It’s clear that to add the most before an adjective always brings a certain controversy. Even more if it’s about choosing the most beautiful village of a country. In this decision, several factors are kept in mind such as its artistic and historic heritage and the landscape that surrounds it. To this effect, its citizens, associations and institutions make an effort and put all their determination in embellish it, because it will affect favourably in attracting tourism and its develop.

In Spain, the association Los pueblos más bonitos de España makes its selection choosing between the most isolated, in the mountains, or the historical, or the beautiful villages bathed by the Mediterranean Sea or the Cantabric Sea. Towns like Ronda in Málaga, Vejer de la Frontera in Cádiz, Cangas de Onís or Cudillero in Asturias, Altea in Alicante, Albarracín in Teruel, Úbeda in Jaén, Priego de Córdoba in Córdoba, Comillas in Cantabria, Laguardia in La Rioja or Alquézar in Huesca never miss these rankings.

In France, the association Les plus beaux villages de France has its own list, where villages like Pesmes, Eguisheim, Yvoire, la Grave, Saint-Suliac, Parfondeva, Josselin, Monte Saint-Michel o la Roque-Gageac are the highlights.

In Italy we have a multitude to choose amongst the little villages distributed all over the Tuscany, the colorful towns in the South, Vernazza or Manarola in Cinque Terre, San Gimignano or Tropea in the Calabrian coast, not to mention its fairytale charming villages that spread Germany or Switzerland.

In England also exists this interest to get declared the most beautiful town. Per se, the picturesque English countryside is an excelent frame, with beautiful landscapes and splendids medieval towns with an enormous historical value.

In the area of Cotswolds there are huge pile of them, so it is difficult to decide for one. Perhaps a good candidate to gain such valued title seems to be Knaresborough. It’s a town with medieval origins that was, for a long time, a spa town for the burgeoisie, in the county of North Yorkshire, at the north-east of England.

It keeps excellent historical monuments, like Knaresborough Castle, the viaduct over the Nidd river, passages that surround you in mistery and its houses, squares and stone stairs, which weave a path through the river until the peak of the hill.

We can also approach to Shanklin, a little village in the east coast of the Wight Island, that was an usual beach destiny during the Victorian epoch. What makes it so special are its vegetable roofs which give particular charming and a kind of rustic air.

Its sand beaches that continues beyond Desando and Shanklin, the Victorian pier, the picturesque defile that leads until the old beach and its old quarter, where the old methods of building roofs are preservated, make this town a solid candidate of the most beautiful town in England.

But, apparently, the prize is shared between Bibury and Castle Combe. The secret of the charming of Bibury, in Gloucestershire county, lies in its stone houses and its loftly roofs. Also the natural landscape of the town, surrounded of streams and ponds.

That’s how the poet and artisan William Morris thougt it, who baptised it years ago as the most beautiful town in England. And so The Huffington Post, that named it in the ranking of "The Most Charming Towns In Europe You'll Want To Visit ASAP".

On the other handm Castle Combe has been the setting of lots of movies, such as Steven Spielberg’s War Horse or Matthew Vaughn’s Stardust, among others. And it’s not of coincidence. Castle Combe is placed very close from the Cotsworlds Capital, Cirencester, a series of hills that crosses the south-east and west zone of England.

All the zone stands out for its natural beauty and this town has shown worthy of be one of the most beautiful places. Without any discordant in its architecture and by its charming and the peace that one can breath, Castle Crombe conquers everyone that visits it.

But, as there’s no accounting for taste, the best way to choose is go to England, take a look and decide for oneself.

Picture Castel Combe by Saffron Blaze

Makes you want to go, right? Do it! Check out our prices here!

Dreaming of a holiday that mixes fun, culture and relaxation? Marseille, in the south of France, is for you. Its benign climate, situation and special light have been inspiration for celebrated artists, including Braque, Cézanne, Derain and Marquet. Founded by the Greeks, it is one of the oldest cities in Europe and the second oldest in France. (It is also the second most populated French city). Its rich history and great number of monuments, beauty spots and museums have put Marseille on the international tourism map.

