Ten Great Events in Britain in 2014

There’s a lot happening in Britain in 2014, from great sporting events to major literary anniversaries, exciting new cultural experiences through to blockbuster hotel openings. Here are ten great events to look forward to over the coming months.

1. Shakespeare 450 

2014 marks 450 years since Shakespeare was born. His birthplace Stratford-Upon-Avon, is celebrating his legacy with events throughout the year and a ‘Shakespeare Week’ in March. In London, home of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, a brand new Jacobean Theatre was unveiled in January. Confirmed on the bill are three plays, an opera and candlelit concerts. 

2. Tour de France – le Grand Départ from Yorkshire

Yorkshire will kick-off the Grand Départ for the Tour de France. While the July race will be gruelling for the participating cyclists; fans and spectators will be able to take in the picture-postcard views offered by the two National Parks – the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors and partake of the fantastic food. The Tour de France will then head to the university city of Cambridge before going on to London. 

3. Sport in Scotland 

Glasgow, host of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in July, has never been more vibrant, buzzing and ready to show off. Experience the arts and music, from piping to clubbing, in this UNESCO Heritage City of Music. Explore serene Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park that are within an hour from Glasgow. Then in September it’s all about golf, with the Ryder Cup due to take place at the legendary Gleneagles, in Perthshire. 

4. Homecoming Scotland

Homecoming is a celebration of Scotland through a year-long series of events - from mass participation to small community activity. The five themes that Homecoming will explore are food and drink, active, creative, natural and ancestry. 

5. Re-opening of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

London’s triangle-tipped Olympic Stadium will re-open to the public under its new name, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. From April 2014, the Park will present an array of visitor attractions, from being entertained at concerts in the Stadium, to trying out the Velodrome and Olympic standard swimming pools. 

6. Dylan Thomas 100

2014 also marks the one hundred year birth anniversary of Dylan Thomas, the Welsh poet and writer, famous for Under Milk Wood and poems such as ‘Do not go gentle into that good night’. The writer’s life and works will be celebrated with a year-long programme of events all over Wales, including Swansea, where he was born and the pretty seaside village of Laugharne, where he lived. 

7. Celebrating Glyndebourne and the Henley Royal Regatta 

2014 marks the 80th birthday of the Sussex opera festival Glyndebourne (May to August) and the 175th anniversary of the rowing race the Henley Royal Regatta (July). As well as showing the best in arts and sports respectively, Glyndebourne and Henley are both prime occasions for people-watching and dressing up. 

8. Commemorating World War I 

2014 marks one hundred years since the outbreak of World War I. The Imperial War Museums (IWM) was established in 1917 while the War was still being fought. IWM London will re-open on 19 July 2014 with ground breaking new First World War Galleries, while IWM North, in Manchester, will have a major First World War exhibition. Blenheim Palace, in Oxfordshire, will hold a World War One exhibition from February.

9. Accommodation trends

Value mixed with cutting edge technology is a key priority in 2014. At the other end of the spectrum, the appetite for luxury country hotels continues unabated. 

10. Top class culture 

Culture is one of Britain’s key strengths, and 2014 is no exception with its offer of exhibitions, theatre, musicals and film. The National Portrait Gallery in London presents Bailey’s Stardust, a landmark exhibition of the photographer David Bailey open till 1 June 2014. On stage, the new musical I Can’t Sing! will bring the X Factor to life from March, while Sam Mendes will direct King Lear at the National Theatre opening in May 2014. 

Catch up on all the action. Plan your 2014 holiday to Britain now. 

Capture America through the lens of history

Want a break from the hustle and bustle to see USA at its origin? Walk down the path of history with 10 unique attractions from Philadelphia - Where history meets innovation and culture!

1. National Constitution Centre- Visit the only museum in the U.S.dedicated to the constitution. The National Constitution Center dramatically tells the story of the Constitution from Revolutionary times to the present through more than 100 interactive, multimedia exhibits, film, photographs, text, and artifacts. The museum also features a powerful, award-winning theatrical performance, Freedom Rising. 

2. National Liberty Museum- Just when you thought you knew everything about Philadelphia, it turns out The City of Brotherly Love has a secret. It’s the National Liberty Museum, an elegant, unassuming establishment in the heart of the old city. You enter the museum out of curiosity, you leave transformed by what amounts to a first-hand encounter with the most powerful moments in the story of freedom. Rewarding experiences and unique shopping in The Museum Store await just beyond the museum’s threshold. 

