PAGE 38 DAILY RECORD Saturday, September 21, 2013 PAGE 39DAILY RECORD Saturday, September 21, 2013

TRAVEL with MELANIE HARVEY

Bolongoro Trevor for designer togsto jewellery in Dower and Hall, whilethe best AllSaints in the capital ishere in its original home.

After you browse the market forsomething a bit different, you canenjoy a coffee or lunch in the manycafes and restaurants. The wholeplace has a really nice feel, busy butnot overcrowded.

Of course, Oxford Street is alsowithin easy reach and I got myhigh-street hit in the afternoon.

If shopping isn’t your thing, youare within easy reach of loads ofattractions like the London Eye, theLondon Aquarium, the NationalTheatre and Royal Festival Hall.

Check out 365Tickets for greatoffers and discounts for thecapital’s famous sights.

And when you are done with allthat shopping and sightseeing, youknow you can get back to yourhotel, kick back and drink in thatview. What more could you want?

breakfast, plus dinner on arrivalnight. From £139 per person■ To book, telephone015394 63550 or visit www.daffodilhotel.com■ Offer runs from October toMarch 2014. For furtherterms and conditions pleasevisit the website.

sights and we wanted to take fulladvantage of that.

 We decided to go for a three-hourevening cruise, which really showedoff the magnificent coastline. We metother passengers at the picturesquemarina that featured brightly colouredblocks of buildings, looking like Legofrom afar, and from there we hoppedon board the Mara Catamaran.

The skipper took us west along thecoast towards Lagos, pointing out

 various beaches en route, as well assome striking rock formations andcaves with stunning colour gradients.

It felt so relaxing to sunbathe on thedeck and take in the gorgeous scenery.

 As well as coastal tours, local

seafood is a must-try when you’re inthe region. We dined at various placesbut by far the best was O Dias, a smalltraditional restaurant recommendedto us by a local guide.

Its outdoor balcony with beautiful views overlooking the beach felt a littlecramped but we were soon so

 preoccupied by the delicious food, itdidn’t really matter. I opted for grilledsole, cooked Algarve style by aneccentric, weathered chef who lookedas if he’d earlier fished for the seafoodhimself, while Mike went for mussels.

It was an affordable dinner madeeven more delightful by the charmingstaff and surroundings.

 We wanted to end our holiday on a

high so we spent our last day at theSlide & Splash water park. We paid60 euros in total for park entry andcoach pick-up and return from ourhotel, which wasn’t bad at all.

 Just 30 minutes’ drive from Albufeira,in Vale de Deus, the park offers wildlifeshows, as well as the thrill of the slides.

For families with youngsters, thereare child-friendly areas such as the softslopes and pools but for the so-calledgrown-ups there’s a variety of excitingslides for the taking.

It was an action-packed day, a perfect end to the relaxing week.

 Whatever you want in a holiday, the Algarve ticks all the boxes, with theadded bonus of sun, sea and sand.

SO you think you know Tenerife?Delve a little deeper and thisCanary Island will reveal a side thatmay surprise you.

It’s only in the past decade thatTenerife has revealed its truepersonality to UK travellers, with arange of holidays available, fromhiking, biking, sailing and adventuresports to cultural breaks – evidencethat the island’s metamorphosisfrom simple kiss-me-quick cocooninto a cosmopolitan destination ofvast variety is complete.

Beyond the beach, you’ll realisethat the sandy resorts are just agateway to an amazing array ofholiday options. In Puerto de laCruz, for example, you’ll findbotanical gardens, the Loro Parquewildlife attraction and seafront lido.

Pass through a dividing line ofpine forest and you’ll come to thevolcanic interior, with its vertiginouscable car rides, moonscape hikesand petrified rivers of twisted lava.

The mountain range’s northernslopes promise vineyard tours,wine-tasting, technicolour flora, thepicture-postcard town of LaOrotava and the underground cavesnear Icod de los Vinos.

Looking for peace and quiet awayfrom the crowds?

Then try hilltop towns like Vilafloror harbour towns such as Garachico.

