Green and Clean Copenhagen

Japan: Bargains in the Land of Long Life

The Japanese have the highest life expectancy in the world: four to five years longer than their U.S. counterparts, and their country boasts more than 20,000 centenarians. So what is their secret? A low-fat fish diet and good education helps, but Justin McCurry of The Sydney Morning Herald thinks there is something else, too—contentment.

It may be good for your health, but Japan is generally not kind on your wallet. However, there are bargains to be found, according to Amy McKeever from the Intelligent Traveler blog and Susie Rushton from The Independent.

In Tokyo, a city with more three-star Michelin restaurants than anywhere else in the world and a smorgasbord of luxury services, it can be hard to find entertainment that doesn’t cost the earth.  Rushton suggests you visit the exotic fish market; wander through the Imperial Palace Gardens; watch sumo wrestlers practice; and enjoy the stunning views from the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Building—all free activities.

When looking for accommodation, Rushton recommends staying in a ryokan. Budget ryokan are clean, charming and oh-so-Japanese. If you fancy staying a night in bustling Tokyo for just $55, McKeever suggests you try the Sawanoya Ryokan for a taste of “old Japan.” You will be provided with a tatami mat, a sleeping pallet, a robe and a tea set, and in the evenings can relax in the Japanese-style hot baths. See: tctv.ne.jp/sawanoya.

Taking the 180 miles-per-hour Bullet Train to Kyoto isn’t cheap but is definitely worthwhile. The city’s fringes abound with temples, Zen gardens and antiquities. Rushton warns that popular sites can be over-priced and over-crowded. She recommends a mesmerizing complex of Zen temples called Daitokuji instead, which is not only cheap ($3) but far more peaceful than its busy contemporaries. See: http://zen.rinnou.net/.

Teresa Machan of The Guardian has found the perfect answer for sun lovers. More than 620 miles from Tokyo, with a culture influenced by the South Pacific, Indonesia and China, is the Japanese sub-tropical archipelago of Okinawa.

Here, hundreds of white-sand beaches surrounded by coral reefs and palm trees are home to locals who enjoy the highest life expectancy in the world. While the people certainly seem content, Machan conjectures that their extraordinary life span is partly due to a secret ingredient—martial arts.

Yes, Okinawa is where karate comes from. So if traveling to Japan seems like an expensive way to uncover the secret to a long life, then your path is clear—find a teacher in your neighborhood and unleash your inner Karate Kid.

Russia: From Your Sitting Room to Siberia in One Click

If your health is not what it used to be, you can still take a long overland trip courtesy of Google Russia, which has filmed the entire journey of the Trans-Siberian Railway from a window on the train. The Sunday Times recently reported that Google has launched the virtual train ride, which involves 150 hours of footage taken from the dynamic grandeur of Moscow all the way to far-flung Vladivostock—rumored home to Russia’s most beautiful women.

Several years ago, when I ventured solo across Russia, I read War and Peace in four days, after locking myself away from the vodka-happy soldiers on board the train. Now, in peace and safety, you too can see the far-flung Russian East, haunting forests of Siberia and Dr. Zhivago’s Ural Mountains…without even leaving home. Not only can you sit on the couch; you don’t even have to read: There is now an audio book of War and Peace that you can listen to as you roll by the painted wooden cottages of Lake Baikal. See: www.google.ru.

Best Biking in Europe

Europe’s cycle paths are an appealing way to navigate the continent—whizzing past fields of daffodils, ancient castles and Mediterranean beaches. But there is one hitch: What if you love cycling, but hate hills? No need to worry. And if you thought all we’d suggest is Holland—think again…

The French Alps may seem, well, rather Alp-like, but follow Olympian Chris Boardman’s Guardian directions to Lake Annecy and you’ll be happily surprised. For more than 25 miles you can fly along the well-maintained lake-side cycle path and enjoy the Alps without having to climb them. The sparkling turquoise lake waters reflect the crisp, ice-capped mountains and there is a picture-perfect town full of delectable restaurants nearby for a well-earned feast.

Alastair Humphreys, author of 10 Lessons on the Road, recommends the hundreds of miles of sign-posted cycle paths along the Danube River, calling them “a heady mix of history, landscape, wildlife and good eating.” He does warn, though, that the head-high corn fields, white-washed red-roofed villages, and imposing castles and beer gardens are so tantalizing that they may seriously limit the number of miles cycled each day. An eight-day, self-guided cycle tour along the Danube Bike Trail through Germany and Austria with Exodus is $760. See: www.exodus.co.uk.

If that seems pricey, then try visiting the award-winning website www.greentraveller.co.uk for good budget suggestions. If price is no object, then take advice from Conde Naste Traveler and book a week with Love Velo for a deluxe cycle tour from $1,800. See: www.lovevelo.co.uk. In groups of 14, you can ride through Tuscany, Provence or Mallorca and stay in five-star villas with your own chef and mechanic—useful if your knowledge of bike maintenance is as bad as mine. For other guided and self-guided tours throughout France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland see: www.cyclomundo.com.

If you’re braver than I am when faced with an incline, then follow a cycle route in County Clare, Ireland, recommended by The Irish Times as one of the best experiences of the year. In the Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Cycle Routes in the World, this trail between the villages of Miltown Malbay and Doolin in West Clare begins in gentle, undulating pastures and rolls past golden-sand beaches to the dramatic Cliffs of Moher facing the Atlantic. See: www.irishcycletours.com.

Green and Clean Copenhagen

Copenhagen is a must-visit destination for 2010. A stylish blend of Old World and modern architectural designs, with a sparkling harbor and organic cuisine, Monocle magazine recently voted this eco-capital “the best city in the world for quality of life.” Julietta Jameson of The Age newspaper believes that Copenhagen “only two decades ago was generally regarded as fairly dull and lifeless.” Now, in the wake of the U.N. Climate Change Conference, and with its admirable aim to be the world’s first carbon-neutral city by 2025, Copenhagen is a world-class travel destination.

The Danes have put their money where their mouth is and made this green capital a stunning city for visitors to discover. The once-polluted harbor is now so clean that people swim there and the most popular mode of transport is the bicycle. Raphael Kadushin of National Geographic urges you to rent one and introduce yourself to the 186 miles of bicycle paths that wind around the magical city.

Noma—one of the top three restaurants in the world, according to the U.K’s Restaurant Magazine —is in Copenhagen, and all over the city you’ll find restaurants with unique and not-to-be-missed organic food. In fact, Jameson discovered that residents of Copenhagen consume the highest percentage of organic food in the world. See: www.noma.dk.

Clean modern edges, wood, glass and sleek ergonomic objects—all hallmarks of minimalist Danish design—temper the city. Aoife O’Riordain of The Independent suggests you visit Illums Bolighus to discover some modern Danish pieces. See: www.illumsbolighus.com.

Of course, this city’s delights are not all new. Despite Jameson’s assertion that Copenhagen used to be dull and lifeless, some of its best attractions are really rather old. O’Riordain recommends the splendid rococo Amalienborg Palace, the Tivoli Gardens and the National Museum. If you’ve still got time, then take a look at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, an enchanting museum with the largest collection of Rodin sculptures outside France.

If you’re looking for luxury, O’Riordain recommends the Moorish-style Hotel Nimb at $465 per night. See: www.nimb.dk. If you want to save money but still want style, then book Copenhagen’s best budget option, Wakeup Copenhagen, designed by local legend Jorn Utzon, architect of Sydney’s Opera House. Rooms cost $75 per night. See: www.wakeupcopenhagen.com.