Wanderlust issue 122 by Wanderlust Publications

Wanderlust Issue 122 (October 2011) Stretch out summer: Gozo, Jordan, Guinea-Bissau • Mendoza, Argentina • Kyoto, Japan • Hiking Finland • Swaziland • Aceh, Indonesia • Compact system cameras

TRAVEL I ADVENTURE I CULTURE The travel magazine that takes you further

October 2011 www.wanderlust.co.uk

£3.60

Stretch out summer

4 FREE POCKE GUIDEST Malta,

Pu Snowdoshkar, n & Perth ia

escapes to autumn sun:

wild swimming in the Med,

West African beaches,

desert eco-trails, diving in the Gulf,

sailing Turkey’s coast & a walking tour of Beirut…

Argentina Wine & wilderness in Mendoza

000_Cover_Wanderlust_Spot.indd 1

Plus

Kyoto, Japan | Swaziland | Banda Aceh revisited 18/8/11 15:56:18

Contents OCTOBER 2011 • ISSUE 122

360°

Navigator

6 | World in pictures Slices of life from

73 | How to... Spot wildlife in the city – plus tips

Socotra and Sri Lanka, plus cute sea otters 12 | Shortcuts The world’s travel news 14 | Go now! Four tempting trips for tomorrow 16 | 10 things to do for free in... Singapore – how to save in one of Asia’s priciest cities

18 | Trips to take... for mountain highs

Scale global summits on these hot new hikes 20 | Hilary Bradt talks... Phallic obsessions – our new columnist on Bhutan’s manhood

on urban navigation and bear safety

75 | Gear What to pack to travel posh – from lightweight dresses to smart shoes

76 | Health Love your skin: how to diagnose and treat everything from bites to bumps

78 | Phototips Kit special! The new breed of compact system cameras on trial

82 | Q&A Your queries answered on: Indian

massage, the Nullarbor Plain, cycling to Europe

Cover feature Cadair Idris, Snowdonia p135

88 Summer: it’s not

over till it’s over…

Features 22 | Mendoza, Argentina

Slurp, munch, hike and gallop in the high Andes – read all about the Mendoza region, Argentina’s epicurean and adventure capital

42 | Top 5 guide: Kyoto, Japan

The temples to visit, the backstreets to wander and the sushi spots to make you drool in Japan’s former imperial capital

52 | Lapland, Finland

The best hike you’ve never heard of? Strap your boots on for a magical walk into the world’s biggest wilderness, just a three-hour flight away

62 | Swaziland

It might only be 200km long, but this compact nation packs a natural and cultural punch – we help you make the most of it

88 | Stretch out summer

Here at Wanderlust, we can keep the sun shining till autumn! 40 places to combine late sunshine and adventure, from the Med to West Africa

22 Mendoza,

Argentina

106 | Aceh, Indonesia

Devastated by the 2004 tsunami, northern Sumatra is now open for travellers: find orangutans, paradise isles and poignant tales

THE FUTURE Like this map? MAPPING To buy a similar wall map, COMPANY visit www.futuremaps.co.uk 004-005 Contents_SO.indd 4

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From The Road

Arrivals

35 | Ripping yarn Meet the chap who’s

120 | Books The best new travel reads,

cycling 4,000km round the world

36 | Letters etc Emails, blogs, photos and

Pocket Guides

including Sir Mark Tully’s India latest and a fresh perspective on the Arab Spring

ramblings from YOU from around the world – send in yours to WIN Keen gear!

123 | World music Vocal acrobatics with

38 | Just Back From… In our new feature from our myWanderlust forum, readers share their top travel tips from recent trips. This issue: Armenia, Montenegro, China, the Dominican Republic and New Zealand

124 | What’s on The best events, talks, TV, DVDs and radio for armchair travellers

Iranian songstress Azam Ali

125 | World diary Spooks and surfboards – what’s happening in October worldwide

131 | Pushkar, India How to explore India’s loveliest lakeside spot – and cope with its camels 133 | Malta Plan a historic short hop to capital Valletta and nearby Mdina 135 | Cadair Idris Hike, bike and dine in the rugged south of Snowdonia National Park 137 | Perth, Australia It’s a long flight to Western Oz – beat the jetlag with our guide

See29 p1

Lapland, Finland

42 Kyoto, Japan

Malta p133

Pushkar p131

106

Singapore p16

62 Swaziland

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Vintage argentina

Hike, sip and ride Mendoza â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a province where the Andes are at their highest, the wines at their best and the gaucho still gallops free Words Sarah Gilbert

