AD

3

It’s time to get away on that dream holiday, the one you’ve been planning for a while, and when you arrive you want to be out and about exploring and experiencing the unexpected.

The secret to seeing the best of a place is getting off the tourist trail, finding an opportunity to lose the crowds of holiday makers to burrow under the skin of a city.

The Escape team has found the hidden gems in five world hot spots – Rome, London, Singapore, New York and Tokyo – to help you eat, drink, see and shop like a local.

The other hint to living like a native is to pay like a local, and that’s where NAB can help.

The NAB Traveller Card is a secure and stress-free way to manage your money while exploring. By locking in exchange rates before you leave home you know exactly how much is in the kitty as you eat, drink, shop and sightsee your way around the spots on your holiday wish list.

And if you’re lucky enough to be visiting more than one destination the NAB Traveller Card lets you carry up to 10 currencies: US dollars, Canadian dollars, British pounds, European euros, Japanese yen, Hong Kong dollars, Singapore dollars, Thai baht, New Zealand dollars and Aussie dollars.

Now that money is one less worry when you’re travelling, turn the page to get some ideas on how to stay and play like a local.For more information on the NAB Traveller Card visit nab.com.au/traveller.

See page 22 for important information about the NAB Traveller Card.

LONDON

ROME

SING APORE

NE WYORKCITY

TOK YO

City of great pizza restaurants

Rome’s subway system the Metropolitana (romametropolitane.it) is cheap and easy to navigate, with a single ride costing €1.50. Locals recommend riding in the end carriages

which are less crowded.

Try Rome’s official tourism internet page (turismoroma.it) or browse Revealed Rome (revealedrome.com) which is a blog written by an expat travel journalist.

T H E KNOW-HOW

most of magnificent view across Rome to the Vatican. From €20, sofitel.com

In a city of great pizza restaurants La Gatta Mangiona is possibly the best, but book ahead because this spot is popular with locals. Pizza from €8, Via Federico Ozanam 30

Dine at Ristorante Camponeschi and enjoy wine made at the family’s estate just a few kilometres from Rome. First course from €18, www.ristorantecamponeschi.it

DRINKSant’Eustachio Il Caffe – an historic

coffee shop near the Pantheon – is where Romans drink coffee. From €2.40, santeustachioilcaffe.it

When Cul de Sac opened in 1977 it was considered to be Rome’s first wine bar, and it hasn’t changed much since. Glass of Italian white from €2.30, Piazza di Pasquino 73

The Emperor Terrace, a cocktail bar on the Intercontinental De La Ville Roma Hotel’s rooftop, is the perfect place to linger over a drink. From €15, ihg.com/intercontinental

5

ROMERome might be a haven for art lovers, history buffs, fashionistas and foodies but there’s nothing like wandering the cobbled lanes of The Eternal City and lingering over a bottle of vino in a sleepy trattoria.

S E ESeeing an opera or ballet at Rome’s Teatro dell’Opera di Roma is a life-changing experience, with a 25 per cent discount on last-minute tickets sold on the website the day of a performance. From €12, operaroma.it/en

If your feet hurt from pounding the pavement climb aboard a segway for a private tour of Rome with a personal guide. €100, italysegwaytours.com

Explore the Vatican like a VIP, enjoying a private viewing of the Sistine Chapel and several secret rooms normally closed to the public, with Viator. From €240, viator.com/Rome

E ATLa Terrasse Cuisine & Lounge sits on the rooftop at the Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese, so eat or drink at sunset to make the

S H O P

GazelleLeather(Via del Corso 30)Modigliani Ceramics(Via Condotti 24)BoriniShoes(Via dei Pettinari 86)Ditta G PoggiArt supplies(Via del Gesù 74-75)VolpettiDelicatessen(Via Marmorata 47)Il Papiro Florentine paper(Via del Pantheon 50)MondiPastries and sweets(Via Flaminia 468)Il Gelato di San CrispinoGelato(Via della Panetteria 42)

7

LONDONLONDON might be packed to the rafters with fun stuff todo, but there are also loads of opportunities for idol browsing and elegant loafing on both sides of the Thames.

