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Innsbruck's Alpine Inspiration
In the heart of the Alps, Innsbruck is a skiers' paradise in winter and a
great location for hiking and biking in summer. Simon Calder discovers the
‘Golden Roof', used by the Roman emperor Maximilian I to watch events in the
town square and takes a tram into the mountains to survey the stunning
surroundings.
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Huatulco: The Real Mexico
Considered by locals as 'the real Mexico', Huatulco is an ecological paradise
on the Pacific coast. Simon Calder samples the fresh papaya and refried
beans of local cuisine, attends a ‘boarding’-school for aspiring surfers,
and explores the area's magnificent bays and traditional chapels.
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Jamaica: Beyond the Expected
Jamaica has something for everyone;
Independent
traveller Simon Calder
takes a terrifying wire-harness tour of the forest, tastes local cuisine at
Faith's Pen, and visits 56 Hope Road, better known as Bob Marley's former
abode.
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Walking in Jersey
From the rock formations of Bouley bay to the capital, St Helier, Simon
Calder's walking tour takes in some of Jersey's most pleasant spots as well
as the many remnants of the island's occupied past.
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Lapland's Winter Wonderland
Simon Calder checks out Santa's ice sculptures, secret grotto and post office.
He also finds time to see the city's Arktikum Museum (‘Museum of the
Arctic'), and wilderness of Kittil?, perfect for snowmobiles, huskies and
reindeer-led sleigh-rides.
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More to Madeira
Madeira's striking capital, Funchal, is a whitewashed town built on dark
volcanic rock, while the municipal market is an Art Deco masterpiece. Simon
Calder enjoys all the beauty as well as the energetic nightlife and the
fishing village Câmara de Lobos, meeting the self-proclaimed ‘Cocktail King'
of the island along the way.
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Malta's Marvels
Go back in time with Simon Calder as he hops on Malta's 1960s buses in the
island's capital Valletta, the first planned city in Europe.
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Marrakech Overload
Simon lets himself get lost in the winding streets of Morroco's Marrakech,
exploring the traditional market places, and marvelling at the architectural
wonder of the Koutoubia Mosque tower, before winding down in Yves Saint
Laurent's Jardin Marjorelles.
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Nice: A Day in Provence
Beginning in the Promenade des Anglais, Simon Calder explores the Matisse
Museum and admires the beautiful views of the hills of Provence. He also
samples the region's cuisine, trying traditional corn pancakes and dining at
the luxurious Aphrodite restaurant, before tasting some locally produced
wine.
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Undiscovered Rotterdam
Simon Calder finds the occupants of this dynamic city welcoming and friendly
and the architecture staggering. Travelling to Delft, he visits the 'old
church' where Johannes Vermeer, is buried, before journeying to the Hague to
see some of the painter's most famous works in the Dutch Royal art
collection.
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Sharm El Sheikh: Egyptian Playground
Sharm El-Sheikh's reputation for luxury is borne out by Simon Calder's
experience of the Four Seasons resort. After a dazzling snorkelling trip,
Simon heads into the desert on a quad-bike, and takes tea at a Bedouin
campsite. Crossing the Gulf of Suez, he visits Hurghada, a bustling tourist
city with a more authentically Egyptian identity.
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Singapore: At the Crossroads of the World
Beginning in the Buddhist 'Temple of the Tooth', Simon Calder experiences
Singapore's diverse population. He visits the multi-ethnic Chinatown, before
exploring the village of Kampong Glam, getting a fresh view of the city by
riverboat, and filling up on worldwide cuisine at Glutton's Bay.
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Exploring Tenerife
There are many sides of this tourist hotspot for Simon Calder to discover,
from the seventeenth-century building containing Tenerife's history museum,
to the Augustan monastery in the quiet town of La Laguna. After walking on
the summit of central mountain Teide, Simon visits the manmade beach of Las
Teresitas, and the cultural capital, Santa Cruz.
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Life on the Lonely Planet
Simon Calder speaks to the founders of the Lonely Planet, Tony and Maureen
Wheeler. In a wide-ranging interview they discuss the history of their now
ubiquitous travel guides, the controversial Lonely Planet guidebook to
Burma, and their thoughts on the future of the travel industry in the face
of concerns about its impact on the environment.
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Sleep on the Cheap
In this interesting one-off podcast, Simon Calder finds out how the Youth
Hostel Association is adapting to a changing travel industry, whilst
continuing to offer cheap and cheerful accommodation to its 250,000 members
and other budget travellers around the world.
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Athens: Not As You Knew It
From the ‘Hotel Periscope’ and the Acropolis, to sandal-buying and
wine-shopping, Simon Calder explores the ancient and the modern sides of the
spectacular Greek capital. Join our intrepid explorer as he learns to snoop
out the hidden delights of the Athens retail experience, marvels at the
late-night eating, samples traditional cuisine, and tries to keep up with
the nocturnal partying habits of young Athenians.
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Peru... Land of a thousand marvels
"Prepare to recalibrate your sense of wonder" that's Simon Calder's advice for
when first you experience the New World Wonder that is Machu Picchu. But on
a journey of discovery through Peru, from the steamy, soupy Amazon to the
austere beauty of the High Andes, Simon shows there is far more to Peru.
Meet the locals along the world’s mightiest river; marvel at the mysteries
of the Nazca Lines; and take the pulse of Lima, one of the most exciting
capitals in the Americas.
download here
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Something to Declare (part 2)
Something to Declare is the UK's only travel magazine radio programme,
presented by Ben Ross and Frances Tuke. The aim is to translate to radio The
Independent's long-held values of inspiring, informing and entertaining
travellers - with production standards to match the best of the BBC. The
programme mixes expert advice from studio guests with reports from
travellers and the travel trade across the world.
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Something to Declare (part 1)
Ben Ross of The Independent's travel desk presents our new travel magazine
programme.
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Night and Day in Barcelona
Simon Calder experiences the stunning modern design and Roman roots of the
Catalan capital, Barcelona, taking in the art, architecture, food and
fashion of a truly 21st century city.