Part of our commitment is sharing the knowledge we have gained so far on our own journey and encouraging others to formalize their CSR policies. To help achieve this, we developed a CSR self-assessment tool for language schools. Schools’ results are published on our websites.

One group of schools that has made great use of the tool to develop their own strategies is British Study Centres (BSC), one of our key partners in the UK. We caught up with BSC’s managing director Andrew Roper to find out more about how sustainable development is being addressed at BSC and in Britain.

ESL: Why is BSC tackling the issue of sustainable development?

BSC: Going ‘green,’ it’s the obvious choice, isn’t it? And once a company decides to go ‘green,’ surely it’s plain sailing all the way, everyone believes it’s a good thing, jumps on board and is willing to help?

Well in our experience this is not quite the case and even in 2012 it’s sometimes a real challenge to get people on board. Having said that, we have made some significant changes at BSC over the last 12 months and we are going in a very positive direction.

ESL: So what actions have British Study Centres taken towards CSR and what have you achieved in particular?

BSC: In April 2011, with support from ESL, British Study Centres committed to a CSR charter.

High points of the year have included all the BSC schools competing in the ‘most improved green school’ competition last year. The competition was won by our London school which made significant changes to the way it operates, including:

• reducing water consumption by 3000 litres per day by installing water saving devices
• fitting vending machines, water coolers and photocopiers with electronic timers so energy is not consumed overnight
• switching off air-conditioning and PCs at the mains at the end of each day
• installing clearly-labelled recycling bins for staff and students for paper, cardboard, plastic and tin cans
• using recycled ink toners and recycling them in turn
• encouraging more staff to cycle to work through the ‘cycle to work’ scheme where the company subsidies the cost of a bicycle

ESL: How has being a group of four schools affected the process?

BSC: As a group we have the advantage of having several sites and buildings. Our aim over the past year has been to share best practice. If one school has been efficient in energy saving, for example, or has run a successful recycling campaign, we have tried to share this amongst the other schools and try to raise all schools to the same level. ESL’s CSR self-assessment tool encourages us to share ideas and has certainly got us talking about the idea of sustainability. We are getting everyone within the group engaged in CSR best practise and a continuing dialogue about sustainability.

One significant area of CSR where everyone in the company has played a part over the last year has been in charity fund-raising activities which have made a positive impact on our local and wider community. Over the last year we have been involved in nine different charitable campaigns and raised over £3000 through the following initiatives:  Comic Relief, Red Nose Day, Speak English Red and Yellow Card, Families in Africa, East Africa Appeal, Easter Raffle, Bike Ride for Japan, I love Japan Day, Japan Relief Fundraiser.

In addition, the company makes a significant annual contribution to its permanent chosen charity, the Hotcourses Foundation, which helps fund the education of HIV positive children in the developing world.

ESL: How does the ESL self-assessment tool help in your process?

BSC: ESL’s support has been very important in getting our CSR charter in place.

Before, each school was working individually towards sustainable goals but without an overall direction; it was often ad-hoc. We were already doing many of the things that we now have on our charter, but inconsistently. The strategy we developed with the aid of ESL’s CSR self-assessment tool has helped our schools develop individually and as a group.

The tool has also been a good motivator to get us moving towards where we want to be. It has been very rewarding to see our results on the ESL website and has motivated us to keep improving. The schools compete among each other to get good results on the test!

Did you find the forums attached to the tool useful?

The tool encourages schools to share information and ideas both within our group and with other schools internationally. For example, we have been exchanging ideas with a group of schools in Canada. It also encourages dialogue between our own schools.

ESL: What are you planning to do next?

BSC: Sometimes it is hard to keep CSR at the top of the agenda and, certainly in Britain, it has taken second place to growth in the last couple of years. But long term growth and sustainability are closely related and many elements of CSR also lead to cost savings.

The next challenges are getting senior management on board and maintaining staff interest. Monitoring improvements in an objective way has so far not been achieved for our energy, water and resources consumption.

ESL: How is the UK favourable and/or challenging in terms of support for CSR policies and action plans?

BSC: In the UK there are very few regulations which force a business such as BSC to become greener and more responsible. Without this ‘push’ one needs to look for a cost-benefit way of implementing CSR. This means at every level it can be quite difficult to get a company to commit to CSR.

