Amalfi Coast Road

Winding its way between Sorrento and Salemo, on the ankle of Italy's boot, is the famous Amalfi Coast Road. This heavily used stretch of tarmac, carved into the mountainsides, is renowned for its stupendous views and extraordinary hairpin bends. 'The route, along with the charming villages and towns along the way, has been one of Italy's major tourist attractions for decades. Hotels in Amalfi Coast

 

 

Sorrento, situated on cliff-tops, overlooks the whole of the Bay of Naples. From here you can see Naples itself as well as Vesuvius and the island of Ischia. Steps and lifts drop down 45 m (150 ft) to the sea, where swimming is from wooden jetties rather than a straightforward beach. From here, the road twists around the rocky peninsula to Positano, where pastel hued houses of pink, peach and apricot, enhanced by brightly coloured flowers, seem to cling precariously to the mountainside, up which they scramble from the small beach below.

 

The road soars and descends, through occasional tunnels, curling round frightening bends where one false move could send you hurtling off into the sparkling blue sea, hundreds of metres below – these spectacular, clizzying views are unparalleled. VIsit Amalfi, set at the foot of Monte Cerreto, and admire the magnificent 9th century cathedral, built when the town was a major maritime republic. Make the trip up to the sturming medieval hill town of Ravello, a tranquil gem of a place, boasting palaces, villas, gardens, narrow, cobbled lanes and a view which writer Gore Vidal rated as the most beautiful in the world.

From Amalfi, the road passes through Vietri, known for its ceramic production since the 15th century, and a mere 5 km (3 mi) farther, head into the bustling port area of Salerno, an historic town with a wealth of splendid palaces and churches.

 

HOW

By car or bus

WHEN TO GO

April to June or September to November; during the high summer months (July and August) the area suffers from too many visitors and far too much traffic.

TIME IT TAKES

About three hours, but you'll find it far more rewarding to spend two or three nights in different places along the way.

HIGHLIGHTS

Amalfi's Wednesday market.

The Gratta dello Smeraldo, a swimming spot accessible only by boat from Amalfi or Positano.

The gardens of the Villa Cimbrone in Ravello.

The summertime music festival honouring Wagner, which is held in the gardens of the Villa Rufolo in Ravello.

A boat trip from Positano to the Grotta delle Matera, the three Li Galli islands and Capri.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

The Amalfi Coast is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hotels in Amalfi Coast

 

The Piraeus to Santorini Ferry

Sailing the Aegean between the Isles of Greece may be a dream, but the ferry journey from Piraeus to Santorini is a pleasant reality. Several shipping lines operate but the daily, early ferry via Syros, Paros, Naxos and Ios allows a day of sea travel with glimpses of interesting islands.

The ship leaves the chaotic sprawl of Piraeus, heading south east, and sails round either the rocky north or the greener south of Syros, into the handsome port of Ermoupoli. This, the largest town in the Cyclades, was, in the 19th century, Athens main port. Its opera house is based on La Scala! On two hills behind the harbour are a medieval quarter and a fine domed church.

 

The ferry runs south to Paras whose single central peak is ringed by fishing villages, beaches and little bays. The busy harbour at Parikia is the hub of inter-island transport, but behind it, ranks of  tightly packed square white houses rise gently to an old kastro. Just an hour west, Naxos is big, beautiful and, unusually, very fertile.

Fishing boats and restaurants crowd the harbour and narrow, ancient alleyways climb through stone archways to the fine mansions of the fortified Venetian town. Midway between Naxos and Santorini, the little 'party island', los, has one of the prettiest harbours in the Aegean: linked by a stepped path to the port at Yialos, hilltop Rora has snovvy houses, blue domed churches and a windmill, all flanked by palm trees.

 

Santorini (Thira) was part of the Minoan civilization till (probably around 1640 BC) a cataclysmic eruption when its high centre sank to form a deep lagoon around which the island - actually the partial rim of the crater - curves. Above black sand beaches and tiny fishing villages tower darkly striated pumice cliffs; hundreds of feet up, the brilliantly white settlements of la and the capital, Fira, cling to the caldera ring.

