Proof of this is Berlin’s recent designation as the new vegetarian capital of the world, according to the prestigious American magazine, Saveur. Berliners love the green life. They are second to none when it comes to protecting their parks and gardens, and extending them as much as they can, wherever possible. And, in recent times, they have proved to be open to new procedures geared to eliciting a growing respect for the urban environment.

Public parks are practically an extension of their lounge, particularly in summer, when residents take them over for all kinds of outdoor activity. Each tree is protected and anyone who lacks their own family allotment is free to join any of the initiatives designed to boost the proliferation of community gardens. The fact is that Berlin is a city enamoured of environmental trends. For many Berliners, bicycles have replaced cars as a status symbol. At DIY workshops, they are learning to make their own clothes and furniture, eschewing industrial mass production, which its more harmful to the environment. In short, the LOHAS (“lifestyle of health and sustainability”) tenet is adopted by many here. Hence, today’s Berliner is a person who enjoys the pleasures of life, while following a healthy diet and making sustainable consumer decisions.

The Capital of Healthy Food

And, that is not just our opinion – the prestigious American culinary magazine, Saveur, has just granted Berlin the “Saveur Good Taste Award” for the best vegetarian city in the world. Indeed, when it comes to gastronomy, the city is far more than just currywurst and kebab. Recent progress in Berlin’s gastronomic trends is clearly a praiseworthy development. Any gourmand will tell you so – and not for nothing – as there are some 30 vegan and a total of 300 vegetarian restaurants and food stalls making up that health food network.

Thus, the changes in Berlin’s gastronomic scene are widely recognised. High-end vegetarian offerings surpass the meat-based supply, long a traditional mainstay. As well, recent years have seen the influence of immigration coming into the limelight, bringing culinary traditions that have contributed notably to the new variety in vegetarian and vegan cuisine.

Vegetarian Restaurants You Must Try

Vegetarian food now lies at the heart of Berlin’s culinary scene. Cookies Cream, for example, is one of the best known for its exclusiveness and for being a trendsetter among vegetarian restaurants. In 2014 it featured in Gault Millau, one of the leading nouvelle cuisine guides in the world. Here, the set menu works out at about 39 euros and includes such marvels as Sardinian crunchy potato lasagna with Swiss cheese truffle, pickled kohlrabi (a variety of cabbage) and radish. Another Berlin beacon is the restaurant offering innovative vegan cuisine, Lucky Leek. It also made its way into the prestigious Michelin Guide a short while ago. They serve à la carte on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, with complete menus on Friday and Saturday. Additionally, a growing number of chefs, like those at Nobelhart & Schmutzig, are using locally grown organic ingredients. Even fast-food street stalls are offering vegetarian snacks. Further information at visitBerlin.com.

In short, vegetarian trends are developing in synch with a new, far more complex movement based on sustainability. There is, for instance, a growing demand to reinforce the organic fabric and a call to broaden the reach of vegetarian and social cuisine projects. One example is the imminent inauguration of Restlos Glücklich, which is to feature leftover food on its menu. This involves a new, much more sustainable business concept and a more responsible attitude towards the environment. The raw materials in their cuisine are still fresh, yet they have been withdrawn from sale for whatever reasons (the sell-by date is nearing, there isn’t sufficient storage space for the surplus, etc.). This means that the menu changes every day, as it depends on the food that is available in each instance. Apart from feeding their guests, the idea of the restaurant is to raise awareness. The establishment also offers cooking lessons and organises activities for children.

Accommodation

To round off the green experience, what better than to spend the night at NH Collection Berlin Friedrichstrase. This is an eco-friendly hotel which takes into account a positive impact on the environment through responsible energy consumption. And, how do you reduce your carbon footprint on the environment? By reducing energy consumption with the use of light bulbs that yield a saving of 29.3%, in addition to a 29.5% reduction in water consumption.

Why wait to discover Bergreen for yourself? Check out our flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Restlos Glücklich, Cookies Cream, Lucky Leek, Nobelhart & Schmutzig, Restlos Glücklich

How to define Catania? A city of a thousand faces, a thousand flavours, a thousands treasures. A city of the sea and of a volcano, port on the Ionian sea, and capital of Etna. A city of tradesmen, countryfolk and fishermen who have always lived in symbiosis with the water, the fire, the sea and the mountains. A city of a thousand hearts of a multiethnic culture, multicultural, multi-religious, home of Bellini, of Sicilian Baroque, and of street food. From the sea to the mountains, the endless fields of orange groves and vineyards of the Etna coast, the black cliffs of volcanic rock and the long stretches of white sand, the Roman ruins and the Baroque churches, the festival of Saint Agata, and the city centre markets, all this is Catania.

