Rooms with a view at the Pousada do Capao, Chapada Diamantina, Brazil

After dropping our overnight bag in our rustic but spacious (there were two double beds in separate rooms in the chalet we were booked in to) room we went off to explore. The complex, as we discovered, is deceptively big. As well as having 14 rooms, that from the outside had a kind of Spanish villa feel to them, there is also a massage area (R100 for a massage), sauna, bar and large games room complete with snooker table.

House beats and lasers are all part of the bizarre nighttime experience at the Pousada do Capao

Outside is a large garden area where we stumbled across random totem poles and witnessed green and red lasers flashing, lighting up the trees like it was Christmas. This was made even more surreal as we could hear disco music playing out of a stereo in the trees – a bit weird to say the least considering we were the only guest in the resort which appeared to be manned by two older ladies. Dinner was served at 8pm and was basic – spaghetti with tomato sauce, egg for me and chicken for the rest of the group, and salad – but it was surprisingly tasty. Equally breakfast set us up for the day’s treking ahead which was lucky as I was seriously starting to flag.

The incredible view across the Capao Valley

It was only really when we woke up next morning all became clear as to why the Pousada do Capão is one of Chapada Diamantina’s hidden gems. We were gobsmacked as in the light of day we saw that surrounding us were mountains, wearing coats of green trees, their mist-covered peaks rising towards the clouds. The Eurotrash house music had been replaced by the noise of animals in the trees. And in stark contrast to the awkward atmosphere of the previous night we were now enveloped in a sense of tranquility. I could see how it would be easy to wile away a few days at this retreat, relaxing on the chaise lounge, book in hand while taking in the scenery.

Pousada do Capao in the Capoa Valley transformed by daylight

Coupled with the compact bonfire area, circled by wooden chairs, and various stone tables dotted around the garden there was something almost primitive about the Pousada do Capão. Cheesy as it sounds, it was as if we truly had gone back to basics to be at one with nature. It may not be apparent from the off why the Pousada do Capão is a hidden gem but suffice to say we may have been reluctant to stay here but we were even more reluctant to leave.

The discreet entrance of Cambridge’s 12a Club members bar

Despite its central location, slap bang in the middle of the market square, it’s still pretty easy to miss the discreetly marked black door of 12a Club Cambridge, which is next to the Marks and Spencer. Members are given a pass to gain entry, we had to ring the bell and wait for ages for someone to let us in. After being escorted up the stairs we were led to our table where we made ourselves comfy in the big brown Chesterfield armchairs and admired the pictures and prints of people adorning the exposed brick walls.

The elaborate drinks menu was presented to us inside books, a nice touch (albeit a slightly sexist one as mine was Sense and Sensibility and Sharps’ the wrestling journal Boxiana) in a nod to the original speakeasys of the 1920s prohibition era. Back then people weren’t allowed to advertise that they were drinking establishments so it was all done through word of mouth hence the carefully hidden drinks card. Opposite our table was a glass cabinet brimming with rows of champagne with shelves stacked with books beneath it. The bar is equally as well stocked with a various rare whiskys and gins.

Rows of champagne on display at the 12a Club Cambridge

What I loved about 12a Club Cambridge and what makes it a hidden gem for me is that it’s quite an intimate space. It’s an ideal place to come for a romantic night out, or for a late drink with friends (it’s open till 2.30am on Fridays and 3am on Saturdays), and escape the throngs you can see below from the window. While it has a maximum capacity of 120, it tries to keep numbers low to avoid overcrowding, with members allowed to bring up to three guests, though not the same ones on a regular basis. The 12a Club opened in 2010 and is owned by the same people who run the adjacent Don Pasquale restaurant, which has been around for 40 years. They successfully manage to create the perfect balance between relaxed and not too stuffy – with old crooners belting out easy listening tracks at a level that doesn’t prevent conversation, though they do have a DJ on a Saturday night.

