Isabelle P., Adelaide

Photo credit

Girlcation? I like that one, can I use it?

2012 is a good time to visit London. The city is all abuzz and atwitter, what with the Summer Olympics, Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II and mayoral elections all on deck. Needless to say, this is a rare, pull out all the stops kind of year and everyone is in on it, from museums and restaurants to clubs and hotels.

While some may see 2012 as a fortuitous, opportune time to gouge consumers and tourists, the less cynical among us tend to focus on the fact that the year marks a singular occasion to take in the full glory of the capital of the United Kingdom. Summer Games and Diamond Jubilee? Talk about overindulgence.

Soho

Soho frustrates pigeonhole portraiture. The district – Chinatown and all – is a lively mishmash of West End glitz, bars and after-hours clubs, grimy dives and excellent ethnic restaurants.

Where to stay: W London Hotel Leicester Square

Mayfair

Mayfair is where the Sex and the City girlcation takes place. If you can afford it, this ‘hood of privilege delivers all the girly goods – from posh afternoon tea to Louboutins – in a pretty, pink, Hermès bow.

Where to stay: The Langham Hotel London

Notting Hill

For the best street fest in Europe, Portobello Road Market and tony pubs, bars and shops, Notting Hill is a breezy bet.

Where to stay: Umi Hotel London

South Bank

The riverside cultural hub of London teems with options, from the Tate Modern to Shakespeare’s Globe, Hayward Gallery to National Theatre.

Where to stay: Holiday Inn Express London – Southwark

Shoreditch

Home to Brick Lane Market and world class resident DJs, Shoreditch is the hipster, indie poster child of the East End.

Where to stay: The RE Hotel London Shoreditch

Camden

For stellar, affordable restaurants, a superb live music scene and Camden Markets, this once-derided borough is one of our fave haunts in Inner London.

Where to stay: Holiday Inn London – Camden Lock

The City

The Square Mile, or City of London, offers convenience, excellent Tube access, iconic landmarks and the chance to mingle with a wealthy, single banker or three. But plenty of museums proliferate in the heart of the city as well, not to mention fine bars, restaurants and cosy pubs.

Where to stay: Apex London Wall Hotel

London City Guide

From the requisite White Chapel and White Cube galleries to the edgier Hackney Wick and art spaces of Vyner Street, the East End art crowd is at the forefront of the global avant-garde. On the food and booze front, things aren’t any less punch and diverse. Old faithful Brick Lane still does a supreme curry house, while Les Trois Garcons holds the stalwart title firm, serving modern French fare in a vintage curio den. Throw in a smattering of nose-to-tail joints and a cheap Vietnamese contingent and you’re spoilt for choice.

Feel free to sample the achingly hip sartorial choices the East End has to offer but many decide to linger on the sidelines here. Simply too much pressure!

Spitalfields Market – Photo credit

London’s East End Best of the Best

Spitalfields Market

London’s oldest market, now a seven day affair, deals in vintage fashion, jewelry, food, art, lunchtime concerts, tango lessons and more.

Where to stay: Melia White House Hotel London

The Star Of Bethnal Green

Grungy East End cachet meets DJs of repute and some of the neighbourhood’s biggest hipsters.

Where to stay: Millennium Bailey’s Hotel London Kensington

The Approach

Art and booze have always been good bedfellows and this gallery atop an old school Bethnal Green tap house proves that point.

Where to stay: The Cumberland A Guoman Hotel London

Mangal 11

The godfather of cheap Turkish cuisine has been serving East End locals for more than 20 years, while managing to ward off the competitive influx.

Where to stay: K+K Hotel George London

Dalston Superstore

Lofty and dive-y, this two level bar/venue plays hosts to all sorts of shenanigans from DJs and bands to exhibitions and barn dances.

Where to stay: Charing Cross A Guoman Hotel London

London City Guide

Montreux, Switzerland – Photo credit

10. Locarno, Switzerland

Lovely Locarno has abundant sunshine, a picturesque townscape and sits at the northern tip of Lago Maggiore in Switzerland. Nine Swiss heritage sites dot the town of 15,000.

