Beyond the feed: five places worth finding

Let anyone who has never queued for a social-media-famous spot on holiday cast the first stone.

Most of us have done it.

It begins with a quick search for somewhere good to eat. Then you wonder whether there’s a café or restaurant with a bit of cultural history, and soon the algorithm is serving the same photogenic places on repeat. There’s nothing wrong with using someone else’s research. But eventually comes a trip when you decide to leave a few gaps, skip the obligation to see every top-ten location and follow the day. A recommendation from someone who lives there can help. These five stops come from that kind of travelling: places remembered for the pleasure of being there.

In Rome, make time for an afternoon aperitivo at Oro Bistrot Roma. Among the city’s rooftop bars (in Bulgarian), it gave us a particularly memorable pause. Conversation carries across the terrace,

but the gulls and the view make it easy to step back from the bustle.

The panorama takes in the Vittorio Emanuele II Monument and the dome of the Church of the Most Holy Name of Mary at Trajan’s Forum. It feels remarkably close. If you already know your travel dates, enquire about a reservation rather than relying on a free table. Aperitivo isn’t reserved for weekends.

London has no shortage of fashionable addresses, but this route heads to Broadway Market in Hackney for a more neighbourhood-focused food stop.

The market brings together traders working across different cuisines.

Our finds included pulled-pork salad from Broadway Hog Roast, octopus bites and a Japanese kebab from Tokyo Kebab, and oysters from Fin and Flounder. We also remember a stall serving tartiflette, the Alpine comfort dish of potatoes and melted cheese, though we didn’t note its name. Check the current market days and trader line-up before setting out; these are memories of a visit, not a fixed weekly roster.

From London’s street food, we move to Prague and Černá Madona. We found it by chance after planning to visit the better-known literary cafés Slavia and Louvre. In the end, we visited neither and returned to Černá Madona instead.

The avocado toast was good and the interior had plenty of retro charm,

but the pastries were the main attraction. They tasted as impressive as they looked.

For a rather different interior, try Bar Turrisi in Castelmola, above Taormina in Sicily. You can reach the village by road; check current bus services from Taormina if travelling without a car.

The decoration follows an unmistakably phallic theme,

with examples appearing in just about every form. Beyond the humour, the views across the coast are a reason to linger over food and a drink.

Finally, a small restaurant in grand Budapest: Babka, where the cooking made us feel very well looked after,

with the kind of food that has you reaching for another bite.

The falafel and selection of dips were a highlight. It had the warmth of someone making a favourite meal especially for you. On our visit, even a long walk in temperatures below freezing felt worth it.

Europe after dark: seven cities that love to dance (in Bulgarian)

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