The best coffee houses in Vienna

If you were there, it may have seemed that there were few benefits to be found in the Turkish siege of Vienna. 

As historians will remember, the episode marked the high water mark of the Islamic offensive in Europe, with the Turks finally forced to retreat in 1683.

Among the things the attackers left behind, so the story goes, were some sacks of coffee. These were discovered by a group of defenders who, presuming they were camel feed, were preparing to burn them when one of their number, better travelled and more entrepreneurial than the rest, realised what they were.

Glorious Twelfth opens British game season

Probably the most important date in the shooting man’s diary is 12 August. The date – known as the Glorious Twelfth in sporting circles – marks the beginning of the game season in Britain.

Across the country, sporting estates buzz with excitement as shooters, keepers, beaters and dogs prepare for the big day.

With luck, the moors and uplands will be looking their best, with heather flowering in its full purple glory and skylarks in full song under a blue, high summer sky.

King's Cross Square to open fully in September

The £550m redevelopment of London’s King's Cross station is entering its final stage, with the completion of the 25,000sq ft public space outside it.

The BBC reports that King's Cross Square, which will include an area dedicated to public art, will open fully next month.

Pheasants: low, slow and part of the countryside

Phasianus colchicus does not always get the best of press.

The common pheasant (for it is he, or she, of whom I speak) is thought by some purists to be a bit too easy game. 

They fly low, slow and lack the brainpower to be regarded as serious quarry, argue some.

Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum at the British Museum

Without Mount Vesuvius, we would know far less about life in the Roman world than we do. What is good fortune for today’s archeologists, historians and scholars, though, was rather less lucky for the citizens of the two towns that lay at the base of the mountain.

It is a point that is made clearly at the British Museum’s major spring exhibition: Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum. 

The erruption of AD79 that brought with it disaster served also to preserve an intimate snapshot of Roman life, from election posters, to portraits, to a carbonised loaf of bread complete with the name of the slave who made it.

Scotland's Big 5 campaign in quest for favourite

The Scotland’s Big 5 campaign has been launched by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Visit Scotland.

The Big five are all high-profile species, widely associated with Scotland, with a broad geographical spread. They are the red deer, otter, red squirrel, golden eagle and common seal. 

Interestingly wild cat, capercaillie and pine marten all miss out. 

The campaign encourages people to enjoy the wider experience of exploring some of the places where the species can be found, and to take part in a web-based vote to discover the nation’s favourite wild animal, even if it’s not one of the Big 5.

Aman Canal Grande Venice due for June opening

Aman Resorts plans to open the Aman Canal Grande in Venice in time for the beginning of the Venetian Biennale on 1 June.

The dramatic palazzo that houses the 24-suite resort is located in the San Polo district and consists of two five-storey adjoining buildings (one is the 16th-century Palazzo Papadopoli). It features one of the very few private gardens on the canal.

Low tide breaks at Hell Bay hotel, Scilly Isles

This spring Hell Bay hotel in Cornwall will be running ‘low tide breaks’.

Taking place on 10 different dates, guests at Hell Bay will be able to walk to the neighbouring island of Tresco with the help of a local guide.

Official opening deals at St Regis Mauritius Resort

The St Regis Mauritius Resort is set to celebrate its official grand opening on 18 March 2013 with a 1904 themed ceremony.  

To mark the occasion, the resort has introduced two opening offers: book before 30 June 2013 and guests receive three complimentary nights on a week’s stay, or book 14 nights for the price of eight.

L’Art en Guerre at the Guggenheim Bilbao

The Guggenheim Bilbao’s major spring exhibition, scheduled to open on 16 March, is entitled: L’Art en Guerre. France, 1938–1947: from Picasso to Dubuffet. 

The show has been organised by the Musée d’Art moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris-Musées and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.