Where to stay: Hotel Il Perlo Panorama Bellagio

9. Verbania, Italy

Not to be outdone, the Italy side of Maggiore has the Piemonte jewel of Verbania, whose linchpin attraction, the Giardini Botanici Villa Taranto, is one of the best small botanical gardens in Europe.

Where to stay: Majestic Grand Hotel Lake Maggiore

Maggiore and Orta Lakes Guide

8. Lucerne, Switzerland

While far from small by Swiss standards, Lucerne (pop. 77,500) feels every bit the part of a lakeside hamlet set amid the Alps. You can hardly find a better backdrop anywhere, what with Lake Lucerne, Mount Pilatus and Rigi everpresent. A solid bet, whether you come for Carnival or the annual Cheese Festival.

Where to stay: Art Deco Hotel Montana Lucerne

Lucerne City Guide

7. Thun, Switzerland

It just feels like all the best small lake towns in Europe are in Switzerland. Indulge us as we add one more to the list. Thun, on the shores of Lake Thun, provides spectacular photo ops of the Bernese Alps and has old town charm galore.

Where to stay: Freienhof Swiss Quality Hotel Thun

6. Bregenz, Austria

Though only a fraction of Bodensee (Lake Constance) shoreline is in Austria, the country is home to our fave town on the eminent body of water. Bregenz has a beach, gorgeous architecture and a phenomenal observation summit in the Pfänder.

Where to stay: Best Western Premier Weisses Kreuz Hotel Bregenz

Bregenz City Guide

5. Keszthely, Hungary

No lake list is complete without mention of Balaton, Hungary’s divine giant. The foremost freshwater source in Central Europe teems with spas, bygone upscale resorts and leisure possibility. Keszthely (pop. 21,000), a gem of a market town with a Baroque masterpiece in the Festetics Palace, is roughly halfway between Budapest and Graz, Austria.

Where to stay: Lotus Therme Hotel & Spa Heviz

Lake Balaton Guide

4. Kuopio, Finland

Scandinavia is no stranger to lakeside beauty, of course, with notable hamlets and towns from Inari, Lapland to Karlstad, Sweden. Give us Kuopio, however, for its archipelago layout on pristine Lake Kallavesi, lively university vibe and delicious kalakukko.

Where to stay: Scandic Hotel Kuopio

Kuopio City Guide

3. Annecy, France

Aix-les-Bains on Lac du Bourget is a nice spot but within France Annecy is exceptional. Geneva is 35 km from the Haute-Savoie commune but why bother? Annecy has enough inherent charm to keep you busy for days.

Where to stay: L’Abbaye de Talloires

Annecy City Guide

2. Montreux, Switzerland

A world class jazz festival ensures Montreux is in the culture news every summer but sites like Crêtes Castle, Châtelard Castle, Villa Karma and the Swiss National Audiovisual Museum impress anytime of year.

Where to stay: Fairmont Le Montreux Palace

Montreux City Guide

1. Bellagio, Italy

George Clooney’s villa in Laglio and the villas of the Borromean Islands compete with a host of other landmarks for paparazzi face time on Lago di Como. Bellagio, the town of 3,000 at the Y intersection of the famous lake, is a paradisal place to start.

Where to stay: Hotel Il Perlo Panorama Bellagio

Como Lake Guide

With that, take a look at ten airports and airlines where perks like WiFi, iPad docks, luxe lounges and in-flight entertainment systems and shower spas come standard.

Munich Airport – Photo credit

Hong Kong International Airport

The airport that has won more awards over the last decade than any other is the high-tech hub exemplar. Hyper-efficient and spotless, Hong Kong International’s state-of-the-art rapid transit system makes the trip to Central in 24 minutes, with complimentary hotel and MTR transfers.

Where to stay: The Langham Hong Kong Hotel

Hong Kong City Guide

Singapore Changi Airport

Another Skytrax 5-star airport, Singapore Changi’s sleek high-tech bent looks like it came from the analytical wellspring of a crack operations management team. Clearly, this is an airport built for the upwardly-mobile 21st century leisure and business traveller.