The UK could not be considered a CSR-friendly country. Whilst there is plenty of awareness of the need to be greener, this is frequently not put into practice. For example, an Englishman likes to use a hose-pipe to water his garden and cannot understand that this is no longer desirable, affordable or sustainable. Similarly, recycling resources have come late to the UK. Whilst most households now recycle and will have one bin for waste and one bin for paper/plastic and other recyclable materials, in industry, especially in medium and small size companies, effective recycling is not commonplace. If you visit a company or a town centre or a tourist attraction in the UK, you will usually see just one catch-all type of bin and nothing for recycling. In this respect the UK offers a challenging environment for CSR-aware companies and this is something which we as an organisation in the educational sector are determined to change by having a positive impact on the different people we associate with – our staff, students, owners, representatives, suppliers and the local and wider community. It is a challenge which we relish.

ESL: Thanks Andrew!

Check out ESL’s CSR self-assessment tool or find out more about BSC’s schools in Brighton, London, Oxford and Bournemouth.

It is easily reached by air from all over the world and by train from much of Europe. So, where to begin in a city that has inspired great art, music and conversation for so many centuries?

Start the day with something light

Breakfast in Venice often consists of an espresso and croissant/pastry. If this seems a little meagre, bear in mind just how filling a local evening meal is, with antipasti, primi and secondi piatti (first and second courses – each normally big enough to be a meal in itself) followed by something sweet. The real question is whether you will find space for the croissant!

Watch out for the cafes near the main train station which will charge you a fortune because of their location. The further you get from the station and the major attractions, the more reasonable the prices.

Murano, Burano & Torcello

The islands to the north of the city are home to a thriving glassblowing industry that produces beautiful and vividly coloured items. The streets of Burano themselves are delightfully colourful and, while often filled with tourists, they offer plenty of opportunities to find one-off items of jewellery or a nice present for your mum. The trip to the islands takes you past undeveloped, swampy marshland that makes you realise what an incredible feat of construction Venice is.

Get lost in the back streets

Unless you are part human, part GPS device, you will end up lost in the city’s back streets. This is no bad thing; in the narrow calli (alleyways) you will feel the real energy of Venetian life, where people get on with the business of living. Fantastic food smells waft out of doorways, little shops offer authentic alternatives to the tourist traps around Piazza San Marco and then, suddenly, you come across a hidden square or campo.

Venice is full of campi, so called because they used to be covered in grass or vegetable gardens. They are now paved, which is a good thing in a city that regularly floods. 500 years ago, the campi were at the heart of local life, each providing its own local community with a place to meet, work and collect fresh water from a well. Nowadays, the workers have moved indoors but the squares provide the perfect place to stop for an ombretta (glass of wine) and a chat.

Hit the beach at Venice Lido

The Lido di Venezia is a residential island that is just a short trip away from the hubbub of the main city. It is home to the Venice Film Festival, which brings Hollywood stars to the city. Locals love it, however, mainly because of the beach, which is a mix of public and private bathing and the ideal place to enjoy the warm Italian sunshine.

See the famous sights

Venice is masterpiece central. Palaces, the Piazza San Marco, the Rialto Bridge (pictured), astounding churches… even Harry’s Bar home of the Bellini and the rich and famous. But you can read plenty about all that stuff elsewhere.

Watch the sunset from a vaporetto

In many large cities, they have an underground metro system. In Venice, they have vaporetti: a waterbound public transport system that shifts passengers around the city and between the islands. You get a fine view of the city at sunset travelling on the Vaporetto between Venice Lido and San Marco.

Cicchetti

If you can’t face the prospect of a full-on Venetian meal, Cicchetti are the perfect compromise. In years gone by, the little local dishes would sit on the bar and provide drinkers with something to snack on, much like tapas in Spain. Nowadays they have made the leap to restaurants, but you can still enjoy them in the traditional bàcari. Some local treats include fopeti (baby octopus) and masanelle (little crabs eaten whole) but you will find different treats in different bars, also depending on what the local fishermen have caught.

Find out more about our Italian courses in Venice.

But don’t be afraid to expand your horizons when choosing a destination for your language course. At ESL, we have partnerships with schools in diverse and exciting parts of the world. You will have a very different experience studying in a city where there is only one language school, for example, to studying in one that welcomes tens of thousands of students each year.