3. Adventure Aquarium- There are always more NEW things to see and do at Adventure Aquarium on the Camden, NJ Waterfront. It continues to offer new opportunities for families to explore, discover and play. 
Check out the all new KidZone, an enchanting playground “under the sea,” and experience seven different touch exhibits to get up close and personal with sharks, stingrays and more. Adventure Aquarium is the only aquarium in the world where you can see hippos nose-to-nose, and the only aquarium in the country with Great Hammerhead Sharks – among the largest and rarest of sharks! 

4. Liberty Bell Centre- Visitors are able to see an exhibit about the Liberty Bell, focusing on its origins and its modern day role as an international icon of freedom. The exhibit illuminates the Bell’s storied past, focusing on both liberty attained and on liberty not yet realized. There are special rooms for foreign language visitors to hear tapes in a dozen languages, and a new film on the Liberty Bell produced for the National Park Service by the History Channel. 

5. The Barnes Foundation- The Barnes houses the world’s largest collection of Impressionist, Post Impressionist and early modern paintings and African sculptures collected by Dr. Albert Barnes. Originally established in 1922, the museum opened its new location on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in May 2012 It houses one of the finest private collections of early French-Modern and post-impressionist paintings in the world. The collection also includes pieces of antique furniture, pottery, and African sculpture. 

6. Elfreth’s Alley- This is the oldest continuously occupied residential street in the U.S. and a National Historic Landmark. This streetscape of 33 Colonial and Federal-style homes was once occupied by artisans, including blacksmith Jeremiah Elfreth. Two homes are open to the public for guided tours showcasing the alley's 300-year history and 18th-century life. 

7. Washington Square- Washington Square, originally designated in 1682, is an open-space park and one of the five original planned squares laid out on the city grid by William Penn's surveyor, Thomas Holme. It includes a monument to the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier and Philadelphia's only Moon Tree, grown from seeds carried to the moon by Apollo 14. 

8. Independence Hall- Independence Hall was the birthplace of our nation. This historic site was originally built as the Pennsylvania State House, and it is where the Declaration of Independence was first adopted and where the U.S. Constitution was written. 

9. The Mutter Museum- The College of Physicians of Philadelphia’s Mütter Museum is one of the most unique and interesting museums in the country, featuring collections of medical oddities, wax models, antique medical equipment, anatomical and pathological specimens, and more. 

10.Philadelphia Museum of Art- Experience 2,000 years of artistic expression in one extraordinary place. With an outstanding line-up of concerts, lectures, family programs, and more, the Museum is always a place for discovery and adventure. 

Magical Melbourne &Beyond

Cosmopolitan, elegant, creative and chic, Melbourne has a passionate soul and welcoming heart that makes every stay a truly memorable experience. Also discover beautiful coastlines along the Great Ocean Road, the sweeping vineyards of the Yarra Valley, the tranquil beauty of Phillip Island, the gold trail in Ballarat, the old gold mining town of Sovereign Hill and picturesque Mornington Peninsula all within an easy drive from Melbourne. 

From thrilling world class events and renowned architecture, to café-lined streetscapes and verdant parklands, there’s always something new and magical to discover in Melbourne. Victoria's capital, Melbourne, sits on the Yarra River and around the shores of Port Phillip Bay. Known as the capital of fashion and coffee, the home of art and culture, and the sports hub of Australia, there is little that Melbourne doesn't do well. 

Lauded for its sense of style and elegance, Melbourne boasts glamorous festivals and events, Australia's best shopping, a lively passion for eating and drinking, and a flourishing interest in the arts. Visit the SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium with the 360 degree Oceanariumthat houses giant sharks and stingrays; the Eureka Skydeck 88 withits awe inspiring views of Melbourne; and the Melbourne Cricket Ground with its famous Long Room and the MCC Museum. Experience the thrill of hot air ballooning over Melbourne at sunrise as you watch the city waking gently and transforming into a bustling metropolis.

