Filter I Early spring breaks
Filter I Early spring breaks
EARLY SPRING BREAKS
Six of the best Wave goodbye to winter and slink off for some sunshine. Our European escapes are simple to sort, effortless to follow, and best of all, perfect right now
44
SUNDAY TIMES TRAVEL APRIL 2018
1
Palma, Mallorca
Chilling out and chic shops
Why spring wins: While it’s still too early for the beach-or-bust brigade, Mallorca’s neatly short-break-sized capital, Palma, is ripe for seafront strolls, alfresco lunches and chic shopping along cobbled streets and tree-lined boulevards. Do visit the vast Gothic cathedral, with its over-altar canopy by Gaudí, and eerie Chapel of the Holy Sacrament (catedraldemallorca. org; £6.20). And get in some art. Find Picasso and Modigliani in a modern space within a 16thcentury fortress (esbaluard.org; £5.30), and Miró at his former studios and gardens (miro mallorca.com; £6.60). But you’ll want plenty of time, too, for idle wandering, glimpsing leafy courtyards and Modernista flourishes in the Old Town streets.
Eat: Graze on grown-up tapas at Hotel Cort’s alfresco tables (hotel cort.com; mains about £16), in the Old Town’s loveliest square. Or fine-dine in the romantic courtyard of Quadrat (hotelsant francesc.com; mains about £21). Sleep: Well-placed in the centre, stylish new Boutique Hotel Sant Jaume (boutiquehotelsantjaume. com; doubles from £142, room only) laps up the rays with its own fourth-floor terrace and pool (and sorts rare rainy days with a sauna). Get me there: Flybe (flybe.com) begins Palma flights in late March from Exeter and Southampton, from £45 one way, and in late May from Doncaster-Sheffield. Norwegian (norwegian.com) flies from Gatwick, from £30 one way.
2
Porto, Portugal
Cobbles and river views
Why spring wins: Porto’s charm is 80 per cent wandering along vertiginous alleys and 20 per cent sipping aperitifs riverside — so take advantage of Iberia’s warm-again weather and pack your cobble-friendly shoes. Stretch your legs post-flight by browsing around the Old Town artery, Rua das Flores, climbing Rua do Ferraz to find lovely views from the secret viewpoint Miradouro do Vitoria. After lunch by the Douro river, take the water taxi (£2.60) over to the Gaia side for an intro to port. Taylor’s winery has a to-the-point audio tour with tastings, for £10 (taylors.pt). At this time of year, you won’t have to elbow for souvenir bottles; and April also sees the first boat trips into the lustrous wine country just upriver (indouro.com; from £55pp).
Eat: Indoor-outdoor options all over suit changeable weather — try the patio tables of caffs on the riverside Ribeira Square (we like rustic Jimao; facebook.com/jimao tapasevinhos; tapas about £4), or gourmet port house restaurants. Barão Fladgate at Taylor’s (barao fladgate.com; mains about £17) has sunny tables with killer views. Sleep: With a destination spa, fancy restaurants, a panoramic terrace bar and outdoor pool, the Yeatman (the-yeatman-hotel. com; doubles from £292, B&B) is Porto’s sole ‘wow’ hotel. Get me there: BA (ba.com) flies from Gatwick, from £36 one way. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Edinburgh, Liverpool and Birmingham, from £20 one way.
3
Lanzarote, Canary Islands Groovy bars and starry skies
Why spring wins: You don’t need us to tell you that the Canaries are steamy when GB is gloomy. But, for travellers, a spring trip beats even a winter hop because of rainfall: April and May are clear-sky corkers, and Lanzarote sees temperatures top 250C. We chose Lanzarote as it’s the least developed of the islands, shaped by the protective hand and stylish eye of local mid-century architect César Manrique. Go north to see his cool cave theatre complex (Los Jameos del Agua; pictured) or groovy viewpoint and bar (Mirador del Rio), but stay south for the starriest skies and best beaches in the Papagayo National Park (£2 car entry). Join the dots by driving the lesser-used LZ-30 through the volcanic vineyards of La Geria region.
Eat: La Era (laera.com; mains about £12) used to be a farmhouse, but now it’s been converted into a typical Canarian restaurant. You can choose which pretty whitewashed outbuilding to dine in, or sit in the suntrap courtyard gobbling papas arrugadas (salted ‘wrinkly potatoes’) and goat stew. Sleep: In Playa Blanca, botanically beautiful Princesa Yaiza hotel (princesayaiza.com; doubles from £149, B&B) makes the most of that sunshine, with huge sea-facing terraces for each room, a beach club, and outdoor heaters so that every gathering can be alfresco. Get me there: TUI (tui.co.uk) flies from 14 UK airports, including Gatwick, Bournemouth, Glasgow and Cardiff, from £69 return.
