Sunday, March 31, 2013

Asia Travel Blog

Asia Travel Blog


Jetstar Asia Boosts Singapore Perth Flights

Posted: 30 Mar 2013 07:24 PM PDT

Jetstar Asia Boosts Singapore Perth Flights

CNNGo.com

CNNGo.com


7 of the world's most beautiful libraries

Posted: 30 Mar 2013 11:50 AM PDT

How cool can libraries be in an era of iPads and Kindles? 

More than you think, if you know where to go.

1. Central Library: Seattle, Washington, United States

Which floor to choose? The Central Library in Seattle is sleek, modern and sophisticated and has tourists from around the world paying visits and taking tours. Yes, actual tours. 

In its first year, more than 2 million tourists visited the library, which was designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and American designer Joshua Ramus. Tours began in 2006, two years after its opening. 

The library was voted onto the American Institute of Architects 150 favorite structures in the United States. Nevertheless it has received mixed reviews over the years.

Whatever the verdict, the building is an impressive work of art: shiny, abstract and unusual. 

The library holds various art exhibitions, book signings and other events throughout the year, while visitors can stop by the Chocolati cart for a coffee and browse through the gift shop anytime. 

The library offers free self-guided cell phone tours, along with group tours. 

Click here for more information. For more things to do at the library, check out its "10 things to do" list

1000 Fourth Ave., Seattle, WA 98104 ; +1 206 386 4636; open Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday noon-6 p.m.; www.spl.org 

2. Trinity College Library: Dublin, Ireland

Trinity Library, DUblinOld, yes. Boring, no. The Trinity College Library in Dublin is the oldest library in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. 

Not only is the exterior impressive, it boasts the largest single chamber library in the world, also known as the Long Room, which contains more than 200,000 of the library's oldest books. 

One of the most famous manuscripts is "The Book of Kells: Turning Darkness into Light," which contains the four Gospels in Latin based on a Vulgate text, written on vellum. The manuscript itself attracts more than 500,000 visitors a year. 

The Long Room houses one of the oldest harps in Ireland. Dating to the 15th century, the oak harp is the model for the emblem of Ireland. 

Queen Elizabeth II visited the library last year, the first monarch to do so since 1911. 

College Green, Dublin 2; +353 01 896 1000; Various exhibitions and tours are available; admission €9 (US$12); open Monday-Wednesday 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Sunday closed; www.tcd.ie/library 

3. Geisel Library, University of California: San Diego, United States

Throwing some literature into "Inception." Named after Theodor Geisel, widely known as Dr. Seuss, UC San Diego's Geisel Library is one of the most modern library buildings in the world. 

At first glance, it looks like a spaceship.

Architect William Pereira, who helped design actual space launch facilities at Cape Canaveral in Houston, Texas, designed the library in 1970. It has been featured in sci-fi films, short stories and novels.

If you need a hint of which film, think of Leonardo DeCaprio, dreams and a lot of snow.

Yes, the snow fortress in the film "Inception" looks a lot like the Geisel Library. 

But of course, it's not just the exterior that's interesting. The library also hosts "Dinner in the Library," which invites readers for cocktails, a silent auction and also a special speech from prominent authors. 

9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States; +1 858 534 3583; open Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday noon-8 p.m.; www.libraries.ucsd.edu

4. TU Delft Library: The Netherlands

Where the Teletubbies may come to roam and read. The library at the Delft University of Technology was constructed in 1997 and has more than 862,000 books, 16,000 magazine subscriptions and its own museum. But it will only take a glance to be mesmerized, as it is a sight to remember. 

The building itself exists beneath the ground, so you can't really see the actual library. What makes it interesting is the roof, which is a grassy hill.

A huge cone pierces the grass roof, which symbolizes technology. This "gives (more) shape to the introverted reading rooms," according to the library. 

The roof covers 5,500 square meters. Construction of the roof posed several difficulties in terms of maintenence and leakage, but it has become one of the most striking and greenest (both literally and environmentally) structures in the area. 

Quick tip before you lie down on the grass: beware the sprinklers.

Prometheusplein 1, 2628, ZC Delft, The Netherlands; +31 15 27 85678; open daily 8 a.m.-midnight.; www.library.tudelft.nl

5. Bibliotheca Alexandrina: Alexandria, Egypt

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is the revival of the ancient Royal Library of Alexandria, which was the largest and most influential library in the Greek world. It was built by Alexander the Great some 2,300 years ago. 

