Santorini badar i månsken. Grekland by

Medelhavet har en magisk klang. Generellt så klarar sig Medelhavet mycket bra både vad gäller olika målgrupper och teman. Vilken typ är du? Är du en romantiker eller en kulturnörd? Och vad letar du efter i upplevelseväg?

Sommarens resmål för det romantiska paret
1. Kryssningar i Medelhavet
2. Italien, Sorrento/Capri
3. Italien, Toscana
4. Grekland, Parga
5. Grekland, Santorini - bilden “by night”

Sommarens resmål för singlar
1. Cypern, Aya Napa
2. Spanien, Mallorca
3. Grekland, Rhodos
4. Finlandsbåten
5. Turkiet, Alanya

Sommarens resmål för seniorer
1. Italien, Gardasjön
2. Spanien, Mallorca
3. Kryssningar längs Hurtigruten
4. Kryssningar i Medelhavet
5. Tågcharter

Sommarens resmål för barnfamiljer
1. Spanien, Mallorca
2. Danmark, Legoland
3. Cypern, Fig Tree Bay
4. Grekland, Kreta
5. Turkiet, Alanya

Sommarens uppstickare 2010
1. Mallorca
2. Kroatien
3. Rhodos
4. Turkiet
5. Danmark

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Säljarna rekommenderar:

Bästa resmål i Sverige
1. Gotland
2. Stockholm
3. Göteborg
4. Bohuslän
5. Österlen

Bästa kortresmål utanför Sverige
1. Köpenhamn
2. Skagen
3. Tallinn
4. Bornholm
5. Legoland

Europas mest spännande storstad
1. Barcelona
2. Rom
3. London
4. Prag
5. Nice

Mest spännande storstaden utanför Europa
1. New York
2. Kapstaden
3. Beijing
4. Miami
5. San Francisco

Bästa resmål för en spa- eller hälsoresa
1. Tallinn
2. Polen
3. Budapest
4. Varberg
5. Riga

För den som ska på sin drömresa
1. Söderhavet
2. Kryssning
3. Safari
4. Galapagosöarna
5. Australien

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Affärsresor

Världens effektivaste flygplats
1. Schiphol, Amsterdam
2. Helsingfors-Vanda, Helsingfors
3. Kastrup, Köpenhamn
4. Arlanda, Stockholm
5. Franz Josef Strauss, München

Bästa resmålet för en konferensresa
1. Stockholm
2. Mallorca
3. Barcelona
4. Prag
5. Köpenhamn

Bali har en härlig mix av natur, kultur och äventyr

Risterrasserna är magiska och värda ett besök

För surfare är Bali en dröm

Solnedgång och romantisk middag i kombination

Underbara Bali är en ö i Indonesien som är dubbelt så stor som Gotland. Här finns allt för alla, bara man vet var och hur man ska leta. Balis kust har sällan palmer eller långgrunda sandstränder utan istället lockar dramatiskt stora vågor och en känsla av hav. Här ska man hyra bil, motorcykel eller cykel och utforska både kuster och inland. För familjer finns barnvänliga turistorten Sanur, i närheten av Kuta beach. De lite lugnare Lovina och Amed har svarta vulkanstränder med magnifik dykning och snorkling. White sand beach (Candidasa) och Bias dugal (Padangbai) är två relativt hemliga paradisstränder. För en lyxsemester är exklusiva stranden i Seminyak ett måste. Besök strandbaren Kudeta, ett av Balis glassigaste ställen. En bungalow i smaragdgrön trädgård med swimmingpool kostar cirka 200 kr per natt, inklusive frukost. Standarden på allt boende är dessutom avsevärt högre på Bali än i resten av Asien. Att hyra hus är enkelt och billigt och ett populärt alternativ till hotell. En villa med swimmingpool, städning och diskning kostar från cirka 1000 kr/vecka i lågsäsong. Bäst tid att åka är mars till maj, som är en mellanperiod med bra priser, få turister och perfekt väder.

Hyra hus www.houseofbali.com, www.intouchbali.com

La Rambla är tolvhundra meter lång

Älskar att flyga med lågprisflyg till Barcelona och bara glida runt och kolla på vacker arkitektur och smaska tapas (och gott vin). Väl där kan det här vara några spännande platser att besöka:

Picassomuseet är värt ett besök. Ta bergsbanan upp till Montjuic och kika in på Miromuseet. Vandra därefter ner genom parken. Stanna och drick en öl på kafeet halvvägs ner. Gå på operan om du har tillfälle. Loppis nere vid vattnet efter Las Ramblas. Missa inte grönsaksmarknaden där. Snabbköpet vid Placa Catalunya har olivolja, saffran att ta hem eller för presenter.

Parque Güell är bästa ställe för en paus i storstadslivet. Här har ett par svenska kändisar tagit ut svängarna. Kan var en underbar och rofylld (lustfylld) park designad av Gaudí.

Plaza Espana bjuder på en vacker ljusshow på kvällarna till klassisk musik. Alla Gaudís verk är väldigt vackra att uppleva och bör ses (bilden). Och så stranden, mitt i staden.

Köp pass till någon avturistbussarna. De utgår från Placa Catalunya och kör runt till stadens alla sevärdheter. Det finns olika bolag men de täcker ungefär samma område. Bussarna avgår var 20 min, sen hoppar man av och på som man vill. En dagsbiljett kostar ca 20 euro men köper man en tvådagars blir det cirka 4 euro mer - så det lönar sig verkligen att köpa för minst två dagar. Med biljetten får man en karta med alla sevärdheter och en del rabatter på inträden och så.

Tips på gratisnöjen: Strosa på Ramblan, besök saluhallen Mercat, titta på papegojor i någon av stadens alla parker, se häftig arkitektur överallt, hör historiens vingslag i de gotiska kvarteren. Barcelona är en fantastisk storstad med massor att se - glöm bara inte bort att gå vilse, det är oftast det mest spännande. La Rambla (Les Rambles på katalanska och Las Ramblas på spanska) är en bred boulevard som sträcker sig genom Barcelonas gamla stad från hamnen upp till Plaça Catalunya. Den tolvhundra meter långa gatan är Barcelonas mest bevandrade och används för allt möjligt. Tänk på att La Rambla även är populär bland Barcelonas ficktjuvar då trängseln gör deras jobb betydligt enklare.

New York är ett spännande alternativ med lågprisflyg

1. Många lågprisflygbolag har kampanjpriser därför lönar det sig att kolla deras sajter ofta.

2. En grundregel för lågprisflygbolagen är att man bokar och betalar online, plus att det gäller att boka så tidigt som möjligt för att få de billigaste biljetterna eftersom det finns olika prisklasser på varje plan och de billigaste biljetterna tar så klart slut först. Hur lång tid i förväg man kan boka varierar, men det är vanligt med mellan fyra och sju månader.

3. Om du bokar med något bolag som flyger från Sverige, anges priset ofta i svenska kronor. Annars används lokal valuta eller dollar. Kontrollera vilken valuta som gäller när du får upp prisuppgifterna för ett flyg.

4. Språket på bokningssajterna är vanligen engelska, förutom för några bolag som flyger från Sverige.

5. Allra störst är lågprisflyget i Nordamerika, Europa, Asien och Australien. Däremot är det ännu inte så många lågprisbolag som flyger interkontinentalt (mellan olika världsdelar), fast några finns, till exempel från Europa till USA, Nordafrika och ett par till Asien. Sedan börjar det bli fler och fler lågprisflyg mellan Asien och Australien.

6. Lågprisbiljetter går vanligen inte att boka om eller så är det en hög ombokningsavgift och krångligt.

7. Om du bokar en serie flygningar, ha inte för snäv tidtabell. Om ett flyg är försenat och du missar nästa får du inte några pengar tillbaka plus att du måste köpa en ny biljett vilket kan bli dyrt med kort varsel. Ska du göra två flygningar under samma dag, se till att det är gott om tid för byte med minst 3-4 timmar.

