You might have seen Vienna in Richard Linklater’s “Before Sunrise” with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. The city is most famous for its café culture, the cafés are for the people what the pubs are for the British.

People gather at cafés to do business, read the newspaper and catch up with friends. Experience the café culture from one of the city’s many meeting places. Café Sacher at Philharmonikerstrasse 4 near the Karlsplatz Metro is the best choice for a delicious Sacher cake, one favourite delicacy among the inhabitants. The service-minded staff at Café Sacher is keen to assist with most things, except for the recipe to their famous sacher cake - that’s a secret.

For overnights stays in the city, Clima Cityhotel at Theresianumgasse 21a will not make you disappointed. This must be one of the best hotels in the Vienna in terms of look and location. The hotel is situated between the main railway station and the old city in a safe and quiet part of Vienna. The nearest underground station (U-bahn) is only five minutes away. Clima Cityhotel is a newly renovated modern three-star hotel. They don’t label the hotel as a design hotel, but that was the feeling I got when I walked into the air-conditioned stylish lounge bar.

If you choose to stay at Clima, don’t miss Belvedere Palace which is a few minutes walk from the hotel. And try to get a room at one of the higher floors because the view over Vienna at night is terrific.

St Christopher’s Place is a charming shopping area near Bond Street tube station in central London. Here you will find stylish fashion shops like Noa Noa, Jigsaw and Marimekko, bars, restaurants and cafés. The best way to get here is from Bond Street: cross Oxford Street and turn into Gees Court, on the right side of James Street.

St Christopher’s Place consists of Gees Court, James Street, St Christopher’s Place, Barrett Street and parts of Oxford Street and Wigmore Street. The best parts are, in my opinion, the pedestrian streets Gees Court, Barrett Street and St Christopher’s Place.

The narrow alley Gees Court is a good start. On the left side on 9 Gees Court is the chocolate boutique Godiva, a heaven for chocolate lovers like myself. L´Occitane at 7 Gees Court is also worth a visit because of their terrific fragrances and skincare products from Provence. Next to L´Occitane, at 23 Barett Street, is the modern French patisserie Apostrophe with tempting cakes, tarts, pastries and croissants. Some of the best coffee in the city is made at the Italian deli and café Carluccio’s Café, opposite Apostrophe.

You will not find any other place in London with this many pavement eateries in the same area. One hotspot is Sofra, a Turkish restaurant at 1 St Christopher’s Place. And don’t miss Bean Juice at 10 St Christophers Place. This funky café with cool colourful interior makes delicious smoothies.  

Gamla Väster

Gamla Väster near the Lilla Torget square is a charming and rather quiet neighbourhood with pedestrian streets lined with boutiques, galleries and cafés. The best cafés here are CoffeeManiac and Café Siesta. CoffeeManiac is a trendy café located in an old cellar at Långgårdsgatan 8. Their open-air café is definitely one of the best in the city, the location is terrrific. Don’t miss CoffeeManiac’s special sandwiches - served warm with generous fillings and cut in two pieces to make it easier to eat. CoffeeManiac is open Monday to Friday 11am-18pm and Saturday to Sunday 11am-4pm.

Café Siesta is a modern and sophisticated café, bar and restaurant at Hjorttakegatan 1. Their open-air café tends to be crowded during warm summer days. The prices are rather high and the guests are generally older than the twenty to thirty something crowd hanging out at CoffeeManiac. Starters cost 40-100 SEK and count on 95-140 SEK for the mains. Café Siesta is open Tuesday to Thursday 10am-12noon. Friday 10am-1am, Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 11am-6pm. Don’t miss their tasty brunch on weekends!

Grenoble from Atop

THE LOCATION

Grenoble has a terrific location near the mountain chains Belledone, Chartreuse and Vercors. If you’ve never been to this French Alp city before I would suggest a ride with the telécab to la Bastille. The telécab starts near the Palais de Justice by the river. The view over the city during the ride is worth to pay for, but it’s even better from la Bastille when you see the surrounding mountain tops as well. The telécab is Grenoble’s most popular tourist attraction, so be prepared on lots of people in the fortress.

