march-2011

110 | DESTINATION GUIDES
Amsterdam
Netherlands
or one of the other
many fantastic acts
playing this month.
LATE & LIVELY
Chupitos (25
Zieseniskade) This
recently opened shooter
bar is Amsterdam’s
fi rst, and the aim
was to recreate the
vibe of similar spots
in Barcelona. Down
a chupito (“shot” in
Spanish) named after a
cult legend such as Bob
Marley and Che Guevara.
It attracts a young
crowd, and the staff
aren’t averse to cocktailstyle
showmanship.
THIS MONTH
SHOP Amsterdam
has more than its fair
share of independent
jewellery designers,
but Artwear Jordaan
on Brouwersgracht
treads the line between
fancy and fanciful, with
colourful trinkets galore
(tel: 020 845 5317,
artwearjordaan.com).
SEE If you’re in town
during the fi rst week
of this month, and like
your music loud and
experimental, check
out the annual 5 Days
Off festival at Paradiso.
It’s fast becoming
one of Europe’s best
electronica events
(5daysoff .nl).
GO One of
Amsterdam’s
southernmost districts,
Rivierenbuurt boasts
plenty of buildings from
the Amsterdam school
of architecture and two
beautiful parks. If the
weather’s bad, check
out what’s going on
in the mammoth RAI
convention centre
(22 Europaplein).
ESCAPE If getting
out of the city is more
than you can manage
on a short stay, a
diff erent taste of the
Netherlands can be
found just a few steps
away from the bustling
Spui. The Begijnhof is
a secluded sanctuary
dating from the
Middle Ages. Originally
intended as a retreat
for religious women, it
remains a beautiful spot
for quiet contemplation
to this day.
NO WAY!
Amsterdammers think
nothing of a spot of
inner-city horse riding.
Half way down one
of the city’s busiest
roads, the Hollandsche
Manege equestrian
centre has been in
business for more
than 125 years.
Mark Smith
UP TO €50
Toscanini (75
Lindengracht, tel: 020
623 2813) Dishes on
the menu are made
entirely from organic
and ethically sourced
ingredients. Fine
homemade pasta is
the star here.
Antalya
Turkey
DIALLING CODE +90
CURRENCY TRY
FLY FROM
London (LGW)
FROM THE
AIRPORT
TAXI
Pre-book your taxi
at easyJet.com.
A local taxi costs €25.
Hava Buses
service the city
centre every 30 minutes.
Tickets: €5 single.
Visit the Europcar
desk for special
easyJet rates.
BON APPETIT
UP TO €30 Basoglu
Balık Restaurant
(Meltem Mahallesi, 4
Kapalı Halk Pazarı, tel:
0242 237 8328) Select
your own fi sh from
Basoglu’s stall adjacent
to the restaurant. This is
where the locals gather
for a meal; it’s very
reasonably priced,
and there’s fast and
effi cient service.
EXCLUSIVE
Ristorante Verona
(Ramada Plaza Antalya,
22 Fevzi Çakmak
Caddesi, tel: 0242 249
1111) Á la carte Italian
cuisine of this quality
is a rarity in Antalya.
Verona off ers a varied
menu with great pasta,
pizza, seafood and main
course meat dishes to
satisfy any palate, all
accompanied by an
especially good wine list.
AFTER DARK
LOW KEY Uzaklar
(223A Eski Lara Yolu,
irinyalı Mahallesi) Enjoy
a good martini in a
congenial lounge-bar
atmosphere. This
bar supports a great
selection of imported
beverages and also
off ers low-key jazz.
LATE & LIVELY
Indigo’s Pub (Ramada
Plaza Antalya, 22 Fevzi
Çakmak Caddesi, tel:
0242 249 1111) Midweek
this is the only place to
hear good jazz and blues.
If you’re into oldies,
the same band will stir
your memories and
heartstrings on Friday
and weekend nights.
THIS MONTH
SHOP Rasayana is an
organic store off ering
all things healthy, from
herbal teas and organic
grains to scented oils
and soaps (Bahçelievler
Mh, Pamir Caddesi, 54
Hamitbey apartments).
GO Visit the Suna-Inan
Kıraç Kaleiçi Museum
or the Yivli Minaret and
Ulu Mosque near the
harbour, in the Old City
of Kaleiçi within Antalya.
Fishermen off er boat
trips to view waterfalls
along the beautiful coast.
NO WAY!
Antalya was supposedly
founded in 150BC, but
recent excavations at
Dogu Garaji point to a
more likely date in the
third century BC.
Jon Stigner
Asturias
Spain
DIALLING CODE +34
CURRENCY €
FLY FROM
Geneva,
London (STN)
FROM THE
AIRPORT
TAXI
Pre-book your taxi
at easyJet.com.
A local taxi costs €53
to Oviedo, €45 Gijón
and €23 Avilés.
The Express bus
runs hourly from
6am–10pm to Oviedo
and Gijón. Tickets:
€6.35. Buses to Avilés
cost €1.35.
Visit the Europcar
desk for special
easyJet rates.
BON APPETIT
UP TO €30 Calleja
Real (12 Calle Alfonso
VII, tel: 984 830 104)
This new restaurant
has just opened on a
well-known bar-hopping
street in Avilés. The
venue is cosy and
warmly decorated. Split
a few mouthwatering
fi sh dishes and a bottle
of wine with friends.
EXCLUSIVE
Restaurante Diego (23
Avenida Galicia, tel: 985
508 579) This top-notch
restaurant near the
seaside resort of Salinas
opened in 2007 and
continues to produce
excellent fi sh dishes
such as monkfi sh or
octopus. The chef, Diego,
has introduced a new
concept, off ering haute
cuisine on a set menu.
AFTER DARK
LOW KEY Los Tres
Tenores (20 Calle
Galiana) One of the
most popular, smart but
laidback wine bars on
the town’s main drag
in the Old Quarter. It’s
a great place to have
a pre-dinner drink.
LATE & LIVELY
Barlovento (12 Marqués
de San Esteban, Gijón) A
great stomping ground
in Gijón’s lively club area
on the Poniente beach. It
stays open until 7am and
a long galley-style bar
keeps the drinks fl owing.
THIS MONTH
SHOP Kit yourself
out with stylish gear
by famous designer
Adolfo Dominguez at
one of a number of his
boutiques in the region
(7 Covadonga, Gijón).
SEE Banned during
the Franco years,
Asturians celebrate
Antroxu (carnival) with a
vengeance. Party week
this year is from 2–9
March, and festivities
include fl amboyant
fl oats, fancy dress and
gastronomic indulgence.
NO WAY!
On the Thursday before
Ash Wednesday (3
March) it’s a deep-rooted
Asturian tradition for
comadres (female
friends) to get together
for a celebratory drink.
Karen Thomas