Stockholm

This Month in Stockholm:

Shopping: Lagerhaus (31-37 Drottninggatan, Norrmalm) is a virtual candy store for home styling. Most offerings are cute, colourful and inexpensive. How about a pink cutting board, a heart-shaped tea-strainer or a dish-rag decorated with the Swedish King to brighten the home?

Key areas: Långholmen is an idyllic green island sprinkled with beaches. This wasn't always the case. Up until 1974, the island was actually Stockholm's own Alcatraz. The former prison is now a hostel and a museum.

Stockholm News & Gossip

The Next Big Thing

Cycle like the pros

Ever fancied emulating the Tour de France? A growing number of cyclists are doing just that. Cycle touring has been big news for a while, but the latest trend is seeing enthusiasts head to the continent for a taste of the real thing. The Étape du Tour is the equivalent of two stages of the professional race and it's fast taken off as a holiday for the two-wheeled fan - there are now 8,000 entrants a year. If you're only new to the sport, I'd recommend gorgeous but less challenging climbs in the Black Forest in Germany, and the stunning rides south of Turin and around Tuscany in Italy. Daniel Friebe

Push the Eastern boundaries

As travellers feel the pinch, destinations outside the eurozone will see even more visitors, with the likes of Estonia, Bulgaria, Romania and Jordan on the up. You could also try a new European Capital of Culture for 2012, Maribor in Slovenia. It's offering a year-long programme of visual and performance arts, and cultural events - coupled with cheap accommodation and a non-euro currency. It also has a nearby ski resort and its own local wine. Michael Fleetwood

Mini-moons

Long-haul is just so passé. It's becoming increasingly popular for newlyweds to take a "mini-moon" in Europe for a few days after the wedding, followed by a longer, traditional honeymoon some time later. Sophisticated, hip hotspots, such as Santorini in Greece; Hvar in Croatia and Lake Bled in the Slovenian Alps are the go-to places. If you're looking for a treat, try Vila Bled, with its views over Lake Bled to the little island and 11th- century fairy-tale castle. Tom Marchant

Sleep easier

For some time, hotels have been providing white-noise machines, which block out other noises to help you sleep. But this year travellers should be on the look-out for even more sophisticated ways to get your zzzs. The Hotel Gabriel Paris Marais, for example, uses NightCove, which emits soft sounds and melatonin-producing light, designed to soothe the senses. Meanwhile, Crowne Plaza Hotels are trialling "snore- absorption rooms", with headboards designed to soak up noise, anti-snore pillows and wedges to prevent snorers from lying on their backs. Juliet Kinsman

The beach to be seen at

The Çesme Peninsula has some of Turkey's most beautiful beaches and is the place where well-heeled Turks holiday. Now, with additional flights to nearby Izmir, the jet-set are cottoning on to the appeal of this area at the westernmost tip of the country, which has its share of spas and luxury hotels. Parts of the new James Bond film have been set here too. Michael Fleetwood

Sky gazing

If you've ever wanted to see the northern lights, now's the time, as they're currently the brightest they've been for 50 years. For a great place to see them, Luleå is a little-known winter wonderland on the northern coast of Swedish Lapland. Outside the town, the vast Narnia-esque vistas are shared only with reindeer, and the stunning regional fare and exhilarating adventures on ice make this spot an exciting and lesser- visited part of Sweden. Tom Marchant

Hotels with added personality

Tired of identikit hotels? The growing number of biographical hotels - themed around a person - could be the tonic. La Belle Juliette in Paris, for example, is dedicated to Juliette Récamier, a famous 18th-century French beauty, with floors inspired by her friends and favourite destinations. Similarly, Villa Gallici, in the south of France, is filled with aristocratic portraits of Madame Gallici, the wife of the original owner. Juliet Kinsman

Finding the new...

This year will be all about finding under-the-radar alternatives to the usual destinations. Instead of staying in trulli, the quirky conical dwellings of Puglia, try one of the Sassi cave houses in the sun-drenched city of Matera in Basilicata (pictured). Or skip tasting tours in Tuscany's tourist-besieged Chiantishire for red wines in Umbria's Montefalco, which is just as appealing, especially in August, when the town hosts its annual festival. Be sure to take home a bottle of Sagrantino.

For lazy, blue-sky Greek summer holidays, sidestep the usual island circuit in favour of a spell on the Peloponnese Peninsula. Easily accessible from Athens, it's the beautiful sun-and-sea resplendent cradle of Ancient Greece. Juliet Kinsman

State-of-the-art Glasgow

For an arty break in 2012, Scotland's second city is full of surprises. There are a growing number of galleries, from the ever-popular Kelvingrove Museum, the most-visited UK museum outside London, to the fascinating Burrell Collection and the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art, opened in 1996 and the second-most visited contemporary art gallery in the UK. But it's as much about the small, independent galleries and the Glasgow School of Art, which have helped to create a thriving local scene. You can see Glasgow's young guns for yourself alongside top artists from around the world at the truly fabulous International Festival of Visual Art (the next one is from 20 April- 7 May), which takes place across the city. Natalie de la Bruni

