Under attack: London, Coventry and Dresden 
A preview of the photographs on display at the new 'Under Attack' exhibition at the London Transport Museum.
September 3rd, 2010
Britain's best destinations for film lovers
From a beach in Harry Potter to the Brief Encounter train station: 10 locations around Britain for film lovers.
September 3rd, 2010
BA passenger numbers defy strike threat
British Airways passenger figures held up well last month despite pre-August fears that the airline's ongoing cabin crew dispute could cause travel disruption.
September 3rd, 2010
Walking through the heart of Palestine
Palestine conjours up TV images of violence, but Kevin Rushby finds amazing landscapes and warm hospitality on a remarkable new walk that traces the path of AbrahamKevin Rushby
September 3rd, 2010
Algae sparks safety fears for Big Swim
Over 9,000 entrants told by text to await new date after safety fears for event in Lake DistrictBritain's biggest wild swimming event has been postponed at the last minute because of safety fears about blue-green algae in lake Windermere.More than 9,000 entrants for the Great North Swim have been told by text to stand down from the event, which had been expected to attract at least 15,000 spectators to the Lake District.Organisers are hoping to reschedule the swim before cold weather makes it impractical this year, with hundreds of thousands of pounds of charity sponsorship at stake. But they only have a small window of opportunity, with the finale of Britain's open swimming series due at Salford Quays in Greater Manchester on 26 September.Successive waves of swimmers tackling courses of up to two miles were to have included Olympic medallists and celebrities such as the Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham. The swim was launched two years ago with 2,000 entrants, grew to 6,000 last year and saw all places taken within six weeks this time.Organisers of the event said that final checks by safety staff had revealed the scale of the algae problem.In a message to participants, the group said: "The decision has unfortunately had to be made because of the prevalence of blue-green algae and the impact that this may have on your safety in the water."We realise that the postponement will affect many people, but the safety of all swimmers has to be our number one priority at all times."All those involved will be texted again by Tuesday with information about a new date, if one can be found, or deferral until next year. Refunds of entry fees have also been offered to those unable to change their plans.A spokeswoman for the swim said: "It's very last minute but the algae can come and go in matter of hours and we have to check levels constantly. We're really hoping for conditions to settle so that we can fix a new date."Tests in June showed no build-up of the algae in Windermere, but the national park has seen a combination of warm and wet weather, which favours the bloom, after a prolonged drought. Blue green algae can cause skin rashes on contact or vomiting, eye infections and diarrhoea if swallowed by mistake.Organiser David Hart said: "There had been no indication of an algae problem until samples were taken on Tuesday by the Environment Agency. Once it arrives, it can increase astonishingly quickly. Yesterday, for instance, the water was crystal clear in places where by afternoon it was like pea soup."It's terribly disappointing. We've got elite competitors already here, the course set up and TV crews ready. We hope we can reschedule before water and air temperatures fall, but the forecast is not looking helpful. It's lovely in one way â warm, sunny weather predicted â but after recent rains which washed natural material into the lake, that sort of weather is what the algae likes."The only consolation is that people already here, and any visitors this weekend, are set for glorious weather in the Lake District."The decision to postpone the event led to stunned disappointment, with would-be entrants clubbing together to try to find alternatives. The Outdoor Swimming Society's Facebook page gives details of a substitute event at the Capernwray diving site near Carnforth on the edge of the Lake District, if enough participants are willing to take part.Organisers describe it as "an attempt to salvage something from the weekend for everyone as gutted as us."SwimmingLake DistrictSwimming holidaysMartin Wainwrightguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
September 3rd, 2010
Bon voyage: France with the family: Franche-Comté and ...
In the final instalment from our nomadic family, the Hatches finish their 5,000-mile road trip and head home.
September 3rd, 2010
Cantabria, Spain: Splendid isolation on the Costa Trasmiera
Annie Bennett finds wildlife, succulent seafood - and vast, empty beaches on the Costa Trasmiera.