Where to stay: Marina Mandarin Singapore

Incheon International Airport

South Korea is bound to make a star turn on any high-tech list and the realm of airports and airlines is no exception. Incheon International is a perpetual candidate for the best in the world with Hong Kong International and Singapore Changi. With a sci-fi look and WiFi ethos, it makes airports in North America and most of Western Europe look like dinosaurs.

Where to stay: JW Marriott Hotel Seoul

Munich Airport

While no secret that Munich Airport is one of, if not the best in Europe, that alone is insufficient to secure it a spot with the likes of Incheon, Changi and Hong Kong. Relatively new Terminal 2 tips the scales, however, and is up there with the best in Asia.

Where to stay: Mandarin Oriental Munich Hotel

Munich City Guide

Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Facility and amenity-wise, few airports eclipse KL International. The roomy, immaculate hub of Malaysia is one of only nine 4-star Skytrax airports in the world.

Where to stay: Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur By Shangri-la

Kuala Lumpur City Guide

Qatar Airways

The flag carriers of the Persian Gulf are embroiled in a fierce war of financial attrition for prestige credibility and moneyed, international executive-level business passengers. As a result, Qatar Airways and its ilk are equipping fleets with some of the most jaw-droppingly plush premium class cabins and amenities the airline industry has ever seen. The Doha company won the Skytrax Airline of the Year Award in 2011.

Doha City Guide

Singapore Airlines

Changi, as one of the best airports in the world, has a worthy, accolade-laden flag carrier. From economy to first class, Singapore Airlines pampers passengers like no other carrier in Southeast Asia.

Singapore City Guide

Asiana Airlines

With a Skytrax Airline of the Year win in 2010, Asiana Airlines took a lot of wind out of Korean Air’s sails. The Star Alliance carrier is the one to take from Incheon International.

Seoul City Guide

Etihad Airways

Etihad’s Diamond First Class is so legendary it has prompted dozens of YouTube tributes with hundreds of thousands of subsequent views. In a (hyphenated) word: ultra-high-tech.

Abu Dhabi City Guide

Emirates

From its fuel efficient Alliance GP7200 engines to its sophisticated Flex Track passenger load and flight routing technology, Emirates is on the cusp. Naturally, however, what dominates headlines is the carrier’s über-swank First Class suites.

Dubai City Guide

On the River Clyde, Glasgow – Photo credit

One Aldwych London Hotel
One Aldwych, London

A plush 5-star property in Covent Garden, One Aldwych is a one-of-a-kind hotel flush with original artwork from lobby to rooms. The pièce de résistance, however, is the fabulous pool.

The Savoy A Fairmont Managed Hotel London
Strand, London

The Fairmont catalog is full of stalwart icons and the Savoy is no exception. More fine arts museum than avant-garde gallery, a recent £100 million refurb gave the Edwardian and Art Deco classic a new shine.

Andaz Hotel London
40 Liverpool Street, London

Yes, Andaz is a Hyatt brand, but the Liverpool Street gem is singularly stylish and has a quintet of fine restaurants to choose from.

Baglioni Hotel London
60 Hyde Park Gate, Kensington, London

Look over Kensington Gardens and Palace as you indulge in Italian hospitality and décor.

Halkin Hotel London
5-6 Halkin Street, Belgravia, Marble Arch, London

A perpetual candidate for the best boutique hotel in London title, the Halkin is discreet and elegant. Belgravia and COMO Suites all come with lavish appointments and a private balcony.

Dukes Hotel London
St. James Place, London

Another boutique star in the capital with arty airs, the Dukes is a sublime Mayfair address with one of the best hotel bars in London.

London City Guide

Abode Manchester Hotel
107 Piccadilly, Manchester

The former factory of a powerful cotton merchant, the tony ABode is one of the most notable real estate flips in Warehouse City. The eponymous restaurant of chef Michael Caines is the place to dine in the city.

Manchester City Guide

Malmaison Belfast Hotel
34-38 Victoria Street, Belfast

The Belfast Mal is a conspicuous arbiter of cool in the Northern Ireland capital. In typical fashion, an old seed warehouse provides the digs.