Skip the restaurant on the top - it’s nothing more than a tourist trap. A walk up to la Bastille takes about 30 minutes; one of the accesses is from Place Saint-Laurent, but I prefer the one from place Aristide Briand passing through the pretty Jardin des Dauphins. Other nice green areas in the city are Parc P. Mistral (a big park beyond blvd Jean Pain), Jardin Hoche (a gorgeous garden) and Jardin the Ville (a quiet garden by the river).

THE SHOPPING

For good shopping, take a bus to Place Dr. Martin (a hub for buses) and follow Rue de la Poste to Rue Felix Poulat and Place Grenette. The pedestrian streets in the old town near Place Grenette are lined with restaurants, cafés, bakeries and shops - a very charming area - while Blvd Edouard Ray and Blvd Gambetta have a modern feel with more designer shops and expensive spas and boutiques. Don’t miss the square Victor Hugo between these boulevards.

If you like shopping malls, there’s a good one called Grand Place in Echirolles outside the center of Grenoble.

THE RESTAURANTS

After a few weeks in Grenoble we realized that the city was great for eating out. Quai Mounier on the north side of the river l’isere became our favorite place to go for a tasty meal. The whole street is lined with pizzerias; it’s about fifteen restaurants in a row. Remember that people eat late in France, usually after 9.00pm.

THE NIGHTLIFE

Clubbing in Grenoble is different from many other European cities. We didn’t see any women dressed up or wearing skirts for example. People wore jeans and a t-shirt or a college sweater, and sporty shoes and everyone seemed to get in everywhere. I can’t imagine any place having a dress code.

There are many good bars around Place Notre Dame, they tend to be crowded though. Especially the London Pub at 11 rue Brocherie which (despite its two floors) is packed all night with people (mostly students) of all nationalities. We only stayed there about ten minutes. There’s nothing wrong with crowded places, but too crowded is, in my opinion, no fun. If the London Pub is too full, try the sport pub Le Couche Tard at 1 rue Palais or Café Notre Dame, also popular among students.

Other lively squares worth checking out are Place St-Andre, Place aux Herbes and Place de Gordes. During our first night out we didn’t knew anyone from Grenoble, but we found everyone to be really friendly and helpful with recommending good places to go. A French girl suggested a discotheque where they danced Le rock, the French equivalence to jive. Definitely not my thing, but it’s popular on many discotheques in Grenoble.

Grenoble is a popular student city, you can meet people from basically the whole world. One night my Swedish friend and I hung out with a British student, a Brazilian girl, and a Mexican au-pair . We went to a great Spanish Tapas restaurant near Place Notre Dame and later to a bar called the Sand Bar (because of the sand on the floor.) It’s a really cool and relaxed place with friendly staff and they played great music by Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin. The bar is located on a side street near Place du Verdun, but it doesn’t have a sign or a visible door so ask a local for directions.

THE NATURE

Don’t leave Grenoble without having experienced the mountains. Whether it’s for skiing, via-ferrata, climbing or hiking doesn’t really matter because you’ll get a good work out and a nice day in the fresh air. Hiking is especially beautiful during misty days when the haze lies as a veil over the valley. It was exactly a haze like that the day I went out on a mini hike in the forest above Montbonnot, a village ten minutes from Grenoble. I passed Fort du Bourcet and followed the path in the forest Bois du Mullard, beside Bois d´Avril, below the mountain chain Chartreuse. Sometimes I could see the peak Mont St-Eynard.

If you fancy a hike near Grenoble, walk or drive to La Chapelle north of the city. There’s a good parking spot just across the road. Follow the hiking trail from La Chapelle to the top of the hill and Fort du St-Eynard or walk downwards toward the villages further south. Either bring your own picnic or stop by the restaurant on the right side of the road from La Chapelle. They serve tasty food and delicious blueberry cake.

