Thomas Cook Travel - Spring 2014 by Bookletia

THOMAS COOK TRAVEL SPRING 2014

The

Dominican

Republic Discover paradise in the Caribbeanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best-kept secret

ROAD TRIP USA FEBRUARY / MARCH / APRIL 2014

r Take a tou rs, le il K e h T with eers and The Lumin The Strokes on page 62

plus... T E N E R I F E V E N I C E T U R K E Y B A R B A D O S L A S V E G A S

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FEB / MAR / APR 2014

contents FEATURES

Insider guide: Dominican Republic

We reveal what makes this colourful Caribbean hideaway paradise found

La cucina Veneziana

Beyond the tourist traps, the ﬂoating city has some serious culinary credentials – you just need to know where to look

The great American rock’n’roll road trip

Enjoy an exclusive tour of the US courtesy of The Killers, The Strokes, The Lumineers and The Raconteurs

Turkey in 10 objects

Explore the diversity of the Turkish coastline through its iconic tastes, sights and sounds

The lost art of getting lost

Travel author Kevin Rushby throws away his compass and GPS to ﬁnd out why it’s better heading oﬀ-map

The volcano challenge

We challenge our daredevil writer to take on Tenerife’s most heart-racing activities in and around ﬁery Mount Teide

Photography: Greg Funnell

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e it, Shak e it, shak ge 30) (pa baby!

NEWS

SPRING 2014

The

Dominican

12 The big ﬁve

Republic

Take your cue from The King and discover five fab Vegas casinos

Discover paradise in the Caribbean’s best-kept secret

ROAD TRIP USA

15 Star guide

Take a tour with The Killers, rs and The Luminee The Strokes on page 62

plus...

Head to Barbados to party hard like local girl Rihanna

T E N E R I F E V E N I C E T U R K E Y B A R B A D O S L A S V E G A S

Senior Editor Mike MacEacheran Editor Imogen Rowland Art Director Daniel Di Paolo Picture Editor Julia Holmes Sub Editor Matt Glasby Production Manager Helen Hind Publisher Chris Davies chris.davies@ink-global.com +44 (0)207 749 6285 Advertising Sales Executives German Marin George Hughes

16 Essentials This season’s shades modelled by old timers. It’s not as daft as it sounds

18 Beauty Go for gold with our Winter Olympics-inspired beauty buys

21 Trend Street food is out: slope food is in. We take to the pistes to try some truly fast food

23 Tech Introducing the smartwatches that can control your life

24 Challenge Will our intrepid writer manage to outrun a real zombie attack?

26 Cheap thrills Pop-up theme parks are here. We ride the USA’s latest coasters

28 Food Looking for chocolate heaven? We’ve got Charlie’s golden ticket

30 Drink Salud! Cuban rum and Hemingway cocktails are the latest bar trend

32 Kids Introducing Squishy McFluff, the mischievous cartoon cat

35 The big question We ask just how old is too old to holiday with mother?

36 Interview TV chef James Martin tells us why he plans to travel to Antarctica and why New York is a foodie paradise

39 In focus Get on your bike with a new series of European cycling guides to discover different sides to your favourite cities

101 The checklist We round up the best hotels, restaurants and things to do around the network this season

111 THOMAS COOK NEWS 115 WELLBEING IN THE AIR 119 OUR FLEET 120 ROUTE MAP 122 THE LAST WORD Morocco by Thomas Cook’s rep

Three things we learned this issue... N

Flavour highs Saturday Kitchen chef James Martin’s second passion after food is flying planes

THOMAS COOK TRAVEL

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E S

Get lost Sometimes the best way to see a destination is to ditch the map and go it alone

Hit the road You, too, can live like a rock star on a US road trip (no tour bus needed)

Sales Recruitment joinus@ink-global.com Executive Creative Director Michael Keating Editorial Director Andrew Humphreys Publishing Director Simon Leslie Chief Executive Jeffrey O’Rourke Chief Operating Officer Hugh Godsal For Thomas Cook Bernadette Fitzsimons Louise Dixon Samantha Townshend Charlotte Aldridge Craig Smith Reprographics KFR Pre-Press Ltd Ink, 141-143 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JE Editorial +44 (0)20 7749 6265, thomascook.ed@ink-global.com Sales +44 (0)20 7613 8779 Editorial opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Thomas Cook. Though we strive for accuracy, Ink and Thomas Cook cannot accept responsibility for information, such as prices and product availability, that may be subject to change.

Photography: Tim E White

17/01/2014 17:53

Looking for a stylish and relaxing holiday... Discover SENTIDO Hotels & Resorts • Hotels with individual style guaranteed to leave you relaxed and revitalised • Holiday Plus Programme for body & mind, kids & adults • Holiday Concierge to help you get the most out of your holiday

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welcome from Thomas Cook

Dear holidaymaker

e’re delighted to have you with us and your crew is looking forward to taking very good care of you. We want to make sure that your time with us exceeds your expectations as we know that your holiday is precious, representing a tremendous investment that starts the minute you begin planning your trip. I hope you are reading this with either the excitement of your holiday ahead or, feeling recharged with happy memories of time well-spent and places happily explored. We’d love to hear about your experiences of travelling with us so please do email us at customer. service@thomascook.com. Your feedback does matter and is listened to: everything helps us to continually improve our holidays and services. Please also take a few minutes to complete the Customer Service Questionnaire that you will be offered on the flight. At the start of your holiday, some of the first people you’ll meet will be from our fantastic local resort team. Our warm and welcoming representatives are exceptionally knowledgeable and experienced. They have valuable information and advice to make your stay so much more special, including the best places to eat, drink, dance, swim, shop and explore. They will lavish care on you and be there whenever you need them, so please do make the most of the service they offer. I always try to plan my next holiday immediately after a holiday ends so that I can prolong the cycle of excitement. I seek inspiration from many sources, in store and on line. At the moment I am loving the new features on thomascook.com as the videos of hotels, access to independent reviews and, “Not sure where to go” sections, give me the additional input I need along with access to easy booking 24/7. As an avid reader I also find that my interest is piqued by items that I read. I have just finished a brilliant book all about the pioneering exploration of the Arctic in the late 19th century. It is hard to believe but even back then, the stories created such a stir that the original Thomas Cook (our illustrious founder whose innovations have paved the way for our company’s ongoing innovations that include the first package holiday, the first traveller’s cheques and even the first UK retail travel web site!) started excursions to the Arctic. The original Thomas Cook was a true innovator and we are proud to continue the tradition today, combining innovation with an offering that is trusted and personal. We call this high tech, high touch and our aim is that you will experience this however and wherever you connect with us, whether online, in store or by phone. A recent innovation for us is DreamCapture. Simply visit your local store and one of our assistants will help you to capture the elements of your dream holiday. They will then email this to you at home so that you can discuss it easily with your entire family before booking. Thank you for trusting us with your important holiday. We are very proud to be able to put you at the heart of all we do and to play our part in making this time special for you and your travel companions. Kind regards,

Harriet Green Group Chief Executive Officer Thomas Cook Group plc

THOMAS COOK TRAVEL

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What’s taking off in the world of travel

Departures FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL

featuring: RETRO CASINOS RIHANNA’S BARBADOS OLYMPIC GLAMOUR SLOPE FOOD ZOMBIE SURVIVAL HEMINGWAY COCKTAILS JAMES MARTIN

ll me Just ca eet yF Happ

DANCING ON ICE While the British winter may have been a wet and wild one, spare a thought for this valiant emperor penguin who endures Antarctic winter temperatures as low as -60°C and summer highs of just -20°C. It’s an impressive display of how awe-inspiring nature can be, and hundreds of further examples can be seen in a new limited-edition book series from National Geographic, published to celebrate 125 years of stunning images that document our ever-changing world. The three hardback volumes don’t come cheap (it’s £349 for the lot), but they’re so achingly beautiful you’ll never need to buy another coﬀee table book again. BE THERE… Travel to Antarctica with thomascooktours.com

Words: Imogen Rowland. Photography: National Geographic

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D E P A R T U R E S

THE BIG FIVE

Casino royales

THE FLAMINGO 3 5 5 5 LV B O U L E V A R D S O U T H

Although none of the original 1940’s building remains, there’s still a vibe of the Vegas that embraced the mob rather than musicals. Be prepared for a barrage of pink – it’s like being inside Barbara Cartland’s wardrobe – and the fug of smoke in the gaming rooms is a reminder that not everything was better in the old days. For a breather, escape to the gardens full of, yes, flamingos. The bust of former mobster owner Bugsy Siegel provides a menacing contrast. flamingolasvegas.com

3 EL CORTEZ

600 FREMONT STREET

Another saloon once owned by Bugsy Siegel, El Cortez has retained some of its gangster chic and is the proud owner of the oldest neon street sign in the city. You can still play the machines with quarters (25c coins – all other casinos switched to tokens years ago), and the 93-year-old former owner Jackie Gaughan still lives in the penthouse suite. Visit The Flame Steakhouse for vintage mobster dishes such as “Chicago Style” Garbage Salad and Oysters Rockefeller. elcortezhotelcasino.com

Fifty years on from the release of Elvis Presley’s Viva Las Vegas – still the quintessential Vegas flick – we select five of the best retro casino experiences

MAIN STREET STATION

200 NORTH MAIN STREET An utterly bizarre collection of antiques is scattered throughout this old-school gaming metropolis – proving that Vegas is, at least slightly, aware of a world beyond the Nevada desert. There are doors from the Kuwait Royal Bank, a railcar that belonged to Little Women author Louisa May Alcott, fireplaces taken from Scottish baronial mansions and, best of all, a slab of the Berlin Wall built into the gents’ toilets. We’re not sure why either. mainstreetcasino.com

GOLDEN NUGGET FREMONT HOTEL 129 FREMONT STREET It may have long lost its status as the largest casino in the world, but this oldschool behemoth from 1946 still oozes glamour – albeit with modern twists, such as the three-storey shark tank. The casino had a starring role in the 1971 Bond film Diamonds Are Forever and, in 1986, Frank Sinatra recorded Live From Las Vegas in the ballroom. But it’s the golden nugget itself that really draws the crowds: one of the largest ever found, it’s the size of a baseball mitt and weighs a whopping 27kg. goldennugget.com Words: Rob Crossan. Illustrations: Dale Edwin Murray

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200 FREMONT STREET If you want to mingle with Vegas locals – yes, they do exist – this is the casino to head to. You can’t miss it, there’s a colossal neon cowboy called “Vegas Vic” opposite the casino, which has been there since the 1950s. The strip outside is a riot of showgirls, strolling saxophone players and jugglers, and it feels as surreal today as it did to Hunter S Thompson in Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas. fremontcasino.com BE THERE… Fly to Las Vegas with thomas cook.com

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Premier League Match Breaks

Family of 4 ÂŁ199 from

The remaining 2014 home ďŹ xtures on sale now to Thomascook.com/sport Call 0844 800 9900 (8am-10pm, 7 days a week) Visit your local travel agent facebook.com/thomascooksport

@thomascooksport

*Manchester City v Southampton, 5 April 2014, based on a family of 3 or 4 (max 2 adults) sharing a family bedroom for 1 night, B&B at the 3* Premier Inn Trafford Centre West Hotel with match tickets in the East Stand Level 3. Call to 0844 phone numbers cost 5.2p per minute at all times from BT landlines (mobile and other providers may vary).

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D E P A R T U R E S

S TA R G U I D E

Barbados da one Global superstar Rihanna is upgrading her £13 million Bajan home with a luxury private nightclub. Until you receive your invite to the opening, here’s how to enjoy the island like RiRi… ver since Robyn Rihanna Fenty started shouting about her little piece of paradise, Barbados has enjoyed more than its fair share of the spotlight. Her latest celebrity scheme is to build a nightclub at her luxurious One Sandy Lane retreat. Taking inspiration from the swanky London hotspot DSTRKT (dstrkt-london.com), where she’s partied with Will Smith, she’s keen to replicate the canopy of overhead lights and supersized wall installations. For those who like to work their twerk Rihanna-style, Priva nightclub in St James, Barbados (privabarbados.com), has the RiRi stamp of approval. In summer 2013, this chic spot, in a converted colonial townhouse, hosted a special night for her, along with family and friends. The Rude Girl danced until 5.30am to resident DJ Jus-Jay. After a night on the rum punch, it’s time to take your hangover to the sun lounger. Sandy Lane Beach, attached to the famous Sandy Lane resort (sandylane.com), is the

place to catch some rays with the rich and famous in their designer swimwear. This is where Simon Cowell met Lauren Silverman and where Gwyneth Paltrow, the Beckhams, Hugh Grant and RiRi come to preen on the pristine sands – it’s not called the Platinum Coast for nothing. Tweet away to make some tabloid headlines. In July, RiRi joined pals for some crazy tubing on the waves. Beach vendors offer the experience, along with jet skis, banana boat rides and kayaking. For less revs and more romance, head to Holetown Beach, a quieter spot that’s perfect for sundown cocktails while the fishing boats return from a day at sea. We’d recommend it to Little Mix’s Perrie Edwards and One Direction’s Zayn Malik – the couple suggested that they’re looking at the island for their 2015 wedding. As he’s partied with RiRi in New York, it won’t be a surprise if she’s on the guest list. One tried-and-tested Rihanna Friday night hang-out is Oistins Fish Fry (Oistins Bay Gardens). She’s been known to drop in at

3.30am to sample the speciality: flying fish. Order a plate of mahi-mahi or red snapper – grilled on the BBQ or fried – and a cold beer and it’ll set you back around £10. If you need to work off the carbs to squeeze into your RiRi-style tribal Lycra, join local dancers for some calypso on the beach, and there’s often a Michael Jackson impersonator to moonwalk with after dinner. For the perfect souvenir of your Bajan holiday, pick up a bottle of Rihanna’s new fragrance, Rogue, at Cave Shepherd department store in Bridgetown (caveshepherd.com). RiRi promoted the perfume on her latest visit, so the sweet smell of success may still linger in the air. BE THERE… Book your star break in Barbados with thomascook.com

join “Come rty!” a the p

Words: Lucille Howe. Illustration: Pablo Lobato

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ESSENTIALS

is e v o L e air h t in

Hanging with We ask some of Turkey’s finest fellas to model the flash eyewear that’s sure to be a hit on the beach this season

1. Round red frames, from a selection at Topshop (topshop.com); 2. Orange Shockwave, £20, Superdry (superdry.com); 3. Pink diamante hearts, £18, Topshop (topshop.com); 4. Tortoise and cream, £100, Ralph Lauren (sunglasses-shop.co.uk); 5. Pink tortoise aviators, £156, Stella McCartney (sunglasses-shop.co.uk); 6. Orange mirror-lens aviators, £135, Ray-Ban (davidclulow.com)

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D E P A R T U R E S

the homeboys

7. Pink and blue Shore, £30, O’Neill (oneill.com); 8. Purple and tortoise, £158, Miu Miu (sunglasses-shop.co.uk); 9. Blue Shockwave, £20, Superdry (superdry.com); 10. Turquoise Bon Bon, £18, Oliver Bonas (oliverbonas.com); 11. Matt-grey wayfarers, £12, ASOS (asos.com); 12. Pink and tortoiseshell, from a selection at Topshop (topshop.com)

Photography: Tim E White

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D E P A R T U R E S

BEAUTY

Going for gold Not up to the standard of those competing in Sochi’s Winter Olympics this spring? Take heed – there’s nothing to say you can’t look the part

urself Get yo te m pis o r f y read odium o t p

1. All that glitters

2. Winning formula

3. Bronze medal

4. Lights, camera…

5. Mark of success

£39.50

£20

£22

£22 (SET OF 5)

£22.50

It mightn’t be a medal per se, but Paco Rabanne’s Lady Million comes in a gold bottle fit for any Olympian. Spritz ahead of a night on the après circuit for the scent of success.

Alpine action doesn’t lend itself to the perfect manicure – unless you have MicroCell Shellfix to hand. The chip-resistant gel will give you a perfect finish for up to two weeks.

Even in the snowiest climes the star athletes sport a healthy glow. Fake it with Lancôme’s Star Bronzer Intense, which gives you a warm hue at the flick of a brush.

You’re not ready for a photo finish until you’ve got a slick of lip gloss on, and they don’t come more iconic (not to mention flavoursome) than Lancôme’s Juicy Tubes.

Goggle tan marks are so last season, darling. Avoid the glare of sunon-snow with Clinique's CC Superdefense Cream, which acts as both SPF30 and a colour corrector.

GET YOURS… All products are available to buy onboard, see Emporium magazine for more information

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Words: Imogen Rowland

17/01/2014 13:05

LONGER, STRONGER NAILS IN JUST 4 WEEKS* AVAILABLE ON THIS FLIGHT

2013

RENUNAIL STRENGTHENER rescue & repair RENUNAIL NOURISHING OIL hydrate & sooth by

DRLEWINNS.CO.UK * Many of our customers have reported longer stronger nails in just 4 weeks

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TREND

Slope Food Now that street eats have gone global, the dining trend for the winter season comes with a twist. Food trucks on the piste, anyone?

THE RESORT

THE HEADGEAR

WHAT TO EAT

BEST SERVED…

CAUGHT SNACKIN’

Mammoth, California, USA America started the food truck craze with its LA taco trucks, so it was only a matter of time before the food trucksnowmobile hybrid. Our pick is Roving Mammoth Burritos, serving Mexican favourites from a modified snowcat. SKI PA

Burritos from £3

GET TO THE CHOPPA! (OK, THE SNOWCAT)

A sombrero. Preferably one that’s waterproof

What else but a loaded chilli burrito?

With a pale ale from Mammoth Brewing Co

Former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

Alta Badia, Italy Located in the Dolomites, Alta Badia is known as the foodie’s winter resort – and for good reason. It has 14 Alpine huts each offering a Michelin-approved dish outside. Without the skiing, you’d be enormous. SKI PA

Dishes start at £10, including wine

FOOTBALL? ISN'T THAT SOCCER? SKIING'S MY THANG

A Kangol wool ushanka trapper hat, £40

Crispy South Tyrolean speck

With a local grappa: strong and powerful

The Beckham of the US ski team, Bode Miller

Avoriaz, France Europe’s boarding capital is part of the giant Portes du Soleil circuit, encompassing 14 resorts. Between the fondue in France and the raclette in Switzerland, it’s a total cheese party! SKI PA

Croque monsieurs from £3.75

LIGHTS, CAMEMBERT, ACTION!