8. De flesta lågprisbolagens sajter har route maps (kartor) där du kan klicka på destinationer och se vart de flyger.

9. Om du flyger mellan två länder utanför Europa bör du kolla visumreglerna. För att bli insläppt i en del länder, måste du kunna visa upp en flygbiljett ut ur landet. Hör med landets ambassad, om det exempelvis går bra att visa upp en utskrift av en e-biljett. En utresebiljett krävs för att bli insläppt i bland andra Australien och Nya Zeeland .

10. Det skadar aldrig att även kolla upp flygpriser hos “de vanliga flygbolagen”, eftersom även de kan ha bra priser emellanåt.

Spännande i Marrakech

Marrakech ligger vid foten av Atlasbergen och kallas även för ”Al hamra” eller ”den rosa staden” på svenska. Stadens centrum är det stora kaotiska torget Djeema el Fna, en myllrande mötesplats där sagoberättare, ormtjusare och akrobater trängs med väldoftande matstånd. Marrakech är kanske en av världens mest exotiska städer och en metropol för kultur och underhållning. En livlig stad, berömd för sina marknader och festivaler där man i den gamla stadsdelen, Medina, får en känsla av att kliva in i ”Tusen och en natt”. Ett landmärke som ej bör missas är Koutobiamoskén. Med sin vackra arkitektur sägs moskén vara vad Eiffeltornet är för Paris. Lockar annorlunda skidåkning, ligger skidorten Oukalmeiden endast en timmes bilresa upp i Atlasbergen. Här finns skidåkning av varierande svårighetsgrad med utsikt över Marrakech och Saharaöknen. Hitta dit med lågprisflyg.

Amazonas bjuder på sagolik natur

Det stora Amazonas sträcker sig ut över hela åtta länders gränser varav den största delen ligger i Brasilien. Jag flög till Manaus i delstaten Amazonas (som är 1,5 miljoner km2 och är därmed Brasiliens största delstat). Staden ligger nästan på ekvatorn och på floden Rio Negros norra bank. Det är här som Rio Negro och Solimoes möts och bildar Amazonasfloden. Vid detta flodmöte uppstår ett sevärt och intressant fenomen, ”Encontro das Aguas”, som det är kul att bada i. För när Rio Negros bläcksvarta vatten möter Rio Solimoes lergula så går de i samma flodbädd utan att sammablandas. Det är alltså en skarp skillnad i vattnet.

Manaus är helt klart inkörsporten till Amazonas och dess djungelhotell och flodkryssningar. Själva staden har kanske inte så mycket att erbjuda en nyfiken och äventyrslysten resenär. Men Manaus är inte “helt utan” attraktioner. Väl värt ett besök är Stadsteatern som invigdes i början av 1900-talet. Här har den svenska näktergalen Jenny Lind stått på scen. Teatern är ett resultat av en ekonomisk boom och har en påkostad design och utsmyckning, med exklusivt byggmaterial importerat fran Europa. Andra sevärdheter kan vara den lokala färskvarumarknaden, tullhuset, flytande hamnen, och den livliga nattmarknaden för fisk. Stadens attraktioner kan ses under en halvdag, i samband man är på väg till eller från själva huvudattraktionen Amazondjungeln. Det finns en mängd djungel hotell samt möjligheten till flodkryssningar. Ett par dagar i djungeln är en upplevelse utöver det vanliga. Du hör och ser massor av djur. Här finns också världens största näckrosor vilka är flera kvm.

Klimatet i Amazonas är - milt sagt - varmt och fuktigt året om, men lokalbefolkningen delar dock in året i två årstider – sommar och vinter. Man anser att det är sommar mellan juli och november månad, när det regnar mindre (lågvatten) och kanske något varmare (p g a torrare luft). Vinter är det alltså från december till juni månad, då det regnar mer samt att det är kanske något svalare. Floderna får ökat vattenstånd samt låglänt terräng blir översvämmade, och normalt uppnås de högsta vattenstånden mellan mars och april månad. Medeltemperaturen varierar mellan 20°C och 30°C under året och den relativa luftfuktigheten varierar mellan 80% och 90%.

Med dessa erfarenheter kan man dra slutsaten att man mycket väl kan besöka Amazonas vilken del på året som helst. Men för den som har möjlighet att välja arstid för sin resa, kanske kan besöka djungeln mellan mars och april månad, då det regnar mindre, men då man har fortsatt högt vattenstand vilket underlättar turer med båt langt in i den översvämmande terängen. En annan bra restid kan vara oktober och november da det regnar lite och vattenståndet är lågt, vilket underlättar observation av djur som da har svarare att gömma sig de torrlagda områdena.

Okinawa och Japan erbjuder närkontakt med dugong

För några år sedan var jag och paddlade kajak i Japan och öriket kring Okinawa. Den här resan rekommenderar jag varmt då det är så annorlunda. Här kan vem som helst hyra kajak och paddla runt i en fantastisk miljö och spana på valar. Man glider runt och gör strandhugg och besök i små fiskebyar. Det är inte så “trångt” för endast 42 av de 161 öarna är bebodda. Området har subtropiskt klimat och ligger på samma breddgrad som Hawaii och Florida. Varmt och härligt alltså. Om du har riktig tur kan du se en dugong när du dyker eller snorklar. Undvik bara orkanperioden i augusti och september.

Nya spaavdelningen på Dolder Grand kostade en halv miljard att bygga

Om man reser billigt så kan man ibland ha råd att prova något utöver det vanliga. Vi hittade massor av kända och okända resmål på www.hoom.se. Vi hittade dessutom exklusiva lyxhotell och resorts.

1. Opium Health Spa, Elysium, Pafos, Cypern elysium-hotel.com

Cyperns kanske främsta lyxhotell är nybyggt och imponerande. Särskilt inbjudande är den stora poolen omgiven av palmer. Opium health spa håller samma höga klass som hotellet i övrigt. Bland annat finns många varianter av ansiktsbehandlingar. För alla åldrar, även familjer.

2. Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa, Cork, Irland aghadoeheights.com

Romantiskt spa med ett Aveda-koncept. Från Aghahoe är det nära till golfbanor och den irländska gröna naturen. Det är lätt att göra trevliga vandringar längs kusten. Strålande service, god mat och trevligt värdpar. För kärleksparet.

3. Toskana Terme Bad Sulza, Tyskland toskana-therme.de

Drygt 20 mil från Berlin och nära Dresden ligger denna unika anläggning, känd för sin Liquid sound pooler. Njut av varmt saltvatten med undervattensmusik och watsu-behandlingar i vatten. Intressant kulturområde i genuina småbyar runt byn Sulza. För den vuxna familjen eller paret.

4. Old Course Hotel & Spa, S:t Andrews, Skottland.oldcoursehotel.kohler.com

Bo direkt vid berömda golfhål och njut av härlig mat och spa i detta klassiska golf-mecca. Hydroterapi och telassoterapi av förvånansvärt hög kvalitet. För golffanatikern, kanske med ej golfande partner.

5. Ragdale Hall Health Hydro and Thermal Spa, Leicestershire, England.ragdalehall.co.uk

Har vunnit otaliga pris för sin lantliga charm och sin spaanläggning. Här trivs gästerna, i vatten som på land, på en stor och välordnad behandlingsavdelning. God mat och kvällsprogram för kvällspigga. Ligger vackert i en idyllisk by i Leicestershire. Främst för kvinnor.

6. Georg Ots Spa, Kuressaare, Ösel, Estland. gospa.ee

Modern och väldesignad anläggning vid havet och segelbåtshamnen. Hit kan man segla på sommaren genom en jättefin skärgård. Prisvärt. Mycket bra behandlingar med skickliga terapeuter. Internationell prägel. Rar stad för promenader. På torget säljs estländskt hantverk. För seglarparet och alla andra som inte upptäckt vår estniske granne.

