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176 | DESTINATION GUIDES<br />
Sofia<br />
Bulgaria<br />
DIALLING CODE +359<br />
CURRENCY Leu (BGN)<br />
FLY FROM<br />
London (LGW),<br />
Madrid, Manchester<br />
FROM THE<br />
AIRPORT<br />
TAXI<br />
Pre-book your taxi<br />
at easyJet.com.<br />
A local taxi costs BGN14.<br />
Catch bus 84 or<br />
bus 284. Tickets:<br />
BGN1. The white<br />
marshrutkas van number<br />
30 goes to the centre.<br />
Tickets: BGN1.50.<br />
Visit the Europcar<br />
desk for special<br />
easyJet rates.<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €30 Gara<br />
za Dvama (18 Georgi<br />
Benkovski Ulitza, tel:<br />
989 7675) Based on<br />
the 1982 Soviet fi lm<br />
of the same name,<br />
Gara za Dvama<br />
(“Station for Two”)<br />
was designed to be like<br />
a small train carriage<br />
and off ers Russian<br />
meals and good vodka.<br />
EXCLUSIVE Clock<br />
House (15 Moskovska<br />
Ulitsa, tel: 932 7595)<br />
In a beautifully<br />
restored house<br />
dating back to the<br />
19th century, enjoy<br />
fi ne European and<br />
Bulgarian cuisine in<br />
the enchanting dining<br />
room looking out over<br />
the lush gardens.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY Bash<br />
Bar (31 Ivan Asen<br />
II Ulitsa) This small,<br />
deep-red bar is the<br />
new place for trendy<br />
youngsters who<br />
are looking for<br />
the next big thing.<br />
LATE & LIVELY<br />
My Mojito (12 Ivan<br />
Vazov Ulitza) The<br />
ruby-red lights here<br />
hover around the<br />
heads of people of all<br />
ages and attitudes.<br />
There’s a chill-out<br />
room for the laidback<br />
and another for Red<br />
Bull-mixing rockers.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP Dar za Gorene<br />
is a little candle shop<br />
where you can fi nd<br />
100% handmade<br />
candles, decorated with<br />
symbols inspired by<br />
Bulgarian folklore and<br />
nature (19 Bulevard<br />
Fridtyof Nansen,<br />
tel: 0888 647 516).<br />
SEE The National<br />
Ballet of Georgia<br />
and the folk ensemble<br />
Suhishvili will be in<br />
Bulgaria for the fi rst<br />
time on 18 March<br />
for a spectacular<br />
performance (National<br />
Palace of Culture, tel:<br />
916 6300).<br />
NO WAY!<br />
The inventor of the<br />
air bag and the<br />
answering machine<br />
is the Bulgarian-<br />
American Assen<br />
Jordanoff , who was<br />
born in Sofi a in 1896.<br />
Maya Kozareva<br />
Stockholm<br />
Sweden<br />
DIALLING CODE +46<br />
CURRENCY Krona (SEK)<br />
FLY FROM<br />
Geneva,<br />
Milan (MXP)<br />
FROM THE<br />
AIRPORT<br />
TAXI<br />
Pre-book your taxi<br />
at easyJet.com. A<br />
local taxi costs SEK450.<br />
The Arlanda goes<br />
to the city centre.<br />
Tickets: SEK240 single.<br />
Visit the Europcar<br />
desk for special<br />
easyJet rates.<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €30<br />
Indian Garden (15<br />
Heleneborgsgatan, tel:<br />
08 849 498) This tiny<br />
Indian spot has won<br />
countless prizes and<br />
awards, and it even has<br />
regulars in London who<br />
get their takeaways<br />
delivered by plane.<br />
EXCLUSIVE Museet<br />
(41 Birger Jarlsgatan, tel:<br />
08 201 008) A real tiger<br />
skeleton is part of the<br />
décor but, despite that<br />
and the name, this isn’t a<br />
museum but an upscale<br />
bistro where guests can<br />
enjoy generous portions<br />
of classic Swedish and<br />
French fare, served by<br />
an accommodating<br />
staff . The breast of duck<br />
with coff ee gravy is well<br />
worth the asking price.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY Rival<br />
(3 Mariatorget) One<br />
