world luxury travel magazine april 2014

Luxury TravelLuxury TravelVol. 2 � Issue 9 � April, 2014

WorldWorld

MagazineMagazine

Green ParadiseThe five must-visit urbanparks in the world

Cape TownA kaleidoscope of

colours and diversity

ExtraordinaryVacationsMysterious hotels of the world

Travelingfor Pizzas

Popular pizza destinations of the world

May Festivalsaround the World


Editor-in-Chief :Manashree

Travel Writers :Prabha, Saurav

ContributingPhotographers :Prakash, Marc

Sprengers

Website Counsellor :Pramathesh

Designer :Pranab

Manashree PrakashEditor-in-Chief

Luxury TravelWorld

Magazine

Travel is one of the most enrichingexperiences of life. I sincerely believe that onemust grab every opportunity to travel, to seea new place, experience a new activity in theplace and to savour the local delicacy whilein a foreign land. All these add colour to thejourney of life.In our website and magazine, we have beentalking about the many destinations that areworth a visit. Our endeavour is to bring you

some of the ‘not-so-talked-about’ destinations too, which we believeadd a new perspective to life itself. This issue of the e-zine tells youabout the five must-visit urban parks around the world. Read on toknow how a patch of greenery always refreshes your mind and makesyou believe in the goodness of nature.Speaking of nature, in our city guide section of the e-zine, we aretalking about the capital city of one of the most naturally diversecountries in the world. Yes, we visited Cape Town – a city worthy ofvisiting at least once in your lifetime.In our February 2013 issue of the e-zine, we talked about five uniqueluxury hotels in the world. This issue of the e-zine brings you a fewmore that we couldn’t resist writing about. You have to read it tobelieve it.Travel and food is like the two sides of the same coin. Do you likepizza? How about traveling for pizzas? I savoured pizza in differentplaces of the world including Italy. Believe me, the difference in taste,

toppings and tradition of making pizzas differ vastly fromplace to place. In our Luxe Food section we are talkingabout few of the most popular destinations for pizzas.Pick the one you like.In the routine of life, there comes a time whenaccidents like the MH370 happen and shake us tothe core. These incidences make us questioneverything. We cannot even begin to feel howthe families of the passengers aboard the

Malaysian Airline flight MH370 feel. Everyone fromWorld Luxury Tourism conveys our heartfelt condolences to

them.Thank you!

Vol. 2 Issue 9 April, 2014

Contents

Cover Story5

22City Guide66

Happenings

Green ParadiseThe five must-visit urbanparks in the world

Cape TownCape TownCape TownCape TownCape TownA kaleidoscope of

colours and diversity

May FestivalsMay FestivalsMay FestivalsMay FestivalsMay Festivalsaround the World

Extraordinary VacationsMysterious hotels of the world

34Luxe Stays

Luxe Foods

Traveling forPizzas

Popular pizzadestinations of the world

48

Introducing the MICE Directory bywww.worldluxurytourism.com (WLT)

To get listed, please send us the details of your MICEServices to [email protected]

C o v e rStory

The five must-visit urbanparks in the world

Green ParadiseGreen Paradise

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World Luxury Travel Magazine

Who does not pause to glance at ablooming flower or sniff the glorious smellof wet earth after a brief shower of rain?There is nothing more refreshing than torelax in an open space and gulp in lungfulof fresh air after working in tiny cubicles orrushing through the traffic. The full-in-the-weekends neighbourhood parks bearstestimony to this fact.

Every city on

this planet has some park or garden whereits residents can picnic, relax, admire theflowers and connect with Nature. Some ofthe most famous parks in the world are insome of the busiest cities. They provide themuch-needed getaway for their residents.Today, let us dig a little deeper into someof the most famous urban parks of theworld and see what makes them such huge

draws!

