The world is full of geographic misconceptions, which is partly what makes travelling such fun. For example, mention the Canary Isles and most people will imagine concrete vacation resorts located on arid coasts loomed over by barren volcanic mountains. And that is an accurate picture in some places, like the busy southern half of Gran Canaria – but go to the northern part of that huge and impressive island and you will come across a very different landscape indeed. Think green. Think boundless mountainsides covered in flowers. Think running water tinkling through pretty villages perched on the sides of dramatic gorges. Think almond blossom gleaming all white and lovely in secret coombes two thousand feet above the sea. And, higher still, conjure an image the cool green scented zone of coniferous cloud forests wafting in the warm breeze. In the depths of a northern hemisphere winter you could claim that the Canaries offer the very best country-walking to be found on the planet, without crossing the equator. Go to the tropics and things get too hot – go north and you can freeze. In winter the islands have what has been described by top meteorologists as the best climate on Earth. A week striding about the high sierras of Gran Canaria is just about the best tonic for the winter’s-gone-on-too-long blues I can imagine. They call it a “miniature continent” because of its amazing array of different climates and landscapes. The round, dart-board of an isle is built around a massive volcano system which rises, at Pico de Las Nieves, to an impressive 6,390 feet. If you are planning to spend time exploring the vibrant historic quarters of the capital city itself, make sure to read my dedicated guide on why Las Palmas is the ultimate January escape. Just about half the land area, 667 square kilometres, falls under the Canary Islands Network for Naturally Protected Areas. In total Gran Canaria has 33 protected areas including a couple of large national parks. The Charm of Tejeda and Gran Canaria's Hidden Villages It was into this little lot that I went marching with a group from Ramble Worldwide (RWH). By using either chartered minibus or the excellent public transport system, our guide took us up, up and away into the great hinterland of northern Gran Canaria where the walking is altogether more green and picturesque than you find in the south. On day one the bus took us all the way up to Cruz de Tejeda where a carved stone cross on a mountain pass marks the 5180 foot contour. Not surprisingly, the vantage points around this altitudinous place offer magnificent views. And the area is surrounded by marked walks, some new, most of them caminos reales (royal paths) - ancient tracks built by the farmers of old. Climbing Into the Clouds: The Volcanic Interior You will see the remains of their terraced fields and orchards nestling on steep slopes far below, but it’s a shame to report that many of these have fallen into neglect. Our walk took us over a nearby ridge to the north and then down long and lovely slopes to the charming town of Teror. Almost the entire route is a descent and after some 3000 feet you begin to feel certain parts of your lower body you may not have noticed for years. Not that anyone was complaining – this was a walk of great beauty, passing through peaceful pine forests and then, beyond the village of Lanzarote, deciduous woodlands. Teror was a delightful place in which enjoy a cold beer. The small town is full of colonial-style architecture which surrounds the Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pino, dedicated to Gran Canaria’s patron saint. In 1481 some shepherds saw a vision of the Virgin Mary sitting hereabouts atop a pine tree - since then Nuestra Señora del Pino (Our Lady of the Pines) has been the great religious icon of Gran Canaria. Our second walk was the big one of the week – a fairly arduous 12-mile ascent and descent across a high pass that took us from Barranco de Guayadeque to Tenteniguada. It began in one of the island’s most magnificent valleys – a deep ravine that boasts all manner of cacti, agaves, palms, pines and almond trees. It was also once home to the early humans who first settled on the island and is the setting for various cave villages and inaccessible cave burial sites. We started the walk at Tagoror where there’s a famous cave restaurant, as well as several troglodyte homes which are still inhabited. From here on up, the gorge’s great cliffs began to close in. Eventually we passed a couple of small, unbelievably remote, hamlets and then it was on upwards again into the wilderness. There is something mildly disappointing about coming across a road after labouring for so long up a mountain, but this was mollified at the Calle de Telde Los Pechos by the fact that the high ridge boasts its own dramatic volcanic basin. We picnicked near this in the cool shade of the pines, before beginning the long and picturesque descent to the little town of Tenteniguada. Our third walk took us up to the Fontanales area of the island, probably the most luxuriant and verdant zone in the whole Canarian archipelago thanks – as the name suggests – to the many springs which pour forth here. This was another down, down, route – eight miles all the way from the highland village of San Bartolome de Fontenales to the town of Firgis, which is famous for its mineral water, drawn from a spring in Barranco de las Madres. It’s one of the gorges we crossed in a steep descent and ascent – and its depths were as silent and peaceful as a tomb. You could not possibly imagine that you were on the same isle as all those British tourists just 20 miles to the south. Ruined cottages punctuated the way and the whole place was like a zone time had forgotten – thankfully, though, most of the footpaths were passable, even if the local farmers have long since given up using them. Our fourth walk was perhaps the most strange. It took us down into the depths of the Caldera de Bandama – a massive and perfectly formed volcanic crater, 3281 feet in diameter and 656 feet deep. We took the steep path down into this circular world – walking through palm, orange, fig and eucalyptus trees on the way. The floor of the crater showed signs of having once been extensively farmed and old buildings in various states of disrepair still poke out among the groves. Surprisingly, one was still occupied – though how it’s ancient resident gets in and out of the vast inaccessible bowl for a pint of milk, none of us could imagine. Having done the circular tour inside the volcano, we climbed back to walk around the dramatic - and at times scary - ridge surrounding it. In places this path shrinks so that it’s not much wider than a tabletop – with a steep drop of at least 600 feet on either side. Perhaps most strange of all was that the end of this walk took us through a beautifully manicured golf course. The Real Club de Golf de Las Palmas is the oldest golf club in all of Spain, having been founded at the end of the 19th century by members of an influential English colony. Coastal Gaps and Traditional Fishing Ports To round off our walking tour of Gran Canaria we did a short steep five miler on the dramatic north western edge of the isle. It took us up a mountainside above the pleasant little town of Agaete then down across a great shoulder of rock to Puerto de las Nieves, which acts as both a ferry terminal and fishing village for this remote part of the coast. The port has a long history and is something of an excursion venue for islanders. On Sunday lunchtimes its many fish restaurants are packed to the gunnels – which suited me, as I elected to laze away the afternoon enjoying excellent Spanish seafood and soaking up the busy atmosphere rather than traipse along a rather bleak bit of coast. According to a study carried out by climatologist Thomas Whitmore of the USA’s Syracuse University, northern Gran Canaria enjoys "the best climate in the world". I wouldn’t disagree - but would add that it enjoys a great more besides. Like the excellent walking through truly fabulous scenery. Frequently Asked Questions About Touring Gran Canaria Insert H3: Is it easy to drive around Gran Canaria? Driving in Gran Canaria is highly scenic but requires careful attention. The main coastal motorway (GC-1) is modern, fast, and incredibly straightforward. However, heading into the mountainous interior requires navigating narrow, twisting roads with tight hairpin bends and steep drops. The roads are exceptionally well-maintained and asphalted, making a hire car the absolute best way to see the authentic side of the island. Insert H3: What is the most beautiful mountain village in Gran Canaria? Tejeda is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful villages in both Gran Canaria and the wider Canary Islands. Nestled in a massive volcanic crater over 1,000 metres above sea level, it features immaculate, traditional whitewashed houses, spectacular views of the Roque Nublo monolith, and a rich culinary heritage centered around locally grown almonds. Insert H3: Why is Gran Canaria called a miniature continent? Gran Canaria earns the title of a "miniature continent" due to its incredibly diverse microclimates and landscapes packed into a single circular island. Within an hour's drive, you can transition from the arid, golden sand dunes of Maspalomas in the south to lush, green pine forests in the mist-shrouded central mountains, and onward to the rugged, dramatic sea cliffs of the wild western coast.