The new library was reborn in 2002 on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea after 10 years of designing, planning and construction.

The library was designed by SNOHETTA, winners of an international competition organized by the International Union of Architects, UNESCO and the government of Egypt. 

Along with the standard libraries with books, there are four museums covering antiquities, manuscripts and science, and also 15 permanent exhibitions, including "Impressions of Alexandria," "Arabic Calligraphy" and "The History of Printing."

With its circular yet tilting form, the library looks like a modern painting. Various carvings and alphabetic inscriptions decorate the flatter side of the building, which the designers explain is "a careful display of the library's basic proviso: language."

El Shatby, Al-Iskandariyya, Egypt; +20 3 483 9999; open Saturday-Thursday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; www.bibalex.org

 

6. Stuttgart City Library: Stuttgart, Germany 

Try not to get your fingerprints on the white walls. The Stuttgart City Library is controversial. Some say it's innovative, while others say it doesn't match its environment. 

Nevertheless, the library is one of the most interesting buildings in the area, along with the Porsche Museum nearby. 

Designed by Korean-born, Germany-based architect Yi Eun-young, the design of the cubic facility was influenced by the ancient Pantheon in Rome. It features a linear-shaped "heart," which serves as a multi-story meeting space that draws natural sunlight through the roof. 

The space throws various events, including book signings, readings and exhibitions. 

The white and silver library may not fit perfectly with the green trees and red-roofed houses around the city, but it does stand out. 

Mailaender Platz 1, 70173, Stuttgart, Germany; +49 0711 216 91100; open Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; www.xbibliothek.stuttgart.de

7. Bishan Public Library, Singapore

Your modernized tree house. Located in the heart of Bishan, the award-winning Bishan Community Library spans 4,000 square meters. 

Simple and sophisticated, it was designed to look like a tree house.

The colorful pods that stick out of one side of the building represent books protruding from a bookshelf. Inside the library, these pods offer private spaces for reading. Not to mention a perfect place to hold seminars, readings and workshops. 

Its ceiling-high glass windows also make it fun to watch people walking and reading from inside the building. 

5 Bishan Place, #01-01, Singapore 579841; +65 6332 3255; open daily 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; www.pl.sg

Do you know a cool library you'd like to share? Let us know in the comments below.

First published September 2012, updated March 2013

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Asia Travel Blog

Asia Travel Blog


Low Cost Singapore, Seoul Flights; Scoot to Launch First and Only

Posted: 29 Mar 2013 07:03 PM PDT

Low Cost Singapore, Seoul Flights; Scoot to Launch First and Only

CNNGo.com

CNNGo.com


Naples food guide: Where to find the best local dishes

Posted: 29 Mar 2013 11:01 PM PDT

We know – the only place to eat Neapolitan food is at your Neapolitan mother's house.

But let's say you don't have a Neapolitan mother.

Let's say you have no Neapolitan relatives and no Neapolitan friends. Let's say you're just a hungry stranger in a strange land and you want the next best thing to m'm'te's home cooking. 

Try this roundup of Naples places to eat Neapolitan food a local mom would approve.

Pizza

What? You didn't know pizza was invented in Naples? Here's a crash course.

Arabic-inspired flatbreads had long been made in Naples, but chefs at Pizzeria Brandi felt that Queen Margherita's visit in 1889 called for something special: pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella di bufala and basil.

When the royal court expressed enthusiastic approval of the new pizza recipe, it became thereafter known as pizza margherita.

Many Italians judge a pizzeria based on its pizza margherita, but if you want something different, there's the classic pizza alla napoletana, with anchovies, olives, pickles, capers and oregano.

Other Neapolitan pizzeria dishes include the ever-popular calzoni and panzerotti: deep-fried mozzarella pockets. 

Wood fire pizza ovenThe birthplace of pizza margherita calls for a slice with cheesy tomatoes on stone-oven baked crust. L'Antica Pizzeria Brandi

Feeding Neapolitans since 1780, Pizzeria Brandi is the birthplace of pizza margherita.

In other words, your first obligatory stop.

