The Sunday Telegraph - 01.09.2019

The Sunday Telegraph Sunday 1 September 2019^ *** 11

LETTERS

Raise a glass to Jerez,

the home of sherry

I experienced the winning formula

of interesting visits, good food and

autumn sunshine in the small city of

Jerez, the home of sherry.

There are the famous sherry

bodegas such as Sandeman and Tio

Pepe, where they take you around

on a train. However, my favourite

was Bodegas Tradicion, where

sherries were tasted while admiring

the private collection of Spanish art.

It is also home to the Royal

Andalusian School of Equestrian Art.

There are palaces, churches and

museums, including the unusual

Museo de la Atalaya, which houses a

collection of antique clocks and

watches in a beautiful palace. The

traditional Alcázar has the added

attraction of a camera obscura.

While there may not be “must-

see” attractions, this does leave time

to sample the local sherry and the

cuisine that makes excellent use of

it. Jerez has its own airport, and

getting around is either by walking

or using the useful hop-on hop-off

tourist bus.

GWENDA COPE, BIRMINGHAM

Rome is the best place

to see ‘tramonto’

There’s no place quite like Rome. On

a beautiful September or early

October day, there really is no

greater city in which to enjoy

summer’s slow fade.

Take a stroll through the cobbled

streets of Rome’s centre... you’ll see

the sights, of course – the Trevi

fountain, the Pantheon, the Spanish

Steps – but what will stay with you

far longer are those moments sitting

outside a café, slowly sipping an

espresso or cappuccino and feeling

the sun’s rays. Piazza Farnese behind

the Campo de’ Fiori, the piazza in

Monti and anywhere in Trastevere

are a few of my favourite spots.

Once you’re refreshed, head for

the lovely Villa Borghese. Notice the

light filtering through the trees, the

shade cast by Pincio’s water clock.

Time it right and you’ll have a

perfect viewing point to catch

tramonto – the setting of the sun

over this ancient, creaking but still

oh-so-beautiful city.

MICHELE HOWE, LONDON

A sizzling Spanish

sunset with sardines

A balmy September breeze enveloped

us as we left the airport bus on the

palm-fringed promenade.

Stepping past Malaga’s majestic

cathedral, we slipped into Uvedoble

where we perched on high stools to

guzzle garlic prawns. Next day, we

feasted our eyes on overflowing

produce at Atarazanas market – green

and black figs, countless clam

varieties, oxtails, manchego wheels.

Then on through the historic centre,

past the Roman theatre, we wound our

way to the Alcazaba fortress, past

fountains and courtyards to admire

far-reaching views over the city. The

city of Picasso’s birth was a delight.

A bus hop took us to the old fishing

quarter of Pedregalejo, where

woodsmoke rose from

sardines suspended over

the chiringuito barbecue.

As the sun set, we

placed our order.

LIZ AND BILL

SWINNERTON,

STAFFORDSHIRE

Don’t expect an early

night in Murcia

Our hotel receptionist in Murcia was

doubtful we would find a restaurant

open at 7.30pm. However, we weren’t

too late, we were in fact too early as no

one dines out until at least 9pm, when

locals and visitors-in-the-know

descend on the squares, and the

ancient buildings are bathed in light.

Murcia, an hour from Alicante,

averages 25C in October; its historic

ruins, free museums and cathedrals

making a delightful short-break

destination.

A tapas dinner in Plaza del Cardenal

Belluga can be rounded off by an

indulgent crepe in a street just around

the corner. But don’t worry about

being early, they close at midnight.

DEBORAH FRENCH, ESSEX

We marvelled at

bronzes in Medellín

We disembarked the Turibus at

Plazoleta de las Esculturas in the

bright sunshine, and marvelled at

the bronzes of Botero, Medellín’s

best known son (aside from the

infamous Escobar), before heading

into the Museum of Antioquia.

After a lunch in a nearby café of

empanadas and roast chicken, we

headed for the cable cars and rode

high above the city’s barrios

marvelling at the stunning views.

We walked through the Botanical

Gardens. Serenaded by birdsong, we

gasped at iguanas and turtles.

As the sun set, we sipped cocktails

after a dinner of bandeja paisa and

watched beautiful people dancing.

DELYTH PRESTON, DERBYSHIRE

Ruins are a

Turkish delight

It was our 40th wedding

anniversary on Sept 29 so I

booked a villa with an

infinity pool in Kalkan for

the week.

The weather was a decidedly

pleasant 25C (77F) and mostly sunny.

Kalkan is a lovely town with nearly

200 restaurants, cocktail bars and

upmarket shops.

The harbour area is a beautiful

setting for an evening meal, and

there is a brilliant market a couple of

times a week. A car is recommended

to explore some of the nearby

beaches, the best of which, in my

opinion, is Patara.

To get to Patara beach you drive

through the most stunning

archeological remains of the ancient

city, including two amphitheatres

(one of which has been fully

restored) and a Roman pavement

with arches. The beach itself is

massive – extending for miles in

both directions.

The more touristy town of Kas is

about a 45-minute drive away.

STAN KIRBY, KENT

GETTY IMAGES; ALAMY

LETTER OF THE WEEK

A perfect sunny day in

Ravenna with Dante

We sat in the sunshine in the Piazza

del Popolo, surrounded by

monuments that bear witness to

three major civilisations, lunching

on piadini and gelato. The morning

had been spent marvelling at the

city’s breathtaking Byzantium

mosaics, the jaw-dropping artwork

in the Basilica di San Vitale virtually

indescribable.

Later, we wandered past genteel

palazzi, with elegant domes soaring

to the deep blue sky; dozens of

churches, rich baroque and

medieval. Yet it was the bright

yellows and the muted pinks of

Ravenna that caught my eye. As we

passed the resting place of Dante,

the orange fruits of the persimmon

trees peeked above forged metal

gates and high walls.

We returned to Piazza del Popolo,

still bathed in sunshine, and sipped

our negronis after a perfect day.

GLYNYS M WILLIAMS, MERTHYR

TYDFIL, WINS A £500 EDEN

HOTEL COLLECTION VOUCHER

UNDER

THE SUN

Rome’s Piazza

del Popolo; and

a Botero bronze,

below left

HOW WAS IT

FOR YOU?

Travel tips for Telegraph readers – by Telegraph readers

Sunshine cities

The Arden, Stratford-upon-Avon

Inspired by our cover

story on the romance of a

journey along the Rhine?

Then tell us about some

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could be a trip to the

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perhaps. The reader who

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wins a £500 voucher.

ABOUT THE PROVIDER

Eden Hotel Collection

(edenhotelcollection.com)

is a privately-owned

portfolio of nine beautiful

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Country House Hotel

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THE PRIZE

Eden Hotel Collection is

offering a £500 voucher

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Bookings are subject to

availability and offered

according to Eden

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published in full on its

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Other T&Cs apply. See

telegraph.co.uk/

tt-yourtravels for details.

Tell us about a holiday in Germany

for the chance to win a £500

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the best entry. The voucher

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subject to availability.

HOW TO ENTER

Email your entry (no

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Sept 4 to yoursay@

telegraph.co.uk.

EDEN HOTEL COLLECTION

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