A Giro Nine.10 ski helmet, from £90

Cheese nibbles from Les Crosets or Champéry

O On a h horse-drawn d sleigh, from £12

DON'T CHA WISH YOUR BRATWURST WAS HOT LIKE ME?

Ischgl, Austria The party-hard resort of the Tyrolian Alps, Ischgl has outdoor grills and après bars on the slopes (most open well before 4pm), so expect to see someone wolf down a bratwurst on the chairlift. SKI PA

Bratwurst from £6 and käse spätzle from £8

Former visitor Steven Spielberg

A helmet, preferably one with steinbock horns

Vider Alp’s käse spätzle (Austrian mac'n'cheese)

To Robbie Williams’ hits. He plays on 3 May

Ex-Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger

BE THERE… Fly to these destinations with thomascook.com and netflights.com

F o r g e t t h e f o o d t r u cek bus take th Words: Mike MacEacheran. Illustrations: Daniel Di Paolo

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Next to the Grand Mont slope, Le Bus Gourmet in Arêches-Beaufort is a restaurant located in a bus – yes, really. Friendly owners Michel and François prepare original dishes based on local products, with prices starting from around £8 for a main (Itinérant, 73270 Beaufort, +33 6 61 62 89 61).

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D E P A R T U R E S

TECH

Ok watch, what do I do now?

PLAY TIME

The Italian-made i’m Watch not only links with your phone apps, but offers hundreds of its own add-ons to choose from.

It might sound like a gadget developed for Dick Tracy or James Bond, but the smartwatch is this year’s must-have accessory. Here are our ur picks of the wrist wear about to take control off your life

UP TO THE MINUTE

The Sony SmartWatch 2 gives you a choice of faces to swap between. You’ll be glad to hear that, besides all the complex technology, it also tells the time.

rld on The wo rist your w A watch that’s a phone The Samsung Galaxy Gear and Martian let you make and receive calls through your watch, while others like the Pebble and Sony SmartWatch 2 alert you to incoming calls – so you’ll never accidentally miss one.

A watch that’s in control From adjusting the volume of your music and measuring your running pace to setting an alarm that wakes you (and not others around you) – all of which the Sony SmartWatch 2 offers – your watch can be an entire lifestyle control.

A watch that’s a camera The Martian smartwatch gives you remote access to your phone's camera, so you can take shots from a distance and always be in the frame. Alternatively, Samsung Galaxy Gear has its own built-in mini camera.

A watch that’s ‘appy If you’re addicted to apps, models such as the Samsung Galaxy Gear and Sony SmartWatch 2 have access to Facebook and Twitter, as well as their own special apps, so you’ll never be out of the loop on the latest hashtag.

BUY IT... i’m Watch: iOS & Android (from £219, imsmart.com); Martian: iOS & Android (from £180, martianwatches.com); Pebble: iOS & Android (from £90, getpebble.com); Samsung Galaxy Gear: Samsung Galaxy models (from £280, samsung.com); Sony SmartWatch 2: Android only (from £129, sonymobile.com)

Words: Imogen Rowland

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CHALLENGE

“They’re coming to get you!” This issue, we ask our action man to become a hero and survive a Walking Dead-style zombie attack where outrunning undead monsters is all part of the fun ren’t I supposed to have a crossbow? Or what about a samurai sword? Nobody on The Walking Dead TV show would face a zombie horde unarmed, but that looks like the plan here. It’s Sunday morning in the tranquil setting of Pippingford Park near Gatwick Airport in East Sussex, and I’m about to embark on a 5km obstacle course with a difference. The difference being that members of the undead will be trying to eat me before I finish.

Of course, these aren’t real zombies, just ordinary people dressed up in raspberryjuice splattered costumes. Nevertheless, they will be lumbering around, hiding and possibly even giving chase, at alarming speeds. And when I say eat, I actually mean attempt to tear the three Velcro strips dangling from my belt. If I lose them all, I will be deemed “infected”, with the word punched into the medal that I receive at the end. Needless to say, I’d much rather be a “survivor”.

This is how people spend their weekends now. We are in the midst of a zombie epidemic, with The Walking Dead the most-watched drama ever on US cable, a spin-off show announced, the original graphic novels topping the bestseller charts, and Brad Pitt getting in on the action with last summer’s blockbuster World War Z. That, too, has just been earmarked for a sequel. In turn, this has led to a form of zombie tourism, with enthusiasts either flocking

WHEN IN DOUBT, KNOW YOUR WAY OUT

BEWARE OF BATHROOMS

SURVIVAL TIPS FROM ZOMBIELAND (2009)

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Words: Chris Anderson. Illustration: Ross Murray

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D E P A R T U R E S

to evacuation events to be chased silly, or heading further afield to The Walking Dead filming locations in Georgia, USA. Towns such as Newnan, Grantville and Senoia, each less than an hour’s drive from Atlanta, are where the actors faced off against members of the undead, with Senoia of particular interest, as it stood in for Woodbury during Season Three – the home of David Morrissey’s villain, The Governor. As I wait on the starting line, scenes from the show run through my mind, along with a few other snippets of zombie folklore. In preparation for today, I asked British artist Charlie Adlard, who has drawn every issue of The Walking Dead comic book since 2004, and appeared as a zombie extra on the TV show, about his experience. “Well, the scariest thing for me was putting those contact lenses in,” he said. “I don’t even like eye drops.” I also attended a Zombie Science lecture, where

a theoretical “zombiologist” from the University of Glasgow gave his own view. “If you were confronted by a zombie, you wouldn’t attack his head,” he told us. “You’d be better off going for the heart.” An explosion signals the start of the race, and immediately the apprehension of seeing our first zombie sets in. We dash into the woods, following a marked route for several minutes, eventually arriving at the scene of a theatrical accident, with a madeup actor staggering around, growling at the joggers who suddenly switch to sprint mode to escape the pursuing horde. It is not long before an effective strategy kicks in. I quickly learn not to vault the walls or swing across any pits, and simply run where I can – trying to tackle the obstacles slows me down, increasing my chances of being picked off as zombie fodder. Over the course, I see undead workmen, rugby

players, doctors and nurses, policemen and ballerinas, and I pass through a maze, a cottage where actors wait behind hanging sheets, and an abandoned army medical tent. The detail is mind-boggling. Eventually I cross the finish line. A soldier asks if I am infected, which it turns out I am – the sneaky zombies have taken all my strips – and directs me to the “hospital ward” to collect my medal, time and souvenir T-shirt. If the zombie apocalypse does ever come, I may have a chance of survival thanks to this experience – but I’m not sure it’ll be this much fun. DO IT… Our writer experienced the Zombie Evacuation Race (zombieevacuation.com), which takes place at various locations around the UK. To find out more about The Walking Dead tours and the state of Georgia, visit discoveramerica.com. The Walking Dead Season Four is currently showing on Fox TV

CHECK THE BACK SEAT

ALWAYS CARRY A CHANGE OF UNDERWEAR

GET A FEARLESS PARTNER

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D E P A R T U R E S T H R I F T Y T R AV E L

Cheap thrills Scream if you wanna go faster!

Pop-up theme parks and 4D rides are changing the way we experience the USA’s most exciting days out. Here’s our guide to finding the ultimate oohs and aahs

Diagon alley, universal studios florida

£55

Launching in June, the second phase of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter links Universal’s Islands of Adventure with the adjacent Universal Studios park via a full-sized Hogwarts Express. Better still, the star will be the Gringotts coaster, themed around the mysterious, goblin-run bank. Our lips are sealed, but insider leaks point to a hybrid rollercoaster and motion-base ride, inspired by Harry’s underground adventures in The Deathly Hallows (universalorlando.com).

Despicable me : minion mayhem, universal Studios hollywood This fully immersive, 3D motion-simulator ride has already made its debut at Universal Studios Florida. But the Hollywood version aims to up the ante with 3D Ultra-HD animation and interactive ride vehicles to suck guests right into the world of villain-turned-hero Gru. It’s part of the all-new Super Silly Fun Land, based on the pier-side park in side par the movie, along with three further Despicable Me attractions (universalstudioshollywood.com).

£50

£40

Zumanjoro : drop of doom, Six flags Great adventure, new jersey Hold on to your lunch: opening this spring, Zumanjoro takes the crown as the world’s tallest drop tower at 126m. For the pleasure – or horror – of freefalling at a speed of 145kmph, you first need to ascend to the height of a 40-storey building in 30 seconds. Trust us, you won’t be able to relax and enjoy the views: it’s built into the Kingda Ka coaster so there are steel trains thundering around you at the same time (sixflags.com).

Slotzilla at fremont Street experience, las vegas S s Trading grit for glitz, this military-style zip line takes riders soaring down from a slot-machine-themed ne-t n nene eee-t --tth heme hem eme eem med pl p platform atttfo atfo aatf ffo orm rm the height of a 12-storey building, against a backdrop that includes the world’s largest video screen dazzling cre cree cr creen reeen an rree aand nd a daz da dazz d aazz zz zzlling lin li ing i laser light show. If that doesn’t get your pulse racing, take it to the next level on the zoom line, which passes e, wh e, whi w hiicch h hp asss ass aasse sse ses 34 se 3 34m 4m above Fremont Street. With passers by watching from below, air high-fives are a must (vegasexperience.com). ex exp xpeer xp erie rrie iieence. nce n nc cce ce. e com). com com co om))..

£25

for both rides

Banshee, kings island, Cincinnati

£25

Testing rollercoaster (and rider) limits, this £15-million creation by Swiss coaster giant Bolliger and Mabillard opens in April and takes you straight into a 46m drop, giving you no chance to recover before setting you on a mind-bending course with seven inversions at speeds of up to 109kmph. It’s the world’s longest inverted coaster, so don’t stagger off (visitkingsisland.com). ’t expect any sympathy when you stagg

Verrückt Slide, Schlitterbahn, k ansas Cit y Another vertiginous shocker, the Verrückt (German for “insane”) is the world’s newest and tallest freefall waterslide. It drops riders in four-person rafts from a height greater than a 17-storey building – higher, in fact, than Niagara Falls. Feeling brave at the bottom? You may change your mind on the 264-step climb to the top (schlitterbahn.com/kc).

£22

Marvel experience, various As the superhero craze continues – the next movie installments of Spider-Man and Captain America are out this spring – fans can get their fix at this touring pop-up theme park. Inside the travelling multi-dome complex thrill-seekers can experience a “first-person” 4D-motion ride that will make everyone feel like Spidey or Steve Rogers. Other features include 3D and digital animations, plus holographic simulations (themarvelexperiencetour.com).

Don't look down!

£20

El loco, adventuredome, las vegas

£18

The latest arrival in Vegas’ vast indoor theme park eschews multi-dimension technology in favour of traditional fun fair thrills, but with innovations that will shake the bones of even hardcore coaster geeks. Brave yourself for negative G-force, “beyond vertical” drops and 45-degree tilted turns that’ll make you feel as if you’re being tossed out of a car. Crumbs! (adventuredome.com).

BE THERE… Travel to the USA with thomascook.com

THOMAS COOK TRAVEL

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Words: Rhonda Carrier. Prices are for day passes, unless otherwise stated

16/01/2014 16:01

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Ext rem e Ch oc ol at e 28

As Charlie And The Chocolate Factory hits 50, we go in search of the best chocolate experiences on the network

The gloriumptious guide to chocolate factories and tours

FOOD

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MUSEO DEL CHOCOL ATE

Soufriere, St Lucia

Havana, Cuba

After burning off calories walking the cacao trails and touring the small museum of this boutique property on the oldest cacao plantation on St Lucia, try the light and healthy cuisine, which uses chocolate as a subtle ingredient. Think starters such as cacao gazpacho, and mains including lightly curried coconut and cacao chicken, or yellowfin tuna with cacao pesto. Try it: Rabot Estate, +44 (0)844 544 1272, hotelchocolat.com/uk/boucan

Luring you in with rich aromas for a cup of unctuously thick hot chocolate at one of its marble tables, this spot in the heart of Old Havana has displays on the history of cacao production and commercialisation, plus rare Belgian and Dutch memorabilia. You can also watch chocolates being made before stocking up. Try it: Calle Amargura, +53 866 4431

Want something more adventurous than a box of Quality Street? Try these alternatives

THOMAS COOK TRAVEL

BOUC AN HOTEL & RESTA URANT

THE HUNGER GAMES BEEF JERKY AND SMOKED MESQUITE Because Vosges Haut-Chocolat has launched a Katniss Everdeen-inspired collection.

ORANGE O AND CINNAMON DARK D MUSCOVADO CARAMEL Little L pieces of magic from Paul A Young, the Harry Potter of the chocolate world.

Words: Rhonda Carrier. Photography: Thomas Rohde. Illustration: Andrew Lyons. Thanks to Montezuma's Chocolates

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D E P A R T U R E S

CHOCOL ATE KINGDOM FA CTORY TOUR ADVENTURE

A G APEY CHOCOL ATE FA CTORY TOURS

C A SA DEL CIOCCOL ATO PERUGINA

Kissimmee, Florida

Bridgetown, Barbados

Perugia, Italy

Americans may not do chocolate as well as the Swiss, Belgians or Brits, but this kid-friendly interactive museum goes some way towards redressing the balance. The tour takes you in search of a cacao tree greenhouse, a chocolate museum, a “mystical river” of chocolate and a Willy Wonka-style factory. Plus, at the end you get the chance to make your own bar. Try it: 2858 Florida Plaza Boulevard, +1 407 705 3475, chocolatekingdom.com

Occupying the Old Colgate Palmolive building, Agapey specialises in dark, all-natural chocolate made from Fair Trade Caribbean cacao and Barbadian Plantation Reserve gold cane sugar. Tours take you through the foundations of artisan beanto-bar chocolate-making and include a tasting – don’t miss the Mount Gay Rum caramel, which uses ingredients from the famous distillery nearby. Try it: Prescod Boulevard, +246 426 8505, agapey.com

Best known for its chocolate and hazelnut cream-filled Baci (“kisses”), this factory has its own museum covering both the brand and the history of chocolatemaking, and the tours take in the workshop and production line. Best of all is the chance to become a chocolatier for the day in the onsite chocolate school – try the Baci Perugina: Say It With A Kiss class. Try it: Via San Sisto, +39 024 546 7868, perugina.com

CHEESE AND ONION Tayto is the brand responsible for this crisp-flavoured chocolate bar. Still, perfect with two pints of lager.

PUDDING Say no to jelly and ice cream. Spoon-feed yourself with Montezuma’s Eton Mess, Treacle Tart or Spotted Dick chocolates.

SALT AND PEPPER Salted caramel is old news – try Hawaiian brand Madre's combo of pink peppercorn and smoked salt chocolate.

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ean b b i Cars are rum ext the n ing big th

DRINK

The rum diary The Rum Kitchen's head mixologist Imogen ElliottElliott shakes up some Cuban cocktails worthy of Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway

THOMAS COOK TRAVEL

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Words: Mike MacEacheran. Photography: Tim E White

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D E P A R T U R E S

um. They say it’s what Ernest Hemingway got out of bed for. The sheer magnitude of Hemingway’s drinking is legendary – the author would drink mojitos at La Bodeguita del Medio and daiquiris at El Floridita in Havana, his adopted hometown. He even created his own signature Papa Doble (a classic daiquiri with double measures) – his house record was an

eye-watering 16 in one night. “Havana is the classic place to drink rum cocktails and El Floridita is the spiritual home of that history,” says self-confessed rum expert Elliott-Elliott. “There’s been a trend for prohibition-style bars in the past year, but Caribbean rums and Hemingway daiquiris are the next big thing.” TRY IT… at The Rum Kitchen Soho, Kingly Court,

HEMINGWAY ON TOUR It’s been 50 years since Hemingway won the Nobel Prize for classics such as The Old Man And The Sea, set in the Cuban Gulf. Toast him at these ultimate rum-drinking dens.

+44 (0)20 7920 6479, therumkitchen.com

H eming-W ra y & T ing

Hem i n g w a y Da i q u i r i

1. 40ml Wray & Nephew White Overproof rum 2. 20ml lime juice 3. 50ml pink grapefruit juice 4. 1 can of Ting or Lilt 5. Serve over ice

1. 50ml Havana Club 3-year-old rum 2. 12.5ml lime juice 3. 12.5ml grapefruit juice 4. 10ml Maraschino liqueur 5. Dash of sugar syrup

Havana El Floridita is the only place for daiquiris in the Cuban capital. Its spiritual patron remains Hemingway – the owners have installed a statue of him as a reminder of his devotion to the drink. floridita-cuba.com

Key West Hemingway and infamous rum runner Habana Joe called Sloppy Joe's home when they were in Florida. For hardcore fans, there's a Hemingway lookalike competition every July. sloppyjoes.com

El Presid ente (H eming w a y sty le) 1. 40ml Havana Club Selección de Maestros rum 2. 30ml Dry Orange Curaçao 3. 40ml Antica Formula Carpano sweet vermouth 4. Dash of Angostura bitters

Paris Hemingway and F Scott Fitzgerald hung out at Harry's Bar, and it's also James Bond’s favourite Parisian watering hole. Ask for a Bloody Mary: it was invented here. harrysbar.fr

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D E P A R T U R E S

KIDS

Cool for cats

STARS IN THEIR CATS’ EYES

Ahead of the launch of Squishy McFluff: The Invisible Cat! author Pip Jones tells us why cats are so hot right now

With the world losing its whiskers for feline photos and YouTube videos, we unveil the top three cats that got the cream

s Squishy McFluff: The Invisible Cat prepares to join a long and illustrious line of feline stars to have mia-wowed (sorry) readers through history, I find myself pondering: why do cats make such good muses? Well, they do have intriguing qualities, don’t they? They’re curious, mischievous, sly and mysterious. They’re fickle, playful, aloof and otherworldly. As the author of rhyming books, I can also happily confirm that quite a lot of words rhyme with “cat”. Squishy’s a bit different from the average cat, being invisible, but, perhaps because he’s imaginary, he displays some distinctly human traits, rather like a few other cats in literature…

Snoopy babe Is Snoopybabe the cutest cat on the internet? More than 225,000 followers seem to think so. The fur! The eyes! The way he sits on a sofa like a baby!

us, t s Tru a pigs e guin rabbits and n’t as are ksy! tric

Grumpy Cat

MACAVITY

THE CAT IN THE HAT

THE CHESHIRE CAT

When TS Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book Of Practical Cats was published 75 years ago, he could never have predicted his rhymes would inspire the musical Cats. In May, Macavity will be given a new lease of life in picture-book form, with illustrations by Arthur Robbins.