September 3rd, 2010
London to Stavanger by road
Debbie Lawson takes the slow route north on a camping road trip along Norway's stunning south coastWhen the last direct ferry between Britain and Norway set sail in 2008, severing a historic maritime link between the two countries, it also called time on Norway's popular Newcastle booze cruise, and forced holidaymakers into the air. But for those who still hanker after the romance of slow travel â and the convenience of arriving in one of the most expensive countries in Europe with a car full of beer and provisions from one of the cheapest â there is another way.Lured by the image of pristine sandy beaches backed by forest and nature reserves, we set off from London to the south coast of Norway by car: a round trip of 1,390 miles by road, plus sea crossings. Having our own wheels meant we could take as much camping gear as we liked; Norway's accommodation costs are notoriously high, but its campsites and log cabins are cheap and plentiful â and in the best locations. The trip would start on an overnight ferry to the Hook of Holland, followed by a leisurely jaunt to the German border, a frantic dash up the autobahn to Denmark and finally, at the tip of continental Europe, a short ferry ride across the Skagerrak strait to the southernmost point of Norway. On the way back we'd treat ourselves to a luxurious overnight sea crossing from Esbjerg (half-way down Denmark) to Harwich, only two hours' drive from home. In the process we would take six ferries, stay in some of northern Europe's most dramatically situated campsites and make use of Scandinavia's highly recommended breakdown and recovery services.The summer season in Norway is short and intense, and the southern coast, which enjoys the country's longest hours of sunshine, is a popular holiday destination among Norwegians, though little known to outsiders. Most foreign visitors head straight for the fjords to the north, passing over some spectacular coastal scenery, where clear sparkling water laps the shores of deserted boulder-strewn beaches dotted with crooked pine and spruce trees, shaped and worn by glaciation and the harsh winter winds."Expect to see a pair of BMW headlights up your arse all the way through Germany," I was warned. This turned out to be no exaggeration. But by comparison, the roads of southern Norway are a gentle cruise. Single-lane motorways with a top speed of 80kmph are flanked by gentle mountain slopes and small wooden lakeside houses. The comfortable Color Line ferry makes the three-hour crossing from Hirtshals in Denmark to Norway 11 times a day in summer, depositing travellers in the seaside resort of Kristiansand. In the onboard duty-free shop, along with bottles of vodka and gin, passengers can buy joints of ham and large chicken portions from big freezer compartments â a sign if ever there was one that your pound isn't going to go far when you reach dry land. From Kristiansand you can drive east towards Oslo or west to Stavanger. It's not an easy decision: you could spend a whole fortnight just campsite-hopping along the stunning coast between here and the capital.We do just that and head north-east. At Hove Camping, one of the many sites along this coast â Norway's very own riviera â the dilapidated caravans and tents parked under the trees on the island of Tromoy, just off the mainland, are surrounded by sea, weird windswept copses and wild flowers. Knackered old mobile homes come alive in August, when city dwellers decamp here from Oslo, dusting off their barbecues and reacquainting themselves with old friends, some of whom have been coming here for 20 years despite long ago emigrating to Spain and Portugal. Most of the campsites hire out huts â cosy wooden chalets offering basic accommodation for up to six people, with cooking facilities and flowery curtains, an outside standpipe and a deck where you can sit and watch the nuthatches while enjoying the Danish beer you bought on the way.Hove is known among music lovers for its festival, held each June, where 10,000 people gather to hear bands such as Florence and the Machine, Muse and Vampire Weekend belting out their songs in an old military encampment next to the nature reserve. Festivals seem to be a way of life here, especially in July and August. There are horse festivals, Viking festivals, even accordion festivals. At Arendal, a few miles up the coast, there's a slow food festival. Unni Ramsvatn, one of the originators of the slow food movement in Norway, runs Bjellandstrand Gard, a bakery and restaurant set in a rose garden and small orchard on the north-east side of Tromoy, just up from Hove Camping. Built on foundations laid by occupying German forces during the second world war, this former farm building turned watering hole is a labour of love for Unni and her husband, Jon, who serve up healthy salmon and couscous salads, bread from their wood-fired oven and vast slices of cake to weekend visitors. "It was almost impossible to buy a cup of coffee before on this island," says Jon.In Arendal, there is no shortage of coffee shops. The old town, with its whitewashed wooden houses and harbourside boutiques, also has a fish market and restaurant and, according to Monica at the tourist office there, a very nice boat trip to the island of Merdo, where you can camp for up to two days. In fact that was exactly where we were headed before a mechanical fault brought us to an unscheduled stop. Still, there are worse places to break down than coastal Norway â especially if you have your own onboard stocks and a mobile phone. After a few running repairs we waved the empty tow truck off and headed back west along the coast to Mandal, the other side of Kristiansand, taking in the famous towns of Grimstad, home to the Ibsen museum, and Lillesand â a tidy little waterside settlement not unlike Henley on Thames, with cobbled streets, white picket fences and carefully trimmed lawns stretching right down to the sea.Mandal is famous for Sjosanden beach: 800m of perfect sand at the edge of Furulunden Nature Park. There's a handful of campsites near Mandal, but the beachside Sjosanden Holiday Centre is hard to beat. Roe deer graze among the tents, and the accommodation ranges from wooden cabins to a small "motel" arranged around a flower-filled courtyard. It has a whiff of the holiday camp about