Nearly 3,000 years of architectural one-upmanship has made Rome irresistible. So check into the chic, central K Boutique Hotel and surrender yourselves to the city’s charms. The hilltop Vittoriano Monument is the place to get your bearings, before plunging into its narrow and mysterious streets. Divine frescoes, soaring domes and a heady sense of history await at almost every turn.
Summer in Rome can be a humid, touristy slog, but not February: and you’ll be reminded of that as you climb together up to the Villa Borghese. It’s not just the views towards the Vatican you’re after, but the Borghese Gallery, where a bounty of Bernini marbles and Caravaggio paintings awaits. Afterwards, snuggle into a settee by the fire with deep glasses of chianti at the marble-pillared La Libreria bar.
The ornate turrets, arched colonnades and lush courtyards of this Andalucian marvel are a multi-layered cake of Moorish and Christian influences: and if you stay at the Hotel Bécquer, you can see the best of the city on foot. Announce your arrival by promenading together alongside the River Guadalquivir to the vast arc of the Plaza de España, and a striking display of the local tilework. Here, 48 pillared archways are slathered with elaborate mosaics representing Spain’s 48 provinces. If you’re lucky, the orange blossom will already be out, lacing the air with its heavenly, honeyed fragrance. For a romantic meal try Albarama, where mushroom-stuffed croquetas and Iberico pork cheeks are served in a sunny, modern dining room. It’s just a short stroll from the hotel.
Art Deco pastels, street art and salsa swirl together in this spirited city where every day has a holiday vibe. Rooms at East overlook downtown Miami and Biscayne Bay, where you can cruise in a chartered yacht as the sun dips behind the skyline. Or cruise on foot through nearby Wynwood, a neighbourhood of low industrial warehouses made over by local artists in splashy, Skittle-hued graffiti. Here, the tasting menus at Alter, recently opened in a cavernous converted warehouse amid raw concrete and neon, takes surf-and-turf to new, caviar-sprinkled levels. End the evening with a stroll in Miami Beach and live cabaret at the glittery, glamorous Faena Theater, all plush red velvet and matching red lips.
How do you even scratch the limestone surface of this monumental city? The best way is to start small. The Bankerhan Hotel is your gateway to the cobbled streets of Karaköy, a neighbourhood of leafy café terraces and bijou boutiques. Then, when you’ve got a sense of the city, cross Galata Bridge for one of its big set-pieces: the Byzantine domes of Hagia Sophia, built by Christians, coopted by Muslims and now a glittering temple to Ottoman handiwork.
Istanbul’s other great pleasure comes from rifling through its bazaars. So burrow into labyrinthine lanes of the Grand Bazaar, where tenacious vendors roll out hand-knotted kilims for your inspection, while you browse ceramics, jewels and leathers. It’s a dazzling experience: a riot of colour, sound and the sweet smell of baklava, and at some point you’ll need to catch your breath. So head to Gaziantep Burç Kebab at the market’s north end for chargrilled lamb and aubergine.
Can’t get away in February? Make your escape in April instead, where it might as well be summer on the Adriatic coast. The Pucic Palace is one of few hotels conveniently located in the rose-tinged Old Town – and it’s a plush one at that. From here, you can circle the Unesco-anointed city along a mile of fortifications, gazing out over the red-tiled roofs. Afterwards, climb down into the knotted limestone streets and around to the open-air market to D’Vino, a cubbyhole wine bar selling Plavac Mali reds. From the old port it’s only 15 minutes by ferry to quiet Lokrum, an uninhabited island where peacocks roam medieval ruins hidden within luxuriant gardens of pine and cactus.
From the morning call to prayer to the last wafts of late-night barbecues, Marrakech is a whirlwind. Book ahead at the restful Riad Casa Lalla before squeezing into the shadowy lanes of Medina, a mega-bazaar plied by hawkers and donkeys carrying freshly-tanned leather. You’ll sharpen your haggling skills in lairs hung with brocade slippers, brass lanterns and silk rugs by the acre, before escaping to the sun-drenched Terrasse des Epices for a lunch of rich tagines speckled with fig. Afterward, step out into Souk Cherifa, a hub of boutiques showcasing woven textiles and hammered silver by young designers.
What’s not to love about New York in June? That first, heart-stopping glimpse of Manhattan from the airport taxi? The descent down the Guggenheim’s spiral ramp? A towering pastrami on rye at Katz Deli? You’ll be talking about the trip for years to come.
The Conrad makes a great base for a heady weekend à deux. Start around the corner at One World Trade’s observation deck – it gives a rousing (if vertigo-inducing) view of the city. After lunch at Buvette, the most intimate French restaurant in Greenwich Village, wander up Hudson Street to the Whitney Museum, whose sweeping white galleries overlook the elevated gardens of the High Line. Follow them north and you’ll end up at Gallow Green, a vine-crawling rooftop bar with cosy corners for sipping gin cocktails.
Best for: a midnight rendezvous atop the Empire State Building.