The Cat In The Hat was written by Theodor Geisel (aka Dr Seuss) to entice young children to read more. Millions have enjoyed this zany story about a cat who just wants to play but causes havoc in the process (much to the disgruntlement of one very sensible goldfish).

There’s never been a cat quite so beguiling, has there? Of all the characters Lewis Carroll created for Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, the Cheshire Cat is probably the most memorable. Appearing and disappearing at will (sometimes leaving only his grin behind), he flits between being helpful and kind to downright irritating. If all cats are fickle, this one is surely the ficklest of them all.

BUY IT… Squishy McFluff: The Invisible Cat! by Pip Jones (Faber & Faber, £5.99)

Furry fun… F Cats aren’t just for story books Ca

THOMAS

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COOK TRAVEL

Grumpy Cat (whose expression is caused by feline dwarfism) is so famous she’s launched a book, A Grumpy Book For Grumpy Days, in the hope everyone will learn to be as grumpy as she is and finally leave her alone.

Colonel Meow Visit The Cat In The Hat ride at Universal Studios in Orlando with thomascook.com. Cats tours the UK from April-September (catsthemusical.com)

Run for the hills! Insanely fluffy, yet insanely evil looking, this cat has nearly 300,000 Facebook likes. It’s all part of his cunning masterplan...

Words: Pip Jones. Illustration: Ella Okstad

16/01/2014 10:06

Where Your Holiday Becomes An Adventure

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Two Theme Parks. Four On-Site Hotels. Non-Stop Nightlife. A Universe of Excitement. Play, scream and laugh with the biggest characters in movies, TV and pop culture at two immersive theme parks – Universal Studios Florida® and Universal’s Islands of Adventure®. Prepare for battle on TRANSFORMERS: The Ride–3D; swing high above the city streets with Spider-Man™; save the day with Shrek; step into the magic and excitement of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™; experience the heartwarming and hilarious Despicable Me Minion Mayhem 3-D ride; and enjoy the dining and nightlife of the Universal CityWalk® entertainment complex.

D HAR

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Plus, stay in the heart of it all at one of our luxury on-site hotels. As an on-site hotel guest, you will enjoy exclusive beneﬁts, including FREE Universal ExpressSM Unlimited ride access to SKIP THE REGULAR QUEUES* in both theme parks; and Early Park Admission† to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™, one hour before the theme park opens.

Visit UniversalOrlando.co.uk HARRY POTTER, characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s14) *Not valid at Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey™ and other select attractions. On-site hotel privileges good for hotel stay as indicated on the room key card and Universal Express Unlimited pass. Only valid for the number of guests staying in the room. Paid theme park admission required. Ride access available during normal theme park operating hours only. Not valid for separately ticketed special events. Additional restrictions may apply and beneﬁts are subject to change without notice. †Requires paid theme park admission. Early Park Admission begins one hour prior to Universal’s Islands of Adventure regular opening hour for on-site hotel guests and is valid 7 days week for travel through 12/31/14, valid only at Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey™, Flight of the Hippogriff™, Dragon Challenge™ and Caro-Seuss-el™. Universal Express ride access is not valid during Early Park Admission. Additional restrictions may apply and the foregoing beneﬁts are subject to change without notice. TRANSFORMERS and its logo and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. © 2014 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. © 2014 DreamWorks L.L.C. and Paramount Pictures Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Shrek 4-D © 2014 DreamWorks Animation L.L.C. © MARVEL. Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2014 Universal Studios. © 2014 Universal Orlando. All rights reserved.

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D E P A R T U R E S

THE BIG QUESTION

Ahead of Susan Sarandon and Sharon Stone’s new film, Mothers Day, and Mothering Sunday (30 March should you need a reminder), we ask…

How old is too old to holiday with mother? or her retirement I promised my 67-year-old mother a few days in the sun each year. And, though I love her dearly, I worry it was all a big mistake, as I’ve traded beach bars and cocktails for coastal walks and outlet malls. I pen this piece from beside our hotel pool in Tenerife. It’s the final day of our four-night trip (previous breaks have been limited to three nights, a sweet spot before familial tension kicks in). Nerves are beginning to fray. “Mum, you’re doing that annoying thing with your arms again,” I complain. My mother likes to sunbathe with her hands palm-up, turning her limbs skyward like sausages under a grill. Ever the matriarchal martyr, my mother fights back with her armoury of guilt.

Our previous breaks have been limited to three nights – a sweet spot before familial tension kicks in “Annoying behaviour? What about Venice?” she retorts. Ah, yes. I left her in a shop called Tutto Per €2 near Piazza San Marco with only the phrase, “Quanto costa? ” to help her out. She asked the price of nearly every item in stock – Venice snowglobes, Pope John Paul II fridge magnets – before she finally twigged. Oh, and then there was our trip to Paris. She booked a suspiciously cheap hotel near Orly Airport. When my temper frayed over

our location, my mother left to take a walk around the grounds. She then unwittingly stumbled upon a colony of semi-wild rabbits, before coming out in hives. Terrible. However, we’ve both benefitted in some ways. I’ve experienced sides of cities I would never normally see – shopping at the discount stores in Milan, for one – and mum has been on hand to buy me the odd treat, which still suits me fine aged 36. I don’t even begrudge the prerequisite annoyance as she hovers outside the menswear changing rooms calling out, “but is it comfortable, darling?” My mother has had similarly offbeat opportunities. In Tenerife we went sea kayaking, paddling past volcanic beaches. I’ve also had an insight into how a quarter of e o holidaymakers travel. According to World ld Travel Monitor, 23 per cent of tourists are over 55, while Tourism Australia found more Brits aged 60-plus visit than those aged 15-30. Backpackers nil, baby boomers one. Joking aside – and not wanting to sound too sentimental – I have spent many precious moments with my mum, both of us without the stresses and pressures of home. Maybe I’m one of the lucky ones: there are mothers you definitely wouldn’t want to holiday with, such as Mrs Brown or Cersei Lannister from Game Of Thrones. I ask the woman who knows best. “Well, you wouldn’t want to travel with a very loud mother. Or a very drunk k mother.” Quite the revelation, mum. Isn’t ’t it time for the taxi to the airport? “Just another 30 minutes, darling,” she replies. “Fetch me another drink?” Tristan Rutherford writes for The Times and The Independent

O N LY

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BE THERE… Travel to Tenerife with thomascook.com FEB.MAR.APR

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INTERVIEW

Out of office

James Martin The star of Saturday Kitchen reveals why he loves America, his plans to holiday in Antarctica, and the surprising treat he couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t live without

THOMAS COOK TRAVEL

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D E P A R T U R E S

TRAVEL CV

ast year I wrote a book about slow cooking, so it felt natural for my latest to be about fast cooking. It’s the sort of food you want to make after a long day at work, which takes advantage of easy shortcuts such as using readymade mash from the local supermarket. A lot of the recipes are inspired by my travels, like the icebox cake I discovered while I was working in New York – you don’t even need to bake that one. They’re quick, simple recipes – a lot like the ones I cook each week on Saturday Kitchen. I don’t tend to get nervous ahead of Saturday Kitchen anymore, but it depends on the chefs and guests we have on. We’ve had some incredible people involved over the years, from Hollywood A-listers to sporting stars, but my favourite has to be Jackie Collins – she was great, down-to-earth and a lot of fun. She even sent me a thank you card. The key to having a great holiday is relaxation. I so rarely get to go away that being able to chill out is a real treat. I’ve been to the Maldives and that was probably the best holiday I’ve ever had. I love to travel to Italy, too – it’s beautiful and I enjoy exploring the markets. But for relaxation, anywhere in the middle of nowhere is where I’m at my happiest. It might sound daft, but if I could go anywhere in the world it would be Antarctica. The people I know who’ve been say it’s just incredible and out-ofthis-world – the colour of the icebergs, the sea and the sky are supposed to be jaw-dropping. It would be fascinating to see it for myself. Food is important to me on a holiday, but I tend to eat in cafes and markets more than upmarket restaurants. You get

Words: Imogen Rowland. Photography: Lickerish

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a better understanding of a city and its culture by eating where the locals eat. It can be a bit of a busman’s holiday, but I wouldn’t change it. It’s hard to pick the best meal I’ve ever had, but high on the list is Per Se in New York – the executive chef Thomas Keller is world-renowned and the meal was faultless – a 17-course menu of phenomenal food. And there are so many places I’m still yet to try: Noma in Denmark, run by René Redzepi, and Alec Atala’s D.O.M. in São Paulo are at the top of my list. If I was stranded on a desert island, my must-have food would surprise you. Give me a bar of Dairy Milk straight out of the fridge every time. Other chefs say that chocolate has to have a high cocoa content but, for me, you just can’t beat a simple bar of Cadbury’s. After food, my passions are cars and planes. I’ve always loved vintage cars, but I now have a pilot’s licence and can fly single-engine aircrafts and helicopters. It started because I was renovating my house and got really bored of picking out paint colours and skirting boards, so I drove down to my local aerodrome and started taking lessons right there on the spot. Seriously, that was seven years ago and I’ve had the bug ever since. We just filmed the second series of Food Map Of Britain, which airs this spring. In the first series we flew all over the UK, and there’s nowhere else in the world like it – our scenery is second to none. The west coast of Scotland has one of the most spectacularly rugged coastlines. I’d love to take a road trip there and see it from the ground, too. BUY IT… Fast Cooking by James Martin

My first holiday… was to Blackpool with my family when I was five or six. We had Blackpool rock and candyfloss and played on the penny slot machines. It wasn’t far from home – just the other side of the Pennines – but we enjoyed it.

The next trip I want to do… is to Havana in Cuba. The vintage cars are a definite draw, and it sounds like an incredible place with some serious culture.

The ultimate comfort food when I arrive home… is a plain and simple roast chicken. Nothing else compares.

The one thing I always travel with… is my eye drops. I get so tired at work and the air can be really dry when you fly, so a few eye drops really make a world of difference to me.

My number one travel tip… is don’t be late for the plane! I’ve never missed a flight, but my colleagues have. And invest in a pair of noisecancelling headphones – they make it much easier to sleep during the flight.

(Quadrille, £20). jamesmartinchef.co.uk

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D E P A R T U R E S 1

IN FOCUS

Tour dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Europe Thanks to Sir Brad, Sir Chris and, er, Boris, bikes are back in fashion. Now a new book series introduces the best city routes that every budding cyclist should know

Words: Max Leonard and Andrew Edwards

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1. Brera, Milan Brera began life as an area stuck between Milan’s old Roman and medieval walls. At its heart is Via Brera, which lies north of the Duomo in the Centro Storico, west of the Giardini Indro Montanelli, and east of the Sempione and Castello Sforzesco. Once a bohemian hangout, its imposing buildings, immaculate pavements and cobbled streets have made it a tourist trap, but there’s still plenty to see on a bike – not least the clothes shops on Via Brera itself. Check out Massimo Alba for a relaxed, modern take on classic looks.

After you’ve had your fill of window-shopping, cycle to the Pinacoteca di Brera, housed in a 14th-century convent, which since 1776 has contained a growing, now world-renowned art collection of Italian masters on a par with the Louvre or the Prado. Its more modern counterpart, Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea (better known as PAC) is nearby. Cycle north and Via Brera opens out, becoming lined with bars and restaurants. Take a left and you’ll find yourself on Via Fiori Chiari, the destination for a cluster of chic, carefully curated vintage design and furniture shops.

2. Eixample and Gràcia, Barcelona When Barcelona expanded in the 19th century, town planner Ildefons Cerdà’s vision was of long boulevards and light, airy crossroads, with a characteristic octagonal design. It’s all still there in the Eixample (Catalan for “extension”) district. Today, some of the boulevards are at the mercy of car traffic, but it retains the ease of living and all the markets and amenities Cerdà envisaged. Gràcia, to the north, didn’t welcome the advancing city and it’s still very much its own place. Populated with a mix of locals, arty types and international

drifters, it has a village-like feel, and its small streets and communal squares are home to plenty of shops and bars. If you’re heading there from the centre of town, take the shady and tree-lined Rambla de Catalunya, where you’ll be surrounded by cafes and terraces, rather than the busier Passeig de Gràcia. This part of Eixample is home to the Fundació Antoni Tàpies, a centre for artistic study set up by the Catalan artist, which boasts an impressive collection of modern art. There’s also the unmissable Kowasa, Spain’s most famous photographic gallery.

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D E P A R T U R E S

3. Hampstead, London Come to Hampstead, a genteel, leafy neighbourhood with strong literary, artistic and musical associations, and you’ll encounter something in short supply on the rest of your London travels: hills. The most direct route is up Haverstock Hill, so take the long drag from Camden, then take a breather halfway up, turning right just before Belsize Park tube station to see the Isokon Building on Lawn

Road, a modernist masterpiece designed by Wells Coates. The quickest route to the heath is up Parliament Hill, past George Orwell’s house, on which you’ll see the first of many plaques commemorating famous local residents such as Alfred Tennyson. Many of the paths on the heath are pedestrian-only, but it’s great to explore by bike, and searching out the routes is worth it to see the parade of local dogs being walked.

4. West and Vondelpark, Amsterdam Amsterdam’s West is a largely residential district, but you’ll find many contrasts within. The grand houses and wide avenues of the Oud-Zuid are a good place to start your tour, and it’s best to cycle from south to north. If it’s sunny, check out the open-air Vondelpark Openluchttheater, which hosts bands and cabarets during the summer and gets extremely busy at the weekends.

Just north of the park is Overtoom, a bustling shopping street with stand-outs such as Pied a Terre, one of the world’s biggest travel bookshops. It also houses a cafe and Ari Vintage, an Aladdin’s cave of treasures. When it’s time to refuel, head over to Abyssinia Afrikaans Eetcafe, Amsterdam’s best African restaurant, which serves delicious Ethiopian food. Nearby OT301 is a diverse cultural centre with exhibitions, ateliers and a bar.

BUY IT… These are edited extracts from City Cycling: Europe (Thames & Hudson, £25.00). BE THERE... with thomascook.com

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P R O M O T I O N

Turkey’s Unspoiled Gem The Hilton Dalaman Sarigerme Resort & Spa has all the stunning views, fabulous dining and energetic entertainment for a perfect break

Built where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Aegean, the Hilton Dalaman Sarigerme Resort & Spa is the second hotel in Europe to be nominated a 'Hilton Worldwide Resort'. A 10-minute drive from Dalaman airport and a mere 10-minute walk from Sarigerme Village, the Hilton Dalaman is set in an ideal location that blends seamlessly and respectfully with nature. At Hilton Dalaman Sarigerme, the dining options are designed with you in mind. Start the day with a hearty breakfast or nutritious light bite, savour innovative dishes prepared with only the freshest ingredients or simply relax with a cup of coffee in the hotel lounge. From business brunches to pre-dinner drinks and everything in between, the options

are catered especially for you. When it comes to downtime, you can relax on the pristine, private beach or choose from seven outdoor and three indoor pools. Admire the spectacular mountain and Mediterranean Sea views from the comfort of your guest room or upgrade to a deluxe room to enjoy direct access to the pool. Revitalise your body and mind with a treatment at the sumptuous spa, which features a relaxing sauna, steam room and whirlpool. If you're feeling active, why not re-energise with a range of water sports or try a game of tennis, squash or beach volleyball? You can also experience a culinary adventure at one of the hotel's 23

fantastic restaurants and bars. Sample a taste of the Far East in Tao, savour authentic Turkish food in A La Turca and choose from the finest Italian cuisine in Alize. For fresh seafood and Champagne, head to Glitter, or sip cocktails and take in stunning sea views from the rooftop bar Rouge. Hilton Dalaman Sarigerme Resort & Spa is proud to be a family hotel and offers fun for all ages, like Kidz Paradise, a club that boasts plenty of activities that give children and teens the opportunity to meet people their own age – and parents a carefree night on the town. Finding the perfect hotel isn’t about luck. It’s simply about knowing the right place to look. Welcome to a real holiday!

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The Insider Guide

Dominican Republic If you’re looking for a hassle-free Caribbean holiday complete with swaying palms, crystal-clear lagoons and soft white sands, consider the Dominican Republic paradise found Words: Kevin Raub

ost dreams of the Dominican Republic begin and end in Punta Cana. It’s a 100km-long sun-kissed playground of mega all-inclusive resorts (there are some 35,000 hotel rooms dotted across the area!) on sandy white beaches, backed by idyllic cerulean seas. In short, it’s the postcard destination of the Dominican Republic, and has few rivals anywhere in the Caribbean. But on the diverse island of Hispaniola, which presses Haiti and the Dominican Republic cheek to cheek, there’s much more besides – including outstanding eco-tourism, pristine colonial culture, a surfeit of wildlife and outdoor adventure, and plenty of squeaky-clean sands to call your own.

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01 MUST-TRY DOMINICAN DISHES 02 THE BEST FAR-FLUNG BEACH

Mofongo to you too, buddy!

Mofongo

Fried plantains mashed into a ball with fried pork crackling, shrimp, octopus or other fresh stuffings.

