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140 | DESTINATION GUIDES<br />
Hamburg<br />
Germany<br />
DIALLING CODE +49<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 />
The journey to the<br />
city centre takes<br />
UP TO €50<br />
Restaurante Picasso<br />
(14 Rathausstrasse, tel:<br />
040 326 548) Popular<br />
for business lunches,<br />
this Spanish bistro in<br />
the city centre excels<br />
at daily tapas specials,<br />
fresh fi sh and tender<br />
Argentine beef.<br />
EXCLUSIVE Das<br />
Seepferdchen am<br />
Hafen (212 Grosse<br />
Elbstrasse, tel: 040 3861<br />
6749) Awash with cluedup<br />
thirtysomethings, this<br />
restaurant features the<br />
freshest catch of the day<br />
and white linen-covered<br />
tables punctuated<br />
with retro seats and<br />
communal benches.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY Jacob’s<br />
Bar (401–403<br />
Elbchaussee, tel: 040<br />
822 550) With its<br />
warm, wood-panelled<br />
confi nes, the bar of the<br />
sumptuous Hotel Jacob<br />
lies along the River Elbe<br />
and features harbour<br />
panoramas and<br />
bespoke cocktails.<br />
LIVE MUSIC Elbe 76<br />
(60 Bismarkstrasse, tel:<br />
040 400 235) At this<br />
much-loved hangout in<br />
Hoheluft, the after-work<br />
crowd nip into this<br />
eclectically decorated<br />
basement that pulsates<br />
with a chill-out groove<br />
late into the night.<br />
LATE & LIVELY<br />
Club la Nuit (145B–D<br />
Grosse Elbstrasse,<br />
tel: 040 3803 7730)<br />
Decked out with a stateof-the-art<br />
sound system<br />
and the city’s crème<br />
de la crème, this is<br />
one of Hamburg’s<br />
hottest venues.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP Escape the<br />
bracing winter chill by<br />
making for one of the<br />
many covered passages<br />
that lattice the city<br />
centre, including the<br />
Hamburger Hof, Alte<br />
Post, Bleichenhof and<br />
Alster arcades.<br />
SEE Join in the<br />
festivities at Hamburg’s<br />
Christmas markets,<br />
which kick off during<br />
the fi rst week of<br />
December. Among the<br />
best are those located<br />
at Gänsemarkt and<br />
Mönckebergstrasse; like<br />
the rest, they feature<br />
food stalls, wine stands<br />
and artisanal purveyors.<br />
GO The neorenaissance<br />
Rathaus,<br />
or city hall, has soaring<br />
towers, an awe-inspiring<br />
ornamental façade,<br />
a prominent clock tower<br />
and vast courtyard<br />
with a market.<br />
ESCAPE What else is<br />
there to do in Germany,<br />
except visit Christmas<br />
markets and enjoy hot<br />
sausages and mulled<br />
wine in the freezing<br />
cold? Lübeck, under an<br />
hour from Hamburg,<br />
has one of Germany’s<br />
best Christmas markets<br />
and is a must-visit in<br />
December. Dating back<br />
to the 12th century,<br />
this UNESCO World<br />
Heritage Site features<br />
one of Europe’s largest<br />
preserved Old Towns.<br />
TAXI TAXI<br />
20 minutes and costs<br />
about €22.<br />
S1 S-Bahn trains<br />
run every 10<br />
minutes from 4.29am<br />
until just after midnight<br />
on weekdays; and from<br />
7.30am at the weekend.<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €15<br />
Alsterhaus (16–20<br />
Jungfernstieg, tel:<br />
040 3571 1246) Dine<br />
in the city’s premier<br />
department store which<br />
features a top-fl oor<br />
buffet food court as<br />
well as a Champagne<br />
and cheese bar.<br />
UP TO €30<br />
Abendmahl (6 Hein<br />
Köllisch Platz, tel: 040<br />
312 758) Situated in the<br />
heart of trendy Kiez,<br />
this convivial eatery<br />
serves price-wise<br />
international fare to<br />
colourful gentry.<br />
NO WAY!<br />
The port of Hamburg is<br />
Europe’s second-largest<br />
port and also one of its<br />
most historic, dating<br />
back some 820 years.<br />
Farhad Heydari<br />
Helsinki<br />