With nine golf courses in Tenerife,it’s easy to tee off, or you canisland-hop for the day to thedazzling tropical fairways of GolfTecina in La Gomera, just 35 minsby fast ferry from Los Cristianos.

Back in Tenerife, the north-westtip provides utter seclusion, whereyou can journey from hamlet tohamlet along forest pathways andyou’ll find Shangri-La-style lostvillage of Masca and the cliffs of LosGigantes that plunge vertically intodeep waters where fabled giantoctopuses reside.

The linked cities of Santa Cruzand La Laguna are a hotbed ofhistory, museums, galleries andurban parks. Dining and nightlife areas varied as the sights.

Hire a car and in 20 minutes youcan swap the main resorts of CostaAdeje, Playa de las Americas andLos Cristianos for the pastoraltranquillity of timeless villageswhere locals congregate inlaurel-shaded plazas to chat.

An ideal winter-sun destination,Tenerife has something foreveryone. Contact Barrhead Travelfor the latest availability and prices.

News

BREATHTAKING Los Gigantes

Tenerife’s fullof surprises

Late deals

Facts..

Blooming great hotel

CHILL Spoil yourself at The Daffodil

TREAT yourself to a four-starluxury break at The Lake District’snewest hotel and spa.

Situated on the picturesqueshores of Grasmere, The Daffodilcombines stylish contemporaryinteriors with stunning naturalbeauty – the best of both worlds.

Take advantage of the ComeDine With Us offer and enjoy twonights’ bed and breakfast, use ofthe spa facilities, plus one dinnercooked for you by award-winningexecutive chef Nick Martin.

Spectacular views, cosy rooms, aluxury spa and locally sourcedCumbrian dishes await – all youneed to do is choose the date.■ The Daffodil Hotel & Spa,Grasmere. Come Dine With Us offer:Two nights with bed and

Facts..

Room with a viewof London’s sights

LONDON CALLING Park Plaza Westminster Bridge with Big Ben on skyline

I COULDN’T believe my eyes when Iwalked into my hotel room for ashort break in London.

Through our window at the ParkPlaza Westminster Bridge, therewere Big Ben and the HousesofParliamentinalltheirglory.

In fact, the view was so good itwas a struggle to drag myself out ofthe hotel for dinner because it isafter dark that you really seeLondon at its best.

But once I did, I found I was in abrilliant location to enjoy the city. Ashort walk from Waterloo Station, Iwas ideally placed to go just aboutanywhere I wanted to.

And if you don’t want to samplethe delights of London’s myriad ofrestaurants, the Park Plaza offers asignature French Brasserierestaurant with Brasserie Joel andIchi Sushi & Sashimi Bar, aJapanese restaurant, while 1WBLounge and Patisserie is ideal forafternoon teas and tapas.

After a night in one of the mostcomfortable hotel beds I have sleptin, and another look at that view, Iindulged in breakfast in that bed.Then it was time to hit the shops.

This location is great for all thebest shopping areas and I decidedto head east to Spitalfields Market,which offers the perfect mix ofestablished and independentretailers. There is everything from

■ Melanie stayed courtesy ofthe Park Plaza WestminsterBridge, 200 WestminsterBridge Road, London, SE1 7UT.Call 0844 415 6790 or log onto www.parkplaza.com/westminsterbridge■ For tickets for London’sbest attractions, visitwww.365tickets.co.uk

ALL THE FUN OF FAROExploring Algarve’scapital and nearbybeach resortsmakes for magicalholiday that will livelong in memory,writes MARYANN PICKFORD 

There are many reasons whymore than seven milliontourists flock to Portugal’s

 Algarve each year.Known for its delectable seafood,

stunning coastline and rich heritage,it’s little wonder that so manyholidaymakers make it their No1summer destination.

I was keen to see what all the fuss was about and I wasn’t disappointed.

 After landing at Faro Airport, my partner Mike and I decided to spend aday there to see what this underrated

 part of the region had to offer.The city is often overlooked for

more popular hotspots such as Albufeira, where we were heading forthe rest of the week, as it’s thought tobe simply the gateway to the Algarve.

