november-2010

118 | DESTINATION GUIDES
Bilbao
Spain
DIALLING CODE +34
CURRENCY €
FLY FROM
Ibiza, London
(STN), Rome (FCO)
FROM THE
AIRPORT
TAXI
SINCE
1999
Pre-book your taxi
at easyJet.com.
A local taxi costs €28.
Buses go to the
city every 30
minutes. Tickets: €1.25.
Visit the Europcar
desk for special
easyJet rates.
BON APPETIT
UP TO €30 Colmado
Ibérico (20 Alameda
Urquijo, tel: 94 443
6001) A restaurant,
bakery, cake shop, wine
store and delicatessen
all in one. The restaurant
serves fantastic homecooked
meals.
EXCLUSIVE
Marisquería
Rimbombin (48
Hurtado de Amézaga,
tel: 94 441 0192) One of
the city’s most popular
seafood restaurants,
specialising in locally
caught fi sh and shellfi sh.
It gets busy at weekends,
so book a table.
AFTER DARK
LOW KEY El Placer de
Guadalupe (6 Telesforo
Aranzadi, tel: 94 421
2303) A South American
bar with lots of music,
dancing and a friendly
atmosphere. Drop by for
a quiet drink or join in
with the dancing.
LATE & LIVELY
Palladium (11 Calle
Iparraguirre, tel: 94
422 3015) A lively club
near the Plaza Moyua
in the centre of town.
Open all night for music
and dancing with live
concerts on weekends.
THIS MONTH
SHOP Las Siete Calles
(Seven Streets) is a
shopping area in the
heart of the Old Quarter
of the city. Small, familyrun
shops from a bygone
era sell everything from
homemade berets to
exquisite chocolates
and sweets.
NO WAY!
Most people think
that Bilbao is the
capital of the Basque
Country. The capital
is, in fact, Vitoria.
Katherine Bilsborough
PALACIO
EUSKALDUNA
SEE Go and enjoy a
concert at the Palacio
Euskalduna. Every
Thursday and Friday in
November the Bilbao
Symphony Orchestra
are performing
classical masterpieces
(euskalduna.net).
Bordeaux
France
DIALLING CODE +33
CURRENCY €
FLY FROM
Basel-Mulhouse,
Bristol, Geneva, Liverpool,
London (LGW, LTN),
Lyon, Milan (MXP)
FROM THE
AIRPORT
TAXI
SINCE
2006
Pre-book your taxi
at easyJet.com.
A local taxi costs €35.
A bus goes to Gare
St Jean station.
Tickets: €7.
Visit the Europcar
desk for special
easyJet rates.
BON APPETIT
UP TO €30 Verretigo
(59 Rue Georges
Bonnac, tel: 05 5788
6923) From the
outside Verretigo may
seem unassuming
but venture in for
an adventurous
menu of fresh,
seasonal delicacies
accompanied by an
excellent wine list.
EXCLUSIVE La
Grand Vigne (Chemin
de Bourran, Martillac)
Situated in the
grounds of Château
Smith-Haut-Lafi tte, a
15-minute drive from
the centre of Bordeaux,
chef Nicolas Masse’s
La Grand Vigne
recently won
a Michelin star for its
excellent cuisine. Menu
highlights include roast
lobster served with
vegetable and dried
fruit tagine.
AFTER DARK
LOW KEY Utopia
(5 Place Camille
Jullian, tel: 05 5679
3925) Housed in an
art-house cinema that
used to be a church,
the bar at Utopia is
the perfect place to
relax and enjoy the
beautiful surroundings
of the square.
LATE & LIVELY Café
Brun (45 Rue Saint
Remi, tel: 05 5652
2049) A central bar
that boasts welcoming
and friendly staff, Café
Brun frequently has
live musicians
performing, too.
THIS MONTH
SHOP The Bordeaux
region isn’t famous
just for its wines...
Head to the Cognac
Only Boutique for a
sample of something
a little stronger to lift
the spirits (18 Jean-
Jacques Rousseau).
SEE If you are a bit
of a history buff and
want to clue yourself
up on the French
Resistance, then be
sure to visit the Centre
Jean Moulin on Place
Jean Moulin.
NO WAY!
Seventy years ago,
during World War II,
the French government
briefl y relocated
to Bordeaux.
Charlie Matthews
Brest
France
DIALLING CODE +33
CURRENCY €
FLY FROM
Lyon, Paris (CDG)
FROM THE
AIRPORT
TAXI
NEW FROM
2010
A local taxi costs
around €20.
Buses stop at
Saint Luc and
the city centre. Tickets:
€5 single.
Visit the Europcar
desk for special
easyJet rates.
BON APPETIT
UP TO €30 Il Caffe
(3 Place de la Liberte,
tel: 02 9880 2127) Three
freshly cooked dishes
are whipped up every
day using produce from
the market. There’s a
great bargain menu at
midday, which includes
lots of stir fries and Asian
spices. The restaurant
shuts at 9pm.
EXCLUSIVE L’Armen
(21 Rue de Lyon, tel:
02 9846 2834) The
menu changes every
three weeks, but if you
get the chance, try the
stuffed pigeon with
cabbage and foie gras,
or the lobster, and fi nish
off with the melting
bitter chocolate cake –
delicious. Let the waiter
do the wine selection.
He’s yet to disappoint
even the fussiest
customer in here.
AFTER DARK
LOW KEY Aux Quatre
Vents (18 Quai de la
Douanne, tel: 02 9844
4284) Shells, ropes,
bare wood: this port bar
is amazingly un-touristy
and the regulars are
real characters. A great
place to listen to tall
tales and watch the
world go by while you
work your way through
the whisky list.
LATE & LIVELY
Baikal Café (54 Rue
de Glasgow, tel: 02
9843 2853) This is a
favourite party place,
especially for students.
The speciality is
fl avoured vodkas (from
caramel to ginger, chilli
and chocolate), and the
prices are reasonable.
THIS MONTH
SHOP Cote Nature
sells organic beauty
products including
soap, shampoo,
essential oils, and
herbal teas, alongside
plenty of helpful advice
from the staff (9 Rue
Boussingault, tel:
02 9844 7463).
SEE The legendary
Jean-Michel Jarre
plays the Parc Penfeld
on 24 November. He
is expected to fi ll this
enormous venue and
put on a great show
(penfeld.com).
NO WAY!
The Rue St Malo was
the only street in Brest
which wasn’t destroyed
during World War II.
Samantha David
> See our advert on page 123
www.regtransfers.co.uk
01582 477333