Another rainy January day, another memory of a pleasant sunlit coastal town some place hot. Or warm, at least. This time we were talking about Menorca’s old capital, the delightful port of Ciutadella, situated on the island’s western coast facing Majorca, whose mountains are plain to see from the mouth of the fjord-like harbour. In fact you catch a ferry over to Alcudia in Mallorca if the mood takes you. But why leave Ciutadella? Strolling around the myriad streets which rise from the inland end of the busy harbour is a treat, thanks partly to the excellent tapas we enjoyed in bars surrounding the ancient working market in the heart of this historic town. We found some particularly good little places in and around the market. The small square with its arcades has a central area where fresh fish is sold and this is surrounded by small stands under attractive old arcades. Tapas and the Local "Tardeo" Nowhere is this slow, sustainable philosophy more delicious than at the vibrant Mercat Municipal on Plaça de la Llibertat. Gathering under the shade of historic stone arcades, the local tapas bars serve up a rapid, incredibly fresh masterclass in island gastronomy using catches brought straight from the fishing boats that morning. Here, the menu speaks entirely in the Menorcan vernacular: salty slices of artisan Mahón cheese, plates of fresh red mullet, and rich sobrassada sausage drizzled with wild island honey. If you visit during the quieter months, you can immerse yourself in the authentic local tradition of the Tardeo—a lively social custom where locals turn the late afternoon into a prolonged, joyful ritual of sharing drinks, storytelling, and exceptional market-stamped tapas. It was the Arabs who introduced a who new cuisine to the island many centuries ago with ingredients such as rice, almonds, oranges and lemons, and spices like saffron. In addition, Menorca, has now been established as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, partly because it boasts some of the best produce of the Balearics which makes the cuisine varied and utterly unique. The Catalan Gothic Centrepiece At the spiritual and architectural heart of the old town stands the Cathedral of Santa Maria de Ciutadella, an awe-inspiring 14th-century temple built from the island's signature golden marés sandstone. The Cathedral of Santa Maria de Ciutadella, Commissioned by King Alfonso III following the Catalan conquest, this striking landmark was constructed directly over the foundations of Medina Minurka's main Moorish mosque—cleverly repurposing the ancient minaret into the base of the current church bell tower. Though it suffered severe damage during the tragic Ottoman siege of 1558, its massive single-nave vault still rises beautifully over 22 metres high, filling with an ethereal, warm glow whenever the afternoon Mediterranean sun streams through its grand central rose window. Ciutadella was founded by the Carthaginians, and became the seat of a bishop in the 4th century. After being governed by the Moors for several centuries, Ciutadella was recaptured during the “reconquista” by men serving Alfonso III and became part of the Crown of Aragon. During the Middle Ages, Ciutadella became an important central Mediterranean trading port. In 1558, a powerful Turkish Armada of 140 ships and 15,000 soldiers, put the town under siege for eight days entered and decimated the place. The town was defended by only a few hundred men. All of Ciutadella's 3,099 inhabitants who survived the siege were taken as slaves together with other inhabitants of surrounding villages. In total, 3,452 residents were sold into slavery in the slave markets of Istanbul. The Gastronomic Tapestry & The Biosphere The Tapas Trails of the Mercat MunicipalThe real pulse of local life can be felt at the Mercat Municipal (the central market) on Plaça de la Llibertat. Here, under the shade of centuries-old stone arcades, the vibrant market stalls present a daily masterclass in island gastronomy. It is a sensory feast of bright citrus fruit, local cured meats, and stalls piled high with shimmering local catches like red mullet and Mediterranean prawns. Grab a stool at one of the tiny, bustling tapas bars tucked inside the arcades to order Caldereta de Langosta (the island's iconic spiny lobster stew) or classic tapas showcasing traditional Menorcan sausage (sobrassada) drizzled with local honey. Menorca's Sustainable SoulThis exceptional culinary variety is no accident. The entire island of Menorca is designated as a protected UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, a title it has held for decades. This environmental shield strictly regulates development, ensuring that traditional farming, pristine coastlines, and ancient food systems remain entirely unmarred by mass tourism. The result is a hyper-local, completely unique Balearic food culture where the ingredients on your plate have travelled mere miles from a sustainable field or a local fishing boat. The Blueprint for Slow Travel This enduring preservation of history perfectly reflects Menorca's broader identity as a world-leading sanctuary for "slow travel". Decades ago, the entire island secured a protective mantle as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, a crucial designation that strictly curtails aggressive commercial development and massive hotel complexes. Because the local authorities choose conservation over mass tourism, the island moves at a wonderfully unhurried, human pace. It is a place where ancient stone paths are kept completely intact, traditional farming methods are actively shielded, and travellers are gently encouraged to slow down, explore on foot, and savour the quiet detail of a deeply authentic community Frequently Asked Questions 1. Where is Ciutadella located and how do you get there? Ciutadella is situated on the far western coast of Menorca, directly facing the neighboring island of Mallorca. You can easily reach it by car or local bus from the airport in Mahón, or take a scenic vehicle ferry directly across the channel from Alcúdia in Mallorca. 2. What is the difference between Ciutadella and Mahón? While Mahón is Menorca's modern administrative capital and features one of the world's largest natural harbors, Ciutadella is the historic, aristocratic, and religious heart of the island. Ciutadella is characterized by its narrow, fjord-like port, its golden sandstone palaces, and its deep Moorish and medieval roots. 3. What historic events shaped the town of Ciutadella? Founded by the Carthaginians, the town was heavily influenced by centuries of Moorish rule before being reclaimed during the Reconquista by King Alfonso III. Its most tragic historical milestone occurred in 1558, when a massive Turkish Armada decimated the heavily outnumbered town, leading to the entire surviving population of over 3,400 residents being captured and sold into slavery in Istanbul. 4. What should I try at the central market in Ciutadella? The working fish market is famous for its exceptionally fresh seafood tapas. Be sure to sample traditional Balearic dishes featuring saffron, almonds, or citrus, alongside the island's famous artisan Mahón-Menorca cheese—a semi-hard, slightly salty cheese completely unique to the island's sea-wind pastures.

Classic view looking down on the River Rhine near Rüdesheim One of the most regular travel adverts appearing on television features luxurious cruises drifting along the historic waters of the Rhine. They look undeniably jolly as holidaymakers sit back in absolute comfort, awed by some of the most spectacular, castle-crowned riverine scenery in all of Europe. Almost all of that iconic footage is shot along the legendary 50-mile stretch of water that flows from the historic wine village of Rüdesheim down to Koblenz. Officially designated as the Upper Central Rhine Valley, this magnificent landscape is a protected UNESCO World Heritage site. It is a fairy-tale realm of long, heavily laden barges battling powerful river currents underneath sheer crags, impossibly steep vineyards, and dense forests hiding ancient stone strongholds that look straight out of the pages of the Brothers Grimm. Think long, heavily laden, barges battling against the current underneath high crags crowned by fairytale castles… Think impossibly steep vineyards topped by forests, sloping down to riverside villages that Hansel and Gretel would have felt at home in. The first thing to say about the Rhine Gorge area is that few visitors could ever be disappointed. Just about all expectations will duly be delivered. What you thought it would be like, it is like – which might be a glib thing to say – but I make the point because, as a seasoned traveller, I know this is not always the case. The times I’ve travelled somewhere and said out loud: “This is exactly what I thought it would be like!” I could count on one hand. If I were to single out something which did surprise me in the Rhineland, it would be this: I expected the local Germans would be okay, in an accommodating kind of way – I didn’t expect them to be among the most warm, friendly and welcoming folk it’s been my pleasure to meet in years of travel writing. They were, but more about them later. First let’s get away from the image of those floating Rhine holidays. Our trip to the area was land-based – and I would say we saw infinitely more, and enjoyed the region to a deeper and more profound degree, than those who were permanently afloat. A lazy Rhine cruise looks appealing enough, but we were on a more hard-working - and rewarding - walking and cycling vacation with Ramble Worldwide. During our week based in historic and attractive Rudesheim we did catch plenty of boats, which was a great pleasure in its own right. We also let amazing chair-lifts take the strain on occasions, jumped on efficient German trains and caught local buses. It was occasionally hard work, but never exhausting. The main point of this particular holiday is to introduce you to the very best the unique area has to offer – not to route-march you relentlessly over hill or dale, or set you off on some Germanic version of the Tour de France. So it was all fairly genteel - but highly scenic, and thoroughly enjoyable – and I fell in love with the big broad Rheingau Hills, with their huge forests, cute villages - and even with the elegant city of Wiesbaden which we visited on the one day it was raining. Hiking the Rheinsteig & The Niederwald Landmarks Taking to the Rheinsteig TrailThe spectacular day-hike back across the forested spur from Assmannshausen to Rüdesheim actually follows a premier, heavily celebrated section of the Rheinsteig, Germany’s world-renowned 320-kilometre long-distance trail. Walking along this historic right of way means navigating winding vineyard tracks, sun-dappled beech woods, and rocky crags that look directly across the water to the steep ruins of Burg Ehrenfels on the opposite bank.The Niederwald LandmarksAs the high-altitude path approaches the crest of the hill, it enters the historic grounds of the Niederwald Landscape Park, a parkland rich in 18th-century romantic monuments like the artificial "Magic Cave" and the Niederwald Temple. But the undisputed climax of the ridge is the monumental Niederwald Monument (Niederwalddenkmal). This colossal, 38-metre-tall statue of Germania, built to commemorate the unification of Germany, commands the entire valley. Standing at its base gives you a panoramic, sweeping view of the Rhine sweeping around Bingen—a view you can easily enjoy by hopping on the open-air cable cars that glide silently over the vine terraces straight down into Rüdesheim. The holiday in question flies you in to Frankfurt and from there you are whisked westwards aboard one of those efficient local trains. We were met at Rudesheim station by Ralph Nagler, owner of the excellent 3 star Hotel Zumgrünen Kranz in the heart of the bustling little town. Historic Lodgings and World-Class Whites The old establishment has been in Ralph’s family for generations, and he and his cousins are also involved in the all important local wine trade – a subject upon which he is an expert. If you thought German wine was all about overly saccharine products that get sold cheaply over here, think again. The white wines of the Upper Central Rhine Valley area are truly delicious. Crisp, for most part with plenty of fruit, and altogether much more grown up that anything which might have a holy woman dressed in a certain colour on the label. I took to tasting them with aplomb, which is an easy thing to do because just about every village in the wine area as a booth in one of its central squares where local winemakers take it in turns to show off their wares. Two different winemakers were on duty in Rudesheim during my stay and their diverse offerings were all superb - my favourite was an exquisite dry bubbly that would have given any champagne a run for its money. But I wasn’t there to quaff wine and wade through the first-class food (first-class, that is, if you are a meat-eater – I do not envy vegetarians who visit any part of Germany). Our job was to explore as much as we could – and on the first full day we took the train on our side of the river (the east bank) downstream to the next village. Trekking the Assmannshausen Spur It’s called Assmannshausen and is tucked on the far side of a big corner which the Rhine veers around in its steep gorge. The bend creates a massive shoulder of hill which is crowned by a large forest – and, basically, our day’s outing consisted of a walk back over this spur so that we could enjoy the immense views offered by its uplands. Which you might think would mean a big climb up to reach the crest of the ridge, but it didn’t. Instead, a chair-lift of the most scenic kind (by which I mean one that wends its way over crags and through forests) took us slowly and thrillingly to the top. The lofty ridge is a special place for the Germans – because out on the southern edge, overlooking Rudesheim’s bit of Rhine, there is a huge 135-year-old monument that was designed to symbolise the re-establishment of the German Empire. It features a massive 120 foot high sculpture of Germania, bearing the imperial sword and the German Emperor's crown. She is apparently coated in 32 tons of bronze – and you can see its newly polished sheen for many miles around. You could catch yet another cable car down to Rudesheim at the foot of the hill, but we strolled through endless vineyards, taking a detour over to the east of town in order to see a local monastery, where, of course, they were selling yet more wine. The next day we took a ferry over to Bingen, which is Rudesheim’s larger more workaday neighbour and from there we pedalled (on bikes which belong to the hotel) along a superb dedicated cycle trail which hugs the riverside to Bacharach… This is, arguably, the best known and prettiest of all the villages in the UNESCO heritage site. It’s got more history in one of its timbered houses than many old villages have got in all their cobbled acres. Apart from anything else, Bacharach was – for centuries - an important transfer point for the wine trade, as barrels were offloaded here from the smaller ships that were needed to get by the Binger Loch (a reef in the Rhine upstream near Bingen) and loaded onto bigger ones. Bacharach has all the usual castles, narrow streets, impossibly steep vineyards and ruined churches that you’d expect in a classic Rhine setting - and even the briefest outline of its long history would require pages. Basically, though, you could sum up the entire story of the Upper Central Rhine Valley like this… Over many centuries the big river evolved to be one of the most important trade routes in Europe – but in these parts geography decided to have some fun by shoving the watery thoroughfare through big hills. The steep corridor formed a pinch-point – and that caught the attention of power-brokers large and small. For he who holds the pinch-point holds