The nearest faraway place They say it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. We beg to differ: spend a day on the most spectacular beach in the Dominican Republic, Bahía de Las Aguilas, and it’s both. Hugging Haiti in an extreme corner of the Península de Pedernales, this remote beach is located 120km southwest of Barahona, and is reached via a combination of near-deserted one-lane highways, pockmarked roads, and a spectacular boat ride around craggy cliffs punctuated by sea-diving pelicans. The reward? More than 8km of nearly deserted beach that forms a lazy arc between two prominent capes.

La bandera

A typical dish of white rice, habichuela (red beans), stewed meat, salad and fried green plantains.

ach e b r You el goes tow re! he

Pescado a la criolla

Fresh catch of the day, perhaps crab or lobster, spiced with a mild tomato, onion and bell pepper sauce.

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D O M I N I C A N

R E P U B L I C

04 ADVENTURE STARTS HERE

Surfing S fi in Playa Encuentro

Diving in Bayahibe 03 EXPLORE NATURE

HOT STUFF Below are the daytime peak temperatures around Punta Cana and the coast. Sun lovers take note: July and August see 10 hours of sunshine per day!

JULY

30°C

SEPTEMBER

30°C

MAY

29°C

MARCH

29°C

DECEMBER

28°C

Criminally under-visited (but all the better for it), the southwest offers a different experience from the resorts of Punta Cana and the east. With a landscape that’s more Wild West than Caribbean, the Península de Pedernales presents a cornucopia of off-the-beatenpath eco-tourism opportunities. The largest protected area in the country, the 1,400 sq km Parque Nacional Jaragua is made up of the hyper-salinic Laguna Oviedo, the best birdwatching spot in the country (including flamingos, above), as well as iguana-strewn Isla Beata, and uninhabited Alto Velo island.

Further north, the 800 sqkm Parque Nacional Sierra de Bahoruco is notable for its mountainous terrain, running the gamut from lowland desert to cloud forest. At Parque Nacional Lago Enriquillo, an enormous saltwater lake 40m below sea level is home to the 11km-long desert island of Isla Cabritos, and you can mingle with an estimated 200 American crocodiles and iguanas the size of Volkswagens. Together, the three parks form the Jaragua-BahorucaEnriquillo Biosphere Reserve, the country’s first UNESCO Biosphere. Believe us when we say it’s awe-inspiring.

Kitesurfing in Caberete

DID YOU KNOW? Larimar, the volcanic-blue pectolite used in jewellery the world over, is only found here – and in just one place: the Larimar Mine outside Barahona. It’s a popular tourist stop, so be prepared to haggle.

White-water rafting on the Río Yaque del Norte

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05 MUST-READ The Feast Of The Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa Recounting the tyrannical regime of Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo, Peruvian Nobel Prizewinner Llosa creates a portrait of a country once ruled by corruption, greed and bloody violence. It’s both compelling and shocking – but you won’t be able to put it down.

06 ALTERNATIVE DINNERS Escape the all-you-can-eat tradition of your inclusive resort to sample some of Punta Cana’s best bites Comfort food Besides serving the tastiest burgers in the Dominican Republic – they come minced with bacon and chilli or stuffed with ham, cheese and mushrooms – the Serbian couple that runs Nam Nam (Plaza Sol Caribe, Bávaro, +809 988 31 76, nam-nams.com) dish up all kinds of traveller favourites. Don’t be afraid to douse them in the homemade habanero-carrot hot sauce or parsley mayo.

Lunch with a view The open-air Playa Blanca (+809 959 2262, puntacana.com), within the massive Puntacana Resort & Club complex, serves up platters of seafood and lobster, plus delicious braised Creole conch. It sits flanked by wild palms on one of the country’s most postcard-perfect beaches, Playa Blanca (below), named after its beautiful bleachedwhite sands. Go on, make an afternoon of it.

The blow-out meal Punta Cana isn’t overflowing with choices for foodies, but within the Paradisus Punta Cana Resort you’ll find Passion by Martín Berasategui (Bávaro, +809 687 9923, thomascook.com). The renowned Spanish chef – holder of seven Michelin stars – oversees the seven-course tasting menu of Basque Country finery. Come with an empty stomach, it’s worth every peso. Booking is advised.

07 SPORTS

Play ball! There’s no doubt that Dominicans have baseball fever – this traditionally American game is the country’s biggest sporting obsession by a long shot, if you’ll excuse the pun. Attending a game is a must for sports fans, and the 8,000-capacity Estadio Tetelo Vargas, 70km east of Santo Domingo in San Pedro de Macorís, is the best place to do so. Here the Estrellas Orientales (estrellasorientales.com.do) toil away in the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League throughout the winter. Games are often much wilder affairs than you’ll see in America – watch out for the crazed cheerleaders and marching bands in the stands.

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D O M I N I C A N

DID YOU KNOW?

09 A LITTLE BIT OF SPANISH CULTURE

The country has given birth to more Major League Baseball players than anywhere outside the USA – nearly 3,000 and counting.

3,0 0

Colonial Santo Domingo

00 08 THE PERFECT DAY TRIP

Batter up then let , eat nac ’s hos

R E P U B L I C

Once a modest fishing village populated by white casitas, fashionable Las Terrenas (above) is now the social hub of the gorgeous Samaná Peninsula. This sophisticated beach town is home to some of the best cafes and restaurants in the country, with a palpable European flair thanks to the Italian and French expats who brought their beignets, baguettes and espresso with them. Besides being a great base for visiting El Limón waterfall, Parque Nacional Los Haitises and whale-watching in the Bahía de Samaná, restaurants such as Boulangerie Française (Calle Duarte, Plaza Taína), La Serviette (Plaza Taína), La Terrasse (+809 240 6730, Pueblo de los Pescadores) and Le Tre Caravelle (Calle 27 de Febrero) are perfect spots to linger over an evening of fine food.

The cobblestoned boulevards and beautifully restored mansions of well-preserved Zona Colonial (below) were once the seat of Spain’s 16thcentury empire, and the area is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Highlights of these atmospheric 11 square blocks include the Museo de las Casas Reales (Calle Las Damas, +809 682 4202), the base of Spanish authority for the entire Caribbean – today, it houses all manner of colonial-period treasures. The Catedral Primada de América (Calle Isabel La Católica), as its name implies, is the oldest cathedral in the Americas – Christopher Columbus’ son Diego set its first stone in 1514. Diego lived in the gothic Alcázar de Colón (Plaza de España), which today houses artefacts from the Columbus family.

10 SANTO DOMINGO AFTER DARK 21.00 La Galería de Arte Nader Inside an art gallery, this sophisticated tapas bar takes top honours for its cocktails, swished by some of the city’s best mixologists (Rafael Augusto Sánchez, +809 544 0878).

22.00 Casa del Teatro The hipster venue of choice is a casual spot for live music, open-mic poetry, art and whatever else they conjure up, located in a historic Zona Colonial setting (Calle Arzobispo Meriño, +809 689 3430).

00.00 Jet Set This seventh-floor disco with great city views caters to the young and the restless, with salsa, merengue and the country’s own Afro-Latino dance style, bachata, on Mondays (Avenue Independencia, +809 533 9707).

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D O M I N I C A N

R E P U B L I C

11 WHALE WATCHING

MEET THE AUTHOR Kevin Raub is the co-author of numerous Lonely Planet guides, including Caribbean Islands and the first edition of Discover Caribbean Islands, due out later this year.

Between mid-January and mid-March, more than 10,000 North American humpback whales descend on the Bahía de Samaná, where their annual mating ritual takes place in stunning fashion. Whale Samaná (+849 809 538 2494, whalesamana.com), operated by Canadian marine specialist Kim Beddall, is the go-to outfit, with trips available from £35. Her advice is to visit in February, as it’s the best month to take in the flipping, tail-lobbing, breaching splashdowns.

Where to stay BEST FOR ADULTS

BEST ALL-INCLUSIVE

Excellence Punta Cana – the clue’s in the name at this adults-only resort with palm groves, powdery sands and a spa for pampering.

EXPERIENCE

LAS TERRENAS

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

SANTO DOMINGO

AIRPORT PUNTA CANA PLAYA BLANCA

JARAGUABAHORUCAENRIQUILLO BIOSPHERE RESERVE

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana. You know the drill by now: but bet you didn’t know about its 15 pools, nine restaurants and Jack Nicklaus golf course.

PENINSULA DE PEDERNALES

BEST FOR WEDDINGS Dreams Punta Cana Resort & Spa is situated on an unforgettable palm-backed beach with crystal-clear waters, where waiters pour free-flowing fine wines. You do the rest.

BEST VALUE FOR MONEY

BEST FOR FAMILIES

With inclusive kayaking, paddle boating, sailing and windsurfing, there are no hidden costs at IFA Villas Bávaro Resort & Spa, so it’s perfect for those on a tight budget.

If you like the sound of white sandy beaches, an 18-hole golf course and a waterpark, then Grand Bahia Principe Bávaro is the resort for you.

BE THERE… All hotels are available to book through thomascook.com

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La cucina Veneziana

words by alice adams

photography by susan wright

Discover the floating cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s secret neighbourhoods bursting with flavour

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V E N I C E

PAOLO GARLATO, OWNER OF PASTICCERIA RIZZARDINI, SERVING TRADITIONAL VENETIAN SWEETS, BISCUITS AND CAKES IN THE SAN POLO DISTRICT

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N A LITTLE SQUARE just behind Venice’s bustling fish market people are spilling out of a tiny hole-in-the-wall establishment holding glasses of wine and small bites: mini panini stuffed with salami, and crumbed fish polpette. It’s just 10am, but this is the norm at these uniquely Venetian bacari: wonderful places that are best described as a cross between a wine bar and a trattoria. Some of the patrons are market workers and, as their day starts when it’s still dark, by mid-morning they are looking for a little sustenance and sociability. I’ve stumbled upon the most Venetian of all food traditions – that of the cicchetti (small savoury bites) and ombre (thimbles of wine) – and over the next few days I aim to discover the best of these meeting spots dotted across the city. Venice is a place to wander, where wrong turns lead to secret backwaters with washing hanging out over the canal or flowers spilling from the balcony of a faded noble palace. Its district are called sestieri, and losing myself among these neighbourhoods is going to be my way of uncovering the city beyond the trails of tourists and souvenir shops. Instinct tells me that tucked away

CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: TRADITIONAL CICCHETTI E OMBRE; OSTERIA DA ALBERTO IN SESTIERE CANNAREGIO; A FISHERMAN AT THE RIALTO FISH MARKET; TAGLIOLINI CON CARCIOFI E SCAMPI (SPAGHETTI WITH ARTICHOKES AND PRAWNS) AT ACQUA STANCA; A PASTRY CHEF AT ROSA SALVA

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V E N I C E

Patrons young and old spill out onto the piazza with a glass of wine or a Spritz in hand

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After a vaporetto ride down the Grand Canal, we ďŹ nd ourselves in aristocratic Dorsoduro

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in each of these sestiere are places where the real Venetians go to eat, drink coffee and nibble on their favourite cakes.

Sweet breaks Any time is a good time for a stop at Pasticceria Rizzardini (Campiello dei Meloni, San Polo 1415, +39 041 522 3835), one of Venice’s oldest cake shops, in the heart of the bustling shopping streets of sestiere San Polo. The windows are piled high with biscuits and cakes, and customers flit in and out for a quick shot of espresso at the bar, carrying parcels of sweets underarm as they leave. Golden-yellow ring biscuits called bussolà have just come out of the oven and the shop fills with the wonderful aroma of baked biscotti. Another favourite is zaleti: maize flour and sultana biscuits in a generous lozenge shape. Down at Torrefazione Marchi Coffee House (Rio Terà San Leonardo, Cannaregio 1337, +39 041 716 371, torrefazionemarchi.it), they are roasting the house blend, and the little timber-lined shop smells inviting. This local institution has been in business since 1930 and the bar is continually full as locals stop for an espresso or to pick up a bag of freshly ground beans. I’m reminded that Venetians have a special bond with coffee – it was their merchants, after all, who first brought the bean to Europe from the East in the 17th century. Sestiere San Marco might be the tourist hub of Venice, but tucked away off the main piazza with its camera-happy tourists and flapping pigeons are Venetian institutions such as pastry shop Rosa Salva (Calle Fiubera, San Marco 950, +39 041 521 0544, rosasalva.it). In addition to the wonderful array of dolci pastries, the San Marco store has a tavola calda – a sort of Italian version of a cafeteria – where hot and cold dishes are beautifully displayed. Rosa Salva also has a store in the charming Castello district (Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Castello 6779, +39 041 522 7949), which is housed in one of the oldest pasticceria shops in the city.

An island lunch The morning sun shimmers on the lagoon as the vaporetto waterbus glides towards the outlying island of Murano: a must-do day trip. Murano is most famous for its historic glass blowers, and

visitors can take tours to see the craftsmen at work or just wander around the island, which has a sleepy fisherman’s village atmosphere and feels a world away from bustling San Marco. Every morning, fruit and vegetable vendor Luciano Bubacco ties his boat to the central canal’s edge to sell local residents fresh produce. Traditionally, all Venice’s fresh food was

Together, they turn out traditional family recipes with a contemporary feel. Next is canocchie (mantis shrimp) cooked in a sauce of tomatoes, onions and celery, and served with homemade gnocchi. Caterina also creates the desserts in-house, from freshly made strudel to light-as-air semifreddo al caffè.

Trattoria hotspots

I order fegato alla Veneziana (pan-fried liver) for perhaps the ﬁrst time since I was given it as a child. It is pure joy on a plate

Rice, polenta, black squid ink and sardines are the Venetian classics I want to try at the osterie tucked away in the quiet backstreets. Da Bepi (Campo Santi Apostoli, Cannaregio 4550, +39 041 528 5031) has been run by the same family for generations and the menu is full of classics. I try schille con polenta bianca: tiny lagoon-caught shrimp sautéed and served atop fine white polenta. While northern Italians love classic corn-yellow polenta, in Venice the rarer and more costly white corn is ground to make white polenta, which has a more delicate taste. Next comes a bowl of jet-black squid-ink spaghetti, full of the taste of the sea. Not far away, at Osteria Da Alberto (Calle Giacinto Gallina, Cannaregio 5401, +39 041 523 8153), I order pan-fried liver for perhaps the first time since I was given it as a child. It is pure joy on a plate. Da Alberto has a great atmosphere, with exposed-beam ceilings and barrels lining the walls, and carafes of local wine are served as if they’re going out of fashion.

A night out at the bacari cultivated on the island of Sant’Erasmo, which is still covered in orchards and market gardens. We find Luciano cleaning vegetables, and as he works he introduces us to the artichokes grown on Sant’Erasmo: small, super-tender and a gorgeous purple colour. Later, during lunch at Acqua Stanca (Fondamenta Manin 48, +39 041 319 5125, acquastanca.it), I order spaghetti with artichokes and scampi, the delicate flavours wrapping themselves around the fine strands of pasta. Opened in 2012 to immediate acclaim, the restaurant draws in both locals and tourists with its fine food and relaxed ambience. Caterina Nason, an architect and self-taught cook, is at the helm in the kitchen, while the front of house is beautifully managed by her sister-in-law Giovanna Arcangeli.

We decide to dedicate our last night to the bacari, which is where the fun really begins. The good news is that, despite a dwindling population, the younger generation of Venetians are keeping the cicchetti-and-ombre tradition alive – and with gusto. In the campo behind the fish market, we find Al Mercà (Campo Bella Vienna, San Polo 213, +39 346 834 0660), a tiny bacaro that houses just the bar and a glass cabinet filled with panini. Patrons young and old spill out onto the piazza with a glass of wine or a Spritz (Aperol and sparkling wine, the born-in-Venice aperitivo) in hand. Around the corner, on another bit of piazza, little bars are built in under the old portico. Bancogiro (Campo San Giacametto, San Polo 122, +39 041 523 2061, osteriabancogiro.it) is an old osteria given new life by a group of

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V E N I C E CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: TRADITIONAL BISCUITS FLAVOURED WITH FENNEL; MAURO, PART OWNER OF BANCOGIRO; VENETIAN ARTICHOKES; LUCIANO AND HIS FLOATING FRUIT AND VEGETABLE STALL IN MURANO; SQUID-INK SPAGHETTI

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CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: CICCHETTI E OMBRE SERVED AT CANTINONE GIA SCHIAVI IN THE DORSODURO DISTRICT; AL MERCA, A TINY BACARO IN CAMPO BELLA VIENNA; A CANAL IN CASTELLO

V E N I C E

four young Venetians. Mauro Bettrone and his partners do it with lashings of style: we taste the creamy baccalà mantecato (cod brandade) atop slices of black polenta – coloured, naturally, with squid ink – and marinated octopus on golden polenta flecked with fresh parsley. After a vaporetto ride down the Grand Canal, we find ourselves in aristocratic sestiere Dorsoduro, which lies on the western side of the islands, between Santa Croce and San Marco. Cantinone Gìa Schiavi (Fondamenta Nani, Dorsoduro 992, +39 041 523 0034) is part bacaro, part wine shop, and the walls are lined with bottles from all over Italy. Along the bar patrons jostle for a small glass, democratically priced at one euro. There are some great flavours here, too – sliced boiled egg topped with a squirt of truffle cream, rich egg-yolk mayonnaise with flower petals, and a variety of creamed-cod brandades. Young and old stop in on the way home or on their way out for a glass and a quick bite. Or they make a meal of it. We meet a trio of English visitors who are here for the third time, completely taken with this warm, genial and all-embracing form of Venetian hospitality. I’m the same. I simply can’t wait to come back. Alice Adams is a specialist food writer and stylist based in Italy. To read her own Italian recipes, visit aliceadamsfoodstylist.com

GO Thomas Cook flies to Venice from select UK airports. For more information on city breaks, visit your local Thomas Cook store, call +44 (0) 844 412 5966, or visit thomascook.com. For more information on culinary tours of Venice, visit veneto.to

STAY

DID YOU KNOW?

The chic five-star Bauer il Palazzo hotel (thomascook.com) overlooks the Grand Canal and Piazza San Marco, providing the perfect Venetian view to wake up to. Head to Settimo Cielo, the seventh floor lounge, for breakfast in style before venturing out for the day.