Melbourne is a natural starting and finishing point for your self-drive journey through some of Victoria's unique, enchanting and varied landscapes. Experience the romance and exhilaration of a drive down the Great Ocean Road, one of the world’s most scenic coastal drives boasting of a breathtaking stretch of astonishing seascapes, magical forest and sprawling farmlands. Take in highlights like the spectacular Otway Ranges, famous Bells Beach, thedramatic rock formation of the Twelve Apostles on the Shipwreck Coast, and the excitement and heritage of the goldrush in Ballarat. 

Capture the awe-inspiring splendour of the iconic Twelve Apostles with its majestic limestone stacks rising up out of the oceanon a scenic helicopter flight or from a boardwalk for easy walking and great views.Embark on an enthralling journey of discovery, tragedy, illusion and intrigue as you experience SHIPWRECKED!, a sound and light show that brings to life the tale of the Loch Ard, wrecked in1878. 

Experience the gold fever that gripped Australia in the 1850’s at the Ballarat Goldfields. Pan for real gold in the creek at Sovereign Hill,an outdoor living museum that re-creates the days of the goldfields. See blacksmiths at work, visit the Gold Museum adjacent, dress up in Victorian costume, ride in a horse drawn carriage and be entertained by the street performers in this replica of an old gold-mining town. Spend a while at the Ballarat Wildlife Park where you can pet the koalas, wombats and wear a huge Boa snake around your neck.

From world famous wines to fabulously fresh food and breathtaking scenery, the hills of Yarra Valley are a charming experience. The birthplace of Australian winemaking, the Yarra Valley is studded with more than 50 vineyards and a host of stylish cellar doors and restaurants.Visit Healesville Sanctuary which showcases over 200 species of Australian wildlife. The Puffing Billy Steam Railway, Australia’s favourite steam train and one of the finest preserved steam railways in the world operating since 1900, winds through the beautiful Dandenongs and offers a unique travel and dining experience.

Just 90 minutes’ drive from Melbourne, Phillip Island is renowned for its penguin parade, wildlife, surf beaches and motorcycle racing. Each night at sunset see the world’s smallest penguins waddle ashore to their sand dune burrows at Summerland Beach. Tour the Grand Prix circuit - home to the Australian Moto GP. At Panny’s Amazing World of Chocolates, see a chocolate waterfall or create your own chocolate bar!

Drive along the coastline with cliff top mansions, Mediterranean jewel-like bays, rugged surf beaches and lush bushland to discover the picturesque Mornington Peninsula region. 

Melbourne and the rest of Victoria offers you the best of Australia’s natural attractions, coastal scenery, history and heritage – all in a flexible, compact touring package.

Ontario - A treasure trove of experiences

Ontario, located in east-central Canada, offers a treasure trove of experiences in its four-season playground. Sample urban adventures in Toronto and Ottawa. Discover charming small towns. Be awed by one of the wonders of the world – Niagara Falls. And answer the call of the wild in an unspoiled land of forests and lakes.

Toronto brims with energy and excitement. With score of attractions, fascinating museums & galleries, enticing restaurants, shopping & nightlife – this city is always on. 

Soar to the top of the CN Tower for spectacular views. For the thrill of a lifetime, brave the new EdgeWalk – a walk OUTSIDE, around the circumference of the CN Tower’s roof! Explore the Royal Ontario Museum, Art Gallery of Ontario and Bata Shoe Museum. 

Shop till you drop! Choose from over 230 shops at the sparkling Toronto Eaton Centre. Go upscale in Bloor-Yorkville. Browse for a funky mix of art and Canadian designer fashions on Queen Street West or the Distillery Historic District. Visit multicultural neighbourhoods and unwind in an urban oasis, the Toronto Islands, just a short ferry ride from downtown. When evening falls, take in a big Broadway-style show or a professional sporting event. 

Just 90 minutes from Toronto, the Niagara Region offers a wealth of activities! The star of the show is the roaring Niagara Falls. Travel to the edge of the crashing waters on a breathtaking boat tour with Hornblower Niagara Cruises. Get a different view at Journey Behind the Falls. Be exhilarated aboard a Whirlpool Jet Boat tour through the whitewaters of Devil’s Hole Rapids – there are wet and dry options! Take in the whole sweeping vista from atop the Skylon Tower or aboard a helicopter.  

