Founded by Italians and known as one of the best Italian restaurants in the Puerto Banús area, Aretusa is a stylish front-line eatery overlooking the marina that also serves a selection of international favourites.

While this will often include French and Spanish dishes and culinary touches, there is also a delightful focus on German, Russian and Dutch food on specially arranged evenings. We went to the Dutch night, which featured a set menu and live entertainment.

I was pleased to find the singer was Dutch – well, Flemish, so Dutch-speaking – though when he saw that about half the diners were of different nationalities he smoothly alternated between Dutch, English and Spanish numbers, and because he was pretty good it set the tone for a great ambience.

Located right on the first line, where you look straight out onto the mega yachts lying in the Puerto Banús harbour, Aretusa isn’t that big, but it is all the more atmospheric and welcoming for it. The décor is stylish with a hint of Rome, and the multinational staff can take care of you in most known languages. (more…)

In her book, Contemporary World Interiors, Susan Yelavich surveys some of the world’s most sumptuously stylish homes, resorts, commercial premises and public areas, charting the evolution of 25 years of interior design. In doing so she takes the reader on a tour of world cities―or more correctly, their interior spaces―focusing on a selection of colourful and striking designs. Rather than gloss over a few iconic references, Yelavich’s work is an in-depth study of more than 450 projects by over 400 designers and architects, from Philippe Starck, Marcel Wanders and John Pawson to Zaha Hadid, UdA, Atelier Bow-Wow and LOT-EK. (more…)

Going to spend some time in Dublin and want to do it in style? Then expect the Clarence to come up whenever you search for references to ‘Dublin’s finest hotels’. Given such overwhelming evidence, we took everyone’s word for it and booked a few nights of delicious R&R at the iconic city centre pad.

It proved a popular decision – not just with ourselves, but with virtually everyone we mentioned it to. Our taxi driver further added to a sense of anticipation that had been raised by Irish friends back home, as he drove us to the very place. “Ah, the Clarence, now that’s one of our best.” The fact that Bono and The Edge of U2 own this fine establishment naturally adds to its glamour, but you sense this is certainly not the only reason for the hotel’s fame. (more…)

From opulent shops, restaurants, hotels and trendy night time spots to thriving culture and beautifully renovated historical sights, Dublin is at the forefront of a modern revival boosted by high economic growth and the rise in wealth that accompanies it. Gourmet, Michelin-star aspiring restaurants have mushroomed, as have avant-garde design hotels and bars, not to mention a plethora of shops and boutiques where it is surprisingly easy to spend profusely.

Amid all this new energy and forward-looking confidence there are still the old famous sights to enjoy, like Trinity College and the town castle. Chances are they’ve had a recent clean up and look as revitalised as the city feels, but search a bit deeper and you will still find the Ireland of old, with its sticky-carpeted pubs that smell of stale beer and haven’t seen a decorator since the Suez Crisis. Such places offer little to please the eye yet it is here that you will get a glimpse of the character and sense of humour for which these islanders are famous. Whatever your preference, seek and ye shall find… (more…)

Although small in area, Mallorca’s diversity of landscapes, climates and impressions allows it to cater to a great many different tastes, something that has helped to preserve its age-old appeal as a cherished beacon in the seas. Indeed, the fact that Palma’s international airport is the third largest in Spain is an indication of just how prosperous the island has grown on the tourist trade.

But Mallorca’s popularity as a place to soak up the sun, splash around in azure seas and just get away from it all is not a new phenomenon. Evidence suggests that Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans alike used this jewel of the Mediterranean as a place of retreat and repose, making it one of the oldest known tourist destinations in the world. What drew them to this fair isle becomes evident once you lay eyes on its sandy beaches, sheer cliffs, rocky alcoves and deep blue seas.

The largest of the four islands that make up the Balearics, Mallorca’s attractions have not always appealed to peaceful visitors alone. For centuries, it was plagued by pirates, mostly the Corsairs from the Barbary coasts of North Africa, who raided, raped and pillaged, and even carried off citizens to the slave markets of Algiers and Tunis. This menace and the tugs of war between Spain, Britain, France and other powers explain the presence of the many coastal forts and watch towers now used for rather more recreational purposes. (more…)