Travel Now Magazine Issue Four: Colour Scheme

TRAVEL OCTOBER ISSUE

SCHEME COLOUR

THERE WAS A PLAN ONCE...

MOVING FORWARD

If you google the words ‘street artist’, the name Banksy shows up then mabye Shepard Fairey but theres one name that is woefully absent from this list.

Antonio Gaudi.

ART CLASS

For more than a century, the French Riviera has played host to Monarchs and Fashion dynasties however the real crown goes to the simple lazy pleasures of the Cote d’Azur.

DREAM SEQUENCE NOTE PAD

With untouched beaches, azure-coloured bays Picasso, Matisse, Huxley, Fitzgerald, and caves with which to escape the sun, Queen Victoria and King Edward VII. Crete is not for the faint hearted, The Rothschilds, Churchill and the Kennedys. it’s for the strong of heart. They’ve all made a summer home here and it’s easy to see why.

COLOUR SCHEME AFTER THOUGHT

Every year between March and April, the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles, an off-road rally just for women takes place amidst the sand dunes of Morocco.

They brake for no-one.

A city built by gentlemen is not a moniker normally attached to many Mediterranean cities.

That’s why Malta is sets itself apart from the rest.

WAVE LENGTH THREE PART PUZZLE Ditch the car, hit the seas. With a French legacy, Morocco is part Arab Italy’s Cinque Terre is and part African with all parts combining truly a sight to behold. to form a welcome assault on the senses.

Actually, 5 sights.

ROMAN WALLS

1800km of pristine, Croation coatline, the second cleanest in Europe with spectacular secenery to match.

FEATURES

COLOUR

GET IN TOUCH www.travelnowmag.net FB: /travelnowmag TW: /travel_now_mag

TASTING THE GOOD LIFE

In the Mediterranean, time and tradition are key ingredients.

CHARACTER STUDY

Cinematic history has been made many times in this part of the world and with magnificent villas along the calm blue seas, it’s not like you’d have to twist anyone’s arm.

CHARGING.IT

Italy is known for many things and surfing isn’t one of them but make no mistake, with the right conditions, a serious session can be had.

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT Like an out-of-touch politician, Moroccan street traders keep coming back to the same rehearsed routines/offers. Here are 5 discounts always on high rotation.

48 HOURS IN ATHENS With only two days in the ‘Cradle of Western Civilastion’, you can still fit in more than pastries

DEPTH CHARGE

In a Travel Now! first, we bring to light some of the great photographers currently working around the Mediterranean for whom the sea and surrounds are their undying muse

COLOUR

EDITORS LETTER This Mediterranean edition, probably one of my favoutites, has been a hard-fought mission. Employed as an Art Director in London, I realised that something had to change.

Don’t get me wrong, London is great when summer is upon you from the parks, barbecues and house parties but compromises have to be made while living there and before you know it, the grey arrives.

Since the launch of our last issue Breathe, I’ve found myself in Paris, the Netherlands, Rome and now Greece where the final touches are now being made to the first issue to grace Apple’s Appstore and Google’s Play store.

This is where the Colour Scheme begins: In Santa Marinella, mostly a locals beach beautiful beaches within an hours train ride from Rome, you can rent an umbrella and lounge for a day with any one of a superb Italian dishes at night with nary a tourist insight.

Or in Barcelona, there is the luxury of seven beaches where you can absorb the suns rays by day then soak in the ambience of it’s rooftop bars all evening long.

Perhaps you could spend some time in Morocco for the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles; A women only off-road rally in Morocco that celbrated it’s 25th anniversary this year.

Whatever your calling might be; from the technicolour of Morocco’s souks to the azure blues of Malta or even the pristine waters of Croatia, it’s imperative that you have - not just a plan - but a scheme.

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HOW TO USE THIS APP TO ASSIST IN USING THE TABLET VERSION OF TRAVEL NOW, HERE’S A GUIDE TO THE NAVIGATIONAL ICONS REVEALING ADDITIONAL CONTENT.

TAPPING SCREEN ONCE WILL BRING UP PAGE SHARING WIDGETS AND THUMBNAILS

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

ADDTITIONAL CONTENT

DINING OPTIONS

PHOTO GALLERY SLIDESHOW

VIDEO CONTENT TRANSPORT OPTIONS & INFO

 TAPPING SCREEN ONCE WILL BRING UP PAGE THUMBNAILS, BOOKMARKS & SHARING WIDGETS

WEB LINK

TRAVEL OCTOBER ISSUE

MOVING FORWARD

If you google the words ‘street artist’, the name Banksy shows up then mabye Shepard Fairey but theres one name that is woefully absent from this list.

Antonio Gaudi.

TASTING THE GOOD LIFE

GET IN TOUCH

For more than a century, the French Riviera has played host to Monarchs and Fashion dynasties however the real crown goes to the simple lazy pleasures of the Cote d’Azur.

EDITORS LETTER

In the Mediterranean, time and tradition are key ingredients.

www.travelnowmag.net FB: /travelnowmag TW: /travel_now_mag

ART CLASS

CHARACTER STUDY

CHARGING.IT

Italy is known for many things and surfing isn’t one of them but make no mistake, with the right conditions, a serious session can be had.

DREAM SEQUENCE NOTE PAD

With untouched beaches, azure-coloured bays Picasso, Matisse, Huxley, Fitzgerald, and caves with which to escape the sun, Queen Victoria and King Edward VII. Crete is not for the faint hearted, The Rothschilds, Churchill and the Kennedys. it’s for the strong of heart. They’ve all made a summer home here and it’s easy to see why.

COLOUR SCHEME AFTER THOUGHT

48 HOURS IN ATHENS

Every year between March and April, A city built by gentlemen is not a moniker normally the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles, an off-road attached to many Mediterranean cities. rally just for women takes place amidst That’s why Malta is sets itself the sand dunes of Morocco. apart from the rest.

They brake for no-one.

Cinematic history has been made many times in this part of the world and with magnificent villas along the calm blue seas, it’s not like you’d have to twist anyone’s arm.

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT Like an out-of-touch politician, Moroccan street traders keep coming back to the same rehearsed routines/offers. Here are 5 discounts always on high rotation.

With only two days in the ‘Cradle of Western Civilastion’, you can still fit in more than pastries

DEPTH CHARGE

WAVE LENGTH THREE PART PUZZLE

In a Travel Now! first, we bring to light some of the great photographers currently working around the Mediterranean for whom the sea and surrounds are their undying muse

Ditch the car, hit the seas. With a French legacy, Morocco is part Arab Italy’s Cinque Terre is and part African with all parts combining truly a sight to behold. to form a welcome assault on the senses.

Actually, 5 sights.

ROMAN WALLS

1800km of pristine, Croation coatline, the second cleanest in Europe with spectacular secenery to match.

FEATURES

COLOUR SCHEME SCHEME

COLOUR

1

2

SCHEME COLOUR

THERE WAS A PLAN ONCE...

3

4

This Mediterranean edition, probably one of my favoutites, has been a hard-fought mission. Employed as an Art Director in London, I realised that something had to change.

Don’t get me wrong, London is great when summer is upon you from the parks, barbecues and house parties but compromises have to be made while living there and before you know it, the grey arrives.

Since the launch of our last issue Breathe, I’ve found myself in Paris, the Netherlands, Rome and now Greece where the final touches are now being made to the first issue to grace Apple’s Appstore and Google’s Play store.

This is where the Colour Scheme begins: In Santa Marinella, mostly a locals beach beautiful beaches within an hours train ride from Rome, you can rent an umbrella and lounge for a day with any one of a superb Italian dishes at night with nary a tourist insight.

Or in Barcelona, there is the luxury of seven beaches where you can absorb the suns rays by day then soak in the ambience of it’s rooftop bars all evening long.

Perhaps you could spend some time in Morocco for the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles; A women only off-road rally in Morocco that celbrated it’s 25th anniversary this year.

Whatever your calling might be; from the technicolour of Morocco’s souks to the azure blues of Malta or even the pristine waters of Croatia, it’s imperative that you have - not just a plan - but a scheme.

HAPPENING MONTE-CARLO JAZZ FESTIVAL

November 2015 This event is yet to be confirmed.

Check dates closer to november.

KRAFTWERK 3-D IN CONCERT

Sporting Monte-Carlo 11th November MONACO INTERNATIONAL CLUBBING SHOW

47-VOLL-DAMM BARCELONA INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FEST

From 26th September 2015 Various venues Barcelona has a thriving jazz scene, with numerous venues presenting live concerts most nights of the year, so it’s no surprise that its annual festival devoted to the genre is still going strong in its 47th edition.

BELLE & SEBASTIAN

November 11, 2015 Sala Razzmatazz C/Pamplona, 88 Barcelona, Spain

FOO FIGHTERS

November 19, 2015 Palau Sant Jordi Passeig Olimpic 5 - 7 Barcelona, Spain

12TH NICE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 2015

from 09 to october 16, 2015t www.nicefilmfestival.com FRENCH RIVIERA CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW

16 to october 18, 2015 Stade Allianz Riviera www.fr-cms.com www.salonduchocolat-monaco.com

04 to november 06, 2015 Grimaldi Forum Monaco www.mics.mc This exhibition will gather all players in the world of night life and clubbing, in a unique event, at the Grimaldi Forum located in the heartof the Principality of Monaco for a total duration of 3 days and nights.

LES RENCONTRES DE JAZZ DE LA GAUDE

05 to november 17, 2015 www.assowhat.free.fr Over the years, the event has made its mark as one of the major jazz events in the region. Now renowned throughout the country, it gives the best musicians on the French Riviera an opportunity to perform with the greatest national and international names.

For a detailed list of events visit: frenchriviera-tourism.com

FESTA DI SANT’ ANDREA

FESTA DI SAN GENNARO

Amalfi’s patron saint is celebrated on two separate occasions: On November 30 (birthday celebration) a statue of the saint is taken from the Cathedral and carried in a procession through the streets and squares of Sorrento. June 27 is the commemoration of the miracle that saved the city from the pirate Barbarossa (1544). The statue is carried to the sea, where a festival of music and fireworks awaits the procession.

Nov-Dec

CHAMBER MUSIC ON THE AMALFI COAST

April 4, 2014 - October 20, 2015 Ravallo

Christmas is celebrated with a vast programme of free events, ranging from concerts and exhibitions to plays and parades. Few churches are without a crib; the 18th-century examples in the Certosa-Museo di San Martino and the Palazzo Reale are particularly fine.

CAPODANNO (NEW YEAR’S EVE)

CARNAVAL OF PATRA

09 to october 16, 2015

The Carnaval of Patra is the biggest and most important in Greece, starting in February and ending on Pure monday. The costumes, the shows, and the parties are non stop, in this city that is full of students.

MARRAKECH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

4-12th December, 2015

Francis Ford Coppola has been named A concert of classical, traditional and president of the 15th Marrakech Film rock music welcomes in the New Year, Festival. The iconic director follows peer Martin Scorsese, who was lasting well into the morning. There president in 2013 are fireworks over Castel dell’Ovo. (Naples)

Concerts are performed at SS. Annunziata historical building and at Villa Rufolo while in Scala at the ancient Annunziata Church.

CHAMBER MUSIC ON THE AMALFI COAST

F M OVING R UPWARD A R D

WORDS AND IMAGES BY MELANIE HEWSON

Type street art into any search engine and Banksy shows up then Shepard Fairey and a host of others but theres one name that is woefully absent.

Antonio Gaudi.

Granted, his work counts more as architecture but in it’s own context, it really is street art of the highest calibre.

Pretty much everything there is to love about the Mediterranean (and that which you dont) can be found in Barcelona from the relaxed pace and endless sunshine to the incredibly addictive food and contemporary design culture. It has been compared by many as ‘Venice by the sea’ and no more prominent an example of this cultural embrace is there than Gaudi’s buildings.

And they’re everywhere.