Just 30 minutes away is Niagara-on-the-Lake, a historic town packed with charming shops and inns. Follow the wine route signs to boutique wineries, exquisite estates and superb restaurants in one of the premiere wine regions of the world.

A blend of French and English, Ottawa, Canada’s capital city, is spirited, cosmopolitan place that celebrates Canada’s achievements and culture with historical sites, national museums, a non-stop roster of festivals, plus shopping and delightful dining – all in a beautiful natural setting. 

Tour the Parliament Buildings. Witness the colourful Changing the Guard in July and August. Go museum-hopping. Do not miss the Canadian Museum of History and Canadian War Museum. Stroll the cobblestone courtyards of the ByWard Market, with its eclectic collection of boutiques, produce vendors and restaurants.  Meander along the scenic Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Crank up the adrenaline quotient with whitewater rafting on the Ottawa River - family-friendly tours are available.

Ontario is the perfect playground for outdoor enthusiasts. Witness magnificent landscapes by water or land. Observe wildlife on guided tours and cast for more varieties of fish than you ever imagined. Visit spectacular parks and golf where the scenery is way above par.  Cool down at one of our freshwater beaches. 

Renowned for natural beauty, sparkling lakes and clean air, the Muskoka Region is fondly referred to as ‘cottage country’. It’s just two hours north of Toronto – yet it offers an unplugged pace that’s a world away from Canada’s largest city. Still, its accessibility makes it a perfect destination for visitors who wish to combine urban and outdoor experiences. Its resorts offer a variety of experiences, including outdoor activities, golf, spas and dining.  

Be awed by Algonquin Provincial Park - its dramatic scenery of endless stretches of trees, rocky ridges and lakes. Interpretive trails encourage exploration on foot. Or dip your paddle into one of Algonquin’s crystal clear lakes. You might be lucky enough to spot a moose or hear the call of the loon.

Adventure and rejuvenation await at Blue Mountain Resort. Take an exhilarating ride on the RidgeRunner Mountain Coaster or challenge yourself on the ropes courses. Go hiking or cycling. Rejuvenate at Scandinave Spa - a perfect finish to your day of adventure. The pedestrian village offers accommodation, boutiques and restaurants.

With so many opportunities to tap into your inner explorer, Ontario has just the adventure that you are looking for.

Best of Sydney attractions

With its near-perfect climate, world famous architecture, stunning harbour and friendly people, Sydney is a perfect year-round holiday destination. Whether you’re travelling as a couple, with the kids or solo, you’ll find plenty of amazing attractions, events and things to see and do. 

Sydney Opera House

When you first see this iconic building perched on the edge of Sydney Harbour, you’ll see why it has become one the jewels of 20th century architecture. And the good news is: there are plenty of ways to experience its grandeur.  Guided tours offer a look behind-the-scenes of one of the world’s busiest performance space while enjoying any performance – opera, drama, ballet and modern dance, music and more – is simply sensational. You can also eat and drink in some amazing locations by the harbour. Don’t miss the chance to go on a backstage tour of the Sydney Opera House. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to uncover the real-life dramas behind this World Heritage wonder.

Do what Sydneysiders love to do – interact with just about everything, whether that means climbing the Harbour Bridge, learning to surf at Bondi Beach or being a kid again at Luna Park.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

You can also climb on Sydney’s iconic landmarks. BridgeClimb Sydney provides a range of options to climb the inspiring Sydney Harbour Bridge for a breathtaking bird’s-eye view of Sydney Harbour. For city views, go to the top of Sydney Tower Eye. Take a behind-the-scenes tour of Sydney Opera House or book tickets to see a family-friendly show, such as The Lion King, showing from 5 December 2013.

Sydney Harbour  

The harbour is like a big blue playground for the city, alive with ferries, yachts, cruises and kayaks. There are plenty of ways to enjoy its blue hazed beauty - laze on the deck of a yacht or unwind on a harbour cruise as you dine on a seafood lunch. One of the best ways to travel around Sydney Harbour is by ferry, especially if you’re travelling with kids. For fantastic harbour views, jump onto a ferry departing Circular Quay for Manly, Watsons Bay or Taronga Zoo.  Sydney Harbour National Park includes most of the harbour islands and large amounts of foreshore, perfect for harbourside walks.