>
APRIL 2018 SUNDAY TIMES TRAVEL
45
Filter I Early spring breaks
4
Paphos, Cyprus
Sunshine and lunch alfresco
Why spring wins: Never mind the archaeological riches and gorgeous natural surroundings here — springtime in Paphos is all about the sunlight. The heat arrives here before anywhere else in the Med, and by late April highs are in the early 20s, with nine hours of sunshine a day. The sea may not have warmed up, but it’s hot enough for dining outdoors and loafing on the beach. Head 40km up the coast to the Akamas Peninsula National Park for gentle hiking — it’s at its floral zenith in spring and, chances are,
you’ll have the 8km Aphrodite Trail all to yourself. Eat: The one restaurant you must try is the Seven St Georges (facebook.com/7StGeorges; from £18), just up the road in Yeroskipou. Here George Demetriades serves probably the best meze in the world. There’s no menu, but the rules are quite simple: George will keep bringing small plates — rabbit, kleftiko (slow-cooked lamb), fish, salads, cheese, samphire and more — until you tell him to stop. If you get to 20 dishes, you’ve done well.
Sleep: Simple, cheap and with the best views in town, the family-run Axiothea (axiotheahotel.com; doubles from £48, B&B) is the budget pick. The posher choice is the dazzlingly minimalist Almyra (almyra.com; doubles from £108, B&B): there’s a spa, four pools and it’s as friendly to families as it’s cool for couples. Get me there: Thomas Cook (thomascookairlines.com) has returns from Manchester, Bristol, East Midlands and Glasgow from £126. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Stansted, from £25 one way.
>
APRIL 2018 SUNDAY TIMES TRAVEL
47
Filter I Early spring breaks
Cévennes, France
Wildflowers and walking
Why spring wins: Imagine hiking inside a kaleidoscope. That’s the granite highlands of the Cevennes in spring, when walking in the wildflower meadows is like gliding through a fragrant firework display. These mountains, in central southern France, dominated by Mont Lozère, are the Unesco-listed vestige of an ancient France, shaped over millennia by shepherds and sheep. You might see some if you come on a spring walking-break here, along with medieval hamlets and remote mas, or farms, that you’ll long to buy. Base yourself in pretty Le Pont-de-Montvert on the Tarn, from where the walks radiate like petals. The nearest airports aren’t that near (Nîmes is two hours away, Marseille, three), so you’re going to need a car. 48
SUNDAY TIMES TRAVEL APRIL 2018
Eat: You won’t find a bad restaurant in Le Pont-de-Montvert, so choose the best view. La Truite Enchantée (00 33 4 6645 8003; mains about £17) wins — get a table on the balcony at the back. Sleep: La Truite Enchantée (as above) has basic doubles from £40, room only. Even better is Le Merlet (lemerlet.com; doubles from £105, half board), with lovely chambres d’hôtes on a mountain farm. Or book a package: Inntravel (inntravel.co.uk) has six-night walking breaks from £1,098pp, half board, with rail travel. Get me there: Ryanair (ryanair. com) flies Stansted to Nîmes, from £13 one way. EasyJet (easyjet.com) flies from Luton and Manchester to Marseille from £25 one way.
6
Zürich, Switzerland
Fireworks and plum blossom
Why spring wins: You know when spring has arrived in Zürich because the Böögg comes out. This 3.5m, explosives-packed snowman is the highlight of the Sächsilüüte Festival (on April 16 this year). They set him alight and the sooner he explodes, the better summer will be. When the flames have died down, spring has sprung and Zürich blossoms like edelweiss. All the action is focused on the Zürichsee, as cafe terraces open, parks fill with sunseekers and thousands flock to the Chinese Garden to admire the plum blossom. By early May, highs of 200C bring bathers to the lidos on the lake (try Seebad Enge; seebadenge.ch; £6), and on May 4 the entire city turns out for two days of dancing in the streets (zuerichtanzt.ch).
Eat: In trendy Zürich West, Frau Gerold (fraugerold.ch; mains about £21) has turned her innercity kitchen garden into an alfresco hipster paradise, serving grills, salads and Flammkuchen. For lake and mountain views, and exquisite fish, try Fischstube (fischstube.ch; mains about £33), by the Chinese Garden. Sleep: The boutique Marktgasse Hotel (marktgassehotel.ch; doubles from £204, room only) is in the Old Town, between the lake, Limmat River beer gardens and Zürich West. Brekkie in the square outside is one of the joys of spring. Get me there: EasyJet (easyjet. com) flies from Gatwick, from £23 one way. Swiss (swiss.com) has Birmingham returns, from £132.