Marseille is the third largest port in Europe (after Rotterdam and Antwerp). This constant flow of ships and passengers from across the world has lent it a cultural mix that is palpable in its people, neighbourhoods and architecture, making an all-together cosmopolitan city.

Five days is about the right amount of time to spend here. The best bet is to divide your itinerary into different areas. Public transport is very good; you can get around in the metro, by bus and by ferry. The best way to do this is with a Citty Pass; it's cheap and will also get you into museums and out to the islands.

Booking a well-situated hotel is key to navigating your way around this marvellous city. The Beauvau Marsella Viejo Puerto is perfect. It has stellar service and is located a few steps from the Vieux Port metro station – a major hub. You'll find masses of stalls selling oysters and whatever else you can think lining the streets that lead down to the port – at really great prices.

In the same area there are dozens of restaurants where you can eat exquisite fresh fish or a superb bouillabaisse. Here are two that are recommended:

Une Table au Sud: This restaurant has fantastic views over the port and offers modern, creative, mouth-watering cuisine. Standout dishes include a chestnut and sea urchin soup.

Le Miramar: They say it’s the best restaurant in the city to try bouillabaisse. Take that onboard and find out for yourself.

An easy stroll through the port leads you to the Fort Saint-Jean. Constructed during the reign of Louis XIV, it is also the location of the MuCEM; the first major museum dedicated to Mediterranean civilisations. Its wide focus spans anthropology, history, archaeology, art history and contemporary art. The museum is housed over three sites in different parts of Fort Saint- Jean, connected via a pleasant walkway through a Mediterranean garden.

Another pathway, starting from the Royal Gate, takes you to the neighbourhood of La Panier and the Saint-Laurent church. Despite its shady past, this neighbourhood is today a mix of traditional streets and squares with new design boutiques, restaurants and museums – all in all lending it a decidedly bohemian air. A must see.

Cours Julien is another interesting neighbourhood. A garden has taken over the centre of its main square that also hosts fashion boutiques, theatres and terrace cafes. Rues Bussy l'Indien, Pastoret and Vian stand out for their alternative vibe, with various clubs, cafes and more shops. Take note of the street art!

Marseilles geographical situation makes it a perfect base for outings in a boat. From Vieux Port you can take one of the urban ferries. One excursion you shouldn't let slip by is to Chateau d'If, where you can still see the hole that one of one of the prisoners dug in the cell wall. He was the inspiration for 'The Count of Montecristo', the classic novel by Alexander Dumas.

From here you can continue on to visit the Frioul Islands where you can spend the afternoon visiting various inlets, beaches and sandy creeks – the perfect way to end the day. It's a place of freedom and total relaxation.

Two must-sees are the Basilque Notre-Dame de la Garde and the Chateau Longchamp. The first is the city's architectonic emblem. Situated up on the hill, it affords marvellous 360º views, watching over sailors, fishermen and all the people of Marseille. Its Roman-Byzantine style is a perfect example of the large-scale buildings Napoleon III imposed in Marseille. To get there, take the bus from Vieux Port. The palace, dating from 1869, commemorates the canalization of the Durance River to Marseille. It also houses the Museum of Fine Arts and the Natural History Museum as well as a botanical garden. Ad hoc street markets are all over the city, selling fruit, fish, and clothing and brick a brac. Dive in and rub shoulders with the locals – you are bound to find something unique to take back home!

Don't leave without discovering the famous Marsella soap. It history goes back to the 16th century. Find out more in one of the company's seven factories.

The city's tourist office is situated very close to Vieux Port. Pick up a City Pass here as well as plenty more info on what to do in Marseille.

So, what are you waiting for? Reserve a Vueling flight to this magnificent city here!

Text: Tensi Sánchez de www.actitudesmgz.com
Photography: Fernando Sanz

Visiting Brittany is reviving the exciting European medieval history, delving into their cultural roots, their traditions and their legends. Rennes is the capital of Brittany, but it is also at the gates of the Normandy region and is a leading architectural heritage place and witness of the history of the region. Around the two Royal squares, Parliament and the City Council, and their features wood and Renaissance mansions half-timbered houses, centuries of history are drawn.