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Central Park, New York

Perhaps no other green space in the worldcan be so justly called an ‘oasis in a concretedesert’ as the Central Park in New York. Youonly need to take a look at an aerial shot ofthe park to agree. The 843-acre park is setlike a jewel in colours of blue and green

amidst a jungle of steel and concrete.Needless to say, it is the favourite place ofNew Yorkers whenever they want to‘breathe’ and relax in the environs of nature.The Central Park is the most famous park inthe world and attracts not just New Yorkers

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but tourists from allover the globe, 35million of whom turnout annually to visit thisfamous attraction.

Located in the heart ofManhattan, the parkwas opened in 1857.The park contains a zoo,a wildlife sanctuary,over 25,000 trees andbeautifully landscapedgardens, lakes andwalkways. Popularattractions include theBelvedere Castle, theCentral Park Reservoirand the BethesdaFountain, Alice inWonderland sculpture,Conservatory Garden(popular weddingvenue) and the AncientPlayground for children.Hiking, biking, skating,baseball, fishing are allpopular here and so arethe culturalperformances andconcerts regularly held

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here. The park alsohouses warmemorials, and a3500 year oldEgyptian obelisk

n i c k n a m e dCleopatra’s Needle. If

you are planning tovisit, remember that

the park is closed onSundays.

Fun Fact: The lamp-posts in the843-acre park actually serve as

guide-posts for directions; so if you see alamp-post with 7304 on it, your location

between the 73rd and 74th streets.

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Hyde Park, London

Relaxing in the Hyde Park with a cup ofcoffee, watching people boating andchildren playing, it is hard to imagine thatyears back nobles raced across these very

grounds in wild pursuit of deer. The land wasfirst procured by King Henry VIII in 1536.Originally the hunting grounds of royalty andlater the aristocracy, it was laid open to thegeneral public only in 1637 by Charles I. HydePark is one of London’s eight Royal Parks.

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The 350 acres of greenery hasover 4,000 trees, a large lake andpretty flower gardens. TheSpeaker’s Corner is a renownedspot, noted for debates anddiscussions, and orators ventingtheir opinions. Karl Marx, Leninand George Orwell are some ofthe famous people who havespoken here. Other famouslandmarks include theSerpentine Lake (popular forboating, swimming), the RottenRow (once the King’s privateroad), the Diana MemorialFountain, the Joy of Life Fountain

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and a lovely rose garden. Thepark is a great place forrecreation with facilities forhorse-riding, skateboarding,roller-blading, tennis,personal fitness and footballbeing available here.

Fun fact: The Marble Arch inHyde Park was originallydesigned as the entrance tothe Buckingham Palace.

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Park Guell, Barcelona

Park Guell is an unusual park; it was notdesigned to be a park at all. Noted architectAntonio Gaudi developed it as a housingcolony for the Guell family but the projectwas unsuccessful and remained incomplete.It finally became the city’s property in 1923and was converted into a garden.

On entering the 17-hectare park, you willfeel as if you have strayed into a fantasy

land. The colourful park is full of eye-catching pieces of architecture like thegingerbread gatehouses, giant lizards, palm-tree like columns, ornamental spires andcolourful patchworks of ceramic tiles. TheGran Placa Circular,originally meant to bethe marketplace, is afamous landmark;

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especially notable is theceramic serpentinebench bordering thisterrace area. It isconsidered the longestbench in the world.Eighty six huge columnssupport the massiveplaza and the view fromthe top is breath-taking.The park also houses theGaudi Museum (thehouse where Gaudilived).

Fun Fact: Park Guell is aUNESCO World HeritageSite.

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Stanley Park, Vancouver

This 1001-acre park does notowe its beauty to the hands ofany landscape artist. Over theyears it evolved naturally froma forest and urban space. Thepark-land, originally home tothe indigenous peoples like theBurrard, Musqueam andSquamish First Nations, wasfirst spotted by explorers in1792. When the City ofVancouver was created in1886, proposals for a parkwere put forward. Named afterthe Governor-General ofCanada, Stanley Park cameinto being and was officiallyopened in 1888. Today it

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attracts 8 million visitors from all over theworld.