Salita Sant'Anna di Palazzo, 1-2; +39 08 1416 928; www.brandi.it

Di Matteo

Beloved by locals for its reasonable prices, great pizzas and delicious fried antipasti.

Via dei Tribunali, 94; +39 08 2455 262

Antica Pizzeria I Decumani

Small, surprisingly inexpensive and excellent. More than 40 kinds of pizza.

Via Tribunali 58, 60, 61; +39 08 1557 1309

Da Michele

Made famous -- and insufferably touristed, according to locals -- by its cameo in "Eat Pray Love." Crowd favorite: pizza margherita with double cheese.

Via Cesare Sersale 1; +39 08 1553 9204; www.damichele.net/

Pasta

Classic Neapolitan pasta dishes include seafood -- spaghetti alle vongole and risotto alla pescatora are typical.

Other famous local pasta recipes include pasta e patate (pasta and potato soup), timballo (pasta pie), gnocchi alla sorrentina (potato dumplings baked in tomato sauce and mozzarella) and pasta e fagioli.

Pastae fagioli (pasta and bean soup) is a classic dish found in mamma's kitchen throughout the boot, but the Neapolitan version -- called pasta fazool -- is made with hot pepper and crushed mixed pasta.

A variant of spaghetti alla puttanesca -- "whore-style spaghetti" -- is also found in Naples. The Neapolitan version calls for tomatoes, garlic, parsley, hot pepper, capers and olives. Debate persists about where this seemingly innocent pasta dish got its scandalous name.

Inside Cantina del GalloIntimate and homey, a meal at Cantina Del Gallo is like sitting down for a family dinner. La Cantina del Gallo

Renowned for pizza, La Cantina del Gallo -- an institution in the Rione Sanità district since 1898 -- is a place to find home-style Neapolitan pastas.

Via Alessandro Telesino, 21; +39 08 1544 1521; www.cantinadelgallo.com

Trattoria Nennella

A Spanish quarter gem, Trattoria Nennella serves no-frills, basic Neapolitan food with bowls of fruit for dessert. Pasta dishes get top billing.

Via Lungo Teatro Nuovo, 103; +39 08 1414 338

Trattoria da Vittorio

Locals swear eating at this small, super traditional Neapolitan trattoria is just like eating at home. Specialties include meatballs, pasta e fagioli and fried cod.

Via Diocleziano, 67; +39 08 1762 6129

Exterior Umberto RistoranteBring an empty stomach to this family restaurant. Umberto Ristorante

Friendly atmosphere, professional service and strict attention to quality. Recommended: Nonna Ermelinda's meatballs, the Neapolitan-style codfish, risotto alla pescatora and zuppa di pesce (fresh fish stew).

Via Alabardieri, 30/31; +39 08 1418 555; www.umberto.it


Pastries
 

Italians from any region will tell you, there's nothing in the world like Neapolitan pastry.

The pastries most synonymous with Naples are the intricate shell-shaped sfogliatelle -- made of dozens of layers of delicate pastry -- and the rum-soaked babà, a Neapolitan twist on the German cake known as kugelhupf.

Pastry-lovers should head immediately to the Galleria Umberto, home to two of Naples's most revered pastry shops.

La Sfogliatella Mary

Contender Number One in the Galleria Umberto battle: Mary's sfogliatelle is phenomenal. The lemon babà is also a treat.

Via Toledo, 66; +39 08 1402 218

Pasticceria Pintauro

Enter Contender Number Two. Not technically inside Galleria Umberto, Pintauro is mere heartbeats away. Heartbeats of ricotta and rum. Baking pastries since 1785.

Via Toledo, 275; +39 08 1417 339; www.pintauro.it

Scaturchio pastryIt's all good at Scaturchio. Scaturchio

Lovely pastry shop with table service and gelato.

Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, 19; +39 08 1551 7031; www.scaturchio.it

Moccia

Famed not only for its pastries, but for its excellent mini-pizzas.

Via San Pasquale a Chiaia, 21-22; +39 08 1411 348

Antico Forno delle Sfogliatelle Calde

As the bakery's name would suggest, sfogliatelle is the thing to eat here; especially hot out of the oven.

Vico Ferrovia 1/2/3/4; +39 08 1285 675; www.sfogliatelleattanasio.it

Gran Caffe Gambrinus

Whatever you try, the perfect end to any Neapolitan meal is a thimbleful of Limoncello or cup of Neapolitan coffee.

