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128 | DESTINATION GUIDES<br />
Casablanca<br />
Morocco<br />
DIALLING CODE +212<br />
CURRENCY MAD<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 The journey to<br />
the centre takes<br />
30 minutes and costs<br />
MAD200–MAD250.<br />
Trains depart<br />
every hour to Casa<br />
Voyageur from 6am–<br />
10pm. The journey takes<br />
35 minutes. Tickets:<br />
MAD35–MAD50.<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €15<br />
La Grillardière (Rue<br />
Taha Houcine, tel:<br />
0522 484 929) Expect<br />
succulent brochettes<br />
(grilled meats) at this<br />
charming restaurant.<br />
UP TO €30 TGI<br />
Friday’s (4 Rue Bahr al<br />
Yabane) Try TGI’s<br />
restaurant or dessert<br />
bar. The funky<br />
memorabilia and dishes<br />
never fail to please.<br />
UP TO €50 Ryad<br />
Zitoun (31 Boulevard<br />
Rachidi, tel: 0522<br />
223 927) Restaurant<br />
serving delicious<br />
Moroccan cuisine in a<br />
beautiful, traditional<br />
homely setting. Order<br />
the prune tagine.<br />
EXCLUSIVE<br />
La Bavaroise (135<br />
Rue Allal ben Abdallah,<br />
tel: 0522 311 760)<br />
A great place for those<br />
who appreciate a<br />
friendly atmosphere.<br />
Try seasonal menus<br />
featuring seafood with<br />
a glass of wine from the<br />
fabulous selection.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY Le Nôtre<br />
(86 Boulevard Moulay<br />
Rachid, tel: 0522 396<br />
190) Sample the mouthwatering<br />
delicacies of<br />
this classy, international<br />
café, while sipping on<br />
excellent coffee or tea.<br />
LIVE MUSIC Le<br />
Diplomate (27 Avenue<br />
de l’Armée Royale, tel:<br />
0522 313 011) The<br />
refi ned piano bar at<br />
Hotel Royal Mansour<br />
Méridien is relaxing with<br />
live entertainment<br />
in the evenings.<br />
LATE & LIVELY Le<br />
Boudoir (6 Rue Mer de<br />
Chine, tel: 052 279<br />
7175) Open from 9pm–<br />
4am, this hip Parisianstyle<br />
lounge has cool<br />
weekly theme nights<br />
such as “I love Paris”.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP Founded in<br />
1903, Yazami is a wellestablished<br />
name for<br />
homemade goods: fresh<br />
cheeses and the best<br />
sellou (cake) in town (40<br />
Boulevard Bir Anzarane).<br />
SEE On Christmas Eve<br />
you can join the carolers<br />
by candelight at 7pm<br />
and communion at<br />
11.30pm in St John’s<br />
Anglican Church (Rond<br />
Point LeClerc, next<br />
to the Hyatt).<br />
GO Racine is the<br />
trendiest district of<br />
Casablanca. Find the<br />
Twin Centre buildings<br />
where all the hippest<br />
cafés and boutiques<br />
are. Don’t miss the<br />
interesting mix of<br />
markets and mosques.<br />
ESCAPE A new<br />
motorway has reduced<br />
travel time to Marrakech<br />
to two hours. Pop down<br />
for the day and enjoy<br />
all that this vibrant city<br />
has to offer – including<br />
Jemaa el Fna market, a<br />
real treat for the senses.<br />
TAXI TAXI<br />
RAMADA<br />
ALMOHADES<br />
★ ★ ★ ★ ★<br />
This comfortable<br />
hotel is ideally located,<br />
just a 10-minute walk<br />
from the Medina and<br />
Mohamed Square,<br />
making it a perfect<br />
spot to start your<br />
city tour. Breakfast<br />
included. From €72,<br />
book at holidays.<br />
easyJet.com.<br />
Visit WWW.LOVEMYFRAMES.COM<br />
for the widest range of designer<br />
sunglasses & frames on the internet<br />
NO WAY!<br />
The Portuguese<br />
originally named<br />
Casablanca “Casa<br />
Branca”. It was<br />
renamed Casa Blanca<br />
by the Spanish<br />
hundreds of years later.<br />
Cara Warkentin<br />
Catania<br />
Italy<br />
DIALLING CODE +39<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 A trip to the centre<br />
