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Shipwrecked galleons, coral reefs, exotic underwater life... diving is a fascinating sport and the potential surprises to be found are endless. Here, we take a look at some of the best places to dive all around the planet. New York is a city of skyscrapers, sex and scandal, or so it would seem from what we see on TV and at the movies. Why not sign up for a 'Sex and the City' tour and follow in the footsteps of Carrie and her friends, discovering the locations featured in the series: shopping, drinking and gossiping with the gals. 'Fado', the urban 'folk' song of Portugal, has recently been inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Heritage, so why not visit Lisbon and discover for yourself this plaintive music that links Afro-Brazilian music with local genres of song and dance? This week, during 'pincho week' in London, you don't need to get your passport out to sample the gastronomic delights of the Spanish region of Navarre. In October, the already delicious cuisine of Istria celebrates the highlight of the year as the finest of all truffles, the white truffle, is once again in season. With local food fairs and gastronomic events programmed, there's more reason than ever to escape for a weekend to this beautiful region of Croatia. The name triggers black and white images of gangsters, or an imposing city skyline dominated by skyscrapers, but the Chicago of the twenty-first century is bright and vibrant, with green spaces and bustling shopping malls, and its high class restaurants are a gastronome's delight. An evening stroll along the banks of the Bosphorus is enough to make you to fall in love with Istanbul. The water reflects the golden domes of the city's mosques and palaces, the windows of Ottoman houses sparkle and light pours through the lattice of the Galata bridge. At the tip of the Baja California peninsula, where the Pacific Ocean merges with the Sea of Cortez, One&Only Palmilla is a green oasis on this paradisiacal coastline of warm, azure waters where the grey whales swim, white sands and old-style Mexican architecture. The dreamlike beauty of Venice endures, resisting the effects of time, fashion trends and periodic threats that it will sink Atlantis-like beneath the waters. When the sun goes down, this fantasy city becomes, more than ever, a part of the world of romance and wonder. For gourmets and sweet-toothed lovers of the exotic, the Chocolate Boutique Hotel offers a sumptuous chocolate-themed weekend getaway. Who could resist such sweet temptation? If you're a scuba diver and have already braved the ocean depths, why not now try the mountain heights? Strange as it may sound, several centres in the Pyrenees offer scuba diving in high-altitude mountain lakes. Simplicity and rustic charm abound at La Lancha, on the banks of Guatemala's Lake Peten Itza, making this a favourite location with the resort owner, award-winning director, Francis Ford Coppola. Chamonix and Cortina d'Ampezzo are hardly household names, but the places themselves may be more familiar than you realise: they are among the ski resorts whose impressive slopes have featured on the silver screen. Where will you find a rabbit hot on the heels of a tiger? And where will the meeting of the two be heralded by dragon dances and spectacular firework displays? Of course we're talking about the Chinese New Year, and in particular the celebrations in Hong Kong, where, once again in early February, ancestral symbolism will come alive in the heart of one of the planet's most modern and most cosmopolitan cities. The interest in 'green' travel has never been so great. And that means that you can now combine sustainability with style, and enjoy a break in Australia's rugged Blue Mountains without sacrificing one iota of class. Rome has to be the most chaotic, romantic and delightful city in Italy – some would say in the whole of Europe – and there's no better way to get around on your 'Roman Holiday' than to take a leaf out of Hollywood's script and hire a scooter. If you're a dedicated follower of fashion who loves to shop, don't forget to add Antwerp to your list of 'must-visit' destinations. The Belgian city has been dressing those in the know in the world of fashion for centuries, and is back at the cutting edge today with its break-through creative style and shops. This year, autumn begins in the northern hemisphere on September 23rd, but there are still places where you can prolong the summer with a relaxing break. Here we select five boutique hotels on the island of Ibiza where you can stock up on sunshine for the season ahead. Washed by the turquoise waters of the Adriatic, the Croatian coastline is an open secret among lovers of the sea. Set off on a voyage of discovery aboard a sailing boat or schooner and explore the around 1,200 islands that dot the coastal waters from the Istria peninsula to beyond Dubrovnik. You can even dive among shipwrecks of the multitude of civilisations that have come this way over the centuries. When it comes to sport and glamour, did you think you'd heard it all? The celebs' favourite resort is all set to host the Polo World Cup On Snow, and what could be cooler than that!