it, but the low-key Scandinavian architecture ensures that the site remains in keeping with its natural setting. We explored some of the paths into the surrounding woods on foot and by bikes hired from the tourist office, then took the long, twisty road to Lindesnes Fyr, a red and white cast iron lighthouse built on the site of the first lighthouse beacon in Norway, at its remote and windswept southernmost point. In the rugged grounds, the small cafe prides itself on its rhubarb muffins, made using fruit from the lighthouse garden.Local skipper Magnus Midling-Jenssen's boat-hire business offers visitors a great way to take in the local sights, including an old herring factory, the Spangereid Canal and rows of 17th-century houses in the historic coastal village of Svinor. Magnus is the archetypal salty old seadog. Full of stories and local lore, he operates his empire from a little yellow hut â "my crisis centre" â next to the house he built on the edge of the land. The water is heaving with salmon and cod, he says, and for about £20 a day you get world-class fishing.Leaving the beach behind, we took the old winding coastal road â the famous Highway 44 â towards Stavanger, passing through countryside of dazzling green, by farms and lighthouses and cows grazing in boulder fields right next to the sea. A string of interesting villages along the coast include otherworldly Brusand, which has its own international art gallery, Nordisk Kunst Plattform. Just an hour to the north of Stavanger are mountains and the start of the fjords. Campers are spoilt for choice here, and a network of ferries whisks you and your car into the undulating countryside, and forests of giant fir trees where moose roam â though the only one you're likely to see is the one on the ubiquitous bumper sticker.Stavanger itself feels like a city that has everything but is small enough to fit into the palm of your hand. Vast cruise ships fill the horizon and around every corner is something to explore: quirky shops and cafes, smart seafood restaurants, a stately old town and museums celebrating the city's glorious past as herring capital and centre of the oil industry. As we surveyed this prosperous scene from a harbourside bar, a group of Norwegian financiers pointed out that when the sea border was drawn between the UK and Norway, it clipped the oil fields. A smidgen the other way and all this could have been ours.Getting thereFERRIESHarwich to the Hook of Holland: Crossings from £61 single for a car and two adults. Cabins start from £11pp on day crossings or £18.50pp overnight (two-berth cabins, based on two sharing); stenaline.co.uk.Esbjerg to Harwich: crossings from £232 for a car and two adults, including ensuite cabin; dfdsseaways.co.uk.Hirtshals to Kristiansand: economy car packages from £45 one way; colorline.com.CAMPINGHove Camping, Tromoy; hovecamping.no, +47 37 08 54 79. Tents NOK 180 (£19) per night plus electricity, caravans Nok 210 per night plus electricity, four-bed cabins from NOK 400 per night.Sjosanden Holiday Centre, 4504 Mandal; sjosanden-feriesenter.no, +47 38 26 10 94. Tents NOK 110 per night, caravan NOK 170; motel NOK 700 for doubles/twins in summer, cabins NOK 1,200 in summer (sleeping up to six).FURTHER INFORMATIONBjellandstrand Gard: Bjelland, 4818 Færevik (near Arendal); +47 37 09 44 49, visitnorway.com. Lunch buffet of local homemade food for £14 per person.Lindesnes Fyr: 4521 Spangereid; +47 38 25 54 20, lindesnesfyr.no. Entry fee: £4.50 per adult, children under 12 go free.Magnus Midling-Jenssen has holiday houses and apartments for rental in the Mandal and Lindesnes area as well as boat trips and sea fishing; norges-ferie.no, +47 38 25 60 88.Nordisk Kunst Plattform is at Brusand Togstasjon (train station); nkplattform.noNorwayRoad tripsEuropeBeach holidaysShort breaksFerry travelDebbie Lawsonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
September 3rd, 2010
Ask Gill: In the clutches of car rental agencies
Gill Charlton looks at who's at fault when a hire car breaks down; and advises on visits to Monet's garden.
September 3rd, 2010
Coming Up: what's on in the world of travel
The best forthcoming events, from a new display of Raphael masterpieces to a Guernsey walking festival.
September 3rd, 2010
Hello Kitty to have her own Tokyo theme park
Super-cute Japanese character Hello Kitty is to have her own theme park in the Odaiba district of Tokyo.
September 2nd, 2010
Weekly travel agenda: Ecotourism Conference
Next week sees the start of the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism conference in Portland, Oregon, with public and trade attendees expected to attend talks and exhibitions on green travel. Keynote speakers include Gap Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip and Freedom to Roam chairman Rick Ridgeway.
September 2nd, 2010
German railway to test train in Channel Tunnel: boss
The German railway Deutsche Bahn announced Wednesday it will test a high-speed train in the Channel Tunnel between France and Britain on October 19, a move that could spur rail competition in Europe.
September 2nd, 2010
EU adds Ghanaian airlines to no-fly list
The European Union added two air cargo carriers from Ghana to its no-flight list on Thursday due to safety concerns about their aircraft.
September 2nd, 2010
Just Back: an unexpected chuckle in Brittany
This week's winner of our travel competition is Angela Drew for her account of a family trip to Brittany.
September 2nd, 2010
Ryanair scraps all flights to Belfast in latest airport row
Ryanair has scrapped dozens of flights in rows over airport expansion and passenger fees.
September 2nd, 2010
Great train journeys: Namibia's Desert Express
Opening a new series on journeys by train, Gavin Bell crosses an other-worldly desert landscape.
September 2nd, 2010
The Irish island that drums to its own beat
Every year bodhrán drummers descend on the tiny island of Inis OÃrr for a unique insight into Ireland's traditional music
September 2nd, 2010
Krishna's birthday
Children dress as Hindu god Krishna during festivities to mark Janmashtami at a school in Mumbai
September 1st, 2010
Bumper-to-bumper again as epic China traffic jam returns
A huge traffic jam stretching at least 120 kilometres (75 miles) reappeared in northern China Thursday, with thousands of cargo trucks stuck in a bottleneck, state media said.