If asked to suggest some typical local dishes, a Venetian might nominate sweet and sour marinated sardines finished with sultanas and pine nuts, or cod brandade, the dried cod brought home from the north Atlantic by Venetian merchant ships.

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U S A

T h e Gr e a t

R ock’n’R oll

Road Trip Hitch a ride with the world’s hottest bands as they take you on exclusive tours of their hometowns

Interviews: Mark Beaumont and Mike MacEacheran

Illustrations: Caitlin Kunwald

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the

KILLERS’

Brandon Flowers decided to join a band after seeing Oasis play at the Hard Rock Hotel, located behind the famous Las Vegas strip

Las Vegas

“Vegas is a rock’n’roll town. It’s exciting and decadent and crazy. I love hanging on the strip”Brandon Flowers “Las “L Las v vegas egas is a beautiful ,

colourful city,” says lead singer Brandon Flowers. “It’s a rock’n’roll town. It’s exciting and decadent and crazy. A lot of people stay away from it, but I love hanging around on the strip. There’s always something new to see. When one building is demolished, they build another one more outrageous than the last. In what other city in the world would they do that?” Born to be wild: “Mr Brightside was inspired by the Crown & Anchor British Pub (1350 E Tropicana Ave). I was asleep and I knew something was wrong – I have these instincts. I went and my girlfriend was there with another guy.” American pie: “Metro Pizza (1395 E Tropicana Ave)

has the best salad dressing ever – I don’t know what they put in it. And you gotta go to Luv-It Frozen Custard (505 E Oakey Blvd), it’s the best frozen custard in Vegas. Have you ever had our kind of custard? You’ve gotta try it.” Dedicated follower of fashion: “Growing up, I worked in casinos like a lot of my family, but none of us are big gamblers. When I was young in Vegas, it was always about what was going to be the biggest hotel in the world and first it was the Luxor, then the MGM. We’ve got a Rome and a Paris, even an England in Vegas, but the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace (3570 S Las Vegas Blvd) are still the best.” Ticket to ride: “You’ve gotta visit Lake Mead and the Liberace Museum (new location, opening soon).

Liberace was the first. Before Elton John. Before Björk. I first went when I was five. I had to see the grand piano.” River deep, mountain high: “I’ve started to go to national parks and campgrounds on days off. I’m barbecuing! And instead of running on a treadmill, I’m running out in nature. We have the Colorado River which supplies our Lake Mead, the world’s largest man-made lake. The Hoover Dam dammed it up and made this lake and I take my kids down and you can see the water line where it used to be when my dad was growing up. Now, he takes me and shows me where he used to cast when he would fish. If you did that now you’d cast into dirt. It’s crazy!”

The Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace is not only the highest grossing mall in America, it’s also favoured by Paris Hilton, Madonna and The Killers

The Killers’ greatest hits Direct Hits is out now

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U S A

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the

LUMINEERS’

Denver

When they’re not on the road, keep your eyes peeled for The Lumineers chowing down on famous cheese steaks from Steuben’s

“Last year was the most

insane of our lives – we played 45 festivals: Glastonbury, Coachella, Lollapolooza, Bonaroo...” recalls vocalist and cellist Neyla Pekarek. “So time at home is tight, but Denver has lots of neighbourhoods full of great places to eat, drink and stroll through. I spend most of my time in Baker, as well as the Highlands and Uptown.” Born to be wild: “Colorado is the capital of great beer. There are so many breweries – I’m always excited to see our beers in places away from home. I love Great Divide (2201 Arapahoe St), as well as Black Shirt Brewing Company (3719 Walnut St). They make great beer and are passionate, lovely people.” American pie: “I can’t resist a good cheese steak

from Steuben’s (523 E 17th Ave). They do great comfort food with incredible cocktails, so it’s always a nice welcome home. I love City O’ City (206 E 13th Ave), an all-vegetarian restaurant where all the coolest kids in town hang out.” Dedicated follower of fashion: “If I’m buying clothes, then my two best dress stores are Starlet (3450 W 32nd Ave) and Common Era (1543 Platte St) – both cute boutique shops. I’m partial to Twist & Shout record store on Colfax. It’s a Sunday ritual for me when I’m home to walk there and browse through the vinyl.”

Good vibrations: take The Lumineers’ advice and ﬂip through some records at Twist & Shout. Watch out for in-store appearances, too

We built this city on rock’n’roll: “I love seeing shows at The Hi-Dive (7 S Broadway), a place we played many times in our early days. I’ve seen some great shows there, and still go when I can.”

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U S A

“We’ve driven all over the U.S. and I still think driving west is the most beautiful”Neyla Pekarek

River deep, mountain high: “After a hectic tour, I spend a lot of downtime in the mountains near Grand Lake, Colorado. It’s a few hours away and such a relaxing little town. We’ve driven all over the U.S. and I still think driving west is the most beautiful. The stretch from Denver to California has so many pretty spots. We travelled in an old Ford Windstar, so most vehicles would be an upgrade.” The Lumineers’ self-titled debut album is out now

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The Strokes have rocked the Bowery Ballroom (left) several times since releasing their debut Is This It? in 2001; fashion rocks at hipster store Acne (below)

“Grab the

village voice

least it used to be until fire codes ruined New York’s rock’n’roll venues.”

and look at the music section to get a feel for the city,” says guitarist and songwriter Albert Hammond Jr. “New York is more about who’s coming than anything else. Everyone comes here, so just keep your eyes on the lookout.”

Dedicated follower of fashion: “Take your pick, there’s loads: What Goes Around Comes Around, Acne, BLK DNM. For more vintage, go to Metropolis on 10th Street and 3rd Avenue.”

Born to be wild: “They make some wonderful mixed drinks at Black Market (110 Avenue A), and they have great burgers and oysters. The Cabin Down Below (132∏ E 7th Street) is a secluded bar that – if you can get in – you never know what might happen. Mercury Lounge (217 E Houston St) is an intimate 300-capacity club with great sound, and The Bowery Ballroom on Delancey Street is a bigger 700-capacity club. Or at

American pie: “Hasaki (210 E 9th St) is for sushi and sashimi, and right down the street Robataya (231 E 9th St) has a grill with veggies and meats that will explode your senses. Head to Mudspot (307 E 9th St) for dinner or the great huevos rancheros. Ask Summer who works there on Saturday for a delicious cold cup of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. Around the corner is Fresco (138 2nd Ave) for gelato, and Il Buco (47 Bond St)

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the

STROKES’ New York has a wonderful Italian menu that’s constantly changing. They have homemade pastas, and the fish and meat options are delicious. Their appetisers are to share. I always go for whatever they have that’s raw, or a cheese dish.” Ticket to ride: “The Planetarium near Central Park is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen – I go at least twice a year. Or try a picnic in the park or just find a quiet space. My favourite thing is to walk around the city listening to music.” Albert Hammond Jr’s new EP AHJ is out now

“Everyone’s here, so keep your eyes on the lookout for the next big thing” Albert Hammond Jr FEB.MAR.APR

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the

RACONTEURS’ Na shville

Brendan Benson’s new album You Were Right is out now

“I will always love Detroit,

where I grew up, but Nashville has been my adopted hometown for myself and my family over the past decade,” says Brendan Benson, singer and guitarist with The Raconteurs. “Most people come for the music, and the most iconic stops are The Ryman (116 5th Avenue N) and Robert’s Western World honky-tonk (416 Broadway). The calibre of musicians is unmatched anywhere else.”

Born to be wild: “Pinewood Social (33 Peabody St) is becoming the place to be and is perfect for casual lunch meetings, cocktail gatherings and dinner. I spend most of my time at Readymade Studios and at home with my family for the most part. It’s getting crowded there, though, so enjoy it while you can.” American pie: “We love Burger Up (2901 12th Ave S) for dinner, in the 12 South area. Las Paletas (2907 12th Ave S) is right next

door and it’s the perfect spot for desserts as they serve speciality popsicles. For pizza lovers, Five Points (1012 Woodland Street) is the way to go, and the closest to New York-style pizza you can get in the South. Tin Angel (3201 West End Ave) is great, too, one of the oldest restaurants in Nashville. It makes sense that it’s withstood the test of time – culinary trends come and go, but this place serves consistently great Southern-tinged cuisine. Ask if they can make the chicken schnitzel, which isn’t on the menu anymore. Tell them I recommended it!” Dedicated follower of fashion: “Style in Nashville runs the gamut, but I’m a big fan of Billy Reid (4015 Hillsboro Pike) and I also like imogene + willie (2601 12th Ave S). Everyone knows Grimey’s (1604 8th Ave S), which is our go-to vinyl store. They recently expanded into books and they put on shows in the parking lot once in a while. It’s not only a Nashville staple, but highly regarded throughout the whole of America.” We built this city on rock’n’roll: “The Basement is just downstairs from Grimey’s. It’s a great place to see new artists play and where friends go when they want to try out new material. The Basement is the best-sounding venue in town and possibly beyond. It’s a very cosy, intimate setting with a small patio outside for smokers. The chances are you might see the next big thing – or an unannounced show by a stadium band such as Metallica. It’s that kind of place.” ROCK ON… Discover the USA with thomascook.com and discoveramerica.com

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Exhilarate your senses in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Discover this land, like never before.

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Made in Switzerland / Sellita SW200-1 self-winding movement / 38 hour power reserve / 42mm marine-grade 316L stainless steel case and deployment bracelet / Water resistant to 300 metres / 4mm anti-reďŹ&#x201A;ective sapphire crystal / Deep-etched back-plate engraving

Showroom at NO.1 PARK STREET, Maidenhead. To arrange a personal appointment, call +44 (0)1628 763040

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T U R K E Y Words: Sevil Delin and Tristan Rutherford Photos: Tim E White

Turkey objects

From traditional souvenirs to regional specialities, we explore Turkeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Aegean coastline through its national treasures

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RAKI

Forget your morning tasks. And you’d better take the afternoon off work, too. Turkey’s national liqueur is an anise-scented firewater with a reputation for subtle inebriation. For decades its curative/knockout qualities were used during tooth extractions (just rub it on your gums to numb them). Sozzled locals swear by age-old brand Yeni Rakı, while hipsters prefer artisanally produced Tekirdag ˘, which boasts an organic version, too. Such is rakı’s ubiquity that it can be enjoyed anywhere from the waterfront bars and restaurants of Marmaris to the raucous afterhours party strips in Fethiye and Bodrum. TR Ferhat Ugar from Kum Saati Bar in Fethiye

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T U R K E Y

Sozzled locals swear by ageold brand Yeni Rakı, while urban hipsters drink organic Tekirdag ˘ rakı

SPONGE

Some of the world’s top freedivers hail from Turkey, perhaps because of the ancient tradition of sponge diving along the Aegean coast. One of the world’s most dangerous professions, it often resulted in divers getting the bends from surfacing too fast, sometimes with fatal results. Indeed, there is a Turkish saying that describes “swimming in money, with a widowed honey”. Today, the sponge trade has taken a dive of its own, but a handful of shops still sell natural, local sponges. SD Memhet Volkan outside his sponge shop, Acar Denizyıldızı, in Bodrum

B A K L AVA

Turkey is synonymous with sweets, with Turkish Delight (known locally as lokum, meaning “morsel”) and baklava its most famous exports. The latter is made of layers of paper-thin pastry drenched in syrup with nuts in the middle, and can be enjoyed either in its mass-produced form, or homemade with extra crunch and less sugar. As if that wasn’t tempting enough, boiled sweets (akide s˛ekeri), milk puddings (muhallebi) and cookies (kurabiye) threaten slim waistlines with their delicious omnipresence. SD Elif Koplan from Zeugma Baklava shop in Bodrum

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05 GOURDS

Scooped out and left to harden for up to a year, dried gourds – the fruit from cucurbitaceous plants – have been used throughout history, serving as water flasks, keeping gunpowder dry, and buoying up fishermen’s nets. Today, Bodrum artists carve intricate geometric designs into them and fill the holes with coloured glass, creating a cross between a stained-glass window and a Halloween pumpkin. Insert a light bulb, and the lamp shines a rainbow of colours on the walls. SD Gourd vendor Husain from Gümüs˛lük near Bodrum

SATS U M A J A M

Most Turkish women, no matter how liberated or career-driven, are more in tune with their inner domestic goddess than the average European or American. Making homemade pickles and fruit preserves is still the accepted norm. In particular, Bodrum and Dalaman’s kitchens are filled with chunky satsuma marmalade: fragrant and bittersweet, it is ideally eaten slathered on a slab of Turkish bread. The coast’s satsumas are also prized in different forms: their aromatic oil is added to kolonya – Turkey’s bracing answer to eau de cologne – while one of the most refreshing local alcoholic drinks is vodka with a splash of satsuma juice. SD Sadiye Yilmaz at Yalikavak village bazaar

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T U R K E Y

Fish suppers of red mullet, squid and sea bass sustain Turkey’s entire Aegean coast

06 GRILLED FISH

Fish suppers of red mullet (barbunya), squid (kalamar) and sea bass (levrek) sustain Turkey’s entire Aegean coast. But no seafood restaurants are more novel than those at the Bodrum and Fethiye fish markets. Once flagging, they are now interactive alfresco dining spots where patrons purchase fresh octopus (ahtapot), monkfish (fener) or bream (çupra), before taking them to the surrounding eateries to be sautéed, grilled or salt-baked, then served with mezze, salad and fries. The system prevents any ripoffs and, especially in Bodrum, you can check out the spectacular harbour views afterwards. TR Chef Veysi from Su restaurant, Bodrum port

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07 G ÖZ L E M E

Everyone from power brokers to paupers loves to gorge on a gözleme. Somewhere between a crepe and a flatbread, this Turkish street food begins life as hand-rolled dough, which is then cooked on a griddle pan with extra ingredients thrown on top. Minced lamb and pastrami are popular in the mountains; spinach and goat’s cheese on the coast. Less traditional but just as tasty are sweet options such as banana, Nutella and honey. The challenge is to stop after just one. TR Gözleme baker Neriman from Kayaköy near Fethiye

08 78

CO F F E E

The battle between the Turks and Greeks over the provenance of baklava, yoghurt and coffee is as ancient as it is heated. Turkish coffee, as it is usually called, has become such an entrenched aspect of the culture that it is an essential part of many rituals, including engagements, when the groom has to smilingly endure a cup of salty coffee to prove his commitment to his betrothed. Turkish coffee is cooked, not brewed, and the dregs are left at the bottom of the cup. Despite all this devotion, the new generation are still turning to iced coffees and frappés, with new American-style chains popping up all along the coast. SD A young coffee drinker in Dalaman

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T U R K E Y

G U L E TS

Gulets are hefty sailing ships once used to haul olive oil around the Aegean. Not any more. A new breed of these traditional Turkish boats has been reimagined as cruising vessels for tourists. Expect crisp linen sheets, en-suite shower rooms and gourmet local cuisine. Water toys such as paddleboards, sea kayaks and snorkels come as standard. TurkYacht (turkyacht.com) maintains boats in the yachting centres of Marmaris, Goçek and Bodrum, while Thomas Cook (thomascook.com) offers a number of trips from the coast’s main resorts. The boats visit lonely islands, dive spots and bays in the Gulf of Gökova, plus deserted beaches for BBQ lunches. TR Captain Erman, TurkYacht captain, in Goçek

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T U R K E Y

It’s possible to hear the tradition all along the coast, from Dalaman to Bodrum

10 OUD

The humble oud is as old as the hills. Indeed, it was purportedly invented by a grandson of Adam. The Near Eastern ancestor of the guitar is played with a plectrum (variously made with sea shells and cow horn), but contains no frets (which are for European softies, obviously). Its modern cousin is the – fretted – Turkish tanbur, which forms the kernel of all Turkish classical music, and can be played with both plectrum and bow. It’s possible to hear both instruments all along the coast – from sedate Dalaman to noisy local bars in Bodrum. TR Oud player Baris from Bodrum

S TAY

D I D YO U K N OW ?

Thomas Cook flies to Izmir, Bodrum, Dalaman and Antalya from select UK airports. For more information, call +44 (0)844 412 5966 or visit thomascook.com. For more information, visit gototurkey.com.

Why not make the most of the city and beach with a twin centre stay? Start off at the stylish and cosmopolitan Rixos Premium to explore Bodrum’s best bits before heading for the sandy shores of Antalya’s Aska Lara Deluxe for some well-deserved R’n’R (book both through thomascook.com).

Bodrum is the site of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

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A D V E N T U R E

evin es K s ’ n d ardia ent deca track. u G The y has sp e beaten s own ’ b th Rush ring off mas Cook ots o sp de wan ed by Th sts great day e li ir Insp s, he sugg ted on ho l a trave disorient t to ge

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t was not until the third day of the voyage off the Horn of Africa that I thought to ask the captain how he knew where we were. After all, we were aboard a traditional wooden ship in the middle of the Indian Ocean and I had not seen him once refer to a chart, never mind a GPS. Did he even own a compass? “There is one,” he said stoutly, but then looked around, frowning, as if trying to recall, unsuccessfully, where it might be. No one went to the island of Socotra in those days – the early 1990s – and communications were almost non-existent, despite the place being pretty big: ten times the size of the Isle of Wight, a place it resembles in almost no respect whatsoever. That being true, I could see that Socotra was quite a large target to hit even at a distance of 385km from our starting point, but what if we missed? Without a map to consult, I calculated we could get lucky and hit the Seychelles or be unlucky and hit the Amery Ice Shelf in Antarctica. Being lost is generally considered a bad thing. Throughout the centuries travellers have tried very hard not to get into that unfortunate state, mostly because it often led to another unfortunate state: an untimely end. Knowing your location was vital. Thomas Cook himself, tracing his first route across Switzerland in 1863, struggled to stay correctly located: the country was an impoverished backwater, wrote one of his lady companions rather uncharitably, populated by “beggars and goitred ogres”. Not a place to lose your way. So, back on the dhow ploughing southwards under the spangled Milky Way, I interrogated the captain. “How do you calculate our position?” He then recited for me the poems of Ibn Mãjid, a 15th century navigator whose work wraps all the relevant stars, landfalls and destinations of the Indian Ocean into one easily memorable verse. In other words, he knew exactly where we were. It was only me that was lost. I had to admit to myself that amid the relief was also a tiny pang of disappointment. Getting lost, you see, is getting harder. In fact, getting lost has become a lost art. When

“I could see the symptoms of that weird syndrome in which a person’s fanatical belief in technology overrides the reality of his own senses”

the American military released the technology for GPS in 1995 it could hardly have known the consequences. At first there were built-in errors to thwart America’s enemies, but Bill Clinton abolished that sneaky tactic in 2000 and now every traveller, whether they are hiking in the Rockies or merely sitting in a taverna on a Greek island, can know precisely where they are. Uncertain? Bang a few keys on the phone and a map comes up pinpointing your position. When GPS was new there were teething troubles. I remember being with some early aficionados in a fat 4x4 in Palma on Mallorca. It is a fascinating old town full of interest and character. We’d driven to the Arab Baths and marvelled at the cathedral, then headed to a bar that was snuggled away up the back alleys. The GPS was working well. We turned into a narrow alley that steadily got narrower. “I don’t think this car is built to go through here!” I said. But the driver had one eye on the screen. I could see all the symptoms of that weird syndrome in which a person’s fanatical belief in technology overrides the reality of his own senses. There was a nasty screech and the car stalled. A local woman opened her front door and, finding herself trapped inside her own home by a party of red-faced Brits in a large tin can, began wailing and screeching.

