Getting the flavour of…
Skiing in South America If you visit Chile during the British summer, it’s possible to tour the country’s great sights (the Atacama Desert, the glaciers of Patagonia and so on) and fit in a bit of skiing. It feels odd to be out on the snow at this time of year, says Tom Chesshyre in The Times, but rather wonderful – especially for guests at the Hotel Portillo, a “marvellous” five-star lodge set high in the Andes, with exclusive access to some of South America’s best slopes. Dating from 1949, and still run by the family who took over in 1961 – the Purcells – it is popular with the continent’s “social set” and has regular visits from the US ski team. The off-piste runs are devilishly challenging, but there’s plenty for beginners too – including great pisco sours at Tio Bob’s café, which has “stupendous” views over the waters of the Laguna del Inca. Scott Dunn (020-3553 1327, www.scottdunn.com) has a ten-night trip from £4,200pp, incl. flights.
Italy’s forgotten riviera The tourist hotspots of Liguria – the Cinque Terre and “swanky” Portofino – lie east of Genoa. Head west instead and you’ll come to Alassio, a small seaside town that was beloved by British holidaymakers until the 1930s – then all but forgotten. It’s a charming place, says Mary Novakovich in The Guardian, with one of the loveliest urban beaches in Italy, lined with “romantic” restaurants and “rustic-chic” cafés. In the pine-covered hills above it perch beautiful villas built by the British in the 19th century, including the Villa della Pergola (now a luxury hotel), whose former guests include the Edwards Lear and Elgar. All around lie lovely villages, such as Laigueglia, which has its own “pretty” beach, and Cervo, a hilltop hamlet with “sweeping” Mediterranean views. The “pleasant” Hotel Eden (00 39 0182 640 281, www.edendalassio.it) has doubles from s90 b&b.
Galicia’s ancient vineyards It was the Romans who started making wine in the green hills of Galicia in northern Spain, carving “cascading terraces” into the vertiginous slopes to cultivate grapes. Working these steep plots is “backbreaking and dangerous”, says Lauren Mowery in The Independent – but in the past two decades, some winemakers have revived the practice, largely abandoned almost a century ago. The remote canyons of the Ribeira Sacra region, which yield light, “elegant” reds from the mencia grape, are spectacular. But the gentler countryside of Valdeorras is also well worth a visit. Its “rich, round” whites made from godello grapes are a little-known delight, as are its charming villages. For a place to stay, try the Parador de Santo Estevo (www.parador.es) or the Pazo do Castro (pazodocastro.com).