great sway in the matter of either controlling the transport of goods, or in collecting taxes for those goods. Hence all the castles that dominate this 40-mile stretch of the Rhine. Hardly a knoll or a hillside spur fails to have one, though many are now in ruins. On another day we cycled east along the riverside (and believe me, riverside cycling is a treat, partly for the views and partly for the lack hills to climb) to the ancient and attractive town of Eltville where I lunched on the ubiquitous bratwurst sausage, washed down with yet more lightly bubbly wine while admiring the house where Johannes Gutenburg mused over the revolutionary idea that led to printing. From there we climbed first through vineyards, then through wooded hills, until we came to the vast and impressive Eberbach Abbey where the movie The Name of the Rose was so memorably filmed. It’s a Cistercian monastery that was established in 1136 - the monks have long gone but the famous wines are still there, along with a couple of excellent restaurants. For some reason I cycled alone in the late afternoon sunlight, back through the vineyard lined hills from the abbey to Rudesheim – and it was a delightful 12-mile journey that I shall remember for a long time. Other great days out included a boat ride downstream to Sankt Goar, which is the central town in the Rhine Gorge area. High above the streets stand the ruins of the massive Burg Rheinfels castle, which is one of the best known in the region and well worth the entry fee for visit. In fact, I’d pay the fee for the views from the ramparts alone... Then it was a long riverside cycle ride back past the famous Lorelei – a vast chunk of rock on the north side of the river. Because of this cliff, the river is squeezed into an even narrower confine than usual and the currents belting around the bend which the rock causes are fierce to say the least. Many a ship has gone down under the Lorelei and there are legends about the female spirits, or river mermaids, that haunt the place. Further along on our return journey we were able to stop and admire the Burg Pfalzgrafenstein - a toll castle built on an island in the middle of the river. Just about all those TV adverts I was talking about feature a shot or two of this extraordinary place – the 700 year old pentagonal tower points upstream and acts as a reminder of the days when local warlords would relieve skippers of hefty fees. They had no choice in the matter – the island fortress worked in concert with Gutenfels Castle and the fortified town of Kaub on the north side of the river. A chain across the river forced ships to halt – any brave trader who tried running the gauntlet was slammed in the dungeon until a ransom was paid. On the final day of our holiday we walked high above the river from Rudesheim to Kaub, following 12 miles of ancient forest trails in the hills. At midday we stopped for a special lunch put on for us buy a local forester (various sausages, pickles and cheeses, washed down by local beer) – and very now and again we found ourselves at spurs of rock some 500 feet above the river where were treated to classic views of the Rhine. Classic views of a classic river. In fact, even that lunch was just as I expected it would be – a classic forester’s meal in archetypal mid-German woodlands. If you like that sort of thing, this holiday will guarantee you get it – and I liked it a lot. Frequently Asked Questions 1. Where is the best base for a land-based walking holiday in the Rhine Gorge? Rüdesheim am Rhein is the ultimate base. Located at the gateway to the UNESCO Upper Central Rhine Valley, it offers excellent rail and ferry connections, direct access to the famous Rheinsteig trail, and a vibrant local wine culture right on your doorstep. 2. What makes a land-based trip better than a traditional Rhine river cruise? Sticking to solid ground allows you to experience the dramatic landscape from both above and below. Instead of looking up at the cliffs from water level, you can hike high-altitude forest spurs, ride historic chairlifts over the steep vine terraces, and immerse yourself in the authentic daily life of regional wine-growing villages. 3. What should I expect from the local wines in this part of Germany? Forget the overly sweet, mass-produced German white wines of the past. The Upper Central Rhine Valley produces exceptional, sophisticated, and incredibly crisp white wines—predominantly featuring the noble Riesling grape. Be sure to look out for Sekt, a dry, exquisite local sparkling wine that easily rivals top champagne. 4. Is the walking in the Rheingau hills highly strenuous? While the vineyard paths and forest tracks feature some steep ascents and descents out of the river valley, a land-based itinerary is designed to be thoroughly scenic and genteel rather than exhausting. By making use of the region's highly efficient network of local trains, buses, and open-air chairlifts, you can easily tailor the daily distances to your own pace.

Sampling fine ciders in the West Country There is a quiet but profound revolution happening in the world of artisan drink production. For generations, anyone looking to celebrate a special occasion or elevate a fine meal would automatically reach for a bottle of sparkling wine or Champagne. But today, a sophisticated new wave of producers is challenging that monopoly. By applying the rigorous, traditional méthode champenoise to the humble apple, they are creating premium, bottle-fermented fine ciders that possess all the complexity, elegance, and celebratory "pop" of a world-class sparkling wine. Nothing can be more magical than letting a genie out of a bottle. It’s an odd phrase that does of course have a flip-side - you can never get the genie to go back into the bottle - but even taking that into consideration, the idea of a bottled genie seems to wholly suit what is arguably the most exciting revolution going on in the world of UK food and drink today… Polly Hilton and husband Matt run Find and Foster - a small bottle-fermented cider company I refer to the new bottle-fermented ciders which are beginning to appear here and there across the rural map. The genie analogy is fitting because something truly magical does happen when you use certain clever, centuries-old, techniques to turn apple juice into an alcoholic drink inside a bottle. Mastering the Traditional Champagne Method in the Orchard Do it right and what you get is a product that is similar to good champagne. The liquid will be clear and sparkling and astonishingly refreshing. The bubbles hitting your tongue will be small and smooth, without any of the harshness you get with a drink that has been artificially carbonated. IF YOU'RE ENJOYING THIS POST, CHECK OUT OUR CIDER PAGE HERE And the flavour… Well, once again, if the process has been completed in just the right way the complexities of flavour you’ll experience from a bottle fermented cider will leave you delighted and fascinated in exactly the same way as they would if you’d sipped a Grande Marque champagne costing £400 a bottle. If you think that is an exaggeration then I can report that deep in the Blackdown Hills this week I sampled a food and drink pairing which was the probably the finest marriage of solid and liquid ever to pass my lips. Alex Hill, one of the UK’s leading experts on bottle-fermented cider, had poured a glass of his Bollhayes 2003 and also cut a slice of the best Iberico ham money can buy. It was as if someone had taken the classic combo of Sunday roast pork and apple sauce, and distilled them down to create two little phials containing essences of the real thing that were somehow 500 times more concentrated and alive and exciting. The needle on the patent wowometer, which sits deep within the pleasure cortex of my brain, went straight into the red. It was the kind of fabulous combination that I could imagine a multi-millionaire paying ludicrous amounts of money for in a top Michelin restaurant. This was epicurean pleasure raised to its very highest setting. All I can do is quote from Alex’s tasting notes which describe the 2003 Bollhayes thus: “Deep amber with fine bubbles. Aroma: Complex, deep, rich, with a hint of smoky vanilla, plum and burnt sugar. Flavour: Richly bitter, with notes of juniper and burnt sugar.” Two mentions of sugar there, but one of the magical things about this particular kind of genie in a bottle is that there is either no added sugar, or just a tiny amount. And no other kind of artificial ingredient, I have to add, save in this case maybe a smidgen of champagne yeast. What you are getting with a bottle-fermented cider is apple juice that has been left to work a magic of its own. A magic that elevates it from everyday cider in the same way as a bottle of Krug is placed far above a wine-box of cheap supermarket plonk. But when I say “work a magic of its own”, bottle-fermented cider does need a helping hand. Indeed, it requires a great deal of attention and care, which is why the proper stuff will never be cheap. After having lunch with Alex and sampling a couple of his Bollhayes products, cider-expert James Crowden and I drove 20 miles deeper into Devon to meet a young couple whose bottle-fermented ciders can cost more than £50 a pop in top Michelin-starred London restaurants. And why not? The champagne equivalent could cost way over ten times that in such establishments. Polly Hilton and husband Matt run Find and Foster - a small bottle-fermented cider company named after the fact that Polly started out by finding rundown orchards in the rural hinterland north of Exeter and began bringing them back to life. In a way James and I managed to visit both ends of this new cider revolution in that Alex has been in this particular game for longer than most other cider-makers in the UK (we even sampled a bottle of his truly amazing 1993 vintage) - while Polly and Matt are newcomers who happen to have already gained an impressive track record. For many years Alex owned and ran a Devon-based business called Vigo which sells and designs the kind of equipment needed by cider-makers - but long before his retirement he was drawn to the idea of a bottle-fermented version of the drink. And, as I keep saying, it’s one that works by a kind of alchemy. A two-sided alchemy, as far as I can make out.. Bottle-fermenting is a complex process. Basically you can go down one of two routes… The methode-champenoise system - as followed by Alex - or you can use an ancient process known as “keeving” - which is often, but not always, practised by Polly and Matt. Moving Past the Pint: Fine Cider on the Dining Table As we walked into Alex’s cider-shed we heard the familiar bubbling sound familiar amateur wine-makers who have air-locks on their demijohns… “The music of fermentation,” is what Alex called the sound as we gazed at the big steel vats full of rapidly fermenting apple juice. “Once it’s finished fermenting you don’t want air-contact because nearly all the spoilage organisms which can ruin cider rely on oxygen,” Alex explained. “If you can eliminate oxygen the cider has a better chance of tasting good. Traditional cider tasted pretty rough sometimes because people didn’t follow that simple rule. “This is fermenting with wild yeasts,” he continued. “This is just pure apple juice with nothing added - the yeast is in the apples, in the air, in the cider-press boards - and it’s built up here over 30 years of cider-making. So I’ve probably got my own strains of yeast now. “I still do draught cider, but my speciality is bottled cider made by the champagne method. There are more people making it now - but it is very important to distinguish this from artificially carbonated cider. This has gas in it from fermentation inside a sealed bottle - and it’s quite a complex process involved after that in getting rid of the yeast without getting rid of the gas. “We use the methode-champenoise and it requires and element of skill and some very expensive equipment,” he said before we went into the farmhouse to sample bottles that were three, 15 and 25 years old.” Keeving, on the other hand, is a natural process which involves the formation of a layer of pectin that will, given the right conditions, float to the top of the pressed apple juice. This layer - which looks a bit like a huge digestive biscuit that’s been dunked in liquid - traps nitrogen and nutrients and is eventually removed. Without the essential nutrients, any fermentation of wild yeast will slow down or stop, leaving natural sugars from the apples themselves to sweeten the remaining liquid. The keeved cider is then bottled, but it will carry on very slowly fermenting in its sealed home beneath the cork - which is why producers use the special toughened champagne style bottles that won’t explode. This secondary fermentation allows the liquid to develop its own natural sparkle. Polly told me she’d first set up the business in a bid to help save old run-down orchards after discovering that 90 percent of Devon’s traditional orchards had been lost since World War Two. “The apples in these orchards are incredible - they are local varieties, the trees are really old. There are no sprays or chemicals anywhere. “So it would have been a shame to make really standard cider - and obviously I couldn’t compete on how much I could make. So I wanted to do something unique by using the champagne and the keeving method - because some of these orchards were planted for keeving. “We use very late ripening cider varieties and you macerate the fruit and a reaction happens between the calcium in the apples and the pectin in the skin,” said Polly, referring to the cap which rises to the top of the cider. “The fermentation stops before all the sugar has turned to alcohol, so you can create a naturally sweet, naturally sparkling, cider by bottling that low nutrient cider towards the end of the fermentation.” Perfect Pairings for Premium Sparkling Ciders The Fine Cider Company in London now sells the couple’s products to top end restaurants - but you can buy it at local outlets like Dart’s Farm at Topsham - or, as is the case with both our interviewees today, from their websites. I’d definitely recommend getting some in this Christmas as a treat for your guests. That is, as I say, a very brief overview of the bottle-fermented cider making process. If you’d like to hear more about the subject, have a listen to my latest Adventures in Rural Journalism podcast which is all about bottle-fermented ciders. To buy bottle fermented ciders check out https://bollhayescider.co.uk/ Or http://www.findandfosterfineciders.com/ Frequently Asked Questions About Bottle-Fermented Fine Cider Insert H3: What is bottle-fermented or traditional method cider? Bottle-fermented cider (often labeled as "traditional method" or méthode champenoise) is a premium craft cider where the secondary fermentation takes place entirely inside the individual bottle. Rather than artificially injecting carbon dioxide, the natural sugars and yeasts create a delicate, natural effervescence, complex sediment characters, and a sophisticated depth of flavour over months or years of maturation. Insert H3: Is fine cider a good alternative to sparkling wine? Absolutely. High-quality traditional method ciders share the same vibrant acidity, fine mousse (bubbles), and complex yeast notes found in quality sparkling wines and Champagnes. Because cider apples naturally contain rich tannins, these premium ciders often offer a more structures, food-friendly dryness that pairs beautifully with fine dining. Insert H3: What food pairs best with premium sparkling cider? Premium dry sparkling ciders are incredibly versatile at the dinner table. The natural acidity and carbonation brilliantly cut through rich, fatty foods. It is a legendary pairing for traditional roasted pork dishes, charcuterie, and slow-cooked belly pork, but it also pairs exceptionally well with mature West Country cheddar, earthy mushroom dishes, and fresh seafood.