By far one of the most important of them is Casa Batlló (pictured), an apartment block, dramatically remodelled by Gaudí in the early 1900s and today is mostly open to the public, letting all who enter appreciate his swirling interiors and woodwork including the roof terrace. Tickets can be bought online to avoid the queues.

Casa Milà is another fine example though it’s more commonly referred to as ‘La Pedrera’ (The Quarry). Also open to visitors, there’s nary a straight line to be found here with twisting columns and undulating wrought-iron balconies, it’s like a super-charged Art Nouveau. Within this building is the Espace Gaudí – an exhibition of the architect’s life and work.

There are countless apps, maps and walking tours for the Gaudi buildings, some better than others, it just depends on how much time and energy you have.

Barcelonetta Beach.

Looks fairly empty here but becomes a hive of activity come weekend

Once you have spent the day admiring his buildings there are seven beaches located within the city with which to relax while partaking in one of the many family-run Tapas bars or Michelin-starred restaurants this city is famed for. One such establishment where the breathtaking view alone is worth the bill is Barraca, where the Mediterranean fills the panoramic windows as you dine on your red prawns sautéed with garlic and parsley, or perhaps a bomba; a traditional deepfried potato croquette filled with savory beef. NOTE: everything starts late in this city so try and adjust your inner timetable. In general lunch is not before 2pm and dinner not before 9pm or so.

Famously, the Barcelonians only ‘discovered’ the beach after the 1992 Olympics, having been fairly neglected for many years but cleaned up for the tourists and now long, lazy days on the platja are an essential part of summer. Do your research though as the beach in the shadow of the W hotel has an unofficial nudist area. Barceloneta is always noisy and crowded while Mar Bella is popular with gays and lesbians, and has an official nudist part. Families tend to like the slightly less busy Nova Icària.

Beaches aside, the 1992 Olympics has also brought worldwide exposure to a wide range of industries in Barcelona, setting off a chain reaction culminating in the recent explosion of fashionable hotels, bold restaurants, and cutting-edge boutiques. This city has a very strong identity, one the Barcelonians are proud and protective of it having been the inspration behind artists such as Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso. But not all the city has been sanitized.

Of course the sun has to set and so I make my way to Barri Gòtic, the hexagonshaped heart of Barcelona, once protected by a Roman wall. It has quite a challenging labrynthe of narrow streets and alleyways not unlike Venice minus the canals and throughout the summer, open-air cinema is a regular occurance and quickly becoming tradition. The screenings on Montjuïc hill in the shadow of the castle are well established on the outdoor calendar and Cinema Lliure a la Platja (Foreign films are subtitled into Spanish and vice versa)is on the beach, runs until mid August and is free.

Other summer festivities are the Vermuts musicals which are kind of a cabaret where various performers and musicians entertain but it’s not uncommon for the entertainers to take it out onto the street. Gran Bodega Saltó is godfather of vermuts musicals and Poble Sec’s raucous festival runs from 18-26 July if you need another excuse to visit the barrio.

Barcelona, for the most part, is quite walkable and scooters are plentiful, but if you’re planning on using much public transport, invest in a T-10 (pronounced taydayoo), which is a pass costing €9.95 allowing 10 journeys,can be shared between two or more people and lasts for a year.

Continuing to the grittier part of the city known as the Raval district, just off La Rambla, west of the Barri Gòtic, this colourful hub of the city’s urban culture where there is a wide array of world class (modern) Street Art as you would expect from such a creative city. For the last couple of years it’s been the setting for Ús Barcelona, where a whole street - including parked cars - is transformed by artists over a weekend in May. Food vans, DJs and bands add to the fun. This is also an area where many a pickpocket lurks between the brothels and drag shows so keep your wits about you.

Also right near La Rambla is Moog, a long-time bastion of dance music in the city and is most famous for having been open every single night for 21 years though Barcelona’s biggest (and certainly most diverse) club is Razzmatazz located in an industrial part of El Poublenou. With five separate rooms, it caters for Techno, Pop and Indie with world class acts such as Felix da Housecat, Ben Benassi and St Germain scheduled to play here this year.

GALLERY

Being stuck inside a bass-filled building however isn’t what most people (myself included) come to Barcelona for, it’s for the laid-back and this city does that in style. Rooftop bars are very much a thing with me; it’s one of the first things I check for in any city and the cocktail bar at the top of the waterfront W hotel is sublime. There’s not the strictest of dress codes, though it is still a cocktail bar so sandals of any kind are out.

After a scout around, I can say without question that Barcelona has one of the best rooftop bar scenes I have experienced though with a geography and climate such as this it’s hardly surprising. The terrace at the top of the Grand Hotel Central is a shining example of this and also fairly affordable by rooftop bar standards. It gets pretty busy around 8-9 and access is limited after 8.30 so being early is advised.

Another must is The Pulitzer Terrace at Hotel Pulitzer, an urban oasis. The restaurant is outstanding with acoustic guitar sessions on wednesday nights from 7.30pm. The best venue I found however was La Isabela with a 360-degree view across Barcelona. Located on La Rambla with an outdoor pool it’s all class.

Top : The Grand Hotel Skybar, La Isabella Terrace.

Bottom: Hotel Pulitzer

Melanie Hewson is a recruiter from London and is a lifetime devotee to the weekend getaway

Seeing as I arrived on a weekend, it only seemed logical I should head straight for the wine and song so it’s s only a mere matter of time before I’m back for the museums.

CHARACTER STUDY

With a long cinematic history from the classic Lawrence of Arabia to Cloud Atlas, It’s not like you’d have to twist anyone’s arm.

ITALY

Sex and Lucia

Filmed in bleached out summer tones, Sex and Lucia is almost your classic modern Mediterranean-romanticThe Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) tragedy film that sees a young woman, Lucía (Paz Vega) Drawing on the ambience of the Mediterranean coastline who, believing her author boyfriend Lorenzo (Tristán in the 1950s, this is the second adaptation of the novel but Ulloa) has killed himself, travels to Formentera to discover the first to use the original title. With Matt Damon, Jude the isle that he often talked about.

Law and Gwyneth Paltrow on location throughout Italy, this film could quite easily be watched sans dialogue and FRENCH RIVIERA still make you watch again. Wealthy Herbert Greenleaf recruits Ripley (Damon) to go to Italian riviera to persuade The French Connection (1971) his son Dickie (Jude Law) to return to the family business As far as Italian/American mafia/drug events-turnedon the presumption Ripley went to Harvard with Dickie. films are concerned, they dont get much better than this; He didn’t but accepts anyway. The task of convincing taking in 5 academy awards that year.

Dickie to leave the luxury behind proves too tough a gig In the 1960s and ‘70s Marseille was the world’s heroin for Mr Ripley who finds the privileged Mediterranean capital due to a postwar influx of Neapolitans and social set far too intoxicating for a hardened New Yorker Corsicans leading to a rise in organised crime and links to like himself. the Italian Mafia. At that point most of the heroin illegally The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) imported into the East Coast came to the United States If you’ve seen The Royal Tenenbaums and Grand Budapest through France.

Hotel, you’ll know that Wes Anderson’s style is all his The plot centers on drug smuggling and in addition to the own and he doesn’t disapoint with The Life Aquatic. two main protagonists, several of the fictional characters His quirkier-than-life portraits this time see Bill Murray are based on real charcters. Only the opening is in the and Cate Blanchett push the boat out a bit further in a Mediterranean (Château d’If, Marseille) but still this movie Mediterranean-set deep-sea-diving comedy modeled on is worth a watch. the famed French marine conservationist and filmmaker Dirty rotten scoundrels (1988) Jacques Cousteau. Shot mostly off the coast of Rome and This is the third film in this list starring one of the SNL Naples, Murray’s brilliant deadpan performance is the Alumni, Steve Martin who along with Micheal Caine kind of comedy only a handful of comics can muster. compete against each other to swindle an American heiress out of $50,000. Considered one of the best comedy pairings ever, it has Caine playing the charming British con artist Lawrence Jamieson, who believes in conning rich yet ethically dubious people out of their money so he can spend it on high culture and a lavish lifestyle while Martin is his arrogant American rival, Freddy Benson, who believes in conning just about anyone in order to get a free meal.

A scene from The Talented Mr Ripley

SPAIN/ BALEARIC ISLANDS

Directed by Frank Oz of Blues Brothers fame (more SNL connections), it takes place in the Côte d’Azur and surrounds and though there is a musical adaptation playing in the West-end, it’s among Martins best work.

Over the past decade these islands have made significant investments in the film industry with two 1000m2 studios equipped with modern lighting systems, set construction workshops, storage, dressing rooms, plus makeup and hairdressing facilities all of which had a lot to do with critically acclaimed Cloud Atlas 2012.

Taking in the areas of the Tramuntana Mountains, including the Puig Major, along with Port de Soller and Sa Calobra Cloud Atlas consists of six interrelated and interwoven stories spanning different time periods. Roger ebert gave it 5 stars

Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, located in Saint-Jean-CapFerrat, was the home of Lawrence Jamieson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

To Catch a Thief (1955) In 1954 Alfred Hitchcock chose the Côte d’Azur to shoot what is considered one of his glossiest, most seductive films made, taking advantage of the turquoise waters and plunging coastlines in glorious Technicolor. Though not considered influential, its sunny, relaxed tempo makes it prime viewing for sun-drenched sea vistas on winding roads. Oh and there’s something about a retired cat burglar who falls for the charms of Riviera socialite Francie.

TURKEY From Russia With Love 007 (1963) Of course many Bond films have been shot in the Mediterranean but most people rate this one as the penultimate Bond with it being filmed at the height of the Cold War. Set in colourful Turkey near the Algarve beach on the coast of the Black sea, the underground chamber of the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul and Istanbul’s Sirkeci Station.

It has the usual Bond formula...’devises a plot to steal a Lektor cryptographic device from the Soviets and sell it back to them while exacting revenge on Bond for killing their agent Dr. No.

MALTA Gladiator (2000) The blockbuster starring Russell Crowe certainly brought the world s attention to Malta with numerous films shot here since (Troy, 2004 Game of Thrones SE1).

Most of that attention can be credited to the roughly 500 year old Fort Ricasoli at Valetta located on the seaward shore of the Sciberras Peninsula that divides

The Basilica Cistern in Istanbul Turkey was among the locations used for ‘From Russia with Love

Marsamxett Harbour from Grand Harbour. Nearby is Fort Tigné.

From 1975, part of the fort housed the National War Museum. Closed briefly in 2014 then re-opening in May 2015 with a larger collection.

Midnight Express (1978).

In 1970, Billy Hayes, an American college student was caught smuggling about 2kg of hash out of Turkey and thrown into prison. It was strapped to his chest while trying to board a plane which was exactly how the PLO were concealing explosives around the same time so naturally it was bombs they were looking for. Well done.

Based on Hayes’ memoir of prison during including his successful dash for freedom, it’s set in Turkey, though the interiors of the Sagmalcilar Prison were actually filmed at Fort St. Elmo, after permission to film in Istanbul was denied. A lot of what took place in the film did not actually happen but what is truth, really.

MOROCCO Black Hawk Down (2001) Based the events of a 1993 raid in Mogadishu by the U.S. military aimed at capturing faction leader Mohamed Farrah Aidid and the ensuing battle. Attaining critical acclaim, filming began in Kenitra in northern Morocco and is a port on the Sebou River as well as Rabat and Salé.

There have been so many excellent films made in Morocco (and some terrible ones, SATC, talking to you) that listing them here would take forever but a few notables are: Inception, American Sniper, Babel and Gladiator.

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The French Riviera has a long and colourful history when it comes to the elite and talented.

ART

CLASS

Pablo Picasso Henri Matisse Aldous Huxley F Scott Fitzgerald Elizabeth Taylor

Queen Victoria King Edward VII The Rothschilds Sir Winston Churchill The Kennedys

WORDS AND IMAGES BY GABRIELLE DAVIS

Even as recently as july 2015, Saudi royals infuriated the free-wheeling French nudists by ordering the closure of their favourite beach resulting in a nude protest on the beach. The Saudis own the neighbouring stunning seafront villa in Vallauris and plan to stay the summer and It was once the holiday home of Sir Winston Churchill. Elton John has a house in the area as do Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie who spend most of their time here.