September 1st, 2010
SAS says to host first mile-high gay wedding
Scandinavian airline SAS said Wednesday it plans to host the first-ever in-flight gay wedding in December, and is searching for a suitable couple to walk down the airplane aisle.
September 1st, 2010
Ryanair dethrones Iberia in Spain: airline
Irish low-cost airline Ryanair said Wednesday it had overtaken Spanish flag carrier Iberia as the largest airline in Spain in terms of the number of passengers carried.
September 1st, 2010
A tale of two websites
This summer saw major relaunches for the official tourist sites of both Britain and France, with both proving that enticing visitors both online and in person isn't as easy as it seems.
September 1st, 2010
What can travelers expect in Tokyo's latest terminal?
The new international terminal at Haneda Airport will revolutionize shopping and eating as well as travel for Tokyo's travelers, if recent reports are anything to go by.
September 1st, 2010
Your photos on local life
See the best images from August's photo competitionGuardian readers
September 1st, 2010
New York's 10 top boutique bolt holes
Uptown, Downtown, Brooklyn and Staten Island⦠here is our pick of New York's hippest hotels and B&BsWhen it comes to finding a boutique hotel or B&B in New York, many visitors look no further than central Manhattan. But if they venture out of the city centre they will discover little-known and up-and-coming neighbourhoods filled with character, and home to some of the city's most charming boutique hotels and guesthouses. Here, local experts give us their lowdown on the best bolt holes in the city's most colourful neighbourhoods.1. At Home in Brooklyn, Park Slope, Brooklyn Recently named the best neighbourhood in New York City (out of 60) by New York magazine, Park Slope boasts streets of handsome brownstones, trendy shops and great restaurants. This B&B on Prospect Park West is in the middle of it all. Occupying a landmark row house, the inn has four bedrooms, an extensive library and a living room filled with DVDs, board games and puzzles. Host Don Matteson serves a bountiful breakfast, and the rooftop deck offers sweeping views of the neighbourhood, Grand Army Plaza and its 500-acre park.Book it Doubles from $155 per night, including breakfast (00 1 718 622 5292; athomeinbrooklyn.com).Don't miss The Clay Pot (clay-pot.com), which features ceramics and jewellery made by regional artisans. The Community Bookstore (communitybookstore.net), one of Brooklyn's oldest, has a comfortable area in which to read, and a garden. For tea and pastries head to the Tea Lounge (tealoungeny.com).Recommended by Rena Grossfield, Big Apple Greeter (bigapplegreeter.org)2. Akwaaba Mansion, Bedford-Stuyvesant, BrooklynOnce an abandoned ruin, this 1860s Italianate villa has been converted into a B&B. Inside you'll find four guest rooms and elegant decor featuring ornate fireplaces, Victorian furnishings, antiques and African-American artifacts. Kick back in the guest library or shaded courtyard. The hotel is located in the historic part of Bedford-Stuyvesant, one of New York's most iconic black neighbourhoods. It was, until recently, considered a no-go zone for visitors, but has undergone a renaissance with the opening of hotels and restaurants.Book it Doubles from $175 per night, including breakfast (00 1 718 455 5958; akwaaba.com).Don't miss Saraghina (saraghina brooklyn.com), a top-notch pizzeria by night and rustic-chic café by day; the back garden is one of the finest outdoor spaces in Brooklyn. The Market at Bedford Village (bedfordvillagemarket.com) is a new venture held at weekends, showcasing local art and artisanry.David Landel, travel editor, New York Post3. Fort Place B&B, St George, Staten IslandHistoric St George at the tip of Staten Island provides a rare mix of small-town charm and big-city accessibility. On the low-key side, settle into Fort Place, a gracious Victorian home with water views. Owned by an industrial designer, it has four bedrooms, each decorated in vintage furnishings.Book it Doubles from $120 per night, including breakfast (00 1 718 772 2112; fortplace.com).Don't miss Live music at the ornate St George Theatre (stgeorgetheatre.com), and some of the best tapas in town at Beso Restaurant (besonyc.com). When you're ready to go up in scale, the free Staten Island Ferry is just a five-minute walk away.Ethan Wolff, author of Frommer's NYC Free & Dirt Cheap (frommers.com).4. The Ravel Hotel, Long Island City, QueensLong Island City is fast becoming a hip neighbourhood. And this hotel makes for a great base: lavishly decorated rooms with knock-out bathrooms, stylish public spaces and a rooftop restaurant with some of the best cityscape views in town.Book it Doubles from $129 per night, room only (00 1 718 289 6101; ravelhotel.com).Don't miss PS 1 (ps1.org), the sister to the Museum of Modern Art, and be sure to attend a Saturday Warm Up â a critically acclaimed music series that has become one of NYC's most popular events. For dining try Water's Edge (watersedgenyc.com); request a table outdoors â you'll sit just inches from the East River with a dramatic view of the Manhattan skyline.Chris Heywood, NYC & Company, official tourist board guide5. Jumel Terrace Books B&B, Hamilton Heights, ManhattanLiterature lovers will adore this quirky B&B linked to Uptown New York's only antiquarian bookshop. There's a garden apartment which sleeps three and has a full-size kitchen, plus a separate double ensuite bedroom upstairs. Run by academic and font of all local knowledge Kurt Thometz, it's the launch pad to the area's cobbled streets and majestic brownstones.Book it Apartment