New York
New York – the city that never sleeps
If there is one metropolis in this world that you have to see, it is New York City. Cool, cosmopolitan, vibrant and diverse, the Big Apple makes dreams come true and offers a unique blend of culture, history, architecture, art, food and entertainment. At its heart is the island of Manhattan, where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean and dreamers from all over the world mingle with its 8.5 million inhabitants.
The classics
No trip to New York is complete without a visit to Times Square. Between glowing screens, crowds of people, yellow taxis and crowded shops, the true feeling of New York can be experienced here. Another landmark is the imposing Statue of Liberty, a symbol of freedom and hope. A ferry ride to Liberty Island allows you to admire it up close, with the Manhattan skyline in the background. But the best view of the city is from the Empire State Building. It is particularly beautiful at sunrise and sunset.
Museums – art, culture and history
Thanks to a vibrant art scene, New York has an almost endless supply of museums and galleries, including some of the most renowned addresses in the world: the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) with masterpieces from Picasso to Warhol, The Guggenheim with its world-famous collection from the 20th century, as well as the Metropolitan Museum with its comprehensive Egyptian Art room and the current special exhibitions of Vincent Van Gogh and Karl Lagerfeld. History buffs can visit the 9/11 Museum, which explores the circumstances and consequences of the world-changing attacks.
Showtime
New York’s Broadway is the epicenter of theatre, offering everything from musicals to dramas to comedies. As many performances are sold out in advance, it is worth booking tickets early. If possible, the trip is combined with a concert at New York’s most traditional concert hall – Radio City Music Hall – or Carnegie Hall, one of the most famous venues for classical, jazz and pop concerts in America.
Small and big adventures
To avoid losing track of all the skyscrapers, take a helicopter ride over the city, especially around the Statue of Liberty. Another great view is from the High Line: an almost 2.5-kilometre-long, disused elevated railway line at a height of 7.5 meters through the middle of Manhattan, which has become a popular park over the years. For families, a visit to the Coney Island peninsula is recommended. For 100 years, it has been the epitome of amusement parks, beaches and popcorn with a great nostalgia factor.
Central Park
Central Park offers a change from the hustle and bustle of the city, with plenty of green spaces, lakes and famous squares such as Bethesda Terrace and the Strawberry Fields Memorial. Due to its size, we recommend exploring the park by bike – which can be rented all around. The simple layout of the city also allows you to cycle outside the park.
From street food to Michelin-starred cuisine
From street food stalls to gourmet restaurants, the Big Apple offers the full range of gastronomic experiences – feast, discover and be enchanted. Hungry people try their hand at a prime rib at the traditional New York steakhouse Gallaghers. French cuisine accompanied by good evening music can be enjoyed at the pretty brasserie Balthazar in Soho. For a romantic dinner overlooking Manhattan, we recommend the refined Michelin restaurant River Café right by the Brooklyn Bridge. Film and fashion fans enjoy breakfast and coffee at the newly opened, iconic Blue Box Café by Daniel Boulud in the Tiffany flagship store on 5th Avenue.
Sleepless in New York
It’s not for nothing that New York is also called «the city that never sleeps»: When the sun goes down, life really gets going here. The Marie Crisis Café was a boarding house, then a brothel, before it became a speakeasy in 1929. The staff consists mainly of professional entertainers who enchant guests with show tunes accompanied by piano until four in the morning. Tucked away in a former 19th-century chapel is the Chapel Bar, an after-dark lounge with top-notch cocktail service and live performances. Other favorites include the beautiful Lobby Bar and the piano bar The Nines.
Stay in the city that never sleeps
Stay in extreme luxury at the Aman Hotel in Manhattan’s Crown Building, a combination of architectural splendour and Aman’s unique design. The Mandarin Oriental offers a rooftop pool and views of Central Park, the Hudson River and the New York skyline from the room. Rock fans can stay at the legendary, newly renovated Hard Rock. A somewhat quieter night can be found at the cosy Park Hyatt opposite Carnegie Hall. Those who like to indulge in nostalgia will be happy at the iconic The Pierre, which has been the epitome of New York City grandeur and a prime example of outstanding service since 1930.
