World_Traveller_-_March_2019

SPRING BREAK

worldtravellermagazine.com 29

Amsterdam
Home to gable-lined canals
and treasure-packed
museums, the Dutch
capital is a popular city
break destination year-
round. Come springtime,
Amsterdam bursts into
bloom during tulip season,
which can last until early
May, while the annual King’s
Day celebrations take place
on April 27. Pack some
orange threads and join the
crowds for one of Europe’s
biggest street parties, with
live music and markets. Art
lovers, meanwhile, should
pre-book tickets online
for fast-track entry to the
world-famous Rijksmuseum
and Van Gogh Museum.
WHERE TO STAY: In the hip
Noord neighbourhood, Sir
Adam Hotel has 108 rooms,
a gourmet burger joint and
a fun rock n' roll vibe.

Ljubljana
It may be small in size, but
Slovenia's charming capital
makes a big impression.
At this time of year, café
tables start to spill onto
the car-free streets of the

Old Town, while locals stroll

along the leafy banks of

the Ljubljanica River which

flows through the city. Take

the funicular to the 16th-

century castle that hovers

above the city, resplendent

with Baroque architecture,

then head to the Museum

Quarter to browse the

exhibitions at the Museum

of Contemporary Art.

WHERE TO STAY: In the

Old Town, Vander has 20

cool and contemporary

rooms, along with a

rooftop pool and trendy

Slovenian restaurant.

Rio de Janeiro

Rio’s rainforest-meets-beach

scenery and samba-fuelled

spirit make it a bucket-list

destination. If you don’t

mind the crowds, visit the

Marvellous City in March for

Carnival, the biggest week-

long party in the world.

Samba dancers parade

in exotic costumes, while

drum beats ring out from

every corner of the city and

revellers boogie at exuberant

blocos (street parties). The

post-party weather remains

warm, so you can spend your

days lazing on Copacabana

beach, hiking up Sugarloaf

Mountain, and exploring the

city’s world-class museums,

including the Oscar

Niemeyer-designed Museum

of Contemporary Art.

WHERE TO STAY: In

upmarket Ipanema, the

91-room Hotel Fasano

features a mid-century

aesthetic, rooftop infinity

pool and contemporary

seafood restaurant.

Cherry blossoms

in Kyoto, Japan

During this time of the

year, blush-hued posies

plunge from the trees to

make pools of pink on the

normally spotless roads

of Kyoto. Springtime in

this city (once the capital

of Japan) is synonymous

with Hanami (flower

viewing), the centuries-

old tradition of enjoying

the blooming cherry

trees, resplendent in pink.

Though Kyoto is the

country's most popular

destination for flower-

watchers, cherry trees

blossom across Japan,

starting in the south

and moving northward.

Yet the bloom is short-

lived, typically lasting a

just a couple of weeks.

As such, the Japan

Meteorological Agency

issues an annual forecast

to predict the dates that

the buds will bloom. JT

NATURAL

SPRING # 1

Opposite: View from

Central Park, New York

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bottom:Paris, Amsterdam