Here are some of our more unexpected destinations for an English course:

New Delhi, India

photo: Dave Binks

India has the second largest English-speaking population in the world, after the USA. Learning English in New Delhi is an experience far from a typical language course. See a completely different way of life, taste new flavours, witness an incredible mix of beliefs, colours and… cows on the streets. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but the experience is unlike any other. Our partner school ILSC New Delhi is in a lovely residential district in the south of the city and works with carefully-selected local host families to offer you a unique insight into Indian life.

Find out more about English courses in New Delhi, India

Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa

photo: Julien Carnot

Jeffrey’s Bay in South Africa is a wonderful destination if you want to really spend some time learning English, enjoying the surf and giving something back to the community. We offer volunteering programs in this beautiful corner of the African continent which is home to one of the most popular annual surfing competitions. Or you could enjoy the great weather, improve your English and then set off along the breathtaking Garden Route. Decisions, decisions…

Find out more about English courses in Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa

Belfast, Northern Ireland

photo: Iker Merodio

English courses in Dublin are consistently popular with language students, but Northern Ireland’s capital is an original alternative. The popular university city is much smaller than Dublin and still relatively untouched by tourism, so language students receive an extra-warm welcome. The surrounding Antrim countryside is blissfully peaceful, the coastline rugged and enchanting.

Find out more about English courses in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Whitianga, New Zealand

photo: César González Palomo

200km from Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula is a sanctuary of blissful sandy beaches and untouched forests. About as far from Europe as is geographically possible, this is a place for an English course with a difference. You won’t be the only one that has travelled a long way to be there; orcas regularly visit the bay.

Find out more about English courses in Whitianga, New Zealand

Gozo

photo: Marion Doss

The Maltese Archipelago is a great place to learn English. The main island is famous not only for superb weather throughout the year, but the kind of Mediterranean party vibe that means you will be chatting away in English until the early hours of the morning. Gozo, in contrast, is blissfully peaceful and can easily be traversed on a bicycle. After your English class, dip in the Ocean, learn to dive in the warm water or simply enjoy the laid back atmosphere. When Homer’s Odysseus was trapped here by the nymph Calypso, he may just have been in two minds about continuing his journey back to Ithaca. We’d rather stay on Gozo!

Find out more about English courses in Gozo

We offer English courses in more than 100 locations around the world.

Perhaps it is no coincidence that a language school based in Vancouver should be focused on sustainability. With water on three sides, the stunning Coast Mountain Range overlooking the city and a lush national park separating the city from the Pacific Ocean, the residents of British Columbia’s largest city live immersed in tremendous biodiversity. But natural inspiration is not enough; to make a difference, dedication and action are required. In the city which gave birth to Greenpeace and the North American environmental movement in the 1970s, Vancouver City Council has set a great example by developing an extensive network of bike lanes, compost pickup service and excellent recycling facilities across the city. More recently it has declared a goal of becoming the world’s greenest city by 2020.

Vancouver

Much like the city council, ILSC is proactively tackling environmental issues. “Sustainable Management is a key pillar in ILSC’s CSR Policy,” continues Zysman, “ILSC has a Green Team that organically develops, implements, evaluates and continually improves upon ILSC’s sustainable initiatives.” The school’s environmental policy was formalised after using ESL’s CSR self assessment tool, which offers a clear framework for partners, students and staff to understand and implement green initiatives. But sustainability extends beyond environmental issues; a “collaborative approach” to decision-making and “grassroots approach to project development” means that new curriculum ideas often emerge from students and teachers in the classroom. This organic, learner-sparked curriculum development is one reason ILSC is able to offer a broad and exciting variety of courses and programs.

The emphasis on CSR continues in the curriculum itself. Courses like ‘Global Social Issues’ and ‘Current Events’ encourage students to act as agents of change by reaching out to the global communities that they return to once their time in Vancouver is over. The ‘Green Leadership’ programme, developed in partnership with ESL, is a groundbreaking course that encourages personal development along with awareness of the natural environment. The four-week program, targeted at adults and professionals, balances human-centred language development – through practical skills such as presentations – with innovative elements on the language of leadership and the environment. And, naturally, participants can get out and enjoy the spectacular natural scenery around the city with leisure options including kayaking and visits to progressive local businesses, designed to encourage teamwork.

Canadian old-growth forest

For groups of schools, global coordination of CSR policy can present a challenge. ESL’s CSR tool provides support and structure for groups to implement their CSR policies across different locations. ILSC has taken the knowledge gained by its Vancouver school and shared the insights with its other centres in Toronto, Montréal, San Francisco, New Delhi, Sydney, and Brisbane.