My lethal ice cream cocktail courtesy of the 12a Club Cambridge

Membership is also pretty reasonable at £275 for a year for one person or £400 for a couple, especially given the distinct lack of high-end, cool cocktail bars in Cambridge. While they don’t serve hot food in the evenings it is possible to get a charcuterie selection or cheeseboard to stave off any hunger pangs. And there are also rooms upstairs (a red and purple room) which are a bit more secluded and offer waiter service and can be used as meeting rooms during the daytime. Plus, this Cambridge hidden gem attracts a slightly older crowd, meaning you don’t have to fight your way through the hoards of drunken students to get a drink. Always a bonus in my (cocktail) book.

Behind the entrance of Hawksmoor Covent Garden lies London’s best Sunday lunch

I’d heard the Sunday lunch at Hawksmoor is the stuff of legends. It’s been awarded best Sunday lunch in the UK by the Observer Food Monthly in the past. The reason I’ve never been to check it out before is because it sounded a bit of a meatfest. And as someone who doesn’t eat meat there are lots of other London restaurants I’d thought sounded more appealing. I was wrong.

On arrival we were led down some stairs into what almost felt like an old-school gentleman’s club with lots of dark wood with rows of bottles behind the bar. Sharps and I both had a Bloody Mary which, deliciously spicy with just the right amount of Worcester sauce. After our drinks we were taken through the bar to the dining area. I’m pleased to say I was spoiled for choice when it came to the food. For once we exercised restraint and skipped the starters and went straight to the main event. Sharps, of course, ordered the Sunday roast (£19.50). As you can see from the pic below he was presented with a huge hunk of slightly pink beef, as opposed to the usual slices you get when you order Sunday lunch. Sharps said it was up there as one of the best roasts he’s ever eaten out – good quality meat served with a jug of thick gravy, crispy roast potatoes that were fluffy on the inside, a massive Yorkshire pudding, roast onion, carrots, kale and a giant piece of roast garlic.

Sharps’ slab of roast beef and check out the massive piece of roast garlic with it

I fared pretty well too with my main course of baked bream wrapped in paper with lemon and roasted garlic (£20). For some reason I wasn’t expecting it to arrive with the head on. My initial squeamishness was more than compensated by the melt-in-the mouth succulent fish bursting with buttery, garlicy flavour that literally fell off the bone. I couldn’t resist ordering a side of mac and cheese (£5). Rich, creamy al dente pasta with a pepper kick, perfect comfort food for a Sunday. In a vague attempt to be virtuous in some way I also ordered the Doddington Salad (£4) (a take on a Caesar salad so it does have lettuce in it, admittedly drenched in cheese and anchovies).

Usually I’m more of a savoury than sweet kind of girl but Hawksmoor’s dessert menu had me salivating. It was a tough call. I was sorely tempted by the chocolate and salted caramel tart with popcorn ice cream (£7.50) and the salted caramel Rolos (£3.50) but I eventually went for peanut butter shortbread with salted caramel ice cream (£7). It was amazing, the best pudding I’ve eaten so far this year. When I broke into the flaky pastry, warm chocolate oozed out of the centre and combined with the topping of salted caramel ice cream it reminded me of a kind of posh version of a fresh Snickers bar with a shortbread base. It was so good I didn’t even look at Sharps’ warm orange sponge surrounded by custard.

A bit like a posh take on a Snickers bar only even nicer

My preconception of Hawksmoor as a meat-lovers paradise was pretty accurate, especially as they serve London’s best Sunday. The man on the table sitting next to us had a steak that looked practically pre-historic. But whether you eat meat or not the food at this hidden gem is phenomenal. While there may not be a vast choice for vegetarians (they have a main of pearl barley with squash and mushrooms, a couple of salads and vegetarian starters that can also double up as mains) you should be able to find something on the menu. Or failing that just skip to the puddings.

