DESTINATIONS — SHORT BREAKS 8
Stadium in September or October. If they’re more into music than sport, send them over to the O2, where Newmarket Holidays can offer overnight stay packages with tickets to see now-a-trio Take That on June 8 or 11 (from £175), or entrance to the largest Elvis retrospective ever staged in Europe, featuring cars and costumes, which runs until August 31 (from £125). The V&A’s current Alexander McQueen exhibition has made headlines, and the National Portrait Gallery’s Audrey Hepburn: Portraits of an Icon, which opens on July 2, is set to be a tantalising draw. Plus, the capital isn’t short of a new hotel or three for clients to test out. The Montcalm group is slated to open two properties this year: the citizenM Tower of London, which overlooks the Tower, and the M by Montcalm London Shoreditch Tech City, which is in a futuristic building by architect Will Alsop. Also in Shoreditch is the newest property from budget-boutique chain Z Hotels. At the other end of the scale, renovated icon The Lanesborough reopens this spring, bringing a new level of luxury to its enviable
location opposite Hyde Park. Find out more:
visitengland.com newmarketholidays.co.uk
7
LYON Eurostar’s service to Paris has become a weekend away staple, so the stops
on its new direct route to the south of France must be expecting an influx of British city-breakers. Clients might initially be bewildered as to why they’re making the four-and-a-half-hour journey to Lyon, as France’s third- largest city is better known for commerce and cuisine than as a tourist destination.
But with easier access, this
reputation should change. Subdivided by the Rhone and Saône rivers, visitors can choose between the grander 19th-century boulevards of the Presqu’ile district and the cobbled alleyways of the medieval old town – or take the funicular to the top of Fourvière hill and overlook both. The city’s art galleries, museums, ballet and opera are worth visiting, and that reputation for food should also be tested, whether in one of the many Michelin-starred
restaurants or in small ‘bouchon’ – bistros where great-value, local cuisine is served to a very high standard. The city’s position between Côtes du Rhône and Beaujolais means the wines are rather special, too. SuperBreak features eight
hotels in the city and will soon be expanding the range. Three nights at the three-star Axotel Perrache starts at £215 in July, including Eurostar tickets. Find out more:
en.lyon-france.com superbreak.com
8
SAN SEBASTIAN Foodies will be extra happy this year, as Spanish as well as French
hotspots become easier to reach. British Airways’ new service to Bilbao from Heathrow – hot on the heels of easyJet flights from Bristol – brings nearby San Sebastian into play as a potential weekend destination. At the cutting edge of the culinary scene, this Basque city has more Michelin stars per capita than anywhere else in the world, and is particularly famed
for its pintxo. Visitors can take a pintxo crawl, moving from bar to bar and trying the house speciality of these bite-sized snacks. If clients really want to immerse themselves in the cuisine, they can go on a food tour with San Sebastian Food, or take a lesson at the cookery school the company opened last month at the five-star Hotel Maria Cristina. As well as superlative food,
there’s the pretty 19th-century Centro Romantico to explore, and excellent city beaches to relax on. Or clients can add on time in Bilbao itself, with its vibrant art scene, anchored by the metallic curves of the Museo Guggenheim. Cox & Kings offers three nights’ B&B at the Hotel Astoria7 in San Sebastian from £465, including British Airways flights and car hire. Find out more:
coxandkings.co.uk sansebastianfood.com
9 7 MÁLAGA
When it comes to Spanish art, there’s a new kid on the block challenging
Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao for the crown. Málaga started making its mark on the art world’s canvas in 2003 with the opening of the Picasso Museum, and its
16 April 2015 —
travelweekly.co.uk • 51
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PICTURES: SAN SEBASTIAN FOOD; ATOUT FRANCE/FRANCK CHAREL
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