Travel + leisure december 2015

RAISING THE BAR: OUR ULTIMATE, SLIGHTLY TIPSY AND VERY BOOZY SPECIAL! INDIA DECEMBER 2015 / 150 & SOUTH ASIA 12CHRISTMAS UNWRAPPED! MAGICAL PLACES FOR SPARKLING IN CHAMPAGNE IRELAND FOR SPEED DEVILS BALI’S NEW JUNGLE RETREAT W&H EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT HONEYMOONS JUST YOUR TYPE $ 4.50 / SLR 450 / NPR 35 / MVR 60 PKR 30O / BTN 200 / TAKA 350 FLORENCE VIENNA AMSTERDAM On the Cover Eiffel Tower under the snow in Paris, page72  12 Magical Places to Experience the Best of This Season With city skylines glittering with illuminations and enough festive delicacies to make everyone loosen their belt buckles a few notches, Christmas is here once again T+L lists the most sparkling cities to witness a marvelous festival  Chills Thrills And Spills Wakeboarding, archery, the Giant’s Causeway, stomach-churning drives, sea safari, body zorbing, pontoon jumping, and windsurfing—Harsimran Shergill’s trip to Ireland was an adrenaline-pumping adventure and not one of the countryside, autumn flowers, and rolling hills  Champagne Confidential Deep in the valleys of the French frontier, Siddharth Dasgupta begins to suspect that the soul of the country might well lie far away from its celebrated cities  The Leading Edge Amsterdam’s outskirts to the north and east have begun to hum with creative energy and, as Gisela Williams discovers, shift the centre of the city itself Photographs by Felix Odell 72 T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R 82 90 96 F R O M L E F T : W I E N TO U R I S M U S _ P E T E R R I GAU D ; C O U RT ESY O F N I T B P H OTO G R A P H I C L I B R A RY ; S H U T T E R STO C K ; STO C K FO O D G M B H - T R AV E L / A L A M Y O N T H E C OV E R : F R É D É R I C S O R E AU / G E T T Y I M AG ES features In Every Issue Editor’s Note Contributors 10 Wish You Were Here 104 departments Here & Now News, Trends, Discoveries handcrafted cocktails and smartly dressed mixologists are de rigueur in clubs and lounges around the world, a number of cities are advancing their after-hours scenes in unexpected and inventive ways Plus: the global drinking trends that you’ll want to raise a glass to Cheers! Fashion secrets in Oltrarno; Kanika Tekriwal’s favourites in Sao Paulo; Amsterdam’s hottest bar; Rose street in Edinburgh; Michelin starred Chef Atul Kochhar’s cuilnary trail; and more Beyond 33 Four Walls For over 92 years, a building in Vienna’s Golden Quartier had served as a prestigious bank in the Austrian capital It is today, the first Hyatt property in the city 37 Urban Study A group of imaginative local entrepreneurs has transformed the southeast London neighbourhood of Peckham—now even a parking garage is a cool hangout By Richard Godwin Photographs By Daniel Stier 40 In Good Spirits For New Year’s eve, raise a toast with some classic drinking Special 59 What’s for Honeymoon? You are a couple now but are you similar when it comes your travel personality? Figure out which among the six fits you and your partner best and voila, we have honeymoon suggestions that are just perfect for you! By Aparna Pednekar games and a few new additions that will get your friends sloshed in no time By Apeksha Bhateja 42 Checking In The new jungle resort in Bali, Mandapa, is fully connected to the culture of the island By Max Anderson Photographs by Martin Westlake 46 Spotlight From sipping rum to trying world beers, Mauritius gently eggs you on to let go of your drinking inhibitions By Juhi Dua 48 Pilgrimage At the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field in northern Japan, sculptures and installations find a revelatory home in the rural countryside Charles Spreckley takes them in Photographs by Tetsuya Miura 48 T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R 24 51 59 F R O M L E F T: D A N I E L S T I E R ; S H U T T E R S T O C K ; C O U R T E S Y O F S M U G G L E R ’ S C O V E ; C O U R T E S Y O F H Ô T E L D E S G R A N D S H O M M E S 13 The Guide 51 Raising The Bar Now that Find something YOU WE REN' T looking FOR ©2015 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc All Rights Reserved Preferred Guest, SPG, Le Méridien, and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates editor’s note | D E C E M B E R the 26th of November Seven years ago, on this day, I was on a holiday in Bali when I heard about the terrorist attacks in Mumbai We lost a very dear family friend that day at The Oberoi, Mumbai I remember spending the days during the attack not knowing whether he was alive or not We only got to know when the last of the bodies were brought out It’s hard to describe the mix of fear, dread, unease and hope that swims in your stomach during such a time A fortnight ago, when the attacks happened in Paris, I had a similar sense of fear I had lived there, had friends, teachers, my old landlady, colleagues from previous jobs—I hoped everyone was safe One of the attacks had taken place on the road I lived on, and where the photography school I attended is Thankfully, everyone I knew was