costs about €20.<br />
Route 457 leaves<br />
every 20 minutes<br />
from 5am–8pm,<br />
stopping in the centre<br />
and the central train<br />
station. Tickets: €1<br />
(ticket machine); €1.30<br />
(onboard).<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €15 Bar<br />
Scardaci (5 Piazza San<br />
Domenico, tel: 095 332<br />
211) Warm up over a hot<br />
drink and tasty Sicilian<br />
fast food in this cosy<br />
little bar, open 24/7.<br />
UP TO €30 Taverna<br />
Coppola (49–51 Via<br />
Coppola, tel: 095 715<br />
3662) This traditional<br />
pizzeria is the perfect<br />
place to kick start<br />
your evening with<br />
huge pizzas or moreish<br />
pasta. The friendly<br />
waiters and great food<br />
mean you might not<br />
want to leave.<br />
UP TO €50 Trattoria<br />
Il Mare (7 Via San<br />
Michele, tel: 095 317<br />
024) A chilled-out venue<br />
which attracts plenty<br />
of locals thanks to its<br />
top quality fare. The<br />
name means seafood<br />
restaurant, so you’d be<br />
a fool to miss any of the<br />
delicious fi sh dishes.<br />
EXCLUSIVE Ai Lumi<br />
Di Oliveri Salvatore<br />
(65 Via Verdi, tel: 095<br />
313 321) Located<br />
within the heart of<br />
the city walls this<br />
luxury restaurant has<br />
an elaborate menu.<br />
Take your pick from<br />
sensational homemade<br />
pasta, delicate fi sh or<br />
hearty meat dishes.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY Rosso<br />
Mela Cafè (55 Via<br />
Santa Filomena, tel:<br />
095 250 3321) This<br />
cool café-wine bar<br />
tucked away on a<br />
narrow little street is<br />
ideal for a leisurely,<br />
pre-dinner drink.<br />
LIVE MUSIC<br />
Mammut (20 Via San<br />
Lorenzo, tel: 095 715<br />
2355) This cultural<br />
space is an art gallery,<br />
restaurant and wine<br />
bar, and it also hosts<br />
some impressive live<br />
music nights. Enjoy<br />
a happy hour cocktail<br />
while listening to some<br />
chilled-out jazz.<br />
LATE & LIVELY<br />
Agorà Hostel<br />
(6 Piazza Currò, tel:<br />
095 723 3010) A trendy<br />
pub housed within this<br />
youth hostel provides<br />
one of the best nights<br />
out in the city. Built in a<br />
cave and surrounded by<br />
ancient ruins, this rustic<br />
venue promises one<br />
seriously lively night.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP Browse Sicily’s<br />
fi nest produce at<br />
Fratelli Motta, a small<br />
shop selling beautiful,<br />
handcrafted souvenirs<br />
and gifts (1 Via Etnea).<br />
SEE At this time<br />
of year, Catania’s<br />
squares are positively<br />
buzzing with traditional<br />
events, markets and<br />
festive celebrations.<br />
If you fi nd it a little<br />
too cold outdoors,<br />
the Bellini Theatre<br />
hosts performances<br />
throughout the month<br />
(12 Via Perrotta,<br />
teatromassimobellini.it).<br />
GO Lidi Playa is a long<br />
stretch of white, sandy<br />
coastline. At this time of<br />
year it will be deserted,<br />
but just as idyllic: take<br />
a stroll along the beach,<br />
dine in local restaurants<br />
or wait till sundown and<br />
hit the clubs.<br />
ESCAPE Indulge in<br />
some fun winter sports<br />
while on Sicily this<br />
month. The nearby<br />
Mount Etna volcano is<br />
covered in snow and the<br />
area buzzes with local<br />
thrill-seekers. The bus<br />
takes about an hour<br />
from Catania and leaves<br />
from the central train<br />
station square.<br />
NO WAY!<br />
After Tuscany, Sicily<br />
has Italy’s secondhighest<br />
number<br />
of UNESCO World<br />
Heritage Sites – there<br />
are fi ve of them!<br />
Alessandro Di Maio/<br />
laspecula.com<br />
For 10% off your fi rst<br />
order enter eJ10 at the checkout
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