Finland<br />
DIALLING CODE +358<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 />
The journey to the<br />
centre costs €30<br />
and takes 30 minutes.<br />
Route 615 leaves<br />
for Rautatientori<br />
every 10–30 minutes.<br />
Tickets: €4.<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €15 Mt.<br />
Everest (12A<br />
Luotsikatu, tel: 09<br />
622 1996) Simplydecorated<br />
Everest<br />
is an excellent lunch<br />
option, offering lots of<br />
vegetarian dishes made<br />
in Nepalese-Indian style<br />
with a Finnish twist.<br />
UP TO €30 Teatteri<br />
Wine and Deli (2<br />
Pohjoisespla, tel: 09 6128<br />
5000) Part of a large<br />
wine, dine and dance<br />
complex, this venue has<br />
minimalist interiors and<br />
serves up some of the<br />
best salads in the city.<br />
UP TO €50 Elite<br />
(22 Et Hesperiankatu,<br />
tel: 09 6128 5200)<br />
Bohemian Elite is a<br />
peaceful and upmarket<br />
joint, perfect for a quiet<br />
meal. The restaurant’s<br />
hearty classics such as<br />
tauno palo (steak with<br />
creamed onions) will<br />
keep your warm.<br />
EXCLUSIVE Savoy<br />
(14 Eteläesplanadi,<br />
tel: 09 6128 5300)<br />
Overlooking the<br />
beautiful Esplanadi,<br />
this restaurant has<br />
long been one of<br />
Helsinki’s favourites.<br />
Enjoy some of Finland’s<br />
best organic produce.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY Bar<br />
Nolla (21 Pohjoinen<br />
Rautatienkatu, tel: 09<br />
440 120) This sleek and<br />
funky school-like café<br />
is a good place to catch<br />
up with friends before<br />
going to a club.<br />
LIVE MUSIC Bar<br />
Loose (21 Annankatu,<br />
tel: 09 586 1819) One<br />
of the main hangouts<br />
CHRISTMAS<br />
MARKET<br />
SHOP Under the<br />
red tents of St<br />
Thomas’ Christmas<br />
Market in Esplanadi<br />
Park, you can eat<br />
and shop to your<br />
heart’s content.<br />
Bursting with gift<br />
ideas, it’s perfect<br />
for last-minute<br />
presents. Pop along<br />
from 7–20 December.<br />
DON’T BE LOST FOR WORDS ON HOLIDAY!<br />
Download a mobile phrasebook for Italian, French, Spanish or German simply by texting:<br />
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*Guides cost £1.50 plus normal UK / roaming costs. Will work on most colour screen phones. Download requires internet connection.<br />
of the local rock’n’roll<br />
crowd, Bar Loose has<br />
always been a good<br />
alternative for those<br />
trying to avoid cheesy<br />
Christmas parties.<br />
LATE & LIVELY<br />
Cuba Cafe & Party<br />
Room (4 Erottajankatu)<br />
Trendy Cuba is quite<br />
a small nightclub with<br />
bright pop art interiors<br />
and some of the best<br />
mojitos in town.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SEE Catch the New<br />
Year’s Eve celebrations<br />
at the Senate Square.<br />
There’s children’s<br />
entertainment early<br />
on, followed by live<br />
musicians and dancers,<br />
and the grand fi nale<br />
is a fantastic fi rework<br />
display from 11pm.<br />
GO Helsinki’s most<br />
attractive district<br />
come Christmas is<br />
the brightly decorated<br />
Aleksanterinkatu. There’s<br />
a maze of streets which<br />
house numerous historic<br />
buildings and restaurants<br />
full of festive spirit.<br />
ESCAPE If enjoying<br />
Finland’s great<br />
outdoors at 0°C isn’t<br />
your cup of tea, relax<br />
in the tropically warm<br />
fountains, jacuzzis<br />
and saunas of Serena<br />
Aqua Park, just 20km<br />
from the city. There are<br />
plenty of activities for<br />
the kids too, with water<br />
slides and pools (10<br />
Nuijamiestentie, Espoo).<br />
NO WAY!<br />
The small fi shing<br />
town of Helsinki<br />
became Finland’s<br />
capital city in 1812.<br />
Evgenia Ivanova<br />
00000 EPHONE MAN 150x28 Banner.i1 1 15/4/09 12:57:00
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