unhurt But many others weren’t so fortunate In the days that have followed, I see some travellers cancelling plans to Paris, fresh lot of travel advisories being issued by some countries On a cruise last year, the ship’s captain lamented to me that so many places in the world that were beautiful, had incredible experiences to offer travellers and rich histories had to drop off itineraries because of war, strife and terrorism The ancient sites of Bamiyan, Damascus, Euphrates and Tigris… among others To me that is a travesty of the politics of our times I get a horrible sense of unease to think that the beauty of lands, cultures and people are getting scrubbed out with blood and hate As this year comes to a close, the Travel+Leisure India-South Asia team stands with every being and every destination in the world that has been impacted by terror and war We won’t cower, we will continue to travel, explore, write and talk about these destinations The sum of their magnificence is greater than their dark moments The spirit of Christmas this year for us means celebrating beauty, history, people, art, music, stories and hope On our cover, the warm pink hues of a winter’s day sun surrounding the Eiffel Tower as it stands stable, strong and proud is emblematic of that spirit We wish you a new year that brin v c rength @TLRuchira on Twitter @pinterest/ruchirabose T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM OUR TRAVELS FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @TRAVEL ANDLEISUREINDIA E D I T O R ’ S P H O T O G R A P H : A S H I S H C H AW L A ; M A K E U P B Y V I P I N A R O R A IT’S A STRANGE COINCIDENCE THAT I WRITE THIS MONTH’S EDIT NOTE TODAY, INDIA & SOUTH ASIA EDITOR Ruchira Bose Aroma Sah Anant Anwesha Sanyal Shilpi Madan FEATURES WRITER Apeksha Bhateja ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ragini Singh Ghanshyam Singh Jitesh Gandhi SENIOR DESIGNER (ADVERTORIALS) Ajay Kumar SENIOR EDITORIAL EXECUTIVE Sudhalika Verma SENIOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR DIGITAL FEATURES EDITOR ART DIRECTOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR-MUMBAI SENIOR DESIGNER PRODUCTION SENIOR MANAGER Manoj Chawla DEPUTY MANAGER Ritesh Roy PREPRESS EXECUTIVE Dinesh Masih ADVERTISING BUSINESS HEAD Sushmita Gupta MUMBAI Shaoni De VICE PRESIDENT / INTERNATIONAL AD SALES Sanjiv Bisaria BENGALURU Indu Bhardwaj ACTIVATION SALES BUSINESS HEAD (WEST) SENIOR MANAGER ASSISTANT MANAGER (EVENTS) MARKETING DESIGNER Pratik Misra Raghavendra Raj Sunil Bhatt Prakash Singh CIRCULATION & VISIBILITY Ashish Sawhney Amit Saxena REGIONAL MANAGERS DEPUTY MANAGER ashish@emmindia.com amit@emmindia.com Sathya Narayana T S (SOUTH), Subash Mishra (WEST) Somnath Pramanik (EAST) CORPORATE OPERATIONS PUBLISHING DIRECTOR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER MANAGER (HR) ASSISTANT MANAGER (ADMIN) SENIOR SYSTEM SPECIALIST (IT) EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO MD REPRO Simon Clays Puneet Nanda Sonya Caroline Shah Sushila Choudhary Arun Salhotra Parul Jaswal Medienpartner International India/ Burda Druck India Private Limited EXPOSURE MEDIA MARKETING PVT LTD DIRECTOR Parineeta Sethi EMM is a company of The Burda Group HUBERT BURDA MEDIA INDIA PVT LTD BURDA ASIA COO AND INDIA MD Massimo Monti HUBERT BURDA MEDIA, ASIA CEO Friedrich Scanzoni BURDA INTERNATIONAL GMBH CEO Fabrizio D’Angelo INTERNATIONAL SALES & ADVERTISING FRANCE/LUXEMBOURG GERMANY Marion Badolle-Feick Tel: +33 72 71 25 24, marion.badolle-feick@burda.com Vanessa von Minckwitz Tel: +49 89 92 50 35 32, vanessa.vonminckwitz@burda.com Michael Neuwirth Tel: +49 89 92 50 36 29, michael.neuwirth@burda.com ITALY Mariolina Siclari Tel: +39 02 91 32 34 66, mariolina.siclari@burda.com UK/IRELAND Jeannine Soeldner Tel: +44 20 34 40 58 32, jeannine.soeldner@burda.com USA/CANADA/MEXICO Salvatore Zammuto Tel: +1 212 884 48 24, salvatore.zammuto@burda.com AUSTRIA/SWITZERLAND Goran Vukota, Tel: +41 44 81 02 146, goran.vukota@burda.com TRAVEL + LEISURE (USA) EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / PUBLISHING DIRECTOR VICE PRESIDENT / PUBLISHER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Nathan Lump Steven DeLuca Jay Meyer TIME INC INTERNATIONAL LICENSING & DEVELOPMENT (syndication @timeinc.com) Jim Jacovides EXECUTIVE EDITOR / INTERNATIONAL Mark Orwoll Jennifer Savage SENIOR DIRECTOR, AD SALES & MARKETING Joelle Quinn VICE PRESIDENT SENIOR DIRECTOR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TIME INC CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Joseph Ripp CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER Norman Pearlstine TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA & SOUTH ASIA VOL 9, ISSUE 112 Copyright © 2014 Exposure Media Marketing Pvt Ltd., 323 Udyog Vihar, Phase IV, Gurgaon – 122016, Haryana All rights reserved throughout the world Reproduction in any manner is prohibited Published by Xavier Collaco from Exposure Media Marketing Pvt Ltd., 323 Udyog Vihar, Phase IV, Gurgaon – 122016, Haryana Printed at Thomson Press