Travel PROMOTION
Capital Gains With KLM
A trio of European powerhouses have become even more inviting – and are easily accessible with KLM
Looking for a weekend break full of rich culture, fabulous food and fine hotels? The European capitals of Edinburgh, Oslo and Amsterdam offer all that and more. KLM makes it easy to get there with favourable flight times, comfortable seats and attentive personal service, as well as a generous carry-on luggage allowance of 12kg for your souvenirs. With countless points of departure around the world, including 9 airports to choose from in Italy alone, KLM helps you minimise the stress of travel and maximise your weekend break enjoyment.
Edinburgh
Scotland’s capital welcomes a fresh suite of galleries and a legendary members’ club expansion, while a famed whisky spot gets a makeover
Following seven years of construction at a cost of £38m, the National Gallery of Scotland debuted a dozen new galleries in September, boosting Edinburgh’s world-class art scene. The light-filled rooms offer an exhilarating look at the country’s finest 19th- and 20th-century artists, with over 460 works by the likes of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and William McTaggart.
Set in the port neighbourhood of Leith, The Vaults has long drawn one of the finest single cask Scotch whisky collections in the world. A just-completed £500,000 renovation of the 12th-century building introduces a massive oak bar housing 2,000 limited-edition bottles, and an intimate snug where you can taste the rarest of them.
The legendary country estate Gleneagles has expanded to the capital with the Gleneagles Townhouse, a 33-key boutique bolthole overlooking St Andrew Square. Original fireplaces, stone columns and tile floors of the historic bank building were restored and paired with period lighting and modern Scottish artwork. Along with plush, Victorian-style rooms, there’s a smart brasserie and luxury spa, but top billing goes to Lamplighters, the roof terrace bar, boasting marvellous views of the medieval Old Town.
Tip! Combine a trip to Edinburgh with a visit to Scotland’s other fabled city, Glasgow – just a short train ride away. And as KLM flies to both cities, getting there and back couldn’t be simple.
Oslo
Sleek new museums and Scandinavia’s trendiest hotel make the Norwegian capital a must-visit
Oslo has emerged as Scandinavia’s most vibrant cultural hub, with museums popping up all along the waterfront. The most noteworthy newcomer is the National Museum, the largest in the Nordics, with 90 rooms displaying an extensive collection of arts and crafts, design, fine art and fashion. Spectacular views of the inner Oslo fjord can be had from the rooftop terrace.
It joins the Munch museum, a striking angular tower soaring 60 metres above the water and a sleek companion to the neighbouring Oslo Opera House. Its 13 floors showcase over 26,000 pieces by Norway’s most celebrated artist, including three versions of his iconic work The Scream. The indoor/outdoor rooftop bar offers panoramic vistas of the Oslo fjord and the city skyline.
More than just a five-star hotel, the 231-room Sommerro is a glamourous urban retreat, with seven fashionable restaurants and bars, a private cinema, a 1,400sq m wellness centre with a restored Art Deco pool, and a year-round rooftop pool and sauna. The just-opened Villa Inkognito, set in an 1870 residence adjacent to the hotel, offers 11 rooms and suites outfitted with bespoke furnishings, plus a dining room, kitchen and bar exclusive to villa guests.
Amsterdam
Gearing up for its 750th anniversary, the Dutch Capital rebrands an iconic museum and restores a classic hotel; plus a culinary adventure at the city’s newest hot spot
Reopened in June following a multimillion-pound refurbishment, the 62-room Jan Luyken Amsterdam occupies three stately 18th-century townhouses in the city’s Museum Quarter. Hand-sourced antiques and Delft tiles make for a homely stay, while the library, stocked with art tomes, sets the stage for a visit to the nearby Rijksmuseum, which unveils a Frans Hals retrospective in mid-February.
After severing ties with Russia, the former Hermitage Amsterdam rebranded itself as H’ART and teamed up with the British Museum, the Centre Pompidou and the Smithsonian American Art Museum for a series of extraordinary exhibits. Look ahead to a major Kandinsky show in mid-2024 and the following year, in honour of the city’s 750th birthday, the museum will showcase Rembrandts from The Leiden Collection, the largest private collection of works by the Dutch master.
With its soaring 15-metre ceilings, VanOost offers diners a dramatic setting to savour Chef Floris van Straalen’s global fusion of flavours. Tasting menus, ranging from five to nine courses, highlight seasonal local ingredients while adding a dash of Asian flair – with spectacular results. The restaurant sits inside the recently opened luxury hotel Pillows Maurits at the Park, a reimagining of a historic 1908 university building.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.