You probably already know the Baroque, the churches, the palaces, the streets, the balconies and the traditions that give life to the city centre. Instead, choose one of the many alternative experiences of Catania, unearthed by sicilying.com, the portal to the best experiences in Sicily. Here we have three suggestions for you.

Suggestion one:take a walk down the streets of the city centre with your nose in the air, to explore the city by the scents that invade it.
The food and culinary traditions found here are a treasure trove of many cultural influences: Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans, Normans and Arabs, Spanish and French, have all left their mark. Peasant cooking and aristocratic cuisine, rich and poor ingredients blend together to create authentic and intense flavours. Sophisticated restaurants are complemented by genuine traditional taverns, and alleyways are brought to life by the most extraordinary street food.

Catania is the home of "street" food. Entrusting yourselves to the best of specialized tour operators, you will be able to combine a Catania tour with the discovery of the best food and wine that the city can offer. You can visit the Sicilian Baroque in Piazza Duomo or Via Crociferi, cross the famous fish market ("la pescheria") and taste the "sangeli" (pig's blood) or "zuzzu" (meat jelly). In Piazza Stesicoro, with the Roman amphitheatre, you can stop in a traditional bar to sample the street foodpar excellence: the “arancino”, the “cartocciata”, the “cipollina”, and all the sweet and savory varieties of "walking" food. Or let yourself be guided by local chefs through the traditional markets of the centre, to then be put to work in preparing Sicilian cuisine yourself.

Suggestion two:immerse yourself in the green countryside of Catania, in search of the roots of the most famous Sicilian wines. Many wineries of Catania trace their origins back to the 1700s: their vineyards are located on lava rock 700 metres above sea level and are cultivated according to methods handed down from generation to generation. The typical micro-climate and the favourable characteristics of the volcanic soil allow the cultivation of a high quality grape.

Beyond the vineyards and you will find old “bagli” (isolated old buildings in the Sicilian countryside), Fourteenth Century monasteries, now “agriturismi” farm homestays. The wine tasting in a cellar on Mount Etna is a wonderful experience, giving you the chance to savour "on the land" some of the most famous products of this region - Nero d'Avola, Inzolia, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Etna DOC red and white – all washed down with typical cuisine tastings.

Suggestion three:after having eaten and tasted some wine, it's time to get out of the city and climb in mountain bike the “muntagna”, Mount Etna! Mount Etna, the mountain of fire, with a summit of 3,300 metres above sea level, the highest active volcano in Europe.

With its lunar landscapes at high altitude, and woods along the coast, the trails and unique landscapes, the typical products and the historical centres of the little towns, Etna is in every season a fascinating visit, for travellers and nature lovers, for lovers of food and wine, for lovers of outdoor sports in unique surroundings.

The lava flows have greatly influenced the land, making it extremely varied, rocks, lush vegetation and landscapes, are always in continuous change as the substrate moves over time, as temperatures, precipitation and exposure also vary at these altitudes.

Making an Etna tour by bike along the stunning trails (the “Pista Altomontana”) led by an expert guide, or try an Etna bike tourdescending from the volcano to the sea, either way it'll be an extraordinary experience that you will remember for years to come.

Would you rather see Sicily from a completely unique point of view, unusual and absolutely breathtaking? Then book a mongolfiera tour in an hot air balloon! The flight will give you the chance to live a totally extraordinary experience, giving you an unforgettable view of the whole of Sicily; on landing a glass of fine Etna wine will be waiting for you, along with some special typical local products, and you will be awarded a “flight baptism certificate” signed by the pilot.

Come on, don't just settle for the usual stay: Catania is a city to enjoy to the full!

Oh, Berlin! How can it be at once traditional and modern, cosmopolitan and friendly, cool and… cheap? One thing is certain – the German capital has options to suit all pockets, and food for all palates. It matters not who you go with, as we shall now prove.