7. Rogner Bad Blumau Spa, Blumau, Österrike. blumau.com

Cirka tio mil söder om Wien, nära Graz. Välbesökt från hela världen tack vare den spektakulära arkitekturen av Hundertwasser. Resort med allt från bad och träning till förnämlig behandlingsavdelning. Prova deras Tui Nai-behandling för kroppsdelar som ömmar. Kul och spännande för hela familjen.

8. Hotel Terme di Saturnia, norr om Rom, Lazio, Italien. termedisaturnia.it

Italienskt prisbelönt spa med spännande termalbad och hög kvalitet på specialiserade behandlingar. Fräscht och modernt med golfbana på anläggningen och nära till en lugn liten by. För paret som gillar italiensk mat och design.

9. Dolder Grand, Zürich, Schweiz. doldergrand.com

Spaavdelningen på Dolder grand har kostat 500 miljoner och är nätta 4000 kvadratmeter stor. Dolder grand försöker ligga steget före och rymmer flera originella idéer, som möjligheten att bada i varm lavasand. För den som vill kosta på sig lyx utöver det vanliga.

Vi tycker om bra listor och kompetenta resurser som kan underlätta för oss resenärer. Nu har våra vänner på Times Online tagit fram en lista över de 100 bästa och mest prisvärda hotellen i Europa. Alltså inte bara femstjärniga hotell utan ställen som har den där lilla extra charmen. Mycket användbart!

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Rates are per night for a double room. Where two prices are given, they are for low/high season

1 Enclos de l’Eveche, Boulogne

Fish and ferries here, certainly, but also a dramatic coastline, a bucolic hinterland and, above the port, an atmospheric old town. Hard by the cathedral, this stately B&B has a swish of 19th-century townhouse style, big, splendidly themed bedrooms (try the Egyptian one) and a warm family welcome. Quite a surprise in Boulogne. 00 33-3 91 90 05 90,www.enclosdeleveche.com; from £60

2 Les Tourelles, Picardy

The perfumier Pierre Guerlain’s former home is a red-and-white towered confection that overlooks the vast, bird-loved Somme estuary. Converted by a Belgian couple into a laid-back, feet-in-the-water hotel, it has stripped floors and pale colours, some rooms with shared facilities, a dorm for willing kids and the beach outside the door. 03 22 27 16 33, www.lestourelles.com; sea-view doubles from £66/£71

3 Hotel Jean de Bruges, Picardy

The 15th-century white-stone house stands next to the glorious abbey church in St Riquier, and complements it splendidly. The style is pure and simple: rooms, many with bare stone walls and wooden floors, are stripped back to classy essentials, yet there’s a whiff of classical music and fine cognac about the place. 03 22 28 30 30, hotel-jean-de-bruges.com; from £73/£103

4 Auberge de la Bonne Idée, Picardy

An hour northeast of Paris, but a time warp away, the Bonne Idée nestles in a forest village near Compiègne. It’s everything an auberge should be, and more: ancient brick without; wood and copper, flowers, open fires and cosy armchairs within. Bedrooms are lighter, the gardens are terrific and the restaurant is top-class.03 44 42 84 09, a-la-bonne-idee.fr; from £73

5 Clos Raymi, Champagne

M Chandon (of “Moët &”) built his brick and white-stone mansion round the back of his champagne house in Epernay. Now it’s been revived in light, informal and arty manner. There’s no reception, but a graceful entry hall and salon, and contemporary art spices up stylish bedrooms. 03 26 51 00 58, closraymi-hotel.com; from £91

6 Hotel du Petit Moulin, Paris

A playful 17-room former bakery, the Petit Moulin is well situated (in the Haut-Marais) for shopping at some of Paris’s more interesting boutiques. The interiors are by the never knowingly understated Christian Lacroix. Some rooms are lush and baroque, others startlingly geometric and bold, all a seductive riot of colour and contrasting styles. Small, quirky, crepuscular and flirtatious, it’s a perfect Parisian hideaway. 00 33-1 42 74 10 10,hoteldupetitmoulin.com; from £162

7 Chateau de la Barre, Pays de la Loire

The de Vanssay family have been in this stupendous chateau since the 15th century — and they’ve apparently spent all that time building up to your arrival. The welcome from the French count and his Anglo-American countess couldn’t be more cultivated or enthusiastic. They’ve infused castle and bedrooms with warmth and bright colour, and the gardens and grounds go on for ever. 02 43 35 00 17, chateaudelabarre.com; from £129 low/£154 high

8 Hotel Diderot, Pays de la Loire

Slotted into a side street in Rabelais’s home town, Chinon, the Diderot greets you as a friend of the family. Rooms have heavy furniture but a lightness of touch, corridors weave and creak, aromas mix polished wood and jam-making from the kitchen. A lovely base for visiting nearby chateaux. 02 47 93 18 87,diderot.com; from £47/£67

9 Hotel de Vougeot, Burgundy

Wood and stone sobriety provides the setting for contemporary comfort and charm. The hotel is in the middle of the village of Vougeot, itself in the middle of Burgundy’s finest vineyards. (Some of the stone-and-beam hotel rooms look out over the Clos de Vougeot vineyards.) An excellent base for a few days of wandering and tippling. 03 80 62 01 15, hotel-vougeot.com; from £50/£63

10 Chateau de Bagnols, Near Lyons

If there’s a finer hotel in France, please tell us. Bagnols, a 13th-century castle rising above the vineyards of Beaujolais, is sheer, unadulterated sophistication. With only 21 rooms and suites, all decked out in sumptuous period furniture, manicured lawns and a fabulous Michelin-starred restaurant, it’s worth every one of the quite considerable number of pennies you need to stay here. Two kirs on the terrace, s’il vous plaît, garçon. 04 74 71 40 00,chateaudebagnols.co.uk; from £590

11 Chateau du Ludaix, Limoges

This fabulous restored chateau, set in seven acres of woodland, is owned and managed by the mother of the fashion designer Henry Holland — one of the rooms is even named after him. A stay here is bucolic bliss, especially if you book the private Maison Guardien, the ultimate romantic hideaway. 06 74 31 18 43,chateauduludaix.com; from £103

12 Domaine de Brandois, Vendée

From the 53-acre grounds, this fine old pile looks like what it is, a 19th-century chateau. Inside, things get playful. Rooms come with swathes of sharp colour, contemporary furniture and baths in the middle of the floor, modern sculpture abounds and the graceful dining room has designEr plastic chairs. Somehow it all stays dignified, and works splendidly. 02 51 06 24 24,domainedebrandois.com; from £81/£128

13 La Maison Douce, Ile de Ré

Like what you see? It’s yours for the right price. Because, while the Maison Douce is a lovely hotel, it’s also an excuse for the impeccably styled owner, Alain Brunel, to show off his collection of antique Provençal beds, vintage claw-foot baths, wrought-iron garden chairs and gorgeous French linens. Romance (or purchases) will flow freely. 05 46 09 20 20, lamaisondouce.com; from £102/£115

14 La Chartreuse du Bignac, Dordogne

This takes some finding, but persevere. Isolated on a hilltop outside Bergerac and surrounded by woodland, orchards and rolling gardens, the Chartreuse is more than a farmstead, yet not quite manorial. It’s been made brilliantly comfortable by Brigitte Viargues: “casual, but not overfamiliar” are the watchwords around salons, a library and rustic rooms made over with urbane feminine chic. She cooks well, too. 05 53 22 12 80, abignac.com; from £124/£132

15 Hotel le Grézalide, Lot

The Grézalide has brought culture and gastronomy to the lost hamlet of Grèzes, near Figeac. This will have surprised local farmers as much as it does travellers across the limestone plateau. A good surprise, too: contemporary art and energy have revived the stout old stone building, the restaurant is good, the grounds are endless and the Lot and Célé valleys await discovery.05 65 11 20 40, grezalide.com; from £66/£83

16 Mas Nouveau, Cévennes National Park

Christine and Jean-Pierre have spent three years meticulously restoring this 15th-century fortified farmhouse deep in the forested hills of the Cévennes, and not a moment’s been wasted. Both building and hosts exude charm and authenticity: walk the superb trails by day, eat the superb food by night. 06 84 07 00 51; from £51