India Limited, 18/35 Delhi-Mathura Raod, Faridabad, Haryana Editor: Ruchira Bose Travel+Leisure does not take responsibility for returning unsolicited publication material All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only Opinions expressed in the articles are of the authors and not necessarily reflect those of the editors or publishers While the editors their utmost to verify information published they not accept responsibility for its absolute accuracy Unsolicited material is sent at the owner’s risk and the publisher accepts no liability for loss or damage Materials in this publication may not be reproduced, whether in part or in whole, without the consent of Exposure Media Marketing Pvt Ltd This edition is published by permission of TIME INC AFFLUENT MEDIA GROUP 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020 USA Tel +1 212 522 1212 Online: www.timeinc.com Reproduction in whole or in part without consent of the copyright owner is prohibited © Exposure Media Marketing Pvt Ltd in respect of the published edition Copyright queries to travelandleisure@emmindia.com ADVERTISING For your advertising enquiries please contact : adenquiries@emmindia.com SUBSCRIPTIONS To subscribe call Gurgaon: 0124-4759616-17, 09899414369, Fax: 0124-4759550; Mumbai: 022-42467777, Fax: 022-26053710; Bangalore: 080-22219578, Fax: 080-22243428; Chennai: Call or Fax: 044-28141816; Kolkata: 033-40042815, Fax: 033-22805323; E-mail: circulation@emmindia.com; Web: www.emmindia.com T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R MAGICAL PLACES TO EXPERIENCE OPPOSITE: WIENTOURISMUS_PETER RIGAUD THE BEST OF THIS SEASON WITH CITY SKYLINES GLITTERING WITH ILLUMINATIONS AND ENOUGH FESTIVE DELICACIES TO MAKE EVERYONE LOOSEN THEIR BELT BUCKLES A FEW NOTCHES, CHRISTMAS IS HERE ONCE AGAIN THE ONLY QUESTION IS: WHERE WILL YOU FIND THE BEST OF THE SEASON? T+L LISTS THE MOST SPARKLING CITIES TO WITNESS A MARVELOUS FESTIVAL IF FIREWORKS don’t thrill you as much, maybe this will—Faneuil Hall Markeplace and Marketplace Center will be hosting the fourth season of Blink!, a free light and sound show where over 350,000 LED lights blink and dance to the music from the Holiday Pops MARVEL AT THE lovely tree near the Boston Public Library presented by the Friends of Copley Square Be there on the evening of December when the Mayor will light the tree T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R Trees decorated with lights in Boston ABOVE: Faneuil Hall Market and the Blink Festival and Tree Lighting Santa will also join in the celebrations The Mayor and Santa will also be present at the Boston Common on December to light up the the 47-foot white spruce Stick around a bit longer for a round of ice skating at the nearby Frog Pond EXPERIENCE THE charm and warmth HAVE YOU heard of the 31 Nights of HEAR THE STORY of how Christmas Light? It’s in the Copley Square that has huge buildings lit in a different colours each evening of the season There will also be live music and presentations every night and holiday traditions evolved in Boston and the highlights of the American Revolution as it took place just 75 years earlier by joining the 90-minute Freedom Trail of Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro as the Executive Chef Josh Lewin prepares a multi-course holiday feast Afterward, unwind with hot cider in the fireplace bar as the gentle cacophony of cheer fills the background D AV I D F O X BOSTON GET IN THE HOLIDAY spirit at Hanover Theatre with Troy Siebels’ lavish and innovative adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic tale, A Christmas Carol The show (starting December 18) is performed to the music of the Mighty Wurlitzer organ This eighth annual showing is revised each year and features an array of special effects such as four kinds of smoke and fog as well as flying stunts TOKYO SEE THE GIANT Christmas Tree at Ebisu Garden Place, and the sheer trendiness of Marunouchi’s Naka-Dori F R O M L E F T: S H U T T E R S T O C K : D R E A M S T I M E ; B A L A J I D H A N A PA L /A L A M Y ROPPONGI HILLS goes over the top with a luminescent large Christmas Tree each year The ‘Artelligent Christmas’ event held at Roppongi Hills includes illumination displays around the base of Mori Tower and along Keyakizaka Street in the back of the tower SHOPPING Expect a glut of new electronic product releases, in Akihabara Cheaper bargains will also be found in Akihabara’s electric town backstreets All your favourite department stores such as Lumine, Isetan, and Mitsukoshi will offer special limited-edition goods for the festive season Also, keep an eye out for the delightful Traditional Christmas Japanese Desserts in bakeries up and down the city TOKYO TOWER always celebrates its birthday in December and will put on special light displays Meanwhile, the kabuki hotspots of Shimbashi Embujo, Meiji-za and National Theater will stage their plays throughout the first three weeks of December FROM LEFT: Christmas light at Roppongi Hill, Tokyo; Fireworks at singapore river; Christmas