ILSC’s schools in Canada and India are key partners for ESL’s internship programs. These packages let learners combine a language course with an internship at a carefully selected local business. We believe that these programs offer an unbeatable way to get to know local culture in depth while developing professional and language skills. In keeping with its CSR policies, ILSC has relationships with companies that are focused on the environment and the betterment of society. Companies like Eco-Quartier in Montréal, Green Roofs in Toronto, and Habitat for Humanity in Vancouver are all dedicated to social enhancement and environmental responsibility. In New Delhi, we offer the chance to combine an English course with volunteer work at local NGOs. This programme is also offered with Hindi language courses.

Green Roofs in Toronto

The social element of sustainability is crucial. Like other key ESL partner schools, ILSC interacts positively with both local and international communities through scholarship programs, fundraising events and community outreach programs like Learn to Earn at ILSC New Delhi, which provides English education to underprivileged Indian girls and young women. Over the past few years, the ILSC community has come together to provide aid after unexpected disasters such as those in the Horn of Africa, Japan, Pakistan and Haiti.

“Embracing the organic nature of change, ILSC will continually redefine, expand and improve upon our CSR initiatives as we learn, grow and change. We are constantly discovering new ways we can contribute to a more positive world and future.” More and more schools are playing the role of educators beyond the language classroom. At ESL, we are here to support this important step towards sustainability.

Students at ILSC New Delhi

Find out more about ESL’s CSR Self-assessment tool.

A six-month English course in Perth

From October 2011 until April 2012, Nicolas attended English classes at the Phoenix Academy in Perth, which is a partner of ESL, one of the sponsors of this Australian adventure. Nicolas had an ambitious language goal: to achieve a very good level of English and sit the Cambridge CAE at the end of his 6-month course. And the young man from the Jura did it!

Australia by bike, day after day

Once this intellectual challenge achieved, Nicolas started his sports trip on 10th April 2012. On the first day, he rode 55km by bike and, as he will for all of the next stops on his tour, thoroughly wrote down the distance ridden, average temperature, geographical limits as well as a few comments. Beautiful pictures will enhance this fascinating diary – a great opportunity to discover, through Nicolas’ eyes, this gigantic country!

A human adventure like no other

Nicolas has set himself a huge challenge and he’s aware of it. Cycling across Australian deserts and rainforests, riding along crystal blue waters and endless white sand beaches, travelling 10 000 or so scheduled kilometres, relying on will power… you have to admit that not everybody is up to it. Why didn’t he opt for an ATV trip? At the heart of Nicolas’s Australian project is his belief that it is important to contribute to preserving our planet on a very personal scale. This aspect of his personality is what seduced his sponsor ESL into taking part in the adventure.  ESL-Language Studies Abroad is a company committed to sustainable development. By supporting Nicolas’s ambitious project, ESL is pursuing one of its primary goals: to prove that language training, even at the other end of the planet, can be done organically.

Daily progress

We will follow Nicolas throughout his sports trip. He has already earned our admiration and support.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with him and send him messages of encouragement. Talk to you soon!

photo: Ioan Sameli

As you will soon spot from the array of haircuts and cuts of clothing, Berlin is arty. The city acts like a centre of gravity for twenty-something creatives from Germany and beyond. Galleries and exhibitions spring up all over a city that has long offered cheap studio space.

It’s historic

Berlin was at the core of twentieth century history and continues to be a centre of power today. Nowadays, you can oversee the parliament at work (quite possibly debating tax) from the symbolic glass dome above the Reichstag.

Great food

Food in Berlin is cheap and tasty. It is a great city for vegetarians and not bad if you like a kebab. Or for a real local treat, you could…

Sample the currywurst

photo: daspaddy

In the bleak days of post-WWII Berlin, one person was certainly looking to the future. Herta Heuwer obtained ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and curry powder from British soldiers, mixed the three together with some other secret ingredients and poured it liberally over the wurst at her hotdog stand. The currywurst was born. How could it not be delicious?

Go shopping in the Scheunenviertel

An intriguing mix of independent boutiques and indie labels, the shops around the Scheunenviertel keep the hipsters looking hip.