 

HOW

By ferry

WHEN TO GO

May, June, September and October

TIME IT TAKES

Ten to twelve hours

HIGHLIGHTS

The traveller entering Naxos harbour has been greeted for 2,500 years by the colossal marble portal of na unfinished temple to Apollo.

While the ferry is moving slowly, dolphins may swim alongside and play for a while.

Indigo sea, sunshine, the misty outlines of the clustered Cyclades, the joy of 'island hopping' for a day.

The extraordinary thrill of entering the great bay of Santorini.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Buy ferry tickets on the day -  weather can cause disruption to schedules.

The last major earthquake on  Santorini was in 1956.

 

The Loire Valley

The Loire Valley is known as 'The Garden of France and Cradle of the French Language', The lush landscape combines with architectural and cultural heritage to make this an area of outstanding natural and cultural excellence. High on everyone's list of special attractions are the numerous chateaux along the river - around a thousand remain in the Loire Valley out of a total that was once much greater, with some 300 along the river itself. The reason for this over-abundance of great houses is simple - just about every one of the country's serious movers and shakers - from kings on down - built here over the centuries.

 

The Valley between Chalormes-sur-Loire and Sully-sur-Loire is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and this is an ideal section for an extended cycle tour. Starting at Chalonnes and heading east, the route follows the river to Angers, Saumur, Tours, Amboise, Chaumont-sur-Loire, Blois, Beaugency, Orleans, Chãteauneuf-sur-Loire and finally Sully. The distance is around 300 km (185 mi). The riding is not too hard, and this is a splendid way to see and appreciate the best that the Loire Valley has to offer - which is very good indeed.

 

What an experience - the banks of this delightful river are ablaze with sunflowers and home to the finest examples of the castle-builder's art, from imposing medieval fortresses like Angers and Amboise to  Renaissance masterpieces like Chambord and Chenonceaux and spectacular gardens like Villandry. This is also the home of great white wines, with the vineyards of great domaines everywhere, so there will be plenty of opportunity to sample fine vintages and enjoy the distinctive local cuisine (river fish a speciality!).

Shops in most of the Loire towns rent bicycles by the day for those who prefer to explore locally rather than make the full journey.

 

HOW

By bike

WHEN TO GO

April to October

TIME IT TAKES

A week to cycle from Chalonnes to Sully, with ample sightseeing time included.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Royal Abbey at Fontevraud - resting place of the English King Henry II, his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine and their son Richard the lionheart.

Leonardo da Vinci's manor house at Clos-Luce near Amboise - now a museum dedicated to the great man and his revolutionary ideas.

The chateau at Cheverney – see stunning interiors full of original furniture, tapestries and paintings (plus a Tintin museum ... this is Captain Haddock's Castle).

A side-trip to see the extraordinary troglodyte dwellings of Les Goupillieres near Azay-Ie-Rideau on the banks of the Indre River – the caves were made by quarrying the limestone used to construct the magnificent château.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

The fairy-tale chãteau of Usse, begun in the 15th century and re-modelled in the 1600s, provided inspiration for the timeless tale of Sleeping Beauty.

 

Bosphorus Ferry Trip

 

Istanbul, capital of mighty Christian and Islarillc empires, was always a bridge between east and west; now Europe and Asia are linked by road, but ferries remain essential to life in this great city. Tour companies nm Bosphorus Cruises with fast boats, but a leisurely zigzagging trip on a regular ferry from the centre of Istanbul to a The Bosphorus, the 30-lan (19-rni) strait linking the Black Sea with the Mediterranean, remains an important trade route; in the past, it was also a defence and a sununer escape from the heat and disease of the city. Along both banks are royal residences (including the splendid Beylerbeyi Palace), villas, fashionable suburbs, boat yards, fortresses and working villages. Not many of the beautiful wooden yalis, the summerhouses of the wealthy, survive - many burned down, or were demolished before preservation laws came into force.