Famous landmarks of the park include theLost Lagoon, Siwash Rock (a 32-million yearold rock outcropping), the 700 year oldHollow Tree, Brockton Point Lighthouse andthe Vancouver Aquarium. The First Nations

totem poles are also notable touristattractions. The park also houses severalmemorials and sculptures. Another hugedraw is the beautiful flower gardensincluding the Rose Garden, RhododendronGarden and the Rock Garden. There arefacilities for recreational activities too.Swimming, tennis, riding the Miniature

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Train, or hiking among the200 km of trails and roads inthe park are all popular activitieshere. The park being almostcompletely enclosed by the waters ofthe Pacific Ocean, the highlight featureof the park is the Seawall, a 9 km stretchwhich is part of the larger 22 km longwalkway that lines Vancouver ’swaterfront. Walking, cycling or simplyenjoying the view in the Seawall is apopular pastime with tourists.

Fun Fact: The Stanley Park is 10 percent bigger than the Central Parkin New York.

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Luxembourg Gardens,Paris

If Stanley Park evolved naturally, theopposite is true of Luxembourg Gardens. Itwas laid out as per the wishes of QueenMarie de Medici in 1612 to emulate the

Boboli garden of her nativeFlorence. The garden, originallyjust 8 hectares in size, was laterexpanded and developed into the 22.45-hectare park that it is today.

The Luxembourg Gardens is the garden of

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the French Senate which is housed in theLuxembourg Palace. The park is famous forits neatly manicured lawns, formal gardens,fruit orchards, beautiful statues andfountains. The layout of the garden is aunique blend of traditional French and

English-style gardens. Out of the 106 oddstatues in the park, the most famous one isthe Medici fountain. Not to be missed is theorangery, dating back to 1830 with over twohundred tubs of oleanders, oranges,pomegranate and palm trees. There is

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something here for everyone. Adults canrelax, picnic and enjoy the lovelyblooming flowers. Kids delight in thepuppet theatre and the playground witha carousel. Sports lovers can play tennis,chess, bridge or operate remote controlboats. Visitors can also enjoy dining at thesmall cafes and enjoy music performedat the gazebo.

Fun Fact: The Luxembourg Palace, in theheart of the park, was used as a

prison during the FrenchRevolution.

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Preserve the greenery

Not just these iconicparks; every park,however small, is anasset to a city or town.In the times in which welive, trees are beingsacrificed at a heart-breaking rate to makeway for some new mall,office or house. Nowonder that even asmall patch of greenerysoothes the eyes andmind. Do your bit to savethe greenery on thisplanet. Why not build apark in yourneighbourhood if youdon’t have one; or joinhands and improve onewhich is already there.You will have your own‘bit of heaven’ to enjoy.

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Cape TownCape TownCape TownCape TownCape TownA kaleidoscope of colours and diversity

CityGuide

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Cape Town, the legislativecapital of South Africa is apicturesque, lively city at thefoot of the famous TableMountain and on the shore ofTable Bay. It is a well-knowncommercial and industrialcentre for oil refining, chemicaland fertiliser processing, shiprepairing, automobilemanufacturing, leather goodsetc.

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Cape Town has been named theWorld Design Capital 2014 and the

prestigious title adds another feather toits illustrious cap. This quintessential

melting pot of culture and creativity extendswarm hospitality that strikes a chord withall its visitors.

Climate and best time to visit

Cape Town has hot, dry summer monthsfrom late October to March or April. Winterslast from May to September, and are

generally cool and wet.

Late January to April is the best timeto visit when the sky is clear and

there is plenty of sunshine.

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Places to see

Table Mountain – Thesheer size and beautyof the Table Mountaino v e r s h a d o w severything else in thecity. The majesticstructure with a flatsurface, often cloakedin white clouds thatlook like a ‘tablecloth’,is a spectaculardestination. Touristscan board a cable carall the way to the topof the Table Mountainto enjoy a 360 degreeview of the land.