After the restaurant, turn right into the small twisting (mostly downhill) road passing a few houses and the villages Battoniere, la Tour des Chiens, and Chantemerle. Finally you will reach Bouqueron, a charming village between the districts La Tronche and Corenc. I continued to the village Montbonnot where I lived, but buses go to Grenoble from Bouqueron… not often though so if you don’t like the idea of waiting more than 2 hours for the bus, take a brisk thirty minutes walk back to Grenoble.

Because of its many parks, Malmö is often called ”The Green City”. The most popular park among kids is Folkets Park, from April until September this park attracts families who come to visit the amusement park Tivoli, the children’s theatre or the large playground.

My favourite parks are Kungsparken, the oldest public park in the city, and Slottsparken. While Slottsparken with its big lawns and open spaces is a perfect place for a picnic or sport activities, Kungsparken is better for walking or jogging. Beside Kungsparken, on the other side of the canal right behind Malmöhus Castle, is the organic garden Slottsträdgården. This is the most idyllic place in the city with nice pedestrian paths lined with flowers and plants. Slottsträdgården draws many people because of the charming café in the middle of the garden, in the winter guests eat in the nearby glasshouse.

Another nice park worth a visit is Pildammsparken, the biggest park in Malmö. Pildammsparken has great jogging paths, pretty flower beds and free concerts and performances in the open-air theatre during the summer.

Joshua Perdy in Manatura

When living in Malmo, the third largest city in Sweden, I found that the square Drottningtorget is unbeatable in terms of organic living.

At the upper right hand corner near the street Norra Vallgatan is a great organic food shop. Further up the street is Manatura, one of few organic hair salons in Sweden. The owner Joshua Perdy has lived and worked in cities such as New York, London, San Francisco and Tokyo before establishing himself as the best organic hairdresser in Malmo. When I asked which his favourite city was he said it’s the city where he go to bed at night.  Sounds logical, but it was actually the first time I ever heard someone say it. Joshua spoke about the increasing demand for non-chemical and eco-friendly products, hopefully others will follow in his footsteps.

Manatura has a warm and welcoming atmosphere with a cozy mix of second-hand and newer stuff. And it is probably the only hairdresser in the country without mirrors. Manatura is Sweden’s only retailer of John Master’s Organics and they sell organic hair- and skincare products from Miessence.

Don’t miss Babuschka Sustainable Design, a small shop selling organic clothes. Babuschka has shared premises with Manatura since the opening in October 2004 and attracts many regular costumers. The owner Malin Busch is positive to the future of organic living and shows that organic fashion definitely isn’t boring.

Malin Busch in Babuschka

Further up the street, at Drottningtorget 6, is the place to go for the most delicious home-made Italian ice cream in the city. Dolce Sicilia is a modern family owned gelateria offering terrific organic ice cream, crepes, foccacia, salads, milkshakes, fresh pressed juices and Italian coffee. Dolce Sicilia is open daily 11am-9pm.

Dolce Sicilia

Vintage Clothing, Great Marlborough Street

Did you arrive in London, realizing all your best outfits are left in the wardrobe at home? Don’t despair. The British capital has terrific shopping. Apart from high street labels, department stores, individual designer shops and boutiques, London also offers a wide range of vintage clothing. My favorites are still Beyond Retro and Absolute Vintage in Shoreditch, but I have found plenty of other shops worth a visit.

Virginia

After Holland Park Station at 98 Portland Road you find a shop probably created by an artist. Expensive, but stunning vintage clothes.

Palette London

Located on 21 Canonbury Lane in hip Islington near Upper Street, this special boutique offers selected pristine vintage clothing from designers such as Pucci (60-70’s), Marimekko (60-70’s), Missoni (70’s) and Chanel (80-90’s). The friendly staff has a great sense of style. They specialize in modern vintage and have a large collection of 1980’s pieces from Moshino, the punk label Betsey Johnson and Commes Des Garcons.