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Mendoza

olding court in his garage, Carmelo Patti greeted me with a vigorous handshake, his roughened, purple-stained hand swamping mine. An old-school Argentine winemaking legend – “I have been treading grapes since I was a child” – Patti arrived from Sicily as a baby and has been making wine for more than 40 years. His winery is essentially a one-man enterprise and he enjoys talking about his wines almost as much as he loves making them. Outside, grapes from the recent harvest were being pressed in an archaic wooden contraption; errant juice ran in rivulets across the concrete. Patti led us past steel fermentation tanks down into the basement that doubles as a wine cellar, the sudden chill coming as a welcome respite from the torpid heat of the day. Then back to the garage, where the bottles are labelled by hand. Despite its diminutive size, the winery is known for producing some of the best wines in Mendoza. His reputation, Patti said, proudly showing me yellowing newspaper cuttings from around the globe, has grown “boca a boca”, from mouth to mouth. He handed me a glass of deep-

Argentina Santiago n

• Mendoza

n Buenos Aires

c h ile

ATLANTIC pacific

purple-hued 2004 malbec straight from the barrel; amid its fruity richness I could taste ripe plums and tart cherries.

Glass half full Argentina’s vineyards stretch from the subtropical valleys of Salta, in the north-west, to northern Patagonia. But it’s the province of Mendoza that has become one of the key grape-growing and wine-producing areas in the southern hemisphere, accounting for up to 70% of Argentina’s wine industry. In 1901, a young Italian immigrant to Argentina wrote to his parents from Mendoza to tell them, “You see nothing but mountains in the distance, like home.” He added, “You drink very well here; the wine costs half what it does in Buenos Aires and is pure and delicious.”

Little has changed. A semi-arid desert, Mendoza lies in the rain shadow of one of the Andes’ greatest elevations, with hot, cloudless days and cool nights. It’s the region’s terroir – diverse terrain, altitude and climate – and the man-made irrigation channels that utilise snowmelt that make it the ideal zone for growing a variety of the finest winemaking grapes. But it’s not just for oenophiles: Mendoza’s mountains, glaciers, canyons and fast-flowing rivers make the ideal terroir for adventure sports as well as vines. People travel here to scale the heights of fearsome Aconcagua – at 6,962m the highest peak on the continent – and swoosh down the slopes of Penitentes and Las Leñas, home to some of South America’s finest skiing. The Spanish criolla grape was planted here as far back as the 1550s and harvested by the Jesuits. In the late 19th century, a wave of mass immigration brought Europeans – particularly Italians – to Mendoza, who introduced bonarda and the almost-forgotten malbec to replace the original grapes. Gradually more classic varietals – cabernet sauvignon, tempranillo, pinot noir – were introduced, but it was about producing quantity rather than quality for the domestic market until the late 1990s. >

Previous spread : Getty. This spread: Alamy; 4Corners; Corbis; Sarah Gilbert

Harvest time Mendoza’s diverse terrain, altitude and climate give it an ideal terroir for winemaking

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TOP 5 GUIDE

KYOTO

Kyoto is your romantic vision of Japan: think geisha, temples and tea shops. Wanderlust helps you uncover the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s many secrets Words Lyn Hughes

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in i M aM a d od o a ik a i k To To Nishioji NishiojiJ R J R

When to go

Kyoto can be visited at any time; however, summers are hot and humid, and winters can be pretty cold, with a chance of snow. Spring and autumn are the best – but also peak – seasons. In Kyoto, cherry blossom usually blooms in April but can be fickle. May is a particularly good month, with pleasant temperatures and usually clear skies. Autumn colours are at their best from mid/late October.

042-051 Kyoto_SO.indd 51

Ginkaku-ji Ginkaku-ji

River River

HIGASHI-ICHJO-DORI HIGASHI-ICHJO-DORI

Keihan Keihan Sanjo Sanjo Karasuma Karasuma Oike Oike Station Station

Karasuma Karasuma Station Station Shijo Shijo Station Station

Philosopher’s Philosopher’s Walk Walk

HIGA SH IOJI -DO RI HIGA SH IOJI -DO RI

o Kamo

K AW A RA M A CHI-DORI am K AW A RA M A CHI-KDORI

TERAMACHI-DORI TERAMACHI-DORI

MARUTA-MACHI-DORI MARUTA-MACHI-DORI Marutamachi Marutamachi Station Station

SH IR A SH IR K A W A -D OR I AK A W A -D OR I

KARASUMA-DORI KARASUMA-DORI

Imperial Imperial Palace Palace Retired Retired Emperor’ Emperor’ s s Palace Palace