However, it’s much more than that. As we meandered through the centretowards the marina, the scenes weencountered were charminglyEuropean. Balconies framed the footof windows, while decorative stonesadorned the tops like a crown.

The cobbled streets were quaint andquiet and, as we headed for the OldTown, weathered yet intricatearchitecture revealed Portugal’sMoorish roots.

One major attraction is theRia Formosa Natural Park,

 which spans more than30 miles of coastline. The

 protected nature reserve ishome to many differentbreeds of wildlife and is a bigdraw for nature lovers.

 We got the chance tocruise through the lagoonand spot storks with boattour company Animaris,

 which ferried us and a groupof other passengers to IlhaDeserta, a tiny remote islandin the heart of the park.

 A lot has been said aboutIlha Deserta and its beautyon the virtual grapevine –and it lived up to the hype.

 Just six miles from Faro,the island is a diamond in therough as you’re greeted with

 jagged rocks upon disembarking, while five minutes’ walk away was a perfect stretch of golden beach.

 With temperatures nudging 30C,the scene offered a tranquil momentto soak up the rays and enjoy

 panoramic views of the mainland. Although we were kicking ourselves

for forgetting to bring a picnic, luckily,there was the O Estaminé restaurant –the only one on the whole island –that offered refreshments.

Once our short adventure in Faro was over, we made our way to Albufeira, a coastal city that’s arguablythe most popular in the Algarve due toits location. We made Hotel Vila Sao

 Vicente, in the Old Town, ourhome-from-home for the week, mainlybecause of its breathtaking view of thecoast and Praia do Peneco beach.

Each morning, in the bar, staff laidout the excellent buffet breakfastspread – ranging from fresh fruit tobread, meat and cheeses – while youcould eat out on the veranda and takein the glorious landscape. Heaven.

 Although it was tempting to loungearound in the sun all day, Albufeira is ahotspot for watersports and cultural

■ Flying from Edinburgh on October25, seven nights in Torremolinos,Costa del Sol, staying at three-starHotel Roc Flamingo, bed & breakfast,from £329 per person, based on twoadults sharing.■ Flying from Edinburgh on October20, seven nights in Benidorm, CostaBlanca, staying at the four-starTerralta Apartments, self-catering,

from £339pp, two adults sharing.■ Flying from Glasgow on October25, seven nights in Benidorm, CostaBlanca, staying at the four-starHalley Apartments, self-catering,from £257pp, based on four sharing.■ For these and other deals,visit www.jet2holidays.com,freephone 0800 408 5594, or visityour travel agent.

■ Fly direct to Faro withRyanair from GlasgowPrestwick or indirect withBritish Airways fromGlasgow International.■ Mary Ann stayed at HotelVila Sao Vicente in Albufeira.For more info or to book,visit www.hotelsaovicentealbufeira.com■ Tickets to Slide & Splashwater park cost 25 euros peradult or 18 euros per child(5-10 years).Visit www.slidesplash.com■ For more about theAlgarve, visit www.visitalgarve.pt

WATERFRONT Faro with its clean streets and spectacular harbour is a delightNATURAL WONDER Ilha de Tavira, a popular beach in Ria Formosa Natural Park that spans about 30 miles of Algarve coastline

HISTORIC

Faro CityHall, one ofthe manysplendidsights

m.harvey@dailyrecord.co.uk

MELANIE HARVEYm.harvey@dailyrecord.co.uk

 

Late deals■ Flying from Glasgow onOctober 15 or 22, sevennights in Benidorm, stayingat the three-star PrincePark, full board, from £319per person.■ Flying from Glasgow onOctober 19, seven nights inTurkey, staying at thethree-star Eftalia ResortHotel, all-inclusive, from£379 per person.■ Flying from Glasgow onOctober 31, seven nights inLanzarote, staying at thethree-star THB TropicalIsland, all-inclusive, from£349 per person.■ For these and otherdeals, log on to www.barrhead travel.co.uk orcall 0141 222 2223.