S EEThe National Portrait Gallery has the largest collection of portraits in the world, from kings and queens to rock stars and athletes, as well as lots of free events and special exhibitions. Free, npg.org.uk

Tour Wilton’s Music Hall, one of the

world’s oldest grand performance venues, to peer into the history of the East End or find a seat to see a free show. Tours £5, wiltons.org.uk

Wimbledon starts on June 24, and if you missed tickets in the ballot then queue and try for the limited show-court seats and ground passes released

every morning of the Championship. From £8. wimbledon.com

Wimbledon

AD

Afternoon tea is a London institution, and locals make reservations at Claridge’s to sip tea and nibble scones – sans noisy tourists – in the Art Deco elegance of the Mayfair hotel’s reading room and foyer. From £40, claridges.co.uk

E ATLMNT in Hackney – a rundown pub that’s been transformed into an ``eccentric dining room’’ – features old-world interiors and a pan-European menu. Lunch mains from £8.95, lmnt.co.uk

Enjoy breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner at The

Riding House Cafe which is a brasserie serving everything from breakfast eggs to chateaubriand. Mains from £11, ridinghousecafe.co.uk

Magdalen, a stone’s throw from Borough Market, serves the best British cooking using traditional ingredients in an elegant dining room. Mains from £13.50, magdalenrestaurant.co.uk

DRINKThe Nag’s Head, a Belgravia pub considered to be a proper old-London boozer, has walls covered in intriguing paraphernalia. Beer from £2, 53 Kinnerton Street

The Brunswick House Cafe, a charming eatery in one of Vauxhall’s architectural salvage shops, serves food and drinks amongst the antique furniture. Aperitif from £3, brunswickhousecafe.com

The Boundary has three restaurants and bars, with the rooftop garden boasting an open fireplace and views over East London. Cocktails from £9.50, theboundary.co.ukThe Riding House Cafe

8

The BoundaryMagdalen

London’s public transport network (tfl.gov.uk) – especially the Tube – is the ideal way to get around the English capital with a single-day Travelcard costing £8.80, or buy an Oyster Card for cheaper single

journey fares. When it comes to getting online start with Visit London (visitlondon.com) then mosey over to the London Evening Standard’s Essential Guide to London (standard.co.uk/goingout) which has endless ideas on stepping out in this mighty metropolis. If you like your websites a little more indie, Londonist (londonist.com) is written by a team of locals keen to share their ``best discoveries’’ and Run Riot (run-riot.com) lists cultural happenings.

9

S HOPDaunt Books in Marylebone is a cathedral devoted to reading, with oak galleries and arched windows adding to the atmosphere. (Travel books from £7.99, dauntbooks.co.uk)

Cave in Bermondsey Street is a purveyor of artisan chocolate, flowers and wine that hosts the occasional exhibition from up-and-coming artists. (Wine from £9.50, cavelondon.com)

Cecil Court is a strip of smart shops near Leicester Square, with The Witch Ball the spot for classic travel prints. (From £50, cecilcourt.co.uk)

E VENT SLondoners love a special occasion, so here’s a list of festivals and events to get you kicking up your heels like a local.January: Burns Night in LondonFebruary: London Fashion Week

T H E KNOW-HOW

March: The Headof the RiverApril: Sundance LondonMay: ChelseaFlower ShowJune: City of

London FestivalJuly: BBC PromsAugust: NottingHill CarnivalSeptember: Great River RaceOctober: FriezeArt FairNovember: The Lord Mayor’s Show December: NewYear’s EveChelsea Flower Show

Carmen & Natasha

11

SINGAPORECarmen Taubman and Natasha Kiroyan write one of Singapore’s favourite blogs.

The MRT (smrt.com.sg) – the rail network that runs from 6am to midnight – and taxis are both cheap and clean, and a convenient

way to get around Singapore.Your Singapore (yoursingapore.com) is the country’s official tourism website. Also, see food blog (ieatishootipost.sg).

T H E KNOW-HOW

to boutiques, cafes, restaurants and bars. Fareast Plaza One of the oldest malls near Orchard Road features stores that have Korean and Singapore designers.Scotts Square A new mall in Singapore with upmarket brands such as Michael Kors.VivoCity One of the largest malls in Singapore – and the place if you want to stay indoors – with brands like Zara, Mango, Topshop and Charles & Keith.

Orchard Road Mandarin Gallery and Orchard Central contain boutique stores where you can find unique items.For more hints on Singapore shopping visit the blog (carmenandnatasha.wordpress.com).

We asked the dynamic duo to share the secrets on shopping like a local in Singapore, and they came up with eight divine destinations to indulge in a dose of retail therapy.