I MI P MEPREI RAILA L P APRAKR K

OKAZAKI OKAZAKI ZOOZOO

Heian Heian Shrine Shrine

National National Museum Museum of of Modern Modern ArtArt

Kyoto Kyoto ShiyakushoShiyakushomaemae Station Station

HigashiyamaHigashiyamaSanjo Sanjo Station Station

Sanjo Sanjo Station Station

Keihan Keihan Shoren-in Shoren-in Sanjo Sanjo Yasaka Yasaka Shrine Keihan-Shijo Keihan-Shijo Shrine Station Station Chion-in Chion-in Kawaramachi Kawaramachi MARUYAMA MARUYAMA Station Station PARK PARK

Nanzen-ji Nanzen-ji

Keage Keage Station Station

GION GION KARASUMA-DORI KARASUMA-DORI

HORIK AW A-DOR I HORIK AW A-DOR I

I M AI M AGDE DE AG WAAW A -DORI -DORI

Gojo Gojo Station Station

Higashi Higashi Hongan-ji Hongan-ji

Shosei-en Shosei-en Garden Garden

SHICHIJO-DORI SHICHIJO-DORI

Kujoyama Kujoyama Station Station

HIGASHIYAMA-KU HIGASHIYAMA-KU

Keihan-Gojo Keihan-Gojo Station Station

Kiyomizu-dera Kiyomizu-dera

GOJO GOJO -DO-DO RI RI Kyoto Kyoto National Museum Museum Keihan-Shichijo Keihan-Shichijo National Station Station

Sanjusangen-do Sanjusangen-do

Kyoto Kyoto Station Station

TojiToji

TojiToji Station Station

KujoKujo

Station Station (‘Dream Kyoto’) and an by bus), which handles mainly Daigo, Daigo, UjiUji overnight ladies-only bus Osaka Osaka domestic flights. From the UK (‘Ladies Dream’). Tickets are you will need to fly into Tokyo cheaper if bought five days or Narita (the most common route) more in advance. The journey or Kansai International (75 takes around hours. minutes by trainscale from scaleKyoto). : 16.5mm : 16.5mm==1000metres 1000metres / 15mm /eight 15mm ==1000yards 1000yards The author flew to Tokyo with Getting around Japan Airlines (0844 8569 700, Kyoto’s bus network www.uk.jal.com). Flight time is is extensive and easy to use, 11 hours; prices start at £788 once you get used to it. Entry return. Other airlines include to the bus is usually through the Virgin Atlantic (0844 209 7777, back door, exit is via the front www.virgin-atlantic.com) and door. City buses charge a flat British Airways (0844 493 0787, fare of ¥220 (£1.70) per journey; www.britishairways.com). a one-day card valid for Cathay Pacific (020 8834 8888, unlimited city bus travel costs www.cathaypacific.com) flies ¥500 (£3.90); a book of five bus from London to Kansai tickets costs ¥1,000 (£7.80). International via Hong Kong. There are a number of train The bullet train (shinkansen) lines plus two subway lines: one connects Tokyo to Kyoto; running north-south (Karasuma), journey time is from 2 hours, the other east-west (Tozai). The 20 minutes. Buy a Japan Rail minimum fare is ¥210 (£165). Pass (www.japanrailpass.net) Buy tickets from the machines. before you arrive – they can Kyoto is a good city for only be bought outside the cycling: it’s relatively flat and country. The passes are bikes are numerous. Many excellent value – a seven-day hotels and hostels rent them, or pass costs from ¥28,300 (£220); contact the Kyoto Cycling Tour they can be used on shinkansen, Project (www.kctp.net/en), with the exception of the fastest which also runs guided cycling nozomi service. tours of the city. Taxis are A variety of bus services numerous and, thanks to all the connect Tokyo and Kyoto, competition, not too pricey. including an overnight service

Further reading & information

Lake Lake Biwa Biwa

The author travelled with Audley Travel (01993 838210, www.audleytravel.com/japan). A nine-day trip including Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima costs from £2,140 per person, including international flights, a Japan Rail Pass, transfers and accommodation in good quality hotels. Audley offers both tailormade and group trips to Japan, and can arrange a number of the cultural activities mentioned in the article.

e ne n ns ns I RI kaka J OO-DR O U -D K UKJ O in in Sh Sh

Mototanaka Mototanaka a y a y Station Station a i lawi l w n Rn R z ai z a i MIKMIK AGE AGE -DO-DO RI RI E E