Spanning the French coastline from ThÊoule-sur-Mer in the west via the Principality of Monaco to Menton in the east near the Italian border, There are approximately 150 private beaches along this 75 mile stretch. Avoiding the summer crush, I opted for the Regional Express Trains that stick to the coast and connect its towns and cities right up to the Italian border (ter-sncf.com). There’s also a good network of local buses departing from Nice.

The â‚Ź1.50 fare will get you to Vence, Grasse, St-Jean-Cap Ferrat and Villefranche-sur-Mer.

When I’m finally able to collect my thoughts while Lounging at Nice’s Beau Rivage (among the biggest of the public beaches), I find out from my waiter that among the public beaches, La Garoupe in Antibes, halfway between Nice and Cannes, is a must as well as nearby Plage Keller. Clearly the upside to paying €19 for a lounger on a beach such as this is the service and atmosphere.

Of course I’m not just here for the beaches, it’s just good to know that when I visit the next town there’s a beach there ready and waiting. Cars are available for hire but it takes the fun out of stopping for a drink in every town and that’s where the bus comes in.

Nice’s Beau Rivage, by far the most popular of the public beaches in Nice. Fronted by the Beau Rivage Beach Restaurant and a few blocks east is the Old Town and its vast array of dining possibilities.

SOUTH OF NICE

Antibes, once the temporary home of Pablo Picasso, resting atop the 4th century ruins of the Greek city of Antipolis

Antibes is an old town resting atop the 4th century ruins of the Greek city of Antipolis with a daily market attracting an assortment of locals every morning except monday though it’s also a restaurant venue for a fresh local gastronomic experience. Pablo Picaso lived and worked here in 1946 and of course there is a museum documenting that period. There is a remarkable collection of paintings, sketches and ceramics within this museum within Château Grimaldi. A Roman fort that was rebuilt in the 14th century it’s now owned by the city of Antibes. It has been a museum since 1925 but in 1946 part of it also served as Picasso’s studio leaving behind 23 paintings and 44 drawings after just two months.

St Tropez (above and Below) can be a deceptive town. It looks serene on any given morning but twelve hours later it’s on

St Tropez is a name you have most likey heard before. It was the location for what is considered to be Bridgette Bardot’s breakout film ‘And God Created Woman’ ultimately turning it the most famous resort town in Europe. The creative and the cashed-up were coming her before Bardot but it was her exposure on American screens that created the catalyst for turning localised debauchery into a worldwide reputation for illicit pleasures. St Tropez is also known for it’s beach clubs and the celebs they attract, Club 55 being the most notable counting world politicians and Russian and Middle Eastern businessmen among it’s patrons along with Kate Moss, Sir Elton, Elle MacPherson and Paris Hilton and although I had a good snoop around, it’s clear that there are two halves to this venue. I’m not in the other one.

Club 55 was adopted as their canteen by the production team on ‘And God Created Woman’ and the rest is history. Book ahead for a table during summertime, and maybe call your financial planner before ordering.

NORTH OF NICE Villefranche-sur-Mer, just north of Nice but before Monaco, is a waterfront town of Narrow cobbled streets with a scenic walkway below the castle leading to a little-known port by the passers by. This is the kind of town where no-one is really expected to do much at all except perhaps take a harbour cruise or participate in a few games of Pétanque with some sun-tanned locals. Its sounded easy enough.

Gently tossing a small metal ball which you have to get as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a cochonnet or ‘piglet’ while standing inside a circle and keeping both feet on the ground.

I gave it a try of course and un-surpringly found myself the subject of quiet chuckles and friendly guffaws. Very much a male game, Pétanque in its current form has been around since 1910 but goes back to the Greeks in 6BC then the Romans and..you get the idea.

If there’s any list of great towns to get gloriously lost in, Villfranche-sur Mer is certainly among the luminaries

Menton, at the northern end of the riviera is less well known of the coastal towns yet it is the one originally responsible for the popularity of the region. Lord Brougham discovered the town about 1830, while looking for a place to escape from the cold, damp fog of English winters then Queen Victoria visited in 1882 and 8 other times after. Menton’s popularity waned with the completion of the ParisLyon-Mediterrannée railroad. It’s this British influence that is responsible for many of the lush gardens found in Menton. Among the finest are Val Rahmeh, which was created in 1905 by Sir Percy Radcliffe, the Serre de la Madone, laid out between the First and Second World Wars by the landscape gardener Lawrence Johnstone.

There are about 300 sunny days in Menton each year making it the most consistently warm part of the riviera throughout winter, owing to the protection from the winds offered by the half-circle of mountains behind it.

Wedged between two bays, the medieval old town was founded by pirates although The Princes of Monaco owned Menton for six centuries, taxing lemons to fund their sumptuous Carnolès palace. It all ended with the French Revolution. Pirate towns aside, there are also the Alpes Maritimes mountains behind the town with the Mediterranean sitting front and centre with inspiring Italian architecture and French cuisine to tempt you.

You can take to the mountains for some skiing in the morning followed by a dip the Mediterranean in the evening.

What’s not to love?

There are many other towns equally deserving a mention and more needing no mention at all such as Cannes and Monaco but they are on the surface. Just a small brush stroke is required and the simple pleasures of the Côte d’Azur will embrace you

CHARGING.IT

When I mention Italian surf breaks to fellow travellers, I usually get the same confused look.

A furrowed brow, slight twist of the head as they try to figure if I’m winding them up.

As an Australian who grew up on a beach I had the same reaction at first but it does happen though it must be pointed out that the swell is entirely wind-dependent as the Med has almost no tidal changes throughout the year.

While it is not Bali or Pipeline, at least a dozen or so sessions of good quality can be had throughout the year but more frequently in winter. The main season is autumn when the water is still warm (though it’s never below 10°C at any time) and the main wind streams are from the South. When those wind streams are in effect, waves break from border to border: Spain across to Italy with Sardinia the best of all Mediterranean surf spots.

CIVITAVECCHIA, LAZIO

Once an Etruscan settlement, it translates as ‘Ancient Town’. Developed by the Romans 80 km west of Rome, it is now thriving port town with a harbour formed by two piers and a breakwater. One of the few places in Italy to consistently get good tubes. a little further away on the beach of Tarquinia you’ll find clean water, good surf and the heartland of the Italian surf community, you may think you’ve left Italy and been transported to Bali.

CAGLIARI COASTLINE, SARDINIA.

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Med and probably has the best surf in Italy all year round. Nora, Santa Margherita di Pula, Chia, Tuerredda, Solanas, Villasimius and Costa Rei are are towns close by that have been staunch favourites for the island’s surfers. It tends to have a lot of tourist bathers can be a problem in some of the beaches closer to the city but you have the beaches to yourself if you go further out.

CAPU MANNU, SARDINIA The wide bay of Cala Saline, in the province of Oristano, Sardiniahas long been known to create long high waves perfect for surfing without a bather in sight. Surfing population in this location has increased dramatically in recent years but the place still has a feel of a remote and secret surfing location.

ANCONA, MARCHE

The Adriatic sea is genrally quite calm most of the year however when the descending cold air from Russia can bring east to Northeast wind that can whip some descent sized waves. And then the surfers are out in force.

Outside the network of Greek islands most visited, Crete is very much one for the nature lover and adventurer.

With untouched beaches, azure-coloured bays and caves with which to escape the sun, Crete is not for the faint hearted.

It’s for the strong of heart.

DREAM SEQUENCE

WORDS BY ADRIAN MARTIN IMAGES BY ISIDOROS

Being the biggest of all the Greek islands, Crete requires several days to experience much of what it has to offer. It’ also the farthest away from Athens putting it in a unique position where many of the package tourists have opted for the closer islands and the overall experience is not diminished by the ‘Bobs and Marthas’ of the travel circuit.

Having travelled to numerous countries over the last 25 years, I am more than wary of the carbon-copy tours so common in the tourism trade. Of course, it’s now easier than ever to find passionate people only too willing to share with you their home town in a way you wouldnt be able to with larger, travel agencyarranged outings.

So when I met Isidoros outside my hotel, I’m instantly greeted with the enthusiam and vibrancy that Cretans and Greeks in general are known for, assured instantly that this would be something outside the square. Though Isidoros may be my guide for two days he’s just as much a proud local that wants to share the Crete he knows so well. The last thing he said to me on the phone the night before meeting him was ‘Don’t eat breakfast at your hotel, I know place’.

I like this guy.

So our first stop is a little bakery just opposite the National stadium where I have the pleasure of indulging in some Kalitsounia, a delicious little pie once reserved for holiday traditions, it has since become a common delicacy in many a Cretan bakery but rarely found elsewhere. Made with the fresh soft variety of Myzithra cheese (not the salty type) it can sometimes be found with Italian Mascarpone or Ricotta instead. Served with a drizzle of warm honey and a sprinkle of powder cinnamon, your palate will never be the same again.

The Castle of Gramvousa, once a seat of Venetian power followed by Cretan rebel-turned-pirates giving earing it the title of ‘Pirate Island’.

Taking the national road towards Kissamos followed by a myriad of dirt roads, Isidoros tells me of the excellent quality of honey made here by bees getting their polen from the Tyme herb as well as the long history of conquerors and rampant piracy through the centuries.

During the Byzantine era particularly after the 9th century, Crete – and to a lesser extent Sicily and Syria- were havens for pirates operating in these waters, becoming quite chaotic by the 16th century. It was only through the Venetians that any order was restored when the Castle of Gramvousa was completed in 1584 after 5 years of construction. The strategic island position of the castle allowed its Venetian rulers to control the strait between Western Crete and Peloponnese until 1645 when Chania fell to the Ottoman empire during a seige with the rest of Crete totally occupied by 1669. During the Greek revolution of 1825, the castle was finally conquered by Cretan rebels disguised as Ottomans, thus allowing the castle to become the seat of the Revolutionary Committee of Crete. For 3 years it was the base of more than 3000 rebels who, through a lack of food, were forced into piracy. Before long, Gramvousa gained a reputation all over Europe as ‘the Pirate island’.

After a 10 minute walk from the road, I found myself standing on the top of a hill admiring the view of one of the most impressive beaches of Crete, The Mpalos beach at Gramvousa peninsula on the North-west edge of the island. There’s only 500 steps between myself, the tempting turquoise sea, soft white sand and almost no shade whatsover.

Through july and august, Mpalos receives a fairly high number of day-trip visitors arriving via ferry between midday and 6pm so an early arrival is recommended if you wish to achieve any kind of Cretan Nirvana. The road leading here is in a terrible state and probably should only be used by 4WD such as the one I was in.

The Lefka Ori (White Mountains).

Named as such due to their limestone formation as well as the coverage of snow through the cooler months.

At a quick stop in Astrikas, I’m given a quick lesson in Olive oil production in what is one of the last traditional, organic producers in Greece. The olive oil (Biolea) is stone-pressed then cold-milled and as a result is quite famous within gastronomic circles. Like much of Greece’s cuisine, time and tradition have been fundamental aspects to it’s quality and after taking in much of the scenery of Greece so far, it’s not difficult to see how they acquired such an incredible cuisine, not rushing to have something but allowing time to pass. The beaches and the mountains aren’t going anywhere so what’s the hurry.

The Mpalos beach at Gramvousa peninsula on the North-west edge of the island.

GALLERY

Matala beach, once the home of cave-dwelling hippies in the seventies now plays host to the Matala beach festival in June.

Attracting around 60,000, it’s regarded as Europe’s answer to Burning man

And there are actually mountains in Crete, quite spectacular ones too. The White Mountains or Lefka Ori make up a substantial part of the centre of West Crete and are named as such due to their limestone formation as well as the coverage of snow through cooler months. Winding through one of the 50+ gorges here, it’s an environment more befitting Switzerland or Austria than Crete with at least 30 mountain summits higher than 2000m. A natural spring near the bottom of the mountains is a welcome relief and a perfect prelude to lunch at the small village of Rodovani nearly an hour away.

