Hilton kid freebies
SNAP up a half-term bargain with a “Kids Stay Free, Eat Free” package from Hilton.
The offer is available in destinations across the UK and abroad for fun-filled family adventures until November 4. It includes a break at the Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel and Spa, close to Ripley Castle, and a stay at the Hilton London Bankside. Book at hilton.com.
YOU might think you’ve “done” Europe after ticking off Paris, Rome, Barcelona and Amsterdam. But there is a whole host of less famous cities where prices are lower and crowds are smaller – perfect for weekends away.
Real gem Antwerp, Belgium
If the European Parliament puts you off Brussels, try Belgium’s fashionable second city of Antwerp. It is one of Europe’s biggest ports, along the river Scheldt.
It has a wonderful Old Town, with a medieval Grote Plaats that is a match for Brussels’ Grand Place. And a diamond cutting district, now with a new museum called Diva. Plus a newly revamped trendy docklands north of the centre, Eilandje, with new hotels, restaurants and the fancy Museum aan de Stroom, which tells the story of the port. Plus great beer and chocolate. GO: Take the Eurostar to Brussels, then it is a short hop north on a local train. Stay in the Best Western Hotel Docklands, with doubles from £87. See bestwestern.co.uk and eurostar.com.
Bear facts Berne, Switzerland
This overlooked Swiss city is the nation’s capital, despite being considerably smaller than Zurich or Geneva.
It is far prettier, with sandstone buildings from the 15th century. Berne has cobbled streets studded with fountains, lined with boutiques and little restaurants in arcades. Much of the historic centre is Unesco registered.
A big part of its attraction is its location on a tongue of land in a loop of the fast-flowing
Aare river. And one of its more unusual features is a bear enclosure on the riverbank. Bears are part of the legend of the city’s foundation.
GO: Berne’s biggest visitor problem is its lack of an airport but there are direct trains from Zurich airport, served by Swissair. Stay in the Hotel Alpenblick. Doubles from £122. See welcomehotels.ch/alpenblick and swiss.com.
Mazy grace Bergen, Norway
Norway’s fjords look like slices of fallen sky in a coastline that totals thousands of miles. Bergen is the acknowledged capital of this coast, and it sits in a mazy puzzle of water and land, surrounded by seven hills, and snuggled around the sheltered inlet of Vagen.
It is an intimate, walkable place, with the newer part on Vagen’s southern side with the popular Torget fishmarket, and Bryggen in the north side. The Unesco-registered slice of old
Bergen dates back to when this was a
Hanseatic crossroads of trade. banana ba boat Galeb will be hosting some of the
For a wonderful overview take the year’s ye events. Live music here is big, and there Floibanen funicular railway up from the back are ar quirky museums such as Peek & Poke, with of Vagen to the top of Mount Floyen. its collection of retro computers.
itg GO:
GO: Flights with Norwegian. The Scandic Flights via nearby Pula airport with Jet2. Bergen City is within walking distance of the Stay St in the modern Bonavia Plava Laguna, main sights. Doubles with breakfast from £72. where a double with breakfast costs from £100. See scandichotels.com and norwegian.com. See e plavalaguna.com/en/hotels and jet2.com.
Cool Croat Rijeka, Croatia
One of next year’s choices for European
Cultural Capital – a scheme that highlights unsung cities – Rijeka is a port on Croatia’s Istrian peninsular, with great views over the giant Gulf of Kvarner.
This was once in the Austro-hungarian empire so has the grandeur of a Vienna-on-sea but with additional cool art spaces, restaurants and trendy bars along the pedestrian Korso, just behind the seafront. In the port, historical
Liquid charms Porto, Portugal
The Th essence of Portugal flows in its second city – the port wine from its cellars and the river Douro, which transports it. Add to that the nicely preserved Ribeira medieval riverside d district, where narrow lanes twist between wine m merchants’ houses, and you have a pocket-sized ci citybreak with a difference.
The vineyards themselves lie upstream, with b both boat and train options for visiting, best ei either in spring or autumn.