simonmp3cityguide

It all probably started for the Santos district of Lisbon when it became the site for a design school, the Instituto de Artes Visuais, Design e Marketing, commonly known as IADE nearly twenty years ago. But, over the last few years, the area has been attracting not just students but designers and architects. A supply of young creative talent plus large office spaces at very affordable rents has proved to be quite a pull for the creative industries ranging from furniture designer and architects to computer graphics artists. Santos is near Lisbon’s docklands area but neighbouring districts include Lapa with its smart homes and embassies and Estrella, a pretty and very desirable but slightly less expensive area than luxurious Lapa. Buildings in Santos range from nineteenth century warehouses to older apartment blocks. Some, complete with French ... read more

What do you like doing most on a city break? Do you like being inspired and moved by great art in the world’s most famous galleries such as the Louvre and London’s National Gallery? Is it gazing at the great buildings and monuments such as the Arc de Triomphe or the Vittorio Emanuele Monument that floats your boat? Do you enjoy seeking out the best new restaurants in Rome or Barcelona? Or do you enjoy drinking and dancing at the hippest clubs in London, New York and Moscow? Personally all these things go into the mix for my ideal city break (well, except for the clubbing thing - I’m just dangerous on the dance floor!) but my favourite pastime on a city trip is simply sitting at a café and watching the world go by. ... read more

Venice at dawn Category: Travel and Places I went to Venice again last month. I'm a travel writer - I write for a site called mp3cityguides.com amongst others and I wanted to go at my favourite time of year. In the summer it's hot, sticky and crowded - well even MORE crowded - but in the winter it's reasonably quiet and usually misty. I woke up early - it was still dark as I was having a shower - but by the time I'd finished breakfast the winter sun was breaking through the clouds and mist was rolling off the canal in front of my hotel. All you could hear was the rumble of the Vaporetti coming along side the jetties and tap of feet as early morning Venetian commuters shuffled forwards to find a ... read more