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Bastia<br />
France<br />
DIALLING CODE +33<br />
CURRENCY €<br />
FROM THE<br />
AIRPORT<br />
Visit the Europcar<br />
desk on arrival<br />
for special easyJet<br />
infl ight rates.<br />
Holiday Taxis<br />
(easyJet.holiday<br />
taxis.com) take you from<br />
home to the airport, then<br />
city or destination.<br />
TAXI<br />
The fare to the<br />
centre is €40–€50.<br />
Catch the airport<br />
bus to the<br />
Préfecture. The journey<br />
takes about 35 minutes.<br />
Tickets: €8.50.<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €15 La Maison<br />
des Pizzas (Place du<br />
Monument, tel: 04 9537<br />
0852) A varied menu<br />
offers classic dishes<br />
and pizza recipes found<br />
only in Corsica. Expect<br />
a regional twist on the<br />
Italian staple.<br />
UP TO €30 Le<br />
Pressoir (Sortie Port de<br />
Commerce, tel: 04 9532<br />
3496) Le Pressoir’s<br />
menu has recently been<br />
widely expanded. In<br />
these rustic surrounds,<br />
dine on pork with a Cap<br />
Corse sauce, made from<br />
a traditional aperitif.<br />
UP TO €50 Le A (6<br />
Place de l’Hôtel de Ville,<br />
tel: 04 9555 1676) In<br />
a charming part of town<br />
expect refi ned cuisine<br />
– the lobster linguine<br />
and the fondant à la<br />
châtaigne (chestnut<br />
fondant) are so delicious<br />
they’ll have you coming<br />
back for more!<br />
EXCLUSIVE La Table<br />
du Marché (Place<br />
du Marché, tel: 04<br />
9531 6425) Routinely<br />
voted one of Bastia’s<br />
top restaurants, La<br />
Table du Marché offers<br />
refi ned seafood dishes<br />
alongside local wines.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY Carlotti<br />
Salon de Thé (18<br />
Boulevard Paoli, tel:<br />
04 9531 6505) A very<br />
popular bakery-café<br />
and the perfect place to<br />
get in from the cold for<br />
a steamy hot chocolate.<br />
It’s a cosy little space<br />
with perfect pastries.<br />
LIVE MUSIC Pub<br />
Assunta (4 Rue<br />
Fontaine Neuve, tel: 04<br />
PLACE DU<br />
MARCHÉ<br />
GO Explore the<br />
Place de l’Hôtel<br />
de Ville, informally<br />
known as the Place<br />
du Marché at the<br />
weekends when<br />
a traditional market<br />
takes place. Be sure<br />
to check out the lifesize<br />
nativity scene on<br />
display throughout<br />
the month.<br />
9534 1140) One of<br />
Bastia’s only pubs<br />
consistently offering<br />
live music, beer by<br />
the bottle, and a cheap<br />
food menu.<br />
LATE & LIVELY<br />
L’Alba (Quai des<br />
Martyrs, tel: 04 9547<br />
0338) Open late and<br />
fi nishing even later, this<br />
venue is a perfect spot<br />
to round off a long night<br />
out. Dance till 2.30am<br />
to great tunes in a lively<br />
environment.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP For years now<br />
Les Grands Vins de<br />
Corse has offered the<br />
best of the island’s wines<br />
to its loyal customers,<br />
as well as other Corsican<br />
cheese and charcuterie<br />
products (24 rue<br />
César Campinchi).<br />
SEE From 10<br />
December–12 February,<br />
Una Volta Gallery<br />
presents a photo<br />
exhibition of the unique<br />
work of Georges Russe.<br />
See many pieces of the<br />
French photographer’s<br />
award-winning work.<br />
ESCAPE Corte, the<br />
18th-century capital<br />
and home of Corsica’s<br />
only university, is the<br />
starting point for brisk<br />
winter walks through<br />
Corsican countryside.<br />
The journey through the<br />
beautiful island takes<br />
around an hour.<br />
NO WAY!<br />
The town of Calvi<br />
proudly, and somewhat<br />
controversially,<br />
proclaims Christopher<br />
Columbus as their<br />
native son.<br />
Cara Straforelli<br />
Belfast<br />
UK<br />
DIALLING CODE +44<br />
CURRENCY £<br />
FROM THE<br />
AIRPORT<br />
Visit the Europcar<br />
desk on arrival<br />
for special easyJet<br />
infl ight rates.<br />