Sitting down at what must be the most spectacular yet traditional homecooked Greek meal I’m ever likely to have, I’m told one anecdote after the other, surrounded by locals.This wasn’t really a restaurant so much, it was more like an extension of someones kitchen being served by a grandmother probably no differently than if you were a relative. Maybe it was the wine or the heat or even common sense but I really was getting to the idea of ditching everything and living here. There was a time everywhere that everything was made at home with local products from the area, no packaging and no waste, it’s a concept that still exists in this part of the world.

It turns out that ditching everything and living here was not a new idea for this area. Upon reaching the south coast village of Sougia, Isidoros tells me that during the seventies, this area was a haven for hippies and hitchhikers from across Europe and the USA, taking almost permanent refuge in the caves found in the beachside cliffs, eventually driven out by the church and the military. Ironically, it was these

hippies that captured the worlds attention and now there is a festival to celebrate the fact. About half a days drive away in South Heraklion, the Matala Beach Festival is often described as the Burning Man of Europe with up to 60,000 lovedup revellers descending on this otherwise sleepy tourist village in june.

The sun was now pretty close to setting creating the perfect opportunity to visit Sougia’s beautiful beach followed by a drink at ALFA tavern in Azogyres village where I could spend the night at ALFA rooms at Isidoros’s suggestion. Though I had a room already at Chania, staying at ALFA meant we could start the next day at Azogyres. Listening to the surprisingly young owner of ALFA, he tells me the micro climate of Azogyres helps you to rest even with a few hours’ sleep Azogires is a mountain village that usually gets by-passed on the way to the resort town of Paleochora 5 km away but should you be of the curious inclination, there

are countless caves of rugged and rocky climes where pungent aromas of sage, thyme and oregano drift through the mountains of overgrown gorse while you wade through a natural pool under a small waterfall, adding to the calming ambience of Azogires’s seven churches and cave monastery.

Of the few things I knew of Crete, Elafonisi and Falasarna were among the top of the list which is why we wouldn’t be stopping there. It is one of the most famous and tourist-filled beaches in Chania and because this tour is about the hidden spots we’ll be visiting Kedrodasos where you are greeted with yet more amazing turquoise, crystal-clear waters just with the luxury of relative privacy. Once again, the setting seemed out of place like a near perfect replica of the Caribbean sans palm trees.

There were more archeological sites from there followed by beaches and incredible food and though many good things may come to an end, that will never be the case in Crete. It will be here just as you left it. goCrete is an independent Cretan travel service with the goal of introducing people to the real, authentic Crete. Visiting places rarely mentioned in guidebooks, they visit amazing hideaways, sample local cuisine and ensure you can meet the locals, enjoying the hospitalityfor which this region is renowned.

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WORDS BY ADAM WATTS

FIVE

FINGER

DISCOUNT Street hawkers, also known as street sellers, street vendors and the marketing spawn of Satan ever to walk the earth are rampant in Morocco.

Like an out-of-touch politician,street traders kept coming back to the same rehearsed routines/offers for example: The Early Bird Discount Marrakech Old City Alley. You’re on vacation in Morocco and you want to relax but it’s your first day and you’re feeling energetic, so you wake up with the first throes of daylight and the dawn call to prayer. You stare at the ceiling and think, “Yes, today I will be cultural!” You go outside and the narrow streets of the souqs (street markets) are empty so you wander aimlessly, content with the realisation that even if you do get hopelessly lost, you’ve got all day to un-lose yourself.

An old man with a limp approaches you, so you smile back and think to yourself, “Yes, here I am doing an adventure!” He asks a question and steers you into talking about spices, and invites you to come see his spice shop. You’re too far in to refuse now, you have a rapport, so you follow him. He shows you lots of jars full of spices and various other things that look like they’ve been scooped up off the ground in a park, and asks if you want to buy any. You hadn’t actually planned on buying anything today for the arthritis you’ll get in 25 years’ time but before you can say anything he says, “you’re first person today!

Special discount for you!”

‘The Sympathy for You’ Discount Before you all go gallivanting off to North Africa to seek out the Sympathy for You discount, not everyone will be offered this. The Sympathy for You discount is reserved for those travellers who look poor, most likely goodlooking young backpackers on gap years or students on summer vacations, invariably seen wearing rucksacks, shorts, and a bracelet they got from a buddhist retreat in the mountains of Tibet at the start of their trip of selfdiscovery. Street hawkers will say, “You do not have much money, we understand, yes, so we give you special price.”

The Nepotism Discount The Nepotism Discount can only occur after another discount has been offered, and refused. Upon your refusal, the street hawker will grin and say, “okay, okay, we friends anyway, you good person, you can visit my uncle [brother/cousin/ grandfather]. Follow!” So you follow him out of politeness, already regretting speaking to the first hawker, and you might end up visiting several different people, selling everything from carpets and scarfs to herbal medicines, teapots, and jewellery that looks silver but is obviously totally not silver. “Real silver!” they’ll cry. “Authentic real silver! I will get my uncle to give you special discount.”

‘The Sympathy for Me’ Discount Also known as the Guilt Discount, this is offered to those travellers who have rebuffed all previous offers.

The street hawker will then become philosophical and say, “You’re good person. You have good heart. We are friends, yes? You don’t buy anything, that’s okay. We still friends.” Then you think that maybe this guy is all right after all, so you soften and you’re extra polite and pretend that that hideous carpet he’s holding looks nice, and you sip the sugary tea with mint leaves in that you’ve been brought from some random person’s house. The hawker says, “It’s fine, take time, look at what we have, and if you don’t buy, that okay. I know you have good heart anyway. We happy for you to look, but we hope you like something. Grandma very hungry.”

Now you feel guilty and you think, “If I don’t buy anything that poor old widow with the missing teeth rocking from side to side in the corner over there is going to have to gnaw on a shoe for nourishment.

Shit.” If you now buy the authentic camel hair carpet for €200 (they accept all major credit cards, PayPal and bitcoin, and offer free shipping to 120 countries), you’ve fallen prey to the Sympathy for Me or Guilt Discount.

The “You Win” Discount.

After your first offer, the hawker laughs and says, “You silly! This is authentic Argan oil,” then quotes you an absurd price. He then offers you the Early Bird Discount followed by every discount previously mentioned.

You repeat your initial offer, so the hawker says he admires you for sticking to your price but tells you he’s trying to make money for his family etc...bla bla..

You repeat your initial offer, and the hawker says, “Okay! Okay! You are tough, friend. Very tough, but you know fair.” You smile and nod and do a mental fist pump, and again repeat your initial offer, and add, “Yes?” The hawker smiles back, the wide grin of someone you know you shouldn’t trust, “Okay, you win, here’s my final offer, as low as I can go…” and offers you a price still aggravatingly higher than the price you know is fair.

Now if you still refuse and start to walk away, one of two things will happen: 1) The hawker runs up to you and says, “OKAY! DEAL!” and you finally exchange money for goods, and you can carry a bottle of massage oil you’ll never use around for the rest of your trip and lose in a cupboard at home. Or… 2) The hawker runs up to you and says, “Tip, my friend? I help you. You help me.”

You want to scream, but you pretend you don’t hear him and walk away. You’ve had quite enough adventuring for one day.

You pull out your phone. It’s only 11 a.m. You sigh loudly.

A hawker hears you and comes over. “You seem tired, my friend.

I have something that will help.

Follow me. Special price, just for you.”

TASTING

THE GOOD LIFE In the Mediterranean, time and tradition are key key ingredients

A long history of imperial colonization and international trade has been the fundamental reason behind the Mediterraneans shared culture and agriculture. It includes the Mediterranean Sea but also the climate and terrain surrounding it which are roughly the same throughout the region: dry, hot summers and cool, breezy winters.

Dividing the region into three culinary regions, North African, Eastern Mediterranean and Southern European, at the gastronomic core of each is olive oil. Historically considered a Mediterranean peasant food, the olive was not part a refined Europen cuisine but it’s now regarded as one of the hottest foods today, praised both for its culinary properties and for its health profile.

FRANCE

Marseille is the home of Bouillabaisse, where once it was nothing more than a stew made by poor fishermen to use up the leftovers from their day’s catch. The small bony rockfish or Scorpion fish rejected by market customers remain the basis of the authentic Bouillabaisse along with onions, fennel, shallots, garlic, Pernod and dry white wine.

Aside from the Bouillibase, you can regularly find dishes such as ‘Shrimp Risotto’, an aromatic pasta with squid or regional soups such as ‘Soupe au pistou’, which is usually consumed during the summer, and is prepared with bean, green bean, tomato, pumpkin, potato, and vermicelli.

immigrants from Algeria, Morocco and Senegal crowd impromptu markets in back alleys.

MOROCCO

Without question, one of the most colourful and flavoursome cuisines of the world with influences ranging from Spanish and Arabic to French. Moroccan cooking is synonymous with spices and intriguing flavour combinations. The Northern African cuisine typically includes rice and wheat with chicken and lamb and fish along the coastal areas and peppers, eggplant and zucchini are a mainstay of many meals though the culinary aspect that most sets this area’s cuisine apart form others is the spice mixtures of cinnamon, cumin, coriander, ginger and turmeric cooked with onions and/or tomatoes, olives and salted lemons.

A classic Moroccan dish is the tagine (or tajine) – a slowcooked stew flavoured with fruit, olives, preserved lemons, and spices in an earthenware dish known by the same name. Inexpensive cuts of meat are commonly included then commonly served with Couscous, a staple of countries of North Africa. The Kefta tagine is a perfect example of this with beef or lamb mince cooked with

It’s also Marseilles’s Vieux-Port (Old port) of the city that attracts many visitors to Marseilles. Guarded by its ancient forts: the 12th-century Fort St-Jean on the north bank, and on the south, Fort St-Nicolas, built to maintain control over the rebellion supporting the independence of Marseille. The nearby marketplace is where you will find the best of the John Dory, monkfish, red mullet, gurnard and rainbow wrasse but equally important are the conger eel and the rascasse and chapon – the rockfish responsible for the flavour and texture of the Bouillabaisse.

Second in size only to Paris, Marseille is the oldest city in France but it is also the most un-French with influences going as far back as the the Ligurians already living there at the time, Phonecians who arrived in 600BC then taken over by the Greeks in 540BC finally being conquered by the Romans 2000 years ago. Today, no city in Western Europe has a higher proportion of Muslims (roughly a quarter). In the busy, chaotic quarter of Noailles, garlic, fresh coriander and parsley. Cinnamon and ground coriander are rolled into balls and cooked in a tomato and onion sauce then just at the end eggs are cracked into depressions in the sauce and are soon cooked to perfection.

There is no better place to sample the the range of street foods of Morocco than Djemaa el-Fna square in Marrakech. Along with the standard kebabs, calamari and grilled sardines, there are the meat of sheep’s head or spicy snails in a broth. Highly recommended are the Makouda; little deep-fried potato balls made for dipping in the spicy harissa sauce

Where deserts are concerned the B’stilla, a great example of Fassi (from Fez) cuisine involving paper-thin layers of pastry containing a combination of pigeon meat, almonds and eggs spiced with saffron, cinnamon and fresh coriander then lightly covered with icing sugar and cinnamon.

The essence of Moroccan food like much of the region is a communal style of eating either at home or in the marketplace.Hospitality is also very important and is part of the Islamic teaching. Upon entering a Moroccan home, guests are typically offered food and tea within seconds.

SPAIN

Few cities have as high a reputation for fine food as Barcelona. And with good reason: a perfect combination of the finest chefs with access to the finest ingredients, cooking for a people for whom a meal is not just a meal but a celebration. The general thought in Spain - and particularly in Catalonia - is that if a meal is not enjoyable there is no point in having it. And Barcelona truly strives to make every meal a thing to write home about.

times of prosperity, particularly in Valencis in the 19th century, the Paella’s ingredients changed to include more expensive proteins such as duck, chicken and rabbit.

