december-2009

174 | DESTINATION GUIDES
Tangier
Morocco
DIALLING CODE +212
CURRENCY MAD
FROM THE
AIRPORT
Visit the Europcar
desk on arrival
for special easyJet
infl ight rates.
Holiday Taxis
(easyJet.holiday
taxis.com) take you
from home to airport,
then city or destination.
TAXI
Take one of the
cream-coloured
taxis to the city for
about MAD100.
The journey takes
about 20 minutes.
BON APPETIT
UP TO €15 Africa
(83 Rue Salah Eddine
el-Ayoubi, Grand Socco)
Most tourists just walk
through the Grand Socco
market, but choose to
linger a little and order a
sandwich with jiben
arabi (cheese) at this
counter and you won’t
be disappointed.
UP TO €30 Hotel
Continental (36 Rue
Dar Baroud, tel: 053
993 1024) Located
in the Old Medina,
this historical hotel
restaurant offers
candlelit dinners and
superb cuisine.
UP TO €50 Tricam’s
Restaurant and Piano
Bar (Avenue Mohamed
VI, tel: 053 932 3380)
Enjoy a steak and a
cocktail on the beach at
this classy jazz bar and
restaurant reminiscent
of the great R’n’B
lounges of New York.
EXCLUSIVE Oriental
Lounge (Rue de
Cordoue Park Brooks
(behind Intercontinental
Hotel), tel: 053 993
7945) Catering to
those who want an
exotic experience and
exquisite food, this
ornate 1950s banquet
hall is now a restaurant
with belly dancers on
hand to entertain.
AFTER DARK
LOW KEY Number
One (1 Boulevard
Mohammed V, tel: 053
994 1674) Karim, the
amiable Englishspeaking
owner, has
a great music collection
and he plays it quietly
enough that his guests
can sit and chat over
their drink and tapas at
this charming bar.
LIVE MUSIC Space
Lounge (Hotel Oumnia
Puerto, 10 Avenue
Beethoven, tel: 053 932
5043) This respectable
club’s DJ spins techno,
salsa and hip hop. The
party often lasts till 3am.
LATE & LIVELY La
Rose Bleue (Route de
Boubana) Either hit the
main dance fl oor or relax
in the VIP room where
there’s a second dance
fl oor and a DJ playing
tunes for the “It” crowd.
THIS MONTH
SHOP The women at
the cooperative Darna
produce imaginative
versions of traditional
Moroccan clothes and
the money goes to
the street women and
children of the city (Rue
Jules Cot, Place du 9
Avril, tel: 053 994 7065).
SEE Two theatres
in the centre of town
have plenty to offer
this month. The
Cinematheque de
Tanger (Grand Socco)
shows new and vintage
fi lms, and the Salle
Beckett (behind Lycee
Regnault) welcomes
international and local
talent to its stage.
GO Only 15 minutes
outside of downtown
Tangier, the Royal Golf de
Tanger was the second
golf course on the entire
African continent. It
was built in 1914, and is
home to international
golf tournaments. There
is a clubhouse on the
premises to relax in
before hitting the course
(Route de Boubana, tel:
053 993 8925).
ESCAPE On a sunny
day, head to the Roman
ruins of Lixus just north
of Larache. The trip is
best done in a grand
taxi and takes about 90
minutes. Once there,
enjoy the beautiful
landscape and fi nd out
more about the area’s
fascinating history.
NO WAY!
Leonardo Di Caprio was
in Tangier with director
Christopher Nolan of
The Dark Knight fame
this summer, they
were shooting the new
Sci-Fi fi lm Inception
due out in 2010.
Melody Nelson
Tel Aviv
Israel
DIALLING CODE +972
CURRENCY ILS
FROM THE
AIRPORT
Holiday Taxis
(easyJet.holiday
taxis.com) take you
from home to airport,
then city or destination.
TAXI
The fare to the
city centre is
about ILS120.
Trains to Central or
HaShalom stations
run twice hourly during
the day and hourly at
night. Tickets: ILS13.50.
BON APPETIT
UP TO €15 Olive (24
Lilenblum Street, tel: 03
510 6680) This diner
is well-known for its
affordable food, smiling
staff, and fast service.
Order a custom-made
sandwich on the go
or sit in with a plate
overfl owing with pasta.
UP TO €30 Orna ve
Ella (33 Sheinkin Street,
tel: 03 620 4753)
Probably the best Israeli
bistro in Tel Aviv, Orna
ve Ella opened its doors
more than 12 years
ago and still regularly
packs in the locals.
Don’t miss the delicious
sweet potato fritter.
EXCLUSIVE Raphael
(87 Hayarkon Street,
tel: 03 522 6464) With
a delicious French-
Mediterranean menu,
Raphael’s is ideal for
pushing the boat out.
It has a winning
combination: a beautiful
location overlooking the
beach, a sultry interior
and high-end cuisine.
AFTER DARK
LOW KEY Wine Bar
(15 Montefi ore Street,
tel: 03 510 2923) This
is one of the city’s
hotspots, even though it
is a relative newcomer.
As you’d expect, the
wine list is formidable.
LIVE MUSIC Shablul
Jazz (Hanger 13, Tel Aviv
Port, tel: 03 546 1891)
A cosy, enjoyable venue
with daily performances
from both Israeli and
international artists. On
Saturdays they hold
a cool jazz event for kids.
LATE & LIVELY
Barzilay Club
(13 Harechev Street,
tel: 03 687 8090)
An underground club
UP TO
€50
Stefan Braun
(99 Allenby Street, tel:
03 560 4725) Named
after the fur store
that this restaurant
took over, if you’re
looking for a succulent
meat dish, Stefan
Braun for you. It’s
one of the few places
in the city with a real
charcoal grill.
Austria’s largest ski paradise –
much more than meets the eye!
located in an industrial
neighbourhood,
Barzilay hosts different
parties at the weekend
and occasionally
through the week.
It’s well-known for its
electronic music parties
and gay-friendly nights.
THIS MONTH
SHOP For designer
homeware, you
can’t miss Soho
– a wonderful store
boasting numerous
designer pieces for
your home by local and
international designers
(Dizengof Center Mall,
sohocenter.co.il).
SEE Two eclectic music
bands are performing
from 19–20 December
at the Barby Club. Funkygypsy
cabaret act Gogol
Bordello are headlining,
and French-Israeli duo
Boogie Balagan’s ethnic
rock will kick-start the
performances (52
Kibbutz Galuot Street).
GO Tel Aviv Port has
been transformed into
a lively, vibrant place
packed with plenty of
restaurants and shops.
ESCAPE An hour
south east of the
city is Beit Govrin,
an extraordinary
historic site which was
a bustling city 2,000
years ago. It’s fi lled with
natural and manmade
caves which visitors
can explore.
NO WAY!
Tel Aviv is renowned
for its warm, sunny
weather year-round,
but it did snow once,
in February 1950!
Jonathan Canetti
www.skiamade.co.uk