Beginjhof Amsterdam’s hidden gem

One of Amsterdam’s oldest courtyards, Beginjhof is also home to one of the only two remaining wooden houses in Amsterdam Begijnhof 34, built in 1645,  which is also Amsterdam’s oldest house. Founded in 1307, Begijnhof is a showcase for Dutch architecture. This hidden gem isn’t huge, and there isn’t a great deal to see there but for me it’s a hidden gem because it’s a great place to chill out away from the crowds in Amsterdam on a sunny day.

Behind the hidden door of Beginjhof is one of Amsterdam’s hidden gems

I also really like the idea behind Begijnhof, it provides housing for older single women and widows who are less fortunate who live in the houses today. This is a legacy from the 14th century when the Beguines, a group of unmarried or widowed women, who lived a monastic life but never took nuns vows lived in the Begijnhof. They were given free lodgings in return for educating the poor.

Begijnhof Amsterdam’s courtyard

Inside the Begijnhof there is also a chapel which you can go inside and see and across the courtyard is the old Gothic Engelse Kerk (English Church) which was taken over by Protestants on 1578.

Begijnhof Amsterdam biblical plaques

The biblical plaques on one of the walls in the Begijnhof are also well worth a look.also holds the striking Begijnhof chapel, which was the clandestine place of worship for the Beguines after they were forced to surrender their Gothic Church to the Calvinists, another religious order. Even if you’re not into architecture, or churches, Amsterdam’s hidden courtyard is still a great place to reflect.

The view from Tia Maria, Salvador’s best restaurant

It turns out that this little canteen-style cafe is in the lower part of Salvador, in the seaside suburb of Pedra Furada, which isn’t too far from one of Salvador’s main tourist attractions the church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim. Tucked away down the windy side streets near the Sagrada Familia Hospital we initially thought we might have taken a wrong turn until we saw the glint of the sea at the bottom of the road.

Have we taken a wrong turn on route to Tia Maria, Salvador?

Tia Maria doesn’t have anything to do with liquer. The name of the restaurant actually means Auntie Mary, owned funnily enough, by a lovely, smiley lady called Maria. You can’t help but feel at home from the moment you walk inside. It’s not grand, there are plastic tables and chairs, but for me this just adds to its charm. And if you’re after an authentic taste of Bahia’s cuisine then you’ve come to the right place.

It may not look much but the food here is first-class

After much amusement due to our lack of Portuguese and Maria not speaking English (there was much picture drawing by Sharps who successfully managed to convey I can’t eat anything with shrimp in it) we were able to order. Seafood makes up most of the menu, hardly surprising as the restaurant is in a seaside town and located on the seafront (there are lovely views overlooking the fishing boats which supply Tia Maria and across the bay from the front) so if you’re not a fan of fish you may come unstuck.

The best cod fritters in Salvador courtesy of aunty Mary

As my choices were a bit limited I decided to just have a starter of cod fritters while Sharps went for a main of crab moqueca (R35 but it was meant for two people), a spicy seafood stew made with coconut milk and dendê (palm oil) that’s a traditional dish from Bahia. We ordered a beer while we waited. Then we ordered another beer while we waited some more, as it did take quite a while for aunty Maria to prepare the food.

Auntie Maria hard at work in the kitchen preparing Bahian moqueca

It’s not the sort of place to come and eat if you’re in a hurry – you need to be prepared to stick around for a while. It almost felt as if I’d gone round to my gran’s house as Maria casually began to work her magic on her kitchen hobs, switching on the TV to watch one of her programmes while she cooked.

Moqueca, a traditional stew found in Bahia, Brazil

When it finally arrived Sharps’ said his moqueca, served with rice and dried Parmesan, was fresh and tomatoey and had generous flakes of crab in it, as well as onion and spinach. My cod fritters were served with a side of tomatoes and onions in some kind of spicy sauce. Maria gestured to me that it was hot but I thought she was exaggerating, thinking as tourists we wouldn’t be able to handle the heat, until I started not to be able to feel my lips! So it just goes to show that at this hidden gem auntie does know best after all.