Holiday Taxis<br />
(easyJet.holiday<br />
taxis.com) take you from<br />
home to the airport, then<br />
city or destination.<br />
TAXI<br />
The fare to the<br />
city centre is £25.<br />
Airport Express<br />
300 runs to the<br />
city centre every 15<br />
minutes during peak<br />
hours Monday–Friday<br />
Tickets: €10 return.<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €15 Café Naz<br />
(393 Ormeau Road, tel:<br />
028 9064 8635) This<br />
recently opened, Indian<br />
restaurant is already<br />
gaining a reputation<br />
for good, inexpensive<br />
Asian food. It’s<br />
unlicensed but you can<br />
take your own drinks.<br />
UP TO €30 Café<br />
Renoir (93–95<br />
Botanic Avenue, tel:<br />
028 9031 1300) This<br />
café-restaurant located<br />
on a buzzing avenue<br />
is a perfect spot for<br />
breakfast, lunch or<br />
dinner. If you visit in<br />
the morning, try the<br />
scrumptious Ulster Fry.<br />
DESTINATION GUIDES | 119<br />
UP TO €50 Deanes<br />
Deli (44 Bedford Street,<br />
tel: 028 9024 8800)<br />
Owned by celebrity chef<br />
Michael Deane, this<br />
restaurant serves high<br />
quality food at relatively<br />
inexpensive prices,<br />
with the daily specials<br />
chalked up on the walls.<br />
EXCLUSIVE No. 27<br />
Talbot Street (27<br />
Talbot Street, tel: 028<br />
9031 2884) Tucked<br />
away in a quiet street at<br />
the Cathedral Quarter,<br />
this restaurant has<br />
gathered a strong<br />
reputation among<br />
Belfast foodies. You<br />
may have to book<br />
ahead at weekends.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY The Oak<br />
Lounge at the Errigle<br />
Inn (312–320 Ormeau<br />
Road, tel: 028 9064<br />
1410) Its oak panelling,<br />
absence of music and<br />
full waiter service makes<br />
this cosy bar the perfect<br />
spot for a quiet pint.<br />
LIVE MUSIC The<br />
Front Page (106–110<br />
Donegall Street, tel:<br />
028 9032 4924) Catch<br />
a live band in this great<br />
venue – expect to hear<br />
anything from country<br />
rock to death metal.<br />
The bar downstairs is<br />
also a good spot for<br />
a pre-gig pint.<br />
LATE & LIVELY The<br />
Cloth Ear (35–39<br />
Waring Street, tel: 028<br />
9023 4888) This bar is<br />
housed in the swanky<br />
Merchant Hotel. It<br />
attracts a good mix of<br />
locals and tourists, who<br />
are all well-dressed and<br />
stay till late, enjoying fi ne<br />
beers and good food.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP If you are in<br />
the market for some<br />
designer clobber you<br />
could do a lot worse<br />
than check out Carter.<br />
It’s probably the safest<br />
bet in town to fi ll your<br />
Christmas stocking with<br />
designer brands (11<br />
Upper Queen Street).<br />
SEE The Christmas<br />
Continental Market<br />
runs until 19 December<br />
and is located in the<br />
beautiful grounds of<br />
the City Hall, right in<br />
the city centre. It’s been<br />
a huge success for<br />
years with several bars<br />
and numerous food<br />
stalls, selling weird and<br />
wonderful treats.<br />
GO North Belfast is<br />
often overlooked by<br />
tourists, but it’s home<br />
to some of the city’s<br />
most beautiful Victorian<br />
architecture. Belfast<br />
Castle is a fantastic<br />
spot for lunch or dinner<br />
followed by a walk up<br />
Cave Hill for a great<br />
view of the city.<br />
ESCAPE The coastal<br />
drive north from the<br />
town of Larne up to<br />
the Giant’s Causeway,<br />
along Antrim Coast,<br />
must surely be one of<br />
the most spectacular<br />
drives in Europe. Stop<br />
off for lunch at the<br />
Londonderry Arms<br />
in Carnlough.<br />
NO WAY!<br />
Belfast has been the<br />
source of many great<br />
inventions. What would<br />
the world be like without<br />
milk of Magnesia<br />
and tractors?<br />
Chris Sherry/<br />
Ulster Tatler
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