Ai Weiwei is a controversial figure wherever he goes. While his activist streak has earned him more than one headline in the media, particularly in connection with the problems he has with the regime in his native China, his artistic facet has also put him under the spotlight in all the exhibitions he unveils, given the political denunciation behind his work. Last year it was the Royal Academy of London that enshrined him as the great international artist he is. Now it is Vienna’s turn as it hosts an exhibition, running until 20 November, of his latest works. This is the largest display of Ai Weiwei’s work so far in Austria.

A Temple in the Museum

Under the title, Translocation – Transformation, referring to the metamorphosis which people and objects undergo after a deliberate relocation, migration or expulsion, the event features several installations by Ai Weiwei distributed over different spaces in the Belvedere Gardens. The main feature of the exhibition, curated by Alfred Weidinger, is located in the former Austrian pavilion for the 1958 World Expo, currently used as a platform for promoting contemporary art under the name 21er Haus. Displayed in the interior is the Wang Family Ancestral Hall, an installation which is unlikely to leave the viewer unmoved. This 14-metre-high exhibit made up of 1,300 separate pieces is an ancestral temple from the Ming Dynasty. The temple, which belonged to the Wang family, a clan of tea merchants who were expelled from China during the Cultural Revolution, was thus abandoned. Ai Weiwei acquired it from an investor some time ago and transformed it into what we see today, a decontextualised work which coexists and communicates with other architectural environments.

Another exhibition site, the Upper Belvedere pond, showcases the installation, F Lotus, where the artist elicits a reflection on subjects unfortunately in the limelight in recent years, notably the refugee crisis besetting Europe. The work comprises 1,005 discarded life vests picked up on the beaches of Lesbos after being used by Syrian refugees on their sea crossing to Europe. They are set in a total of 201 rings linked to resemble the lotus flower, the overall structure forming a hugefin the water.

Another work displayed in the Upper Belvedere pond is the Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads, a veritable classic of Ai Weiwei’s oeuvre. Composed of twelve bronze heads standing for the signs of the zodiac in the Chinese horoscope, they are inspired by the fountain-clock at the summer palace of Yuanming Yuan which was ransacked by French and British troops during the Second Opium War in 1860. The treasures – including the heads – were looted and have never been returned since.

Eager to see the work of Ai Weiwei first-hand? Be sure to make a getaway to Vienna – book your Vueling here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Greeting the arrival of summer is taken very seriously by the people of A Coruña. Indeed, the festivity of the Night of St John (San Xoán, in Galician) is celebrated extravagantly, with fire playing a major role in the form of myriad bonfires taking over the beaches, and magic rituals unfolding all over the city. The fiesta has grown ever more popular in recent years and in 2015 was designated an international Tourist Interest event. It is the perfect excuse for a getaway to A Coruña to spend a very special feast of St John.

While the big night is that of 23 June, the preceding week sees the city splashing out on a plethora of concerts, gastro events and children’s activities, although at the back of people’s minds is the Eve of St John on the 23rd, when the ancestral sun worship rituals take place.

“Sardiñadas”

The “sardiñadas” or sardine festival provides the centrepiece of the Festa de San Xoán. The city is impregnated with the characteristic smell at dinner time, what with sardine cook-offs organised by grass-root associations studding the streets and spilling over into the bars. The grilled sardines are usually eaten with broa (corn bread), which you should make a point of tasting. To round off the experience, be sure to have the local punch known as queimada to set you well on your way in this long, grand festival night.

Beach Bonfires

Fire is unquestionably the highlight of the Night of St John, and the beaches, where most of the celebrations are concentrated, become filled with light and charm. So, be sure to head for any of the beaches as night falls and set up your own bonfire, or else tag along with any of the numerous groups you will encounter on your way – they are certain to welcome you into the fold. You could always head for either Orzán or Riazor, where most people congregate or, if you are the sort that tends to avoid large crowds, we suggest you choose a smaller beach, like San Amaro or Las Lapas, or the tiny coves of Adormideras. The idea is to pick your perfect spot for spending the shortest night in the year.

The moment of maximum splendour is midnight, when the main effigy or Falla is lit on the beach of Riazor. This is preceded by fireworks which, together with the bonfires, fill the calm waters fringing the seaside promenade with light. Then starts a fiesta which is sure to see you through to daybreak, and the nocturnal events will be redolent with a host of purification rituals. The idea is to put all the bad things from the previous year behind you, in order to start afresh, or to simply have a great time on such a special night.

TExt by Turismo A Coruña

A city of art and history located in the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Limoges is internationally renowned for its whiteporcelain,which first entered production in the late 18th century, thanks to the discovery in the city’s environs of abundant kaolin deposits.

Hence, if you travel to Limoges, be sure to take one of the tours which reveal the secrets of porcelain and explain just how important it was to this land over the last few centuries. The highlight of this tour is a visit to the Adrien Dubouché National Museum which, after a recent refurbishment, features the richest collection of Limoges porcelain in the world. This includes works representing the great periods in the history of ceramics. The museum tour takes you on a journey through time, starting in antiquity, crossing continents and civilisations and gradually leading up to the most contemporary creations. Curiosities include a ceramic sternum and electrical insulation made of porcelain.

Another place of technological and historical interest on this unique route through Limoges porcelain is the Musée du Four des Casseaux, home to one of the last surviving porcelain kilns in the area. This industrial building dating from 1904 pays special tribute to its workers, particularly those who died young of lung diseases caused by inhaling silicas. Here, visitors can witness the two firings used to make porcelain – the first at 980°C and the second at 1400°C.

Your itinerary around the Limoges porcelain scene should be rounded off by a visit to the points of manufacture and sale of these valuable wares. One of them is Bernardaud, a company whose savoir-faire is perpetuated in their refined lines, subtle colours and original forms, in keeping with the times. Another emblematic house of porcelain is Jacques Pergay, located on the outskirts of Limoges, which produces elegant, unique pieces and ever more beautiful whites.

Limoges – A City of Hidden Corners

The fame of its porcelain has not eclipsed the beauty of one of the most picturesque cities in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, although it is still scarcely frequented by Spanish tourists.

The city is divided into districts, of which the Cathedral District and Butchers District are among the most emblematic. Prominent in the former, as its name suggests, is the Gothic Cathedral of Saint-Étienne and the Palais de l’Évêché museum and botanical gardens, located on the banks of the river Vienne, in addition to the Musée de la Résistance. On the Rue de la Boucherie you can visit the traditional Butcher’s House, featuring a recreation of the living conditions of an 18th-century butcher’s family – the butcher’s guild was the most powerful one in Limoges at the time.

Before leaving Limoges, make a point of visiting its unusual Art-Deco train station, as well as some interesting buildings adorned with porcelain features, such as the City Hall, Central Market and Louyat Cemetery.

Book your Vueling to Bordeaux and make your getaway to Limoges.

Text by Tus Destinos

After two decades of ripping up the urban rulebook, Bilbao continues to fast forward into the future with new projects like the colossal Zorrotzaurre island development. The city retains its traditional character, however, in the Old Town and its famous pintxo routes (the Basque spin on tapas). Check out our list of the 6 most offbeat things to do on your next visit to Bilbao.