Cape Point Reserve –This southernmost tipof the continent isb r e a t h t a k i n g l ybeautiful to say theleast. A cable car willlet you witness thetremendous force ofthe ocean at the edge.The reserve has avariety of wildlife. Thelovely hiking trails andvibrant flora of theregion makes it awonderful picnic spot.

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Beaches – Cape Town beachesare touted to be some of thebests in the world. The popularones include – Camps Bay,Clifton, Llandudno, Noordhoekand the Boulders Beach. Mostof them are easily accessibleand are brimming with bars,restaurants, boutiques. The softwhite sand stretches for milesand is accompanied by stunningscenery. Boulders Beach has apenguin colony that makes it allthe more special.

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Wine Tours – The four renowned wine routesinclude Paarl, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek andConstantia. These are main areas of wineproduction and all of them have their ownappeal. Constantia is the closest one while

the Paarl valley has plenty of vineyards thatcan take a few days to explore. Stellenboschis famous for its art galleries and wine farms.Franschhoek, originally a French area, is thegastronomic haven of Cape Town.

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Nightlife:

Nightlife in Cape Town can be apleasure to explore. There is awide variety of bars, clubs, pubs,restaurants and discotheques tokeep you on your toes. VictoriaRoad in Camps Bay or the ‘sunsetstrip’ offers a boulevard of tableson the pavement or on raisedplatforms to raise a toast to thesetting sun. Long Street has ayoung, pan-African crowd and anumber of them are backpackersfrom different regions. The CapeQuarter in Green Point is afavourite among gay revellers.

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Important Tourist Information:

Languages: English, Afrikaans, Xhosa arewidely spoken in Cape Town.

Population: The population is close to 3.5-million in the second most-populated city.

Time Zone: GMT +2

Currency: Rand (ZAR)

City code: 021

Cape Town Emergency Services: (021) 4807700

Top Ten Things To Do:

Go shark diving at the Two OceansAquarium

Visit the museums to know moreabout the historical events

Discover a hidden beach

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Go jewellery shopping

Play with the penguins

Sample the sea food delicacies

Party all night long at the Long Street

Pamper yourself at a popular spa

Explore the flora, fauna andwilderness around

Attend a jazz festival

Getting there:

By air - Direct international flights areavailable from various internationaldestinations like Amsterdam, Dubai,Frankfurt, London, Mauritius, Paris,Zurich etc. In fact, Cape Town is one ofthe most well connected places you willever come across.

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Getting around:

Bus – Travelling by the CitySightseeing Bus is the bestoption for visitors. Availablethroughout the day fromvarious spots, it is highlyrecommended for a citytour, mini-peninsula tourand a wine tour.

Train - The railway system inCape Town is mainly focusedon commuter transport. TheSouthern Line Rail Routefrom Cape Town to Simon’s

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Town has various beautiful stops in thesuburbs and coastal towns. Travelling bytrain is quite affordable but the schedulesneed to be confirmed beforehand.

Car – Driving is a dream in Cape Town. Theroads are well maintained and offer a greatview. The major routes include The N1from Johannesburg, N2 from the GardenRoute and N7 from the West Coast andNamibia.

Interesting facts/trivia:

• Cape Town was originally named asthe Cape of Storms

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• It is sometimes calledthe “Tavern of theseas”

• The Table MountainNational Park boastsof more plantspecies than thewhole British Islesor New Zealand

• The city’s mottois “Spes Bona”which means“good hope”

• Cape Town hoststhe world’sl a r g e s ti n d i v i d u a l l ytimed cycle race,the Cape ArgusCycle Tour

Rich in diversity andaffluent with its array ofattractions, Cape Town isa wonder to behold. Aworld class traveldestination and an idyllicplace to enjoy nature’sfinest rewards, it lurestourists from every part of theglobe year after year.

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ExtraordinaryVacations

Mysterious hotels of the world

LuxeStays

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In a world that revolves aroundcustomer loyalty and serviceexcellence, all you need is aready wish list and a wallet tomake it come true. No idea is toostrange to consider and nodesire too much to ask for. Ifcomfort and luxury werepriorities when deciding on aholiday or a hotel earlier, todaythey are considered merenecessities rather than perks.