from $250 per night; double room from $200 per night, both including breakfast (00 1 212 928 9525; jtbandb.wordpress.com).Don't miss The Morris-Jumel Mansion (morrisjumel.org), Manhattan's oldest surviving house, which was George Washington's headquarters during 1776's Battle of Harlem Heights. Take a stroll through Riverbank State Park (nysparks.state.ny.us), and head to St Nick's Pub (stnicksjazzpub.net) for some of the best live jazz in the city.Ondine Cohane, New York expert for Simonseeks.com (simonseeks.com/newyork)6. Victorian B&B, New Brighton, Staten Island This Italianate guesthouse is a good reason to step off the free Staten Island ferry and explore the city's "forgotten borough". It is a tranquil sanctuary of spacious rooms, decked out with 1860s decor (the house dates from 1846). The breakfasts are stupendous, as are Danuta's homemade cakes.Book it Doubles from $115 per night, including breakfast (00 1 718 273 9861; victorianbedandbreakfast.net).Don't miss Snug Harbor Cultural Center (snug-harbor.org), one of New York's lesser-visited gems, with museums, gardens, artists' studios and galleries spread over 83 acres. For midday refreshments, the Everything Goes Book Café (etgstores.com) is a great alternative café and bookstore.Stephen Keeling is co-author of The Rough Guide to New York City (roughguides.com)7. Mi Casa Tu Casa Guesthouse, South BronxThe words "bed and breakfast" might seem out of place in the South Bronx, an area known for being rough around the edges. Yet Liz Figueroa and Julio Pabón, friendly and knowledgeable long-time Bronx residents, have been running their cosy guesthouse here since 2006. Housed in a weathered 19th-century clapboard house, it has four comfy rooms; one room is dedicated to the Yankees baseball team, while the other three have Latino themes . There are three shared bathrooms, a shared kitchen and a tranquil backyard garden.Book it Twins from $85 per night, including breakfast (00 1 718 402 9310; micasatucasa150.com).Don't miss The 149th Street-Grand Concourse subway station. The South Bronx gave birth to hip-hop in the 1970s â and much of the graffiti art that went with it â and this was one of the favourite meeting places of aerosol artists. The Bronx Arts Space (bronxartspace.com) hosts various art, experimental film, dance, music and theatre events. Berzet's Soul Food offers some of the best and cheapest Southern home-cooking in the city â you can get two-piece fried chicken sets with candied yams, collard greens and corn bread for around $8.50.Stephen Keeling is co-author of The Rough Guide to New York City (roughguides.com)8. Nu Hotel, Boerum Hill, BrooklynThis boutique hotel manages to be minimalist (cork floors, sleek wood furnishings, white walls), quirky (bike rack in the lobby, hemp hammocks to laze in on hot afternoons) and welcoming (free breakfast) all at once. The best rooms overlook busy Smith Street, full of chic coffee shops and mom-and-pop restaurants, and have views of nearby Brooklyn Bridge.Book it Doubles from $199 per night, including breakfast (00 1 718 852 8585; nuhotelbrooklyn.com).Don't miss Henry Street â a more relaxed alternative to Smith Street. Grab some Italian aperitivos at Bocca Luppo. For a real foodie adventure, check out Brooklyn Fare (brooklyn fare.com), a bodega turned high-end restaurant where the chef turns out nightly tasting menus inside his glass-enclosed kitchen. Boerum Hill is mostly residential, but nearby is the Waterfront Museum Barge (waterfrontmuseum.org).Ginger Otis, author of Lonely Planet's New York City Guide (lonelyplanet.com)9. The Blue Moon Hotel, Lower East Side, Manhattan This 22-room hotel is housed in a restored 19th-century tenement, but you'd never know it â the rooms are huge for New York City and some have balconies with city views. A sense of the neighbourhood's history is everywhere â a lot of salvaged material has been used in the hotel.Book it Doubles from $199 per night, including breakfast (00 1 212 533 9080; bluemoon-nyc.com).Don't miss The Tenement Museum (tenement.org) and the Museum at Eldridge Street (eldridgestreet.org) for a look at how immigrants lived in the 19th century. Walk down East Broadway to experience the culture of the Lower East Side's newest immigrants, the Fujianese Chinese, and stroll through the Essex Street Market (essexstreetmarket.com).Kate Stober, Lower East Side Tenement Museum (tenement.org)10. Bubba & Bean, East Harlem, ManhattanTwo townhouses have been combined into one friendly B&B in up-and-coming East Harlem. Owners Jonathan and Clement have turned each suite into a mini-apartment with French doors between sleeping and living spaces. There's a small garden out back â usually the territory of their two terrier pups, Bubba and Bean. Book it From $250 per night, sleeping two (00 1 917 345 7914; bblodges.com).Don't miss El Museo del Barrio (elmuseo.org), dedicated to local artists. At 103rd and Lexington is a vibrant community garden, open from noon to 4pm. Around the corner grab some great Mexican eats at El Paso Taqueria (elpasotaqueria.com).Ginger Otis, author of Lonely Planet's New York City guide (lonelyplanet.com)New YorkHotelsBed and breakfastsCity breaksShort breaksNicola Iseardguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
August 29th, 2010
The birth of halal holidays