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A D V E N T U R E

THOMAS COOK, BELOW, TRIED HIS BEST NOT TO GET LOST IN SWITZERLAND IN 1863. FOLLOW HIS LEAD TO SEE THE MIGHTY MATTERHORN – SHROUDED HERE BY THE GLITTERING MILKY WAY

It was all very embarrassing and I remember the driver, panicking a little, shouting back, “It’s OK – we are not lost!” My opinion is that we need re-educating in the art of being lost, and an ancient kasbah or souk is a good place to begin. At Antalya, Larnaca or Tunis, you have a great opportunity to savour being completely, deliciously lost. An old town such as Bulgaria’s Plovdiv has lots of potential, too, as do grid-pattern places such as Valleta in Malta or Corfu, where the streets quickly begin to look identikit. I’d recommend an early start with no urgent appointments on the horizon. Get deep inside. Don’t pay attention to landmarks or signposts, should the authorities be so misguided as to have provided them. Mobile phones must be left in the hotel. Anyone caught using one is taken to the Turkish baths for a scouring with a sharkskin glove – at least in Antalya, where the Sefa Hamam is well worth a visit.

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“A huge black shape that I'd thought was a rock suddenly reared up and charged”

IF YOU’RE LOST AT SEA, THERE ARE WORSE PLACES TO WASH UP THAN THE SEYCHELLES. BOOK A TRIP WITH THOMAS COOK SIGNATURE

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A D V E N T U R E

In India you have some great opportunities for successful – and total – disorientation, of which Varanasi is probably the best. Once I stumbled on a guesthouse for musicians and holy men where, between mystical songs, the conversation turned to the art of ensuring eternal life through rigorous spiritual practices. You don’t get much more important than that, though I never did take their advice of living in a graveyard for a few years and using a skull as a teacup. The brilliant thing with these places, of course, is that you can be lost for a few magical hours, then simply forge a course outwards, hit the ring road and jump in a taxi. Get out into the wilds and the thrill of being lost gets bigger, so much so that your mouth can go bone dry and your hands start shaking. Last summer in the Rockies I stayed in a remote ranch cabin in Montana: 11,000 acres of forest, grassland and jagged mountains inhabited by 800 head of cattle, a dog and two humans (not including me), plus an unknown number of elk, black bears and cougars. One day I went for a wander. I had no compass and there was no phone signal, but I did have a map. After walking for a few hours I decided to head back to the cabin, but a slight misjudgment took me down the wrong side of a ridge. When the going got rough, I had to climb down a few small cliffs. At the bottom I reached for the map in my pocket and it was gone. Going back didn’t seem an option so I pressed on. A few more wrinkles of the contours and I was completely lost. Now every shadow in the forest was a bear that was about to attack. I blundered uphill, wearing myself out by going too quickly. Finally, as the sun set and twilight came, the inevitable happened. A huge black shape that I’d thought was a rock suddenly reared up and charged. My heart leapt into my mouth and I threw myself into a clump of huckleberries. My dark assailant meanwhile, seeing I was no threat, lumbered away with her calf. Getting to my feet I realised I’d come right back to my cabin and its attendant herd of Aberdeen Angus. If I had never been lost, you see, I would never have known just how much I loved that cabin.

ALL THOSE WHO WANDER AREN’T LOST: VARANASI IN INDIA IS A FANTASTIC PLACE TO LOSE YOURSELF IN SIDE STREETS

TAKING A WANDER FROM YOUR LOG CABIN IN THE ROCKIES: NOT FOR THE FAINTHEARTED (ESPECIALLY WITH BEARS ABOUT)

BE THERE… You can get lost with Thomas Cook in all of the destinations featured, and many more besides. To plan your own off the beaten track adventure, visit thomascook.com

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e to g m i t Is it t gettin star ed yet? scar

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T E N E R I F E

o n a c l o v e h T

e g n e l l a h c T vol eneri i can fe i wr tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be ic roc s a la ite ag ks ye par r to cl ood i . So wr cake agl imb dea e th of ide , t o off cave, o sen ught Wo rds the zip d ou : Em ma hig lin r Gre gg hes e an t on d Pho e tos :G reg Fun nel l

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Seven million years in the making, Tenerife has been sculpted by energy. Or, to be more scientific, earth-shattering pulses of geothermal energy. The rugged hills that frame the resorts represent just a fraction of the island’s natural drama, so stick to the beaches in the south and you miss out. Because inland things get exciting. Fast. The terrain climbs steeply up to mountains where you can paraglide, rocket through the trees on a zip line or check out the dark recesses of a lava cave. And for a truly unique adventure, you can hike across the badlands surrounding Spain’s highest mountain, Mount Teide. But feeling my heartbeat race wasn’t enough on my latest trip. I wanted to measure it. So each time I sampled a new activity, I recorded my heart rate using my smartphone. There are several apps available, but I used Azumio Instant Heart Rate (azumio.com), which requires you to put the tip of your index finger over the phone’s camera lens, then uses photo-detection to count your heartbeats per minute. I then subtracted my resting heart rate to calculate the boost in my pulse. Volcano challenge #1 Go deep: explore a lava cave “Have a chunk of this. To get the brain going,” says Francisco Manuel Mesa Luis, passing us some chocolate as we set out, sleepy-eyed, for the Cueva del Viento (cuevadelviento.net), the longest lava tube in Europe. It’s a crisp morning, and we’re halfway up a volcanic mountain. Beneath our feet is a honeycomb of caves, created when prehistoric lava flowed down deep channels and the top layer hardened, forming tubes. The Cueva del Viento is by far the longest.

my f o t n o r f n s: and i I wave a h ing. I strain my ear eyes: noth he darkness is so t nothing. TI can almost taste i comple te

Going underground: Cueva del Viento is the world’s ﬁfth largest series of lava tube caves. The biggest is a subterranean network beneath Hawaii

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T E N E R I F E

Francisco Manuel Mesa Luis (right) leads a safety brieﬁng before our intrepid explorer enters the cave (below)

et orgﬀ f o n’t Do o turnghts t e li th Wearing helmets, we trek past evidence of the mountain’s turbulent past – a gorge, 40m deep, and pavements of lava, wrinkled like freshly poured tar. Then it’s down into the inky depths. Some caves are spiced up with mood lighting and sound effects, but Cueva del Viento is different. The team has simply removed the debris from the jagged floor, keeping everything as natural as possible. “We want you to get a true sense of where you are,” says Francisco, a biologist and conservationist. “So, no music, no coloured lights. It’s not a nightclub.” Our lamps trace the shape of the tunnel. Roughly round in

cross-section, it’s amazing to realise that it wasn’t blasted out by machine. Hanging from the ceiling, just out of reach, are beads of water, poised to drip. The group explores just 250m of the tube but, enticingly, the remainder – a staggering 17km in length – lies behind a locked doorway. The bones of extinct mammals have been found in its crevices and rare creatures remain, including cockroaches that aren’t just blind, but have no eyes at all. As we return, we pause and, on Francisco’s cue, switch off our lamps. A cool subterranean breeze wafts past. I wave a hand FEB.MAR.APR

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a v a l d e t ic s n i a w c t l f o wl o t Teideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s v n a r p s The d Moun d so alie arounis so vast an cone

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in front of my eyes: nothing. I strain my ears: nothing. The darkness is so complete I can almost taste it. Pulse boost: +12 Volcano challenge #2 Go high: swing through the pines Halfway between the coast and Mount Teide’s mighty peak, Tenerife is ringed with a forest of pines. Not just any pines – Canary Island pines, with long needles and sturdy, drought-resistant trunks. As we drive up the mountain, we spot the ragged skeletons of other species, planted in recent years. Unlike the local variety, they’re no match for the fierce summer winds. A forest that’s strong enough to weather an Atlantic storm is a great place to build a treetop adventure centre. Forestal Park (forestalpark.com), set among the Canary Island pines of northeastern Tenerife, is the newest and most impressive course in the archipelago. Ladders, zip lines and rope bridges are for kids, you might think. Sure enough, Forestal Park has routes that children as young as six can tackle with ease. So far, so harmless. Then it brings out the big guns. A vertigoinducing tightrope, 20m high. A gigantic zip line, 225m long. A cable that sends you swinging like a spider into a huge vertical net. The only escape is to climb out, using every ounce of your arm strength. My first attempt on the zip line ends with me crashing into a heap of pine needles. And on a bridge made of chunks of wood dangling from ropes, I have to stretch each leg to the limit just to reach the next step. Looking down is the least of my worries. But as I whizz through the pines on the longest zip line, yodelling at the top of my voice, the effort, trepidation and undignified landings all feel totally worthwhile. Pulse boost: +19

Swing both ways: Our writer (top) plays at being Spider-Woman while the instructor (above), shows her the ropes at Forestal Park

Volcano challenge #3 Get active: hike across a Martian landscape Place yourself in the middle of Parque Nacional del Teide (reservasparquesnacionales.es), which this year celebrates the 60th anniversary of its opening, and your sense of scale goes haywire. The sprawl of twisted lava around its volcanic cone is so vast, and so alien, that when we gaze down from the viewpoint at the Roques de Garcia, it’s hard to comprehend exactly what we’re looking at. We spot a pair of hikers in the distance, and they seem impossibly tiny, like action figures viewed through the wrong end of a telescope. No wonder sci-fi film-makers love it here, I think, as we hit one of the hiking trails that loop around the Roques. Androids and monsters would look totally at home among these bizarre, time-worn towers of rock. The park’s Martian appearance has made it popular with space programme technicians, too,

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who test new equipment here. And its raw, rugged hostility appeals to hardcore adventurers. Chillingly, during our visit, the search is on for an experienced hiker who set out alone several days before and has not been seen since. Our route is relatively modest, following a marked path through the russet and ochre landscape. But there’s more than enough scrambling and clambering along the way to set our spirits – and my heartbeat – soaring. Pulse boost: +22 Volcano challenge #4 Get airborne: paraglide off the side of a volcano Every day, we’ve been waiting for the chance to go paragliding. Conditions on Tenerife are perfect, the experts say. The

volcanic mountains are peppered with fantastic launch points and you can fly 330 days out of 365. Unluckily for us, we must have arrived on day 331. With odds of ten to one, the wind is in the wrong direction. But on our penultimate afternoon, we hear it’s about to change. In the morning, we meet Tenerfly paragliding instructor Goyo Gonzalez (tenerfly.com) near Costa Adeje. He offers an iron handshake and an iPad, and drives us up a steep track past open slopes studded with cacti. As we climb, we watch a GoPro video of a tandem flight, filmed in close-up, with the volcano and the coast spread out beneath the glider like a carpet. It looks incredible. “It’s all about reading the sky,” says Goyo. “It’s not easy. Meteorologists get it wrong all the time. But get it right, and you’re away.”

ok o l d l u o w sters n o m se m l Sci-ﬁ ﬁ home among the of rock totally attime-worn towers bizarre,

Catching ﬁre: Our writer (above left) ticks oﬀ her third challenge by hiking to the top of Mount Teide at 3,718m

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Goyo parks on a bank with pin-sharp views of La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma, Tenerife’s nearest neighbours. The air is breathtakingly clear to the west, fading to a mist in the east. A team assembles. Excitedly, we check the windsock. But it’s bad news – still the wrong direction. One of the team unfurls his glider and straps himself into the rig to test out the wind. It’s no use, it’s

An ill wind: Our writer’s challenge comes to a premature end because of unexpectedly blustery weather

blowing the wrong way and we won’t be flying. Yet the anticipation alone is enough to send my pulse into double figures. If we’d taken off? I reckon it would top the scale. Pulse boost: +12 Emma Gregg writes for Rough Guides, The Independent and National Geographic Traveller

The a enou nticipatio into dgh to send n alone is my pu ouble lse ﬁgure s

S TAY

D I D YO U K N OW ?

Thomas Cook flies to Tenerife year-round from select UK airports. For more information, call +44 (0)844 412 5966, visit your local Thomas Cook store or see thomascook.com. For more information on Tenerife, visit webtenerife.com.

Want to follow in our writer’s footsteps? Check-in to the IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Mencey in Santa Cruz de Tenerife (book via thomascook.com). It’s home to restaurants, bars, a spa and a cookery school. Alternatively, try out the five-star Gran Hotel Bahía del Duque (book via elegantresorts.co.uk).

Parque Nacional del Teide is a Starlight Reserve, making it one of the best places to see the night sky in Europe.

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Checklist The best places to sleep, eat and play around the network

Sleep

01 Azka Hotel BODRUM, TURKEY

Situated on the coastline where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean, Bodrum has plenty working in its favour – not least the scattering of white-washed hotels on the water’s edge, from which you can watch gulets sailing in and out of the harbour against the backdrop of the city’s spectacular castle. The Azka Hotel is one such spot, and offers all manner of options to keep you entertained

Words: Imogen Rowland and Andrea Montgomery

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during the long sunny days, including tennis, squash and volleyball courts, Turkish baths and a spa. Plus, it’s just a short water-taxi ride away from the buzz of the city centre. Highlights: Alternating dips in the sea with visits to the pool; summer silence (except for the occasional bleat of goats grazing nearby). If you only have one night: Plump for the suite,

which boasts its own spacious patio and private access to the swimming pool and bar. Location, location, location: Make sure you venture out to Bodrum’s nearby yacht club for dinner one evening – there’s live music most nights and fabulous food to be had before raucous dancing into the small hours. BE THERE… Book a stay with thomascook.com

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C H E C K L I S T

Enjoy s views gorgeou liema S across

Hotel Elba Palace Golf F U E R T E V E N T U R A , S PA I N

Only 100km off the coast of West Africa, where beaches morph into deserts at the feet of volcanoes, the luxurious Hotel Elba Palace Golf on Fuerteventura is a dream-like haven. Built around a palm-filled courtyard, the hotel epitomises the best of Canarian hospitality and colonial style. Highlights: The open courtyard where you can dine by candlelight beneath the stars throughout the year; VIP-style treatment from checkin to check-out; a par 72 golf course just outside the hotel door. If you only have one night:

Start with a Jacuzzi, followed by a gourmet dinner beneath the stars, rounded off by a cheese and wine tasting in the bodega. Bliss.

Location, location, location:

Acting as the clubhouse for the Fuerteventura Golf Course in Caleta de Fuste, the hotel looks out over the greens to the Atlantic and is only a short drive from the airport.

The Palace S L I E M A , M A LTA

BE THERE… Book a stay with

Setting the bar high for designer boutique hotels, The Palace is where luxury meets style. Bursting with modern art, the foyer is given over to ornate sculptures and crystal chandeliers, and the rooms and hotel amenities all exude five-star quality and style. Highlights: The five designer concept suites themed around the senses (labelled texture, view, light, flavours and music) are worth indulging in. The music room’s “hallway of stars” (with a keyboard-shaped rug and drum kit) have already proved a hit with world musician Gigi D’Alessio. If you only have one night: Spend it on the rooftop. Begin with a dip in one of two infinity pools, before moving on to the acclaimed TemptAsian restaurant. Finish up with a cocktail while admiring the views of Sliema Bay and Valetta at Lounge 360. Location, location, location: The Palace is within easy walking distance of the party, just a stone’s throw away from St Julian’s renowned clubbing district. Not that anything’s too far away in Malta – it’s fantastically small.

thomascook.com

BE THERE… Travel to Malta with thomascook.com

Spotlight On our fab hotels in the Mexican Riviera

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Based across a series of islands on the Yucatán Peninsula, the five-star Rosewood Mayakoba is an idyllic 20-acre all-suite resort located along a 1.5km-long stretch of white sandy beach.

The Hard Rock Hotel Cancun is one of the firm favourites in the Thomas Cook portfolio. A gorgeous beach, a huge pool area, a spa and a feel-good rock’n’roll atmosphere.

Located at the tip of Cancun, Dreams Cancun Resort & Spa is ideal for weddings and honeymoons, and you can swim with dolphins in the resort's lagoon.

Book at elegantresorts.co.uk

Book at thomascook.com

Book at hotels4u.com

Got a hotel that you want to shout about? Check out facebook.com/thomascook for a chance to get your rave in the next issue of Travel THOMAS COOK TRAVEL

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Tenerife´s best kept secret Costa Adeje, Tenerife

Jardines de Nivaria is one of the most luxurious

Roca Nivaria Gran Hotel is the ideal

This small boutique hotel, in colonial

hotels in the South of Tenerife. Located on the

holiday hotel for families, couples and

style, indulges guests in an intense

beachfront in the exclusive area of Fañabe,

those who are looking for quality in a

experience of rest, harmony and

this ﬁve star hotel has mantained a

privileged and friendly environment.

peace.

distinguished atmosphere without losing the warm and close contact it has with its guests.