Belfast City Guide

Dakota Forth Bridge Hotel Edinburgh
1 Ferrymuir Gait, Queensferry

The most design-forward hotel in Edinburgh may not be in Edinburgh proper at all. The Dakota Forth Bridge is all the way in Queensferry, just minutes from the airport and 16 km from the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town.

Edinburgh City Guide

Blythswood Square Glasgow Hotel
11 Blythswood Square, Glasgow

Glasgow has made strong moves in recent years to establish a foothold in the hot realm of architectural, art and cultural tourism. The Blythswood Square Hotel is a gorgeous luxury spa property that sets the scene perfectly.

Glasgow City Guide

Photo credit

Le 9b
68, boulevard de la Villette, 19e

Old pool hall now bar à manger and cave à danser in hip Belleville. With a basement club, live DJs, brunch and breakfast menu and summer patio, le 9b is a nice all-in-one.

Where to stay: Hyatt Regency Hotel Paris Madeleine

Curio Parlor
16, rue des Bernardins, 5e

Though the artisanal speakeasy scene in Paris is not on par with a London or New York, this new venture by the same gang behind the Experimental Cocktail Club helps even the score.

Where to stay: Relais Saint Jacques Hotel Paris

Batofar
Port de la Gare, 13e

The culprit behind the “club on the Seine” scene in Paris, while far from underground, is excellent fun. Part restaurant, café, summer “beach” chillout spot, electronic music and after hours hub.

Where to stay: Mercure Austerlitz Bibliotheque Hotel Paris

L’Opa
9, rue Biscornet, 12e

In local parlance, L’Opa is très sympa. The lofty space, complete with canapé lounge, brick walls, mezzanine DJ booth and sundry live lineups, feels more like the East Village than Paris.

Where to stay: Marceau Bastille Hotel Paris

Nouveau Casino
109, rue Oberkampf, 11e

Far from a casino, Nouveau Casino is a vast after hours club and concert space that pulls in up and comers.

Where to stay: Hotel All Seasons Paris Voltaire Republique

La Mécanique Ondulatoire
8, passage Thière, 11e

Owner Xavier Simon took a financial hit in 2010 when he ran afoul of the noise ordinance police and had to invest $160,000 in a state-of-the-art soundproof wall system. Ardent clubheads in Paris hope he reneges on threats to take his business to Berlin.

Where to stay: Standard Design Hotel Paris

Le Cabaret
2, place du Palais-Royal, 1er

OK, so a hot architect (Jacques Garcia) is behind the plush décor of Le Cab but the club is refreshingly all-inclusive and kind to non-VIPs.

Where to stay: Louvre Bons Enfants Hotel Paris

L’Alimentation Générale
64, rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 11e

While not quite a grocery store, L’Alimentation Générale serves up hot and tasty beats and rhythms. One of the best, unpretentious live music bars in the city.

Where to stay: Citadines Republique Paris Hotel

Sunset-Sunside
60, rue des Lombards, 1er

So, too, is Sunset-Sunside, a quintessential Parisian basement jazz club with reasonable covers and good drinks.

Where to stay: Hotel des Ducs d’Anjou Paris

Le Motel
8, passage Josset, 11e

Le Motel is a gritty café-bar with Smiths posters on the walls, cushy old sofas and solid cocktails and beers on tap. Very hipster, very British.

Where to stay: Novotel Gare De Lyon Hotel Paris

Paris City Guide

Eunice J., Darwin

Thomas Telford’s iron suspension bridge over the Menai Strait, Isle of Anglesey and Gwynedd, Wales – Photo credit

To be perfectly blunt, Eunice, it shocks me that someone visiting England for a few weeks, let alone a few months, would consider not going to Wales. It’s not like you’ll be in London for the weekend without an enormous amount of time to get out and about. You’ve got oodles of time. Moreover, England is relatively small and easy to cover. It takes just 10 hours, for example, to drive from Sennen in the South West to Berwick-upon-Tweed in the North East. Conversely, if you drive to Alice Springs it will take you almost double the time. So yes, absolutely, without question, visit Wales. And for the love of William Wallace, do make time for as much of Scotland as you can possibly manage.