Set between mountains and sea, Muscat is one of the Middle East’s most quietly captivating capitals. There are no glass skyscrapers here — just whitewashed buildings, historic forts and a sense that Oman has chosen to do things its own way. No wonder they weren’t gathering in the squares of Muscat to overthrow the government during the Arabic Spring. So that’s the background and why I say you can go there and travel freely and safely in this wonderful country. Most journeys to Oman begin in the capital Muscat, which is where the modern international airport is and also where the government stages a huge annual event. The Muscat Festival attracts over 1.2 million visitors – and one year I was among them. I enjoyed my day and night out there. At the festival’s heritage and cultural village just about every Omani tradition ever invented is on display and you can watch artisans plying age-old skills as well as visit a working souk, where you can buy woven baskets, pottery and silver and so on. To be honest, though, all this is better done in the city or in the market towns of the deserts and mountains. The Architectural Grandeur of the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque Muscat’s own ancient souk is a particularly wonderful location in which to duck and dive – a great myriad of a place down by the old harbour where the thoroughfares and byways are covered to protect them from the relentless sun. The result is that the dark alleys and brightly lit shops and stalls take on a thrilling appeal of their own, and meandering around is relatively hustle-free compared with souks in other Middle Eastern cities I’ve visited. Wandering Through the Scented Aisles of Muttrah Souk Muscat dates from the first century AD when its harbour won a name for itself as one of the main exporters of frankincense to Greece and Rome. You can still buy excellent frankincense there today - I regularly use the stuff on my wood burning stove at home to give the house an oriental aroma. Many centuries later the Portuguese heard about the wealth of this region and in 1507 gained control of Muscat. A century and a half later they were thrown out by local Imam - and so the ding-dong power struggle went on. You can still see old castles and turrets perched all around the ancient part of the city, so that you are left in no doubt that this was a place which required much defending down the years. Maritime Heritage along the Corniche and Beyond Indeed, a pleasure boat ride along Muscat’s mountainous coast just to the south of the city is a must. I was staying up the coast some 40 miles north of Muscat at the Millennium Resort, Mussanah - a luxury hotel with its own apartment complexes and harbour. It was built just a couple of years ago to play host to a massive international sailing competition and the place still acts as a hub for serious water-sports activities now. But the Millenium Resort is also a first class hotel where the food and service is as good as anything I’ve experienced in the region before - although it has to be said that the flat coastal plain on which it is situated is far from lovely. Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Muscat What makes Muscat different from other cities in the Gulf? Unlike neighboring regional capitals that have embraced ultra-modern glass skyscrapers, Muscat strictly preserves its historic identity. By law, modern buildings must feature traditional architectural elements, such as domes or arabesque windows, and cannot exceed a specific height. This maintains a beautiful, low-rise skyline that blends seamlessly into the surrounding mountains. Can non-Muslims visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque? Yes. The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque welcomes non-Muslim visitors every morning from Saturday to Thursday (typically between 8:00 am and 11:00 am). Visitors must dress respectfully, ensuring that shoulders and knees are covered. Women are also required to fully cover their hair with a scarf before entering the prayer halls. What are the must-buy traditional items in Muttrah Souk? Muttrah Souk is famous for its authentic Omani goods. The most popular items to purchase include high-quality frankincense resin and specialized burners, traditional Omani silver jewellery, beautifully embroidered kuma (traditional men's caps), and authentic Omani halwa—a sweet, gelatinous delicacy flavoured with saffron, rosewater, and cardamom.

Puglia: The Authentic Heart of Italy Some places are more archetypical than others everything about them seems to represent a country or a region more than other areas within a national border - they are almost like cartoon figures whose every single inch seems to exude certain distinctive elements so that you are left in no doubt where you are… Puglia is like that when it comes to representing Italy. It is somehow even more Italian than many other regions of that already highly characteristic country. Its food could only be Italian. The way people speak and act seems amazingly Italian. The countryside down in the south-east heel is generally less dramatic, but somehow it is more Italian than Tuscany or Umbria or anywhere else in that exciting land. It gets quietly on with the frenetic business of being Italian without making too much of a show and dance about it like they perhaps do in places like Naples or Sorrento. Puglia is less touristy, more down to earth. The food is less showy, more what the hard working farming folk would eat. The wine less famous, but in some cases more delicious. The beaches less busy and crazy, but none the worse for that. The hills less steep and altitudinous, but more full of truly ancient interest. This is how the invite to the tour I joined began: “Dry stone walls, farms, ancient sheep tracks and underground olive oil presses tell ancient stories of distant peoples…” What my hosts from Discovery Puglia meant is that the south-eastern region of Italy was the first to come under the influence of the Greeks thousands of years ago. It was they who brought the concept of olive oil production to Italy - they who set up the first olive groves - and they who turned Puglia into a commercial crossroads. Exploring Northern Salento and the White Town of Ostuni The area I’m talking about specifically is a part of Puglia called Northern Salento, in the province of Brindisi. The towns you will see on a map are places like San Vito dei Normanni, San Michele Salentino, Carovigno, Ceglie, Villa Castelli, Ostuni and Fasano. Throughout my short stay I stayed near Ostuni, perhaps the most famous of all the white towns, built on a hill above the Adriatic coastal plain. In fact, the masseria (an old farm converted for tourism purposes)where we stayed was down on the olive oil producing plain. A word also about Discovery Puglia - a small company run by the helpful and knowledgeable Concezio and his partner. The couple are devoted to what they call responsible tourism, respectful of the natural environment and the local traditions of the area. “This is also the reason why we only use carefully chosen B&B, farmhouses and historic buildings where you will experience the best hospitality,” Concezio told me. Do not over-order when you go to a restaurant in this part of Italy, even if you are hungry. No one ever walked out of an Apulia dining room feeling peckish, I promise you. We stayed in the Salento area in the Masseria Valente, an old fortified farm surrounded by a million olive trees. It was recently restored and so is now more a boutique hotel than a farm, but you can still see the underground olive mill cut into the rock under the main farmhouse. The cave and it oil production fittings will, in an instant, take you back two thousand years and somehow introduce you to the underlying theme of Puglia. It is hot, hence the desire to take things underground. It was also often threatened by outside forces - hence the fortification of farmhouses, villages and towns. And it is ancient. Unspoilt Nature: Dunes and Hidden Coves Oddly enough, our first outing had nothing to do with history. We went down the coast to visit the Coastal Dunes National Park - which is worth mentioning because this corner of the Italian shoreline is among the most unspoilt to found anywhere along the east coast. We also went south to visit the Torre Guacetto Nature Reserve where you can walk for hours through the scrub woodlands behind the dunes or find hidden sandy coves which are completely deckchair-free. If you said such a thing about a UK beach you’d raise eyebrows - but in Italy a sandy shoreline that is deckchair-free, and therefore empty of people, is a thing of note. The Puglia Food Warning: Embrace the Slow Food Movement After all that sea air a good lunch is needed - and, as I say, they do very good lunches indeed in Puglia. The sort of lunches that take up a major part of the day… Which is exactly what you get at the Masseria Il Frontoio where the restaurant is something of a shrine for the Italian based Slow Food Movement. In fact, re-watching an old Rick Stein Mediterranean food series I saw that he chose to have lunch at this place in the Puglia section of the programme. The first thing when you arrive is a fabulous old car, which the owner kindly let us have a drive in… Actually, the owner was a delightfully enigmatic character. He told me he only employs “zero-kilometre cooks - not chefs” - by which he means the kitchen is run by local women from the hills around Ostuni who only use local organic ingredients and recipes. It’s worth repeating the Apulia food warning: an average lunch can be anything between five and ten courses - so go hungry and don’t be tempted to wolf down too heftily at the beginning… And remember, you’ll have dinner to negotiate in just a few hours - which is what we did at the Masseria Borgo San Marco. In a hopeless attempt to make ourselves feel more peckish we marched around the 800 year old fortress, admiring the recently restored frescoes in the ancient community’s “cave church”. But the exercise wasn’t really enough to prepare us for yet another eight-course repast. The people of Puglia are, as I’ve said, fond of caves and we visited others - one being at the San Biagio caves and crypt where the underground church deep in the countryside is the best part of 1000 years old. But any visit to a cave must be followed by lunch - and this time it was in a new restaurant not far away called the Urban Laboratory Exfadda. The place employs people who have some kind of disability and it serves some of the best food I consumed south of Bari. The town of Villa Castelli is another must-see place in the hills of Apulia. There are all manner of ancient buildings including many “trulli” for which the region is famous. Those are the traditional beehived shaped homesteads which were preferred because they helped keep out the harsh southern sun and heat. Ceglie, just up the road, is another fascinating town - made particularly interesting to foodies because it is home to the celebrated Mediterranean Cookery School. Watching the students there de-boning huge rabbit carcasses almost made me feel hungry. I say almost, because hungry isn’t really a word you can ever use in Puglia. Martin visited Puglia as a guest of Discovery Puglia which arranges personalised tours of the region for extremely reasonable prices - check out www.discoverypuglia.com http://luxury.discoverypuglia.com info@discoverypuglia.com Frequently Asked Questions About Travelling in Puglia What is the best way to get around Puglia? The absolute best way to explore Puglia is by car. While the main cities like Bari and Lecce are connected by rail, a hire car is essential for navigating the scenic country lanes of the Itria Valley, exploring remote coastal coves along the Salento peninsula, and visiting independent olive estates at your own pace. What are the unique round houses in Puglia called? The famous round stone houses with conical roofs are called trulli (singular: trullo). Unique to the Itria Valley region of Puglia, these remarkable structures were traditionally built using a prehistoric dry-stone method without mortar. The town of Alberobello is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site due to its dense concentration of over 1,500 surviving trulli. What is traditional Puglian food like? Puglia's gastronomy is rooted in the philosophy of cucina povera (peasant cooking)—using simple, exceptionally high-quality local ingredients. The region produces around 40% of Italy's olive oil and is famous for orecchiette pasta, ultra-fresh burrata and stracciatella cheeses, sun-ripened tomatoes, and exceptional coastal seafood. Once you've saved these structural upgrades in Wix, copy the link and request indexing via Google Search Console. Let's push this post past those 19 views and get it ranking where it belongs!