At any of the Adrian Hoteles you will enjoy a very attentive and personalised service, heated swimming pools, high quality gastronomy and ﬁrst class facilities. Find hotel details of Adrian Hoteles in the Thomas Cook brochure www.adrianhoteles.com

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Checklist

Tosca at Castello di Casole S I E N A , I TA LY

a A r r iv e a v e le , e n o v ic p e r t an ex e) (mayb

Nestled deep in the Tuscan hills is Castello di Casole – a sand-coloured castle dating back to the 10th-century that’s now home to a fantastic restaurant. With the immediate surroundings bursting with seriously special ingredients – from truffles and wild boar to indigenous Certaldo onions – executive chef Daniele Sera creates incredible flavour combinations such as saffron risotto with braised veal shank, and truffle-infused vanilla semifreddo. With Tuscany’s plentiful kitchen garden on the doorstep, and flawless views of the region from every vantage point, it’s hard not to fall in love with the place – or its gastronomic excellence. BE THERE… Casole d’Elsa, +39 057 796 1501, castellodicasole.com. Travel to Italy with thomascook.com

28°-50° Wine Workshop and Kitchen LO N D O N

If you didn’t know – or aren’t a savvy oenologist, sommelier or viticulturist – all quaffable wine is grown between 28° and 50° latitudes. Which explains why you won't find decent merlots from Dundee. Still, this axis of wine is the main USP of the third and newest branch of the Wine Workshop and Kitchen, a Scandi-style brassiere with an allegiance to bottles of bordeaux, beaujolais and burgundy. That FrenchScandi marriage is thanks to Aggi Sverrisson, the Icelandic chef who runs the nearby Michelin-starred Texture (his fish stew and ox cheeks at 28°-50° are equally worth raving over), and French sommelier Xavier Rousset, who hand-picks the extensive, ever-changing wine list. With 30 by the glass and small tasting measures, it’s possible to travel the world through your nose – something everyone should try once. BE THERE… 17-19 Maddox Street, Mayfair, +44 (0) 207 495 1505, 2850.co.uk

La Ferme de la Fruitière

MORZINE, FRANCE

Every restaurant should have its own cheese shop attached. Especially when it’s in the Savoie region of the French Alps and each wheel, truckle and barrel-shaped cheese is handmade by the restaurant owner and maître d’fromage. Run by the discerning Nicolas Baud (pictured) and his family, La Fruitière really is a cheese-lover’s dream: there’s a two-storey chaletstyle dining hall where fresh-faced skiers get dozy over delicious tomme, fribourg and reblochon fondues and tarts, a downstairs cheese caveturned-gallery, which looks on to stacks and stacks of humidified cheeses as they mature, and a boutique shop where you can sample cheese after cheese after cheese. Prepare for some crazy dreams. BE THERE… 337 Route de La Plagne, +33 4 50 79 77 70. Travel to Geneva with thomascook.com FEB.MAR.APR

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Words: Mike MacEacheran and Imogen Rowland

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Checklist

Pla

What's hot out and about this season

From Here To Eternity

baby! Ic e , ic e

LO N D O N

On paper, turning the tragedy of Pearl Harbour into an all-singing, all-dancing musical may not sound like West End gold, but don’t switch off just yet. The story gives life to the boot-camp rigour of American GI existence, and it’s as close to Grease as it is to The Great Escape. Based on the Oscarwinning film, starring Burt Lancaster and Frank Sinatra, it adds more punch in the boxing scenes, more laughs from the troops’ rapport, and more sex, violence and strong language for the modern theatre-going crowd. Former Pop Idol runner-up Darius Campbell stars as the sergeant having a brief encounter while all hell breaks loose around him – leaving not a dry eye in the house. BOOK IT… Buy theatre tickets at

Rock the Pistes PORTES DU SOLEIL, FRANCE

fromheretoeternitythemusical.com

It started in a muddy field near Glastonbury, Somerset, before crossing the Channel and finding its home on the beaches of Spain and Portugal. Now, it’s ditched the wellies and sandals for ski boots, and taken up residence in the Alps: rock festivals in the snow, anyone? Cue Rock the Pistes, France’s premier Alpine wig-out, which this year sees a Brit-heavy line-up, including Pete Doherty's Babyshambles, Klaxons (perhaps you'll see frontman James Righton’s wife Keira Knightley down the front?) and Mad Professor perform in pop-up venues on the slopes. Entry is free with a ski pass and Snow Patrol jokes are prohibited. BE THERE… From 26 to 30 March. Visit rockthepistes.com for more information

Turtle tour BARBADOS

It may be hard to imagine doing anything other than lazing on the perfect beaches of Barbados, but it’s well worth wrestling yourself away from the sands to meet one of the island’s oldest, most respected residents: the turtle. So set sail aboard a catamaran before being kitted out with snorkelling gear and dipping into the crystal waters to get up close and personal with these amazing creatures – both leatherback and hawksbill varieties are abundant and are equally mesmerising. Just don’t be surprised if they swim straight up to your snorkel to say hello. BE THERE… Fly to Barbados with thomascook.com

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P R O M O T I O N

Discover life at its best The D-Resort Grand Azur Marmaris reopens after a stunning transformation

D-RESORT GRAND AZUR MARMARIS Magnificent beaches, crystal-clear waters and picturesque hilly landscapes make Marmaris one of Europe's finest holiday destinations. So, when visiting, make sure you also stay in one of Europe's finest hotels: the five-star D-Resort Grand Azur, renowned for its first-class hospitality and extensive range of unforgettable sporting and leisure activities, and recipient of the Thomas Cook Marque of Excellence from 2009 to 2012. The hotel is brilliantly located in an enviable spot right on the beach and is only a short distance from the centre of town, which is easily accessed by minibus, taxi or simply by walking. Inside, it houses 324 stylish and spacious rooms and suites, all of which are newly renovated and come with a good-sized balcony. Contemporary touches

such as air-conditioning, satellite TV, a safety box and a minibar come as standard. Outside of the rooms, the resort offers plenty to do, boasting a well-equipped gym, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, floodlit tennis courts and watersports facilities on the beach. A dedicated children's pool and daily entertainment activities ensure there's something for the whole family. Meanwhile, the fabulous Azur Spa contains a sauna, steam room, Turkish bath and solarium, and also offers a range of massage and health treatments to leave you feeling like a new person. When it comes to food, guests can enjoy the generous buffets and live music of the Palmiye Restaurant, or sit down to a romantic, à la carte meal in the elegant Steak & Bar Restaurant, which looks

out across the sea. Lunch and delicious international cocktails are also available at the resort’s beachside bar – perfect after a busy morning soaking up the sun! For those mixing pleasure with business, the hotel's meeting and conference facilities are second-to-none, featuring two large meeting rooms and a 390m2 grand hall. And where could be better for aftermeeting cocktails and relaxed social events than the hotel's elegant outdoor terraces? Cumhuriyet Bul. No:17, Marmaris, Turkey +90 252 417 40 50 www.dresortgrandazur.com.tr info@dresortgrandazur.com.tr

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Stay in style A selection of luxurious beachfront hotels makes Constantinou Bros the go-to company for a relaxing holiday in Paphos Constantinou Bros Hotels offer three superb luxury establishments situated in glorious Paphos beachfront settings – each sharing the same emphasis on gracious hospitality, good food and smiling, friendly staff. Recently refurbished, the Athena Beach Hotel is a stylish and modern four-star deluxe property that's very popular among couples and families. Accommodation includes superior rooms and junior suites with pools in well-tended gardens, while the extensive array of leisure facilities include three freshwater swimming pools and two separate paddling pools, a waterslide, an indoor pool, floodlit tennis courts and a children's playground with Kids Club. The luxury spa offers massages and a wide range of other rejuvenating treatments, while the hotel also features a choice of five splendid restaurants. If, on the other hand, you're a couple seeking an intimate and relaxing getaway, look no further than the Athena Royal Beach. Constantinou Bros is known as a pioneer of the adult-only holiday in Paphos, and this expertise is evident in this four-

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star deluxe hotel, which combines high levels of service with a fantastic variety of facilities, including free Wi-Fi, in a great location on the water's edge. Or, for the ultimate in luxury, the Asimina Suites is a five-star boutique hotel – again designed for adults only – offering spacious and contemporary suites and a wide choice of amenities. Every suite comes with its own living room area, large balcony, marble bathroom and every mod-con, such as free Wi-Fi, while guests can enjoy fine dining in its four restaurants, following a day relaxing around its two outdoor pools with Jacuzzi, on its own sandy beach and in the hotel's opulent spa. All Constantinou Bros hotels offer a variety of board options – such as the popular Premium and Deluxe AllInclusive packages, which come with a wide selection of dining choices including à la carte options and international branded drinks, and a stocked mini bar in your room on arrival. Poseidonos Avenue, Paphos, Cyprus +357 2696 4370 cbh-cyprus.com

Above, from top: Athena Beach Hotel, Asimina Suites, Kymata restaurant at Asimina Suites. Main: Sea view from Athena Beach Hotel

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Thinning hair?

EXCLUSIVE PASSENGER DEAL

How a new pill can boost your hair and self-confidence Scientists in Oxford promise that they can help keep your hair thick and healthy. Their pill TRX2 has been on the market only since 2011 but has become one of Europe’s best-selling hair treatments. TRX2 is a food supplement based on organic compounds and, compared to medicinal products, has no side effects whatsoever. Also it does what it says. “Your hair will look much bigger; it becomes heavier and thicker. You maintain your healthy hair,” says Oxford Biolabs CEO Dr Thomas Whitfield. Hair treatments often promise a lot without delivering, but TRX2 is backed by cutting-edge science and has been thoroughly tested. According to a study, 87% of men and women see

positive results when taking TRX2. The effects can be impressive – hair thickness may increase by 22.5 % after nine months and 38.7 % after 18 months of treatment. Start TRX2 as early as possible in order to increase the chances of fully recovering your hair. TRX2 is suitable for men and women of all ages. The crystalline white capsules come in a brown glass bottle, which is sufficient for one month of treatment and costs approximately €49. The manufacturer offers a money-back guarantee if ordered via TRX2’s official website, and ships worldwide. www.trx2.com, contact@trx2.com Oxford Biolabs Ltd, The Oxford Science Park, Oxford, UK

EXCLUSIVE PASSENGER DEAL ORDER VIA WWW.TRX2.COM AND USE THE COUPON CODE ‘TRAVEL’ TO RECEIVE AN EXCLUSIVE 5% DISCOUNT

Your hair becomes much heavier and thicker. You maintain your healthy hair

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thomas cook news Catch up with the latest news from around the globe

Change for children During 2013, £800,000 was raised for the Thomas Cook Children’s Charity through the donations you made, either when you booked your holiday in a Thomas Cook store or donated unwanted coins on board your Thomas Cook Airlines return flight to the UK. Your small change really has made a big difference to many thousands of children across the world. Thank you, we can’t continue improving the lives of children without your help. Since it was launched in 2009, the Thomas Cook Children’s Charity has raised more than £5 million and, thanks to your generosity, has been helping to put a smile on the faces of sick and disadvantaged children across the world. But we want to do more, which is why we’ve changed the way we work, under a brand new identity. Introducing our new brand, it’s at the heart of everything we do We hope you like the new logo as much as we do. It symbolises everything we do, in line with the charity’s new aim of ‘improving children's lives’ – this means that we can support all children, including those who are sick or disadvantaged. Trustees We have four Trustees, each with valuable skills, who are responsible for driving the charity forward; Joanna Wild (Chairperson); Malcolm Dean (Vice Chairperson); Jenny Peters and Rachael Prior (employee Trustees). Charity Partners The Thomas Cook Children’s Charity worked with a number of charity partners during 2013 (Happy Days Children’s Charity; Sport England; Together for Short Lives; WheelPower and Just a Drop). We want to broaden the range of partners that the Children’s Charity works with and we need your help. We’d like YOU to recommend the charities that you’d like to see us working with and that benefit children in your local community. We’re looking to engage in projects that support children and the communities in which they live covering education, health, environment or water. For further information and application criteria/process for community based projects, please contact Maxine Harper by emailing thomascook.childrenscharity@thomascook.com. Unfortunately, the Thomas Cook Children’s Charity no longer accepts applications from organisations or for individual children.

call for child protection There are millions of children living or working on the streets worldwide. All these children are at risk of being abused and often travellers unwittingly and unknowingly increase their vulnerability. Certain ‘tourist attractions’ such as orphanage or slum tours exploit children’s vulnerabilities for profit. Giving to begging children or buying from them may be helping to keep them on the streets and at risk. And taking children back to your hotel room for any reason is not a good idea. Worldwide, the charges for sex offenders are severe and you might be suspected of being one if you take a child back to your room. If you suspect a child has been trafficked or exploited, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or contact the police. Find out more about how to be a ChildSafe Traveller and help raise awareness to protect children worldwide by visiting www.THINKChildSafe.org

eco excellence At Thomas Cook Airlines, we continue to demonstrate our commitment to reducing our environmental impact through re-accreditation of the internationally recognised ISO 14001 for the fourth year running. This serves as a framework helping to set an environmental policy, monitor our impacts and achieve our eco goals. As well as introducing initiatives to reduce our carbon emissions from aircraft such as new light weight seats and trollies, there are several projects within our ground operations, too, that help us do our bit for the environment. At our Manchester Airport engineering hangar radiant heating systems have been introduced and all lighting systems on the hangar floor have been replaced with energy saving alternatives reducing the amount of energy consumed by our operations. As the first UK airline to gain the accreditation, back in 2010, we are extremely proud to fly the flag for a more sustainable approach to aviation.

For more information about the Thomas Cook Children's Charity please visit www.thomascookchildrenscharity.com or email Maxine Harper at thomascook.childrenscharity@thomascook.com.

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C O O K

N E W S

Catch up with the latest news from around the globe

At a glance

Label L ve

Thomas Cook wants to keep holiday destinations special so that you can continue to enjoy them today and for years to come. One of the best ways to appreciate a destination is by experiencing the local culture, trying traditional food and drink, meeting local people and learning more about local ways of life. In 2013, Thomas Cook introduced “Local Label” events. The “Local Label” helps promote excursions that value the importance of local traditions and cultures, and recognises local businesses who really go the extra mile to play their part in using and promoting local products and ensuring a thriving destination environment and economy. Thomas Cook currently has 40 “Local Label” events across 23 destinations, and plans to have at least one of these events in every destination that it flies to. Here are some highlights to look out for in a resort near you…

40 23

Local Labels

destinations

reaching around

63,000 customers who took a Local Label excursion in 2013

An estimated

£660,000

was spent by our customers in local communities

M AHM YA IN

1 0 0 % M AYAN,

LANZAR OT E

CR O CO D IL E TOURS

HU RG H ADA , E GYP T

ME X ICO

ECO TO U R

GOA, I NDIA

Mahmya is an environmentally friendly eco-tourist destination in the National Park of Giftun Island, where guests can enjoy white sandy beaches, clear blue waters, unrivalled open reefs and snorkelling. To help protect the coral reef systems, guest numbers are closely monitored and boats moor offshore, offering a viable eco-tourism option for the local community and visitors to the Red Sea.

This unique event gives guests the opportunity to spend time with a real Mayan community in their village near the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. With a guide, you can take a small boat ride into the reserve before jumping into the river to cool off and float about. The money raised helps the villagers with farm supplies and pays for advice from an organic expert who can show them how best to cultivate the land.

This tour celebrates Lanzarote’s noble winemaking heritage with a visit to the El Grifo wine museum and the oldest grapevines in the Canaries, and includes a chance to sample the local Lanzarote wine. Then take a scenic drive through the volcano park to arrive at the Aloe Vera factory, where you can learn about the great therapeutic and curative properties of this local plant. The products make great gifts to take home.

A river trip with a difference, as reallife crocodile-spotting is part of the day’s itinerary. As you glide slowly down the river, passing small fishing communities, your local guide will explain the lives of the fishermen and how they exist harmoniously with the crocodiles whose natural habitat they share. Did you know that crocodiles can live until they’re 70? There’ll be plenty of time to ask questions during a delicious, traditional lunch.

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THOMAS COOK TRAVEL

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P R O M O T I O N

Hot Hotels All year round, these top hotels offer the best in elegance, comfort and luxury 1. DESSOLE RESORTS & HOTELS

2. BITEZ GARDEN LIFE HOTEL & SUITES

3. SUNSTAR

TUNISIA, GREECE, EGYPT & VIETNAM

BODRUM

Founded in 2004 as a sister company of Pegas Touristik, Dessole Resorts & Hotels has assembled an amazing group of hotels and resorts that are unique in their concept, location and architecture â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and all of which open up a world of enriching experiences, magnificent landscapes, adventure and relaxation. At all times, the company remains true to its mission: to provide high quality service and traditional hospitality across every site. dessolehotels.com

Surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes and fascinating historical sites, Bitez is the perfect location for those seeking a peaceful getaway. Here, a modern interior design with a minimalist feel is complemented by delightful mandarin gardens throughout the grounds, while the friendly atmosphere is certain to appeal to families, couples and groups looking for that little bit extra from their holiday. +90 252 363 98 70 bitezgardenlife.com

Centrally and conveniently located, right next to the MĂ¤nnlichen cable-car station, this impressive four-star hotel is the ideal spot for skiers in the heart of the Swiss Alps. The hotel provides transfers to and from the local railway station, among numerous other helpful services that ensure that your visit is a comfortable one. Free beverages are available from the minibar, while English TV channels and a free internet terminal are also installed. A cosy bar offers live music, and the restaurant

114

WENGEN, SWITZERLAND

provides a buffet and children's menus. There is a large indoor swimming pool, with a steam bath and sauna, as well as a children's playroom. An attractive programme of entertainment includes a rustic Swiss evening with traditional food and music, and guests do not have to pay a single room supplement. Right outside, the area is home to some of the Alp's best skiing, while guided walks and excursions make the most of the glorious summer months. Dorfstrasse, Wengen +41 33 856 52 00 sunstar.ch

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20/01/2014 14:21

T H O M A S

C O O K

W E L L B E I N G

Tips for keeping healthy on your travels

Wellbeing in the air Thomas Cook aims to make your ﬂight comfortable and relaxing. Simply follow these tips and exercises to ensure that you arrive at your destination feeling great

How to beat jet lag

SP EC I AL R E QU IR E ME N TS

YO U NG CHI LDR EN

Hopefully, we already know about your special requirements e.g. a dietary request or if you require a wheelchair. If not, and this is an outbound flight, please advise a member of the cabin crew so that they can make arrangements for your return journey.