Kalamata
Kalamata – The Heart of the Peloponnese
At the foot of the majestic Taygetos mountains, nestled in the enchanting landscape of the Peloponnese, lies Kalamata, the lively capital of the regional district of Messenia in Greece. Famous above all for the worldwide export of olives, this destination steeped in history awaits travelers with a variety of beautiful hotels and restaurants, a diverse cultural programme and dreamlike beaches in a partly unspoiled landscape.
Eternal beaches and hidden bays
Kalamata stretches along one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in Greece, with numerous beaches and secluded bays. The 2.5-kilometre-long main beach attracts visitors with its yellow-white gravel sand and numerous beach bars, tavernas and water sport facilities. A little quieter is the beach of the beautiful fishing village of Kitries or the secluded bay of Navarino, only an hour’s drive away. Simos Beach is also highly recommended, with crystal-clear water, great bars and protective dunes.
Kalamata’s old town
In the narrow streets, old churches line up next to hip boutiques, in imposing buildings you will find small cafés, Byzantine sacred buildings standing next to buildings in neoclassical style – in Kalamata’s old town, modern meets traditional. In the middle of it all is the Kalogreon monastery, where the famous silk fabrics are still woven on hand-operated looms. Just a little above it towers the town’s landmark, a 13th-century castle whose amphitheatre is used for festivals in the warmer months.
On a discovery tour around Kalamata
There are also some highlights outside the old town. Culture fans can visit the ruins of the city of Messene, built in 371 BC, which is one of the most exciting and best-preserved ancient sites in Greece and includes an amphitheatre, a treasury and a sanctuary dedicated to Artemis Orthia. The forces of nature can be admired on a boat trip in the stalactite caves of Pirgos Dirou. They stretch for 15 kilometres and are home to unique rock formations and stalactites of all shapes and colours. If you are looking for more thrills, you can go paragliding over the beautiful region.
Traditional Greek cuisine
The majority of Kalamata’s restaurants serve traditional Greek cuisine with fresh, local products. In the centre, Notias, Ta Rolla and Foino are particularly worth a visit. A little further away, in the village of Gialova, you will find Deroko with a beautiful view and Mediterranean cuisine by Ticino chef Fabian, as well as the innovative Anama restaurant in a former grape factory. For a change of pace, the ONUKI restaurant at The Romanos in Costa Navarino offers dishes that take you on a journey through Japan’s history.
Hotels in Kalamata
In the heart of the city, right by the sea, the 5-star Grand Hotel Kalamata welcomes its guests. Built on the site of the historic 1929 Hotel America, the building revives the concept of Kalamata glamour. Also located on the waterfront is the 5-star Hotel Horizon Blu, which is suitable for travels of all kinds thanks to a wealth of different facilities. A refuge of relaxation a little out of the way is offered by the newly built 5-star Elysian Luxury Hotel & Spa in the idyllic Cordias district.
Costa Navarino
Just 50 minutes from Kalamata is the golf mecca of Costa Navarino, home to Greece’s first designer golf courses. While the Bernhard Langer-designed Dunes course owes its name to the high dunes that separate several holes from the golden beach, the Robert Trent Jones II-designed Bay course offers panoramic sea and mountain views, including two holes that play along the historic Bay of Navarino. The surrounding hotels are outstanding: the family-friendly Westin Resort Costa Navarino, The Romanos, A Luxury Collection Resort and the W Hotel Costa Navarino, which blends seamlessly into the landscape.
The new Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino
Something very special, however, promises to be the new Mandarin Oriental, which opens in summer 2023: While the beach resort nestles beautifully into the Mediterranean landscape, the combination of earthy tones and local craftsmanship in the elegant interior exudes quiet, authentic luxury. The in-house Oliviera Restaurant awaits with panoramic views over the bay and offers a Farm to Table Cooking Experience, which takes guests first to the vegetable garden and then to a cooking class with the chef himself. From October to December, guests can also accompany the olive harvest.
