500 best of British
THE WELCOME
Staff were upbeat when we arrived at midday. Our room was not quite ready but we were able to leave our bags so we could go off to explore. There is a small shop and cafe in the low-key reception area, selling sandwiches, snacks and toiletries, as well as table football and comfy seating.
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
It would be hard to find a better location for a weekend break. The hotel is on the harbour front – there is a wonderful terrace at the water’s edge where you can eat your smorgasbord as locals take an early morning dip. The picture-perfect buildings of Nyhavn are on your doorstep, while the Little Mermaid statue is a 20 minute walk away. THE ROOM
Ours had floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the harbour. There was a real feel of luxury, with Face Stockholm products and chic furniture. Book a room on a high floor for great views. THE FOOD
Breakfast is a delicious buffet of typical Scandinavian delicacies – rye bread, smoked salmon, Danish cheese – plus the usual hot stuff. In warm weather, barbecue dishes are served at dinner time on the waterfront.
THE SERVICE
Staff were polite and helpful. There is also a huge chalkboard in the lobby where guests have shared their Copenhagen tips.
THE SCENE
Copenhagen is the sort of city you dream of moving to. And it is not one of those cities where you feel you must cram in activities. Take a wander down to Christiania, the bohemian borough, where cannabis grows freely and residents make their own rules, or go for a craft beer and burger in the hipster Meatpacking district.
LOVED
The bikes for hire for £17 a day, and the plush sauna for a truly Scandi experience. HATED
No conditioner or body lotion in the bathroom – but reception quickly sorted that after a call.
BOTTOM LINE
Rooms from £114, including breakfast. CHECK IT OUT scandichotels.com. EDINBURGH Fringe has been named the ultimate British experience by Lonely Planet.the fun arty festival, running this month, topped its list of 500.
The British Museum was second, with the Giant’s Causeway third. Hadrian’s Wall and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park made the top 20, as did Glastonbury, having a punt in Cambridge and scoffing a pub Sunday roast. FROM river deep and mountain high to rugged shore and desert trail, the majesty and diversity of our planet’s landscapes are best experienced on foot. And a long-distance walk can be the adventure of a lifetime.
Himalayan hike Everest Base Camp Trek, Nepal
OK so you may not be quite ready to tackle the highest peak in the world but every year thousands set off into Nepal’s Himalayas.
Many do the Annapurna circuit over the challenging Thorong La pass, but many more prefer to feel peak buzz by hiking up to Everest Base Camp.
Fly in with fellow trekkers to Lukla, from where there are beautiful mountains and sumptuous valleys to be explored before Base Camp is reached. It means 12 days of strenuous trekking up to eight hours a day and at altitudes of more than 5,500m. In the evenings you relax in Nepalese teahouses – family-run B&BS – learning about the traditions of the sherpas.
GO: A 15-day small group itinerary, starting and finishing in exotic Kathmandu, costs from £825pp. That includes accommodation and guide, but no meals, and domestic but not international flights. See intrepidtravel.com.
Wadi wander The Jordan Trail
Camping in the desert under clear, unsullied skies is one of those experiences not to be missed. Meeting desert nomads, discovering the wildlife that thrives in barren landscapes and stumbling across ancient history in the form of rock-cut villages – all this and more can be experienced on the Jordan Trail.
This 400-mile route connects Um Qais in the north with Aqaba on the Red Sea, passing through 52 villages and offering 40 days of trekking. En route it also connects with the ancient city of Petra and the Unesco World Heritage Site of Wadi Rum.
GO: On The Go Tours’ Dana to Petra trek is an eight-day small group adventure visiting capital city Amman, Petra and Madaba, with five days on the trail. The price, from £1,175pp, includes accommodation and camping, meals and guide, but not flights. See onthegotours.com.
Samurai sally Nakasendo Way, Japan
In the whirlwind of modern development, not much is left of Imperial era Japan. But you can get a feel for what it must have been like by walking the Nakasendo, the hilly route that the footslogging samurai once travelled between Tokyo and the old capital of Kyoto.
The stretch through the Kiso Valley is the most picturesque, with traditional wooden villages and family-run Minshuku guesthouses to stay in, serving spectacular food.
GO: Inside Japan has a 16-night Honshu Hiking trip, which combines parts of the Nakasendo Way with the Kumano Kodo. The price of £3,180pp includes all travel in Japan, all accommodation, some private guiding, but not international flights. See insidejapantours.com.
Lost city
The Inca Trail, Peru
Hummingbirds either side of the path, condors above, peaks of the Andes rolling off in all directions and Inca ruins around the next corner, it is not surprising the Inca Trail is popular. Numbers are regulated by a permit system.
A four-day trek takes you along the original Inca highways from the Urubamba Valley to the royal ro retreat of Machu Picchu, perched high in the th Peruvian cloud forest. You can do a shorter one-day o route that covers the last day.
GO: G Real World has a ten-day tailored holiday in Pe Peru which includes the classic Inca Trail, as well al all accommodation, internal transport, guides, en entrance fees and meals on the trek. It does not in include international flights and costs from £ £1,595pp. See realworldholidays.co.uk.
Big tramp
South Island, New Zealand
New Zealanders love their tramping – that‘s hiking to the rest of us.
The Milford Track, down on the west coast ne near Queenstown, has long been subtitled as th the finest walk in the world. And now there is a ne new contender, the Paparoa Track, which is due to open this December for the first time. It cr crosses the previously inaccessible Paparoa