WORDS: KATIE BOWMAN, LIZ EDWARDS, CHRIS HASLAM, LUCY THACKRAY PHOTOGRAPHS: AWL IMAGES, GETTY, SUPERSTOCK
5
EARLY SPRING BREAKS
Six of the best Wave goodbye to winter and slink off for some sunshine. Our European escapes are simple to sort, effortless to follow, and best of all, perfect right now
44
SUNDAY TIMES TRAVEL APRIL 2018
1
Palma, Mallorca
Chilling out and chic shops
Why spring wins: While it’s still too early for the beach-or-bust brigade, Mallorca’s neatly short-break-sized capital, Palma, is ripe for seafront strolls, alfresco lunches and chic shopping along cobbled streets and tree-lined boulevards. Do visit the vast Gothic cathedral, with its over-altar canopy by Gaudí, and eerie Chapel of the Holy Sacrament (catedraldemallorca. org; £6.20). And get in some art. Find Picasso and Modigliani in a modern space within a 16thcentury fortress (esbaluard.org; £5.30), and Miró at his former studios and gardens (miro mallorca.com; £6.60). But you’ll want plenty of time, too, for idle wandering, glimpsing leafy courtyards and Modernista flourishes in the Old Town streets.
Eat: Graze on grown-up tapas at Hotel Cort’s alfresco tables (hotel cort.com; mains about £16), in the Old Town’s loveliest square. Or fine-dine in the romantic courtyard of Quadrat (hotelsant francesc.com; mains about £21). Sleep: Well-placed in the centre, stylish new Boutique Hotel Sant Jaume (boutiquehotelsantjaume. com; doubles from £142, room only) laps up the rays with its own fourth-floor terrace and pool (and sorts rare rainy days with a sauna). Get me there: Flybe (flybe.com) begins Palma flights in late March from Exeter and Southampton, from £45 one way, and in late May from Doncaster-Sheffield. Norwegian (norwegian.com) flies from Gatwick, from £30 one way.
2
Porto, Portugal
Cobbles and river views
Why spring wins: Porto’s charm is 80 per cent wandering along vertiginous alleys and 20 per cent sipping aperitifs riverside — so take advantage of Iberia’s warm-again weather and pack your cobble-friendly shoes. Stretch your legs post-flight by browsing around the Old Town artery, Rua das Flores, climbing Rua do Ferraz to find lovely views from the secret viewpoint Miradouro do Vitoria. After lunch by the Douro river, take the water taxi (£2.60) over to the Gaia side for an intro to port. Taylor’s winery has a to-the-point audio tour with tastings, for £10 (taylors.pt). At this time of year, you won’t have to elbow for souvenir bottles; and April also sees the first boat trips into the lustrous wine country just upriver (indouro.com; from £55pp).
Eat: Indoor-outdoor options all over suit changeable weather — try the patio tables of caffs on the riverside Ribeira Square (we like rustic Jimao; facebook.com/jimao tapasevinhos; tapas about £4), or gourmet port house restaurants. Barão Fladgate at Taylor’s (barao fladgate.com; mains about £17) has sunny tables with killer views. Sleep: With a destination spa, fancy restaurants, a panoramic terrace bar and outdoor pool, the Yeatman (the-yeatman-hotel. com; doubles from £292, B&B) is Porto’s sole ‘wow’ hotel. Get me there: BA (ba.com) flies from Gatwick, from £36 one way. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Edinburgh, Liverpool and Birmingham, from £20 one way.
3
Lanzarote, Canary Islands Groovy bars and starry skies
Why spring wins: You don’t need us to tell you that the Canaries are steamy when GB is gloomy. But, for travellers, a spring trip beats even a winter hop because of rainfall: April and May are clear-sky corkers, and Lanzarote sees temperatures top 250C. We chose Lanzarote as it’s the least developed of the islands, shaped by the protective hand and stylish eye of local mid-century architect César Manrique. Go north to see his cool cave theatre complex (Los Jameos del Agua; pictured) or groovy viewpoint and bar (Mirador del Rio), but stay south for the starriest skies and best beaches in the Papagayo National Park (£2 car entry). Join the dots by driving the lesser-used LZ-30 through the volcanic vineyards of La Geria region.
Eat: La Era (laera.com; mains about £12) used to be a farmhouse, but now it’s been converted into a typical Canarian restaurant. You can choose which pretty whitewashed outbuilding to dine in, or sit in the suntrap courtyard gobbling papas arrugadas (salted ‘wrinkly potatoes’) and goat stew. Sleep: In Playa Blanca, botanically beautiful Princesa Yaiza hotel (princesayaiza.com; doubles from £149, B&B) makes the most of that sunshine, with huge sea-facing terraces for each room, a beach club, and outdoor heaters so that every gathering can be alfresco. Get me there: TUI (tui.co.uk) flies from 14 UK airports, including Gatwick, Bournemouth, Glasgow and Cardiff, from £69 return.