There are essentially three main kinds of paella: Valencian paella (rabbit, chicken, white bean), seafood paella and mixed paella. The base of the dish is always sofrito (garlic, onion,tomato) The core ingredients include olive oil,rice, vegetables and some form of protein. Saffron, also common in Paella, gives the rice its golden yellow colour and floral aroma.

In order to earn the title of Paella, certain cooking methods must be adhered to starting with a layering of flavours and ingredients in a paella pan, which is a large, round and shallow dish. The rice and other ingredients are not disturbed during the final cooking process which allows the bottom layer to caramelize and build an intense flavor.

On the other hand, for something quick, local and cheap there are savory pastries always hand-made and filled with meat or vegetables known as an Empanada. The

local favourite contains tuna, tomato, and peppers. The Mercado Central de Valencia, it’s a must stop for culinary travellers looking for local and regional food specialties, such as the famous ham/cured meat called jamon iberico.

Tapas have become synonymous with this Mediterranean city. But don’t expect the skimpy over-priced portions that you can find in places like London or New York.

No, these tapas are freshly made, generous and with particular attention to the quality of the ingredients and the preparation and then there are the local specialties, the kind that have been made by Catalan grandmothers since as far back as you can imagine: pa amb tomaquet, crusty bread with olive oil and tomato rubbed in; calçotada, grilled onions smothered in salvitxada sauce; crema catalana, a custard-like dessert very similar to the French créme brulée; The Spanish Paella is a dish with originally created by the Moors during the 8th century and were mainly casseroles of rice and fish becoming a common dish by the 15th century. From the 18th century, Valencians used special pans to cook rice dishes for special occasions, and during

Mediterranean and Catalan cuisines are not the only specialty of Barcelona - for a taste of Spain’s rugged North Atlantic coast you can quite easily partake in seafood cooked in the style and flavor of Galicia. The ingredients are fresh – usually the catch of the day – whether a starter of sea cucumber and chickpeas or a main dish of sole cooked in cava with shrimp.

ITALY

While Barcelona and Marseille may claim much of the seafood, the food of the land certainly goes to Italy and for many, it’s what springs to mind for most people when mediterranean is mentioned. It’s by far the most common in the anglicised countries, albeit with usually lower quality or freshness but less common knowledge is that the Italian regions were entirely separate entities until the mid-19th century when Italian unification began yet individual regions have retained much of their unique identity and distinctive set of flavours, recipes, products, and ingredients.

Because location is such a crucial aspect of food quality and reputation, laws exist to protect the authenticity of products made in a certain region such as vinegar.

Modena Balsamic vinegar can only be labelled as such if it’s crafted in the town of Modenaa and the same applies with cheese labeled Parmigiano Reggiano. It must be produced in one of several provinces in Emilia-Romagna.

Similarly in Greece only Feta produced in Greece can be labelled Feta under similar EU laws.

The northern region of Italy is known more for the creamy Risottos with use of polenta and cheeses as part of the recipe and are likely to include some sort of game or wild fowl such as rabbit, quail or grouse. Bright olive oil and tomato-based recipes rule the sunny South.

The Florentine steaks of Tuscany originate from choice cattle raised in the Chianina Valley while the city of Alba and surrounding areas of the Piedmont region are a top source for expensive truffle mushrooms, particularly pungent white truffles. Of course access to both the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas makes fresh seafood dominant, though varied, throughout the peninsula.

A wide regional assortment of wonderful breads and pastas can be found throughout Italy and again, Italian breads differ significantly in size, taste, and texture between regions like the large, chewy ciabatta loaves of Lombardy’s Lake Como and the thin, crunchy grissini breadsticks of Turin.

GREECE

No other image encapsulates the Mediterranean way of life than octopus hung out to dry like washing and it’s a common sight. There are 227 inhabited islands in Greece out of 6,000 across the Aegean and Ionian seas so if you intend to visit and take in the local gastronomy, you’d be wise to clear your schedule. Each region in Greece, has its variation on the classic grape leaf-wrapped rice parcel known as dolmades. Eaten as a finger food, some stuffed vine leaves incorporate mincemeat with the longgrain rice and others strong combination of thyme, dill, fennel, oregano or pine nuts. Similarly, a baked dish such as Moussaka is found all around the Mediterranean and the Balkans but the real deal is based on layering: sautéed aubergine, minced meat, fried pureed tomato, onion, garlic and spices like cinnamon and all spice, a bit of potato with topping of cheese and béchamel sauce.

A mainstay of any Greek meal are classic dips such as tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber and garlic), melitzanosalata (aubergine), and fava (creamy split pea purée). But the delectable taramasalata (fish roe dip) is a must. This creamy blend of pink or white fish roe with either a potato or bread base is best with a drizzle of virgin olive oil or a squeeze of lemon. And the cheese. Big barrels of creamy, delicious Feta often kept behind market counters and graviera, a hard golden-white cheese, perfect eaten cubed, or fried as saganaki. Bakeries and taverns are a great way to sample greek cheeses, for example tyropita (cheese pie) or salads like Cretan dakos, which is topped with a crumbling of mizithra, a soft, white cheese.

The classic baklava is a start, layering honey, filo and ground nuts. Or try galaktoboureko, a sinful custard-filled pastry. Simply, pour a lovely dollop of local thyme honey over fresh Greek yogurt.

CROATIA

Considering that the Dalmatian region of Croatia was controlled by the Republic of Venice for almost 400 years an influence of Italian cuisine in Croatia is to be expected and as they share the Adriatic, a mariners feast is assured.

Not far from Dubrovnik, the small town of Mali Ston is famed for its oysters from Malostonski Zaljev – the renowned Croatian oyster bay that produces the most sought after oysters in the country. Fish is also of premium quality in Croatia - from John Dory, turbot and monkfish to sea bass, cuttlefish and sea bream – as well as fine scallops and mussels while the best scampi come from the Kvarner Gulf and are best sampled in the gourmet mecca of Volosko should the opportunity arise.

Dalmatian brodet (mixed fish stew) with polenta is a regional treat, as is the pašticada, beef slow-cooked in wine and spices and served with gnocchi.

Cheese is a major staple here and none more so than Pag cheese; a salty sharp cheese from the island of Pag near Zadara. The secret behind the pungent taste of this hard cheese is that intense winds spread the island’s salt dust onto everything, including vegetation meaning that only the most hearty, and coincidentally aromatic which the free-range sheep feast on while producing their milk.

An authentically Croation experience is Zagorski Štrukli, a cheese based dish made with thin pastry and layered with the local cheese, which is soft and almost like cottage cheese in texture. Served some additional cream and butter, For an appetizer to remember, try paški sir (Pag cheese); Thin slices of cured and air-dried Istrian and Dalmatian pršut (prosciutto-like ham) are often on the appetizer list, served tapas-style with olives and cheese.

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When it comes to the roots of adventure, there’s nothing like the women-only Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles.

Colourful, vibrant, diverse and filled with great food and energy; Welcome to the desert dunes of Southern Morocco

COLOUR

SCHEME WORDS BY SHEA POWELL IMAGES BY NICOLE DREON

SPECIAL THANKS TO KIRSTEN KUHN AND BÉNÉDICTE CLARKSON

Once a year, the Maïenga organization, an international event management agency brings together women from all over the globe to race across the desert in the name of female solidarity.

Jump-started in Morocco by Dominique Serra, this women-only off-road motor rally held in middle of the Moroccan desert has become one of the most authentic sporting events for women between the ages of 18-65 from all over the globe and earlier this year celebrated it’s 25th anniversary. It offers a significant challenge to it’s participants by adding a touch of authenticity; allowing them to dive into the true and most authentic ways of travel and reintroducing adventures’ true roots.

The introduction of this event was designed to uplift women and to put aside any form of prejudice and clichés that may be associated with the gender and 25 years after that first event, the Rallye is thriving and very much maintains it’s original aim; a race for and with women. Speaking with three-time participant Benedicte Clarkson, she says that “women should participate because you learn that nothing is impossible, being a woman in a supposedly man’s sport (autosport) can be done, it’s actually empowering, that female solidarity is a powerful feeling.”

Inset: Getting ready to take off!

Driver Sara Price, 22, is an X Games Medalist and Hollywood stuntwoman.: Below: Teams depart at 2-minute intervals starting at 6:00 am, for an average day of 10 to 13 hours.

Over the years, the automobile competition has been flourishing, with increasing numbers of women getting together to take part in the event every year between the months of March and April. The competition allows the Gazelles (women) to participate the old fashion way; compasses and black and white maps are the only materials given as guide and GPS is not allowed resulting in a cross-section of cultures, backgrounds, languages and life experiences coming together to share share something in common. Preparation is a valuable asset. As Benedicte points out, many of these women “have thought about the race for a long time, at least a year, we have prepared for it by taking the compulsory navigation course and by learning to drive a 4 wheel drive, we have raised money from sponsors, and we have talked to our families.”

Dunes surfing is one of the best parts of the rally.

“Women should participate because you learn that nothing is impossible, being a woman in a supposedly man’s sport (autosport) can be done, it’s actually empowering, that female solidarity is a powerful feeling.”

Strength, determination, and perseverance are some of the listed qualities required for participants.

Amateurs and professionals alike are geared towards having a well-rounded experience, “ you will leave this adventure forever changed after pushing yourself to unknown limits. Forced to face yourself in an environment that is unknown to you challenges your ever being thus a sense of solidarity develops amongst teammates and other Gazelles.”

The non- profit organization also provides a platform where the gazelles are given an open window into the Moroccan community. The rally has over years earned its respect in the country and is welcomed with open arms.

The course of the day is derived out of the “Road Book”. A traveler’s guide for the Gazelles pinpointing their geographic coordinate, checkpoints and finish line. Kicking off in France for administrative and technical verifications and ending in Morocco; host of the actual event.

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With a feel of originality and authenticity the event however encourages no speed or use of GPS; “a return to the roots of adventure” is the event’s tagline.

As Benedicte informs me, ‘it is actually wonderful to spend 8 days without technology, it is liberating as you are totally immersed in this strange and challenging world consisting of finding red flags in the desert and mountains. I found that I am a lot more resourceful than previously thought.’

Within the 8-day journey, the Gazelle’s adventurous lifestyle revolves around finding check points in the shortest distant possible throughout their Bivouac (camp site). A typical marathon day, starts at dawn with breakfast and briefing and then an average of 10-13 hour day of rally through the dessert where the Gazelles are given a certain amount of checkpoints to find; red flags placed in the desert. Modern tracking systems have been introduced to locate members in case of any emergency during the track. A full team of medical and security personnels are also constantly on site.

Routes are constantly redesigned and plays on the mantra ” the roads less-travelled”. The need for speed is not the forerunner of the race, teamwork and the emotional challenge involved is the focus. Participants are encouraged and in many cases forced to dig deep and push themselves to complete the course. Clarkson shared with us that it was a challenging task participating with her teammate Jamila. “We were hopelessly lost half the time, we had great laughs but we were utterly exhausted at the end (and elated to finish it). We thought “never again” until 3 months later Jamila called me and said “how about having another go, but this time, we train properly”? So we did, we trained in the desert and a year later we were back in the rally. We had a great week until it stopped abruptly on the 7th day after a driving error and we could not finish it. As I was the driver, I felt awful but Jamila was terrific. We were in this together”.

At the conclusion of the 8 day event, a winner is selected based on the shortest distance between checkpoints through the teams technique, strategy and willpower.

Additionally, the rankings are obtained from calculating the actual kms driven and awarded in each of their 4 classes of vehicles ;Expert Class, 4×4/Truck Class, Crossover, Quad/Motorbike/SSV. Carole Montillet and Valérie Dot, Karima Larroussi and Florence Deramond, Alyssa Roenigk and Chrissie Beavies Johnson and Elisabeth Kraft and Sarah Maire were the 2015 winners respectively.

From the top: Reaching the checkpoint warrants extreme jumping.

Rhonda Cahill takes a moment of rest and relaxation after a grueling day out in the desert.