Tanzania
Tanzania – On the trail of the «Big Five»
Experiencing the «Big Five» at close quarters once in a lifetime is at the top of many people’s travel wish list. Tanzania is probably the most popular destination for this. The country has over 17 national parks, 40 reserves, several marine parks and vast areas of wilderness. Apart from its diverse wildlife, the East African country is also able to cast a spell: From the impressive Kilimanjaro to the Great Rift Valley and the dream island of Zanzibar. Edelweiss will be flying twice a week to Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar from July – ideal for those who want to combine a safari adventure with a beach holiday. Finass expert Olivier Lorenzo recently returned from his trip to Tanzania and will be happy to advise you.
Serengeti
The Serengeti National Park is Tanzania’s oldest park and world famous for the annual wildlife spectacle «Great Migration»: the migration of more than 1.3 million wildebeest across the Serengeti, closely followed by hundreds of thousands of zebras, gazelles, antelopes and impalas. A visit to the Serengeti is also promising for the discovery of the Big Five: lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhino. In addition, there is an almost endless, breathtaking landscape, which can best be appreciated with a bird’s eye view during a balloon flight.
Selous Game Reserve
Four times the size of the Serengeti, and the second largest game reserve of all, is the Selous Game Reserve. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, the game reserve is home not only to lions, giraffes, zebras, baboons, impalas, rhinos, buffalos and crocodiles, but also to the largest elephant population in Tanzania, with 120,000. While more than three quarters of the area is covered by dense Miombo dry forest, which presents itself in dazzling foliage from June to September, grasslands and swamplands dominate the scenery in the northern areas.
Away from the wildlife
Although most of the time is spent on safaris, Tanzania also offers numerous natural spectacles away from the wildlife. First and foremost is the 5,895-metre-high Mount Kilimanjaro. Action-seekers can climb the “roof of Africa” with a guide in about eight days. Not too far away is the impressive Olduvai Gorge, which became famous through the discovery of numerous fossils of early relatives of modern man. Another must-see is the Great Rift Valley, which was formed more than 30 million years ago and runs through several countries, giving rise to numerous lakes, rivers, hot springs, geysers and volcanoes in Tanzania.
Massai villages
Insights into the culture of the country are provided by the traditional Maasai villages, which can usually be visited for a small fee. The Maasai are one of the best-known indigenous groups and still live a semi-nomadic life in the vastness of the Rift Valley. In a visit to one of the villages travelers learn about the history, way of life and traditions of the Maasai people, from the ceremonial dances to the colourful jewellery they lovingly handcraft with typical Maasai beads.
Relaxation on the beach
After exciting safaris in the interior of the country, some relaxing bathing days are recommended on the offshore islands in the Indian Ocean, which also include Zanzibar. The world-famous spice island enchants travelers from all over the world with its endless white sandy beaches, turquoise blue lagoons and mysterious Arabic buildings. The local life is reminiscent of paradise: Between magnificent coconut palms, old wooden boats float in the emerald green water, seductive scents of the traditional bazaars waft over the island. The magic of Zanzibar is rounded off by the serenity and warmth of the local population.
Culinary delights
Tanzania’s cuisine describes a spicy mixture of European, Arabic, Indian and Pakistani food. A typical dish, for example, is «Nyama Choma»: fried meat, fish or chicken accompanied by baked bananas and pilau rice. Traditional Kilimanjaro beer is drunk with it. If you stay in Dar es Salaam, it is worth visiting the beach restaurant Spice Route or the Karambezi Café, which offers a 180-degree view of the Indian Ocean high on the cliffs. In Arusha, gourmet restaurants The Rivertree’s and the delicious Georges Tavern are among the favourites.
Staying in the wilderness
If you are staying in Arusha, the best places to stay are the Gran Melia, the Mount Meru or the Kibo Palace Hotel. In the capital Dar es Salaam, the Aya Sophia Hotel, the Johari Rotana, the Hyatt Regency, the Sea Cliff Hotel or the Fairview Luxury Apartments await. During a safari in the Serengeti National Park, the Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti, the Siringit Serengeti Camp or the Kuria Hills Lodge are particularly good places to stay. On Zanzibar, we recommend the five-star Zuri Zanzibar resort, which is just a few metres from the Indian Ocean.