Marbella has a long and chequered history... Street scene in central Marbella but for most people in Britain it’s been a byword for Spanish sun, sangria and seaside for just about as long as any of us can remember. Back when I was a boy 50 years ago, Marbella was one of the only foreign resorts anyone in my community had ever heard of - but what was once a little sun-soaked fishing village on the Costa Del Sol has gone through a great many branding exercises and guises since then. Nowadays, a lot of young folk simply refer to it as “Marbs” - and indeed there are a great many young British people in town throughout the season enjoying the inevitable hen or stag parties which seem to have become one of this nation’s greatest exports. Beyond the Glitz: The Timeless Appeal of the Casco Antiguo Regardless of that - and regardless of its rather well-worn reputation - Marbella is a joy. For a start it is an attractive place located upon what is arguably the most pleasant stretch of the Costa Del Sol - and, surprisingly perhaps, it maintains a rather exclusive air. Added to all that, it is an easy Mediterranean seaside resort to reach. There are daily flights from a great many UK and other Northern European airports to Malaga, and from there regular shuttle buses whisk you the 40-scenic-minutes down the coast to sun-sea-and-sangria-central. My tongue-in-cheek name might give the impression that you will arrive in some giant Spanish holiday-factory - all high-rises, Irish pubs, all-day-breakfasts, sports-bars and hustle. But that would be to give a wholly inaccurate impression of this pleasant resort where you are more likely to find delicate Spanish pastries and excellent coffee for breakfast than fried bacon and eggs. I spent a long weekend at the amazing Amàre Beach Hotel which is right on the seafront in central Marbella and is one of the best hotels in the region, and I enjoyed every minute of it. If you want cool, chic, upmarket comfort in Marbs, then this place is it. The Scent of Orange Blossom in the Heart of Marbella The “Old Town”, to name but one element I really like about Marbella, is a real joy to stroll around and it immediately gives you the impression that people were visiting the location a very long time before the concept of a holiday was a twinkle in a travel agent’s eye. Today the town has a population of almost 150,000 inhabitants, but it was once a tiny fishing village located under white mountains on a particularly sunny south-facing stretch of coast. You get some idea of the reason for its history by climbing up one of the uplands which rises into blue skies immediately behind the town. You don’t have to go far up the slope before you can turn around and look across to North Africa - and that amazing view reminds you that this coast was once a corner-stone of a vast cultural Mediterranean melting pot. In fact, I could see the tops of the Atlas Mountains from my large comfortable tenth storey suite at the Amàre Beach Hotel, which was just one of the many things I liked about the place. Spanish hotels have come a very, very long way since the first Brits began flying south on cheap package tours - and the Amàre Beach exemplifies just how far that journey has taken these bastions of style and luxury. Because Marbella is protected on its northern side by the nearby coastal mountains of the Cordillera Penibética (to give the range its local name) it enjoys a climate with an average annual temperature above 18 °C and a sunshine count of more than 2,900 hours annually. Given this combination of good looks - enjoyed by an attractive location that is backed by mountains and fronted by blue sea - and the superb weather, it was always going to be popular with visitors once the idea of holiday-making had caught on. Marbella had just 900 inhabitants immediately after World War Two, but this rocketed once a wealthy aristocrat named Marquis of Ivanrey, moved in and popularised it among his rich and famous friends. During the war he had acquired a country estate near the town and that began the development of tourism. His nephew, Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, acquired a neighbouring estate, Finca Santa Margarita and in 1954 opened it as the Marbella Club - an international resort aimed at movie stars, business executives and the nobility. These resorts quickly transformed Marbella into a destination for the international jet set. Sean Connery became the town’s most famous frequent visitor and locals still point to some of his favoured watering holes today. And, as I’ve said, some part of this jet-set ambience has survived, despite the endless gangs of British hen and stag parties who parade around the more popular parts of town. Not that these bothered me in the least. Before meeting up with some other journalists I spent one night wandering alone around the resort, grazing my way around the many tapas bars - and the partying Brits were jolly and well behaved even if they were well-oiled. Sampling Authentic Andalusian Flavours and Tapas Culture Dining on the move in the tapas joints is one of the must-do activities, if you’re ever in town. People who don’t regularly visit Southern Spain might not know this, but some resorts (Marbella is one) have done away with the traditional idea of tapas as a free snack served with a drink and replaced it with a new format borrowed, to some extent, from Japanese sushi bars. In other words, the small dishes are coded in some way, by a coloured plate perhaps or some sort of symbol like a shaped cocktail stick, and each of these will signify a band in the price range. By picking morsels in various bars this way, I enjoyed an extremely varied and delicious dinner over a period of about three hours, which added up to around £20, drinks included. On another night, once I’d joined my journalist friends we dined at the fantastic Messina Restaurant which is reckoned to one of of the best along the entire length of the Costa Del Sol. The Michelin starred location is something of shrine for local gourmands, and I could certainly understand why. Chef Mauricio Giovanini is a disciple of world famous Ferran Adriá and the fabulous 15-step menu allowed us to try different products, with different cooking techniques, using the cutting-edge technology of his kitchen. It was one of the finest meals I’ve eaten in a long time. I loved the sea urchin with its lick of and celery root water; the sweet bread served with creamy lemon stew and spinach; and the Iberian pork with creamy lentils and roasted onion. All this was consumed after we’d had cocktails at the Amàre Beach Hotel’s airy and truly wonderful Belvue Rooftop Bar, admiring spectacular 360º views of the Mediterranean, distant North Africa and Marbella’s old town. If this all sounds a bit extravagant, then please note that we enjoyed a range of active and relaxing wellness experiences, including a yoga session on the beach and spa treatments at Amàre Spa, where expert therapists soon had us feeling utterly revitalised. So much so that we even went for a hike in the blazing heat way up at the top of the mountains behind town. At just under 3000 feet, the peak of La Concha is one of Marbella's most recognised landmarks and there are numerous hiking routes up there in the cool woods of what is a natural park. We walked among olive groves and pine and walnut trees and spotted wild goats and eagles. So Marbella? Well, having scorned the idea of visiting for years, I’d go again at the drop of a sombrero. Especially in shoulder months like September or October or in late winter or Spring - and especially since it is so very close to home on a quick flight from Bristol or Exeter. Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Marbella Is Marbella's Old Town worth visiting? Absolutely. While Marbella is globally famous for its luxury resorts and the glamorous marina of Puerto Banús, the historic Old Town (Casco Antiguo) offers a completely different, authentic experience. It features beautifully preserved 15th-century architecture, labyrinthine Moorish street layouts, and traditional Andalusian charm that feels miles away from the modern developments. What is the most famous square in Marbella? The most famous square is the Plaza de los Naranjos (Orange Square), located at the heart of the Old Town. Dating back to 1485 following the Christian reconquest of the city, the square is framed by historic buildings like the Town Hall and is filled with Renaissance fountains, lively terraces, and its signature bitter orange trees. What is traditional food like in Marbella? The culinary scene in Marbella is highly diverse, blending Michelin-starred fine dining with rustic Andalusian taverns. Traditional local cuisine relies heavily on fresh Mediterranean seafood, featuring staples like pescaíto frito (shattered fried fish), refreshing gazpacho or ajo blanco (cold garlic and almond soup), and classic tapas sourced from the nearby mountains and coast.