The cabin crew will do their utmost to make everyone feel as comfortable and welcome as possible during the flight. If you are travelling with young children, just ask if you need any milk or infant meals to be heated. Baby-changing facilities are available on all our aircraft – again, just ask your crew for the location nearest to your seat.

SLEEP AN D S E AT B E LTS If you’re planning to sleep during the flight, we recommend you fasten your seatbelt so the cabin crew don’t have to wake you should the Captain need to turn on the “fasten seatbelt” sign. We recommend that you keep your seatbelt fastened at all times while seated.

N O SM O K IN G In line with international policy, all our flights are non-smoking. It is an offence to smoke onboard, and the use of electronic cigarettes is forbidden. Please refrain from smoking for the comfort and safety of passengers and crew.

AP P RO P R IAT E ATT IR E Customers with inappropriate attire (including anything with offensive slogans, text or images) will not be permitted to travel at check-in or at the point of boarding the aircraft unless a change of clothes is possible. Footwear must be worn on the aircraft.

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Jet lag occurs when our biological clocks are disrupted by flying across time zones. This can affect sleep, appetite and bodily functions, but by making a few simple adjustments you can symptoms. an reduce the symptoms

LO ST PR O PER T Y We ask all customers to take a few moments at the end of the flight to ensure that they have all their personal possessions with them, carefully checking the seat pocket, floor area and overhead lockers before leaving the aircraft. In the unlikely event that you believe you have left an item onboard the aircraft, please note that any items found are handed over to the Lost Property office at the destination airport. For security reasons, items found are not returned to the UK.

INFLIGHT During the flight, avoid drinking too much alcohol and caffeine, drink plenty of water and try to eat light meals.

ALCO HO L CO NSU M PT I O N Alcohol consumed onboard an aircraft has a greater and faster effect than on the ground. Passengers are therefore not permitted to consume alcohol they have brought with them or from the onboard duty-free service. Only drinks purchased from our onboard bars can be consumed. Thomas Cook Airlines reserves the right to refuse to carry passengers who do not comply with this rule. No alcohol will be served to anyone under the age of 18 or to intoxicated passengers.

ON ARRIVAL When you arrive, go out in the daylight as soon as possible. Try to adapt to the local bedtime on your first night. Relax as much as possible for the first few days – a catnap between 3pm and 5pm will help give you an energy boost.

16/01/2014 16:10

Electronic equipment Technology moves at such a fast pace that you may be confused about what electronic equipment you can and can’t use onboard. To help you, we have the following guidelines. The use of radios is strictly prohibited. Mobile telephones, with the exception of those with a “flight safe” mode, should be switched off at all times onboard the aircraft. Phones with a “flight safe” mode should have this activated before you switch your phone off for take-off. Personal CD, DVD, MP3 and MiniDisc players may be used, but only when the seatbelt sign is switched off. Wireless devices such as PDAs, laptop computers, electronic games and E-readers may only be used onboard if the wireless function is disabled and, again, may only be used while the seatbelt sign is off.

Inflight exercises Humans aren’t designed to sit in one position for long, so to promote blood circulation we recommend the following exercises. Try them while seated and remember that even the smallest movements help with blood circulation. U PPER B O DY

1 2

Take a large breath in through the nose. Slowly exhale through the mouth. Repeat a maximum of four times. Sitting upright, turn your head slowly to look over one shoulder. Now slowly turn to the other side. Repeat five times.

3 4 5

Slowly rotate your shoulders backwards. Repeat this exercise five times. Raise one arm above your head and stretch upwards. Repeat with the other arm.

Transfer your weight evenly between each buttock.

Simple as ABC To feel your best in the air, remember... Alcohol Alcohol should be consumed only in moderation. For each glass of alcohol, drink two glasses of water. Try to drink at least a pint of water every three hours. Baggy clothes Baggy clothes are best in the air. Try not to wear any tight-fitting clothing, loosen top buttons, belts and shoelaces, and remove tight socks. We do, however, ask that your dress remains respectable throughout the flight. Circulation Circulation of blood is helped if you try not to cross your legs or ankles for long periods of time. Elastic support socks or stockings may help, but they must be measured by your doctor or pharmacist. Our recommended exercises will also help blood circulation, but if you feel any discomfort when performing them, then please stop.

116

LOWER BO DY

1 2 3 4

Loosen or remove your footwear. Arch the soles of both feet and curl your toes 10 times.

Straighten your legs, slightly lift your feet off the floor and pump both ankles forwards and backwards about 20 times. Tense and relax your thigh muscles about 10 times.

March your feet on the spot 10 times, alternating between the heel and the ball of your foot.

5 6 7 8

Clench your buttock muscles together 10 times.

If queuing for the toilet, try rocking backwards and forwards, heel to toe and back. Upon landing, gently stretch your body to get ready for movement.

If you are travelling on a long-haul flight, try to move around the cabin every couple of hours.

THOMAS COOK TRAVEL

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16/01/2014 16:10

T H O M A S

C O O K

W E L L B E I N G

Tips for keeping healthy on your travels

Health & safety while abroad YOUR HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION Never leave your key where someone can note your room number Do not leave your window open, especially if your room is on the ground floor or has a balcony Remember to lock your room door, even when you are inside the room Balcony Children should NEVER be left unsupervised on balconies Do not climb or stand on balcony furniture. Keep all furniture away from the balcony wall/railings Never lean over, sit or climb on the balcony or railings Bathroom Take care in bathrooms as condensation and water spray can make surfaces slippery and bath or floor mats may not be provided Do not use mains electrical appliances near to water Cooking Never leave cookers unattended while they are in use Ensure all cooking appliances are switched off when leaving your apartment or when retiring at night Never leave shopping or other items on the cooker On arrival at your accommodation Familiarise yourself with all escape routes and locate the nearest fire exit to your room Do a practice walk of the nearest escape route from your room Study the fire instruction notice displayed in your room Identify the method of raising the alarm on discovering a fire Ensure that all smoking materials are safely extinguished, and do not smoke in bed If a fire occurs Evacuate the room/area immediately. Do not stop to collect personal belongings Close any doors behind you Raise the alarm Proceed to an assembly point outside and well clear of the building If you cannot leave your room, close all doors, put wet towels or clothes around the door seals and shout for help from the window or telephone reception Glass windows and doors Be aware that glass doors and windows may not necessarily be equipped with toughened glass. Caution should be taken at all times Take extra care in bright sunlight as it may not be obvious whether the window/door is open or closed Lifts Children should not use any lift unaccompanied Not all lifts have internal doors. When using this type of lift, stand well back from the exposed wall as there is no protection from the lift shaft when the car is in motion In the event of a fire, use the staircase, not the lift

Poolside safety/out and about Every pool is different, but most hotels and apartments do not employ lifeguards, so please supervise any young members of your party Familiarise yourself with the layout of the pool to identify the deep and shallow areas before use Ensure that children use the toilet BEFORE entering the pool and take regular toilet breaks throughout the day. In the event of a faecal accident in or around the pool, please report it immediately, as this will assist the hotel management in ensuring the highest level of pool hygiene Shower before entering the pool Do not swim (or allow children to swim) if suffering from an upset stomach Do not change nappies at the poolside Young children and babies must wear appropriate swimwear such as rubber-lined swimming trunks. Swimming in nappies and nude bathing are unacceptable Wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet and changing nappies Have fun, but avoid unruly behaviour. Observe pool rules and information signs at all times Pool surrounds can be very slippery – do not run around them Do not swim immediately after a meal, and never swim when you have been drinking alcohol When jumping or diving into the pool, check the water depth first and never dive from the deck side into water less than 1.5m deep Do not jump or dive from any raised features or from poolside furniture Do not use the pool after dark or when closed, even if it has underwater lights In the event of an emergency, know how to call for help

B EACH Spot the dangers Check out the beach when you arrive Take care when bathing and swimming Be aware of dangerous rip currents and strong tides Do not swim near or dive from rocks, piers, breakwaters and coral Take safety advice Swim where there are lifeguards on patrol and take their advice Look out for information – warning flags and signs – and adhere to them at all times Never swim where a sign says not to, for example zoned areas for high-speed vehicles such as jet boats or jet skis Don’t go alone Never swim alone – make sure there are other people around Children must be supervised by an adult at all times Never swim at night, after drinking alcohol or on a full stomach Learn how to help If you see someone in difficulty, tell somebody, preferably a lifeguard if there is one nearby Find out what to do in an emergency, such as calling the local coastguard or equivalent Sun safety Avoid sunbathing during the hottest time of day Apply high-factor sunscreen, and re-apply frequently Never expose babies to the sun and always take extra care with children Remember it is possible to burn in the shade,

when it is cloudy and while swimming At the first sign of burning get out of the sun immediately Always drink plenty of water

DR I VI NG O N HOL IDAY Check the vehicle is roadworthy and familiarise yourself with all controls before use, as they may differ from cars in the UK and Ireland Check that the car-hire insurance cover you take out provides adequate cover for the driver and all the passengers Always wear a seatbelt Familiarise yourself with local traffic laws Pay particular attention when at junctions and roundabouts Always carry emergency breakdown telephone numbers Always carry a spare set of spectacles (required by law in Spain) NEVER drink and drive Stick to well-travelled and well-lit roads We advise against the independent hiring of mopeds, motorbikes, quad bikes and jet skis Pedestrians Be vigilant at all times. Familiarise yourself with the direction of traffic Be aware that in some countries traffic is not required to stop at pedestrian crossings

SERVI CES O F LOCAL VENDORS In many holiday resorts you may find that services, such as henna tattoos, are available from places like street vendors. Although not recommended by Thomas Cook, if you choose to have a tattoo done or use the services of a local vendor, we would advise you to do so with caution. In the case of tattoos, ensure you ask for a test application before any larger-scale tattoos are applied. If you have any pre-existing skin conditions, check with the vendor before agreeing to any application.

GENER AL If you haven’t done so already, take a few minutes to complete the emergency contact details in the back of your passport Keep important documents in your hotel safe Be aware of who is around you. Pickpockets and opportunists will target anyone Don’t leave your common sense at the hotel. Don’t lose sight of your drink, don’t walk around by yourself, avoid dark places and don’t take unnecessary risks Look after yourself and your friends If hiring a car/scooter/quad bike, ask yourself whether you have adequate insurance Do not leave belongings unattended (in cars, restaurants, hotel lobbies etc) Don’t sign anything until you seek advice from experts. The chances of winning a luxury holiday anywhere in the world just by scratching a card in the middle of the street, for example, are very remote Find contact details for your local embassy, in case of emergency, at fco.gov.uk Be aware that the laws and customs of the country you’re visiting may be different from home. Read up on country-specific advice at fco.gov.uk/travel FEB.MAR.APR

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I M M I G R A T I O N

C U S T O M S

Flying in and out of the United States Before you leave the plane Please refer to the section on the right and below to

WHI T E FO R M : AR R I VAL AND DEPAR T U R E R ECO R D

check whether or not you need to complete the white in an ESTA form online which was approved, you

Complete this form if: » You are NOT a US citizen

are not required to complete this form). All other

AND

Customs forms, which will be handed out by the cabin crew during the flight. You are legally obliged

passengers must fill in the Immigration Visa and

ec im en

form (if you are a UK or EU citizen and have filled

completed or you may face delays at Immigration. If

you do make any mistakes, please ask for a new form.

ec sp

Immigration/ESTA forms. We’ve put together

Depending on your circumstances, you may need form will need to be filled out in addition to any

AND

» Your final destination is the United States OR you are passing through the US to your final destination. Please complete items 1-13 on the Arrival record and items 14-17 on the Departure record. Keep the Departure record until you leave the US.

to fill them in – please make sure they’re correctly

a white Immigration form. A customs declaration

» You hold a valid US Visa

some tips (below) to help you avoid the most common mistakes.

Exceptions

A Canadian citizen

im ec

A US citizen

form if you are:

You DO NOT need to complete an Immigration

A UK or EU citizen holding a valid ESTA A new immigrant

F I LLI N G I N YOU R FOR MS BLU E FO R M : CU STO M S DECLAR AT I O N FO R M

DO: Take your time Write in capital letters, using a pen

You must fill in the Customs Declaration form before you arrive in the US. One form per household is required.

Write in the space below the questions and fill in every line. When asked for your address, if you are a visitor to the US, then print the name of your

im ec

one of the following addresses: Sanford – Thomas Cook, 1650 Sand Lake Road,

you will be staying on your first night, then give

hotel. If on a fly-drive holiday and unsure where

Suite 300, Orlando, FL32809

OR Las Vegas – Thomas Cook, 5030 Paradise Road,

Ask cabin crew if you have any queries

m ec i

Double-check your forms

Sign and date the back of your Customs Declaration form

Suite C214, Las Vegas, Nevada 89119

DO NOT: Cross anything out. If you make a mistake, ask for a new form and start again

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THOMAS COOK TRAVEL

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16/01/2014 16:10

T H O M A S

C O O K

Thomas Cook operates more than 30 aircraft to Europe and the rest of the world from the UK

AI R B U S A330- 200

AI RB U S A 32 1 - 2 0 0

BO EI NG 767-300

Total passengers: 215/220 Wing-span: 34.1m Length: 43.69m Number in fleet: 6 Maximum take-off weight: 89,000kg Maximum cruising speed: 500mph Engines: 2 CFM 56-5B3

Total passengers: 326 Wing-span: 47.57m Length: 54.94m Number in fleet: 3 Maximum take-off weight: 184,612kg Maximum cruising speed: 530mph Engines: 2 General Electric CF6-80C2

AI RB U S A 3 2 0 - 2 0 0

B O EI NG 757-300 & 757- 2 0 0

Total passengers: 180 Wing-span: 34.1m Length: 37.57m Number in fleet: 1 Maximum take-off weight: 77,000kg Maximum cruising speed: 500mph Engines: CFM International CFM 56-5B4

Total passengers: 280 Wing-span: 38.05m Length: 54.43m Number in fleet: 2 (757-300) and 13 (757-200) Maximum take-off weight: 117,934kg Maximum cruising speed: 500mph Engines: 2 Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4

F L E E T

Total passengers: 321/325 Wing-span: 60.3m Length: 58.38m Number in fleet: 5 Maximum take-off weight: 230,000kg Maximum cruising speed: 520mph Engines: 2 Rolls-Royce Trent 772B Series

b u y yo u r own plane! Thomas Cook model aircraft are available for pre-order through thomascook.com, priced ÂŁ8.50 each.

FEB.MAR.APR

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16/01/2014 16:10

Thomas Cook flies to the following amazing destinations: U K D E PA R T U R E A I R P O R TS 1 2 3 4 5 6

Glasgow Newcastle Belfast Manchester East Midlands Birmingham

Cardiff Bristol 9 London Stansted 10 London Gatwick 11 Aberdeen 7

13 14 15

Norwich Doncaster Edinburgh Exeter

CANADA

USA

LAS VEGAS

ATL ANTIC OCEAN ORLANDO

KEY S UMMER O NLY W I NTER O NLY

M E X I CO

YE A R -R O UND

VARADERO CANCUN

CU BA

CAYO COCO HOLGUIN

D OM I NI CAN REPUBL IC PUNTA CANA

MONTEGO BAY

J AM AI CA

ANTIGUA

ST LUCIA

PAC IF IC OCE AN

BRIDGETOWN

BARBADO S

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THOMAS COOK TRAVEL

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T H O M A S

C O O K

R O U T E S

Where will you ямВy to next?

KITTILA ROVANIEMI

SEA

FI NLAND

N OR T H SE A

11 14

3 4 13 5 6 7 8

12 9

GERMANY

SALZBURG

SWITZERLAND GENEVA FRANCE GRENOBLE

INNSBRUCK

VENICE

TURIN GENOVA

BU LGARI A

ITALY

BURGAS

SOFIA

LLEIDA-ALGUAIRE

P OR T UGA L

NAPLES

SPA IN

REUS

LIMNOS MAHON

IBIZA

KEFALONIA ZANTE

ALICANTE ALMERIA

MONASTIR

FUNCHAL

BODRUM DALAMAN

DJERBA

TU NI S I A

MALTA

ANTALYA

SANTORINI HERAKLION

M ED I TERRANEAN S EA

RHODES PAPHOS

FUERTEVENTURA

LARNACA

CYPRU S

EGYPT

ARRECIFE TENERIFE

IZMIR

PREVEZA SKIATHOS

KALAMATA ENFIDHA

MA D E IR A

TU RKEY

CORFU

PALMA

SHARM EL SHEIKH

HURGHADA

LAS PALMAS

C A N A RY I S LA N D S

I ND IA

GOA BANJUL

T HE G A M BI A

FEB.MAR.APR

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T H E

L A S T

W O R D

T R AV E L G U R U

My Morocco Thomas Cook resort manager Thomas Dane gives us the insider scoop on his destination

BE THEREâ&#x20AC;Ś Travel to Morocco with thomascook.com

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Illustration: MUTI

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6XQVKLQH WKURXJKRXW WKH \HDU D VWXQQLQJ QDWXUDO VHWWLQJ DQG VHUYLFH DW LWV EHVW Â² ZHOFRPH WR WKH JROÃ&#x20AC;QJ hotspot of the Turkish Riviera! The Gloria Golf Club in Belek, with the largest 45-hole golf course in Turkey, EULQJV WRJHWKHU IDQV RI JROÃ&#x20AC;QJ IURP DOO DURXQG WKH ZRUOG DW FKDPSLRQVKLSV DQG IRU OHLVXUH

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