Imperial Imperial Household Household Agency Agency

SHIMOGYO-KU SHIMOGYO-KU

UMEKOJI UMEKOJI

Chayama Chayama Station Station

SAKYO-KU SAKYO-KU

Demachiyanagi/Eizan Demachiyanagi/Eizan Station Station

Imadegawa Imadegawa Station Station

K AW ARAM A CHI -D K AW ARAM A CHI O RI -D O RI

Li Line ne

Katsura Katsura Imperial Imperial Villa Villa

A W A -D O R I H O R IK A W A -D O R I H O R IK

H a H nk an y kyu K u yo Ky t oto L o in Li e ne NISHIKOJI NISHIKOJI

©DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Japan (www.traveldk.com)

OMIYA-DORI OMIYA-DORI

KADONOOJI KADONOOJI

KADONONAKA-DORI KADONONAKA-DORI

r e iv r tsura R e Ka sura Riv t Ka

The trip

The nearest airport to Kyoto is Osaka Itami (one hour

r ve Ri er v Ri

NISHIOJI-DORI NISHIOJI-DORI

SE N B O N - D O R I SE N B O N - D O R I

ID O -K A D O I -K A

NISHI-NANAJO NISHI-NANAJO Nishikyogoku Nishikyogoku Station Station

Station Station

Getting there

o o

ICHIICH I M M O- OA K EA-KNE - N U -KU -K K INK IN

Kyoto has a population Takao Takao SH SH Ninna-ji Ninna-ji Kitano Kitano of nearly 1.5 million UZ UZ Tenman-gu Tenman-gu Shrine Shrine A A -DAORI -D ORI W AW Ryoan-jimichi Ryoan-jimichi KitanoKitanoDEGA A DEGA IM AIM people, although it’s compact N N Station Station Hakubaicho Hakubaicho Station Station Omuro Omuro and feels much smaller. It is Station Station Toji-in Toji-in Sagano Sagano Station Station situated in a valley and Takaoguchi Takaoguchi Myoshin-ji Myoshin-ji Station Station Station Station NAKADACHIURI-DORI NAKADACHIURI-DORI bounded by mountains to Narutaki Narutaki Station Station Myoshin-ji Myoshin-ji the north, east and west. SAWARAGICHO-DO SAWARAGICHO-DO RI RI The city is laid out in a grid Arashiyama Arashiyama S aSgaagnaon o KAMIGYO-KU KAMIGYO-KU system. Most businesses, L L i i n en e Hanazono Hanazono Station Station shops and banks are in the Koryu-ji Koryu-ji central district, with the NijoNijo Castle Castle Ke Ke Imperial Palace to the north,RailRifwauilkifwuuku ay ay O I KOEI-KDEO- DR O I RI Uzumasa Uzumasa Nijojo-mae Nijojo-mae Kyoto Station to the south. NijoNijo Station Station Station Station Station Station Kaikonoyashiro Kaikonoyashiro Many of the temples and Station Station SAN SA JO N-JDOO- D RO I RI shrines are in Higashiyama, Yamanouchi Yamanouchi Sanjoguchi Sanjoguchi Station Station NAKAGYO-KU NAKAGYO-KU Station Station the eastern outskirts, with Omiya Omiya Station Station another clutch (including SHIJO-DORI SHIJO-DORI Saiin Saiin Sai Sai Kinkaku-ji) in the north-west. Station Station Station Station Shijo-omiya Shijo-omiya You shouldn't go wrong if you Station Station MATSUBARA-DORI MATSUBARA-DORI have a good map: this one (right) comes from DK GOJO-DORI GOJO-DORI I I Tanbaguchi Tanbaguchi D O RD O R Eyewitness Travel Guide Japan JO - JO Station Station GO GO H I-ISH I-NISHIKYOGOKU NISHIKYOGOKU S I N N Nishi Nishi SPORTS SPORTS PARK PARK (www.traveldk.com). HANAYA-MACHI-DORI HANAYA-MACHI-DORI Hongan-ji Hongan-ji

Kuramaguchi Kuramaguchi Station Station

Ryoan-ji Ryoan-ji

]