But onto Cymru. What are the dos and don’ts? It’s simple really. Do not spend all your time in Cardiff, obviously. While the city is a little gem, the real Wales unfurls out in the countryside and on the coast, in national parks and tiny hamlets. With that, do make an effort to explore and immerse yourself in the local culture. Wales is not England, nor is it Ireland or Scotland. It’s a country with a distinct national identity and a vast cultural landscape that encompasses rich, vibrant traditions in music, the visual arts, literature, sport and cuisine. So pick up a Welsh phrase book. Catch a local rugby match. Eat some laverbread. Read some Dylan Thomas. Put on your old Badfinger, Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey records and by all means, take in these wonderful points of interest.

National Museum Cardiff

Cardiff Central station is just two hours from Paddington. The capital of Wales is chock-full of attractions for the whole family, with none better than the extensive National Museum.

Where to stay: Park Plaza Cardiff

Cardiff City Guide

Tenby

Wales’ boundless charm begins in places like Tenby, a town of 5,000 people in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, South West Wales. The national park’s beaches have won 41 Blue Flag awards over the years.

Where to stay: Slebech Park

Portmeirion

Tourists may flock en masse to this achingly quaint and unusual town with myriad pop culture connections but you should take the husband and kids anyway. Portmeirion and the rest of Gwynedd, North Wales are well worth the crowds.

National Waterfront Museum

Swansea, Wales’ second city, is a bona fide treasure. Spend a few days here and be sure to visit the superb National Waterfront Museum. The kids will love it.

Where to stay: Swansea Marriott Hotel

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Isle of Anglesey

Just call it Llanfair PG. The town with the longest name in the UK is also the Welshiest of Welsh towns. A full three-quarters of the populace is fluent in the native brogue.

Conwy

Two diametrically opposed attractions highlight Conwy: The Quay House a.k.a. “Smallest House in Great Britain” and the grand 13th century Conwy Castle. The walled market town of 4,000 people is just 25 km from the heart of Snowdonia – a non-negotiable must-see – and very close to the seaside resort of Colwyn Bay.

Where to stay: The Quay Hotel & Spa Conwy

Blaenavon

The Blaenavon Industrial Landscape is a singular UNESCO World Heritage Site that enshrines the legacy of South Wales as the world’s major producer of iron and coal in the 19th century. The Monmouthshire town is now an open-air museum of sorts and pillar of the European Route of Industrial Heritage.

Oxwich Bay

Take in a landscape of heather, sand dunes, salt marshes and woodland in the most photogenic part of the Gower Peninsula. The beach at Oxwich is often cited as the most beautiful in Britain and is a mere 35 minutes outside of Swansea.

Swansea City Guide

Cotswolds countryside – Photo credit

Sherborne, Dorset

A castle, medieval streets and two – not one – abbeys punctuate this Dorset darling.

Where to stay: Best Western Hotel Prince Regent Weymouth

Marlborough, Wiltshire

A marvel of a market town on Old Bath Road between London and UNESCO World Heritage Bath.

Where to stay: Barcelo Combe Grove Manor Hotel Bath

Bath City Guide

Market Harborough, Leicestershire

Once part of medieval Rockingham Forest, Market Harborough is well worth the short half hour drive from Leicester.

Where to stay: Stapleford Park Country House Hotel & Sporting Estate Leicestershire

Leicester City Guide

Framlingham, Suffolk

Locals call it the “Fram” but we call it “Framtastic”.

Where to stay: Lattice Lodge Guest House Ipswich

Ipswich City Guide

Louth, Lincolnshire

Louth it and love it, it is uncouth to pass this market town in East Lindsey by.

Where to stay: Campanile Hotel Hull

Hull City Guide

Knaresborough, North Yorkshire

The most exquisite town on the River Nidd is just outside of Harrogate in North Yorkshire.

Where to stay: Rudding Park Hotel & Golf Harrogate

Harrogate City Guide

Sedbergh, Cumbria

Set your nav system for Sedbergh – the wee town in Yorkshire Dales National Park will not disappoint.

Where to stay: Burn How Garden House Hotel Windermere

Lake District Guide

Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland

A mere 4 km from Scotland, Berwick-upon-Tweed puts the north in Northumberland.

