LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE

Porto’s got the WOW factor

In centuries-old wine cellars in Porto’s historic Vila Nova de Gaia area, the newly opened £100million WOW (World of Wine) pays homage to the region and shines a light on Portugal’s industries and traditions.

Featuring six museums with interactive displays, nine food and beverage destinations, exhibition space and a wine school, visitors get the chance to delve into Portugal’s past and taste the best of its famous dishes and drinks.

Set on the southern bank of the River Douro, highlights include The Bridge Collection, which tells the story of humanity through the evolution of drinking vessels, while the Chocolate Story is a sweet stroll through the world of chocolate and cacao.

Meanwhile, Porto Region Across the Ages lays bare Porto’s history, Planet Cork showcases the industry’s sustainable and innovative side, and The Wine Experience is a journey of discovery through the regions, grape varieties and production methods. wow.pt

British Normandy Memorial Ver-sur-mer, France

The invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944 opened the way to the liberation of Europe and the end of the Second World War. British armed forces played a central role in those events, and more than 22,000 made the ultimate sacrifice in the cause of freedom.

Up to now there has been no single memorial and the Normandy Memorial Trust was created to realise the dream of veterans to finally have one.

Due to be unveiled in June, it will overlook Gold Beach, one of the landing sites for British forces on D-day, and its columns will record all the names of those under British command who lost their lives in Normandy up to August 31.

normandymemorialtrust.org

HISTORIC

Gold Beach

Robert De Niro’s waiting for his hotel chain to open Nobu Marrakech – the first in Africa – and we can’t wait for September either.

Located in the Hivernage district, near the historic medina, souks and the fabled Djemaa el-fna square, there will be 71 rooms, a choice of ‘’dynamic’’ restaurants from the genius of superchef Nobu Matsuhisa, plus a spa, rooftop venues, and indoor and outdoor pools. Rates to be announced. nobuhotels.com

Virgin meets Vegas sounds like a fun mashup and the delayed opening of Richard Branson’s latest property just off The Strip is due in April.

Expect 1,500 groundbreaking chambers rather than rooms, along with some slick food and drink venues such as feet-in-the-sand Mexican pre-party Casa Calavera and the ‘’intimate and sexy’’ Shag Room. Yes, really. From £250. virginhotels.com