A potato field in Hokkaido, Japan Everything about Japan is fascinating. In some ways it is more British than Britain - in others it is more alien than Mars. And nowadays this most foreign of lands is a great deal more amenable and less daunting than you may think. In this article we are concentrating on just one corner of the Japanese archipelago, having recently spent the best part of a week in the country’s northern isle, Hokkaido. It is vast, amazingly scenic, and as friendly a place as you can imagine. Indeed, I stayed in what is probably the most visitor-friendly part of the mountainous and forested island - Niseko Village is all about skiing and snow-boarding so is well used to catering for an international clientele. Volcanic steaming lake in Hokkaido That is thanks partly to the fact that its slopes are smothered by as much as 50 feet of snowfall each year - and winter-sports fans tell me it is the best powder snow in the world. But at other times of the year the area offers a hugely scenic refuge for anyone, say, who has spent time in the crazy urban world of Tokyo. I stayed in a luxurious town house which is part of the YTL Hotel company’s Green Leaf Hotel complex (all part of the larger Niseko Village resort) situated on a shoulder of a mountain some 2000 feet above sea-level. The large, well-appointed three-bedroomed house was all en suite and very comfortable and spacious indeed. Japan's Untamed Frontier: The Unique Geography of Hokkaido Niseko is a genuine rural refuge, far from the frenetic intensity of urban Japan. It really does offer the visitor the easiest and most scenic introductions to the country. Hotel staff were keen for me to try one of their new e-bikes which made cycling around the undulating countryside easy and pleasurable. With a handful of other journalists I spent a couple of days exploring the high plateau between the dormant conical volcanoes, pedalling through forests and visiting hot-springs, lakes and local restaurants to sample local dishes such as udon or soba noodles, which were an inexpensive joy. Two of the main local delicacies will have any English person feeling at home - cheese and potatoes. And no, I had not heard of Japanese cheeses before, or oriental spuds come to that. But both are a big deal in the fertile farmlands which do so well on the volcanic soils of this beautiful region. Trekking Through Primeval Forests and Volcanic Peaks High peaks surround the fields and clear rushing rivers interweave their way through the myriad foothills. At every touch and turn you came across lush crops growing here, harvests occurring there and little farm gate shops everywhere. Apart from potatoes and the occasional herd of milking cows you will come across wide yellow rice paddies, impressive stands of asparagus fern, the sweetest tomatoes imaginable, sweetcorn, aubergines and goodness knows what else. One farmer told me: “Hokkaido is like your Kent - it is the garden of Japan.” As if to prove this, we were invited to the Niseko Village Autumn Food Festival, which was a joy, although I was surprised to see so many stalls run by Europeans and Australians who’d settled in the area to farm organically, presumably as some sort of lifestyle choice given that the area offers first class summer surfing and world class winter-sports. In early-September it was hard to envisage such snowy scenes. The days I spent cycling were hot, which was not a problem for us as we were helped by the tiny electric motors and also able stop at regular intervals at the freshwater springs which are a feature of the area. So famous is this the health-giving water that businesses have set up by the side of some springs creating various products. We visited a tofu-making concern which was so popular that even in this sparsely populated area there were queues. The tofu came in all manner of forms and colours, including a charcoal version. A morsel entitled ‘raindrop-cake’ was another speciality made by a spring-based business. It didn’t taste of anything at all - it was just a clear ball of jelly, or wobbly water. Preserving the Wild Soul of the Northern Wilderness The Japanese seemed to love it. Which is one of the nice things I noticed about Japan - if something is deemed good, then the ever-polite Japanese become very enthusiastic indeed. Go to a cheese-producer near Niseko Village and it will be the other customers, not the owner, who will tell you that the blue cheese was national champion in 2016. Visit the local ice-cream-maker and it will be a customer who’ll insist on grabbing your camera so that he can snap photos of you licking your cornet. They will laugh, smile and bow - and you will laugh, smile and bow right back. Because that is what you do in Japan in an endless dance of courteousness, that I found pleasant rather than wearisome. At least those staying at the Green Leaf Hotel or its town houses - or its large neighbouring Hilton - can retire to the mountainside for a relaxing dinner followed by an even more relaxing dip in the onsen. These communal hot-water baths are to be found all over Japan and are THE thing which locals do on a daily basis. The extremely hot baths are separate for men and women - you just strip right off and pretend you are a boiled lobster for 20 minutes, bubbling gently away watching the shooting stars illuminate the distant conical mountainsides. After 20 minutes of that you wander off to bed feeling more relaxed than you’ve ever felt - certainly a lot more relaxed than those moments when you’ve been watching your rugby team in a hostile ruck. Only one problem has loomed for me since I made this first visit to Japan - it is the instant desire to return and explore further. I shall asking my new friends at YTL Hotels what else I can explore and do next time I visit Hokkaido. FACT FILE Martin was a guest of YTL Hotels. www.skisafari.com Martin flew to Japan with British Airways which has daily services - visit www.britishairways.com Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Hokkaido's Wilderness What makes Hokkaido different from the rest of Japan? Hokkaido accounts for roughly one-fifth of Japan's total landmass but holds only a fraction of its population. Unlike the bustling, historic cities of the main island, Hokkaido is celebrated for its raw, untamed wilderness, featuring expansive national parks, active volcanoes, magnificent primeval forests, and dramatic seasonal shifts that attract outdoor enthusiasts year-round. When is the best time to visit Hokkaido for hiking and nature? While Hokkaido is globally famous for its winter powder snow, the best time for mountain trekking and exploring the forests is from June to September. During the summer and early autumn, the alpine fields burst into blossom, the weather is beautifully mild, and the hiking trails are completely clear of ice. Are there wild bears in the forests of Hokkaido? Yes. Hokkaido is the exclusive home of the Ussuri brown bear (Higuma), which lives deep within the island's mountain ranges and dense forests. When trekking through remote national parks like Shiretoko or Daisetsuzan, hikers are always advised to carry bear bells and follow local safety guidelines to ensure a respectful distance from the wildlife. Once you've saved these updates in Wix, run the URL straight through Google Search Console to get those 4 views moving upwards!

Night time in Ho Chi Min City Few cities on earth assail the senses with the sheer, unbridled energy of Ho Chi Minh City. Formerly known as Saigon, this sprawling southern metropolis is the commercial heartbeat of Vietnam—a place where over nine million residents and a seemingly infinite sea of motorbikes create a mesmerising, non-stop symphony of urban life. To walk the streets of this city with a camera is an exercise in capturing beautiful contradictions. Look in one direction, and you are surrounded by timeless French colonial elegance; look in another, and towering glass skyscrapers pierce the tropical sky. This photo essay is a visual journey through the chaotic charm, hidden corners, and culinary vibrant soul of Saigon. Saigon - or Ho Chi Min City, as it is now known - is a busy place. A crazy place, in some ways. A place that booms and roars and demands your 100 per cent attention night and day. And I loved it. Perhaps because I enjoyed the ultimate refuge in the form of the lavish and opulent Reverie Saigon, which is located in the heart of this magnificent city. Architecture of Empire and Ambition Saigon's architecture tells the dramatic story of its past. The city's wide boulevards still boast magnificent colonial landmarks such as the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica and the Saigon Central Post Office—both constructed in the late 19th century using materials imported directly from France. Yet today, these historic monuments sit in the shadows of ultra-modern engineering marvels like the Bitexco Financial Tower and Landmark 81, which stands as the tallest building in Vietnam and the seventeenth-tallest in the world. It is this rapid vertical evolution that defines the visual landscape of modern Vietnam. It is housed in one of the tallest skyscrapers in all of Vietnam, and our 38th floor suite really did offer the ultimate air-conditioned refuge from the hot and sticky streets far, far below. Not that I had anything against those streets. A few days in Ho Chi Min City is as colourful and exciting as a few days spent anywhere on Earth - and visits to the various markets and street-food emporiums are an absolute must. Hi Chi Min City from the river The Electric Pulse of Saigon's Street Culture The true heart of Ho Chi Minh City isn't found in its museums or high-rise bars, but down on the pavement. The city’s street culture is legendary, centered around bustling local markets like Ben Thanh and the countless roadside food stalls that fill the air with the aromas of sizzling pork, fresh lemongrass, and rich Vietnamese iced coffee. As night falls, the humidity breaks, and the neon lights turn the rain-slicked streets into a cinematic wonderland. It is a photographer's paradise, where every alleyway reveals a hidden cafe, a family-run soup stall, or a quiet moment of calm amidst the urban rush. Confronting History at the War Remnants Museum More sobering is a visit to the Vietnam War Museum. It is not often that I’m rendered speechless, but that is how I felt after learning about some of the horrors of the Vietnam War. Indeed, like many visitors I was in tears - and altogether mystified as to how such horrors could have happened in such a beautiful and happy country. No visit to Ho Chi Minh City is complete without a deeply sobering, reflective walk through the War Remnants Museum in District 3. While the bustling streets outside celebrate Vietnam's fast-moving future, this repository serves as a powerful, unfiltered anchor to the immense human cost of its mid-century conflict. In the sunlit outdoor courtyard, heavy American fighter jets, tanks, and helicopters sit parked like silent ghosts of mechanized warfare. Inside, the atmosphere shifts to a collective, respectful silence. The upper galleries house the deeply moving Requiem exhibition—a collection of battlefield photography captured by international photojournalists who tragically lost their lives during the Indochina War. It is an emotionally heavy experience, but one that offers critical historical context and highlights the remarkable resilience of the local population. The Sensory Whirlwind of Ben Thanh Market Altogether more jolly was a visit to Saigon’s massive central market where they sell everything from silk shirts to sea-cucumbers… To experience the true commercial soul of Saigon, one must dive headfirst into the labyrinth of Ben Thanh Market. Anchoring the absolute heart of District 1 since 1912, this covered municipal market is one of the city's oldest surviving structures and an enduring symbol of local life. Beneath its iconic French colonial bell tower, the building opens up into a vast, sprawling grid of nearly 1,500 individual trading booths. Navigating the tightly packed, narrow aisles is a brilliant sensory overload. The outer edges buzz with vendors selling vibrant fabrics, hand-carved lacquerware, and souvenirs, while the inner wings give way to a bustling wet market packed with exotic tropical fruits, mountains of local spices, and fresh seafood. It is loud, chaotic, and utterly thrilling—the perfect stage for capturing the genuine, everyday interactions of the city. Back in the total luxury of The Reverie there’s time for one final swim in the rooftop pool before chilling out in the massive suite in the skies, before heading off to Ho Chi Min airpot for the Vietnam Airlines Dreamliner flight back to London. Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Ho Chi Minh City Is it better to call the city Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City? Both names are widely used. Officially, the city was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in 1976 following the end of the Vietnam War. However, the historic name "Saigon" remains deeply cherished and is used daily by locals, businesses, and airlines to refer to the central urban districts (specifically District 1). What are the best areas for travel photography in Ho Chi Minh City? For classic architecture, head to District 1 to capture the Saigon Central Post Office, the Opera House, and the City Hall. For vibrant street and documentary photography, the bustling alleys around Ben Thanh Market or the historic Chinese quarter of Cholon (District 5) offer unmatched colour, energy, and local character. When is the best time of year to visit Saigon? The ideal time to visit Ho Chi Minh City is during the dry season, which runs from December to April. During these months, the weather is pleasantly warm with minimal rainfall, making it the perfect climate for exploring the city's extensive outdoor street food markets and walking tours.