I I I

Shimogamo Shimogamo Shrine Shrine

Insho Insho Domoto Domoto Museum Museum Ryoan-ji Ryoan-ji

I I I -DOI -DRO R IM EIM E SH SH

- DROI R I I -HDIO CHC A GAUG U A MA M K U KR U R

Ta Ta k a n ka o no Ri River ve r

Daitoku-ji Daitoku-ji TA OJIK ITA K IOJID OR DIOR I

Ichijo-ji Ichijo-ji Station Station

I RI O RO O JI-D O JI-D K ITA K ITA

m O K aOKAIDO M KA KAID MO KA

Kinkaku-ji Kinkaku-ji

Kita-Oji Kita-Oji Station Station

SH I M O G A M O- H O N-D ORI SH I M O G A M O- H O N-D ORI

KITA-KU KITA-KU

Shugaku-in, Shugaku-in, Enryaku-ji Enryaku-ji

Kamigamo Kamigamo Shrine Shrine

Planning your trip

Kintetsu Kyoto Kintetsu Line Kyoto Line

Shortlist Kyoto (Time Out, 2009) Kyoto (Lonely Planet, 2008) Japan (DK Eyewitness, 2011;

www.traveldk.com) Memoirs of£ a£ Geisha (Vintage, s s first published 1997), evocative novel by Arthur Golden t t The Old Capital (Shoemaker & Hoard, 1962), Kyoto-set classic by Yasunari Kawabata The Teahouse Fire (Vintage, 2008), Ellis Avery’s debut novel exploring the cultural shifts of late 19th-century Japan Japan Through the Looking Glass (Profile, 2008),

Alan Macfarlane’s investigation of Japanese society www.jnto.go.jp Japan National Tourism Organization n

More online Visit www.wanderlust. co.uk/122 for links to more content: Archive articles

First 24 hours Tokyo – issue 114, Aug/Sep 10 Cycling Shikoku – issue 114, Aug/Sep 10 Wild Hokkaido – issue 91, Nov 07

Planning guides

Japan Travel Guide

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THE WORLD’S

BIGGEST WILDERNESS Finland’s Bear’s Ring Trail is the perfect introduction to the vast Arctic taiga forest – and in autumn it’s ablaze with colour Words & pictures Alex Robinson

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(start)

ar ’

(night 1 camp)

• Ristikallio

• Kiutakongas

Salla

i ng

Oulanka NP fin lan d

n Helsinki Tr

ail

• Jussinkamppa (night 2 hut)

• Oulanka Kuusamo

basecamp (finish)

➚

ircular saw’ – Circuli in Finnish – is not the most obvious name for a reindeer. Unless you’re from Lapland and know that Rudolph and his pals are potential killing machines. “Be careful with Circuli,” warned Paula, our guide at Eastern Lapland’s Salla Reindeer Park. “He’s the dominant male, and in rutting season he gets very jealous. Don’t get close to one of his girls – he may try to spear you with his antlers.” During our pre-trip preparations we’d been more worried about bears and swarms of voracious biting flies. But bears run scared in Finland. They are still hunted; I’d even found a can of bear meat in the local supermarket. And insects swarm only for a few months in early summer. The cool autumn air here was completely free of them. Reindeer, it seemed, were another matter. Free of seasonal fluffy down, Circuli’s antlers were jagged and sharp as javelins. “All the reindeer are domesticated,” Paula continued. “But none are cuddly – except in winter when they’ve forgotten about sex and are decorated for the children. So be careful when you’re out there in the woods.”

➚

The mill hill club The narrow canyons at the Myllykoski watermill make for a picturesque whitewater rafting spot

My brother-in-law Rob and I were in Finland for just that: to walk in the woods for three days on what is surely one of the least-known great hikes – the 80km Karhunkierros, or Bear’s Ring Trail. A year previously, while on a summer solstice pub crawl in Helsinki, I’d been holding forth about how South America still preserves the world’s greatest wilderness areas. Europe is finished, I’d muttered – all houses and roads. Not true, countered my Finnish friends. Antarctica aside, the greatest wilderness in the world lies in Europe, they said, a few hundred kilometres north of their very city. Oh yeah? A Finnish forest? Bigger than the Amazon? Then I checked. They were right. It’s called the taiga and, but for the

Bering Strait, it stretches east in an unbroken belt from Norway to Newfoundland.