S H O PTiong Bahru Great vintage finds and the place for local designers with nana & bird, Flea & Trees and Bhutan Shop.Haji Lane This lane has a unique feel – thanks to colourful shops and graffiti – and the stores we love are Zhai, Soon Lee and Wonderland.Arab Street The place for textiles, ribbons and buttons.Ann Siang Hill Club Street has cute and colourful shops which have been converted

AD

AD AD

S E EThe High Line, a park along an abandoned stretch of elevated railroad track, offers a unique perspective on the city by following the historic freight track above the streets of Manhattan’s West Side with cafes and restaurants setting up in the green space during the warmer

months. Admission free, thehighline.org

The New York Philharmonic’s Open Rehearsals – these practice sessions happen mostly in the mornings, starting at 9.45am and wrapping up around 12.30pm – provide the opportunity to watch the ensemble at work and see how a piece

of music is shaped by the conductor and musicians before a performance.Rehearsal tickets $18, nyphil.org

The Book of Mormon is a subversive and hilarious musical satire written by the team behind South Park. The show, which tells the tale of two naive Mormons

on a mission, has nine Tony Awards and is playing at Broadway’s Eugene O’Neill Theatre with tickets selling through March 2014. Tickets from $69, bookofmormonbroadway.com

E ATBurger Joint hides behind a curtain in the lobby of the Le Parker Meridien hotel and inside the walls are graffitied, there are retro booths to laze in, Sam Adams is on tap, milkshakes are served after 1.30pm, and the hamburgers are cooked fresh with all the quintessential American additions. Hamburgers from $7.50, parkermeridien.com

Amy Ruth’s, a stone’s throw from the northern edge of Central Park on 116th Street in Harlem, serves classic Southern soul food in the Big Apple with old favourites like fried catfish and mac and cheese on the menu as well as waffles dished up 13

different ways. Waffles from $7.95, amyruthsharlem.com

Sublime vegetarian and gluten-free Korean food is the big drawcard at HanGawi – find the place on 32nd Street between Fifth and Madison Avenue – and some of the show-stopping dishes on the menu at this peaceful and elegant

space are the leek pancakes and tofu in ginger sauce.Mains from $16, hangawirestaurant.com

DR I N KBuy a beer at Williamsburg’s Alligator Lounge and get a whole free pizza, with this deal drawing a mixed crowd – from ``penny-pinching hipsters to NYU kids’’ – especially at happy hour. The venue sits inside one of Brooklyn’s old pizza joints, with the interior best described as cheesy and kitsch.Beers from $3, alligatorloungebrooklyn.com

Amy Ruth’s

Burger Joint

14 15

NEWYORKCITYThe city that never sleeps has something going on at every moment. Discover quality food carts and Prohibition-style speakeasies, world-class performances and high-rise views.

for underground in New York you can’t go past Grast, with this streetwise urban outfitter setting up shop inside a Port Authority subway station between 41st and 42nd streets in Midtown Manhattan. Buy silk-screened t-shirts and hoodies as well as a toys

16 17

– own Greenwich Letterpress which is a West Village stationery emporium. The cards, note paper, gift tags, notebooks and wrapping paper are designed in-house and printed on an old-style Gutenberg press. Wrapping paper from $3. greenwichletterpress.comIf you’re looking

Tiffany & Co

Greenwich letterpress

The Campbell Apartment, in a quiet corner of the Grand Central terminal, was once the luxurious office of 1920s railroad magnate John W Campbell. No expense has been spared in the restoration with customers able to marvel at ornate architectural details while lingering over a quiet cocktail. Beers from $5.50, hospitalityholdings.com

Little Branch lurks behind a brown door, making it feel like a throwback to the days of Prohibition, and inside a battered stand-up piano and bartenders wearing suspenders add to the atmosphere. You don’t need a menu, just name your favourite flavour and staff will mix something fabulous and vintage. Cocktails from $12, 20 Seventh Ave

S H O P

Sisters Amy Swanson and Beth Salvini – from a family that’s been in the printing business for three generations

and accessories. T-shirts from $20. grastny.com

The Tiffany & Co store on the corner of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue is as much a New York icon as the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, and there’s something thrilling about walking out of the famous showroom with a little trinket wrapped in a white ribbon. Silver charms from $100. tiffany.com

New York’s public transport network (mta.info) – the subway, above-ground trains and buses – is the best way to get around the Big Apple with SingleRide Tickets costing $2.75 from vending machines and a seven-day Unlimited Passsetting you back $30.