Shedbush Farm, a National Trust property in Dorset There are times - like, say, a significant milestone birthday - when you need a special kind of treat. Gathering an extended family together for a celebration means multiple diaries must be calibrated, and that elusive somewhere special must be found and booked. We found somewhere very special indeed. Nestled deep in a tranquil valley just under Golden Cap—the highest point along the entire English Channel coast—lies Shedbush Farm House This beautifully refurbished National Trust holiday property serves as an idyllic base for exploring the dramatic Jurassic Coast of Dorset. I remember visiting Shedbush Farm years ago when it was a little more rustic. The wonderful old thatched farmhouse and its ancient stone outbuildings might have looked picture perfect, but it is located in an environmentally sensitive, Trust-owned area where agricultural practices are tightly controlled. Today, it has been transformed into a luxurious holiday cottage, and we were hugely impressed by the high-quality, sympathetic way in which the Trust has refurbished the place and has recently upgraded the property's infrastructure, which now includes free Wi-Fi supported by BT and a newly installed EV charging station for electric vehicles. So a holiday cottage it now is - and we were hugely impressed by the high quality luxurious way in which the Trust has refurbished the place. A solitary sheep admires the view looking east from Golden Cap However, despite all that manorial-style luxury we still had to leave the place at regular intervals during our long weekend in order to enjoy all those fabulous walks. Of course, you don’t need to be temporarily resident at Shedbush Farm to enjoy them. Climbing Golden Cap: The Highest Peak on the South Coast Views. That's what this place is all about, especially if you walk through the forest above the farm towards Golden Cap. From this angle the famous coastal hill looks like an Alp - perfectly conical so you think the top must be crowned by a small peak. It's not, because the peak stretches in a tiny escarpment toward the sea, but you only find that out once you've climbed the steep footpath to the top. The best walk we did during the weekend was to turn left, or east, here and head down the coast path to the beach at Seatown where there’s a good pub called The Anchor next to the shore. The Smuggling Lore of Seatown and the Chideock Gang Looking west along the Dorset shoreline towards Golden Cap Apparently this area was once a sort of Piccadilly Circus for smugglers and excise-men. Here’s a note from the Rev C.V. Goddard, who was vicar of Chideock (situated just inland and pronounced Chiddick), between 1890-95: “Samuel Bartlett (a churchwarden) told me the particulars of the last cargo run. His father landed it. On arriving off the coast after a fortnight's fog he had to drop the kegs off the coast on the trawling ground where they remained sunk for six months. He brought his ship round from Portland Harbour and picked them up, recovering 120 and losing one. Seatown “The other half they afterwards tried to land east of Seatown but the Coast Guard or Preventive men saw them, the night too was gone and day broke as old Bartlett was shipping ashore. Some of the tackle got hitched, so there was nothing for it but to put to sea and drop them over the side again.” The ‘Chideock Gang’ plied their business in the 18th century, along the remote coast between Seatown and Charmouth. They were led by the enigmatic ‘Colonel’, thought to be a local gentleman. With Golden Cap as a look-out, the gang were fairly safe from arrest as they could see the hated excise-men coming for miles. Check out our South West Coast Path Walks page here Walking Through History: Doghouse Hill and the Chideock Martyrs We were soon admiring the great inland vale around the village of Chideock as we continued east along the coast path up mighty Doghouse Hill. I am told this was traditionally staunch Roman Catholic country and it was from some local big house that the ‘Chideock Martyrs’ were taken. One was a Cornishman from St Austell and after being arrested and taken to London, he and three other unrepentant Catholics were condemned, though they were offered a chance of saving their skins if they converted to Protestantism. They refused and were duly martyred at Dorchester on 4th July, 1594. Maybe this has something to do with the hill being called Doghouse. Perhaps one of the martyrs came from Doghouse Farm just down the hill… Across the high coastal eminences we walked towards Thorncombe Beacon where there’s a real beacon post crowned by a steel brazier. But you soon forget that and everything else when you see the view ahead. It must be one of the finest coastal vistas anywhere – you can see all the way along Chesil Beach to Portland Bill. Far below is Eype Mouth, to which we descended so we could get onto the golden gravel beach and walk along the shore to busy West Bay. This curious resort is so well furnished with eateries of all kinds, it makes a perfect place for lunch. All you have to do next is return from whence you came - either by walking or by catching the regular and rather famous X53 bus service back to Morcombelake. Frequently Asked Questions About Shedbush Farm and Golden Cap Can you stay at Shedbush Farm in Dorset? Yes. Shedbush Farm House is an authenticated 17th-century thatched farmhouse that is actively operated by the National Trust as a luxury holiday rental. The characterful property features exposed low beams, traditional barn doors, and two cosy wood-burning stoves, comfortably sleeping up to six guests across three bedrooms. It is also entirely pet-friendly, welcoming up to two dogs. How do you get to Golden Cap from Shedbush Farm? Golden Cap is directly accessible on foot from the property. Walkers can ascend through the sheltered forest trails immediately above the farm to reach the steep footpath leading to the summit. At 191 metres above sea level, it offers spectacular, panoramic views across the English Channel and the sweeping Jurassic Coastline. What is the history of the Chideock Gang and Seatown? During the 18th century, the remote shoreline stretching between Seatown and Charmouth was a notorious hub for maritime smuggling. Led by an enigmatic local figure known as 'The Colonel,' the infamous 'Chideock Gang' used the towering vantage point of Golden Cap to keep watch for excise-men, hiding illegal cargoes of alcohol and goods in secluded coastal gaps.

They call it the “Friendly Isle”, which is a good start. St Martin is also known as the culinary capital of the Caribbean, which is certainly another bonus. It is also one of the only islands in the world divided by an international border - which at first glance might seem like no great shakes - but which is a fact that brings bonuses of its own. Saint Martin, to name the French half - or Sint Maarten, which is what the Dutch half call it - is a delightful and fascinating island located at an important geographic apex in the Caribbean. This tiny double-kingdom is situated at the north-easterly point where the great chain of Caribbean islands swings south from it’s east to west run, having passed Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and the British Virgin Isles. Beyond St Martin the islands head south to form the chain that’s known as the Windward Isles, which includes Martinique, St Lucia and St Vincent. If you are planning a trip to the island, note that the old paper landing cards handed out on flights have been entirely replaced by a digital system. Every traveler must now complete the official Sint Maarten Digital ED Card (Embarkation/Disembarkation form) online at least 24 hours before departure Sailors certainly know where St Martin is. For many British trans-Atlantic yachtsmen it is the first port of call - one that also happens to be a centrally placed base from where they can explore all corners of the Caribbean. Moreover, it boasts one of the biggest natural harbours on the eastern shores of the Atlantic. So despite being small, this two-nation state punches way above its weight - which somehow makes it all the more ideal as a holiday destination. In fact, I’d recommend it as one of the best introductions to the Caribbean, partly because there is so much going on. And it really is friendly. Unlike some Caribbean locations where you do have to be a bit careful, you can enjoy all parts of St Martin day or night and you will be as safe as you’d be in a British town or city. Because of all the maritime comings and goings, and also because of the twin-nation status, the place is cosmopolitan. Caribbean certainly - but also a blend of European and to some extent American. Also, you can fly direct to St Martin from Europe, which is a boon. We travelled via Amsterdam aboard a KLM jet - an easy enough trip now that Schipol airport has an air-side, inexpensive, “pod-style” hotel where you can get a quick and convenient night’s sleep before continuing to the Caribbean. And talking of that flight, one of the best known things about St Martin is the Princess Juliana International Airport where the planes have to come in at unbelievably low altitudes above Maho Beach. Standing on the sand and feeling a 747’s downdraught in your hair is one of the island’s must-do experiences, albeit a slightly anxious one. Don’t try back-wash-surfing which is what some idiots do when the big planes crank up their engines in readiness for take-off. Clutching a fence while your whole body is flapping like washing on a windy line is not my idea of fun. A Tale of Two Nations: The Unique Division of the Island What is my idea of fun is hiring a car and spending time exploring St Martin. The first thing to say is there’s no need to worry about that international border - as the Dutch and the French are sensible European nations they don’t go in for border checks nowadays. However, despite there being no fence you can tell the difference between the Dutch and French halves. The latter is a little bit less urbanised and… how can I say this? Well, more French. Some parts of the southerly Dutch half are more built-up and perhaps more Americanised, specially the area around Simpson Bay near the airport. This lack of a physical border makes it incredibly easy to explore, which has helped the island experience a massive resurgence. Recent industry data shows that over one million visitors now pour onto the island annually, with stay-over air arrivals seeing double-digit year-on-year growth. We stayed in Dutch St Maarten, but only just. Oyster Pond is a delightful secluded inlet on the far easterly side of the island close to the border. And the Oyster Bay Beach Resort is a large and comfortable high-end complex perched above a coral reef with ocean views and white sand beaches. Our luxurious apartment was huge - bigger than our house - and just one minute’s stroll from that white sand beach. The staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful, the food good, and the place made an altogether perfect base for our week-long adventures around the island. Sun, Sand, and the Caribbean Coastline One of my favourite St Martin areas is just a two minute drive north of Oyster Pond. The Etang au Poissons nature reserve covers 3000 hectares of sea and 150 hectares of land including islets like Petite Clef, Green Cay and Tintamarre. The marshlands of Etang and its neighbour the Salines d’Orient are also part of this protected area and include mangrove swamps which are a nursery for many marine species. Nearby, Orient Bay is one of the Caribbean’s best known beaches, boasting over a mile of palm strewn white sands. North again there’s lovely Cul-de-Sac Bay where you can take the little ferry across to Ilet de Pinel, which is also part of the nature reserve and which also boasts a beautiful beach. We spent a morning out there, snorkelling around the coral reefs and doing a quick hike around the isle during one of the brief rain storms which are always a feature of Caribbean life. The far north of St Martin is wild and hilly, but a road cuts across from Cul-de-Sac on the wilder, rougher, east coast to Grand Case on the west. As does so it passes the smaller French airport where, in order to land, pilots also have to nosedive their aeroplanes at an alarming rate. I suppose if I had to name just one favourite spot on St Martin it would be the village of Grand Case, partly because it has retained an old-fashioned Caribbean authenticity thanks to its clapperboard architecture. Culinary Delights and Island Hospitality But more probably because charming, beach-side Grand Case has the reputation of being the island’s gourmet capital. Many of the restaurants are located in traditional huts built on stilts above the beach. We had a huge Sunday lunch of freshly barbecued chicken and fish that cost us about £5 each - and that included the beer. Indeed, to go to Gand Case and not have the barbecued food would be just about impossible - the alluring aromatic smoke seems to emanate from every wattle and daub house down the street. A night-time stroll along the boulevard is another of St Martin’s must-do moments. The music booms and you squeeze through great throngs of tourists and locals, all having a good time. In the culinary heart of Grand Case, the dining scene is more vibrant than ever. Alongside the smoky local barbecue 'lolos', iconic gourmet beachside spots like Rainbow Café continue to blend Mediterranean flair with Caribbean life, while beloved bistros like Le Cottage remain world-class destinations for classic French gastronomy and expertly paired wine cellars. The capital of French St Martin is Marigot, which