One of a Kind

The two welcoming owners set up this shop on 253 Portobello Road, near Ladbroke Grove Station, about ten years ago. Here you will see pictures of visiting celebrities as Victoria Beckham, Madonna and Kate Moss. One of a Kind has without doubt beautiful (but absurdly expensive) clothing. Overpriced or not, people who afford it don’t care. Bargaining works occasionally.

Rellik

I recently read that Sarah Michelle Gellar loves shopping here when she is in London. With attire ranging from the 20’s to mid 80’s alongside modern vintage and current trends, Rellik - on 8 Golborne Road next to Portobello - provides great inspiration for designers and stylists. The clothing labels (with rather high prices) include Vivienne Westwood, Pucci and Dior.

Appleby

Appleby is located at 95 Westbourne Park Villas, a trendy corner of Notting Hill. The shop has an amazing, but expensive, collection of rare vintage dresses, jackets, tops and bottoms, coats, suits, lingerie and accessories.

Butler & Wilson

B&W sells vintage clothes, handbags and jewellery of excellent value along with London’s biggest collection of vintage dresses. Simon Wilson’s original collection of men’s jewellery might give your male company a reason to return. Nothing for the faint hearted though. Their two stores are located at 189 Fulham Road, near Sydney Street in Chelsea, and at 20 South Molton Street close to Bond Street.

Shikasuki

The cool and classy Shikasuki, on 67 Gloucester Avenue in Primrose Hill, has a mix of contemporary art and precious vintage clothing. The spacious dressing rooms, the elegant atmosphere and the owner Rachel Ducker’s designed greeting cards are some reasons to pay a visit.

If you, despite these suggestions, can’t find anything in your taste I’d recommend one of the many Oxfam stores in the city. Although not as trendy as the above examples they do offer affordable vintage clothing for a good cause.

For the best prices on the latest West End musicals in London, join the queue to the TKTS booth on Leicester Square. Right now you can buy half price tickets to Dirty Dancing (at Aldwych Theatre), Rent (at Duke of York’s Theatre), Stomp (at Vaudeville Theatre), Fame (at Shaftesbury Theatre), Billy Elliot (at Victoria Palace Theatre), Grease (at Piccadilly Theatre and Footlose (at Playhouse Theatre), a show packed with classics from the 80’s - like the old Bonnie Tyler hit ”Holding Out For a Hero”. Another musical worth a watch is The Lion King playing at Lyceum Theatre. Whichever you choose, I am sure you will get a great evening!   

 Zurich Cityscape

Quite a few people think Zurich is boring and too tidy. Other appreciates its uncluttered milieu, and believes the orderliness adds to the city’s charm.

The Swiss efficiency is most apparent in Zurich, noted for its safe, clean and effective public transportation system. S-bahn (local train), buses, trams and boats for the river and lake are included in the punctually network and moving from one point to another could probably not have been easier. Traveling to other Swiss and European cities is not any problem either. Trains are scheduled regularly from Hauptbahnhof, the main train station, located at the end of Bahnhofstrasse. The tourist city Luzerne is only forty-five minutes away, the capital Bern one hour, world class skiing in Klosters and Andermatt less than two hours, and Paris approximately six hours. Vacationers who prefer air travel have Zurich International Airport, Switzerland’s largest and busiest airport, merely 20 minutes from Zurich with the S-bahn.

A report from Mercer Human Resource and Consulting the 3rd April 2007 confirms that Zurich once again was considered the city with the best quality of life in the world. Mercer’s annual worldwide survey placed Zurich as the winner, Geneva 2nd, and Vancouver 3rd. Although, with quality comes price, and it’s not cheap. Another Mercer survey, “The world’s 50 most expensive big cities”, put Zurich on the 9th position, right after Geneva and Copenhagen. Even though the city is expensive that’s not a reason to travel somewhere else. Zurich is well worth a stay, even for a day if you have a crammed to-do list. The city has a vast amount of excursion points and recreation possibilities, as well as shops, museums, hotels, restaurants, bars, and diverse night spots.