It’s booming (well, Germany is)

It has been hard to miss how successful Germany’s economy has been in recent years. Admittedly, Berlin isn’t driving the German economy quite like the large manufacturing cities in the south, but it is certainly an exciting place to be, free of the anti-government protests seen in most European capitals since 2008.

It’s still pretty cheap

Compared to most of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Berlin is still really affordable. If you are planning on staying for a while, the average rent is around a third cheaper than Munich.

The nightlife

photo: Admiralspalast Berlin

Everyone who goes out for a night in Berlin comes back with some wild stories… often some time the next evening! Berliners and visitors make the city’s clubs some of the finest in the world. Many of the best events take place in deserted buildings and keep going until the Politzei arrive.

Top school

ESL Prolog Berlin is a highly respected and fully accredited language school located in the hip Schöneberg district.

Free flights for stays of more than 12 weeks

We have a couple of special offers on at the moment.  As well as free flights for courses longer than 12 weeks (when booked 6 weeks before), we are offering free tickets to a show, wellness day, city tour or football match.  See ESL’s special offers.

When you learn a language, not only do you learn the vocabulary and grammar, but you also discover the cultures that come with that language. Learners of French are especially spoiled when it comes to French language music. Here are some of our favourites:

Yelle

Poppy, electronic music that sounds as good on your iPod as on the dancefloor. Yelle consists of singer Yelle (Julie Budet), GrandMarnier (Jean-François Perrier) and Tepr (Tanguy Destable). The band became a MySpace sensation in France and soon began touring the world to promote first album Pop Up. Yelle’s second album Safari Disco Club was released in 2011.

Serge Gainsbourg

Always a controversial figure, Serge Gainsbourg made some of the most beautiful music of the twentieth century. And made music with some of the most beautiful women of the twentieth century.

Sébastien Tellier

(This one is in English but it is an unbelievable piece of music – have a look for the full 7 minute version)

Sebastian Tellier was one of the more unusual choices for the 2008 Eurovision song contest. He didn’t win, but the sight of one of France’s finest artists in trademark huge sunglasses was somehow incongruous in among all the synthpop and bawling ballads. Multitalented and multilingual, Tellier sings in French, English and Italian.

MC Solaar

There were so many French hip hop artists to choose from, but MC Solaar is probably the best place to start. Claude M’Barali has been around for years and changed with the times… the older stuff is often funkier while his newer work is slicker.

Georges Brassens

Georges Brassens rarely performed abroad but was a legend in France. His songs were highly political and caught the mood of the times during the 1950s and 60s. Interest in Brassens surged again after his death in 1981, when a new generation discovered his music and lyrics.

Find out more about our French language courses around the world. Or let us know who your favourite French language singer is in the comments section below.

Nestled between the Beaujolais wine region and the peaks of the French Alps, in miles of rolling, sunbathed farmland, perhaps it’s no surprise that Lyon should be the home of French gastronomy. The natural abundance of the surroundings ensures fresh ingredients fill the markets each morning.  Food is at the heart of Lyonnaise culture, just as Lyon is at the heart of French culinary culture.

But unlike in the grand restaurants of Paris, Lyon’s gastronomic culture comes from the local workers. That’s why there is an emphasis on local ingredients and making full use of the livestock that was available around the city.

In years gone by, Lyon’s silk workers would stop off for something hearty to eat before a long day at the mill and, instead of being served the expensive prime cuts, they would get what their bosses and the wealthy silk traders didn’t want. So the local cooks got creative and created signature local dishes out of the stomachs, cheeks, intestines and other off-cuts of pigs and ducks. Don’t be put off by the idea… what the cooks achieved is quite spectacular and forms the basis of France’s tastiest cuisine.

photo: Patricia Feaster

The tradition of delicious, simple food lives on today in the bouchons that dot the city. For a modest price you can tuck into sublime local dishes made with fresh ingredients from the local countryside. A glass of Beaujolais is the perfect accompaniment to the rich meats, soups, sausages and sauces that typify local cuisine.

Alongside the affordable, exquisite food of the bouchons, you can go upmarket and experience gastronomic masterpieces in the hometown of legendary chef Paul Bocuse.

The smells that waft out from the kitchens into the network of traboule (Lyonnaise alleyways) of the old town make it hard not to stop of for something to eat even when you are already wondering if you will ever be hungry again! A stroll along one of the city’s two rivers – the Rhone and the Saone – will give you the chance to regain your hunger in beautiful surroundings.