Tree with a view of the Super Trees taken at Gardens by the Bay Singapore at sunset WHIP OUT YOUR cameras and smartphones, to capture Christmas On A Great Street at Orchard Road Millions of glittering lights drip from decorated trees and majestic arches, all along from Tanglin Mall to Plaza Singapura Each building’s façade is a canvas of stories told in the language of lights LIKE A CHRISTMAS CARNIVAL Street performances create a wonderful carnival-like atmosphere Shoppers will enjoy all the special promotions and festive editions Kids will especially love the ‘snow’ at Tanglin Mall, which has been turned into a wintry wonderland every year since 1996, as well as the giant Christmas trees that goes up at Ngee Ann City and ION Orchard colourful light bulbs Other quaint touches include a European-style bazaar at Supertree Grove, a glowing gazebo that will host 12 days of carolling, and a twocentury old spiegeltent that looks like it sprung right out from a storybook When you’re done being dazzled by the lights, traipse off to the Floral Dome for some lush Christmas floral displays GARDENS BY THE BAY The UNIVERSAL STUDIOS SINGAPORE As Christmas futuristic gardens will shine brighter when its Christmas Wonderland opens The Luminarie, an awe-inspiring light display made in Southern Italy that’s inspired by Baroque architecture, will feature towering wooden arches studded with 95,000 approaches, Universal Studios Singapore will extend its opening hours till 9pm for its annual Christmas celebrations Visitors will be delighted by the park’s light show extravaganza in the evenings, and the chance to frolic in snowfall every hour SINGAPORE THE TOKYO Midtown illumination is particularly famous for the ‘Starlight Garden’ lights creating a magical, wintery atmosphere with 180,000 blue LEDs This year’s theme is ‘Midtown Cruise’, with the entire complex draped in sci-fi style lighting, centred around a funky-looking ‘Vision Dome’ complete with regular audiovisual ‘mini-shows’ T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R BARBICAN CHRISTMAS MARKET The Barbican hosts 10 days of seasonal shopping, with 35 independent designers and artisans setting up shop in the foyers Mince pies, mulled wine, clothes, arts and crafts, jewellery, books and toys all make it a great Christmas shopping stroll HARRODS CHRISTMAS GROTTO Harrods is never one to things by halves—and it’s Christmas-a-go in the luxury shopping behemoth this year As well as endless opportunities to blow two months’ salary on fancy baubles, there’s the Harrods Christmas grotto—harder to get into than the Ivy, practically Pre-bookable tickets are like gold-dust, and tend to sell out in a jiffy packages are on offer for those who wish to so Sessions last 45 minutes EYESKATE The open-air London Eye ice rink is situated in front of the big wheel itself, its pods gently floating past you as you glide You don’t need to book a flight on the Eye in order to skate but various BOND STREET LIGHT UP Glamour 67 3(7(56%85* THE RUSSIAN WINTER may be one of the coldest in the world, but it also offers the best snowy setting for a glittering white Christmas The charming city of St Petersburg turns into a fairyland with graceful bridges, twinkling palaces, spectacular frozen canals and stunning snow-blanketed parks FOR LOVERS of ice-skating and skiing, there’s no better place than Victory Park, one of the largest outdoor rinks in the world Or go to the frozen pond at Yelagin Island, where you will be able to glide hand in hand under twinkling fairy lights surrounded by nature THE WEEK run up to Christmas, don’t miss the vibrant street parties and concerts on Nevsky Prospekt and Palace Square and be prepared to run into Father Frost and Snowmaiden T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R ENJOY A TROIKA ride in the Russian countryside or try some steaming bowls of the famous borsch with a shot of vodka at the Russian Vodka Room restaurant TAKE A SPIRITUAL and quiet moment to feel the awesome grandeur of St Isaac’s Cathedral, the Russian Orthodox Church whose golden dome is one of the skyline’s most familiar landmarks gets a further upgrade as Bond Street’s gets lit up Last year saw sprays of peacockinspired decorations with enormous feathers perched prettily above shop windows F R O M T O P : P E T E R P H I P P/ T R AV E L S H O T S C O M /A L A M Y; D R E A M S T I M E /21'21 The Christmas skating Rink at Somerset House in London BELOW: Ballet on stage, the performance of children’s dance groups, St Petersburg FROM TOP: CHRISTOF SCHUERPF; STEPHAN ENGLER ON THE LOOKOUT for discounted shopping—your destination should be Villeneuve Outlet offering a minimum of 30 per cent discount on brands such as Balmain, Catamaran, Cerruti, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Wenger, Yves Saint-Laurent and more DON’T MISS THE MASS at the Sacré Cœur Church on Christmas eve at midnight At the end of the mass, as per tradition, people drink mulled wine together While the mass is in French, it is a great place to go over and observe a