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The good news is plenty of thesehotels are going out of their way toensure not just a pleasant stay forvisitors but one that leaves animpression of a lifetime. If you havealways fantasised about staying in atree house, under the ocean, in a car,

an igloo or even in a haunted coffinor a prison, you are only a step awayfrom taking the trip of your dreams.Here is an interesting list ofmysterious and downright bizarreabodes from around the world thatwill help you make up your mind:

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Ice Hotel, Sweden

If you have always dreamt ofstaying in an igloo as a kid, itis time to make thechildhood whims come true.Located in the village ofJukkasjarvi in Sweden, about120 miles north of the ArcticCircle and easily accessiblefrom Stockholm is theworld’s first ice hotel that

offers an enthralling holiday experience. Every yearseveral artists from different parts of the world assembleto build the magnificent hotel, which is a work of art initself. The process requires 10,000 tons of crystal-clear

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ice from the nearbyTorne River and about30,000 tons of snow. It isopen for visitors duringthe four months ofwinter season and meltsaway with the arrival ofspring. Temperaturesusually range from – 4degree Celsius to –9degree Celsius. Howeverthe freezingtemperatures nevercome in the way ofensuring a warm andenjoyable stay for theguests. Custom madesleeping bags, thermalcomforters, ice bedswith reindeer skins aresome of the perks of thewinter wonderland. If

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that is not enough to catch yourfancy, how about snow bars andrestaurants, chapels made of ice? Opt for arelaxing sauna before breakfast or asnowmobile tour and moose safaris duringthe day to make your adventure all the morememorable. Those with an interest in artscan catch lovely performances or concertsin the open-air venue that resemblesShakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London.

There isalso a provision ofwooden Aurora chaletsfor the ones not quite willingto brave the extreme temperatures.

USP: It boasts of furniture and facilitiesmade of ice but the entire hotel melts awayin spring every year.

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Karostas CietumsHotel, Latvia

This former Russian military prison built in1905 has been converted into a hotel butretains its original ambience. Needlessly tosay it is one of the most unusual

accommodation optionsyou will

ever comeacross. Visitors aregiven jail cells to stay andare handcuffed on arrival. Forget luxuriouscomfortable beds, spotless linens, politestaff and warm welcome – theestablishment challenges the very pillars of

hospitality. You will

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be separated from your belongings, fedbread and water and given prison bunkswith shabby blankets to sleep. What ismore, you might even haveto endure harsh wordsfrom the strictguards on duty.Though it’snot meantfor the

faint-hearted, Karostas Cietums offers athrilling, roller coaster experience for thosewho love living on the edge.

USP: A military prisonwith jail cells for

rooms, talk ofw e i r d

places tostay!

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AttrapReves, France

If star gazing is one of yourfavourite hobbies but the limitationsof camping outdoors for the night keepsyou away, Attrap Reves will solve all yourproblems. This amazing abode in the heartof nature has bubble shaped rooms madeof glass that makes star gazing a trulycaptivating experience. You can bid adieuto the hassles of being outdoors likehumidity, lack of safety, bad weather,insect bites and the like and enjoy asplendid view of the jewelled night sky

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with your loved one. Eachbubble has its own identityand Zen like decor, Nature,Glamour etc. There are only6 bubbles in an alluringsetting, designed with thehelp of recycled materialsthat promise an experienceyou will cherish. It is an idealretreat for couples andfamilies who want to have ablissful, star struck vacationwithout compromising oncomfort or privacy.

USP: A night under the starsin a cosy bubble, a perfectplace to pop the question!

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Travellers’ Checklist: Other unusual hotelsworth a visit

The Mirrorcube, Sweden – Made oflight-weight aluminium, the high upforesthoteloffers360degreeviews andprevents

birds from entering by an infraredprotection. You can also order asimilar structure and have itdelivered in any part of the world!