 

The waterfronts are punctuated by mosques, including the distinctive Ortakoy Mosque, just below the Ataturk Bridge. South of soaring Fatih Bridge, the twin castles - small Anadolu Hisar and the massive Rumeli Hisar, the Fortress of Europe - could effectively 'lock' the Bosphorus. Inland from the fashionable settlements on the European shore is Belgrade Forest, once a hunting preserve for the Sultans. The last fany stop is at Anadolu Kavagi, on the Asian shore.

 

Here there is time to explore and have a meal, or plan a return journey by bus, dohnus, and short ferry hops, visiting some of the places glimpsed on the journey.

 

WHEN TO GO

The ferry runs all year

TIME IT TAKES

About 1 hour 30 minutes each way

HIGHLIGHTS

Kucuksu Kasri, near Anadolu Hisari.

The shady site was long a royal favourite for picnics; in the 19th century, the wooden kiosk was replaced with an exquisite tiny Rococo palace.

Sariyer - a fish market and good restaurants, and the private Sadberk Hanim Museum, which displays a fascinating collection in a yali, with rooms arranged in the Ottoman style.

Anadolu Kavagi - a lovely village, with old wooden houses and waterfront fish restaurants. From the top of the huge ruined castle there is a panoramic view to the Black Sea.

The Istanbul skyline from the water, especially at dusk, is spellbinding.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

There is a reduced ferry service out of season - check timetables.

Glacier Express

As befits a service connecting two of the most glamorous resorts in the Alps, Zermatt and St Moritz, the Glacier Express is the last word in panoramic luxury. It needs to be, because in just eight hours it traverses the heart of Switzerland's highest mountain ranges. The journey starts at the foot of the twisted pyramid of the Matterhorn and skirts the Bernese Oberland, following the valley floors (in summer, riotous profusions of wild flowers) where the Rhône and the Rhine begin, and just below the line where glaciers spill out from the high passes.

The landscape is a roll call of iconic names. The snow-capped surrunits of Sehilthorn, Jungfrau, Monch and Eiger pass in distant backdrop, and the high peaks close in around the climbing train. Soaring viaducts arch above cloud-filled chasms, carrying it up and over the 2,033 m (6,668 ft) Oberalp Pass. Edging round sheer precipices, across 291 bridges and through 91 tunnels, the Glacier Express brings you so close to the mountains you can actually see the occasional chamois looking outraged at having to share the elemental magnificence of its rocky perch.

In fact, the train is every bit as first-class as the scenery. Though it has both 1st and 2nd class seating, everyone sits (in great comfort) beneath a glass roof, with good services at their disposal. The difference is that 2nd class is more crowded, an indicator of the train's popularity throughout the year. In summer it provides access to some of the finest high alpine walks; in winter it serves three of Switzerland's most justly celebrated skiing areas. But most people take the Glacier Express for the sheer joy of sightseeing in luxury - and then high-stepping off the train in the unadulterated chic of St Moritz or Zermatt.

WHEN TO GO
Year-round. Seat reservations are mandatory and lunch on the train should be pre-booked.

TIME IT TAKES
About eight hours (Zermatt to St Moritz, via Visp, Brig, Andermatt and Churl. The unhurried pace of the ascents and descents justifies the route's nickname of 'the Slowest Express Train in the World'.

HIGHLIGHTS
The tunnel at Furka - with its viaduct approaches and staggering ravine views, both a technological and scenic triumph.
The view from the top of the Oberalp Pass, looking along the length of the Alps. On a really clear day you see some 50 peaks in serried ranks leading to Mont Blanc.
The descent from Chur (Switzerland's historic and oldest township) to St Moritz.

YOU SHOULD KNOW
The Glacier Express also has a 'Premium' service available for private parties of a single carriage or even whole trains.