CITY BREAK OR BEACH?

Enjoy the best of both worlds with these do-it-all destinations

- HELENA CARTWRIGHT

Glamour in Dubai

The Arabian Gulf sea is bathtub warm and the sand is the sort of sugar-white you would expect to see on postcards. But when the sun gets too much, cool down in one of the most amazing malls in the world. The Dubai Mall alone has 1,200 stores and the Mall of The Emirates even has an indoor snow slope. Don’t forget to spend an evening in the souks, too, and barter for anything from jewellery to spices.

Venice’s hidden hideaway

It’s the classic romantic city break with its gondolas, art galleries and twisting alleyways full of pretty shops and beautiful buildings. But once you’ve done your time in St Mark’s Square with the other tourists, hop on a Vaporetto (water bus) to the locals’ favourite destination, the Lido – a seven-mile stretch of beach facing the Adriatic. Smartly painted beach huts stand proudly on the seafront and swanky beach clubs rent out colourful parasols and sun loungers.