Gambrinus is a beautiful coffee shop that attracts an artsy clientele. Highly recommended: caffè alla nocciola.

Via Chiaia, 1-2; +39 08 1417 582; www.caffegambrinus.com

Meet the men who are crucified on Good Friday

Posted: 29 Mar 2013 03:00 PM PDT

Philippines man cricified

On Good Friday in the Philippines, men will whip their backs until they're bloody and allow themselves to be crucified.

It's a decades-old practice that takes place predominantly in Pampanga province by devout Catholics as a penance or to give thanks to God.

I went there to meet the people who take part in this intense experience.


Rolando Ocampo, 56, has been crucified every year since 1990 as a sign of his gratitude to God. He says God miraculously saved his wife from a difficult child birth in that year.

crown of thorns, philippines holy week

Ocampo prepares for his crucifixion for days in advance. He spends time alone and engages in deep meditation before the day on which he will share in Christ's suffering.

Philippines holy week crucifixions

The event is a busy and chaotic affair. In the heat, smells of dust, sweat and blood mix uncomfortably. It all ends at 3 p.m., the time Jesus Christ is believed to have died on the cross.

philippines holy week, carrying cross


Ruben Enage, 53, has been crucified 24 times since he survived a near-fatal fall from a three-story advertising billboard in 1986. Here, he rests after falling during the annual Cenaculo on the passion of Jesus Christ.

man nailed to cross philippines


Though nails are sanitized and medical personnel are on hand to tend to the participants after their ordeal, there are concerns about the risk of infection.

Nevertheless, dozens of men and some women take part in this annual event.

man crucified in philippines

Participants often pray during their ordeal, which they say helps them overcome the pain. After a few minutes, they're lowered again and given medical treatment.

feet nailed to cross, holy week, philippines


The wounds can take two weeks to heal, but the penitents consider the suffering a small price to give thanks to God.

self-whipping in holy week philippines


Many also flagellate themselves while walking barefoot on baking hot roads in processions lasting hours, in another demonstration of connection to Jesus Christ.

holy week, philippines, crucifixion


After several hours of whipping his own back, and now bloodied and scarred, a man stops to pray.

Some have described the act of self-flagellation and crucifixion as crazy. But I learned that local beliefs are strongly anchored in personal relationships with God. No amount of persuasion can break the resolve.

Ocampo says that after his crucifixion, "Life goes on."

Getting there

From Ninoy Aquino International Airport, head to the Araneta-Cubao bus terminal in Quezon City. Take any bus heading to San Fernando-Dau junction (PHP 100 per person (US$2.30).

San Fernando City, Pampanga is 75 kilometers north of the capital Manila through the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). At the San Fernando junction, take a jeepney to the poblacion (PHP 8 (US$0.20), then take a pedicab or foot-pedaled tricycle to San Pedro Cutud.

Drivers will haggle for a fare, but one should not pay more than PHP20 (US$0.47) per person.

Story originally published April 2011. Updated April 5, 2012 and again March 2013.

World's most luxurious trip? Round-the-world on a private Boeing 757

Posted: 28 Mar 2013 04:20 AM PDT

Partnering with private jet travel operator TCS & Starquest expedition, luxury hotel brand Four Seasons will swaddle travelers in ultra-luxury with a pair of enviable tours in 2014.

Two groups of 56 travelers, paying at least US$62,950 each, will embark on one of two private jet tours –- Rediscover the Americas and Around the World –- together with a private chef, physician, dedicated air crew, expedition managers and luggage handlers.

It's another world onboard.

Normally seating more than 200 passengers, the trip's Boeing 757 has been revamped for 56 passengers in a two-by-two plush seating arrangement. Global WiFi and a Four Seasons concierge desk will be available in-flight.

The Rediscover the Americas tour includes seven destinations in the Americas geared toward beach and nature lovers.

Itinerary activities include catamaran sailing to a protected beach in Nevis, visiting high-end shops with fashion designers and viewing the private art collection at Fortabat in Buenos Aires before it opens to the public.

The Around the World tour repeats similar tours offered in 2012 and 2013.

No overnight flights mean tour members will stay at Four Seasons resorts like this one in Bora Bora.

