This Summer is approaching fast and we at Lolo and
Galago have been looking at some hot and interesting places to visit this
Summer. Our first stop is Alaçatı, on the Cesme
peninsula near Izmir which is based on Turkey's Aegean coast. For centuries it
was a Greek settlement within the Ottoman Empire. The town is full of
beautifully built houses which were taken over by Turkish refugees in the
1920s, then the windsurfers discovered the fantastic surf conditions in its bay.
Since then the hip Istanbul crowd has fallen this chic town with its cobbled
streets, blue-shuttered stone houses, boho-chic hotels and restaurants
championing local produce and antiques shops have popped up. We recommend you
look up the Alavya (doubles
from £159) which is a 25 bedroom hotel with a spa, a restaurant and a swimming pool set in a walled garden. There
are also plenty of more economical hotels such as the Tas (doubles £80 plus) and the Incirliev (£60 upwards). In the morning don’t missing
drinking a coffee at Köse Kahve then head off for some shopping at Köse
Dukkan for gifts and linens, and the art and antiques shops on Hacı Memis
street. We also recommend a local country-style lunch at Asma Yapragi. Fly to Izmir
with easyJet (from
April), Pegasus or Turkish Airlines. For further information check out www.explorealacati.com.
George Town and Penang, Malaysia
For those who like to adventure
then, George Town is worth a visit. In 2008 it was named a Unesco world
heritage site and since then, it began transforming into one of
south-east Asia's hottest destinations.
In Penang they have started renovating everything from Chinese mansions to old
factories into cool hip hotels. There is something for everyone – delicious
street food, fine dining; funky hostels and creatively designer hotel boutiques.
For a cocktail we recommend you visit the Three Sixty Degree Sky Bar then head on for a plate of spicy duck soup
from a stall on Kimberley Street or for top notch dishes enjoy Penang Nyonya cuisine at Seven
Terraces. If you can also fit it in, try to go in
August and enjoy the month-long George Town festival (1-31 August),
or in January they hold the Tropfest (20-25 January - the so called world's
biggest short film festival).
Panama City, Panama
Another great location
is Panama, sometimes compared
to the French Quarter of New Orleans, it is a wonderful mix of faded glory with
its dilapidated townhouses & 17th-century city walls which contrast with
the newfound design shops, boutiques hotels, cafes and fancy ice-cream parlours
such as Granclément on Central Avenue. Recently Ace who have collaborated with Commune Design of Los Angeles and local property developer Conservatorio – have just
opened The American Trade Hotel (doubles from $259 +tax) and they have created
a hotel with a wow factor. We also recommend the Manrey Hotel ( as seen below)
with its great sun lounges and pool to relax after a long day (
www.manreypanama.com). However at the
other end of the spectrum if you fancy something more local then try the hostel Luna's Castle (dorm beds from £8 a night) and is party
favourite.
Written By Rosie May Reddington
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