Journal
Wednesday,Oct 28 2009, 03:49:09 AMHoi An, Vietnam is one of Top 10 Old Town distri..
Heading to the oldest parts of a city delivers the richest rewards, writes Kerry van der Jagt.
You
have arrived in a new city and don't know where to start. Tempting as
it is to hop on a sightseeing bus with a two-kilogram guide book in one
hand and a list of "must-sees" in the other, there is a better way. Get
off the bus, tear up the list, pull on your walking shoes and head to
the oldest part of town. Yes, you will get lost. And yes, your feet
will hurt. And yes, you'll be stuffed by the end of the day. But I
guarantee you will be richly rewarded. The sights, the sounds and the
tastes will linger long after the blisters have healed. And, as a
bonus, with all that walking and climbing, you can eat guilt-free from
one cobblestoned alley to the next. Here are my 10 favourite cities
with Old Towns.
Hoi An, Vietnam
The
Old Town, with its narrow cobblestone streets, low tile-roofed houses
and ancient wells, is a spicy wok-full of Vietnamese, Chinese and
Japanese styles. Cars are banned, pedestrians rule and conical hats are
the order of the day.
Hoi An was relatively untouched during the Vietnam war and the old
buildings, with their wooden fronts and unique "yin" and "yang" roof
tiles, are now protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The faded
houses are ageing gracefully, old ladies carry their produce across
their shoulders in cane baskets and the damp smell of the river lingers
in the air.
INSIDER TIP On the 14th day of each month residents switch
off their lights and hang paper lanterns on their verandas and windows.
Strolling through the lantern-lit streets is like stumbling into a
fairytale. More info at: Hoi An Travel Information
Seville, Spain
Seville
is the very heart of Andalucian culture. Think Don Juan and the lusty
Carmen. Think sequined matadors and dark-eyed beauties. Think
palm-burning flamenco and neck-craning architecture.
Better still, don't think, just surrender.
El
Arenal is an historic neighbourhood in the centre of Seville, lying
between the Guadalquivir River and the old Jewish quarter, Santa Cruz.
Some important sites include the Torre del Oro, the Reales Atarazanas
and La Real Maestranza, Seville's famous bullring.
But to be
honest, it's the gut-busting tapas (or better still, their larger
cousin, raciones) of El Arenal I love the most. Start with plump olives
and creamy potato croquets, move on to calamari and grilled red peppers
and finish with Andalucian ham (Jamon iberico) and Spanish omelet.
INSIDER TIP Avoid the middle of summer. Seville isn't known as the frying pan of Spain for nothing.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Croatia's
jewellery box is the World Heritage-listed old city of Dubrovnik. In
October 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence, Dubrovnik was
tragically bombed and shelled for eight months by the Yugoslav People's
Army.
Today, the dust has settled and the city has been rebuilt
but on the two-kilometre walk atop the ancient city wall, the patchwork
of bright new terracotta tiles hints at the city's dark past.
Culture
vultures will love the Franciscan monastery with its 14th-century
pharmacy, Onofrio's Fountain and St Saviour's Church. Penny pinchers
will hate the exorbitant restaurant prices. Unless you plan to rob a
bank, don't eat inside the city walls.
INSIDER TIP Walking the
wall is fun but for a unique perspective hire a kayak from the beach at
Fortress Bokar and paddle around the walls at sunset.
Old China Town, Shanghai
As
Shanghai races to reinvent itself before hosting the 2010 World Expo,
Old China Town, with its colourful street stalls, traditional shops and
teahouses, is an unexpected surprise. (Though, to be honest, finding
out that China has a Chinatown was an even bigger surprise). Old China
Town, surely, is Shanghai's attic.
It's where this modern metropolis stores its trash and treasure.
Chinatown
includes the Old Town Bazaar, Yu Garden, Shanghai's old city wall and
the famous Confucian temple. The red lacquered buildings, the curved
roof tiles, the old men playing mahjong are all present and accounted
for in this exciting theatre on the street.
INSIDER TIP Huxinting Teahouse, near Yu Garden, is said to be the source of inspiration for the famous Willow pattern porcelain.
Edinburgh, Scotland
The
Old Town district is the thumping heart of Scotland's capital city. The
Royal Mile, with its branching side streets of Grassmarket and
Candlemaker Row, is its lifeblood. For lovers of kilts, whisky and
pubs, this is your mile-high club.
Geoffrey (Tailor) Inc. can
run you up a kilt faster than you can say "Braveheart", Royal Mile
Whiskies is the place for a drop of the amber liquid and, for lager
lovers, try the Ensign Ewart the highest pub in Edinburgh. As the
locals say, "Going home after a big night is all downhill from here."
INSIDER
TIP The Doors Open Days event in September gives visitors an
opportunity to get inside some of the historic buildings in the Old
Town. www.cockburnassociation.org.uk.
Cordoba, Spain
Cordoba
will seduce you faster than the legendary Don Juan himself. The leading
lady is the Mezquita, originally a mosque built in the 8th century but
now a Catholic cathedral and one of the world's great architectural
wonders. The first glimpse of the cathedral's spacious interior, with
its forest of columns, is overwhelming.
Next to the Mezquita is
the Jewish quarter, a delightful maze of narrow streets, whitewashed
buildings, trickling fountains and intimate courtyards. During May the
annual "Festival of the Patios" is in full bloom but if you're not of
the floral persuasion, you can always bare all for a beating in a
bathhouse or puff on a hookah in a teteria (tea room).
INSIDER TIP The early bird gets free entry to the Mezquita before 10am.
Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon,
the city of seven hills, is one of the most enchanting cities in
Europe. Its sense of weathered grandeur set within a natural
amphitheatre of hills, together with its breathtaking views across the
River Tagus is hard to match.
The old Arab quarter, also known
as the Alfama, is located on the south-east slope of the hill crowned
by Castelo de Sao Jorge. Moors, Christians and Jews have all lived here.
The Alfama retains its medieval layout, with winding alleys, steep steps and wrought iron balconies.
Bright
washing flaps in front of colourful house fronts, Fado music drifts
from bars and blood-red geraniums drip down whitewashed walls.
INSIDER TIP To rest your legs and your lungs, catch the smiley-faced, yellow tram 23 or 28.
Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto
guards its secrets better than any geisha. Arriving at Kyoto Railway
Station the first-time visitor is treated to a magnificent view of the
city's backside drab flats, building works and traffic congestion.
Yet
planted among this unattractive concrete forest are 1700 temples, 400
Shinto shrines, dozens of gardens and a handful of palaces but even
Marco Polo wouldn't be able to find them all.
A good place to
start your own exploration is in the Gion district, on the eastern bank
of the Kamo River. Stroll the narrow alleys at night and you will pass
charming teahouses and traditional shops and restaurants, many of which
are exclusive establishments for geisha entertainment.
INSIDER TIP If you wish to go on a geisha walking tour or have a private engagement with a geisha, see kyotosightsandnights.com.
Venice, Italy
Venice,
the city of reflections, will seduce you even before you cross the
lagoon from the airport. The shapes, the silhouettes, the dazzling
light. Oh the light. And that's before you set eyes on your first
gorgeous gondolier.
There really is no "old" part of town, it's
all equally ancient. And it's all made for walking. Night is best the
day trippers have fled and you can cross ancient footbridges and twist
and turn through the labyrinth of alleyways behind the Grand Canal with
only your shadow for company.
INSIDER TIP The three-day
vaporetto (water bus) ticket for about $60 is good value. Buy them
where you see the "helloVenezia" sign.
Source: The Sun-Herald
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