you reach by travelling down the west coast from Grand Case. Apart from its marinas it is known for its market which is a lively, colourful, Provence-meets-Caribbean affair. Stalls sell fruit, vegetables, spices, local meats and fresh fish. There are also craft stands where you can buy flavoured rums, including Shrub - a local speciality in which the spirit is flavoured with orange peel. Alternatively you can try Mauby, a local bark-based infusion - but I bet you’ll prefer the Shrub. We dined one night with West Country friends at Le Mini Club - alas now destroyed by the last big hurricane. It used to serve one of the best buffet dinners I’ve eaten anywhere and has fantastic open air views of the marina and harbour area. I knew we were on to a good thing when the maitre d’ told me he’d worked for several years at Taunton’s Castle Hotel under the tutelage of one Gary Rhodes. Despite this recommendation I wasn’t quite expecting the sheer spectacle of the buffet. For under £40 a head (which included ludicrous amounts of wine) you could help yourself to whatever you liked, including as many lobsters as your plate or stomach could hold. Further on down the west coast and we’re back into Dutch Sint Maarten where we can take the long and winding Rue du Sandy Ground around the great natural harbour of Simpson Bay Lagoon. Much of this most easterly section of the island is in private hands so it’s difficult to reach the beach until you turn onto the southern coast. Then the area around Baie Longue towards the airport is the most Americanised with golf courses, condo-developments and high rise hotels. I like Philipsburg, the capital of Dutch St Maarten and the biggest community on the island. It’s a busy, bustling place full of locals going about their business and tourists looking bemused in the Caribbean heat. When the Dutch first arrived in 1631 the sandy strip separating Great Bay from Great Salt Pond was chosen as the site for a settlement. John Philips, a Scotsman, developed much of the town between 1735 and 1746 when the sugar factories began to generate economic growth. He was appointed commander of the island and introduced modern agricultural techniques for the growing of sugar cane, coffee and cotton. So is the name Philipsburg based on its founder, John Philips? Oddly not - though this seems to be of no concern to the million-plus cruise ship passengers who dock here each year and enjoy the town. We had a delicious lunch in one of the many little street-food joints in a side alley just off the main shopping street. My Caribbean jerk chicken cost about £3.50 - four quid if you include the beer. After a hectic afternoon in Philipsburg it was time to retreat to the peace and quiet of the Oyster Bay Beach Resort and a rum punch, followed by a candle-lit dinner down on the white sand beach where all we could hear was the ocean’s roar. A rather romantic way to end a day on what is already a Friendly Isle. Fact File Martin stayed on Dutch St Maarten as a guest of the Oyster Bay Beach Resort where prices for a luxurious large room begin at £90 per night - prices for a spacious fully equipped suite like then one Martin stayed in begin at £300 per night. The resort has two restaurants and many other facilities, such as free snorkelling equipment and beach loungers. Visit www.oysterbaybeachresort.com for more details. To find out more about Dutch St Maarten visit www.st-maarten.com Frequently Asked Questions About St Martin Why is St Martin called the Friendly Isle? St Martin has earned the enduring nickname of the "Friendly Isle" due to the exceptionally warm, welcoming, and hospitable nature of its local population. The island prides itself on its relaxed, community-driven atmosphere, making travelers feel instantly at home across both sides of the territory. What is unique about the border on St Martin? The island is uniquely divided into two separate territories: the French northern side (Saint-Martin) and the Dutch southern side (Sint Maarten). Despite being governed by two distinct European nations, there is no physical border or customs check between them, allowing visitors to travel completely freely between the two cultures. What is the food scene like in St Martin? St Martin is widely regarded as one of the culinary capitals of the Caribbean. The island offers an incredible blend of world-class French fine dining (particularly in the village of Grand Case), traditional Dutch cheeses and spirits, and authentic, smoky Caribbean roadside barbecues known locally as 'lolos.' What are the entry requirements for flying into St Martin? All international air passengers arriving via Princess Juliana International Airport must hold a passport valid for the duration of their stay. Additionally, all travelers must fill out the mandatory, official digital ED Card via the entry.sx portal before flying. The form is completely free, and travelers should avoid third-party copycat sites that attempt to charge a processing fee. Where are the best places to eat in Grand Case, St Martin? Grand Case offers a legendary dining scene split between casual beachfront eateries and high-end French bistros. For authentic Caribbean barbecue, the traditional open-air 'lolos' are a must-visit. For a refined culinary experience, top-rated institutions include Le Cottage for traditional French-Caribbean fusion and the beachfront Rainbow Café for chic, Mediterranean-inspired dining.

The big Marshall amp was pumping out notes with all the boom and volume of an ocean liner’s hooter and for a few seconds a 60-something-year-old lad from Exmoor was bashing it out on the lead guitar like some happy and demented Jimmy Hendrix. No air-guitar this, but the real thing - loud and raucous. And as a bonus I was playing this guitar in the glamorous and historic heart of Vienna. Okay, I was alone and in my hotel suite - but when you tell people you’ve been to Vienna you are almost always faced with the auto-pilot reaction: “Did you go to the opera?” “No, I didn’t,” comes my reply. “But I did play lead guitar at full volume with the help of a great big Marshall amplifier, just like rock stars have. And I did it in the suite I had at a very special new brand of hotels that is rapidly making a name for itself across Europe.” A Stylish Base in the Heart of Vienna If all this sounds a little uncultured of me, then note that I was enjoying a short city break to the capital of Austria and I was there at the invitation of the city tourist board which was introducing journalists to a new programme they’ve called ‘Unrating Vienna’. It is all about encouraging visitors to discover a very different city to the one seen in travelogues. “Unrating Vienna” inspires visitors to go in search of ‘unique experiences’ to be found in the city rather than following the crowds. The email I received said: “The campaign urges visitors to deliberately get lost, enjoy instead of plan and stumble across some unique hidden gems in the process.” A very enjoyable experience it was too. I discovered a city that was vibrant, diverse and full of surprises. Understanding the "Lean Luxury" Hotel Philosophy Like the Ruby Hotel I stayed in, for starters. There are three of these remarkable, funky and inexpensive hotels in the city (and more opening up across Europe all the time, including one in London later this year) and I look forward to staying in them again. Just to explain that guitar... Each suite at the Ruby Lissi Hotel comes with its own big Marshall amplifier and, because every room is sound-proofed to the hilt, you are free to turn up the volume as loud as you like - whether that is as a result of plugging in your smartphone and playing your own music collection or because you have borrowed one of the electric guitars that hang around the walls of the reception area. The Ruby Hotels “Lean Luxury” Concept I am hopeless at playing a guitar, but I enjoyed twanging the strings in the privacy of my own suite. The Ruby Hotels are for the most part (and certainly the ones in Vienna) built into old buildings which have been renovated and each has its own themed and unique decor. They call it “lean luxury” - but it is modernistic, minimalist in places, and hugely enjoyable. I shall seek out the German-owned brand, especially since the price in the very heart of Vienna starts from just under 80 euros a night, which is amazingly good value. So, if I did not queue for hours or book months ahead to go to the opera, what else did I do in Vienna? Well, lots - is the answer. We filled our three days from morning, noon, until very late at night. We walked and walked though the charming, stately streets and down hillsides cloaked in vineyards. We cycled through vast, green, wood-lined parks and along canal-sides. We even spent a morning aboard an electric powered launch which I somehow managed to skipper down a popular, but peaceful, stretch of the old Danube (as opposed to the newly realigned Danube which is busy and full of terrifyingly large shipping). READ MORE abkout Vienna's amazing food scene here We even joined the throngs of Viennese locals who were swimming in the old river and enjoying specially created pleasure beaches. It was a wonderful thing to do in the 39-degree heatwave which had hit town to coincide with our stay. As the tourist board had told me, Vienna is home to a multitude of outdoor activities – 53 per cent of the city’s surface area is classified as green space. The city’s biggest park, the Prater, has six million square metres of greenery to explore. The Vienna Woods are a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and home to 150 bird species and 2,000 plants. There is also a plethora of gardens to enjoy, including Stadtpark, Vienna’s first public park with the most monuments and sculptures. I’m a sucker for markets, and Vienna has plenty of them, the most popular being the Naschmarkt. Then there’s the Brunnenmarkt, the second largest street market in Vienna, offering delicacies from around the world. Closer to the city centre, the Karmelitermarkt boasts not only the usual stalls, but a contemporary art scene and various new dining concepts which attract locals and visitors alike. The thing a greedy person like me particularly likes about markets is the food - and when it comes to food and drink there is lots to like about Vienna. Outside the crowded centre there are literally hundreds of underrated authentic Viennese restaurants. Gasthaus Ubl in the 4th district offers quintessential Viennese charm with delicious local cuisine such as Wiener schnitzel and roast liver, beef shin and blood sausage. I enjoyed the iconic “boiled beef” dish which is a Viennese favourite and much more delicious than it sounds. The food was surprisingly inexpensive and it was real Austrian cuisine. I know that because I met the lady who owns the place and who almost single handedly cooks everything. When it comes to drink, Vienna is the only metropolis in the world to cultivate a wine-growing industry within its city limits. There’s a selection of vineyards and wine cellars to explore and sample. Wieninger am Nussberg is one such vineyard where visitors can sample biodynamic wine and Buschenschank delicacies from local producers, with stunning views over the city from Nussberg hill. We spent an entire afternoon up there enjoying a wonderful tasting with old Mr Wieninger who told us his family had ben making wine on the hill overlooking the it’s for 600 years. We then worked-off the booze by hiking all the way down the hill and back into the outskirts of Vienna where we jumped aboard one of the city’s excellent, efficient metro-lines that sped us back into the centre. Of course, there are all the famous things you can do and see in what is Europe’s number one short-city-break destination - like all the imperial and contemporary art which you can enjoy in the amazing museum district, or the stunning Schönbrunn Palace, or the State Opera or St Stephen’s Cathedral. There’s even the famous Ferris wheel as seen with Orson Welles in The Third Man, as well as countless Viennese pastries to consume after eating Wiener schnitzel and 100 different types of local sausage. And there is the opera, however be warned that the queues are long if you don’t book a long way ahead. But, in the end there is just Vienna. Grand old empirical Vienna - one of the loveliest, grandest and most exciting cities on Earth. Fact File Martin stayed as a guest of Ruby Hotels. For more information, please visit www.rubyhotels.com. Find out more about staying in Vienna by visiting www.viennainfo.com Frequently Asked Questions About Ruby Hotels Vienna What does the "Lean Luxury" concept mean at Ruby Hotels? The "Lean Luxury" philosophy focuses on providing top-tier luxury where it matters most—such as premium locations, five-star beds, excellent soundproofing, and rainfall showers—while stripping away costly extras like bellhops, minibars, and room service. This allows the hotel to offer a boutique, high-end experience at an affordable price. Are Ruby Hotels located near the centre of Vienna? Yes. Ruby Hotels operates multiple distinct properties across Vienna, each strategically situated in vibrant, highly accessible neighbourhoods close to excellent public transport links. This makes them ideal bases for both sightseeing and exploring the authentic local culinary scene. Do the rooms at Ruby Hotels include unique features? Absolutely. Ruby Hotel rooms are characteristically bright and lean, maximizing space with open layouts. They feature high-quality sound systems, luxury bedding, Marshall amplifiers, and custom lighting controls, blending modern functionality with a distinctly creative, boutique aesthetic.