Food, friends and fun – a guide to Beirut

A bit of Paris, a bit of Berlin, a bit of the Orient. Ancient, yet young, posh and bohemian. That’s Beirut.

6 wonderful hotels in Genoa

Genoa, the capital of Ligura, is more than the sum of its best-known parts –il porto, Italy’s most important commercial port from 1861 until after World War II, pesto (the basil-based sauce that is famous worldwide) and Piano (as in Renzo Piano, the Pritzker-winning architect who was born here and has left his mark on the city). The Genoa Boat Show held every autumn is the biggest in the Mediterranean, while other attractions include food, culture and the largest medieval center in Europe.

The historical picture: Breaking the sound barrier

On 14 October 1947, American Air Force flying ace Chuck Yeager became the first person to officially break the sound barrier when he flew his Bell X-1 aircraft at Mach 1.