Mist & fungal fruitfulness We left Salla’s reindeer for the Karhunkierros the next morning, after bolting eggs, porridge, hot coffee and buns – and struggling to keep them down on a bumpy drive to the trailhead at Ristikallio. Our guide was a buff young Finn called Olli who looked like he spent his free time chasing bears up fells or breaking the ice on Lappish lakes for bracing swims. Olli glanced at Rob’s baggy waterproof trousers and my middle-aged spread, and smirked: “Tell me if I walk too quick.” Then he headed briskly up the steep path into the taiga. It was early September, the onset of the taiga autumn, a season of mist, mellow fungal fruitfulness and colours as vibrant as the maples of Maine or Manitoba. (In Finnish, these vibrant autumn colours have their own name: ruska.) All around us were wispy Scots pines and birches seasoned gold and grey. The mossy ground gave us almost no footfall and the stillness was as palpable as in an empty candlelit cathedral: air so quiet that I could hear the beat of a crow’s wings as it flew 50m overhead. After an hour the forest cleared as we reached a small plateau. The silence was >

54 | Wanderlust October 2011

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endless summer

Mediterranean swims, West African beaches, Middle Eastern walks – our favourite autumn escapes combine sunshine with adventure. And they’re only a few hours’ flight away…

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FOR FINE FOOD, GO TO CYPRUS

For autumnal fare in warmer climes, take to the food trails of Cyprus, says resident Carole French

Average October sunshine hours per day: 8 Average October temperature: 23°C

FIVE MORE

Alamy; Photolibrary

FOODIE HOTSPOTS

Autumn is glorious in Cyprus. Summer’s scorching heat starts to slide, and I can get back out into the countryside, which is blue-green with olive trees, and be part of harvest time. The olives in my grove, like my neighbours’, have turned purple; the almonds and carobs are ready to pick; the grapes in the vineyard are plump and ready to turn into wine. As a traveller, joining in with the harvest – and the après harvest parties – is a great way to mix in. Whether you’re a wine lover or a foodie you will come away with memories that will last, not to mention several kilos

of the freshest produce. Just head for the nearest kafenio (coffee shop) – every village has at least one, it’s where all the men go to gossip – and offer your fruit-picking services. Once harvested, olives will be prepared for eating (you’ll see them laid out in the sun) or taken to the nearest press to be squeezed for oil. Cyprus is dotted with presses; simply wander in. Pressing olives is a riotous occasion. You can help gather in the grapes and sample a few brews, too. The Chrysorrogiatissa Monastery is a surprisingly trendy place to get to grips with grape pressing, as is the Zenon Winery in Omodos village.

Making soutzoukos is an autumnal activity. Join the vivacious Yiota in the food workshop of Agios Neofytos Monastery to make this chewy sweet by threading almonds on to string and dipping them into unfermented grape juice. Get to grips with Cyprus food with a blowout mezedhes lunch. Give lountza (smoked pork) a try, or the slow-cooked kleftiko (lamb). Try Yiannis Taverna in Kathikas near Paphos and ‘new wave’ Archontiko Papadopoulou in Larnaca – both will let you help prep the dishes. Or you could just head for the beach with a picnic. Make for Limassol Market where you can browse for halloumi cheese,

] Chestnuts in Croatia The October Marunada Festival celebrates the nuts that thrive near Lovran, due to its mild microclimate. Enjoy the food and the folk dancing (www.lovran.com). ] Cooking in Morocco Scour the markets of Marrakech, then learn to cook the spoils. On The Menu runs courses (www. holidayonthemenu.com). ] Wine in Madeira The Portuguese isle still simmers at 20°C in October – perfect for a warming walk (with tastings) around the traditional Madeira wine lodges of capital Funchal. ] Truffles in Italy Hunt for fungi in the forests of East Tuscany. Arrange forays from Il Casalone (www.selviturismo.it). ] Cheese in North Cyprus Learn to make halloumi and bake bread at Delcraft, an eco-village at the base of the Karpaz Peninsula (www. ecotourismcyprus.com).

loukanika sausages and herbs tied up in unruly bundles. Take wine and drink a toast to time spent in the Cyprus sunshine. Getting started: Cyprus Airways (cyprusair.com) flies Heathrow to Larnaca daily. Flight time is 4.5 hours; returns from around £280. Also try easyJet, Monarch and Jet2, which fly from UK airports to Paphos and Larnaca. The Columbia Beach Resort (www.columbia-hotels.com) in Pissouri is stylish and central. Doubles from €126 (£110). > Wanderlust October 2011 | 99

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Banda Aceh

green shoots Indonesiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Aceh province bore the brunt of the 2004 tsunami, but seven years on, travellers are discovering idyllic islands, rare wildlife and a remarkable story of recovery Words Mark Stratton

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I I I

Aceh, Indonesia

Banda Aceh

I A region of wild beauty and poignant 1 tales I that1 is bouncing back from disaster