17 Chateau de la Caze, Gorges du Tarn

This spot amid the country’s loveliest gorges is as stirring as France gets. The castle has perched between river and soaring cliffs for 500 years. It remains stuffed with legend, stone and polished wood. A modern tweaking towards luxury has softened the edges, but not the integrity. The eating, though, is probably better than it’s been for five centuries. 04 66 48 51 01,chateaudelacaze.com; from £98/£105

18 Jardins Secrets, Nîmes

If a Jane Austen heroine aspired to live in 21st-century Nîmes, then she would aspire to live here, surrounded by treasures, refinement, comfort and that exquisite taste that provides much, but imposes nothing. Things remain homely: the beautiful hostess helps, and so do the gardens. It’s a hell of a place to find down a city-centre side street. 04 66 84 82 64, jardinssecrets.net; from £167/£189

19 Le Logis du Guetteur, Provence

You’re seated eating lamb and drinking rosé on the restaurant terrace of this lovely medieval fortress. The village of Les Arcs sur Argens unravels down the hill below. Beyond, Provence rolls to the sea, 30 minutes away. In the old stone warren behind, your ancient room — reviewed and corrected for the contemporary comfort-seeking classes — awaits. You want more from life? 04 94 99 51 10, logisduguetteur.com; from £111/£132

20 Hotel Windsor, Nice

Conceived as apartments by architects working for Gustave Eiffel, this place still oozes identity: 27 of its 57 rooms have been reconceived by artists, to sometimes highly entertaining effect. See the British cartoonist Glen Baxter’s tomblike space: very Raiders of the Lost Ark. Alas, no young Harrison Ford to go with it. 04 93 88 59 35, hotelwindsornice.com; from £67/£103

21 Hotel Oppoca, Pyrenees

In the utterly enticing village of Ainhoa, hard by the Spanish border, the Oppoca is an extension of the Massonde family home by slightly more formal means. The big, solid farmhouse feel is lightened by the women’s touches (flowers, nice smells). Bedrooms have had a makeover, so greys and beiges slot in among the beams and wood. The restaurant is superb. 05 59 29 90 72, oppoca.com; from £64/£77

SPAIN

22 Hotel Niza, San Sebastian

What Eastbourne hotels could learn from Hotel Niza — in the Victorian seaside town of San Sebastian — would fill a telephone directory. It’s got the seafront location you want and the period facade that every kiss-me-quick hotel needs, but the bedrooms are fresh, airy and stylish, in an untrendy way. Try the cafe, too, for tapas at lunch. 00 34-943 426663, hotelniza.com; from £110

23 Posada del Valle, Asturias

The battered Atlantic coast lies one way, the Picos de Europa rise the other. In between, the Posada del Valle, a former farmstead, clings to a hillside above the village of Collia. Magnificent mountain views take care of the aesthetics. A British couple, Nigel and Joann Burch, take care of the simple life within, with flair — and flavours from their own farm’s organic fare. 985 841157, posadadelvalle.com; from £53/£64

24 Marques de Riscal, Rioja

Designed by Frank “Bilbao Guggenheim” Gehry and wrapped in his trademark titanium swirls, this is like staying in an extraordinary art installation, complete with lavish Gehry furniture and fittings in the bedrooms. The location is almost as stunning as the purple and gold building: you’re surrounded by soft-focus lines of vines owned by the award-winning Marques de Riscal winery. 00 800 3254 5454, starwoodhotels.com/luxury; from £257

25 Mas Salvi, Costa Brava

Pals is the prettiest village on the Costa Brava, and this old manor house isn’t letting the side down. Ivy-clad and lost in private woodland, it has 22 suites in terracotta tones, a restaurant busy with posh folk down from Barcelona and a shady pool that’s often deserted, even in high summer. 972 636478, massalvi.com; suites from £201/£258

26 Sant Roc, Costa Brava

The Costa Brava can be a boisterous place. That’s as it should be. But quieter folk might prefer to be on the Sant Roc’s large terrace, overlooking Calella de Palafrugell (still a recognisably Catalan seaside village) and its bay, from a rocky headland. It is glorious, and the family-run hotel does its considerable best to feed us up and bed us down in unadorned, civilised style. 972 614250, www.santroc.com; from £96/£151

27 Hostal Sa Rascassa, Costa Brava

Less a hotel and more a terrific restaurant with rooms, Sa Rascassa sits in the shade of the pines surrounding the rocky inlet at Aiguafreda. Accommodation is basic: five rooms with no plasma, no minibar, no aircon. The food is simple — the catch of the day any way you like it, as long as it’s grilled — and the ambience is one of sun-kissed, pine-scented, wave-lapped mellowness, aided and abetted by the friendly owner, Oscar Gorriz. 972 622845, hostalsarascassa.com; from £64/£90

28 The 5 rooms, Barcelona

There are a couple more rooms to this “apart-hotel” than the name suggests: it recently consumed the floor above. It’s nicely cosy given its sweeping location in elegant Eixample. You check in for the urban-loft smartness (timber floors, recessed lighting, Parisianobjets); you stay for the sink-into homeliness. 00 34-93 342 7880,www.the5rooms.com; from £116 low/£141 high

29 Hotel La Concordia, Bajo Aragon

You’ll have no problems finding La Concordia — it rises from the Aragonese town of Alcaniz like one of those outcrops in the Utah desert. Until 1968, when it became a parador, it was a proper, scary castle, built in the 12th century by the fighting monks of the order of Calatrava. These days, it’s more atmospheric than intimidating, and as gothic as hotels get, with bedroom walls 3ft thick, keys the size of spanners and spectacular views across the Maestrazgo. 00 351 258 820150, paradores-spain.com; from £123/£133

30 Hotel Abalu, Madrid

With shades of Barbie, this self-consciously retro place is a girl thing more than a stag pad: the pink fabrics and white button-studded seating in the breakfast space recall the beauty parlour in Grease. Two years after opening, though, its 17 rooms are box-fresh, and the nightly pleasures of Malasaña and Chueca are irresistibly close by. 91 531 4744, www.hotelabalu.com; from £101

31 Parador Hotel Cuenca, La Mancha

Perched dramatically above a plunging cliff face that towers over the Hoz del Huecar gorge, this magnificent four-star parador is housed in a 16th-century convent, with a cafe in the cloisters and spectacular views of the “hanging houses” that cling to Cuenca’s sheer-faced outcrops. 00 351 258 820150, paradores-spain.com; from £126/£137

32 Palau de la Mar, Valencia

Walk through the grand facade of this 19th-century palace and suddenly it’s all 21st-century glass and modern fripperies. Every wall possible has been knocked down to create huge spaces, whether it’s the double-height lobby, with its zebra-skin welcome mat, the monochrome bedrooms or the spartan (in a fashionable way) restaurant — top fish. 963 162884, hospes.com; from £94

33 Las Casas del Rey de Baeza, Seville

It’s an overused word, “liveable”, but with its slouchy designer sofas, low-lit lounges, rustic rooftop pool and sparrow-filled courtyards, this place is the Spanish home everybody wishes they owned. It’s within walking distance of the Alcazar and the tapas bars. 954 561496, hospes.com; from £111

34 EME Catedral Hotel, Seville

Slap bang in the middle of Seville’s old town, this Tardis-like property is a haven of calm in the sultry city. The surprisingly spacious rooms are arranged over six floors, but the rooftop bar — with views across the city and a tiny pool — is the only place to be come cocktail o’clock. 954 560000, emecatedralhotel.com; from £186

35 El Juncal, Ronda

The pool alone is reason to brave the hairpin road that winds from Marbella to Ronda. It gleams glacier blue, surrounded by croquet-flat lawn and sun-dappled tables tended by smart Spanish staff. Minimalism reigns over the interiors: stark white rooms, white tiled bathrooms, even white plastic sofas, which might not be a perfect fit for your behind — but my, they cut a dash in the magazine shoots. 161170, eljuncal.com; from £106