fl ight up inside the Rival<br />
Hotel (owned by Benny<br />
from Abba), you’ll fi nd<br />
this spacious cocktail<br />
bar, draped in plush<br />
red velvet.<br />
LATE & LIVELY Hell’s<br />
Kitchen (4 Sturegatan,<br />
tel: 08 5450 7675) At this<br />
ritzy hedonist paradise,<br />
the cool minimalism<br />
has been abandoned in<br />
favour of an interior that<br />
can only be described as<br />
rampant maximalism.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP Brunogallerian<br />
is a stylish mini-mall,<br />
which further cements<br />
Götgatsbacken as one<br />
of Stockholm’s trendiest<br />
strips. Shop for Swedish<br />
labels such as Filippa<br />
K and Whyred, and<br />
brands including Adidas,<br />
American Apparel and<br />
Miss Sixty (36 Götgatan).<br />
SEE The exhibition<br />
Män i baddräkt at<br />
Nordiska Museet – the<br />
title translates as “men<br />
in bathing suits” – is<br />
an interesting (and<br />
hilarious) meditation<br />
on fashion choices<br />
and body ideals<br />
through the times<br />
(6–16 Djurgårdsvägen).<br />
NO WAY!<br />
Stockholm syndrome<br />
refers to a psychological<br />
phenomenon in which<br />
hostages feel sympathy<br />
for their captors. The<br />
name refers to a bank<br />
robbery in Stockholm in<br />
1973, during which bank<br />
employees were held<br />
hostage for fi ve days.<br />
Victoria Larsson<br />
Tallinn<br />
Estonia<br />
DIALLING CODE +372<br />
CURRENCY €<br />
FLY FROM<br />
Liverpool,<br />
London (STN)<br />
FROM THE<br />
AIRPORT<br />
TAXI<br />
Pre-book your taxi<br />
at easyJet.com. A<br />
local taxi costs €10.<br />
Route 2 goes<br />
to the centre.<br />
Tickets: €1.60.<br />
Visit the Europcar<br />
desk for special<br />
easyJet rates.<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €30 Neh<br />
(4 Lootsi, tel: 602 2222)<br />
Palatable Baltic Sea<br />
islands fare – that’s<br />
the cuisine off ered by<br />
EXCLUSIVE<br />
RESTAURANT<br />
Chedi (1 Sulevimägi,<br />
tel: 646 1676) Asian<br />
gourmet cuisine is<br />
created under the<br />
observant eye of<br />
award-winning British<br />
restaurateur Alan Yau.<br />
All spices are imported<br />
to create great dishes.<br />
the Pädaste Manor<br />
seasonal kitchen in the<br />
heart of Tallinn city. It<br />
comes from afar, but<br />
none of the food loses its<br />
fresher-than-fresh taste.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY Café<br />
Josephine (16 Vene,<br />
tel: 641 8291) This<br />
hideaway is the perfect<br />
place for candlelight,<br />
wine and nibbles. Expect<br />
relaxed elegance and<br />
indulgent handmade<br />
chocolates served<br />
alongside gourmet teas.<br />
LATE & LIVELY<br />
Cathouse (4–6 Viru)<br />
One of the newest<br />
and sexiest clubs in<br />
town feels like a cross<br />
between a lingerie<br />
catwalk and Studio 54.<br />
Two fl oors with diff erent<br />
dancefl oors and four<br />
bars are sure to appeal.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP Estonian<br />
Craftsmen Shop<br />
has a large variety of<br />
authentic Estonian<br />
handicrafts sold by the<br />
craftsmen themselves,<br />
so you can support the<br />
local traders (23 Viru).<br />
SEE Tallinn Music Week<br />
features concerts by<br />
dozens of established<br />
and up-and-coming<br />
bands showcasing their<br />
talent in this music<br />
networking event.<br />
From 24–26 March<br />
(tallinnmusicweek.ee).<br />
NO WAY!<br />
There’s no excuse for<br />
not keeping in touch<br />
with family back home<br />
– there are 352 wireless<br />
internet areas in Tallinn.<br />
Ain Hinsberg
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