More and more British Muslim women are packing their bikinis, thanks to the growth in holiday companies with Islamic valuesMy taxi driver was not impressed with my choice of hotel. "Do you like a beer?" he asked me. "I like a few beers when I'm not working but this hotel I take you to it is no good, no beer is available." It didn't seem to occur to him that I might have chosen this resort for that very reason.I was on my way to the Club Familia hotel, 20 minutes' drive from the port city of Cesme, west of Izmir â one of Turkey's main party resorts.British tourists flock to Turkey's coast for cheap bars, clubs and beaches. And yet, as a Muslim country, Turkey has been selected as the main destination for a new breed of holiday, one that targets Muslims who want the same things as everyone else on the beach, bar a few concessions, and minus the alcohol.Under the slogan "Sun, sea and halal!", a handful of hotels in Turkey are offering what are being dubbed halal holidays â beach holidays that adhere to Islamic values. That means no alcohol and no wearing a bikini in front of a man who is not your husband.Crescent Tours and Islamic Travels, which both started trading last year, are two operators selling the concept to Britain's estimated two million Muslims.Until recently, the Muslim travel market was dominated by agencies specialising in pilgrimages to Mecca. Flights to countries such as Pakistan and India account for the rest of the market; first generation immigrants, for whom holidays mean trips home to see close relatives.However, British-born Muslims are less shackled by an obligation to visit the relatives "back home". Their home is the UK and their desire is to travel to other countries. Among my generation of under-40s, I don't know anyone who doesn't take at least one holiday a year in a foreign country, just like our non-Muslim counterparts. For many, though, these destinations involve compromise â not using the mixed swimming pool or beach, for example. My sister has her own pragmatic solution: she'll wait until everyone has left for the day before taking a swim.Muslim women often go to Dubai, Egypt or Morocco because that is what their husbands and children want â but they cover up on the beach. On these new Islamic beach holidays you don't have to. So no surprise it is women who are booking holidays with Crescent Tours and Islamic Travels. At first I was sceptical about the idea of an Islamic beach holiday in Turkey. How could you separate men and women on an open beach, in what is a relatively liberal country, I wondered.The Club Familia has been designed with an Islamic ethos, including a prayer room. I found it comfortable but the rooms were not particularly stylish or luxurious. Its best asset is its location â a quiet bay with no competing hotels to spoil the view. From my balcony, I could look across to Greece.My room also overlooked the women-only beach, where I could see women in bikinis. And if I could, then so could the male guests. But then, as the hotel manager, Livant, told me later: "We're not as conservative as the media like to make out. We let the women decide how much they want to show of themselves but we draw the line at men and women sharing a beach or swimming pool." To be fair, the women's beach is far enough away that men would get no more than a glimpse of a female body. And I later discovered there was the option for the kind of seclusion and dress that wouldn't compromise one's modesty in the slightest.Livant pointed at a young girl playing in the open-air pool with her father. "It is OK for young girls to swim in it but if she is 10, or looks 10, she would not be allowed in." Instead, she would be directed, like me, to the women-only pool. Livant knocked on the thick wooden doors and stood out of sight as one of his female staff opened it and led me down, through a basement room with a gym and a relaxation area, to an outdoor pool safe from prying eyes.On the beach I discovered another neat option devised to offer women complete privacy. Bamboo screens about 20m high created a cloistered beach area, where I was met with the sight of half a dozen Turkish women on sunloungers, chatting among themselves and sunbathing topless. One of them explained that she and her friends had chosen the hotel because it was the only way they could enjoy a beach holiday like anyone else.For a swim in the warm, blue Aegean where they could be seen by men, they changed into their burqinis. These consist of a tunic, leggings and head scarf, usually made of a light polyester that allows them to swim but keep covered.The one time men and women are allowed to be together at the hotel is at meal times, in the vast dining room that overlooks the sea. The only drinks available were soft. I'm no fan of buffets but the lamb kofte were the best I've ever tasted. Each night there was a barbecue with a different option â fish, chicken, liver â and a dozen desserts, including jelly and cake as well as the traditional baklava. After dinner I drank mint tea in the shaded gardens.My trip to Turkey ended with two nights in Istanbul, where the tour operator provided me with an English-speaking tour guide. The Turquhouse Boutique Hotel Istanbul was alcohol-free â and the only hotel I've stayed where the information board reads (in English): "Dear Guest, direction of Kiblah and praying carpets are in the wardrobe."This reflects the philosophy of Mizan Raja, one of the founders of the London-based Islamic Travels, who says he doesn't just sell holidays; the aim is to create a general sense of Muslim ummah (solidarity). "We are distinctive because all our tour leaders are Muslim community leaders, scholars and academics, and our package also includes a night with local Muslim families," he says. Islamic Travels takes groups, which tend to be about 80% female and professional, in jobs such as medicine or banking, to Bosnia, Spain and central Asia.Only the unreliable weather and the fear of being attacked