Darling Harbour

A lively harbourside precinct, Darling Harbour is just a 10-minute walk from the city centre. One of Sydney's largest dining, shopping and entertainment precincts, Darling Harbour also has a busy calendar of outdoor events. King Street Wharf is a prime nightspot, packed with sleek dining establishments and funky nightclubs. Cockle Bay Wharf offers waterfront promenades with alfresco cafes, bars and restaurants. Some of Sydney's most popular attractions are here; SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, WILDLIFE Sydney, Madame Tussauds and the Australian National Maritime Museum.

Sydney in a seaplane

For a special treat, book a seat in a seaplane departing from Sydney Harbour. You’ll see just how beautiful this city is from above, with the harbour and the sparkling coastline laid out below. Enjoy a 30-minute flight or a leisurely lunch by the beach.

Sydney for kids

Sydney is a great city for kids of all ages, with attractions, tours and plenty of things to do. Keep the kids busy with cycling, horseriding, wildlife encounters, surf lessons and ferry rides.

Everyone loves Australia’s native animals and, in Sydney, there are plenty of places to see them up close. Choose from Taronga Zoo, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary and WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, all located by the harbour and just a few minutes travelling time from the city centre.

Have fun climbing on Sydney’s iconic landmarks. Climb to the top of Sydney Harbour Bridge on a BridgeClimb or head to the top of Sydney Tower Eye for panoramic views. Take a behind-the-scenes tour of Sydney Opera House or book tickets to see a family-friendly show.

Live out your love story in Britain

Make your declaration of love to your beloved with either picture-perfect landscapes or rugged, wild scenery around you.

On the beach, at sunset

The sand at Bamburgh Beach turns a pinky hue at sunset, so pack a champagne picnic and pick a sand dune for your declaration of love. Bamburgh is home to a beautiful castle of the same name, and is located an hour’s drive north of Newcastle. Go in the summer months and you can see thousands of puffins here!  

Rhossili Bay in south Wales is voted by TripAdvisor as the world’s best picnic spot and one of the top ten beaches in the world. The water is refreshing and clean, and there’s a National Trust property, The Old Rectory, to stay in nearby.

St Bride’s Hotel or The Wedding Ring

For a beach option with a hotel on site, choose the St Bride’s Hotel and Spa in south Wales. The hotel is tastefully furnished, with a luxurious spa and an infinity pool looking over the sea to fully immerse you in romance. 

White stones mark out a heart shape known as The Wedding Ring in Lochgoilhead, Scotland (just over an hour’s drive north of Glasgow). It’s where the gypsies of Argyll used to hold wedding ceremonies, and those that have stepped inside are said to feel the strength of the thousands of lovers that have stood in the same place over the years.

Living out great loves of history and literature

Head into Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire if you’re a budding Robin Hood or Maid Marian – the pair are said to have been married in Edwinstowe Church, and there’s a statue marking the site of the event. 

Or else if your passion is matched by the love between Heathcliff and Cathy of Wuthering Heights (though with a happier ending in sight), you’ve got to visit the Yorkshire Moors, in the north of England. Explore Haworth and Brontë Country by steam train, and go for a walk in the wild moors among the characteristic purple heather.

For fans of the BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, head to Mr Darcy’s stately home Lyme Park, or for those who loved the 2005 film, it was Chatsworth House that stood in for the mansion. Both are in the Peak District in the north west of England, and easily accessible by car from Manchester.

On the move – trains, planes and balloons!

Taking off and gliding over the Scottish landscape for 30 minutes before landing on water with a Loch Lomond Seaplane is truly special. Then, when you land just outside Cameron House, you can surprise your loved one by having made a booking for the night at the luxury hotel, and its Michelin-starred Martin Wishart restaurant. 

Or else glide over beautiful Britain in a balloon with your loved one. Bailey Balloons organise flights in south-west England and Wales, from Bath and Bristol, or else Llanart in south Wales. 

Really want to impress the number one person in your life? Book onto the British Pullman or Northern Belle, sister trains of the Venice Simpleton Orient Express, and the two of you will be whisked back in time to the heyday of rail travel. Relax in the vintage carriages that ran in the heady 1920s, sip champagne and enjoy a gourmet lunch on a glamorous journey!  