Fly UK-Kuala Lumpur (13.5 hrs), then onwards to Banda Aceh or Medan 1 1

May-Sep for drier weather

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Short break

valletta & Mdina malta

Watery eye Valletta’s Grand Valencia’s Citythe of Harbour was Arts and Sciences base of the Knights includes of St JohnEurope’s for over biggest aquarium 250 years

Where: Malta, mid-Mediterranean Why: For fine food and wine amid cobbled streets and myriad cultures When: Anytime, but spring/autumn is most pleasant

ize isn’t everything, as any Maltese person will tell you. The tiny capital, and even tinier former capital, of this tiny nation have a rich and colourful history, as well as a vibrant modern-day culture. Strategically set in the middle of the Mediterranean, the Maltese Islands have been at the heart of so much. Prehistoric remains suggest Malta may have been part of a causeway from Europe to Africa, while megalithic temples date back to 4000 BC. The Phoenicians and Romans knew the islands well; from AD 870 they were occupied by the Arabs for 200 years, before becoming an adjunct to Sicily. But in 1530 Spain gifted the islands to the Knights of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, who had lost their base in Rhodes. The archipelago’s population was only 12,000, and the only town was

✃

Dreamstime

Think Malta is just for package tourists? Think again. This Mediterranean nation may be small, but it packs a hefty historic punch – best absorbed among the streets of its two most interesting cities, says Lyn Hughes

Mdina, a hilltop settlement in the middle of the main island. The knights settled first in Birgu (now officially called Vittoriosa), building auberges (colleges), where they lived and worked. In May 1565, Suleiman the Magnificent sent a major force to invade Malta. The resulting siege lasted until September, leaving Malta and the Knights battered and bruised. It was clear a new, defendable city was needed, and so Valletta, with its fine natural harbour, was built and became the new capital. The power of the Knights had waned by the end of the 18th century. Napoleon invaded in 1798, but the islands were only in French hands for a couple of years before Britain helped kick them out and took over. Malta remained strategically important and suffered heavy bombing during World War II, before finally gaining independence in 1964.

Today, Valletta is one big museum, live within the citadel’s medieval walls, its history confronting you around although each day coaches spew an every corner. Wander the streets and invasion of tourists. But walk around alleys and you can almost see the the streets in the evening and you’ll ghosts of the Knights and hear the see why this is called the ‘Silent City’. laughter of the sailors who plied It’s too easy to dismiss Strait Street – infamously Malta as a package known as ‘The Gut’ – on holiday destination. their shore leave. Yes, much of the east Catholic Malta, currently the But, although a coast is horribly only EU state not to allow World Heritage site, it is overdeveloped. divorce, is set to pass a law also a living, breathing But away from the legalising the practice this city. A controversial resorts is a different October. Residents will no longer have to travel scheme is underway to Malta, one of Unesco overseas to end their redevelop the site of the sites and layers of marriages. former Opera House, the visible history; of fairly City Gates and Freedom Square priced world-class cuisine and – but even the development is worth excellent wines from the Meridiana seeing. Meanwhile the whole city is estate. One of honey-coloured gradually regenerating as the Maltese buildings and golden light (superb for start to feel proud of it again. photographs); of a language and The gem that is Mdina is still the culture that has borrowed from seat of some of Malta’s oldest and various invaders over the centuries. most noble families. Only 280 people Oh, and it has Marks & Spencer. >

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malta day by day

Sail the harbour, delve into the catacombs and raise a glass to an English hellraiser Book title & edition Malta 15/03/2010 Originally drawn 03/02/2010 Map No. 05 Map title Roman sites External sources Malta / Gozo / Comino base map Date last revised 25/02/2010

 Day 1

 Day 2

St Paul’s Bay

MALTA Mdina Dingli

Dreamstime; Lyn Hughes

VALLETTA

Grand Harbour

Malta International Aiport

0 miles

restaurants: try de Mondion at the Xara Palace (right) and The Medina (www.mol.net.mt/medina). Try to book in advance. Further info: Malta & Gozo (Bradt, 2010); www.visitmalta.com

try the local snacks

Valletta & the Three Cities Compact but packed with sights, Valletta is a dream to explore and St John’s Co-Cathedral (pictured) is as good a place to start. Dating back to the 16th century, it’s plain outside makes the lavish Baroque interior even more of a surprise. Move on into the Oratory for two masterpieces by former novice Caravaggio, including his largest work: The Beheading of St John.