in the tabloid press has put him off offering Islamic beach holidays in Britain. He remembers the reactions of the Sun and the Mail to plans for a Muslim fun day at Alton Towers in 2006.Crescent Tours has only booked 100 British holidaymakers on to its halal holidays to date but Yasser Mohammed says bookings are increasing, and the company is "gaining momentum as people find out about us on the internet". Although so far its only destination is Turkey, it plans to expand to Dubai and Egypt, and will tailormake itineraries.When I got back from Turkey I compared notes with Uzma Akram, a hijab-wearing English teacher from Birmingham who had also experienced the trip. Uzma had nothing but praise for her halal holiday in Antalya. "I had an amazing time," she said. "It makes me feel more comfortable knowing we don't have to worry about people getting drunk around us and that what you are doing is not un-Islamic. It is really fun for women, as we have our own private beach and the chance to enjoy ourselves, which we couldn't otherwise do."⢠An eight-night two-centre holiday with (crescenttours.co.uk) from £895. The price includes three nights' B&B at Turquhouse Boutique Hotel Istanbul, five nights' all-inclusive at Club Familia Hotel, flights from Heathrow, Manchester or Birmingham, transfers and a private tour of Istanbul. Islamic Travels (islamictravels.com) runs a range of trips aimed at MuslimsTurkeyBeach holidaysIslamguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
August 27th, 2010
Champagne moments
Armed with secateurs and a basket, our writer takes part in the champagne harvest, before getting down to the serious business of enjoying the fruits of his laboursThere's something very lovely about picking a bunch of grapes. Reach in to the leaves, cradle the fruit in your hand, search with your fingers for the stalk, the umbilical chord to the vine, and with a delicate pair of red-handled secateurs, snip. There you have it, a beautiful bunch of grapes to be laid in your basket.I can see that if you were here for the whole harvest, and you were being paid not very much to stoop all day long in the sun, then the novelty could wear off quite quickly. I'm not though, I'm just playing at working. And it's amusing me.There's something even more lovely about picking these grapes here outside the village of Oger in north-east France. Because this bunch I've got in my hand isn't going to end up in a bar of Cadbury Fruit and Nut, or a value pack of Tesco muesli. Oh no. These little babies, white Chardonnay grapes, will be turned into the finest champagne. Oger â because of its position in the Champagne region, its elevation, its micro climate and the quality of its soil â is one of only 17 villages to have Grand Cru status. In layman's terms Grand Cru means very good.Joining in the champagne harvest is one of the perks of the tour of the region I'm taking, a three-day "harvest weekend" with Grape Escapes.Next stage is the pressing. I'm witnessing this at a small family champagne house called Jean Milan. Four thousand kilos of grapes, a (very) few of which were picked by my own fair hands, are tipped into the press, a big playpen made of slatted oak. This one has been in use since 1945, though the muscley Frenchmen who used to operate the press have been replaced by hydraulics. They still have to tip the boxes of grapes in, and pitchfork them around a bit, before the press starts to do its squeezing. I could probably get involved here too if I wanted, but I'm now on strike.It takes a while to squeeze those grapes dry â five pressings, each an hour long. From 4,000kg of grapes, you get around 2,500 litres of sweet juice. Delicious, but no good for a wedding, a birthday, or even just a Tuesday night. Let's turn it into bubbly.I see the next stage over the road at Henry de Vaugency, another family-run champagne house. Current boss Pascal shows me his special room, where all his wizardry and magic happens. From the press the juice runs into a big vat, where it sits for 24 hours. This allows the sediment â pips, bits of vine, ladybirds (I saw several), etc â to settle. The clear juice then runs off into another vat, sugar is added if needed (not this year, the grapes are sweet enough), and over a few months the first fermentation takes place. At the end of which, you have white wine. Pretty rough white wine to be honest. But it's OK, there's a whole second fermentation to come.The wine then goes into bottles, with a little yeast and a little sugar (I have to be vague at this point, if I were more specific I would then have to kill you).Under strict conditions it develops for at least another one and a half years. A good place to see this is at the Ruinart champagne house on the outskirts of Reims. A staircase descends steeply into a network of tunnels and cellars that lead to extraordinary old chalk pits. It's cool and dark and a bit creepy down here, easy to get lost. But that wouldn't be such a bad thing, because the constant year-round temperature is perfect for millions of bottles of champagne to be aged. Death by champagne, not a bad way to go.At the end of the ageing process â which takes between three and 12 years (there's no instant gratification in wine-making) â the sediment is drawn to the neck, removed, and the bottle is corked. And voila, you have yourself a bottle of fizz.Mmmm. Or Mmumm if you're down the road at the GH Mumm house. Driving around here â Reims, Epernay, and the surrounding villages â is like driving round the inside of the locked cabinet at the off licence. Pommery, Bollinger, Krug, Veuve Clicquot, Piper Heidsieck, etc. Rap stars can get their Cristal