You little beauties
In search of an unforgettable break? ANDREW EAMES bigs up the world’s little gems offering a huge range of diverse attractions
FOR HISTORY LOVERS MALTA
(visitmalta.com)
A large proportion of visitors to Malta are attracted by the low prices and high temperatures of an island in the southern Mediterranean, but that’s only a fraction of the story. Its location, and its superb deepwater port right at the heart of the ancient city has made Malta integral to big moments in history, from the Great Crusades to the Second World War.
Much of downtown Valletta, the capital, is made up of merchant’s houses and the mansions of the crusading Knights of St John, while in the centre of the island there’s everything from Megalithic temples (Hagar Qim) to a former capital, Mdina, known as the Silent City.
It’s no surprise that movie epics such as Gladiator and Troy have been made here. Go: A March week in Malta, with flights, costs as little as £169pp, see broadwaytravel.com.
FOR LLAMA TREKKERS LIECHTENSTEIN
(tourismus.li)
Not to be confused with much larger Luxembourg, this hilly 62 square mile state is wedged between Austria and Switzerland, where it makes most of its revenue from offshore banking.
But there are other reasons for coming here apart from its status as a tax haven: notably its Alpine landscapes, medieval castles and networks of hiking trails.
Of the latter, the Liechtenstein Trail, a new long-distance path launched on the country’s 300th anniversary last year, is where you can trek with llamas.and capitalvaduz has a seriously good modern art collection, too.
Go: Liechtenstein is one of 10 countries covered in Trafalgar’s 18-day Traditional Europe itinerary, from £3,795pp. See trafalgar.com.
FOR RUM FANCIERS GRENADA
(grenadagrenadines.com)
There is no mass tourism on Grenada.
This is not the Caribbean of limousines and vulgar displays of wealth.there are, in fact, fewer than 2,000 hotel beds on the island’s 120 square miles, the vast majority in small, personable hideways.
Physically, the island is lush and steep, its hillsides coated with a rainforest of
Blue Mahoe and Austrian pine, the habitat of monkeys, armadillos and Grenadan doves.this land is so fertile, that you’ve
only got to throw a stick for it to turn into a tree. Culturally, too, it is the real deal, with the 100,000 Grenadians leading their lives as their fathers did before them, frequenting evangelical churches and rum shops in equal measure.
Some of that rum reaches a mind-blistering 138 proof (69 per cent alcohol) – too strong to be allowed on board aircraft.
Go: Seven nights plus flights costs from £1,729pp, see tropicalsky.co.uk.
FOR TRAIL BUNNIES ANDORRA
(visitandorra.com)
This mountainous stronghold in the Pyrenees between France and
Spain is something of an outdoor adventure playground all year round. In winter it is a familyfriendly ski destination and in summer it offers hiking, mountain biking and white water rafting experiences, as well as Europe’s largest thermal spa – Caldea.
Perhaps the best time to come is late spring, when walking routes through the picturesque Incles Valley meander through wildflower meadows where cattle and horses graze.
If you want something more demanding, the summit of Coma Pedrosa at more than 9,500ft offers great views.along the routes lie “refuges”, traditional mountain huts providing shelter and accommodation to hikers.
Go: A five-day trekking tour of the Coronallacs, Andorra’s highmountain circular route, costs from £1,085pp, flights included. See mountainkingdoms.com.
FOR SUPER SHOPPERS SAN MARINO
(visitsanmarino.com)
The oldest republic in the world, with a total population of 26,000, is basically a hill in Italy.and yet it regularly makes its mark in the European Football Championship, although few fans will be familiar with its exact location near Rimini. Monte Titano (right) is crowned by 14th century castles, its medieval streets lined with luxury tax free boutiques.
Originally the state’s collectable stamps were its major source of revenue but now people come for the shopping.
Mind you, the view from the top is stunning: on one side, down to Rimini and the Adriatic, and on a clear night sometimes the lights of Venice. On the other, the hills of Emilia-romagna. And when Monte Titano’s castellations rise out of the morning mist, it doesn’t seem to belong to the real world at all.
Go: A three-night break with flights costs from £529pp, see travelrepublic.co.uk.
FOR INSTAGRAMMERS MALDIVES
(visitmaldives.com)
Picture perfect in nearly every way, these low-slung islands in the
Indian Ocean have made a speciality out of barefoot chic.their architect-designed romantic hideways perch on stilts over turquoise waters and shimmer on white sand beaches.
The diversity of the undersea world here is a diver’s delight, while the onshore facilities are a spalover’s paradise.
It’s a place to lose all track of time, and given the quality of what you get, the sheer number of competing properties keeps prices accessible.
Go: Seven nights in the Kurumba
Maldives, plus flights, costs from £1,679 pp, see kuoni.co.uk.
SINGAPORE
(visitsingapore. com)
This exotic southeast Asian island state, the drip on the nose of peninsular Malaysia, is one of the youngest and most successful economies in the world, fast overtaking troubled Hong Kong.
It is also a spectacular blend of Chinese, Indian, Malay and Western cultures.the result is a goodlooking hi-tech society that works remarkably well.
And that population blend means that the food is outstanding, particularly at what are called Hawker Centres, where individual specialist stalls ring general seating, and where you can graze on everything from Penang Laksa to blackbean crab, for very little money.
Go: A 13-day holiday that combines a city break in Singapore with a beach break in Malaysia’s Langkawi costs from £675pp, without flights. See trailfinders. com.
FOR WATER BABIES BARBADOS
(visitbarbados.org)
Squeaky clean silver sand, a translucent sea, swaying palms and the sun’s warm caress: Barbados is the picture-perfect Caribbean.
The western shore, aka the Platinum Coast, is the place to revel