Where to stay: Howard Hotel Edinburgh

Edinburgh City Guide

Hereford, Herefordshire

Wherefore let us be grateful for Hereford. The cathedral and county town of 55,000 is gorgeous.

Where to stay: Pengethley Manor Hotel Ross-on-Wye

Beverley, East Yorkshire

The county town of East Yorkshire is old. Both the original Beverley Minster and Beverley Grammar School date back to 700.

Where to stay: Best Western The Lairgate Hotel Beverley

Presteigne, Powys

No less a reputable authority than Clive Aslet considers Presteigne, “Gateway to Wales”, one of the top small towns in Britain.

Where to stay: Hyatt Regency Hotel Birmingham

Birmingham City Guide

Whitby, North Yorkshire

Seaside charm and a Grade I Benedictine abbey make Whitby a win-win.

Where to stay: Crown Spa Hotel Scarborough

Inveraray, Argyll

Inveraray, a fine royal burgh on Loch Fyne, is a road trip lock.

Where to stay: The Argyll Hotel Inveraray

Ramsgate, Kent

One of the most venerable Victorian-era seaside resort towns, Ramsgate still has pull.

Where to stay: Holiday Inn Express Ramsgate Minster Hotel

Elgin, Morayshire

Elgin proves yet once more that a good cathedral city and royal burgh is hard to eclipse in the photogenic arena. On the River Lossie, 105 km northwest of Aberdeen.

Where to stay: Eight Acres Hotel & Leisure Club Elgin

Scarva, County Down

Some 50 km from Belfast, Scarva (pop. 320) won Northern Ireland’s Best Kept award in 2010.

Where to stay: Ten Square Hotel Belfast

Belfast City Guide

Clovelly, Devon

Clovelly is lovely and a popular summer tourist target in Torridge, Devon.

Where to stay: Buckerell Lodge Hotel Exeter

Exeter City Guide

Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire

Just as fun to visit as to say, Chipping Campden was once home to Graham Greene for a few years.

Where to stay: Cotswold House Hotel

Betws-y-Coed, Conwy County

You may butcher the pronunciation but nevermind: Betws-y-Coed is painfully picturwelshque.

Where to stay: The Royal Oak Hotel Betws-y-Coed

Burford, Oxfordshire

No trip to UNESCO World Heritage Oxford is complete without a few side trips within the county. Beautiful Burford is 33 km to the west.

Where to stay: Macdonald Randolph Hotel & Spa Oxford

Oxford City Guide

Thank you in advance,

Melvin P., Clerkenwell

Photo credit

On the whole Melvin, if you compare the logistics of Heathrow/Luton/City Airport (all three offer service to Paris-Charles de Gaule and/or Orly) or Channel Tunnel Eurostar, it is more or less a wash. Some like the speed of air travel (which only becomes apparent after take-off, of course) while others like the relative calm and comfort of rail.

To facilitate your decision, you need to devise a matrix. The Channel Tunnel option is easy to quantify. You know that you will depart from St Pancras station, for example, and arrive at Gare du Nord. A cursory look at costs and timetables on the Eurostar site produces a round-trip standard fare of £179.00 if you depart Friday afternoon and return Sunday night. Total trip time is in the vicinity of 140 minutes. Not too shabby, all in all.

What if you catch a plane, however? To source out the inherent costs and details requires a little more diligence, if you want to compete with the fare price of Eurostar. Still, I was able to drum up a round-trip (Friday departure, Sunday return) British Airways flight for £175.00, no problem. Very decent for a 75 minute flight between the two capitals.

Of course, it is never quite that simple when you factor in the ride to Heathrow, ride in to Paris from Charles de Gaulle or Orly, security, check-in, check-out, one-hour time-zone difference and so on. You have to compare all that with the time it takes to get to the railway station, check-in on Eurostar et al. If you go with a discount airline, remember the strict luggage rules. In contrast, Eurostar has no such edicts when it comes to carry-ons and bags (within reason).