Here are ten places you shouldn’t miss:

1. The Lake Zürich Area
Where else in Europe, except in Lake Geneva, can you swim in pleasant water as you appreciate the view of stunning Alp tops? The Seefeld zone, near the lake, is one of Zurich’s most sought-after living areas and Strandbad Tiefenbrunnen, a well-known bathing place, is crowded during hot summer days.

Don’t forget a stroll along the lake towards the center of the city to relish the sights, sounds and smells of the lake area, or enjoying the peaceful atmosphere in the Chinese Garden on Bellerivestrasse at Zurichhorn. The garden was a gift to the inhabitants from Zurich’s twin town Kunming in south west China.  

2. The Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden of the University of Zurich is located in the Seefeld zone at Zollikerstrasse 107. The three uniquely bubble designed greenhouses show three sorts of vegetation: humid tropical, warm humid, and tropical to subtropical. The surrounding garden is huge, and a calming place to have a picnic or read a good book.

3. Zurich Zoo
Zurich Zoo is located about 15 minutes with the tram from the center of the city and is an excellent excursion, even if you travel without kids. Explore a part of Madagascar in Masoala Rainforest, Europe’s largest indoor rainforest, protected by a great glass hall and watch the animals, trees and flowers in the warm and humid tropical ecosystem.

4. Uetliberg
Take the Sihltal Zurich Uetlibergbahn (SZU) to the end station and walk up to Uetliberg (871m or 2856 ft) and admire the view from the 30 meter viewing tower at the top. Alternatively, take the S-bahn from Zurich Hauptbahnhof to Adliswil where a 300 meter cable-car climbs up to the station at Falsenegg. From there you can follow the popular hiking path running along a crest overlooking Lake Zürich.

5. Bahnhofstrasse
Bahnhofstrasse is one of the most exclusive shopping streets in the world, lined with elegant designer shops. The renowned shopping avenue starts at the main train station and continues down to the lake. In the middle of the street is Paradeplatz where several Swiss banks have their headquarters, and the city’s oldest pastry shop Sprüngli has its flagship store.

6. Hiltl
Hiltl has operated since 1898 and is the first vegetarian restaurant in Europe. They offer savory international and Indian food, as well as a splendid salad buffet. A reservation is recommended as it’s usually rather crowded. The address is Sihlstrasse 28, not far from Bahnhofstrasse.

7. Lindenhof square
Lindenhof square is an oasis of serenity, avid chess players’ meeting place, and offers the best view over the city. The square is situated on the small hill on the left bank of river Limmat in Lindenhof, the historic center of Zurich. Look for the neighboring, impressive St. Peterskirche that has the largest clock face in Europe.

8. Niederdorf
The oldest part of Zurich attracts young people, and is a cool nightlife district with lots of bars, restaurants, and clubs. During the day, Niederdorfstrasse and the surrounding narrow alleys and courtyards have a calm medieval atmosphere. Make sure to visit the trendy fashion shops, antique bookstores and the eateries along the main street offering food from nearly every corner of the world.  

9. Zurich West
This former industrial area is now a hip district, overtaken by yuppies and people who are devoted to night life and in-places, or simply like the creative ambiance.  X-Tra Palais at Limmatstrasse 118, on the beginning of the multicultural Langstrasse, is the only club in the city with its own restaurant, lounge, hotel, and music label. For suggestions and upcoming events in zone 5, grab a free issue of the magazine “20 Minuten” from the bar counter.

10. The Lindt Chocolate Factory Shop
What would Switzerland be without its delicate chocolate? Lindt’s Shop, located at Seestrasse 204 in Kilchberg, has always special offers on the most sublime chocolate. You can reach the chocolate factory shop via S-bahn, or lend a bike for free at the main train station for a pleasant tour along the lake. Satisfaction guaranteed.  

After having spent six months in Zurich I can conclude that the city is both tidy and orderly, but definitely not in a negative way.