traditional Swiss celebration IF YOU WALK from the Casino Barrière direction Chillon Castle, along the lake, there are many benches on the lake shore, a few steps from the water and discreetly hidden behind trees Take any of these benches and you’ll have a peaceful time to yourself with a stunning view of the lake and the Alps Another spot, not as quiet and serene, but equally engaging is right next to the Freddie Mercury statue It is great to sit there and watch the lake thronging with people walking around in the Christmas market THE MONTREUX CHRISTMAS Market from November 20 to December 24 hosts over 150 exhibitors along the lake shores, and has various activities (big wheel/Santa’s Sleigh, sound and light show) that will thrill children and parents alike Besides, you can savour typical Swiss dishes at the lake, which is full of gift shops and food chalets IN THE OLD TOWN, near Saint- Vincent Church, you get a beautiful view over the lake, Alps, and the City of Montreux Go a bit higher to Caux Palace and the view over the lake from there is stunning During Christmas especially, the Christmas Village is a great place to be THE FAIRMONT Le Montreux Palace not only puts up a big Christmas tree in its hall but is also considered one of the best places to go to for a Christmas day brunch 02175(8; From the end of November until the 24th of December, the Christmas Market in Montreux is a landscape of lights, laughter and treats T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R MUNICH YOU MAY already know the Christmas Eve story and Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable melodies from the ballet ‘The Nutcracker’ But when in New York City for the holiday season, it is imperative you see the classic performed (annually since 1954) by the New York City Ballet SHOPPING IN New York City is undoubtedly an exceptional experience, but have you visited the city’s many holiday markets? The Union Square Holiday Market, the Holiday Shops at Bryant Park, and the indoor Grand Central Holiday Fair will indulge you with warm and gooey treats Here, mom-and-pop vendors sell clothing, jewellery, household items, speciality foods and much more The flickering lights, Christmas window displays, and all the merriment in the air add to the experience manifold GATHER AROUND the 32-foothigh, gold-coloured, 4,000-pound steel holiday icon, the Hanukkah Menorah, across the street from The Plaza hotel (Manhattan) on December to kick off the T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R annual Jewish Festival of Lights Witness the lighting of the world’s largest Hanukkah Menorah and follow it up with eight days of feasting on latkes LIKE IT picture-postcard perfect? Then, the sight of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree studded with thousands of lights and Swavorski crystals, towering above the ice rink, will give you the perfect backdrop for family we-fies ON A CHILLY evening in Brooklyn, when you are craving a cannoli and cappuccino, don’t wander off to just any bakery—the best one is Mona Lisa Pastry Shop in Bensonhurst Savour their authentic Brooklyn holiday cuisine and soak in yet another tradition FESTIVE LIVE MUSIC AT MARIENPLATZ Every evening, watch Christmas carols performed by bavarian small string groups, wind players, singers and choirs fill the air from the balcony of the Town Hall The musical moment offers a pause for thought and a little introspection amidst the hustle and bustle of the Marienplatz   CHRISTMAS POST OFFICE Walk through the interior courtyard of the town hall and you will be surprised to discover a Christmas Post Office from the village of ‘Christkindl’ in Austria Up until December 8, all Christmas mail posted here is franked with the word ‘Christkindl’ and sent anywhere in the world in time to arrive for Christmas   STERNENPLATZL AT RINDERMARKT A homey atmosphere lingers amidst the booths with their display of traditional arts and crafts, Bavarian specialities, nostalgic toys and homemade delicacies, incense, Feuerzangenbowle and fried sausages THE HOFKAPELLE Enjoy a festive concert at the Hofkapelle, the Court Chapel of the Munich Residenz The chapel was the creation of Maximilian I and this is where he and members of his court attended mass everyday. This concert can be booked with or without the three-course gourmet dinner at the Zum Franziskaner, Munich’s oldest restaurant F R O M L E F T: J U L I E N N E S C H A E R ( ) ; D R E A M S T I M E S NEW YORK FROM LEFT: Radio City Music Hall, Brooklyn Holiday Lights; shopping district light up and the Christmas market in town, Munich MUNICH CHRISTMAS Marketthe ‘Original’—is the oldest one in the city The origins are reported to date back to the so-called ‘Nicholaus Markets’ of the 14th century Town records first mention a ‘Nikolaidult’ that took place near the Beautiful Tower in Kaufingerstrasse in 1642   CONCERTS The best seasonal classical concerts take place in churches, such as St Stephen’s Cathedral, Malteserkirche, Minoritenkirche, Peterskirche, and the small baroque jewel