Nezha Larhrissi of Morocco plots her next checkpoint.

With a total of now 15 employees the Maïenga organization supports other innovative and unusual projects with a trail-based solidarity for women only.

Other projects includes the Student Challenge, the Cap Femina Adventure, the Lol and Run. Each group also very unique and innovative; following a pattern that encourages a change for the better.

Ralllye Aïcha des Gazelles has in many ways been a very successful pioneer in the world of outdoor sports and in the empowerment for women introducing a new dynamic way of lives for it’s participants. They seek to update and mould the event each year as it continues to grow and really outdo itself.

Above: The first ever UK team, Annaliese Dayes and Danielle James at the start line

“The Rallye’s strengthened our friendship. You live through massively strong emotions throughout the rally, from deep fear (in my case, I had to conquer my fear of driving in the dunes) to great joy ( for example the first time Jamila got us to all the check points in the day)”. When asked to describe her experience in one word, Benedicte simply said ‘Exceptional’

Middle: Teams recuperate and refresh at the bivouac bar.

300 participants make their way to Morocco each year to discover and maintain the strength many didn’t know they had. It sure has made its marking in stones to many adventurous women and have been proven to be worth adding to bucket lists as challenge to attend and complete at some point, “The only deciding factor is your determination”.

Bottom: Navigator Chrissie Beavis shows driver Alyssa Roenigk their next destination.

Shea Powell is a freelance writer from Jamaica and is the creator and Adventurer behind The World Up Closer.com

8 HOUR 48 HOURS

ATHENS

Breakfast with a view. On the terrace of the ‘A for Athens’ hotel, there is a spectacular view of Acropolis and the whole of the city. Try to get there early, this place is always busy.

Every Friday afternoon, outside Thissio Metro station, hundreds of cyclists meet there to cruise the city all together. hire a bike and join the crowd. I can’t think of a better way to see the city a locals way and if you ask a few of them, they can tell you where it’s worth ending your ride as Athens has seen a plethora of affordable Tapas bars pop-up offering such treasures as salads with roasted

unique combo of gourmet and street food.

The Syntagma area across from parliament and Monastiraki is where you’ll find a lively marketplace and an equally lively cafe scene. Its about a 10 minute walk from Plaka. Just about any venue you eat at, a cheese platter will not disappoint with cheese being part of the culture, quality is almost guaranteed.

The Acropolis is the one historical site you can’t miss, in fact this should be the first thing you do as the €12 ticket also enables entry to about 5 other sites. You can take a tour or wander up there yourself but during the summer, go early or late in the day and to escape the punishing heat, the nearby Acropolis Museum (new by Athens standards), designed by the Swiss-born architect Bernard Tschumi houses spectacular artifacts from the country’s most famous site. Finds date from the Hekatompedon, the oldest known building on the Acropolis, though the showcase is the Parthenon Gallery, where portions of the Parthenon frieze are dramatically displayed though this is not included in the Acropolis ticket. €5 A short walk from the National gardens is the Panathenaic Stadium in Mets, a neighborhood in eastern Athens.

According to legend, the river god Ilissos worshiped in a sanctuary on Ardittos hill next to it. Refurbished in 1896 to host the Olymics, it is the finishing point for the Athens Classic Marathon held every autumn.

Down byFoundation the beach, the seaside suburb of Vouliagmeni, The Arts

manouri cheese, nuts, oranges and blackberry dressing and as the Greeks are very much known for their pastries try as many as possible. You wont regret it.

If you happen to be here during the winter months, you could visit some of the basement restaurants known as Bakaliarzidikos that specialize in fried codfish. Typically found in the Plaka area, the size of these venues means that they are far too hot in summer when ovens get involved though these restaurants generally have some of the city’s best homemade wine (khee-ma) and the codfish (bakaliaro) served with garlic dip (skordaya). Saita Restaurant on Kydatheneon is one such venue to look for.

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A walk through Plaka will get your palate wetter still with the lure of Peloponnesian cuisine including dishes such as yellow split peas with onion chutney (5-6 euro), the sweet green salad with soft katiki cheese and dried figs and the homemade noodles, called hilopites, simmered with chicken, fennel, sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Most dishes around here fall under 10 euro. For the budget traveller, Quick Pitta in Plaka has a menu consisting mainly of Gyros where much of it is under €5 and has a happy hour 5pm-6.30 with beers for €1. Good times!

Still on the budget tip, 48 Urban garden near Ambelokipi is a secret garden of sorts within the centre of Athens.

Located inside the Ileana Touanta gallery, it has the

there is a lake of the same name slightly southwards set inside a jagged boulder and regarded as a natural spa that stays warm year-round and costs about 10 euro entry. Nearby is the private Astir Beach, considered the Athens Riviera and very much a place to be seen during the Athenian summer.

There’s a 25-euro fee for summer weekends, but it drops to 18 euros during the cooler months.

Athens is at a bit of a crossroads when it comes to music with a focus on the past yet with a large youth population, the contemporary is popping up in places all over the city.

Karitsi Square is a tucked-away cobblestone oasis near the city center where Toy Bar - the first bar to open up in this area - is a haunt for many journalists and has thrived since day one.

Similarly, Agias Irinis Square is the ever-crowded social centre of cool Athens with innumerous all day cafe-bars and outdoor tables.

The Art Foundation (known as TAF) and Six d.o.g.s near Monastiraki are two of the latter with TAF opening in 2009 with a renovated 19th-century building complete with galleries and a space for lectures also playing host to many plays and concerts. Six d.o.g.s. has an excellent cafe-bar and spacious garden and hosts gigs ranging from underground metal-rap to nostalgic indie-folk and the central courtyard is one of the city’s coolest bars, with chill-out music and subtle lighting.

Brettos. A spectacular interior, with bottle-lined back-lit shelves creating a warm glow, c Brettos has been an Athenian institution since 1909. 30 different flavours of liqueurs all made in-house including Ouzo. This is the prime nightcap venue.

The Galaxy bar (pictured) at the Hilton offers have-to-be-seen views of the Acropolis in a see-and-be-seen atmosphere where many of Athens’ classier set relax. There are pricey cocktails, an open air terrace, D.J’s and stays open until early morning.

Throughout the summer, glamorous clubs set up all along the coast, the most celebrated being Island.

Stunningly beautiful, its décor – a sea-view terrace with lots of minimalist white and flickering candlelit lamps – is inspired by the Cyclades. Mediterranean cuisine, finely carved Indian furniture with regular Greek celebrities and sports personalities.

The Bolivar beach bar is the Athens home of bohemian chic atmosphere within 50’s architecture surrounds. Regular DJ’s both local and international.

I had a plan but something changed...

WORDS AND IMAGES

BY ADRIAN MARTIN

Manarola harbour. Just behind that rock at the base, a small wharf exists allowing for passenger pick-up

The plan - the original plan - the one I started two months ago was merely a day trip. Arrive in La Spezia early then hop the trains along the coastline of the Cinque Terre.

Knowing there would be a tourist ensemble, I instead settled for two nights at Rifugio Muzzerone at Porto Venere. Described in Airbnb as a ‘Hikers Retreat’, I took the title with a grain of salt, now well accustomed to the little embellishments hosts give their rooms in order to make a sale.

But there was no embellishing here. This was fucking hardcore.

Directions provided barely described the journey ever upward consisting firstly of cement steps, then steps hewn from rock, then just rocks strategically wedged into dirt. I had to do this a few times. It was a 15-20 minute hike straight up and was it worth sacrificing the cartilige in my knees?

Absolutely. (see croshairs at left for Rifugio Muzzerone and Porto Venere)

Riomaggiore.

At La Spezia Station, look for the large B/W photos on platform one.

Taken in the 40’s, little has changed Previous page: Manarola and harbour.

Porto Venere isn’t considered part of the Cinque Terre and mabye that’s one of it’s advantages. Located on the peninsula of La Spezia’s harbour, there is only one road leading in so you’re either going there or you’re not meaning most of the people visiting are Italians from further away.

The restaurant-lined harbour is a magnet for the millionaire super-yachts docking alongside the small sailing boats yet there is no ostentatious displays of affluence, just people coming to relax and enjoy. Between the end of June and end of August, a jazz festival, outdoor cinema and innumerous singers and entertainers grace the temporary stage at the base of Church of San Pietro.

Check ww.eventiportovenere.it for future dates in 2016

There are no museums of any kind along this coastline just six tantalizingly isolated miles of vintage Italian fishing villages, either tucked cosily into a ravine or perced on a mountain with the crystaline waters of the Mediterranean are waiting for you at the bottom. I should point out that it’s not so isolated when it comes to tourists so timing is crucial.

The five towns comprising the Cinque Terre have no roads where public access is concerned and only a train and trail connecting them so if you aren’t staying there you either need to base yourself out of one of the five towns or nearby towns such as Porto Venere. Its a five minute train trip between each town and the day trip to La Spezia from Rome is about a 3 hour train ride, the price of which depends how early you book (1 week €49, 3 weeks €29 and so on). There is a small ferry service from Porto Venere on the peninsula of La Spezia’s harbour and smaller boat tours such as Angelo’s three hour sunset tours depart from Monterosso.

Five minutes on the train from La Spezia and I’m at Riomaggiore, an 8th century enclave typical of the Mediterranean-style houses of this region with coloured facades and slate roofs. Riomaggiore came into into existence either through Achaeans escaping persecution from Byzantine emperor Leo III or when the inhabitants of the Vara valley, searching a milder climate to raise grapevines and olive-trees without the fear of pirate raids. Or both.

There’s no beach in the town to swim at but if you follow one of the paths around the left, there is a beach of sorts where the sand is replaced with large, timesmoothed stones that make that make an odd avalanche sound with every crashing wave. Activities available in Riomaggiore range from kayaking, scuba diving and of course wine (which in Italy is a genuine activity). The specialty of the Cinque Terre known as the “Sciacchetrà” is famous all over the world, made by grapevines from “Bosco”, “Fermentino” and “Albarola” grapes.

Early evening Manarola

Not long after Riomaggiore is Manorola, the second smallest, oldest and possibly most photographed towns of the Cinque Terre. The San Lorenzo church at the peak dates from 1338. At 70 metres above sea level, it looks down on a picturesque little harbour and town square where townsmen meet for discussion as they have for hundreds of years though possibly less frequently during tourist season. There’s no beach here but the two boat ramps are put to very good use with couples and families lounging about here on any given day in summer and walking around is very much an up and down affair with a maze of steep little alleys and stairs all over.

Unlike the other towns, the next town, Corniglia, is the ony town of the five where the houses are not fronting the ocean and to reach Corniglia you’ll have to climb Lardarina, a long flight of steps made from brick althought there is also a shuttle at the station. The upside to that is his tiny village of only 240 people is far less frequented by the visitors. You’ll see colorful homes - some facing the road and the others facing the sea winding, narrow roads and finely crafted terraces. There is of course, no beach though I was informed of of the most famous of the coast’s little beaches, Guvano. At an abandoned train station, walk through the spooky tunnel to the metal gate. Ring the bell and you’ll be buzzed in by a guy who will want €5 to cross his property to get to the Cinque Terre’s only nude beach though the male/female ratio can vary considerably.

Certainly the jewel in the Cinque Terre crown is Vernazza owing to the tall houses on the promontory encircling the small bay then surrounded by massive defensive walls. The climb to the ancient Castle offers magnificent views of the ancient narrow streets meeting the narrow stairs and above them the doors of pink or yellow houses.

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Monterosso (pictured) is probably the most visited of the Cinque Terre due to it’s ease of access from Levanto along with the overall size of the town and beach. Much more like many beaches on the Mediterranean, there are umbrellas and lounges available with a promenade that allows for a wide range of fresco dining options are.

The town is separated from the beach, accessible through a tunnel at the far left end of the beach where alleyways and piazzas greeet you though it’s as if this town has been stretched with wider alleyways and a number of roads through the town.

Vernazza’s (pictured) charms lie in it’s summertime atmosphere, where the piazza fronts the beach and unspoken volumes of Gelati are consumed on the promenade alongside it.

