TRAVEL Take the heat of your city break by choosing a destination rich in parks and recreation
This summer, take the heat out of your city break by choosing a destination rich in parks and recreation – where it’s easy to escape the madding crowds, says our travel writer Emma Ventura
The last time I was in Helsinki, my flight left without me. When I should have been in a cab heading to Departures,
I was instead sitting quietly by the seaside, focused on nothing more than the two punnets of market-fresh berries in my lap, ripened to an impossible sweetness under the long days of the
Nordic summer. I’d come expecting to be wowed by the cleanliness and design of the Finnish capital, and I was. What struck me more, however, was how the city seemed awash in green and blue, its 330 islands scattered offshore like a flotilla of verdant icebergs. Of course, when I
realised the time, my state of zen was ruined with a frantic, expletive-ridden race to the airport. But I learned a valuable lesson – to seek out serenity in even the most urban environments. That, and to wear a watch. Here’s my selection of serene city breaks…
HELSINKI ON THE WATERFRONT
‘the Slovenian capital is home to Art Nouveau buildings and an abundance of parkland and waterways’
You might come for the contemporary cultural treasures – the 1960s-built Temppeliaukio ‘Rock’ Church, architecture by Alvar Aalto or the Design District featuring more than 200 galleries and stores – but chances are you’ll stay for the experiences that bring you closer to nature. From late spring, sun-starved Finns head to the sands of Pihlajasaari island, a stone’s throw from central Helsinki and characterised by bright beach huts. For visitors, the UNESCO
World Heritage-listed island of Suomenlinna is a must, famous for its walking trails and 18th-century sea fortress. Everywhere you go, there’s a chance for a sauna, such as at Löyly, which has a stunning geometric wooden construction on the Helsinki foreshore and offers post-sauna food and drinks. It’s a quintessentially Finnish respite from the world outside.
STAY Klaus K hotel has rooms that channel nature and folklore. From £136, klauskhotel. com. Suomenlinna offers high-quality hostel accommodation. From £59, hostelhelsinki.fi.
BERLIN SPOILED FOR CHOICE
Known for its classical music, museums, explosive nightlife and edgy creativity, Berlin’s melting-pot culture also extends to its parks. In the centre of town, Tiergarten provides an urban sanctuary close to famous landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate, as well as a home for Zoo Berlin, and Café am Neuen See, an atmospheric lakeside spot serving beer and traditional Bavarian specialities, such as pretzels (above right). On the city’s western side, Grunewald’s 3,000 heavily wooded hectares provide numerous hiking and cycling trails, plus plenty of history at Jagdschloss Grunewald, a Renaissance-era hunting lodge. But perhaps nowhere better exemplifies the city’s inventive energy than
Tempelhofer Feld – a former airport in the city’s south, which has been redeveloped into an eclectic green space where people can enjoy kitesurfing, roller-skating and birdwatching. STAY With views over the zoo, 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin has a safari theme that includes hammock-slung rooms and a newly revamped Monkey Bar. From £134, 25hours-hotels.com.
LJUBLJANA SECOND NATURE
Laid out along medieval lines, the Slovenian capital is home to a towering castle, candy-coloured Art Nouveau buildings and a thriving Central Market, where you can pick up street food for a song. Knitted into it all is an abundance of parkland and waterways – Ljubljana comprises 75 per cent green areas, including 1,400 hectares of forest designated as a carbon sink. The historic Botanic Garden is both a leafy haven and one of the country’s oldest cultural institutions, but it’s at Tivoli Park, the city’s largest, where you can really lose yourself. Running through the centre of town, it was partially designed by Slovenia’s renowned architect, Jože Plecˇ nik. Stroll beneath the horse chestnut trees and along Jakopicˇ Promenade, where outdoor photographic displays are on permanent display.
STAY InterContinental Ljubljana is the city’s tallest hotel, with rooftop terrace views that stretch to the Julian Alps. From £185, intercontinental.com/ljubljana.
PARIS ELEGANT ACREAGE
What the City of Love lacks in overall green space, it makes up for with its immaculate gardens. When the sheer scale of the Louvre becomes overwhelming, wander into the 16th-century Jardin des Tuileries, with its gravel pathways, statuary, flowerbeds and lawns. If you’re feeling reflective, stop at the Musée de l’Orangerie, in which Monet’s Water Lilies compositions are on display, or pause at Café des Marronniers for a classic croque-monsieur or a crêpe with all the trimmings. Kids getting restless? Over on the Left Bank, the Jardin du Luxembourg has plenty to keep little ones occupied, from puppet shows to pony rides.
STAY Close to Jardin du Luxembourg, Hôtel des Grandes Ecoles is an oasis of classic French country style in the city. From £103, hotel-grandes-ecoles.com.
NEW YORK CITY WILD AT HEART
Occasional coyote sightings are proof that Central Park provides a welcome slice of wilderness in the Big Apple, with 341 hectares of craggy bluffs, gardens, fields and woods. Highlights include Central Park Zoo, horse-and-carriage rides, boating excursions on the lake, and the carefully landscaped Conservatory Garden, but less-trod paths can be found at Hallett Nature Sanctuary, the secluded Shakespeare Garden and The Ravine in the North Woods. If you want to lunch like a New Yorker, pick up some deli treats from iconic café Russ & Daughters at the Jewish Museum on Fifth Avenue, then head to Sheep Meadow and join the locals lolling on the grass. STAY 1 Central Park offers farm-to-fork dining (including pizza, right) and interiors inspired by the outdoors. From £267, 1hotels.com. Further afield, Made Hotel has rooms with an airy, natural vibe. From
£190, madehotels.com.
SEVILLE PALATIAL OASIS
It can be hard to know where to turn in the Andalusian capital, with its stunning architectural heritage that runs from Roman to Baroque. Many visitors start at the Real Alcazár, a royal palace with 10th-century origins that is UNESCO World Heritage-listed for its rare blend of Mudéjar Islamic and Western features – vaulted halls, elaborately painted plasterwork, exquisite tiling, minarets and wooden domes. Outside, its extensive gardens are reputed to be the oldest in Europe, featuring fountains, a maze, fruit and vegetables and palm-fringed paths. There is also a 16th-century loggia, Galería del Grutesco, which offers welcome shade and a peaceful spot to observe the greenery. Take the feeling of tranquillity to dinner by walking 10 minutes to Seis, where you’ll find good-value tapas in modern, foliage-rich surroundings.
STAY Set in a 16th-century building, Legado Alcázar has a modern interior and puts you right next to the lush palace gardens. From £94, legadoalcazarhotel.com.