Win one of five luxury holidays to celebrate 3,000 editions of The Sunday Telegraph
Three thousand is a large number. Go back 3,000 years and you’re hanging out with David and Goliath. Climb a mountain of 3,000m – like, say, Mount Tahat in Algeria – and you are (pretty much) at 10,000ft. It’s a big statistic. Positively huge.
Why mention this? Because we are marking 3,000 editions of The Sunday Telegraph by teaming up with British Airways Holidays to offer five glorious getaways. All are – that’s right – a 3,000-mile round trip from London. Well, give or take a smidgen, or 10 minutes in the air. Let’s not argue over exact figures. It’s nearly Christmas.
Each destination is endlessly alluring: Portugal’s Atlantic outcrop, Madeira; the Greek capital, Athens; its island compatriot, Crete; Turkey’s most fabled city, Istanbul; and Morocco’s ever-exotic urban jewel, Marrakech. Each trip includes five-star accommodation and flights. See below for more information.
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The holidays
1. Athens
Distance from London: 1,496 miles (round-trip 2,992 miles)
The destination
There is little to dislike about the idea of a weekend in Greece’s noble capital. The metropolis is cloaked in clement weather – May and September, when average high temperatures are 75F (24C) and 82F (28C) respectively, may be the perfect months – and stands as one of the cradles of democracy. It does nothing to hide its history either. One look at the Parthenon will convince you of that. But there is more to Athens than its ancient past – from the bars dotted along the narrow thoroughfare of Iraklidon in Thissio to the restaurants that swell into the streets and squares of neighbouring Psiri. North-east of the centre, the shops of gilded Kolonaki could detain you for many mornings.
The prize
Return British Airways (Euro Traveller) flights from Heathrow for two adults. Two nights at the King George, a Luxury Collection Hotel, including breakfast.
The hotel
You cannot fault the King George’s location. It sits on Syntagma Square, Athens’s most important plaza. You cannot fault it for much else, either. The hotel, opened in a former royal palace in 1936, hosted Frank Sinatra and Marilyn. “Upon entering, you immediately feel the regal air,” wrote Telegraph reviewer Maria Paravantes. “Airy high-ceilinged rooms and hallways have opulent touches of Rococo style. Discreet Ionic pillars pay tribute to Ancient Greece under the brilliance of Murano chandeliers.” The King George in question is George I of Britain, who would surely have enjoyed the view of the Parthenon from the roof terrace.
2. Marrakech
Distance from London: 1,431 miles (round-trip 2,862 miles)
The destination
Is Marrakech Africa’s most feted city for travellers? You could make a case for Cape Town or Cairo, but this town of swirling souks and mazelike medina has an allure that seems immune to political tides and changing tastes. It sits in the shadow of the Atlas Mountains, a world of its own – its medieval core echoing to the calls of hawkers and merchants. This whirlpool finds its epicentre in the enormous square of Jemaa El-Fnaa, with its snake charmers, food stalls and outdoor restaurants. But there is calm, too, amid the chaos, notably at Jardin Majorelle (jardinmajorelle.com), the botanical garden that bears its creator’s name and was later restored by fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.
The prize
Return British Airways (Euro Traveller) flights from Gatwick for two adults. Three nights at the Palais Namaskar hotel, with breakfast.
The hotel
Far enough from the city centre to provide a refuge from the giddy cacophony, yet close enough (a 20-minute drive) for daily explorations, Palais Namaskar is a spa retreat of the highest order, all shimmering pools and Arabesque arches. Telegraph reviewer Matt Warman wrote: “The emphasis is on quiet luxury, with secluded spots created everywhere so guests never feel crowded. At night-time, beautiful candlelight flickers against the Moorish architecture”.
3. Crete
Distance from London: 1,676 miles (round-trip 3,352 miles)
The destination
Any time Athens wants to shout about its lengthy back story, Crete can clear its throat, pause for dramatic effect, and drop its photo album on to the table with a satisfyingly loud thwack. Greece’s biggest island can argue that it played host to Europe’s first advanced civilisation – the Minoans, who held sway on this Aegean outcrop from around 2700 BC to 1420 BC. They left their mark. The monstrous Minotaur remains Greek mythology’s most enduring legend. You can trace this half-man, half-bull in the ruins of Knossos (odysseus.culture.gr), at Heraklion Archaeological Museum (heraklionmuseum.gr) – and amid the theme-park fun of the Labyrinth Park (labyrinthpark.gr). Or, simply, you can enjoy an outpost that showcases Mediterranean Greece at its best. Heraklion is a busy capital, full of restaurants and life. Nearby Palaiokastro Beach is a fine spot for sun worship.
