10 hours ago
What's the best time of year for a city break in Malta?
Q I want to go to Valletta in Malta as a city break early next year. What I haven't decided is whether to visit in January or March. Which would you recommend?
'Boveney Girl'
A As I have written many times before, Valletta is a glorious capital city – created in the 16th century by the Christian military order known as the Knights of St John. In any month you will be able to walk on the honey-coloured walls and explore the palaces and churches that they wrap around.
All other things being equal – which they are not – March is the better of the two months in which to visit. The island in the deep south of the Mediterranean will be blossoming, and you will be able to share in the spring energy. Having said that, though, I recommend you go in January. That is because the advantage of being in Valletta compared with anywhere in the UK will be at its maximum.
On 16 January – plumb in the middle of the month – Valletta will enjoy 10 hours of daylight, with a good chance that many of them will be sunny and warm. For comparison, London will have barely eight hours of daylight, and the likelihood of cloud and rain – possibly even snow.
January also delivers the best deals for flying to Malta and staying there, though some properties will close during what is normally a very low-season month. You might also find that some of Valletta's eating and drinking venues are closed.
Conversely, though, you will be able to visit all the top cultural attractions – in Valletta and elsewhere on the island – without the crowds that can build up at other times of the year. I particularly recommend the Three Towns on the other side of Valletta Harbour, which has some of the most atmospheric streets in Europe.
The chance for some deep midwinter warmth in an enthralling location should do you the world of good and put you in a good travelling frame of mind for the rest of the year.
Q Can you help clarify the situation in Cyprus? A large group of us are due to travel in a month for a family wedding. We are worried about issues involving Israel and Iran. I have heard rumours that flights have been brought forward and people have been flown home early.
Gillian Richardson
A I can understand the concerns of prospective travellers like you with trips booked to Cyprus. The Foreign Office warns that 'ongoing hostilities in the region' could 'escalate quickly and pose security risks for the wider region'. At its nearest, Israel is only 145 miles from the popular Cypriot resort of Ayia Napa. In addition, the UK has two military bases in Cyprus, which the foreign secretary, David Lammy, describes as 'hugely important at this time'.
Yet despite the increasing regional conflict, there is no evidence of flights being brought forward, or of people being flown home early (except, presumably, in special cases due to other issues). Airlines and holiday companies are continuing with their normal operations and their standard terms and conditions.
At present, I recommend that you go ahead with the plan. As the Foreign Office does not warn against travel to Cyprus, there is no prospect of being able to cancel a trip for a refund. Neither will travel insurance be of any help. If you have a proper package holiday booked, it can be transferred to someone else on payment of a nominal fee – typically £50. Alternatively, your holiday company may possibly offer the chance to switch to a different destination if there is capacity elsewhere. But with a family wedding scheduled, neither of these possibilities seems appropriate.
In the unlikely event that the Foreign Office warned against travel to Cyprus, people with package holidays booked for imminent departure would be entitled to a full refund. Airlines would also be likely to offer refunds. Holidaymakers already on the island would be flown home as soon as possible.
If it is of any comfort, I would happily travel to Cyprus this summer: it is a beautiful, cultured and friendly country. I have checked the official travel advice issued by the governments of Ireland, Australia, Canada and the US, and none of them raise concerns about the safety of their citizens. My main concern in July would simply be excessive heat. I hope everyone has good hats.
Q We are doing a road trip in Portugal in August. Any particular places you could recommend to visit off the beaten track?
Brendon Hahn
A Portugal has two outstanding big cities – Lisbon and Porto – for which a car would be an encumbrance rather than a benefit. But pretty much everywhere else in the nation, driving is an excellent way to discover the many treasures off the tourism mainstream.
In August I suggest you start in the north, as the temperature in the sometimes overheated south should dwindle as the month goes on. I assume you will rent a one-way car in Porto and drop it off at Faro on the Algarve. The northern portion begins in Aveiro, a lovely town embroidered by canals. Then spend the afternoon exploring Coimbra, a beautiful university city 75 miles south of Porto and 125 miles north of Lisbon. It is rich in culture, history and gastronomy, all wrapped into a compact core.
Continue south to the celebrated Portuguese surfing hub of Nazare, where the Atlantic collides spectacularly with Europe. Then head inland to the nearby towns of Alcobaca and Batallha – each of which has an astonishing monastery steeped in history. Round off this religious pilgrimage with a visit to Fatima, home to the nation's most important shrine.
One more stop before Lisbon: Obidos. This gorgeous walled city has preserved its medieval soul despite all the visitors attracted by its exquisite buildings. Then aim south on roads where driving is a pleasure, well constructed and delivering excellent views. Bypass the capital over the 25 April Bridge (Portugal's answer to the Golden Gate Bridge) and enjoy to the full the Setubal peninsula. Stop for the beach and seafood at Caparica; drive alongside a gorgeous corrugated coastline; witness the drama of Cabo Espichel, location for a vast, windswept monastery; and explore the city of Setubal itself, a relaxed fishing and ferry port with an atmospheric old quarter.
Take the ferry across to the Troia peninsula and meander south along the coast, pausing in the picturesque town of Sines and, in the deep south, Sagres. Keep inland as you parallel the Algarve coast, ending your great drive in the handsome city of Silves before the short run to Faro airport.
Q I am flying to Nice for the first time next week. What do you recommend in and around the city?
Natalie W
A Your timing is excellent. From the start of July, Nice will be besieged by French holidaymakers from the north of the nation. While you won't exactly have the place to yourself in late June, the narrow lanes of the old town, the top-class tourist attractions and some excellent bars and restaurants will not be too overcrowded.
To get the measure of the city, I recommend you walk (or cycle) from the airport into the centre. Nice-Cote d'Azur airport is at the western end of the Promenade des Anglais, the wide seaside boulevard that arcs around to the Colline du Chateau – the hill that punctuates the end of the old town. If you prefer to cycle in 20 minutes rather than walk in 90, rent-it-here/leave-it-there bikes are widely available, including out at the airport. The two parallel systems are Lime and Pony; you will need the appropriate app for either. On your way in, pop your head around the door of the Hotel Negresco – the elaborate grande dame whose pink dome has presided over the promenade since 1913.
Cours Saleya is an excellent place to catch your breath. It is a flower market flanked by cafes where you can sample socca, the local chickpea pancake. Besides exploring the old town, visit two excellent museums, each dedicated to a single artist: the Musee Chagall and the Musee Matisse. The latter has a lovely hillside location above the city at Cimiez, alongside the atmospheric 16th-century monastery where Matisse is buried. Surprisingly few tourists make it to the Orthodox cathedral of St Nicholas, a creation from the era when Nice was a playground for the Russian aristocracy.
For a different dimension of the French Riviera, head for Villefranche-sur-Mer – a pretty fishing port that is one headland beyond Nice. Just six minutes by train from Nice Ville, the pace slows. Wander through the lanes and choose a waterside location for coffee or ice cream. Ideally, you should walk back. Take the steep paths and lanes over Mont Boron, which divides Villefranche from Nice. Your reward: yet more stirring views, and the chance of glimpsing Elton John, who has a house there.