36 Posada del Patio, Malaga

Aficionados have long known that there’s much more to Malaga than an airport. The birthplace of Picasso has a magnificent Renaissance cathedral — still unfinished — a hectic arts scene, cracking tapas bars and bodegas, and a fine beach. What it has lacked until now is a decent luxury hotel, but that’s changed with the opening of the Posada del Patio. In the heart of the old city, and only 500yd from the beach, it’s all muted colours and chilled calm — the perfect antidote to all that Andalusian excess. 951 001020, www.vinccihoteles.com; from £99/£179

37 La Fructuosa, Andalusia

How many hotels can boast views of another continent? None can beat the view from the terrace at La Fructuosa, in the pueblo blanco of Gaucin — the ancient smuggling village that inspired Prosper Mérimée’s Carmen. The jaw-dropping view takes you down the valley of the Rio Genal, past the Rock of Gibraltar, across the sparkling Straits and into the Moroccan Rif. That’s two continents, three countries and two seas you’re looking at, and the beds are pretty comfortable, too. 952 151072, lafructuosa.com; from £74

38 Hurricane Hotel, Andalusia

Okay, so this one can as well… The palm-fronted Hurricane sits above the beach where the Med meets the Atlantic. Laid-back Andalusian in theme, it has simple white rooms, a good pool in lush gardens and a romantic dinner terrace with views of Africa. The wind- and kite-surfing school helps make the most of Tarifa’s famous waves. 956 684919, hotelhurricane.com, from £74/£135

39 La Casa del Califa, Andalusia

Vejer de la Frontera is a sleepy whitewashed hilltop village that overlooks the site of the battle of Trafalgar and the Costa de la Luz. Casa del Califa, on the main square, is Scottish-owned, but funky Arabian in spirit — it’s a handful of houses converted into a warren of 18 rooms and a courtyard restaurant. 00 34-956 447730,lacasadelcalifa.com; from £59 low/£74 high

40 Casa Cinco, Andalusia

In a tranquil corner of the loveliest of all the white hilltop citadels on this untamed coast, House Five is an ancient Moorish home with steep, serpentine corridors, making it unsuitable for children. There are splendid views of Africa from its roof terrace, and the four very different rooms are traditionally decorated, but with fanciful touches of 21st-century baroque’n’roll style. 956 455029,hotelcasacinco.com; from £64/£77

BALEARICS

41 Pikes, Ibiza

The stuff of rock’n’roll legend — Freddie Mercury threw his 40th birthday party here and Wham! filmed the Club Tropicana video in the pool. A recent facelift has restored Pikes to its five-star glory, and you’ll always find somebody to share a late-night — or early-morning — margarita with. 00 34-971 342222, pikeshotel.com; from £145/£196

42 Boutique Hostal Salinas, Ibiza

On the coolest beach on the island, this chic, no-frills residence has also become one of its smartest hang-outs. It’s been renovated by the Space DJ David Phillips and the couple behind the ever-popular Locura bar, in Ibiza town: the bedrooms are stylish without being overdesigned, while the public spaces (especially those outside) are fun. The result is a party atmosphere and the kind of cocktail list that attracts a good-looking, good-time crowd. 971 308899, boutiquehostalsalinas.com; from £86/£189

43 Atzaro, Ibiza

The simplest way to find an idyllic place to stay in Ibiza is to go rural. One of the best fincas — former farming homes — is Atzaro, a 100-year-old family residence that’s been turned into beautiful rooms, a restaurant and a spa. Set amid 25 acres of orange groves, pools and cosy corners, it’s both charming and romantic. No wonder, then, that it’s so popular for private hire or weddings. 971 338838, atzaro.com; from £138/£301

44 Gecko Beach Club, Formentera

This once kitsch 1960s beach motel has been given a cool Balearic facelift: chic decked lounge spaces, starched canvas day beds, white-on-white bedrooms with sea views, all topped off with a fresh Iberian menu that runs the gamut from baton-length langoustines to olive-oil-drenched salads and sangria. 971 328024,geckobeachclub.com; from £115

45 Puro, Palma, Mallorca

Elusive among the skinny backstreets of Palma’s old town, Puro is worth wheeling your case over the cobbles for. The well-travelled owners have filled the former courtyard mansion with global gorgeousness — carved Balinese doors, African feathered lamps, Indian cushions. There’s a beach club, too, on Palma’s front, with free entry for guests. 00 34-971 425450, purohotel.com; from £143

46 Caserio de Mozaga, Lanzarote

The rental car will come into its own in Mozaga, a speck of a village in the middle of Lanzarote — afternoon jaunts to Famara Beach, the La Geria vineyards and Teguise market are a cinch. Mornings should be saved for epic Canarian breakfasts on the shaded terrace, followed by sun-baking in the cactus gardens of this whitewashed 18th-century country house. 928 520060,caseriodemozaga.com; from £54

47 Finca Malvasia, Lanzarote

Slowly but surely, with the help of the odd Almodovar film and some celebrity sightings, Lanzarote is shaking off the all-day-breakfast image of the other Canaries. Photogenic Finca Malvasia leads the trend: four lava-stone apartments around a cool-kitschy pool and cactus-strewn gardens, each in bright colours, with fully equipped kitchens. 928 173460, fincamalvasia.com; from £111

PORTUGAL

48 York House, Lisbon

Gorgeous, boutique, yet affordable, York House is up a flight of tatty stone steps, but at the top is a romantic converted Carmelite convent; some rooms still even have the grilles over the door’s peephole. Flagstone floors, vaulted ceilings and arched windows make for a divine dirty weekend. 00 351-21 396 2435,yorkhouselisboa.com; from £51

49 As Janelas Verdes, Lisbon

An 18th-century palace, stuffed with antiques and olde worlde charm. The lovely library has a well-stocked honesty bar and a tiled terrace offering views over the Tagus, while in the 29 elegant rooms there are thoughtful touches such as a complimentary decanter of sherry. Breakfast in the flower-filled courtyard garden is a delight. 213 968143, asjanelasverdes.com; from £164

50 Lawrence’s, Sintra

Founded in 1764 and reputed to be the oldest hotel in Iberia, Lawrence’s is an English inn among the royal palaces and bizarre gothic villas of Sintra, a sort of hill station for the cream of Lisbon society. When Byron stayed here in the early 19th century, he declared it “a glorious Eden”. Cosy, homely and outlandishly old-fashioned, it even serves scones for tea. 219 105500,lawrenceshotel.com; from £117

51 Casa Rosada, Algarve

The British owners switched magazine and catering careers to create this B&B with three double bedrooms on the Castro Marim. Breakfast is on the terrace, aperitifs are in the garden, amid lavender and orange and lemon trees, and dinner (if required) is in the terracotta-tiled kitchen — most likely fish from the market. No pool, but the beach is two miles away. 281 544215, casarosada-algarve.com; from £51 low/£64 high

ITALY

52 Su Gologone, Sardinia

Sardinians never trusted the coast. In the old days, it was all pirates and pillage. These days, it’s all celebrities and shopping. Far better the mountainous interior, where, in the heart of what was once bandit country, Su Gologone is a charmingly idiosyncratic property, crammed with the island’s arts and crafts. It has a pool, gorgeous mountain views and unforgettable food. 00 39-078 428 7512, sugologone.it; from £180, half-board

53 Caol Ishka, Sicily

A Gaelic name (“sound of water”) for this dusky pink masseria by the River Anapo, just outside Syracuse. That’s down to the Irish owner, who wisely followed his girlfriend home to set up this 10-room wonder. Expect Italian flair in spades (concrete walls, designer deckchairs and a moodily lit restaurant), mixed with considerable Irish charm. 09 316 9057, caolishka.com; from £163/£172

54 Capofaro, Salina, Aeolian Islands

Set in a vineyard, on the island that was the setting for Il Postino, Capofaro is where Italian style and rustic simplicity come to hold hands. Chic, elegant and charmingly simple, the whitewashed cottages feel like the kind of property you might buy in a moment of mad Mediterranean enthusiasm. It has a gorgeous pool and stunning ocean views. 090 984 4330, capofaro.it; from £200/£275