(Type – Tree House)

Das Park Hotel,Austria – Thissewer tube hotel isone of the mostunusual places tostay and lets you

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pay what youthink the staywas worth.(Type – SewagePipe)

V8 Hotel,Germany – Thiscar theme hotelincludes aMercedes Benzcar wash, MorrisMinor Garageand a Route 66theme alongwith car themerooms, lobbyand reception.(Type – Car)

The LibraryHotel, New York– Book loverscan choose

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rooms and floors on the basisof Dewey decimalclassification system. Thecategories include religion,arts, math, philosophy etc.(Type – Library)

Propeller Island City Lodge,Germany – This strange hotelhas a different theme foreach room, right from anupside down bedroom tovampire theme coffin rooms!(Type – Arty)

Hotel Monteleone, NewOrleans – Located in the land

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of voodoo, witchcraft and legends, this19th century hotel is a place ofparanormal activity as confirmed byInternational Society of ParanormalResearch. (Type – Haunted)

It is true that there are a number ofretreats for travellers who like to holidaythe traditional way. However, theadventure seekers and the ones on the

prowl for the unusual and the absurd arenot left unsatisfied as well. The thrills areplenty and not all of them come with ahefty price tag. If you have the will toexplore and the desire to discover theunknown, you will never run out of options.Fasten your seatbelts, make a reservationof your choice and get ready to make yourlong time fantasy come true.

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Travelingfor

PizzasPopular pizza destinations of the world

LuxeFoods

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We all love it, and have our personal favourite toppings, joints andour favourite pizzas. Such is the popularity of this universallybeloved takeaway food. Pizzerias dot the entire globe with everycountry having its own variations of the classic pizza, tweaked tosuit the local taste buds. This time, we are going beyond our friendlyneighbourhood joints to find out which are the most popular pizzadestinations in the world.

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Naples, Italy

Naples the birthplace of pizzas producessome of the most glorious pizzas on theplanet. So famous is the Neapolitanpizza, they even have an organizationsafeguarding its authenticity. Puristsbelieve that there are only twoauthentic varieties of pizzas, theMarinara and the Margheritaand they are the main onesserved in Naples. Thedistinct featureof theNeapolitanpizza is

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the soft, mushy centre and sparsetoppings. So what goes into the makingof this world-renowned pizza? Wheatflour dough (not more than 11 inchesacross), inundated with fresh buffalomozzarella, San Marzano tomatoes andbasil; cooked in a wood-fire oven ataround 900° F for no more than 60-90

seconds.

Pizza Hotspots: Pizzeria da Michele(featured in Eat, Pray, Love; Margheritaand Marinara), Pizzeria Brandi(Margherita), ll Pizzaiolo del Presidente(Marinara), Di Matteo (Margherita, friedtreats), Pizzeria Starita (MontanaraStarita).

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R o m e ,Italy

Pizza in the capital city ofItaly is different experiencealtogether. Pizzas are literally street food inRome. You can grab a slice from any vendoron the street. Pizzas here come with thin,crunchy crusts, fresh ingredients and a widerange of toppings including eggplant,asparagus, courgette or zucchini flowers and

anchovies. Do not, however,assume that the pizzas will be loaded withtoppings. The toppings are few and chosenfor creating the perfect balance of flavours.Pizzas are sold by the slice (‘al taglio’) and it

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is common to findpizzas bakedsquare and extra-large. Rememberthat pizzerias areopen only in theevenings in Rome.

Pizza Hotspots: LaGatta Mangiona(suppli, pizza dellozio), Pizzarium(pizza rossa,suppli), Sforno(cacio e pepe,fritti), La Fucina(famous for itsmultiple varieties,pre-sliced pizzasfor a group), DaRemo (basic thincrusts), 00100( t r a p i z z i n i ,foccaccia pugliese),Campo de’ F iori(pizza bianca).