Lyon is a beautiful place too. There is a unique aesthetic in the bouchons that is distinctly Lyonnaise, at once cosy and rustic but also stylish. They spill out onto the cobbled streets, which have changed little in the past two centuries.

photo: Patricia Feaster

The local Roman amphitheatre hints at Lyon’s ancient history and is best visited early in the morning, when the warm sunlight starts to spread over the ancient remains. When Lyon was known as Lugdunum, 20,000 people would pack the amphitheatre, although it’s hard to imagine that nowadays.

A city that values beauty and good living, a city where the sun is usually shining and where you can enjoy sublime food day in, day out… Lyon has never reached out to tourists in the way that Paris or Nice does, which makes it all the more alluring for visitors and a superb place to learn French.

Learn French in Lyon at our school and get the best of the city.

The only trace of your stay will be in your head, in the form of a better awareness of the fragility of an exceptional natural area… and unforgettable memories!

Photo landscape / aerial picture of the site

The “Leave No Trace” excursion is the highlight of the new “Adventure Ireland” programme for juniors in Northern Ireland. In addition to putting sustainable development at the heart of its organisation, ESL is committed to taking another step forward by offering environment-oriented language holidays in the heart of preserved areas.

Of course, we first thought about our junior students when we decided to launch this new type of courses: juniors and teenagers today are the ones who are going to shape tomorrow’s society. They have been aware of the dangers threatening our planet from a very early age. They are also the ones who make sure to develop good habits at home when they discover new horizons. It was, therefore, up to us to provide our younger students with a language programme designed to raise their awareness of environmental issues, in accordance with their values and ours.

Photo 2 girls in a canoe

Following this line, the Adventure Ireland programme intelligently combines English courses, sports activities and exploration of renewable energy sources. With a wide range of activities to enjoy together with young English-speaking students on summer camp on the same site, the lessons go out of the classrooms. A great opportunity to combine studies with pleasure!

It is not by accident that the centre offering this camp for juniors is a pioneer in the use of renewable energy. Since its creation 30 years ago, the lakeside complex has equipped itself with a wood burning heater, solar panels for electricity and hot water and a 100% natural, self-powered waste water treatment plant.

An exceptional experience off the beaten track to train tomorrow’s green citizens!

Gautier (Montreux office) – Melbourne

Melbourne photo: wiki.will

Melbourne, Australia!! For many different reasons but it’s on the other side of the world, it’s close to the beach, the weather is good, it’s one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world, the architecture is nice, there are always concerts, there are a lot of museums, lots of sports to do and to see, people are really nice, friendly and easy going! That’s enough from me… people have to go there to make their own minds!

Alex (London office) – London, Cusco, Buenos Aires, Berlin…

Cusco photo: fabulousfabs

There are many cities that I love but they are all so different! London for its 1000 years of history and for being the most cosmopolitan city on earth. Cusco because it’s a treasure trove of amazing archaeological sites – and what is left is just what the Spanish couldn’t find or couldn’t destroy. Buenos Aires for its seductive mix of the Latin American and the exiled European. Berlin as probably the most important city in terms of 20th century history. I’m hoping to go to St Petersburg next year and have high hopes for it joining this shortlist.

Andrea (Montreux office) – Bogota

Photo: David Dennis

Bogota in Colombia. The people are great and there are so many things to do. You can take a trip to the Monserrate, a 3000m tall mountain that overlooks the city, and then head back into town to enjoy the fantastic Colombian food. Andres Carne de Res is a great restaurant in Chia, just outside the city, where you can stay late at the weekends and party. In the city, zona T and parque de la 93 are the places to go at night.

Cindy (Montreux office) – Sydney or Munich

Photo: St George Open Air

Sydney has it all you’ve got your beautiful beaches, your trendy and funky bars, the botanic garden is great for a picknic although be careful not to get your sandwich swallowed by one of the White Ibis birds that always wander around the park. It’s sunny and warm 9 months a year and Australians are very welcoming.

In Germany, I loved Munich. I only spent a weekend there but could have easily seen myself spend a few months. There seems to be something going on in the city all the time and it’s very Bavarian! I like the gemütlich atmosphere of the city.

Will (Prague office) – Amsterdam

Photo: Alex Hammond

Amsterdam. It was the first city I ever visited in Europe and it still holds that mysterious allure for me.

Do you have a favourite?