Weihenstephaner – Bavarian Food For Your Parents

“What! We’re off to Berlin? Wouldn’t it be better to visit Aunt Anselma in Cuenca, son?” That’s how your parents reacted – fearing something too modern – when you gifted them a flight to Berlin. Just as well you found a decent little hotel in downtown Mitte. The rest was a cinch – a tour of Museum Island, a stroll through the ever lively Oranienburger Strasse. Night was falling by the time you reached Hackescher Markt and then you knew for sure – Weihenstephaner. This Bavarian-style restaurant, with two endless floors and countless saloons, wooden tables and waiters dressed as you would imagine Germans to be attired on festive occasions, was the perfect option. The restaurant is named after the beer brewed in Weihenstephan Abbey since at least 1040. And, yes, you can quaff enormous glasses of any of the varieties, from the mildest blondes to the highest-proof dark brews. If you then add succulent roast pork in beer sauce, garnished with potato dumplings, or a scrumptious veal currywurst, you understand why tears were rolling down your father’s face. Sheer bliss! And, for less than 20 euros a head, unless you get carried away with the beer.

Hasir – The Original Kebab With Your Younger Bosom Brother

You had promised your brother a trip in September if he passed all his subjects. Well, you know… but the guy goes and passes everything! You asked him where he would like to go and he replied without hesitation, “Berlin”. He was probably gunning for the Berghain, likely the best techno club in the world, although that depends on the mood the bouncers are in. After sundown, it was up to you to show him the city and, as the lad was not yet worldly-wise, you thought of taking him to Kreuzberg, the Turkish quarter, which has now been taken over by the modern crowd. Halal butcher’s shops stand alongside second-hand clothing stores; corner shops with things Muslim opposite bio-organic cafés. In short, a culture clash which left him open-mouthed. When it came to feeding him you chose Hasir, a Turkish food classic, run by a bloke who is supposed to have invented the döner kebab. The eatery is decorated with a map of the Anatolian Peninsula, photos of customers and the odd Turkish kitsch motif. The food lived up to expectations – outrageously big helpings which are ideal for your brother, who was making his final growth spurt.

Berlin Street Food Market/The Circus – The Winning Combo for your Hipster Friend

Is there any more hipster destination than Berlin? That’s what you were thinking when you got two tickets for your best friend, that bearded skateboarding guy, even though he was already greying and had been collecting board games from the 80s. “I’ll have a tough time surprising him”, you thought as you printed your Vueling tickets. Thank goodness someone tipped you off that, the second weekend each month, the KulturBrauerei building, in the modern heart of Prenzlauer Berg itself, hosts an awesome Street Food Market. The Germanic ethos comes through in this event, organised to perfection, with long rows of dining tables, a DJ and such tempting offerings as Eastern baos, Cuban cuisine, vegan pies and… with no queues! All one hundred per cent conceived, designed and executed in food trucks. To crown it all, you took him to the Katz & Maus Tap Room, the bar at The Circus designer hostel, with their craft beer made right there, the barrels and metal stills on display to bear out its authenticity. And, at a good price! Great music, ranging from Indie to rock classics, rounding off a fine example of what any hotel bar ought to be. You achieved it – your friend was left stroking his beard, speechless, enjoying a delicious craft beer.

Lucky Leek – How to Win Your Vegan Girlfriend’s Heart

Granted, your first date was disastrous. You took her to have a hamburger and that was when she uttered those three words that changed everything forever: “I’m a vegan”. That’s why the thought of a trip to Berlin made her raise an eyebrow as if to say, “I don’t intend to eat a single sausage!” But, you were clever, since Berlin happens to be Europe’s vegetarian capital for 2016. What’s more, you bet a winner – you booked a table at Lucky Leek, a high-flying vegan restaurant recommend by the Michelin Guide. Their chef, Josita Hartanto, works magic on fruit and vegetables, with such dishes as aubergine bread with seitan and tofu and courgette salad, or tomato soup with vegetable dumplings. Think green… and you can’t go wrong!

Text and photos by Javier Casto of Gastronomistas

Some airlines let you bring your pet on board: dogs, cats, birds (except birds of prey), fish or terrapins. Vueling is a pet-friendly airline and makes sure that pets travel as comfortably as possible. But there are some rules, and we tell you about them in this post!

There is an easy solution for those of us who can’t bear to part with our furry friends: we can take them with us when we travel! That way they will also be in all our holiday photos!