TRAVEL NOTES
Snow-shoeing on Etna
For something off the beaten (snowy) track, try a winter adventure set against Sicily’s most stunning scenery. Snowshoe on Europe’s largest active volcano, Mt. Etna, with the Bay of Naxos sparking below, or cross-country skiing across ancient lava flows. No experience necessary for either. Back on foot, walk to the gorge of Alcantara before winding up in Taormina, east Sicily’s beautiful coastal town with its Roman amphitheatre and superlative gelato shops and restaurants. Packages including flights from Gatwick departing 19 Feb, three nights bed and breakfast in small hotels and all activities start from £827 per person. Call 0844 499 0901 or go to www.explore.co.uk for bookings.
Breslin opens in New York
The owners of Michelin-starred restaurant The Spotted Pig have just launched their third restaurant, The Breslin, in Manhattan’s Flatiron District and it’s already the talk of the town. The menu presents enticing twists on the classics – think grilled beef tongue sandwich with lentil soup, and lamb burger with feta, plus the dazzling breakfasts one expects of chic Manhattan eateries. A meat-ageing room will also be in pride of place, near the open kitchen. Housed within the new “budget luxury” Ace Hotel, you’ll have somewhere both affordable and stylish to rest your bones after gorging yourself on New York’s trendiest nosh. To book, go to the Ace Hotel’s website, www.acehotel.com.