of St Anna Church The annual highlight of this year is the ‘Christmas in Vienna’ concert at the Wiener Konzerthaus As with all Christmas season events, try to book early FUNKY CHRISTMAS AT MUSEUMSQUARTIER While the Christmas baubles, Alpinestyle booths, fir trees and brass musicians of traditional Christmas markets add a festive spirit, make sure you discover the other side of Vienna’s outdoor winter parties The Museums quartier’s architect designed installations let you marvel at live performed street art, have a sip in six beautifully illuminated ‘ice pavilions’, join fun remote control car races From dusk, the courtyard is filled with magical light projections VIENNA COFFEEHOUSE CONVERSATIONS They’re a monthly series of small social dinners that let you connect with a local Viennese in an informal way, over a meaningful conversation in a traditional coffeehouse, in English or German WEIKERSDORF CASTLE, BADEN Christmas Eve can be a sobering experience in Vienna, as most restaurants and venues shut down Head for the lovely Weikersdorf Castle in Baden in the Vienna Woods for a traditional Austrian Christmas celebration evening The Renaissance Castle is a cosy four star hotel, offering brilliant views of the town’s Doblhoff Park and the hilly forest of Kurpark You will be served a four-course Viennese style Christmas dinner get a little present, and then head off through the Biedermeierstyle city centre of Baden to the local church of St Christopher where you will attend Christmas mass A LITTLE MUSIC Discover original local bands reinterpreting their heritage of Viennese tavern songs and jazz artists such as Paul Gulda and Marwan Abado This is a great opportunity to visit insider locations such as Konzertcafé Schmid Hansl, Kulturcafé Tacheles and Schutzhaus am Heuberg, or experience well known places such as the winery Hengl-Hasselbrunner from a new perspective VIENNA F R O M L E F T: W I E N T O U R I S M U S _ C H R I S T I A N S T E M P E R ; W I E N T O U R I S M U S _ K A R L T H O M A S THIS YEAR, you can both Christmas market hopping and sightseeing by Segway in one go The tour groups are small and you’ll stop regularly for drinks, snacks and shopping Segwaying is easy to learn, fun and increases your radius Besides, Vienna’s cobbled streets can be a little murderous in high boots FROM LEFT: Altwiener Christkindlmarkt; Stephansdom T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R SYDNEY A SYDNEY CHRISTMAS is like no other in the world, with its sun-drenched summer days and balmy nights, uniquely Aussie festivities, and tradition with a twist SYDNEY GPO The central portico and clock tower of the old Sydney GPO, now the façade of the Westin Hotel, along with 341 and 343 George Street and Challis House will be alight with wondrous and spectacular Christmas inspired projections, transforming Martin Place into a festive landscape Head to the city after sunset to see the shining projections every evening Every day, 8.30pm to 1am from November 26 to December 25, 2015 RUSHCUTTERS BAY VILLAGE CONCERT Hosted by Sam Moran, it includes carols from Sam and performances by Justine Clarke, Lah Lah’s Big Live Band for the kids and R&B from Ms Murphy for all the family There’ll also be craft activities, a sausage sizzle, gelato and a fun Santa stocking jam-packed with goodies for a gold coin donation, with all proceeds going to charity partner Guide Dogs NSW/ACT The night culminates in a glittering fireworks display BOULEVARD OF LIGHT Take a special journey through Pitt Street Mall this Christmas, and be immersed in the joy of the season with over 62,000 twinkling white lights above you, as you stroll through a glorious green gateway of over a hundred live Christmas trees lining the mall PARIS IT’S LE PLUS MERVEILLEUX time of the year! Christmas in Paris is a magical time—shops glow with colourful Christmas displays and patisserie shelves groan with seasonal delights Restaurant specials on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve are filled with the bounty of the season—fresh oysters from Brittany, foie gras, truffles, chestnuts and champagne UNE BRÈVE HISTOIRE DE L’AVENIR AT THE LOUVRE Inspired by the book by French economist and author Jacques Attali, this exhibition showcases a variety of works depicting important events that influenced history NOTRE-DAME ORGAN RECITALS The regular free recitals by guest organists at the Notre-Dame cathedral take advantage of the building’s unique acoustics and the T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R awesome sound of the great organ, which was restored in 2012 for the cathedral’s 850th anniversary Don’t miss the 20-metre Christmas tree at the entrance FESTIVE CHANTING Head to Église Saint-Eustache as it boasts activities for children and France’s biggest organ On a more modest note, Église Notre-Dame des Blancs Manteaux features a vigil by the charity, Petits Frères des Pauvres F R O M T O P : P H I L H I L L /A L A M Y; S H U T T E R S T O C K The strand shopping arcade in central Sydney on Christmas day