>
APRIL 2018 SUNDAY TIMES TRAVEL
45
Filter I Early spring breaks
4
Paphos, Cyprus
Sunshine and lunch alfresco
Why spring wins: Never mind the archaeological riches and gorgeous natural surroundings here — springtime in Paphos is all about the sunlight. The heat arrives here before anywhere else in the Med, and by late April highs are in the early 20s, with nine hours of sunshine a day. The sea may not have warmed up, but it’s hot enough for dining outdoors and loafing on the beach. Head 40km up the coast to the Akamas Peninsula National Park for gentle hiking — it’s at its floral zenith in spring and, chances are,
you’ll have the 8km Aphrodite Trail all to yourself. Eat: The one restaurant you must try is the Seven St Georges (facebook.com/7StGeorges; from £18), just up the road in Yeroskipou. Here George Demetriades serves probably the best meze in the world. There’s no menu, but the rules are quite simple: George will keep bringing small plates — rabbit, kleftiko (slow-cooked lamb), fish, salads, cheese, samphire and more — until you tell him to stop. If you get to 20 dishes, you’ve done well.
Sleep: Simple, cheap and with the best views in town, the family-run Axiothea (axiotheahotel.com; doubles from £48, B&B) is the budget pick. The posher choice is the dazzlingly minimalist Almyra (almyra.com; doubles from £108, B&B): there’s a spa, four pools and it’s as friendly to families as it’s cool for couples. Get me there: Thomas Cook (thomascookairlines.com) has returns from Manchester, Bristol, East Midlands and Glasgow from £126. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Stansted, from £25 one way.
>
APRIL 2018 SUNDAY TIMES TRAVEL
47
Filter I Early spring breaks
Cévennes, France
Wildflowers and walking
Why spring wins: Imagine hiking inside a kaleidoscope. That’s the granite highlands of the Cevennes in spring, when walking in the wildflower meadows is like gliding through a fragrant firework display. These mountains, in central southern France, dominated by Mont Lozère, are the Unesco-listed vestige of an ancient France, shaped over millennia by shepherds and sheep. You might see some if you come on a spring walking-break here, along with medieval hamlets and remote mas, or farms, that you’ll long to buy. Base yourself in pretty Le Pont-de-Montvert on the Tarn, from where the walks radiate like petals. The nearest airports aren’t that near (Nîmes is two hours away, Marseille, three), so you’re going to need a car. 48
SUNDAY TIMES TRAVEL APRIL 2018
Eat: You won’t find a bad restaurant in Le Pont-de-Montvert, so choose the best view. La Truite Enchantée (00 33 4 6645 8003; mains about £17) wins — get a table on the balcony at the back. Sleep: La Truite Enchantée (as above) has basic doubles from £40, room only. Even better is Le Merlet (lemerlet.com; doubles from £105, half board), with lovely chambres d’hôtes on a mountain farm. Or book a package: Inntravel (inntravel.co.uk) has six-night walking breaks from £1,098pp, half board, with rail travel. Get me there: Ryanair (ryanair. com) flies Stansted to Nîmes, from £13 one way. EasyJet (easyjet.com) flies from Luton and Manchester to Marseille from £25 one way.
6
Zürich, Switzerland
Fireworks and plum blossom
Why spring wins: You know when spring has arrived in Zürich because the Böögg comes out. This 3.5m, explosives-packed snowman is the highlight of the Sächsilüüte Festival (on April 16 this year). They set him alight and the sooner he explodes, the better summer will be. When the flames have died down, spring has sprung and Zürich blossoms like edelweiss. All the action is focused on the Zürichsee, as cafe terraces open, parks fill with sunseekers and thousands flock to the Chinese Garden to admire the plum blossom. By early May, highs of 200C bring bathers to the lidos on the lake (try Seebad Enge; seebadenge.ch; £6), and on May 4 the entire city turns out for two days of dancing in the streets (zuerichtanzt.ch).
Eat: In trendy Zürich West, Frau Gerold (fraugerold.ch; mains about £21) has turned her innercity kitchen garden into an alfresco hipster paradise, serving grills, salads and Flammkuchen. For lake and mountain views, and exquisite fish, try Fischstube (fischstube.ch; mains about £33), by the Chinese Garden. Sleep: The boutique Marktgasse Hotel (marktgassehotel.ch; doubles from £204, room only) is in the Old Town, between the lake, Limmat River beer gardens and Zürich West. Brekkie in the square outside is one of the joys of spring. Get me there: EasyJet (easyjet. com) flies from Gatwick, from £23 one way. Swiss (swiss.com) has Birmingham returns, from £132.
WORDS: KATIE BOWMAN, LIZ EDWARDS, CHRIS HASLAM, LUCY THACKRAY PHOTOGRAPHS: AWL IMAGES, GETTY, SUPERSTOCK
5