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New York, USA

The love affair betweenAmericans and pizzas islegendary. Notsurprisingly, America’slargest and most famouscity makes one of its bestpizzas too. New Yorkersswear by their pizzas,which is thin and crunchyin the middle with a puffycrust on the rim. It isbelieved that the NewYork pizza owes its distincttaste to the tap waterused in its preparation! Itis possible to replicate the

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dough, the recipe or the toppings; but gettingNew York tap water is going to be prettydifficult-outside of New York. So if you wantto eat the real New York pizza, that’s whereyou have to go.

Pizza Hotspots: Di Fara’s (regular cheesepie), Roberta’s (The Family Jewels),Motorino (Prosciutto di Parma), Joe’s (plainslice), Lombardi’s (clam pizza), Grimaldi’s(Margarita pizza).

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Chicago, USA

Chicago is the land ofthe deep dish pizza.Pizzeria Uno iscredited with thecreation of thisvariety whichhas a crust up tothree inchestall at theedge. Thick,crunchy pizzathat has beenbaked in adeep, steelpan with thed o u g hpressed to theside results in apie shapedpizza. It islayered withcheese at thebottom, thenmeat andvegetable fillingsand topped with athick layer oftoppings likemozzarella, pepperoni,

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sausage, onions, mushrooms or bell peppers. A final layer of soupy tomatosauce completes the unique deep dish. Chicago also has thin crust pizzas(cut typically into squares) and the stuffed pizza (deeper than deep dishand stuffed with more toppings and cheese).

Pizza Hotspots: Pizzeria Uno (deep dish), Giordanos (deep dish), GinosEast (deep dish), Lou Malnati’s (The Lou-deep dish), Bacino’s (stuffedpizza), Pequod’s (pan pizza), Pat’s Pizza (thin crust).

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New Haven, USA

It’s not pizza in New Haven, its ‘apizza’. Theapizza was created at Frank Pepe PizzeriaNapoletana. This pizza uses fresh, organicingredients with toppings used sparingly.The crust is really thin with a crisp outer

rim and chewy interior. The pizza is charredin places from the coal oven and hascrunchy spots adding to the overall taste.Pepe is famous for the white clam piewhich puts together crust, olive oil, grated

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Pecor inoR o m a n oc h e e s e ,oregano, garlicand fresh littleneckclams. The New Havenapizza uses fresh tomatosauce (not canned) and

mozzarella is optional (you get itonly if you ask for it).

Pizza Hotspots: Pepe’s (white clampie), Sally’s (tomato pie), Modern

(Italian bomb), Bar (mashed potatopizza).

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San Francisco, USA

The California style pizza is believed to havebeen developed by Ed LaDou. The

specialty of his pizza lay in his amazingcreativity and in the variety of

ingredients and toppings used.Working under the great chef

Wolfgang Puck, he developedover 250 varieties of pizzas

using varied ingredientslike scallops, roe,

baby zucchini

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flowers, flavoureddough, olive oil andgoat cheese. Thincrusts, exotict o p p i n g s ,i n n o v a t i v eingredients andplenty of vegetarianoptions are themain features ofpizzas in SanFrancisco.

Pizza Hotspots: UnaPizza Napoletana(Filetti), Tony’s PizzaNapoletana (Honeypie), Little Star(Bone marrowpizza), Delfina(Magic pie), Gialina(Amatriciana).

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Osaka, Japan

The Japanese version of pizza has a name tomatch – Okonomiyaki, meaning ‘cook the wayyou like’. This is precisely what the Japanese dowith their pizza. The ingredients and toppingsused vary from cook to cook. However, it is amatter of debate if the pizza here can be calledone at all. This is more like a savoury pancakeand is a typical street food. However this version

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of the pizza is gaining a lot of popularity. It uses atypical Japanese ingredient, nagaimo (a starchy rootvegetable), flour, dashi stock and other ingredientslike pork belly strips, eggs and shredded cabbage.Toppings include Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes),

Okonomiyaki sauce and aonori (dried seaweed),Japanese mayonnaise and pickled ginger. InHiroshima the pizza is layered with differentingredients and uses a large amount of cabbage.Okonomiyaki is sometimes served with a layer of

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fried noodles, friedeggs, octopus, cheeseetc. This filling pizzawill stock you up byaround 1000 calories.