BELOW: Christmas tree at the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris THE WINTER FESTIVAL in Scotland kicks off in November with Aberdeen’s Fireworks Night The festivities continue with the Christmas Tree Switch On where each year the Lord Provost and a special guest light up a beautiful spruce, gifted to the city by its twin town of Stavanger in Norway EDINBURGH Running from J L I M A G E S /A L A M Y November 20 to January 4, Edinburgh’s Christmas offers no shortage of things to see and this winter Enjoy panoramic views of the capital from the top of the Big Wheel, spin around on the charming carousel in East Princes Street Gardens or brave a twirl on the 60-metre-high Star Flyer, in St Andrew Square YOUNGER KIDS will love Santa Land in Princes Street Gardens, a festive fairground with six fun rides and a children’s market full of gifts and toys Try to find the Elves’ Workshop hidden in the Christmas Tree Maze, or visit Santa’s Grotto to meet the man himself! CHRISTMAS MARKETS Don’t miss the festive markets in the city centre, a popular highlight of Edinburgh’s Christmas Enjoy delicious food and drink and traditional crafts at the Scottish Market in St Andrew Square, pick up unique gifts and goods at the European Market in the Mound Precinct, or choose presents for the wee ones in the Children’s Market, part of Santa Land in Princes Street Gardens St Andrew Square will also host the oval Ice Rink again, looping around the Melville Monument ALSO ON AT THE Spiegeltent is Baby Loves Disco’s: Kilts and Christmas Jumpers, a brilliant kids’ disco from December 30 to January A six-year sell-out at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, this unique dayclubbing experience for babies, toddlers and preschoolers comes complete with crafts, dress up, facepainting and a bar for parents EDINBURGH Christmas Market and Celebrations in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R C O U RT ESY O F N I T B P H OTO G R A P H I C L I B R A RY chills thrills and spills T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R Wakeboarding, archery, the Giant’s Causeway, stomach-churning drives, sea safari, body zorbing, pontoon jumping, and windsurfing—HARSIMRAN SHERGILL’S trip to Ireland was an adrenaline-pumping adventure and not one of the countryside, autumn flowers, and rolling hills Rathlin Island is the perfect base for an adventurist in Ireland T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R Crossing the Irish Sea on a short flight from London, minutes before touching down in Belfast, a middle aged South African couple who are returning to catch up with family, have only one piece of advice for the first time visitor “Have fun and make merry” they say, “because the Irish are a friendly lot!” On that note, my imagination of the Irish, which I have to confess, was limited to the image of the astonishingly handsome Gerard Butler in the popular rom-com P.S I Love You, spirals and goes on a overdrive! But the proof of the pudding is in the eating! So I gear up for the first leg of the adventurefilled journey of Northern Ireland the belfast castle and cave hill To accompany me on the thrilling ride is the witty and intelligent Lucia King from the Northern Ireland Tourism whose knowledge of the region can astound even the locals A mere 15-minute drive north of the bustling downtown, is the Belfast Castle tucked cosily on the slopes of the Cave Hill Country Park Originally built in the late 12th Century by the Normans, and after being burnt down twice, the third Marquis of Donegall decided to reconstruct the castle in 1862 As we walk past the imposing structure, it is hard to ignore why, over the years, the castle has become a popular hotspot for weddings and celebrations At one end of the building, is a flight of stairs that ironically leads nowhere Lucia fills me in saying, this part of the castle was added in 1894 as a gift to his mother by the ninth Earl of Shaftesbury Surrounded by rolling greens, there are plenty of short walks and easy, medium hikes that one can also indulge in We decide to take a short two-hour hike, crossing early blooms of autumn flowers, breathtaking views of the city below and plenty of evening strollers and health conscious joggers For the serious thrill seekers, there is a steep climb along the way that leads into a lonely cave— which also makes for an extreme and dramatic selfie spot! pedal and paddle belfast tours Even though I consider walking amongst the most fascinating ways of discovering a city, the Northern Ireland Tourism have a new trick up their sleeve The new pedal and paddle tour is about showcasing the city in two ways—by land and by river Ushering us over land is the happy-go-lucky Norman Trotter of the Belfast City Bike Tours As we leave the centre of town on our new-age bicycles, we head past the old industrial quarters that were primarily known for its ship building industry Norman takes us through the lush green Queen’s Park, a beautifully manicured park for residents and cyclists Unlike the chaotic