places in the city remain better for a Cantonese blow-out. 

A walk in the park

The mind-boggling Chinese Cemetery (17) north of the Pasig River (take the LRT train to R. Papa Station; 7am-7pm) is barmy on two counts: first, the deceased are buried in lavish mausoleums and tombs with every modern convenience imaginable (some even with working toilets, crystal chandeliers and air con units); second, the graveyard has a sizeable population who live side-by-side with their dead relatives in homes within the cemetery. Book with Old Manila Walks (oldmanilawalks.com; £15) for a highly-recommended walking tour to suss out what the heck’s going on. 

Mausoleums at Manila’s boggling Chinese Cemetery (Facebook)

Take a ride

The cobbled backstreets of Intramuros (2) are best explored by bike, especially on one made of bamboo. The brainchild of Filipino-American Bryan Benitez McClelland, Bambikes are made using a sustainable knit of bamboo and abaca twine and he champions fairtrade labour and sustainable building practices (bambike.com; rentals £3.20 per hour; guided tours £20; 10am-12.30pm or 3-5pm). 

 

Special delivery! #Bambino by @bambike #Bamboobike #handmadeinthephilippines

A photo posted by Bryan Benitez McClelland (@bambryan) on Jan 6, 2017 at 10:42pm PST

For the perfect tour, weave through the streets from the Bambikes workshop on Plaza San Luis (18) to Fort Santiago (19) for the backstory on national hero Dr José Rizal (Santa Clara Street; £1.20; 8am-6pm). From here, double-back via the world’s oddest Starbucks (20) inside a disused prison cell built into the city walls (corner of Muralla Street and Magallanes Drive; 9am-9.30pm) for a spritely circuit of the attractions and chess club tournaments of Rizal Park (3).

Indulge in a spot of people-watching at Rizal Park (Jorge Lascak/Flickr/CC BY 2.0)

Cultural afternoon

Manila is characterised by four seasons: hot, hotter, wet, and super wet. Which makes an afternoon wandering the air-con galleries at the Ayala Museum (21) (ayalamuseum.org; £7) in Makati an easy sell. A labour of love for the Zóbel de Ayala family, arguably the richest in the country, it’s dedicated to Filipino culture, ethnography and art. The stand-out exhibit is the Surigao treasure, a dazzling hoard of more than 1,000 pieces of pre-conquest gold.

The icing on the cake

It has to be the crazy-as-cuckoo Coconut Palace (22) overlooking Manila Bay. Built by Imelda Marcos to impress Pope John Paul on his papal visit in 1981, the £30m presidential residence is so fanciful and extreme – everything in it is designed as an homage to the fruit, including a ridiculous 101-coconut-shell chandelier – it did exactly the opposite. The pontiff ended up staying in a far more modest hotel in Intramuros (2), but the palace still endures: a legacy of the crackpot rule of the Marcos family. It opens for erratic tours, so check first with your hotel.

Coconut Palace, which proved too over the top for the Pope (Getty)

Travel essentials

Getting there

KLM flies to Manila via Amsterdam from several UK airports, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Cardiff (klm.com; returns from £498). Ninoy Aquino International Airport (23) is 12km south from Manila’s historic centre Intramuros (2). 

There is limited public transport to and from the airport, so the only real option is to bundle into a taxi. Fares should cost you no more than £7, with a one-way taxi ride to Makati costing £5. The three LRT and MRT train lines that intersect the city are a little clunky, but can be a handy way to avoid sitting in traffic (30p). Just don’t think about using them during rush hour, which is 6am to 10am and 3pm to 8pm; they become unbearably choked with commuters. 

Staying there

The shiny new Shangri-La at the Fort (24) (00 63 2 820 0888; shangri-la.com) on 30th Street in Fort Bonifacio opened in mid-2016 and fuses high-rise glamour with luxury frills. What’s most impressive is not the army of concierges, heated pools or health clubs, but the views (and free canapés and cocktails) from the executive Horizon Club on the 40th floor. Doubles from £205, B&B.

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Cool off at Manila’s five-star Shangri-La at the Fort (Facebook)

Celebrating its centennial next year, the Belle Époque-style Luneta Hotel (25) (00 63 2 875 8921; lunetahotel.com) is a grand old dame overlooking Rizal Park (3). Despite the years, there’s no sign of any blips, wear or tear. For sunset romance, take the lift to its rooftop cocktail bar, which overlooks the glory of all that colonial-era Manila madness. Doubles from £68, B&B.

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Few hostels in the Philippines are as switched-on to budget travellers as Pink Manila (26) (00 63 2 484 3145; pinkmanilahostel.com). It’s heavy on backpacker quirks, but also comes kitted out with penthouse views of the city, a pool and an enviable terrace to laze away the muggy afternoons in a hammock. From £8 for an eight-bed shared dorm.

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