No-nonsense spas

The big trend for spas in 2012, especially in Europe, is a move away from being simply luxurious "me treats". At Budapest's Margaret Island spas (pictured), the natural waters have documented healing properties, so you can address everything from arthritis to respiratory problems. For most though, a visit here is a relaxing social experience - thousands of people come every day and you'll find them playing chess or sunning themselves on the terrace as well as bathing. Even some of the more upmarket spas in UK are doing "tough" treatments - Champneys, for example, offers the kind of cryotherapy that top sports teams use. For something completely different, Chodovar, in the Czech Republic allows visitors to bathe in beer, which is meant to benefit your hair, complexion and immune system, relieve muscle tension and warm up joints. Who says alcohol can't be healthy? Sarah Camilleri

Brighten up the slopes

Here's a girl's fashion pick for 2012 on the slopes: look out for bright, block colours on outerwear, ditsy floral prints, Christmas-jumper chic, zebra prints, varsity jackets and earthy tones. Cat graphics on snowboards are pretty popular, too. And for new places to go, try La Thuile in Italy. It's a stylish but affordable small town, with a massive ski area connected to La Rosière in France - part of the 160km of slopes that make up the Espace San Bernardo. With high-altitude pistes, two glaciers and plenty of heliskiing options, all its well-dressed skiers have the perfect environment to show off this season's looks. Sam Haddad

Gourmet Galicia

Galicia in Spain is our pick for a quick gourmet hit this year. While France pulls in the crowds and the nearby Basque region steals the foodie headlines, the north-west area, centred around its capital Santiago de Compostela, is where gourmands-in- the-know should head. The oh-so-fresh seafood and local delicacy percebes (goose-neck barnacles), plucked off the rugged coastline by hardy fishermen, are a big draw. However, Galicia is as much a feast for the eyes as the belly: check out the historical town of Noia for Galician culture and beaches the locals try to keep secret. Tom Marchant

The chef to watch

Scandinavian cuisine is as hot as it gets right now and Björn Frantzén, of Frantzén/Lindeberg in Stockholm, is right at the forefront of this movement. His restaurant was named the "One To Watch" at the 2011 San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants awards, organised by Restaurant magazine, and is hotly tipped to enter the list in earnest in 2012, an extraordinary achievement considering it's only been open a few years. Frantzén himself is quiet and low-key, but extremely self-confident - he uses interesting locally sourced ingredients (elk, bark flour, capercaillie grouse), but not to the point of obsession. His food is original, exciting and full of great flavours: he serves a dish topped with grated, dried elk penis - er, yum? William Drew

Ice climbing goes up

Adrenalin junkies will be picking up their ice axes and putting on crampons this winter to indulge in the latest hot extreme sport. Ice climbing is growing in popularity among rock climbers, with more and more competitive climbers and a thriving scene. The sleepy village of Kandersteg in the Swiss Alps is at the centre of it, offering some of the best climbs in Europe, as well as its annual ice-climbing festival (6-8 January). But you don't have to be an elite climber to enjoy Kandersteg - the ice festival has workshops and classes for total beginners, and there are climbs in the area to suit all levels. Gareth Henson

The new organic

Biodynamic farming takes organic methods to the next level and wines produced with these techniques are becoming increasingly popular. Made using the lunar cycle to dictate when to plant and harvest, these wines are said to be clearer and more vibrant. There are now more than 450 biodynamic producers around the world, including many top French estates. The trend is being led by the likes of wine supplier

Les Caves de Pyrène, which is involved with acclaimed London restaurants Terroirs, Brawn and Soif. It also plays a major role in the wine list at Galvin La Chapelle and The Fat Duck, among others. William Drew

MEET OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS

The insiders who've shared their predictions with us are...

SARAH CAMILLERI Publisher of European Spa magazine, the bi-monthly industry bible. europeanspamagazine.com

NATALIE DE LA BRUNI Resident art travel specialist at Arts & Travel, a boutique travel agency specialising in art trips. artsandtravel.com

WILLIAM DREW Editor of Restaurant magazine, an award-winning publication for the restaurant trade. bighospitality.co.uk

MICHAEL FLEETWOOD European product manager at luxury and tailor-made travel agents Cox & Kings. coxandkings.co.uk

DANIEL FRIEBE Cycling journalist and author of Mountain High: Europe's 50 Greatest Cycle Climbs, with photographer Pete Goding.

SAM HADDAD Editor of Cooler, a magazine for sporty girls, covering all things bike, surf, skate and snow. cooler.mpora.com

GARETH HENSON Editor of Rock Climbing UK, a website written for and by super-enthusiasts. rockclimbinguk.co.uk

JULIET KINSMAN Travel writer and editor-in-chief of the boutique hotel specialist Mr & Mrs Smith. mrandmrssmith.com

TOM MARCHANT Co-founder of Black Tomato, an award-winning, tailor-made, boutique travel agency. blacktomato.co.uk

Stockholm Trivia

• May: The only retail store in Sweden allowed to sell beverages containing more than 3.5 per cent alcohol is the government-run chain Systembolaget. You need to be 20 years old to shop there, but only 18 to drink in a bar.

• April: On 5 April is Skärstorsdag (Maundy Thursday), when children dress up as witches and go from house to house with a kettle and a broom, looking for sweets. It's a tradition predating Christianity, and according to folklore, the day when witches flew off on broomsticks to dance with Satan at a place called Blåkulla.

• March: Don't buy that dress, borrow it! Stockholm has a lending library for designer threads - check out their website (lanegarderoben.se).

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