Say it with flowers

The British are renowned for their love of beautiful gardens, which make lovely romantic spots. Visit the rose garden at Blenheim Palace where the scents are intoxicating and the colours spectacular! 

Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire, an hour’s drive from London, has stunning gardens, including a particularly romantic Camellia House, and a deer park with nine species of deer.

For something truly unique, transport your love to Italy-within-Wales, Portmeirion, an enchanting Italianate village in north Wales with pastel-coloured buildings, dinky alleyways, beautiful rhododendrons and exotic plants. Visit in Spring or Autumn when the colours are magical, or in summer when you can take a dip in the sea. 

Discover this land, like never before

Open your eyes to a land where each holiday experience is enchanting! America is a land of dreams, a destination filled with incredible adventures, stunning natural areas, diverse cultures, vibrant cities and welcoming people. It is all waiting for you here in the USA.

New York City, NEW YORK– Bask in the bright lights of dazzling Times Square and catch the hottest shows on Broadway. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge or take a leisurely stroll through Central Park. Marvel at contemporary art in Manhattan, top-notch shopping in every neighbourhood and magical skyline views from top of the Empire State Building.

The White House in Washington DC - One of the world’s most famous residences, George Washington himself chose the site of the executive mansion and oversaw construction through the 1790s. Those lucky enough to join a tour (non-U.S. citizens must contact their embassy in Washington D.C. for assistance in submitting a tour request) can see a number of historic areas of the mansion, including the State Dining Room and the Blue Room.

Boston, MASSACHUSETTS - Massachusetts is steeped in history, from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, while it also prides itself on innovation, with some of the top colleges in the country. Discover a unique blend of American history, cultural charm and urban sophistication along a dynamic public waterfront in the city of Boston. The holdings at the Museum of Fine Arts are so vast—more than 450,000 pieces —that you’ll find treasures no matter where you wander.

Philadelphia, PENNSYLVANIA - Throughout Pennsylvania, discover places of great diversity, rich in culture and filled with surprises. Applaud world-renowned symphonies and theatre in Philadelphia. At Independence Hall in Philadelphia, discover the site where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were written. And did we mention the Liberty Bell? Also make a trip to one of the most famous American battlefields, Gettysburg, the site where President Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address.

Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA - Hollywood ceased being a real place and has become a concept, a glittering Tinsel town synonymous with glamour and ambition. Check out the Hollywood Boulevard while you are there. Known as the Walk of Fame, the pathway honours 2,200 or so legends of film, television, radio, theatre and recording art, and runs along Hollywood Boulevard from La Brea Avenue to Vine Street, where it turns left and heads down to Sunset Boulevard

Florida, ORLANDO – Visitors experience the child-like joy of fantastical characters and make-believe lands at America’s theme parks such as the Magic Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista. The brainchild of entertainment giant and genius animator Walt Disney is an ever-expanding universe of make believe and escapism, celebrating magic, technology, nature and of course, Mickey Mouse.

San Diego, CALIFORNIA - LEGOLAND California and adjoining SeaLife Aquarium and Water Park feature more than 60 rides, shows and attractions. San Diego is known as much for its family-friendly attractions as it is for beautiful beaches. SeaWorld San Diego, a 22-acre marine zoological park and aquarium, features the amazing killer whale, Shamu, and offers up-close encounters with dolphins, rays and other incredible sea creatures.

Las Vegas, NEVADA - When you land at the Las Vegas airport, you’ll know you’ve arrived. The glamour starts at your gate. The Las Vegas Strip has always been a place of fashion, glamour and excitement. Since the very first casino was built on the Strip in 1941, it's remained the place to see and be seen. Modern Vegas truly is like no other place on earth.

San Francisco, CALIFORNIA - San Francisco is the city Americans fantasise about, sing about and leave their heart in, a place of myth and magic on a par with Paris and Venice. With a stunning waterfront setting, unique attractions, it is America’s most fascinating city having a mosaic of ethnic neighbourhoods that make it so charming

Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA - Breeze in and out of the high-priced boutiques in the commercial heart at the three-block-long ‘Golden Triangle’. Here, you’ll find Rodeo Drive and such big-ticket jewellers as Tiffany & Co. and Harry Winston, plus every imaginable designer, from Armani to Zegna. If you aren’t feeling flush enough to even window-shop, the city offers a charming 40-minute trolley tour

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