55 Hotel Raya, Panarea, Aeolian Islands

In the season, Panarea is a mix of local fishermen and leggy fashionistas from Milan. The Hotel Raya manages the same mix of folkloric Aeolian and eye-watering cool. Draped in bougainvillea, with terraces looking across the sea to the smoking cone of Stromboli, it also has several stylish boutiques, so you’ll have no excuse for being mistaken for a fisherman. 090 983013,hotelraya.it; from £160/£260

56 Grand Hotel Ambasciatori, Sorrento

The Ambasciatori is balanced precariously on cliffs above the Bay of Naples, and the best rooms allow you to watch the sun set behind smoking Mount Vesuvius from your balcony, watch dawn break over smoking Mount Vesuvius from your bed and enjoy smoked kippers beneath smoking Mount Vesuvius in the hotel breakfast room. Perfect. 081 878 2025, ambasciatorisorrento.com; from £157

57 Masseria Palombara Grande, Puglia

The stables of this serene whitewashed manor, built in 1776 and immersed in ancient olive groves, now contain six guestrooms, all with antiques, vaulted ceilings and patios. Yet what really sets the Masseria apart is an atmosphere of rare enchantment; think sumptuous alfresco breakfasts to the fluttering of doves. 00 39-328 907 6008, www.masseriapalombaragrande.com; from £56 low/£85 high

58 San Anselmo, Rome

Tucked away on a residential street on the Aventine, one of the Eternal City’s seven hills, this hotel is a long way from dodgy pizzerias, raucous bars, and whining Vespas. Instead, it has chanting monks, a 5th-century basilica, and a local park with heart-stopping views of the city. San Anselmo performs a rare feat — it makes Rome seem quite peaceful. 06 570057,www.aventinohotels.com; from £116

59 Hotel Le Silve, Assisi

Umbria reckons it’s full of hilltop hotels with spectacular views, but how many are actually on the summit, boasting eye-watering, knee-trembling 360-degree views of a Renaissance landscape of mist-cloaked valleys, honey-coloured hill towns and watercolour groves of ancient oak? There’s been a hotel here since the 10th century — 1,100 years later, only the luxury levels have changed. You know what to expect: gorgeous rooms, soul-stirring cuisine and the tragic realisation that all good things must come to an end. 075 801 9000, hotelassisi.lesilve.it; from £111

60 La Ripolina, Tuscany

Weatherbeaten to exacting Tuscan standards, La Ripolina is anagriturismo farmstead with a sort of Renaissance loggia for sunlit breakfasts. You look out over farmland, the village of Buonconvento in the distance and, nearer, an abbey apparently painted into place by an old master. Pienza and Montalcino aren’t far, and there’s a pool down below. Sometimes only Tuscany will do, and La Ripolina does it well. 0577 282280, laripolina.it; from £60/£90

61 Dievole, Tuscany

Vineyards, cypresses, olive groves — Dievole is cliché Tuscany, but here it rings true. The 1,000-year-old, 800-acre estate is still primarily a Chianti producer, but it also has large rooms, spectacular views, a good pool and a memorable winery-restaurant. It’s set in fabulous walking country, too, only seven miles from Siena. 0577 322632, villa-dievole.com; from £137/£162

62 Hotel Monteriggioni, Tuscany

Monteriggioni is what you go to Tuscany for — a village disguised as a castle, ringed round with story-book watchtowers, like something from Le Morte d’Arthur. The only way it could be more redolent of medieval Italy is if they installed a complimentary damsel in a turret, for rescuing purposes. The hotel has 12 sweet little rooms, mamma-made breakfasts and a pool under the battlements. 0577 305009, hotelmonteriggioni.net; from £197

63 Luna Hotel Baglioni, Venice

It’s off St Mark’s Square, and old-fashioned luxury seeps from Venice’s oldest hotel, just as the water seeps around its 15th-century foundations. For ornate marble, opulent dining, silk-panelled walls, unaffected splendour, a private jetty for your gondola and room keys with tassels on the end, look no further.041 528 9840, baglionihotels.com; from £190/£519

64 Albergo Due Mori, Veneto

There are many reasons to go to Marostica. It’s a lovely old walled village. Venice and Verona aren’t far, and Palladio’s Vicenza is nearer. But this albergo is the key one. Monica Facchini and her husband, Riadh, have infused the natural stone and wooden floors of an old village house with light, bright Italian modernity. It’s both cool and warm. 00 39-0424 471777,www.duemori.it; from £81 low/£106 high

65 Villa Feltrinelli, Lake Garda

It’s insanely expensive, but spend a day at this art-nouveau mansion and you’ll realise that it’s definitely worth every penny (if you’ve got it). It’s so joyously Italian. Every room is like a feelgood Fellini film set; the attention to detail is awesome and the setting, right on the mistily magical lake, is intoxicating. 0365 79800, villafeltrinelli.it; from £773/£1,030

66 Hotel Cannero, Lake Maggiore

Bag one of the rooms at the front — it’ll be unflashy but comfortable — overlooking the landing stage for the ferries that ply the lake and you’ll be sitting at the window for hours. This hotel, like this part of the lake, is a place to unwind. It’s been in the same family for more than 100 years, and some of the guests look as if they’ve been regulars that long; but kids are very welcome (there is a pool) and it’s just right if you value a warm welcome and good service over contemporary design. 0323 788046, hotelcannero.com; doubles from £49

67 Vigilius Resort and spa, South Tyrol

You take a cable car up to the Vigilius… nought to 5,000ft in seven minutes, and not only are you on top of the world, but that top is all minimalist decor, cool, light, airy rooms and an awful lot of proper outdoor-indoor design. It’s the sort of architecture that would make Kevin McCloud go ooh. The spa is amazing. The mountain walking is even better. 0473 556600, www.vigilius.it; from £280

68 Rosa Alpina, Italian Dolomites

If you like your mountains raw and rugged, but your hotels small and sophisticated, this is the place to come. You can go trekking and biking by day, then come back to this charming, family-run, chalet-style retreat for fine wine and finer food in the evening, safe in the knowledge that you’ve probably earned it. The chef, Norbert Niederkofler, has two Michelin stars, but we didn’t hear him use the f-word once. 0471 849500, rosalpina.it; from £150 in summer (and summer is the best time to go)

NORTHERN EUROPE

69 Pand Hotel, Bruges

The Pand does eclectic in a big way. Its 26 rooms, in an 18th-century coaching inn, are packed with antiques, chintzes, books and objets, perhaps overly so in the smallest ones. It also oozes charm and character, increasingly to be valued in tourist-driven Bruges. 00 32-50 340666, www.pandhotel.com; from £158

70 ‘T Sandt, Antwerp

A whitewashed corner building a stone’s throw from the Scheldt, a short walk from the cathedral and near the Sunday antiques market, ’T Sandt is as chic as the nearby stores of Belgium’s fashion capital. Stripped floors, pared-down decor, big windows, eager service and a 17th-century building with 21st-century comforts make a seductive combination. 03 232 9390, hotel-sandt.be; from £122

71 Hotel Brouwer, Amsterdam

Had minimalist chic been around in 1652, Hotel Brouwer would be it. Simply furnished and slopey-floored, it is a stripped-down canal house: staircases spiral, shutters creak and, outside the window, the boat traffic of Amsterdam glides gratifyingly by. When you stroll into the toasty breakfast parlour, with Bach playing on the hi-fi and the smell of croissants wafting from the kitchen, you’ll begin to wonder whether the room rate was a misprint. 00 31-20 624 6358, www.hotelbrouwer.nl; from £81

72 The College Hotel, Amsterdam

The clue’s in the name: this hotel is also a college, where elite students come to learn the hospitality trade. It’s like Top Gun for waiters, so the service, food and ambience are impeccable. Largely because the staff are all being given marks out of 10. 20 571 1511, collegehotelamsterdam.com; from £149