Quiet Beach in Cabo San Lucas © Heather Sorenson

Did you know the Mexican Caribbean and Golf of Mexico have over 5,000 beaches? A wide variety of everything from serene and empty stretches of sand to overcrowded sites near popular tourist resorts. Whatever you seek, you will not face any problems when searching after your favourite beach in Mexico.

Cancun, Quintana Roo

Compared with other resort destinations in Mexico, Cancun offers most luxury hotels, restaurants, nightlife and activities. The white-sand beaches in Cancun and along the Yacatan’s Quintana Roo coast, extending south almost all the way to the Belizean border are the country’s best in terms of pure beauty. Don’t forget to admire the coral reef when you swim in the clear water.

Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo

This beautiful island, located offshore from Cancun, is a must visit. From Playa Norte - the only beach on the island - you can take diving lessons in El Garrafon reef, snorkel or join a boat tour to the close by Isla Contoy National Wildlife Reserve.

Tulum, Quintana Roo

Set below the Mayan ruins this is one of the most scenic beaches in the world. Tulum village, around 130 km south of Cancun, has a car park, restaurants, motels and souvenir shops, but its sandy cove is far from crowded and perfect for sunbathing and swimming. Don’t miss a tour of the ruins and the vast nearby nature preserve.

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo

“Playa” on the Caribbean coast is a popular beach destination, attracting tourists from all over the world. An unpretentious and relaxing place located quite near the ruins of Tulum and a 45-minute boat ride to the island Cozumel. With soft sand beaches, clear azure water and plenty of accommodation, bars and restaurants in “Playa” town, you’re set for a pleasant and sociable vacation.

Puerto Escondido, Baja California

In Spanish, Puerto Escondido means “hidden port” and the village surely lives up to its name. Consisting of several beaches with their own appeal, the town offers inexpensive rooms, great budget dining and a laid back atmosphere. Puerto Escondido is also named Mexico’s surfing Mecca. Playa Zicatela or “the Mexican Pipeline” boasts waves reaching 22-26 feet August through November.

Puerto Angel, Oaxaca

The best beach in the calm Puerto Angel area on the Pacific coast is Zipolite Beach, located about 37 miles from Puerto Escondido. Favoured among hikers and backpackers Zipolite gives you simplicity and relaxation. Visiting in August to November? Watch out for the high surf and strong currents in deep water.

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco

Start your day at Puerto Vallarta’s popular public beach Playa los Muertos. After a beach volleyball game and some swimming, rent a car and explore the rest of the wide Banderas Bay offering 26 miles of beaches. Don’t forget to bring a map.

Yelapa, Jalisco

Located south of Puerto Vallarta, Yelapa has remarkable surroundings, unscathed shores and their own view of modern amenities (Yelapa doesn’t have electricity or cars). To reach the fishing village of Yalapa meaning “gathering place”, board a water taxi from Boca de Tomatlan or Los Muertos beach. But leave early to avoid the tourists arriving on the large boat around noon. The last water taxi returns to Boca at 5pm and to Puerto Vallarta at 4.30pm.

Pie de la Cuesta, Guerrero

This quiet village, below Sierra Mountains, between the ocean and a fresh water lagoon is located 6 miles northwest of Acapulco. Translated the “Foot of the Sunset”, Pie de la Cuesta makes a perfect setting for wedding ceremonies and couples seeking a romantic retreat. Beware of the big waves to avoid getting caught in the undertow.

Los Cabos, Baja California

With miles of amazing beaches, Cabo San Lucas and San Jos del Cabo, are major American tourist destinations, especially popular among golfers, fishers and young people in search of booze and party. Begin at Pueblo la Playa, north of San Jos del Cabo, and continue to Playa de Amor (Lover’s Beach). Don’t miss taking pictures of the dramatic rock formations along the shoreline and, at some beaches, the heavy waves. If the water is too rough, rather watch than swim.

Whether you seek an exceptional spot for sunbathing, pleasant swimming, terrific diving possibilities or thrilling surf, you will find it in Mexico. And remember, the best time for a Mexican beach vacation is November to May.