Dublin, Belfast is a paradise for cyclists Here you can CLOCKWISE: the Giant’s leisurely ride through town taking your Causeway; Hartland & time to unravel the local architecture, Wolff Company’s original stop by a farmers market or pause at drawings of the Titanic are displayed in the a pub for a sip of ale Amongst many Titatic Quarter; canoe advantages of taking this bike tour is upstream on the Lagan that it can be completely customised river for some serious to your tastes and individual interests adventure; a sweeping belfastcitybiketours.com view of Belfast city T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R The next adventure is on water which literally translates to earning your view, over the Upper River Lagan As the name suggests, the paddle tour requires some serious upper body strength, for this leg is all about canoeing upstream along the river (which by no means is an easy feat if the wind is against you) Once the hard work of rowing upstream is behind you, you can sit back and enjoy the town go by, as the canoe is gently rocked downstream by the currents CLOCKWISE: Mountain biking at Rostrevor, a small village in Northern Ireland; wakeboarding in County Fermanagh; archery at Todds Leap; one of their most talked-about ride, the Hilly rally segway tour of the titanic qaurter Considering the focus of this leg of the journey is about exploring the city and its landmark in extraordinary ways, the Segway Tour is an absolute must-do The landmark: The RMS Titanic Quarter (TQ) ofcourse which has played an integral role in shaping the history of Belfast After a short briefing of our high tech moving platforms, Chris from Segway tours is eager to take us back into time He takes us through the Titanic Quarter, the place where the mammoth cruise liner was constructed As we move past the Titanic Dock, Pump house and the slipways, it’s hard to ignore the sheer scale of the construction Being one of the pivotal industries in the city, thousands of workers laboured on these very grounds to construct, what is known as the grandest ships in history But the most fascinating of it all, is what’s inside Built in 2005, the quarter houses a six floor building that doubles as a museum to beautifully showcase maritime history, the art of ship building with nine interactive displays, original sketches by the Hartland & Wolff Company, a short film on excavations and any and everything that’s related to the cruise liner To fully experience this wonder, keep a full day to explore this massive exhibition in its entirety titanicbelfast.com; Segway NI- Belfast Titanic Tours, Segway NI, Unit 7, Arc Building, Queens Road, BT39 DT; segwayni.co.uk todds leap adventure Leaving the confines of the city the next day, we make our way to County Tyrone, a short one-and-a-half hours’ drive through the Irish countryside into Todds Leap, an adventure centre At the reception lies a list of activities that include blindfold driving, zip lining, body zorbing, hill rally, clay pigeon shooting, archery, JCB driving and the drop zone to name a few Needless to say, Todds is all about shooting the adrenaline levels right through the roof One of the most talked about rides here is the Hilly rally that can put even most professional of offroaders to shame The three-minute drive through the narrow winding forest tracks, is nothing short of being hit by a typhoon And worst still, it feels like being awake all the while it happens Strapped tightly to the seat, the next three extremely long minutes are undoubtedly the scariest that I have lived in this lifetime Returning a little shaken not stirred, while the next jeep filled with teenagers is ready for their seconds, I comfort myself with thoughts of the Ocean and the natural wonder that surrounds it—the Giant’s Causeway giant’s causeway, port rush & more The Giant’s Causeway is like a magical tale abundantly sprinkled with mysteries and myths of the past, waiting to be retold As you walk past the doors of the newly constructed visitor centre, this UNESCO World Heritage Site appears sitting calmly by the sea gently being wooed by one wave after another Formed almost 60 million years ago, the Giant’s Causeway is a natural pavement of huge rocks formed after volcanic eruptions As the lava slowly and evenly cooled, T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R ... close, the Travel+ Leisure India-South Asia team stands with every being and every destination in the world that has been impacted by terror and war We won’t cower, we will continue to travel, explore,... on Twitter @pinterest/ruchirabose T R AV E L + L E I S U R E / D EC E M B E R FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM OUR TRAVELS FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @TRAVEL ANDLEISUREINDIA E D I T O R ’ S P H O T O G R A P... 24, salvatore.zammuto@burda.com AUSTRIA/SWITZERLAND Goran Vukota, Tel: +4 1 44 81 02 146, goran.vukota@burda.com TRAVEL + LEISURE (USA) EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / PUBLISHING DIRECTOR VICE PRESIDENT / PUBLISHER