73 Side Hotel, Hamburg

If über-design floats your boat, and cutting-edge is the way you roll, you’ll adore the architect Jan Störmer’s 12-floor art hotel in Hamburg’s city centre. The furniture looks like pharmaceuticals, the bar is the sort of place Han Solo would start a fight in and there’s techno leaking out of the ceilings. It’s young, minted and hip, and it’s exactly what Hamburg needed. 00 49-40 309990,www.side-hamburg.de; from £129/£215

74 Lux 11, Berlin

West of Alexanderplatz — formerly Soviet Berlin — this block of 76 rooms epitomises what is now the city’s fashion core, Mitte. Interiors have roughish sex appeal (concrete floors, blocky baths) and staff wear Adidas. If the communal breakfast at a whimsical long table is unsettling, the apartment-living feel, thanks to a minimal lobby, should appeal. 30 936 2800, lux-eleven.com; from £101/£179

75 Michelberger Hotel, Berlin

This place is trendy even by Berlin standards — your bed is a mattress on a mezzanine in one of the small but cleverly put together rooms. The staff are straight off the pages of a style mag (even the hotel’s dog has a mullet), and the loungy coffee shop-cum-bar downstairs is people-watching heaven. 30 2977 8590,michelbergerhotel.com; from £60

76 Cortiina Hotel, Munich

Bavaria’s cute and snowy capital is not just for Christmas — it’s another alfresco animal in summer, when the sun shines, often with Mediterranean force. City insiders love the Cortiina — possibly Munich’s best little design hotel — for its smart back terrace and cold cocktails on hot nights. The decor gets it just the right side of fashionable throughout, in outbreaks of bare brick, warm oak and Jura stone. 89 242 2490, cortiina.com; from £195/£296

77 Andel’s, Krakow

This eye-catching new 159-room hotel lies just beyond the city walls, five minutes from the redesigned Market Square — ideal for days exploring the city’s famous cobbles and quaintness, and nights sleeping in crisp contemporary comfort. The rooms are big and bright, with floor-to-ceiling windows and great bathrooms; there’s a snazzy bar and restaurant; and when it’s time to go, you’re right across the square from the train station, taxi rank and airport bus stop. 00 48 12 660 0100, www.andelscracow.com; from £95/£198

78 The Three Sisters, Tallinn

The titular trio are three handsome, haughty 14th-century merchant houses on a quiet cobbled street within the medieval city walls, but you leave the Middle Ages at the door. The historic interiors have been spruced up in impeccable contemporary style — think beams meet Eames — with four-posters aplenty and a colour scheme that’s warm and welcoming, not icily cool. The Piano Suite comes with a proper grand (though sadly it’s more than a grand for two nights). 00 372 630 6300,threesistershotel.com; from £137

79 Hotel J, Stockholm

It’s a 10-minute drive out of town, slightly longer by water taxi, on a waterfront suspended between city and sea. Boats dominate the public areas, with models of various craft dotting the place, while from your balcony you can watch the genuine articles bobbing about. Rooms are nautically decorated in pale woods, cool whites and blues, softened by candles if desired. Service throughout is effortless and accommodating. 00 46-8 601 3000,www.hotelj.com; from £140

80 Lydmar Hotel, Stockholm

A few doors down from the Grand Hotel, Stockholm’s grandest dame, the Lydmar does things differently. The photogenic view across the harbour is the same, but the pleasing hodgepodge of design-classic furniture and modern art is unique. The city’s trendies book their friends in here — wear your clothes in their most bizarre combinations to fit in. 8 223160, lydmar.com; from £249

81 Hotel Ranga, Hella

Post-volcanic ashgate, there’s only one place that any self-respecting traveller to Iceland wants to be this summer, and that’s as close as possible to Eyjafjalljokull without getting singed. Up until March, the quirkily luxurious Hotel Ranga, a country lodge astride a teeming salmon stream, was simply the most reliable place on earth from which to see the northern lights. Now it’s the best place on earth to loaf in a geothermally heated outdoor hot tub and watch spectacular pyroclastics from the neighbouring volcano. 00 354-487 5700, hotelranga.is; from £160/£229

82 Trappers, Svalbard

Barely 800 miles from the North Pole, and invariably engulfed in an Arctic blizzard, Trappers offers Shackleton chic, with rough-hewn timbers and walls adorned with polar-bear skins the size of duvets. Between February and May, rooms can be booked only with an activity — snowmobiling, dog-sledding and so on. 00 47 7902 4600, www.base campexplorer.com; from £151

CENTRAL EUROPE

83 Domus Balthasar, Prague

This stylish boutique is literally steps from the Charles Bridge, in the heart of town, so the location couldn’t be better. Its baroque beams and sloping ceilings contrast nicely with an unintimidatingly minimalist decor. There are only eight rooms, which makes for an intimate ambience and particularly personal service. 00 420 257 199 499, domus-balthasar.cz; from £120/£154

84 Pension Nossek, Vienna

Vienna has a penchant for a pension — with a bit of squirrelling, you can unearth a fabulous central B&B for half the price of a full-on hotel. Nossek is our favourite, a dapper 30-room guesthouse overlooking the jewelled boutiques and gilded fountains of the Graben district, with original deco cabinets, polished parquet floors and intriguing (if slightly mendacious) Mozart connections. 00 43 1 533 70410, pension-nossek.at; from £98

85 St George Residence, Budapest

Ignore the “boutique” label this inn has given itself — St George is tradition-steeped Budapest through and through, each suite a living museum. Huge, too, as the 26 of them take the same space once occupied by three medieval townhouses in the Castle District. Kitchens and lounges come as standard, so it’s great for a long stay or for playing at being a local. 00 36 1 393 5700,stgeorgehotel.hu; from £102/£140

86 Lanchid 19, Budapest

The party trick at this 48-room riverside novelty in Buda is a facade of coloured panes: these flutter with the Danube’s breezy moods, tracked by a hotel computer. Fun, if pointless — thankfully, the hotel has more up its sleeve, including desirable design and glimpses of art-nouveau Pest. 00 36 1 419 1900,lanchid19hotel.hu; from £65/£140

87 Kali Art Inn, Kali basin

Like London media types buying up the Cotswolds, the Budapest smart set is colonising the picture-book villages of the Kali basin. The Kali Art Inn is their HQ, a 19th-century merchant’s house with gorgeous period pieces, a distinctly bohemian attitude and fine local whites in the cellar. The bigger rooms in the old stables are best. 00 36 87 706090, kaliartinn.hu; from £96/£112

CROATIA

88 Hotel Vestibul Palace, Split

Not only is this friendly boutique conveniently tucked in the shadow of the city’s palace and its warren of medieval alleyways, it’s also a wonderful walk through the architectural ages. Roman, gothic and Renaissance features are complemented by stylish modern additions, including a gorgeous glass atrium and split-level suites. 00 385-21 329329, vestibulpalace.com; from £186/£233

89 Riva, Hvar

The tiny island of Hvar is the Cannes of Croatia, with a surprisingly sophisticated beach scene, and Riva is absolutely perfect for the sun-kissed diva. Right on the waterfront promenade, it has an achingly cool decor of neutral greys, vamped up by splashes of lipstick red, glass-boxed bathrooms and statement furniture, including Tom Dixon S-chairs. 21 750100,suncanihvar.com; from £144/£177

90 Lesic Dimitri Palace, Korcula

This 18th-century palace has six sumptuously restored suites, from small and intimate, with medieval vaulted ceilings, to vast and light, with views over the sparkling Adriatic and Mount Ilija. There is a spa with Thai therapists and a wine bar that’s streets ahead of anything else on this lovely little island. 20 715560, lesic-dimitri.com; from £206/£330

91 Hotel Bellevue, Dubrovnik

It’s only a 10-minute walk from the crowded old town, but it feels like a sexily spacious seaside resort, with its own buzzy little beach, overlooking the teal-blue waters of Miramare Bay. The rooms are trendily organic, with lots of billowing muslin and soft marine tones to re-create the impression of life aboard a luxury yacht. 20 330000, hotel-bellevue.hr; from £99/£250