Pizza Hotspots:Tengu, Mangetsu,Mizuno.

Pizza is an amazinglyversatile food,allowing chefs to givefree reins to theircreativity. Ingredients,toppings, sauces andcheeses everythingcan be addedaccording toindividual preference.From the classic pizzasto the downrightwhacky ones, there is

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a perfect pizza for everyone. As the ‘pizza prince’ EdLadou famously said, “The only thing you can’t put ontop of the pizza is something that doesn’t taste good”.

It would be gross injustice to claim that the abovedestinations are the only top ones. There are many thathave been left out. Do share with us your favourite pizzadestinations and we would love to explore them all.

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Happenings

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Pooram

Place: Thrissur, India

Dates: May 9, 2014

This 200-year old templefestival is celebrated in theVadakkumnathan Temple(in Thrissur, Kerala) inhonour of the presidingdeity, Lord Shiva. Aceremonial flag hoistingstarts the seven-day longevent leading up to themain festival day. The

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highlight of the festival is the procession ofrichly decorated elephants, bearingmahouts holding ornate and gorgeouslydecorated umbrellas. The goldencaparisons, ornaments,sacred bells andbeautiful peacockfans are all part ofthe eye-catchingdecorations. The

terrific ‘Panchavadyam’ (orchestra of fivepercussion and wind instruments) andspectacular fireworks are other featureswhich make this festival attract tourists

from all over the world.

Trivia: Raja RaviVarma, a renownedKerala king, startedthe festival in 1798.

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Lightning in a Bottle

Place: Temecula, California, USA

Dates: May 22 – 26, 2014

Lightning in a bottle, held nearLake Skinner in California, is morethan just a music festival. It is afestival which combines music,wellness as well as sustainability.This amazing festival is an eclectic

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mix of music, art and culture.Attractions range from live

e l e c t ro n i c

m u s i c ,three-dimensional

interactive art installations,yoga and meditation to

workshops and guest speakers. Producedby DoLab, the festival highlights theirmarvellous stage and lighting skills. TheLightning stage, the main stage, comesalive at night with the magic of lighting

and decoration and top-notchperformances. The Lucent Temple ofConsciousness and the Village areinteresting features of the festival. On-

site camping is the best way of enjoyingthis festival.

Trivia: This festival has won the‘Outstanding Greener Festival Award’three years in a row for its focus onsustainability.

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Galungan

Place: Bali, Indonesia

Dates: May 21 – 23, 2014

The festival of Galungan celebrates manythings – the victory of good over evil, theCreator (Ida Sang Hyang Widi) and respectto dead ancestors. During this time thedeparted spirits are believed to visit earthand they leave on Kuningan (the last day ofthe festival). Balinese Hindus performvarious rituals to welcome and honour theirdeparted ancestors. Sacrifices are offered

and notably ‘penjor’ are putup everywhere. Penjor aretall bamboo poles fromwhich offerings of food andflowers are suspended. Thedifferent days of the festivalhave different names andare marked by differentactivities on each.

Trivia: The calculations forfestival dates are based onthe Balinese calendar whichhas 210 days.

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Czech Beer FestivalPrague

Place: Prague

Dates: May 15 – 31,2014

You do not have towait till Oktoberfestto quench your beerthirst. Head towardsPrague in summerand taste the finestof Czech beers. Over70 different Czechbrands are on theoffering. This ismade moreinteresting by thepeople serving themin completetraditional attire. It isparty time for 17

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days with the best of drinking and diningfrom top Czech breweries, bakers andchefs. Foreign beers are also available ifyou want more variety. The atmosphere isfurther enlivened by live music bands. Withgifts and souvenirs available and seating

capacity of 10,000 the festival is also apopular venue for corporate parties.

Trivia: The Beer Card is a new feature thisyear. It replaces the beer thaler as the modeof payment at the festival.

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world luxury travel magazine april 2014

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