The small harbour filled with tiny fishing boats and teenagers still on school holiday completes the scene leaving nothing else to do but strip down to your shorts and jump off the jetty with everyone else then sit back against the wall with a Birra Morretti when the town bell rings at five.

The way life was meant to be.

The Capuchin Monastery and further above is a cemetery that was once the ancient Fieschi’s Castle offering an incredible panoramic view taking in on one side the steep Punta Masco, featuring the S. Antonio abbey’s ruins then in the opposite direction can see Vernazza, Corniglia and Manarola up to Monte Nero cape.

The most pleasing thing about visiting the Cinque Terre is you can sit any one of the town squares all day reading and sampling the food and wine, hike the connecting trails or just watch people go about their lives though in hindsight it should be absorbed over a few days.

Bottom left:Corniglia Bottom right: Vernazza Top: Monterosso

It’s the secret that many Italians in this part of Italy have discovered, Il dolce far niente, “the sweetness of doing nothing.” Sweet indeed.

In a Travel Now! first, we wanted to bring to light some of the great photographers currently working around the mediterranean for whom the sea and surrounds are their undying muse.

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XAVI BARAGONA, BARCELONA

Xavi is a mediterranean native whose creative search is in tandem with his questions about life. Always listening to the sea and repeating those sounds through images, text or just the look of silence. xavibaragona.com

ANDY QUARIUS, BARCELONA An Argentinian based in Barcelona, he is also a film-maker and musician with a searing passion for art, fashion, music, film and of course beautiful women. There’s no part of the globe he wont travel to for something beautiful. andyquarius.com

ANTONIO ENNAS, SARDENIA Based on the Italian island of Sardenia (Sardegna), he works in a studio prefers to shoot on location or in natural surroundings of my beautiful island in natural light.

GEORGE HATZAKIS, THESSALONIKI George is a Thessaloniki local who specializes in fashion then switches over to commercial TV spot with ease.

One of the few independent photographers to employ 3d stills made with a special technic, called ‘freeze time’,or ‘bullet time’ where 100 digital cameras in a special arrangement take 100 still shots in order to using them as video frames for the “3D” movement into the scene. hatzakisphotography.com

RAFFAELLO FRANIUK, GENOA Also a graphic designer, photography for Raffaello is a case of ’only passion ... and wants it to remain so’ For him photographing bodies , faces , eyes, expressions ... is what makes him happy. franiukdesign.it

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Having been a favourite with writers and composers for many moons, Italy’s Amalfi coast is a creative’s deep spring

The Amalfi Coast, situated along the southern edge of the Sorrento Peninsula, is undoubtedly one of, if not the most popular coastal drives in the world so don’t trick yourself into a fantasy you saw on in a magazine. You know the one, a 1967 porsche, top down with a perfect sunset in the background....

That’s not to say it isn’t beautiful, it is very much so. It just means you have to think outside the box a little for an authentic experience. Instead of going to a restaurant, take an Italian cooking class. Choose a campsite over a hotel (and have a Ricotta and Prosciutto Ciabatta for breakfast while the sun comes up).If you have the time, walk the 27 miles.

Or as we did, buy a reel, catch a fish and cook it by the beach.

Ravallo.

Beautiful gardens, tranquil, sleepy streets and sun-drenched vistas are what Ravello does best.

Amalfi, Positano, and Ravello—its most famous towns—have been a source of inspiration to many writers and composers for centuries from 19th-century composer Richard Wagner and 20th-century playwright Tennessee Williams to Italian tenors Enrico Caruso and Luciano Pavarotti who performed in Positano many times (the latter, not so recently).

Not surprisingly, Positano is regarded as the Jewel in the Amalfi crown with luscious gardens with orange and lemon trees surrounded by white and pastel-coloured houses with the occasional palm tree to add to the ambience. The standout building here is the Church of Santa Maria Assunta which is divided into three “navate”, decorated with stucco, and gold ornamentation.

Witihin it’s walls are a collection of important works of art, like the “Circoncisione” by Fabrizio Santafede (from the end of 600), and the famous Byzantine wooden panel, depicting the Virgin Mary and Her Child.

Stocking up on supplies in Salerno, this town is widely considered the best starting point for the Amalfi coast road trip and evidently the allies had the same idea in 1943. This busy port town was the site of the beach landing that was tthe invasion of Italy by allied forces.

From here we followed Autostrada A3 to Vietry sul Mare taking in incredible view after incredible view interspersed with tiny villages known for variety of crafts such as ceramics. The village of Minori is where the ruins of a first century Roman vila lie and before long, Ravello greets you with one of the most spectacular panoramas you’re ever likely to see.

An 11th-century cathedral is the centrepiece of Ravello followed by the famous Villa Rufolo, a 13th century villa that has hosted popes, kings and composers. The views from its gardens are magnificent, along with those from the nearby Villa Cimbrone. Beautiful gardens, tranquil, sleepy streets and sun-drenched vistas are what Ravello does best.

Grotta dello Smeraldo, one of several seaside caves around the world where the water is flooded with a brilliant blue or emerald light due to the access to the outside below the water level.

Bottom: The road to Positano.

The town of Amalfi is a time-defying beauty. Historic Roman ruins, such as those of a nymphaeum that date back to the rule of Emperor Tiberius giving you an idea of the duration of popularity here. A very casual walk through Amalfi and its maze of charming alleyways is the top of anyones list just as long as you’re passing the Duomo (cathedral) that dates from the 9th century and is absolutely awe inspiring.

After 62 quick steps( and quicker down) you will be looking out over Amalfi’s main piazza. The sailing heritage of the Amalfi coast dates back to the 12th century with the Republics of Venice, Genoa, Pisa, the Ragusa (Croatia) and Amalfi where all building fleets of ships both for their own protection and to support extensive trade networks across the Mediterranean.

Positano is further down the way but not before a quick stop at Grotta dello Smeraldo, one of several seaside caves around the world where the water is flooded with a brilliant blue or emerald light due to the access to the outside below the water level. The luminous effect is caused by a refraction of natural sunlight. A few kilometres to the west on the Isle of Capri, there is also the Blue Grotto though this does have a natural opening.

Following the Grotto is the Vallone di Furore, where steep rock walls shelter an enclave of abandoned and partially collapsed fishermen’s houses alongside a tiny harbour and beach. There’s also a deep gorge that should n’t be missed. Just around the corner almost, are the villages of Praiano and Positano.

Amazingly, Praiano has managed to maintain it’s small town authenticity despite becoming one of Italy’s main tourist towns, though the cost of many of the hotels may have something to do with it. Once upon a time, Praiano along with Positano were relatively poor fishing towns, almost immediately finding fame after the publishing of John Steinbeck’s essay for Harpers Bazaar in 1953 in which he writes ‘It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone’.

The tiny beach of Cala della Gavitella catches the sun from dawn until dusk and can be reached from the center of the town via a pathway interspersed with short flights of steps. Additionally, The beach of Marina di Praia beach is a natural fjord, located between Praiano and Conca dei Marini, where the water is deep and blue. In ancient times, Marina di Praia was the village hub where people built boats, fishing nets and prepared cured fish.

Only 10km more is Positano. Long, a favourite with all kinds of artists, Positano translates as ‘put it there’.

300m long, Spiaggia Grandeis the beach and almost the social heart of Positano. One of the largest on the Amalfi Coast, and certainly the most glamorous too with many a celebrity spotted

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here during the summer. Positano’s “sea taxi service” operates a fleet of small boats transporting visitors to the beautiful little bays, such as Remmese, Clavel and Cavone, which can only be accessed from the sea.

Nearing the end of our Amalfi sojurn, we arrive at the quintessential southern Italian town of Sorrento. The idyllic location overlooking the Bay of Naples offers spellbinding views of the Sorrentine peninsula, Mount Vesuvius and the Isle of Capri would be considered the alternative gateway to the Amalfi Coast where the dramatic sea cliffs, natural beauty, and local color have inspired many to sing the city’s praises, contributing to the world’s cultural DNA through the patronage of creative luminaries such as M.C Escher, John Steinbeck, Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee.

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AFTER

THOUGHT

A CITY BUILT BY GENTLEMEN IS NOT A MONIKER NORMALLY ATTACHED TO MANY MEDITERRANEAN CITIES.

History will happily supply you with a rogue’s gallery of conquerors and pirates, looting and plundering only to then be conquered and plundered themselves.

Malta and it’s capital Valetta should, by all reasoning should be such a city yet despite having been ruled by the Phoencians, Romans, Moors and the Normans, it’s Baroque heritage stands out in a way unlike anywhere else in this region.

Also known as the ‘Fortress’ city, Valetta is very much a living, working city being the administrative and commercial heart of the Maltese archipelago. This magnificent city grew on the arid rock of Mount Sceberras peninsula, which rises steeply from two deep harbours, Marsamxett and Grand Harbour. Valletta is named after its founder, the respected Grand Master of the Order of St. John, Jean Parisot de la Valette.

Unknown to most, Malta is actually comprised of three islands: Mainland Malta, Gozo and Comino with a total population of over 400,000 inhabitants spread across 316 square kilometers found almost at the centre of the Mediterranean, 93 km south of Sicily and 288 km north of Africa.

Valetta’s port and harbour earning it the title of ‘Fortress City’ bottom from left: Grand Master’s Palace, Valeta harbour, Entance to the palace

For the travelling history buff, this is certainly a destination for you. Valetta is, without any exaggeration, a living city-museum with architecture spanning a millenium, much of it fully intact. With that it should come as no surprise that walking is by far the best way to get around as there are that so many intriguing historical buildings around every corner, to not walk, you would just miss them.

Throughout the city there are votive statues, fountains and coats of arms high up on parapets with narrow side streets full of tiny quaint shops and cafés. Without too much trouble you could easily retrace the footsteps of St. Paul or see where the Knights of St. John fought their most famous battles.

Once home to world famous artistic masterpieces by Caravaggio and Mattia Preti, St John’s Cathedral is a beautiful Baroque - era church within the old town of Mdina in Rabat, while other places of interest include the Museum of Roman Antiquities and various grandmaster auberges, piazzas & museums (where aforementioned masterpieces are now found). Megalithic temples, underground catacombs, churches and forts are not to be missed.

Equally spectacular in Malta are it’s beaches, of which many could be considered serious rivals to those of the Greek islands. Golden Bay, located on the narrowest point of Malta appears rocky and hilly but a road leads you down to golden sands and beautiful azure-toned waters with many water sports on offer. It also features snack bar, sun beds, tables, chairs and umbrellas. If you want to avoid the crowds, october and november are the best times and being this far south, the winter isn’t really winter.

Next to Golden Bay is Ghajn Tuffieha, otherwise known as the ‘Maltese Riviera’.

With it being slightly more difficult to reach the beach than Golden Bay, it attracts less people than Golden Bay and for further seclusion, there are the other two islands - Gozo and Comino.

Second largest of the islands Gozo is forever enshrined in Greek mythology long thought to be Calypso’s isle in Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey.

Much more rural than the mainland, it is largely characterised by fishing, eco-tourism, crafts and agriculture. Baroque churches and old stone farmhouses dot the countryside while the coastline offers some of the Mediterranean’s best dive sites.

But they can party here too. La Grotta Gozo, One of Europe’s finest outdoor clubs, situated in Xlendi Valley, La Grotta will provide a breathtaking, and picturesque backdrop, for the quality visuals, lights, lasers and sound. The Miami Herald named La Grotta ‘the most beautiful club in the world’ making it along with Malta a great alternative to Ibiza. Many of it’s patrons hail from northern Europe so it’s very much a seasonal affair.

Comino, situated between Malta and Gozo, is the smallest of the two islands and as such is an absolute paradise for snorkelers, divers and windsurfers. There are no cars and only one hotel leaving it almost completely un-inhabited. It’s only 3.5km² GALLERY making it the ideal place for a secluded day trip bathing in aquamarine waters if you are willing to walk a bit further from the island’s main attraction, the Blue Lagoon. In summer, this sheltered inlet of shimmering aquamarine water over white sand is very popular with day-trippers.