The cultural journey takes off from Los Angeles for eight destinations (mostly in Asia Pacific) before ending in London.

The package includes a helicopter ride over Hawaii's Kona-Kohala Coast and a visit to peak-roofed ancient temples in Thailand.

Travelers can take various classes along the way –- surf lessons at Bondi Beach, Sydney, batik painting class in Bali and Thai cooking class in Chang Mai.

Cost of the tours includes accommodation at Four Seasons hotels and resorts, flights, transportation on ground, excursions and luxury meals in unique settings accompanied by traditional entertainment, according to Four Seasons.

Rediscover the Americas itinerary includes Miami, Nevis, Buenos Aires, Carmelo in Uruguay, Peninsula Papagayo in Costa Rica, Punta Mita in Mexico and Los Angeles, February 24-March 13, 2014 (18 days); US$62,950 per peson (with an additional fee of $7,650 for single supplement).

Around the World itinerary includes Los Angeles, Kona in Hawaii, Bora Bora in French Polynesia, Sydney, Bali, Chiang Mai or Chang Rai in Thailand, the Taj Mahal and Mumbai in India, Istanbul and London, March 14-April 5, 2014 (23 days); US$87,950 (plus $8,950 for single supplement).

For more information and to book, visit the Four Seasons website.

Friday, March 29, 2013

Asia Travel Blog

Asia Travel Blog


Looking for a Famous Hotel in Dubai? Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel

Posted: 28 Mar 2013 11:32 PM PDT

Looking for a Famous Hotel in Dubai? Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel

Malaysia Airlines Promotion Continues Special Offers

Posted: 28 Mar 2013 07:53 PM PDT

Malaysia Airlines Promotion Continues Special Offers

CNNGo.com

CNNGo.com


Zambia’s first budget air carrier announced

Posted: 28 Mar 2013 03:42 PM PDT

While the past decade has seen a reported 60% increase in arrivals of regional and international air carriers to the Republic of Zambia, relatively few locals have been able to take part in the country's air travel boom.

That will change if a group of Zambian aviation professionals and foreign investors can get its revolutionary vision off the ground.

According to a story this week in the Zambian Lusaka Times, the investment and operating group has announced the launch of Mukuba Airlines, said to be the southern African nation's first budget carrier.

In a press statement, a company official said the airline will be operational within a few months, in time for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation's General Assembly conference, to be held in Zambia in August.

Commenting on the "record numbers" of regional and international travelers in Zambia in recent years, Mukuba Airlines chairman and chief executive officer Mwansa Chalwe said the airline would target domestic travelers.

Zambians have been left "as spectators in their own country" according to the article, which also stated that Mukuba Airlines would "demystify and democratize air travel and emulate emerging economies like Brazil, India, Indonesia and others that have extended air travel to those who have never flown before, including domestic workers."

The airline is also expected to improve the domestic tourism market by making destinations within the landlocked country more accessible to travel.

Mukuba Airlines will be based in the Zambian city of Livingstone, near the tourism center of Victoria Falls. It will operate French-built ATR 42-500 and ATR 72-500 turbo-prop aircraft.

Why Chinese hate kung pao chicken (and foreigners love it)

Posted: 28 Mar 2013 02:57 PM PDT

It conquered the palates of generations of Westerners who grew up with Chinese restaurants down the street.

Expats stroll around China in T-shirts emblazoned with its four characters (宫保鸡丁).

Facebook pages sing its wonders.

This mystic food is the simple gong bao ji ding  -- chicken fried with chilies and nuts, better known to non-Chinese as kung pao chicken.

However, Chinese generally shun the dish.

They're baffled by its popularity abroad, and don't want it to represent their cuisine.

Kung pao chicken is the most culturally divisive dish in China.

So what's with the love-hate thing?

40 Taiwanese foods we can't live without

To explain the conundrum, we asked three prominent Shanghai chefs to chime into the debate.

The experts included Wang Lishi, manager of King Kong Eatery on Changle Lu, home of legendary kung pao chicken soup noodles; Anthony Zhao, chef and cuisine consultant at Ultimate Food Concept and kung pao chicken connoisseur; and Corrado Michelazzo, Michelin-star Italian chef at Va Bene Xintiandi, who also enjoys Chinese food.

Collectively, the panel came up with the three explanations for the kung pao controversy.