Now I see that you live in Clerkenwell, Melvin. Since St Pancras is some 3 km from a Clerkenwell icon – St John Bar and Restaurant – I can only assume the tube trip from Farringdom to King’s Cross St Pancras is not a problem for you. Nor, alternatively, the 8 minute cab ride. For me, this tips the scales in favour of the Channel Tunnel. Plus, who wants to navigate the morass of airports when you can watch the countryside of Kent and Normandy whizz by with a glass of Chablis in hand? So much more elegant and, indeed, about as fast as a plane ride when you figure the inherent security lines and traffic to and from airports. Gare du Nord, conversely, is in Paris.

Another option, of course, is to bus and ferry it. A more rudimentary form of transport, perhaps, but very affordable and, indeed, rather scenic as well. Like the Channel Tunnel – and rather unlike air travel – the ferry is also low impact.

Where to stay (for convenience):

Hotel De La Gare Du Nord

Holiday Inn Paris – Gare De L’Est

Where to stay (when money is no object):

Bristol Hotel Paris

Paris City Guide

The Mark Addy – Photo credit

The Honours
58a North Castle Street, Edinburgh

While not the most innovative nose to tail restaurant, The Honours is a spectacular find in New Town, Edinburgh. Farmhouse terrines, foie gras and game usually make appearances on the prix fixe menu.

Where to stay: Apex City Hotel Edinburgh

Edinburgh City Guide

Stravaigin2
8 Ruthven Lane, Glasgow

Colin Clydesdale churns out contemporary spins on classic Scottish cuisine at Stravaigin, Stravaigin2 and Ubiquitous Chip and has been known to serve grey squirrel and an entire Highland bullock, nasty bits and all. Moreover, his haggis is the best in Glasgow.

Where to stay: Radisson Blu Hotel Glasgow

Glasgow City Guide

The Mark Addy
Stanley Street, Salford, Greater Manchester

To quote Robert Owen Brown, star Manchester chef and Fergus Henderson soul brother: “A steak’s wonderful, but is it as good, flavour-wise, as a nice piece of flash-fried liver? I know what I’d rather eat – and it’s liver, kidneys or roasted lambs’ hearts, which will cost you 20p each.” Brown’s restaurant, The Mark Addy, puts tripe in the spotlight.

Where to stay: The Lowry Hotel Manchester

Manchester City Guide

Barshu
28 Frith Street, Soho, London

The Chinese cornered the market on nose to tail long before anyone else. Soho’s Barshu is a shining embodiment, with fiery Sichuan-style heaps of heart, tongue, kidney and liver on tap.

Where to stay: Doubletree By Hilton London – West End Hotel

Anchor & Hope
36 The Cut, Waterloo, London

Anchor & Hope shovels hearty and gutsy fare in a most convivial room. Try the devilled kidneys and duck fat potato cake.

Where to stay: Mercure London City Bankside Hotel

Massimo Restaurant and Oyster Bar
16 Northumberland Avenue, Westminster, London

Chef Massimo Riccioli of La Rosetta in Rome is the Fergus Henderson of fish and seafood. His eponymous Westminster restaurant puts fins and entrails to brilliant use.

Where to stay: Citadines London Trafalgar Square Apart’Hotel

Arbutus
63-64 Frith Street, Soho, London

Arbutus earned a Michelin star in 2007 with dishes like gratin of ox tripe and braised pig’s head.

Where to stay: Strand Palace Hotel London

Magdalen
152 Tooley Street, London Bridge, London

Sample elegant takes on classics like trotter pie, grilled ox heart and sweetbread terrine at this Tooley Street gem close to Borough market.

Where to stay: Hilton Tower Bridge Hotel London

Hereford Road Restaurant
3 Hereford Road, Westbourne Grove, London

Hereford Road’s menu reads like an homage to everything St. John, what with quintessentially English items like nettle soup, cold veal and chutney, and cockles, cider and lovage. No small wonder: former Fergus Henderson apprentice Tom Pemberton runs the kitchen brigade.

Where to stay: Umi Hotel London

St. John Bar and Restaurant
26 St. John Street, around the corner from Smithfield Market in Clerkenwell, London

Fergus Henderson’s Michelin star restaurant is the flagship in a mini-business empire that includes St. John Bread & Wine, St. John Bakery and HG Wines. The indubitable temple of offal in London.

Where to stay: Citadines Barbican London Aparthotel

London City Guide