The Sunday Times February 13, 2022 23
Ethnological museums plus all
sorts of performance-based
spaces (humboldtforum.org).
Because Berlin is irrepressible,
at the other end of the
spectrum is the new
Disgusting Food Museum,
which does exactly what it
says on the tin (disgustingfood
museum.berlin). Getting to
Berlin has been immeasurably
improved by its new airport,
open at last after so many un-
Germanic delays. Staying in
town has always been good
value, and the Amano Grand
Central, just opened near the
main station, is no exception.
Details B&B doubles from
£75 (amanogroup.de)AMSTERDAM
The freewheeling city’s new
cultural hotspot is the NDSM
Wharf, a former shipyard on
the banks of the River IJ in
Amsterdam Noord, with a
vibrant artist community and
loads of bars and restaurants
(ndsm.nl). Although it may be
dwarfed by massive cruise
ships, now that a lock on the
North Sea Canal allows access
to the docks. Talking of giants,
the city’s biggest hotel, the
650-room nhow Amsterdam
RAI, has just opened down by
the university.
Details Room-only doubles
from £130 (nhow-hotels.com)ROME
In an outdoor museum
of a city like Rome the
novelty lies in making
discoveries. That
might be the new
behind-the-scenes
visits to the
workshops of
craftsman hatmakers
and shoemakers
offered by the Rome
Cavalieri hotel
(waldorfastoria3.hilton.com)or tackling the Vatican on
February 27 (and every last
Sunday of the month), when
all its museums are free
(m.museivaticani.va). And
if you tire of all the majestic
monumentalism, then the
Museum of Civilisations is
hosting an exhibition of 100
soothing Italian landscapes
(museocivilta.cultura.gov.it).
Hotels from Bulgari, Edition
and Six Senses will all open
this year, as well as a Nobu
property where the dining
will surely make headlines.
Meanwhile the Orazio Palace
is ready and waiting, near
St Peter’s Basilica.
Details B&B doubles from
£142 (hoteloraziopalace.it)
PARIS
In the run-up to its 2024 stint
as Olympic host, the City of
Light seems to be training
reopens after restoration by
David Chipperfield architects.
The Ca’ di Dio, on the Rio
dell’ Arsenale, is a new hotel
with an outdoor restaurant
overlooking the lagoon.
Details B&B doubles
from £279
(vretreats.com)BERLIN
The big
cultural
news in the
German
capital is the
opening of the
Humboldt Forum
in a total rebuild of
the Royal Palace. The
Forum includes Asian andmultitudes of cyclists via
its myriad proliferating
cycleways. This greening-up
extends to the top of buildings,
particularly out at Porte de
Versailles, where the world’s
largest urban farm sits on top
of the Paris Expo building.
Meanwhile there’s a significant
newcomer on the gallery
scene, with the grand former
grain exchange, the Bourse de
Commerce, now home to
modern art (pinault
collection.com). A lavish new
hotel, the Airelles, inhabits
the gardens of Versailles
(airelles.com), but for a taste
of Parisian creativity try the
Chouchou by Opéra.
Details B&B doubles from
£227 (en.chouchou
hotel.com)VENICE
If you hurry you’ll be in time
for Carnival, with all its grand
balls and elaborate mask-
wearing (until March 1). If not,
never fear, there’s always the
Biennale, which kicks off in
April. Its main show is in the
Arsenale and the Central
Pavilion, and includes works
from 213 artists from 58
countries (labiennale.org).
St Mark’s Square will be
celebrating when the 16th-
century Procuratie Vecchie,
the square’s north side,Getting to Berlin
has been
immeasurably
improved by its
new airport
Clockwise from top left: the Colosseum in Rome; New York
Café in Budapest; the Vatican museum; ME Barcelona’s pool