HVAR, CROATIA
Hvar town
Among the six islands we stopped at on our eight-day Croatia sail, Hvar was undoubtedly the stand out. This Dalmatian island, an hour’s ferry journey south of Split, is stunning, from its neoclassical wharf to the cobbled streets in the township. It’s like a Greek island with trees.
As the only remains of the former Governor’s 15th century palace, an imposing clock tower and loggia overlook the piazza.
This main square has a laid-back vibe, with holidaymakers spilling out of the many gelatarias, cafes and restaurants.
As with most of Croatia, there are no sandy beaches, but a scenic walk takes you towards a paved swimming area. We took a sweaty 40-minute walk to the Fortress Fortica Španjola, which is perched on a hill above the old town.
The fortress, restored many times since it was built in the early 16th century, hosts a collection of Middle Age artefacts and offers a
gorgeous panorama of the surrounding Pakleni islands.
STAY/SAIL: Bus-About Croatia
HIKE: Fortress Fortica Španjola
EAT: Konoba Gojava restaurant
SIP: A local drop of wine
LET LOOSE: Kiva Bar
MYKONOS, GREECE
Platos Gialos
Platos Gialos is situated in a half-moon shaped bay. Our hotel pool overlooked the many yachts that flock to Mykonos in the warmer months.
We spent a week basking in the glory that is a Mediterranean summer: sparkling turquoise waters, scorching sun, quad bikes and vodka-laced watermelons. We started our days with a breakfast of Greek yogurt, fruit and pastries.
One does not visit Mykonos without visiting the party hotspots, and we visited all three – Cavo Paradiso, Tropicana and Paradise nightclub.
For a dance music fan, it truly is paradise. The island of Mykonos struck a perfect balance between the relaxed feel of Santorini, and the party feel of Ios.
STAY: Petinos Hotel
PLAY: Cavo Paradiso
EXPLORE: Paraga beach
EAT: Avli Tou Thodori restaurant
SNACK ON: Gyros – quick, cheap and everywhere!
ISTANBUL, TURKEY
Taksim Square
Istanbul seemed like a wildcard destination, but a three-day visit confirmed it’s a great one. My favourite place was Taksim Square. The bustling square, which can hold more than half a million people, is truly the “heart” of modern Istanbul.
After a long day of visiting the sights of Sultanahmet, including the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Hagia Sophia, we took the word of a helpful merchant at the Grand Bazaar and headed to the square.
We arrived late afternoon and, after a brush with death, in the form of haphazard Turkish cabbies, we stopped to admire the Monument of the Republic. The 11-metre-tall bronze and marble monument celebrates the formation of the Turkish Republic in 1923 following the collapse of the Ottoman empire.
Our noses eventually led us to a little restaurant called Köfteci Hüseyin, which specialises in köfte – delectably juicy meatballs, served with dollops of a spicy pepper sauce.
Taksim Square has a great fusion of Western influences and Islamic culture, with American clothing chain stores and sleazy nightclubs next to shops selling traditional Muslim garb and ornate Persian rugs. Settling on a small cafe down a lively laneway, we ordered the best apple tea I have ever tasted and, on the suggestion of the waiter, paired it with apple-flavoured shisha.
STAY: The Grand Hilarium Hotel
CULTURE: The Sultanahmet area
SHOP: The Grand Bazaar
GUILTY PLEASURE: Baklava and Turkish delight in their many varieties
RELAX: Hot apple tea and shisha
BARCELONA, SPAIN
La Ramblas
Sky-high expectations of the Spanish capital were fulfilled. Barcelona has a convivial ambience, perfectly combining tradition and modernity. We stayed in the Catalonia Ramblas hotel, located just off La Ramblas. Visiting Antoni Gaudí’s many architectural feats was high on the tourist-to do list, but we stumbled on the Mercat de Sant Josep (market) soon after arriving and let our appetites lead the way. Piles of flamenco-coloured fruits and a tantalizing array of scents pulled us from stall to stall in awe.
We begin with burritos and paper cones bursting with calamari.
Our hands were never empty as we continued along the stalls, stopping for nachos and marinated olives before continuing on for a fix of fresh fruit.
STAY: Catalonia Ramblas
EAT: Bar Nuria
EXPLORE: Mercat de Sant Josep/ La Boqueria
SHOP: La Ramblas
VISIT: The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc
PLAY: Opium Nightclub
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Al Mina Road
The 50-degree climate is barely noticeable in Dubai if you get caught up in the ridiculous amount of things to do, as we did.
We were drawn to the Dubai Mall daily, like shopaholic moths to the flame. As well as offering every Western clothing brand imaginable and all of the American sweets and snacks you can eat (hello Cinnabons!), there was a jaw-dropping gold market, countless restaurants, an aquarium and a theme park.
We ended our visit to the modern oasis that is Dubai with a desert safari tour. After an intense four-wheel drive trek to a Bedouin-inspired camp, we were greeted by sultry belly dancers and spent the evening riding camels and quad bikes, getting henna on our arms and eating perfectly cooked lamb.
STAY: Ramada Jumeirah
SHOP: The Dubai Mall
SEE: Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo
RIDE: A camel or a quad bike on a desert tour
EAT: Social House restaurant