30 kilometers from Rennes you will find the leafy forest full of oaks and beeches in Brocéliande, a magical place of Celtic myths and legends. Here is where you usually place many episodes in the novels of the Round Table. This was the place where King Arthur ordered to seek the Holy Grail and also where lived the fairy Viviana, the knight Lancelot and Merlin, friend and adviser of the young Arthur, who was trapped by love there as it is rumored.

On the magical forest of Broscelae, you will travel across hidden paths that will lead you to the Secret Bridge, Paimpont village and its beautiful abbey or to Brocéliande castles and the Holly Pasage.

If you like being on the lookout for the best bargains and deals, you have at La Grande Braderie in Rennes one of the best chances. That days Rennes becomes this huge outdoor market where you can find some hidden treasure and many bargains among antiques, clothes, ornaments or jewelry, because everything is bought and sold at La Grande Braderie in Rennes.

With the large street market in Lille, this is the biggest Opportunities Fair in France. Here you may search and dig through thousands of stalls belonging to shops, scattered around 60 streets of the city.

And to eat, you will find in the medieval heart of the city, on a picturesque XVIth century inn, the Auberge du Chat-Pitre that will take you to the Middle Ages. Here the bartenders are dressed as innkeepers of the time. Do not worry as they will not force you to eat boar thighs by your hands like Asterix and Obelix, but you will feel the atmosphere of a magical night with the animation of minstrels, jugglers, storytellers and magicians in a memorable meal.

And with such funny names for their traditional recipes as druid stew, wild boar hugs or mountebank you may have with Hypocras, a drink made of red wine, honey and spices that made the delight of our ancestors.

Makes you want to go, right? Do it! Check out our prices here!

In 1996, Bordeaux decide to jack up and become a city of the 21st century. The ensuing project developed in several stages – the facades of the city’s Baroque buildings were cleaned (Bordeaux’s 18th-century heritage is exceptional), the docks along the Garonne river were reconditioned and a solar-powered tramway was built. The Bordelais are rightly proud of this sustainability initiative. This whole facelift led to the capital of Aquitania being chosen as the European Best Destination in 2015 with an all-time record score, ahead of the greats like Rome, Brussels, London and Berlin.

Apart from the aforementioned works, designed to modernise the city, Bordeaux has committed to sustainability. Among other things, three years ago this involved unveiling the Darwin Ecosysteme, an area around the Queyries quayside, although the project originally dates from 2005. This area, which stretches along the right bank of the Garonne, is sited over an erstwhile industrial zone. Cleaning it up and remodelling it took two years. The brain behind the project is Philippe Barre, an Bordeaux entrepreneur committed to sustainable development who did not hesitate to invest his own money in an ecosystem which combines energy efficiency, renewable energies, ecology and thrift. To this end, Darwin is managed by the Évolution Group, an incubator of companies devoted to sustainable development, funded through office space rentals and coworking, events organising and the support of private patrons and, to a lesser extent, public subsidies. The ultimate aim of this initiative is to elicit the responsible use of resources in order to check the advance of climate change.

At first glance Darwin looks like a half-derelict site, but it actually houses over a hundred companies, many of them start-ups, who are dedicated to sustainable development – a pre-condition for being allowed to set up here. This fosters a pleasant, ecological working environment for employees, able to reap the benefits of an ecosystem conducive to development and human growth. Also based here are around twenty Bordeaux associations involved in urban culture and ecology.

Darwin features some unique spaces, such as a huge skatepark built using recycled materials, graffiti-decorated walls, the Magasin Général, the largest biological restaurant in France and a macrostore with organic products. Protecting the environment is an idea which is here starting to take its first few tentative steps, so it comes as no surprise that the projects evolving in this area are still on a modest scale, such as protecting bees, organic allotments and free-range chicken rearing. There is also a recycling station which supplies material to the coworking spaces. In the future, Darwin will be hosting fully sustainable social housing, making it the most ecological district in Bordeaux.

Fancy seeing this sustainable district for yourself? Check out your Vueling to Bordeaux here.

Text and images by Tus Destinos

Images by Sara Soulignac and S.Duboscq