The chicken breast explanation

kung pao chicken - anthonyKung pao chicken by Corrado Michelazzo of Shanghai's Va Bene Xintiandi. Yes, even Michelin-star chefs love the poor man's chicken dish.It's no secret that Chinese would rather eat cartilage, bones, skin, bowels or any other (by overseas' standards) inedible bit of an animal, rather than a fleshy piece of meat.

According to Zhao, Chinese are reluctant to eat the meaty chicken breast, which is the main ingredient of kung pao chicken.

"Chicken breast in China is usually dry and tasteless," he says. "People here prefer the meat next to the bones because it has some juice."

Michelazzo agrees.

"Chinese customers generally don't like chicken breast," he says. "Chicken in China tastes too much like poultry for them. I have to import chicken from Japan for them to eat it."

Outside of China, however, breast meat is among the most requested and expensive part of a chicken. This helps explain the success of kung pao chicken among foreigners.

These days, eating chicken is the norm, and people's tastes are evolving toward more sophisticated dishes.— Anthony Zhao, chef and restaurant consultant

"I also had a prejudice toward chicken breast, but then I tried one in Boston and thought, 'Hey, this is nice and moist,'" says Zhao. "No wonder Western people really like chicken breast."

The intense sauce explanation

One of the most important features of kung pao chicken is its starchy, syrupy sauce.

Michelazzo says Westerners appreciate the dish for the balanced taste of the sauce.

"The sweet and sour flavor and starchy texture are typical of Chinese restaurants in the West," he explains. "We like to associate those qualities with Chinese cuisine, even though that might not necessarily be true of Chinese cuisine here."

Zhao says the distinctive sauce might be a reason for local aversion to the dish.

"To many Chinese, kung pao chicken is too saucy and intense, and you can only accompany it with rice," he says. "Very few Chinese would eat the dish by itself."

One anonymous marketing expert says it's increasingly common among young Chinese to suspect that restaurants that use intense sauce -- such as is used in kung pao chicken -- do so as a means to cover the taste of old meat.

While rejecting that notion ("We always use fresh chicken"), Wang Lishi of King Kong admits that the intense taste of kung pao chicken makes it increasingly unpopular among young Chinese.

"Around 10 years ago, to most Chinese, Sichuan cuisine only meant kung pao chicken and a handful of other dishes," she says. "Now young people want something more delicate and unusual when they eat Sichuanese fare."

The cultural pride explanation

kung pao chicken - legendaryKung pao chicken soup noodles as served by King Kong Eatery in Shanghai.There may be a deeper and perhaps more interesting answer to the kung pao dilemma.

Kung pao chicken is a dish that stirs memories and feelings among Chinese that aren't always positive.

Zhao explains that when the first restaurants opened their doors after the country's economic reforms, they all served simple dishes, such as kung pao chicken.

"At the time, chicken was rare and pork was the common staple, so we regarded kung pao chicken as special," says Zhao. "But now, eating chicken is the norm, and people's tastes are evolving toward more complicated and sophisticated dishes."

Get out of your Chinese food rut

According to Zhao, to some Chinese, kung pao chicken is a symbol of poorer times. Today's Chinese are eager to shake off the remnants of their indigent past.

However, the fate of kung pao chicken isn't yet sealed. Wang believes inflation in China could elevate kung pao back to the top of the menu.

"Peanuts are getting more and more expensive," says Wang. "Soon a plate of kung pao chicken will become so pricey that people will stop thinking it's such a cheap dish."

Originally published March 2011, updated March 29, 2013.

Why misers should head for Budapest

Posted: 27 Mar 2013 12:04 AM PDT

If you're looking for a cheap coffee, go to Lisbon, Portugal.

Try Prague for a good value glass of beer, or Dubrovnik, Croatia, for a cheap hotel stay.

Those are some of the results of a recent survey from the British Post Office, which set out to find the best value cities for travelers from a list of 25.

The list of cities included 22 European cities and three U.S. cities, so cannot be described as global or comprehensive. But it does offer insights for those looking to travel to these destinations.

Budapest is the best-value city overall, according to the City Costs Barometer 2013 survey, which researched prices of 12 items, including a bus or train transfer from the airport to the city center, a "top art gallery" and two nights in a three-star city center hotel.

