Take a bite of Mango Bay
newly opened attraction Cité du Vin, a swirl of aluminium and glass dubbed the Guggenheim of wine, has given the city a further shot in the arm.
July’s launch of the TGV Atlantic rail line, linking Bordeaux with northern France’s high-speed network, will also bring Bordeaux closer for British travellers who would rather not leave the ground. YOU PAY You can fly with Ryanair (Ryanair.com) from Edinburgh to Bordeaux for as little as £34 return. And stay in the trendy Mamashelter (mamashelter.com) for £70, room only. YOU GO For so long overlooked as just the gateway to the Costa del Sol – which does mean a wide selection of cheap flights – this city has steadily added new reasons to linger, first because of its arts and architecture and more recently thanks to a grand new hotel. YOU GET A cultural break in one of the oldest cities THE price of a week’s spa holiday to Barbados has been slashed by £550 to £1,359, at four-star Mango Bay. T The deal for trips from May 8 to June 25 is based on t two sharing on an alli inclusive basis and i includes returnturn London in the world. Malaga’s history dates back 2,800 years and it still has two hilltop citadels from the era of Moorish occupation – the Alcazaba and the Gibralfaro.
From recent history, Pablo Picasso was born here. His museum has been supplemented in recent years by the Thyssen art collection and a satellite Pompidou Centre from Paris.
The latest hotel opening is the palatial five-star Gran Hotel Miramar in a prominent position by the beach. With that, and the lovely cafe-filled old town and year-round sunshine, Malaga rivals Nice. YOU PAY Easyjet (easyjet.com) flies from a range of UK airports including Liverpool, with prices as low as £39.98 return. Gran Hotel Miramar (granhotel miramarmalaga.com) has doubles from £179. YOU GO A helpful exchange rate, new waterside developments and more flights mean that this flights and transfers. The hotel is 13km from capital Bridgetown and runs free glass-bottomed boat tours plus snorkelling and kayaking activities. Get full details at tropicalsky.co.uk or call 01342 886 941. stunningly located South African city has redoubled its appeal. And it has the country’s winelands and the town of Stellenbosch within striking distance. YOU GET The stunning Table Mountain aside, the Waterfront, with its boardwalk of hotels, restaurants and shopping, has always been Cape Town’s big attraction.
Now the blue-eyed boy of British design Thomas Heatherwick is converting a giant grain silo into an uber smart boutique hotel (The Silo) and creating a museum of contemporary African art (Zeitz MOCAA), the only one in Africa.
Meanwhile the old Cape Dutch settlement of Stellenbosch, which is an hour inland, now boasts six of South Africa’s ten best restaurants so it is well worth the journey. YOU PAY British Airways Holidays offers five nights in Cape Town for £856, taking advantage of new direct flights from London Gatwick (britishairways.com). MY boyfriend wants to go skiing but I’m worried about falling and breaking a leg. Are there any other activities I could do if we go away together? WHY not try Avoriaz, in Morzine, France, with Club Med late in the season. The days will be longer so you can soak up the sun. And the ski school there has introduced yoga on the slopes so you can take part in that if you are not enjoying the skiing.
The beauty of Club Med holidays is that it is all paid for, including meals, drinks and activities, such as sledging. A week leaving on April 9 from Glasgow costs £1,125, which is a saving of £130. Children under four stay free. For full details go to clubmed.co.uk.