Cool comforts in the Catalonian capital

 

Angelika Taschen has selected a delectable range of hotels and hotspots for your stay in Barcelona, from the Hotel Neri in the Gothic district to the modern and minimal Hotel Omm with breathtaking views of Gaudí's Casa Milà; to the Casa Camper, a quirky and multicultural smoke-free hotel in the former prostitute quarter run by the famous Spanish shoe makers. She also tells you where to taste the best tapas and innovative Catalan cuisine as well as where to check out contemporary art exhibitions and the best markets.

Melting pot metropolis

 

Glamorous in the Roaring Twenties, destroyed during World War II and divided afterwards, rebuilt in the 1950s, and now reunited, Berlin is a city of vibrant contrasts where diverse cultures form a multihued urban fabric. Derelict former Communist neighborhoods have been reincarnated as haunts for artists and designers while elsewhere the city's old traditions are also still very much alive.

You can feel like a true Berliner thanks to the insider’s tips in this handy guide. From the best Currywurst stand to the coolest place to grab a cocktail and all the best places to sample fine Berlin cuisine, these are truly priceless pointers.

Go traipsing through Berlin and be sure to catch all the most trendy, original, and traditional shops with this guide to the best the city's shops have to offer. Whether you're a fan of avant-garde fashion or old-fashioned handmade items - or both - we've got all your bases covered. As always, we also suggest perfect places to grab a bite or relax with a refreshing drink while on your shopping spree.

No country inspires as much fascination as Italy, and no region in Italy inspires as much adoration as Tuscany—for its interior design, art and architecture, fashion, artisans and crafts, food and wine. In Dreaming of Tuscany you'll experience the essence of a place that dreams are made of, ensuring you'll get the most out of your experience. Sharing her recommendations of favorite insider places and word-of-mouth gems, best-selling lifestyle author Barbara Milo Ohrbach acts as a guide to food markets, exquisite shops, overflowing antiques markets, not to mention cooking courses, outdoor painting classes, ancient palazzos and small museums. And you can live like a Tuscan once you return home, with this book providing sources for everything from luscious bed linens to peppery olive oil. Dreaming of Tuscany is illustrated with three hundred sumptuous images by photographer Simon Upton. Don't dream of visiting Tuscany without first reading this book

The world is your oyster

Our selection of the 90 best hotels around the globe

Whether you want to take a relaxing vacation in Asia, a backpacking journey in South America, a road trip in the USA, a cultural tour in Europe, or a safari in Africa, we've got the most inspiring and eclectic collection of hotels, guesthouses, boats, lodges, spas, and houseboats that you could ask for. Culled from our Great Escapes series, favorite spots include futuristic-looking, Star Wars-style houseboats made of bamboo poles, palm leaves, and coconut fibers in Kerala, India, as well as a luxury lodge and spa on a java plantation in (you guessed it) Java. An Ayurvedic spa in the Himalayas where nothing matters but peace and relaxation will certainly tempt you, or perhaps you're more the type for a lush Kenyan open-walled, thatched-roof hut fashioned from tree trunks?  On a more modern vibe, oogle Gio Ponti's sleek blue and white hotel perched on the cliffs in Sorrento, Italy, and you'll yearn for a sojourn there.

The cradle of civilisations and the meeting point of East and West, Israel - the Promised Land - has produced the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, through the writings of their leaders, which have become recognised as Holy Scripture. The Holy Land has become the common inheritance of humanity, where universal contradictions of human nature are expressed: the close relationship between man and God, and also the fratricidal struggles between the three Peoples of the Book. Here, the traveller is often a pilgrim in search of a spiritual ideal. In his pictures, Philippe Roy invites us to travel to the striking sites of the Old and New Testaments, the biblical landscapes which have been sources of inspiration for two millennia. He also enables us to discover a country where the inhabitants are continually fighting against the desert through the development of modern agriculture.

London calling 

 

Such a big, hectic, and crazy city as London isn`t easy to navigate unaided, which is why anyone planning a trip there should grab this invaluable guide. A wide selection of hotels, from classic to designer, gives a perfect variety to choose from, whether it`s the Dorchester in Mayfair, the Soho Hotel, a Notting Hill's Lennox Hotel or Eleven Cadogan Gardens in Chelsea. Antique hunters and style mavens alike will find their personal happiness in our list of must-see boutiques, restaurants, bars, and cafes; Angelika Taschen tells you where to procure a classic English tailor-made suit and where to enjoy tea and scones while you`re wearing it. From Dickensian charm to modern cool, London has it all - and this guide will help you find it.

English food is much more varied than fish ‘n’ chips (though we can tell you where to get the best London has to offer). Indeed, England’s capital city is home to a dizzying array of culinary options and of course Angelika Taschen has selected the finest London eateries where you’ll delight in a meal, tea, or simply hobnobbing with the jet-set.

London is huge, sprawling, and chaotic, so before you set out on a shopping spree we recommend you arm yourself with this handy guide to make sure you never get lost and don’t miss out on anything—from the oldest traditional establishments to the most avant-garde boutiques. And because we want you and your purchases to stay nice and dry, we’ve kindly included the address of a legendary umbrella maker!

The total Paris experience

 

Where to stay and what to visit in the City of Love? Among the sumptuously-photographed accommodations hand-picked by Angelika Taschen are the Christian Lacroix-designed Hôtel du Petit Moulin, the Trocadéro Dokhan's (designed by Frédéric Méchiche), the ultra-chic Hôtel Costes by Jacques Garcia, the charming low budget Hôtel Recamier overlooking the magnificent Place Saint Sulpice or the intimate secret hideaway of Tom Ford and a Marais apartment for rent owned and decorated by fashion designer Azzedine Alaïa. While you're in town, enjoy her suggestions for everything from a literary café experience to a luxurious perfume boutique or a renowned cheese shop. Everything in this guide is carefully tailored to help make your Parisian holiday as fulfilling as possible.

French cuisine may be one of the most refined in the world, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to find great food in Paris. That’s why you’d be smart to carry this fabulous little guide book along with you, secure in the knowledge that your Parisian meals will be nothing but délicieux. Packed with photos, information and hotspot recommendations, this little treasure will have you eating in not only the yummiest and most chic restaurants, but also being seen in the city’s nicest bars, cafés, and beautiful tea salons.

Arm yourself with the stylish guide to style in the world’s style capital! Small enough to fit in a tiny handbag but big enough to include descriptions and photographs of Paris’s best fashion, shoe, and perfume shops, but also concept stores, bakeries, cheese and chocolate havens, and other hotspots, this little number will help you get the most out of your Parisian shopping experience. Warning: most shops accept credit cards!

In order to meet increasing public demand, institutions worldwide have opened their doors to provide their own definition of a spa - from medical day spas in mid-Manhattan to five-star destination spas in the south of France. The concept of the spa - healing waters, massage and body treatments - has now pervaded our way of life and leisure in a manner never witnessed before. Spa: The Sensuous Experience provides a timely exploration of forty of the very best spas created over the years, from more recent examples to traditional destinations that have become classic icons in the spa world. This new publication also takes an authoritative look by one of the worlds leading spa architects, at the three basic elements of each property: site, design and treatments.