GREECE

92 Helydorea, Trikala, Peloponnese

Hidden Greece is luxuriantly cosy at this immaculate stone and wood inn 3,600ft up Mount Kyllini, where you’ll feel like a guest at a country home. The suites have fireplaces (winter weekends are high season here), but early summer is ravishing, too, when wild flowers compete with views over the Gulf of Corinth. 00 30-27430 91444, helydorea.gr; from £60 low/£111 high

93 Emelisse, Cephalonia

You have to work hard at Emelisse to avoid the spectacular sea views — they seem to follow you round as soon as you step outside. But why would you want to get away? Sink into the spa, stroll round the harbour of Fiskardo or take a mountain bike up into the hills: soon enough, you’ll end up back at the pool, staring out to sea, before sunset turns everything deeper and redder. 26740 41200, arthotel.gr/emelisse; from £228/£414

94 Perivolas, Santorini

The infinity pool here, which seems to drip off the edge of a cliff, is such a breathtaking piece of aqua engineering that it regularly features on the front of the world’s glossy mags. Soak in its waters while gazing across the Med’s deepest blues and you’ll feel pampered like a cover star yourself. When you drag yourself inside, the hotel is within a series of 300-year-old caves and is as immaculate as you’d expect given the price tag. Genuinely luxurious. 22860 71308, perivolassuites.gr; from £447

TURKEY

95 Miapera Hotel, Istanbul

By day, the domes and spires of the postcard Sultanahmet district seduce. After dark, there’s little to turn you on. Beyoglu, by contrast, is a nocturnal dynamo — and this 61-room newcomer is a budget beauty, with fruit-pastille tones and boxy modern furnishings. Great rum baba in the restaurant, too. 00 90-212 245 0245, miaperahotel.com; from £85/£110

96 Tas otel, Alacati, Cesme Peninsula

This intimate little seven-room belter is a restored former Greek merchant house. It sits at one end of the village’s pedestrianised main street, peppered with good restaurants, craft shops and bars, favoured by arty Izmiris. There’s a small pool for summer, a log fire in the lounge for winter and a perpetual homely welcome. Rooms are cosy and uncluttered, with high-quality linen and ultramodern bathrooms. 00 90-232 716 7772, www.tasotel.com; from £94 low/£132 high

97 Bordubet, Bozburun Peninsula

Secreted in a sun-dappled forest clearing, this is the prettiest of hotels, newly refurbished, with 36 rooms, and built along the meanderings of a river so clear, you could count the terrapins and fish if there weren’t so many. There’s free WiFi, a large pool and a beach club with pedalos and kayaks (25 minutes away by foot, 10 by boat or mountain bike), staff are warm and attentive, and the food is good and varied (much of it home-grown) — all of which is important, because you’re a long way from anywhere (21 miles from Marmaris or two hours by car from Dalaman airport). Book through Exclusive Escapes; 020 8605 3500,exclusiveescapes.co.uk. Prices start at £650, half-board, for a week, including flights and transfers

98 Dionysos, Kumlubuk

Bay Sitting atop a jaw-dropping canyon overlooking the Bay of Kumlubuk, this ridiculously hip sanctuary is so sexy, it bans children in high season. A five-minute transfer takes you down to the private beach club and watersports centre, but with three gourmet restaurants, an excellent spa and a horizon pool overlooking the bay, few venture that far. 252 476 7957,dionysoshotel.net; from £145/£163

99 Villa Mahal, Kalkan Bay

Nestled into a pine forest dropping down to the sea, this chic 13-room design hotel is a fabulously plush whitewashed pasha’s palace, a cobbled Santorini towed east 300 miles and moored on the Lycian coast. Hammocks, day beds and double swing chairs litter the gardens, terraces and pool decks. A private beach club is on hand should you tire of the stunning views. 242 844 3268,villamahal.com; from £177/£195

100 Yediburunlar Lighthouse, Gulf of Fethiyeh

Built from scratch by its South African owner, Leon, and his Turkish wife, Semra, this 12-guest, ramshackle-chic lodge perches 1,800ft up in the Taurus Mountains, teetering on the edge of the sheerest of cliffs, with mighty views from room and pool down across farmland to the azure Mediterranean. Book throughExclusive Escapes; 020 8605 3500, exclusiveescapes.co.uk. Prices start at £428/£471, half-board; minimum three-night stay

Den vackra floden som rinner förbi Koblenz

Se en annan sida av Tyskland - den lite mer romantiska. Upplev oförglömliga kulinariska ögonblick framför en unik historisk kuliss i sensommar. Upptäck de sex historiska städerna i närheten av Rhen och Mosel i sydvästra Tyskland inbjuder till alldeles särskilda stadsupplevelser. Kaiserslautern, Koblenz, Mainz, Speyer, Trier, Worms - en kulturell och kulinarisk upptäcktsresa genom sägenomspunna flodlandskap, till synes oändliga vinberg, majestätiskt tronande domkyrkor eller romantiska stadskärnor. Du hittar till regionen med lågprisflyg.

Trier
“Roma Secunda” - det andra Rom, så kallade romarna sin största metropol norr om Alperna. Än idag präglas stadsbilden av de romerska byggnaderna, med Porta Nigra i spetsen, som sedan 1986 finns upptagna på UNESCO:s lista över världskulturarv. Från 18 till 19 september firas stadsvänskapsfesten “Inbjudan från Konstantin - Nagaoka”. Samurajer, danserskor och musiker från Japan presenterar ett attraktivt scenprogram. Solnedgångens land presenteras också genom första klassens gastronomi och ett färgstarkt japanskt fyrverkeri rundar av festligheterna.

Kaiserslautern
Mitt i Naturparken Pfälzer Wald ligger Barbarossas stad som lever på sina motsatser. Den idylliska gamla stadskärnan och Europas största japanska trädgård inbjuder till avkoppling i en rogivande atmosfär. I kontrast till detta hålls den 3- 5 september Barbarossafestivalen “Swinging Lautern”, under vilken det på flera scener bjuds på ett extraordinärt musikprogram med swing, blues, boogie, salsa, soul och jazz.

Koblenz - bilden
Vid Deutsches Eck där Rhen och Mosel möts upplever du ren flodromantik. Sagoslottet Stolzenfels och den mäktiga fästningen Ehrenbreitstein är stadens väktare och står i beredskap för provsmakning av de senaste vinerna. Från 25- 27 september lockar Koblenz och stadsdelen Lay med sin vinfest med kulinariska specialiteter och komedi.

Mainz
Mainz och distriktet Rheinhessen upptogs 2008 som en av åtta städer i det exklusiva nätverket „Great Wine Capitals”. Årets höjdpunkt är den traditionella vinmarknaden som hålls från 27 till 30 augusti och från 3 till 6 september, där tusentals besökare erbjuds en variationsrik vinrepertoar. Livsglädje, glatt umgänge och den gripande historien präglar den charmerande staden vid Rhen och sörjer för unika ögonblick.

Speyer
Den 29 och 30 augusti gästas kejsarstaden Speyer för första gången av världens största kringresande medeltidskulturfestival, “Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum”. Sedan 16 år turnerar sällskapet genom republikens vackraste parker och fritidsanläggningar. En oförglömlig tidsresa av levande historia väntar besökaren med hisnande scenuppträdanden, en gigantisk medeltidsmarknad, musikkonserter och naturligtvis spektakulära tornerspel.

Worms
Under ett strövtåg genom århundraden möter Worms besökare kejsare och kungar, myter och sagor, spår efter Martin Luther och en enastående domkyrka. Upplev den traditionella fiskfestivalen Wormser Backfischfest am Rhein, som i samband med stadens största vin- och folkfest hålls den 29 augusti till 6 september i denna unika atmosfär. Utöver festivalområdet bjuds det även på ett omfångsrikt festivalprogram.