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A visit to Puglia

Second time round for my wife and I when we returned to Puglia early this summer, and I think I got the point this time. It isn’t immediately tourist friendly, and its white hill top towns often overlook a combination of those silly trulli and scruffy biochemical plants.  What it offers is reliable sunshine, a fertile and unkempt countryside which ranges from the beaches and hills around, and inland, from Fasano, to the scenic desolation of the flat Salentine Peninsular. Staying in the friendly and unpretentious Borgo San Marco in the former, and the stylish and serene Masseria Montelauro in the latter, have put these two into that category of where I want to send my friends. And athough already familiar with the Masseria Torre Coccaro’s five star qualities and spa, I was very taken with its more discreet sister, the Torre Maizza, and that feeling of the rich and famous hiding from Grazia. Back to catch up on the history next time I promise.

Philip

St Lucia and Discovery at Marigot Bay

Discovery at Marigot Bay and St Lucia in general is the perfect Caribbean retreat for those wanting a bit more than the average beach holiday. Situated in what has been described as the most beautiful bay in the Caribbean (I plan to do some research over the next few years to check this is true), the hotel and the immediate area has much to keep you occupied.

Some people might be put off by the lack of direct beach access but with the hotel’s complimentary speed boat offering half day trips to numerous beaches along the coast this needn’t be a drawback. The boat is a great way to see the volcanic pitons which are best viewed from the sea and is much quicker than navigating the island’s hairpin bends. The hotel also has a complimentary ferry service which takes guests to the various restaurants in the bay and also to its small beach where dingys and kayaks can be hired.

For those with young children, there is a crèche service at certain times of year as well as a kids’ pool and the hotel benefits from a number of one and two bedroom suites which are extremely spacious. If you feel the need to use the kitchen in your suite (this can be tricky given the choice of eateries), there is a great market in Castries, the island’s capital, where you can buy some delicious freshly caught fish. Otherwise, if the idea of cooking doesn’t appeal, the nearby “Friday Fish Fry” in Anse Le Rey feels almost like an authentic street party with locals and tourists all sitting together eating the catch of the day.

Annabel

Travel Agency boss confesses to never having visited New York...........

until February. A particularly good offer in World Traveller Plus from BA, a visit from the sales and marketing manager of the Shoreham Hotel on West 44th St, and a wife demanding a Woody Allen wintery NYC got me there at last. In 48 hours we did the MoMA and the Frick, Top of the Rock and Staten Island, Lower East Side (with a visit to the Tenement Museum) and Little Italy for pizza, followed Dylan’s folk footsteps down Bleeker Street to the Village, ate chowder at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Terminal and drank Margaritas with Mexican food in Upper Midtown, hit the pavement and mastered the Subway, strolled in the Sunday snow in Central Park and froze on Brooklyn Bridge and.....heh the New York amphetamine rush is beginning to wear off. I’ll just have to go back for more.

Philip

In search of the "real" Greece....

Forced to take an overnight flight to Thessaloniki I was hesitant about my brief sojourn to the Pelion. However I can confidently report that the boss’s belief that this unspoilt peninsula on the Greek mainland constitutes the real Greece is well founded.

Its relative inaccessibility (overnight flights are not compulsory) helps to keep this mountainous area, with its fantastic beaches and beautiful hilltop villages, so special ensuring authenticity and giving you that elusive feeling that you have discovered the unknown.

Arriving blurry eyed, with the sun emerging over the dramatic peak of Mt Tiseo, I enjoyed observing the local taverna owners haggling for the days catch from the local fisherman before checking into, Diplomats, where Real Holidays have been sending clients to for years.

Days were spent exploring this fabulous area and its many sandy beaches. The highlight of my trip being the drive to the remote, car free island of Trikeri off the peninsula’s southern tip. This was possibly due to the never ending series of enticing bays that we passed on the way, or the crystal clear water demanding that I take a dip, but more likely it is down to the most incredible seafood lunch at one of the two harbour side tavernas. The actual name escapes me but I can let you in on its location should you find yourself with a ‘real’ holiday to this special part of the Greek mainland.

Matt

Honeymoon to Mexico

I've always wanted to go to Mexico, and I was lucky enough to go on a brief work trip in 2006 and then when we were deciding on where to go for our honeymoon, Mexico was the perfect choice. It has a great combination of historical sights, beaches and cities. We flew into Mexico City and then headed straight to Merida, the capital of the Yucatan. We had three nights there, just enough time to explore this fascinating city and go on a day trip to Uxmal, a spectacular Mayan ruin. We were then transferred to Chichen Itza, and then to the beautiful coast on Tulum, south of Cancun. Powder white sand, clear blue sea, very relaxing. After six days of peaceful bliss, we then flew back to Mexico City for a final three days of excitement. What a city, so many things to do and so many different and contrasting areas. A must see is obviously the Anthropology Museum, a whole day could be spent here and you still won't have seen it all. We also visited the Zocalo Square, the main square in the old part of the city. We happened to go there when there was some political rally on which was quite exciting, I've never seen so many people in one square before! After a bit of shopping in local markets, it was back to the airport for our flight back home, and back to work.....

Sarah

Weekend escape to Le Marche

If you like your Italian fix free from other British tourists even in the height of summer, then Urbino and the surrounding Marche countryside provide the perfect destination. Short of time, I took an early flight from Stansted to Forli and then a rather indirect route south from there along empty winding roads, stopping en route at a few sleepy hilltop towns, down to the little haven of Il Biroccio for a two night stay. Owned and run by hospitable hosts, Gianni and Antonella, this little country hotel with just 4 rooms and 4 apartments and beautiful views is a great weekend escape.

Just 20 minutes from Il Biroccio, the town of Urbino was a charming place to spend a day; I felt slightly out of place with my camera as everyone else appeared to be a local even though the town is an important centre for Renaissance art and architecture. Dinner of strozzapreti pasta (“priest chokers”) followed by steak in truffle sauce was a particularly enjoyable experience at one of the lovely restaurants in the centre of town. The following day I managed a quick visit to Rimini to see what all the fuss is about, rather full of Italians topping up their tans, it is a fun place to people watch for a couple of hours; however, further south the smaller town of Fano is a lot quieter for an evening’s passeggiata after a refreshing dip in the sea.

Annabel