The list found the Hungarian capital offered the cheapest glass of wine of the 25 cities (US$2.59) and the cheapest three-course meal for two with a bottle of wine (US$37.55).

New York, Boston, Copenhagen and Stockholm were the most expensive cities on the list.

Rome has suprisingly cheap coffee

Cafe Rosati RomeCafe Rosati: Great coffee for a great price in Rome. The full basket of 12 items in Budapest totals US$204, according to the report, prices for which were provided by local tourism authorities and also researched online.

In New York, the 12 items will take you for US$821 -- four times the total of Budapest.

Stockholm was the most expensive in four of the categories: beer (US$10.04), glass of wine (US$12.54), three-course meal for two with a bottle of wine (US$178) and 48-hour travel card (US$38.46).

Chicago offered the cheapest can of Coca-Cola (US$1.21), Rome had surprisingly cheap coffee (US$1.27), while New York had the most expensive bus tour (US$57.50) and most expensive two-night stay in a three-star hotel (US$537.50).

"We work with national and regional tourist offices as well as leading tour operators who give us the pricing information for the various locations," says Gabrielle O'Gara of the Post Office press office.

"All of this is then cross-checked with telephone and online research. Then we compare this with the travel industry as a whole so that we make sure that we're getting the full picture."

Eastern Europe great value

Prices rose in the past year for 22 of the 25 surveyed cities.

Eastern Europe is the best bet for money-conscious travelers for the fifth year in a row -- Eastern European cities take eight of the barometer's top 10 cheapest spots.

"It is more important than ever to check prices for key items like meals, drinks and sightseeing before booking, as these are costs that most city tourists cannot avoid," said Andrew Brown, Post Office head of Travel Money.

Second on the barometer, Vilnius, Lithuania, was named the city to watch by Post Office's recent Holiday Money Report.

The Lithuanian city has some of the lowest price tags for cultural attractions. Entry fees to Vilnius Castle Museum's Gediminas' Tower, National Museum of Lithuania and National Gallery of Art come to a combined US$6.93.

Basket of 12 items (used to calculate travel value per city): Cheapest/most expensive

Cup of coffee: Lisbon US$0.92 / Copenhagen US$6.55
Beer: Prague US$1.37 / Stockholm US$10.03
Coca-Cola: Chicago US$1.21 / Paris US$5.66
Glass of wine: Budapest US$2.58 / Stockholm US$12.53
Three-course meal for two with wine: Budapest US$37.54 / Stockholm US$176.61
Return airport transfer: Vilnius US$1.72 / Bruges US$53.84
48-hour travel card: Istanbul US$6.08 / Stockholm US$38.45
Bus tour: Dubrovnik US$9.55 / New York US$57.04
Heritage attraction: Berlin, Paris, Stockholm, Boston US$0 / London US$28.76
Museum: Copenhagen, Belfast, Edinburgh, Dublin, London US$0 / Boston US$22
Art gallery: Copenhagen, London, Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, Belfast US$0 / Boston US$25
Two nights, three-star hotel: Dubrovnik US$92.34 / New York US$537.42

Best value cities (12 items totaled)

  1. Budapest, Hungary: US$204.57
  2. Vilnius, Lithuania: US$214.02
  3. Warsaw, Poland: US$230.27
  4. Riga, Latvia: US$235.81
  5. Lisbon, Portugal: US$252.66
  6. Dubrovnik, Croatia :US$255.34
  7. Prague, Czech Republic: US$255.56
  8. Tallinn, Estonia: US$262.07
  9. Istanbul, Turkey: US$321.64
  10. Belfast, Northern Ireland: US$330.95
  11. Edinburgh, Scotland: US$346.51
  12. Berlin, Germany: US$349.62
  13. Vienna, Austria: US$360.08
  14. Dublin, Ireland: US$410.43
  15. Barcelona, Spain: US$431.57
  16. Paris, France: US$456.24
  17. London, England: US$472.89
  18. Bruges, Belgium: US$477.32
  19. Amsterdam, Netherlands: US$522.61
  20. Rome, Italy: US$531.99
  21. Chicago, United States: US$535.96
  22. Stockholm, Sweden: US$638.27
  23. Copenhagen, Denmark: US$668.78
  24. Boston, United States: US$697.79
  25. New York, United States: US$821.80