The prize
Return British Airways (Euro Traveller) flights from Gatwick for two adults. Four nights (room only) at the Domes of Elounda resort, on the north coast near Elounda.
The hotel
You might fly to Crete with dreams of archaeological sites, or of driving parts of a coast road that stretches for 650 miles – but there is a very real chance that, once you check in at Domes of Elounda, you will decide to do nothing else for the rest of your stay. Part of the Autograph Collection, this high-end hideaway snoozes on the lip of the Aegean, rousing itself from its lounger when evening calls for sunsets and cocktails. “Laid-back luxury with a big ‘L’ is the hallmark of this sprawling, family-friendly property,” wrote Heidi Fuller-Love in a Telegraph appraisal of the hotel. She also referred to it as “divided across a hillside topped by a helicopter pad, and linked by winding paths through well-tended gardens.” A collection of pools and a small spa complete the picture.
4. Istanbul
Distance from London: 1,552 miles (round-trip 3,104 miles)
The destination
You know a city is important when the sweep of eras has given it three names. For Byzantium, read Constantinople, read Istanbul, straddling the narrow gap between Asia and Europe, one foot on each continent. Hagia Sophia is the giant sixth-century church which became a 15th-century mosque – and a 20th century museum (ayasofyamuzesi.gov.tr); its neighbour the Sultan Ahmet (also known as the Blue Mosque) may be the greatest Islamic structure on the planet (sultanahmetcamii.org). But if such monuments are not for you, Istanbul sings with alternatives, from the bars and eateries of Galata to the shops of the New City.
The prize
Return British Airways (Euro Traveller) flights from Heathrow for two adults. Three nights (room only) at the Kempinski Ciragan Palace hotel.
The hotel
You would struggle to choose a better-sited Istanbul hotel than the Ciragan Palace, with its gardens drifting down to the great estuary while the Bosporus Bridge leaps the gap to Asia. “Palace” is no lie. It was home to Abdulaziz, 32nd Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and has scarcely shed any majesty in the 150 years since his time. The Telegraph has described it as “the only hotel in Istanbul accessible by car, yacht and helicopter.” However you get there, its hammam and spa will help you polish your A-list sparkle.
5. Madeira
Distance from London: 1,545 miles (round-trip 3,090 miles)
The destination
Is it Africa? Is it Europe? Geographically, a little of the former; culturally and politically, a lot of the latter. This southernmost fragment of Portugal basks in a just-about ideal 72F (22C) in July. It is known for its volcanic contours and steep flanks, but is also a pocket of small-town prettiness. Funchal, the capital, is a pleasing place, brightened by the Painted Doors Project (arteportasabertas.com) and the 19th-century Quinta da Boa Vista estate (visitmadeira.pt/en-gb/explore) is alive with orchids. Madeira is an archipelago, not just an island, and the nearby Ilhas Desertas are havens of wild bird-life.
The prize
Return British Airways (Euro Traveller) flights from Gatwick for two adults. Three nights at the Belmond Reid’s Palace in Funchal – including daily breakfast and one serving of afternoon tea (for two people).
The hotel
Reid’s Palace is one of Portugal’s hotel gems – an icon that opened as the “New Hotel” in 1891 and has been named in honour of William Reid, the Scotsman who helped to found it. Sitting on the south edge of the main island, it deals in grand visions of the Atlantic, its grounds ebbing towards the water. “For more than a century, Reid’s Palace has welcomed guests to its luxurious haven on the cliffs,” wrote destination expert Mary Lussiana in an impressed review for The Telegraph. “Traditional interiors celebrating the hotel’s British heritage look on to sub-tropical gardens of honeysuckle and jade vine, the swimming pools and the sea beyond.”
Our partner
At British Airways Holidays (ba.com), we never forget your holiday is something you’ll never forget. We carefully select hotels and villas, as well as provide car hire in partnership with Avis. With low deposits, our 24-hour helpline and full ATOL protection, consider your holiday taken care of.