over there at the Louis Roederer house. That's the abbey of Hautvillers where Dom Pérignon himself was a monk. He may not have actually invented champagne, as popular myth has it, but he was instrumental in developing the process, and his name lives on in the prestige cuvée of Moët & Chandon.All the houses do tours. Some offer a range, depending on whether you think you're a bit of a buff, and know a pinot meunier from a pinot noir and what prestige cuvée actually means or you just want to see a bit of the process and have a nice glass of bubbly at the end of it, before moving on to the next place â touring a pretty corner of France getting slowly, and delightfully, fizzled. I think I tend more towards the latter to be honest. Although I'm visiting the champagne houses as part of a tour, you could easily visit them all independently. The smaller houses are actually more fun to visit â such as Henry de Vaugency, and Jean Milan, where of course I once worked. Smaller means more personal, you're more likely to bump into â perhaps share a glass with â the owner.If you're lucky he may show you how to open a bottle with one strike from a sword, a trick that is guaranteed to impress your friends back home. If you're luckier still, he may even let you get involved, have a go with a delicate pair of red-handled secateurs, stories of which are guaranteed to bore your friends back home. Who cares though? I helped make that champagne. Cheers.⢠Grape Escapes' Harvest Weekend (08456 430860, grapeescapes.net) is on 17-19 September and costs from £295 per person. The tour includes Dover to Calais ferry crossing with P&O Ferries for a car and two passengers, two nights' B&B, a full-day harvest tour including a visit to a small champagne house to pick grapes and a three-course harvesters' lunch with champagnes and tastings. Return rail fares from London to Reims start at £79 with Rail Europe (0844 848 4070, raileurope.co.uk). Further information: tourisme-champagne-ardenne.com and tourisme.fr/reimsFranceEuropeWineFood and drinkFood & drinkSam Wollastonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
August 27th, 2010
Top 10 UK walks
Download our guides to the best bank holiday hikes, as picked by the National Trust's experts
August 16th, 2010
Trusty Falcon will serve you well
The darkening skies looked as if they had been shaded in by a soft HB pencil.
June 19th, 2010
Wild-water swimming in Turkey
Despite living two centuries apart, I feel that I share a lot with Lord Byron â 18th-century poet, lover, dandy, bon viveur, icon.
June 11th, 2010
Six of world's best wild-water swims
Mexico Canât do cold water? Then the Sea of Cortes should tick your boxes; the average temperature in the briny here is 25C . You will be based on Espiritu Santo island in Baja California, and the swimming during the week-long trip (about 6km each day) is along beaches and through coves and bays where you may be an object of curiosity for inquisitive sea lions.
June 11th, 2010
20 best seaside villas in Europe
1 Eco Fishermanâs Cottage, Lanzarote, Spain This solar-powered fishermanâs cottage on the seafront in the pretty fishing village of Arrieta, northeast Lanzarote, is a stoneâs throw from a sandy cove. It sleeps two adults and two children, and has been lovingly converted: wood furniture, cream throws, plants and paintings, a fully fitted kitchen, two bathrooms and lounge opening out on to the promenade. The balcony has superb sea views and the shaded courtyard is perfect for alfresco dining. There are good coastal walking and cycling trails from the doorstep, and the mountain village of Haria is just a short drive away.
June 11th, 2010
Times Walks: Slieve Gullion, Co Armagh
Ever smelt pine needles properly?â inquired my companion, the walker and naturalist Ron Murray, as we strolled the Forest Drive along the southern flank of Slieve Gullion. âCrush âem like this between your finger and thumb.â
June 11th, 2010
If itâs good enough for Keats...
Iquestion if there be a room in England which commands a view of mountains and lakes and woods superior to that in which I am now writing.â If you read that in a holiday-home companyâs blurb, you might dismiss it as a touch flowery. But when you learnt that the copywriter was a Mr Coleridge, youâd sit up and take notice. You might even want to stay there. And you can.
June 5th, 2010
20 great chef-owned hotels
ENGLAND
June 4th, 2010
20 wild days out in the UK countryside
Pony express, Dartmoor, Devon Explore 400 sq miles of moorland on horseback â children even get to ride the famous Dartmoor ponies. Trot past rocky outcrops, gorse and heather, and splash through streams. dartmoorstables.com, 01364 621281
June 4th, 2010
The forgotten islands off Swedenâs coast
Karin Holmstrom lives at the ends of the earth, but itâs easy enough to pay her a visit. Just give some kroner to a boatman in the village of Fjällbacka on the west coast of Sweden and heâll run you 12 miles (20km) out to sea to a place where water and sky are broken by low, bare rocks that seem to inhabit the middle of nowhere. On one of these stark, treeless outposts, waiting to greet you at a little wooden jetty, is Karin.
June 4th, 2010
Where Raymond Blanc eats on holiday
I have always said that food is the best healer. So when I smashed my leg in five places by falling down my stairs in March, I knew that I needed to find an hotel with a great restaurant where I could convalesce. Naturally, I thought that France would be the best antidote to melancholy and the Provençal spring sun the best provider of vitamin D.
June 4th, 2010
The worldâs 20 best hotel pools
1 Perivolas, Santorini, Greece
May 29th, 2010