Whatever it is you’re looking for in a destination, the Isles of Malta have what you need be it learning a new skill, discovering history or getting fit. For the sportsperson: both the enthusiast and the first-timer are well catered for and there are wellness and spa facilities at the luxury hotels and club resorts. For those looking to just unwind and do very little?

The decision has already been made.

Of all the countries and cultures that border the Mediterranean, Morocco stands out quite uniquely with it’s vast influences, maze-like streets, distinct aromas and sometimes less than pleasant smells.

Part Arab and part African with a french legacy, it’s every part a welcome assault on the senses.

THREE PART

PUZZLE WORD AND PICTURES CHRIS HORDERN

Morocco is certainly a vast and varied territory, where Arabic and French are the dominant tongues though a large part of the population are descended from the ancient Berbers (or Amaziah) and have preserved their own languages and customs. Having only been a united modern nation state since 1956, a decline of powerful dynasties and mighty empires has created a melting pot of tribes, and a multi-faith society.

Blue buildings. Why ?

In 1471, Moorish and Jewish refugees came to Chefchaouen after fleeing from the Reconquista of Spain then again escaping Hitler’s Germany.

In Judaism, blue represents the sky as well as the heavens, reminding everyone to live a life full of spiritual awareness

Morocco’s cities were the obvious draws for me though a 1700km roundtrip was in store to take in the walled cities of Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat and Fes. Ornate mosques, kasbahs and palaces were common and in Marrakesh and Fez I found medieval alleys of ancient medinas with traders of all sorts amidst the scents of Africa.

Marakesh’s Medina (old city) is now a Unesco World Heritage site having been a trading town since the 11th century and with it’s warren of souks, it is the quintessential Moroccan shopping experience. The souks are like clusters of markets that spread out along the medina’s twisting alleyways north of Djemma El Fna and each of the named souks specialises in one item that’s being made and sold from carpets, leather, babouche slippers, jewellery, to metalware, ceramics, baskets and more.

At Djemaa el-Fna square I had an Indiana Jones moment as I was greeted by conjurers, acrobats, trained monkeys, snake charmers, musicians and storytellers all descending on the marketplace at sunset. When the sun starts setting, find a seat at one of the many food stalls then sit back and enjoy the magic show while enjoying freshly fried calamari, salads and flatbreads with fiery dips or Makouda; little deep-fried potato balls made for dipping in spicy harissa sauce.

Getting out to the smaller towns will enable you to get much closer to Morocco’s distinct culture where cornflower-blue houses sprawl on a fertile hillside in the northern town of Chefchouan, or the once Portuguese fortified coastal town of Essaouira. Roughly 8 hours out of Marakesh is Ouarzate, the town where numerous Hollywood films have been made, some in entirety. At Atlas studios there’s a fake fighter jet from The Jewel of the Nile and an Egyptian temple from the Mummy. Once a garrison town built by the french in the 1920’s, it’s not hard to see why it’s such a favourite with Tinseltown with a gigantic fortress here known as Taourirt Kasbah. Tours are available but plan one for the late afternoon to avoid the scorching temperatures.

Courtyard decorated with ornate mosaic and arabesque carvings with traditional couches in a Moroccan riad (hotel)

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Bottom: Tannery at Fez Top from left: Sunset at Casablanca, olives for sale at the souk, Moroccan equivalent of Viagara? Surf shop at near Casablanca, a Tagine for sale in one of the many specialised stores

Like Marrakesh, the medina of Fez is listed as a UNESCO site and also like Marrakesh it’s a navigational nightmare being one of the largest car-free urban zones in the world. Once the capital of Morocco, the UNESCO listing means the twisting cobblestone paths will not be enlarged or smoothed out in any way and the mosques, bazaars and homes will not change.

Google maps and Fez are not friends.

There are however an endless supply of young men and teenage boys offering, in good English, to show you around for a negotiable fee the second you appear confused or dis-oriented. The government has kindly created a system of informational walks around the medina marked by color-coded signs and using them is not unlike a game of Where’s Waldo.

In Fez, the practice of turning hides into supple leather has been an economic mainstay since the middle ages and the methods with which it’s done are no different now than then. Toiling over open vats of animal urine and dung, workers dip skins in to treat them before hand-dyeing them in bright yellow, red and white followed by stomping them under the hot sun to distribute the pigment.

Those unpleasant smells I mentioned at the start.... yep, right here.

In stark contrast to Marrakesh and Fez, Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city, is a Atlantic port with tradition and progressiveness working in perfect tandem.

Roman roots and French city planning has borne a city with mid-century elegance and modern touches including a sleek tram system across its center. Unlike the overflowing mazes in other Moroccan cities, Casablanca’s central market is small and manageable while La Corniche, the waterfront boulevard favoured is the favourite of numerous families by day and everyone else at night with a plethora of clubs and lounges to suit all tastes from student-laid-back lounge to rockbands to basement-bar-jazz/funk like La Calèche hidden down a side street from the Hotel Azur.

The Hassan II Mosque is among Africa’s largest boasting one of the world’s tallest minarets and is one of Morocco’s most striking buildings as well as the only one that permits non-Muslim visitors into its halls.

The end of the week long round-trip journey finally saw me sitting at one of the many cafes reviewing my pictures when over my shoulder I heard the voice of one of my travel companions, looking out onto the square “ I love the colours”.

I put the camera back in the bag. Me too.

Chris Hordern is a London-based travel agent hell-bent on seeing everything possible.

The Hassan II Mosque is among Africa’s largest boasting one of the world’s tallest minarets

ROMAN

WORD AND PICTURES CHRIS HORDERN

WALLS

I’ll be honest with you. I’d never heard of Dubrovnik until I saw a photo of it in someones album on Facebook in 2008 when the social network was still in its infancy.

Yes, I knew of Croatia but at the time but it didn’t really show up on the travel radar through the conflicts in that region throughout the previous century (not too many travel blogs around then either) The loggia in Istria was an important meeting place and the heart of a town’s public and political life.

What the hell was I doing?

Croatia, I’ve since discovered has long been known as the second cleanest coastline in Europe after Cyprus with numerous isolated islands along an 1,800km coastline. It’s on these islands that you will find the best beaches in Croatia.

I arrived in Dubrovnik around 4pm on a Friday which evidently is the same time every package tour in Europe arrives, coaches in file. There are actually 5 airports here but with its proximity to Italy, driving along the coast was the draw-card for me so my journey begins crossing the Slovenian border 4 days earlier.

Once you’re in the north of Croatia, island hopping is fairly easy: A 15 minute boat ride from the fishing village of Fazana will get you to the Brijuni islands where you can wander by the sea in relative solitude with only some Roman ruins for company.

The island of Cres in the Kvarner region is the biggest in the Croatian Adriatic with gorgeous hidden beaches and walking trails through the Tramuntana forest.

Slightly further south and around the peninsula is the island of Cres in the Kvarner region with gorgeous hidden beaches and walking trails through the Tramuntana forest. It’s also the biggest island in the Croatian part of the Adriatic and within that there’s an island for just about everything else from watersports (Brac) and chilling (Hvar) to partying (Pag) with ferries operating within several regions so a bit of planning is required between them. Croatia ferries can get you between

islands Jadrolinija.hr but they have specific regions so research is required. Other islands with incredible beaches are Rab with a lovely bay at Lopar, Korcula has two sandy beaches near Lumbarda, while tiny Susak island is entirely composed of fine, compacted sand.

For the divers, there are numerous dive sites throughout the Adriatic sea, some dating back to the middle ages. This region was and still is a major trade route between Italy and Greece as far back as the days of Roman rule. Many WWII wrecks have been salvaged from the region (especially along the coast of Istria), but for recreational divers there are still many that are accessible. On Susak is the Obis cove where in Margarina at a depth of 6 meters lives a coral reef with a nearby canyon concealing a ancient shipwreck at a depth of 17 meters.

Eventually making it back to the mainland on the Istrian peninsula, I made a straight line for Pula Bike Rental (http://www.pulabike.com/bike-rental) picking

up a bike for €14 then making good use of the regions network of cycle routes casually breezing through a host of rather Italian-esque coastal towns, secluded beaches and yet more Roman remains. Back in the car, its from here I turned inland towards the Plitvice Lakes National Park where 16 crystalline lakes form a cascade of mineral-rich pools one after the other, creating ever changing formations with 18km of pathways around them. There are a number of free boats and buses throughout saving you quite a bit of time which you’ll need as just one of the lakes is 4km long.

Dubrovnik was still 3 days away and though highly recommended, the list is getting longer.

Sibenik, south of Zadar, has gone through a major tourist transformation over the last 5 years, boasting 4 fortresses, the most stunning of which is the that of St Nicholas, the Venetian-built sea-castle that stands at the entrance to St Anthony’s Channel. Spending an entire day here is necessary to see the all the forts but instead I passed by and opted for Split, just to the south.

Split’s seafront promenade named The Riva runs the entire length of the old town and is justifiably considered one of Europe’s finest promenades. Go for a coffee at St Riva café to take in the magnificent view across the harbour to the islands.

Plitvice Lakes National Park where 16 crystalline lakes form a cascade of mineralrich pools one after theother, creating ever changing formations with 18km of pathways around them.

This town came into existence in AD295 through the retirement plans of Roman Emperor Diocletian at the end of his rule and had his palace built here, though he died 10 years later. His empirical cronies did better out of it though with it being used as a Roman retreat long after. Once surrounding the palace were numerous granite sphinxes from Egypt but only three have survived the centuries and are now 3500 years old. One is still located on the Peristyle, the second sits headless in front of Jupiter’s temple and the third sits in the city’s museum. The palace is always hive of activity but especially so on the weekends with two very active and lively markets taking place within the city walls.

From the palace a short stroll will get you to Galerija Mestrovic, a museum originally designed by Ivan Mestrovic, one of Croatia’s most famous artists.

Originally intended to be his home, studio and exhibition space, he emigrated to the United States after World War II instead of retiring here as planned.

A sculptor, painter, architect and writer, one of his statues can be found at the gates of the palace while more sculptures are in the garden but it is the view of the sea and islands that will really take your breath away. I could have spent another two days in Split but no.

Dubrovnik is calling.

Without question the first thing to in Dubrovnik is walk the full circuit of the 24m high medieval walls either early in the morning or in the late afternoon for amazing vistas. The 15th century building near the harbour that was once the Rector’s Palace housed the Council’s meeting rooms, an armoury, gunpowder store and dungeon during the Republic of Ragusa and now the Cultural History Museum .

Taking a more modern turn the relatively recent addition (2010) of a cable car enables the laziest of us to reach Mount Srdj in a mere 3 minutes supplying the group with fantastic views down onto the old town, the sea and islands. Plan to be

Roman Emperor Diocletian had his palace built here to see him through his retirement years though he died 10 years later.

here for the amazing sunsets thus leaving you with a string of options for nightlife aftterwards and they are equally amazing.

A tiny doorway in the sea-ward facing walls is where Buza is located. A fairly informal yet candlelit affair with plastic cups but what a view. With tables perched on differing levels of rock, there is the option of taking a dip before the night It was used as a begins.

Roman retreat Taking the style meter up a few notches is La Bodega, a very modern wine bar for many occupying all four floors of a 17th century building not far from the Rectors palace. years after. A great place to try some Croatian wines in a very classy environment.

For a venue that sits somewhere between the first two, there’s East-West on Banje beach which by day is a beach club and a bar-restaurant until sunrise. An open-air rooftop lounge is, as I thoroughly discovered is an excellent place to sample some cocktails.

In all, Croatia was all I expected it to be, swim, snorkel, dine, drink, kayak and more.

Romans. Where would we be without them?

GALLERY

Compared to similar locales throughout Europe, this still hasnt been tainted by any zealous tourism over-kill and given it’s position just outside the traditional tourist meccas of Europe, it’s a perfect coastal and cultural escape.

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