Mosta

Rabat

If arriving in the afternoon, start by exploring Mdina, taking a stroll or a horse-drawn carriage through the atmospheric ‘Silent City’ to get your bearings. A stunning, walled medieval city (right), the streets are deliberately angled, party for defensive reasons, partly for coolness. Only residents and deliverymen are allowed to drive here. During the daytime, the town can be very busy with visitors, but by late afternoon you’ll have the place to yourself. Dominating the main square is St Paul’s Cathedral. Most of the original cathedral was destroyed in the great earthquake of 1693, with rebuilding starting a few years later. Looking at it you’ll see it has two clocks, seemingly different: one tells the time, the other the date (or it’s there to confuse the devil, depending who you believe). You have to pay to enter (€2.50), which is done through the side door. Inside, the floor is a mosaic of tombs of the great and the good. The altarpiece is by

Pastizzi are small savoury pastries filled with cheese, and sold everywhere; ftira is a sort of Maltese sandwich – a round loaf with various fillings

In Republic Square, do some people-watching at the legendary Caffe Cordina; you could even be rubbing shoulders with the prime minister – the nearby Grand Master’s Palace houses the Parliament. Take one of the hourly tours at nearby Casa Rocca Piccola (www.casaroccapiccola.com), a 16th-century palazzo; your guide may be the present-day marquis. Head to Upper Barracca Gardens for views of the Grand Harbour and the firing of the noonday gun. Grab lunch to go – eat it on a across to Vittoriosa, one of the Three Cities. Vittoriosa, also known as Birgu, was the original capital of the Knights of St John. Wander the quiet streets before heading up to the Couvre Porte, the system of defensive gateways. Grab a drink at one of the waterfront cafés or head back to Valletta to raise a glass to Oliver Reed in The Pub on Archbishop Street: this was where the late actor drank his last. For dinner, try Giannini for fresh fish and views over the harbour, or the ever-popular Rubino.

 Days 3-4

Rabat & Mdina

Stroll back through Mdina to catch any of the sights you bypassed. Malta’s Natural History Museum is easy to miss; it’s inside the Vilhena Palace, a lovely Baroque building by Mdina’s main gate. Another sight to catch up on is the Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum

Preti and predates the earthquake. Back outside, head to Bastion Square for panoramic views over the national football stadium, the Meridiana Winery and the great dome of Mosta. Close by is Mtarfa, known to the British for its World War I hospital and barracks. Have a cuppa with a view at Fontanella Tea Garden. Splash out on dinner at de Mondion restaurant; if it’s not too windy you can eat out on the veranda.

it’s the second-oldest building in Mdina and is packed with antiquities that were collected by its previous owner Captain Gollcher. Enjoy lunch with a view at the Palazzo’s rooftop café or pop down to the Old Priory Café, set inside the Carmelite Priory Museum. Head back out of the main gate and into the town of Rabat (the name is Arabic for ‘suburb’). St Paul is believed to have stayed here for three months following his shipwreck on the island. The grotto in which he reputedly lived is next to the church dedicated to him; the altarpiece in the church depicts the shipwreck. There are several Roman catacombs (pictured) that are well worth exploring; St Paul’s is labyrinthine and the most impressive. Do use one of the audio handsets. Have dinner at The Medina resturant. Or, if you had a welldeserved big lunch, enjoy a glass of local wine or Cisk beer in one of the atmospheric bars on Magazine St. If staying an extra day, visit at least one of the prehistoric temple sites, such as Hagar Qim, and the mysterious cart ruts at Dingli Cliffs. Alternatively, take a cruise around the islands or board the ferry to Gozo. ■

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When to go: Summers are hot, dry and busy. Winters are mild. Spring/ autumn are best for sightseeing. Getting there: Air Malta (www. airmalta.com) flies from various UK airports to Malta’s Luqa airport. Ryanair and easyJet also have services. Flight time is three hours. Getting around: Valletta and Mdina are only 10km (6 miles) apart, so you can stay in either. Buses (www.arriva.com.mt) are plentiful and good value; fares are €2.20 for a two-hour ticket; a day Dingli ticket isCliffs€2.60. Agree taxi fares up front. Water taxis (dghajsa, say it ‘die-sa’) can be picked up from Vittoriosa Waterfront or booked to meet you on Valletta Waterfront (www.maltesewatertaxis.com) Where to stay: The Xara Palace in Mdina is a family-owned 17th C palazzo (www.xarapalace.com.mt; recommended). In Valletta, the Phoenicia is a five-star (www. phoeniciamalta.com); the Castille (www.hotelcastillemalta.com) is mid-range; there are several B&Bs. Where to eat: Mdina has excellent

The Silent City

Essential info

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