The classic resources are sometimes the best with The New York Times’ arts and entertainment guide (nytimes.com/events) a comprehensive resource, and the NYCGo’s official tourism site (nycgo.com) a introduction to the city’s highlights and attractions.

The Skint blog (theskint.com) lists city events that are

either free or easy on the wallet, Brian Hoffman’s food blog (eatthisny.com) features fascinating food discoveries all over New York with an emphasis on the best local specialities, and Immaculate Infatuation (immaculateinfatuation.com) offers unpretentious before-the-gig options.

T H E KNOW-HOW

Tokyo Metro (tokyometro.jp/en) and Toei Subway (www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/eng) combine to operate 13 subway lines around Tokyo, making it the best way to get around the Japanese capital; regular tickets cost from

¥160 at vending machines.

Go Tokyo (gotokyo.org/en) is the official Tokyo travel guide while Time Out Tokyo (timeout.com/tokyo) has so much up-to-date information on where to eat, drink, play and shop like a local you won’t know where to start.

T H E KNOW-HOWhigh-speed chutes. From ¥105, 2-29-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya

Takano has been one of Tokyo’s favourite ramen restaurants for 15 years, and if you’re overwhelmed by the menu order the chuka soba. From ¥680, 2-15-10 Nakanobu, Shinagawa

Peter, an elegant grill restaurant and bar on the 24th floor of

The Peninsula Tokyo, boasts 180-degree views over the Imperial Palace Gardens and Hibiya Park. A la carte items from ¥2300, peninsula.com

DRINKPopeye should be the first stop in Tokyo for

every beer lover, with the majority of the 70 beers on the menu brewed in Japan. Beer cocktails ¥650, 40beersontap.com

Shibuya’s Ahiru Store is a favourite with locals, so expect to queue for a table, with a rotating

19

TOKYOExpect to experience a healthy dose of culture shock when you visit Tokyo, a thriving metropolis that boasts a vending machine for almost every person.

Uobei

S E EMeiji Jingu, a Shinto shrine built in 1920, is a favourite wedding venue for local couples, making it the ideal spot to spy a traditional Japanese wedding. Free, meijijingu.or.jp/english

The Edo-Tokyo Museum is home to

a vast collection of exhibits and displays telling the story of the Japanese capital. Adults ¥600, edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/english

Chi, The Spa is a serene space on the 29th floor of the Shangri-La Tokyo with indulgent treatments inspired by Japanese and

Chinese approaches to health and wellbeing. Signature therapies, from ¥25,000, shangri-la.com/tokyo

E ATUobei is a tech-savvy cafe in Shibuya where diners order sushi using multi-language tablets and have the food delivered via

roster of wine and imaginative bistro food. Wine by the glass from ¥800, 1-19-4 Tomigaya, Shibuya

Listen to jazz and enjoy the view while lingering over a cocktail or two at New York Bar, a chic venue on the 52nd floor of the Park Hyatt Tokyo. Cocktails from ¥1800, tokyo.park.hyatt.com

New York Bar Park Hyatt

AD

21

So here are a few things to help make travelling a little easier.l Settle on a budget by deciding how much you will spend on eating, sleeping and shopping every day of the tripl Talk to your phone company about using a mobile overseasl Apply for a passport well in advance, and check on visasl Visit a travel doctor to get vaccinations and a first-aid kit with additional medicationl Register your details at smartraveller.gov.aul Tell your bank where you’re travelling, to prevent cards being suspended for

suspected fraudulent activityl Check cards won’t expire while you’re away and register for online bankingl Talk to your bank about the best way to carry foreign currency safely overseasl Photocopy travel documents – passports, e-tickets, travel insurance – to leave with family and keep an extra copy separate to your original documents l Leave an itinerary with family and make a plan for keeping in touchl Research local customs and make sure you pack suitable clothing

THERE’S NOTHING L IKE TAKING A TRIP AND

HAVING ADVENTURES.Whether you’re travelling for the first time, haven’t been away for a while or you’re a seasoned traveller, there’s always a list of things to consider before you head off.

Important Information about the NAB Traveller Card:Load fees and limits apply. Subject to restricted countries. Please consider the Product Disclosure Statement, Terms and Conditions or other disclosure documents, available from NAB before making any decisions regarding this product. NAB is the product issuer.

® MasterCard and the MasterCard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated. © 2013 National Australia Bank Limited ABN 12 004 044 937 AFSL and Australian Credit Licence 230686

AD

22

AD