BA - The Club - Walk this way

Marrakech

Where to start: The labyrinthine and dusty streets of Marrakech’s medina are best seen without a map. Wander past shops, stalls, leather tanners, wood carvers and mosques, and you’ll eventually end up in the bustling Djemaa El-Fna Square.

Escape the crowds: From Djemaa El-Fna, head north-east past the popular Café des Epices and beyond the Museum de Marrakech to Dar Bellarj, a former animal hospital turned gallery, where you can browse local artisan exhibitions in peace.

Prague

Where to start: Head to the lanes of the Jewish Quarter and the Old Town of Prague to admire Bohemian architecture before crossing the Charles Bridge to the city’s famed castle.

Escape the crowds: A 40-minute walk from the main Town Square is the lesser-known Jiřího z Poděbrad Square, where a local farmer’s market is held on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Photo: Alamy

Hoi An

Where to start: Cross the popular Japanese Covered Bridge in this Vietnamese UNESCO-protected town and amble around the narrow lanes lined with food stalls (selling local cao lau noodles), crumbling colonial houses and the city’s famous tailors.

Escape the crowds: Leave the old town and follow the main road down to Cua Dai beach. Between the two popular spots sits Son Hoian, a riverside restaurant which is a serene spot for watching the sunset with a plate of crab wontons.

Photo: Corbis

Boston

Where to start: Follow the history of the American Revolution through the centre of Boston around Liberty Square, Boston Common and Beacon Hill.

Escape the crowds: Across Longfellow Bridge in Kendall Square, there’s a secret rooftop garden – with shrubbery, miniature trees and picnic benches – six storeys above the hubbub. Enter the Cambridge Center garage from Broadway and take the lift to the top for a killer view of Boston’s skyline.

Venice

Where to start: With 60,000 tourists pouring into Venice every day, it’s best to visit hotspots like St Mark’s Square early in the morning, before meandering through the quieter pathways, back-street canals and squares lined with cafés.

Escape the crowds: Follow the route on the southern edge of the island towards the low-key Castello neighbourhood. Along Fondamenta Sant’anna is the Gervasuti Foundation, a contemporary art space that specifies “Real Travelers and Indigenous Native Venetians Only” above the door.

Photo: Getty Images

Cambridge

Where to start: Most people visiting this cobbled-street town head to the popular King’s College for a tour, but the lesser-known Clare College, which is home to a botanical garden, is worth a gander.

Escape the crowds: Punting on the River Cam is a Cambridge institution, but instead of taking the well-trodden route from Queen’s College to Magdalene College, why not take the longer top river course to Grantchester Meadows? The leafy green banks inspired the Pink Floyd song of the same name.

Photo: Alamy

Walk this way

Marrakech

Prague

Hoi An

Boston

Venice

Cambridge

Marrakech

Prague

Hoi An

Boston

Venice

Cambridge

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