The Ribera del Duero is renowned for being one of Spain’s leading winemaking regions. Sited along the banks of the river Duero, it covers an area of 115 km long by 35 km wide, distributed between the provinces of Soria, Burgos, Segovia and Valladolid. The landscape is characterised by vast swathes of vineyards stretching along the Duero riverbanks, dotted with wine cellars at certain intervals. For wine connoisseurs, moving about this region means revisiting the source of familiar tastes and aromas which they will have encountered at wine-tastings, romantic evenings or festivities. For the novice, it is a unique opportunity to make a triumphal entry into the complex world of nuances. Here are some details on the essential things to do in this region:

1. An Appetiser – Aranda de Duero and its Underground Cellars

Located in the heart of the region, Aranda de Duero is one of the main towns in the Ribera del Duero. Hidden in the basements of the old town is what is known as the bodega de Las Ánimas, no less than 7 kilometres of tunnels and galleries that were excavated between the 13th and 18th century to harness the constant humidity and temperature values (11–13°C) for wine-making. A tour of this cellar can be rounded off by a visit to the Centro de Interpretación de la Arquitectura del Vino (CIAVIN), which highlights how Aranda de Duero and the Ribera del Duero are closely related to wine.

2. Between Glasses of Wine

Let’s cut to the quick –the time has come to meet the makers of “the elixir of Bacchus”. Amid the vast, never-ending array of wine cellars, the best thing is to make a selection of what we’re most interested in, from mere curiosity, through entertainment, to seeking out a particular flavour. In recent times, some wine merchants have elected to revamp their corporate image, as evinced in the design of their buildings. It is therefore rewarding to view the results of applying the latest trends in architecture to their wineries. A case in point is the Bodegas Portia, the work of Norman Foster, Protos, designed by Richard Rogers, along with Alonso Balaguer and Arquitectos Asociados, and the Cepa 21, Pagos del Rey and Legaris wineries.

For those hankering after new sensations, the Matarromera Group, among a wealth of other enotouristic experiences, offer visitors the chance to take on the role of a viniculturist and make their own wine. Exciting, don’t you think?

If you happen to be here during the wine harvest (October–November), some wineries allow you to take part in them, as with the Condado de Haza winery, which hosts a Jornada de Vendimia. But, remember, in all instances you have to book ahead – don’t forget it!

3. Eating Lechazo

The star dish in the Ribera del Duero is lechazo (suckling lamb), roasted over a wood fire after being marinated in a good local wine. We can recommend the Molino de Palacios which, as its name indicates, is located in a windmill in Peñafiel. In autumn they hold a “Game and Field Mushroom Day”. Another pleasant grill-house is the Lagar de Isilla, in Aranda de Duero.

4. A Tour of Peñafiel Castle

Halfway between Valladolid and Aranda de Duero lies the magnificent town of Peñafiel with its striking, walled castle, set atop a hill, dating back to the 10th century. Declared a national monument in 1917, it now houses the Provincial Wine Museum, which promotes the province of Valladolid through the world of wine. Don’t miss out on the stunning views of the valley!

5. Let’s Join the Fiesta!

One of the many summer fiestas which take place in mid-August is Sonorama Ribera, a festival which proves that domestic and international pop and rock marry well with the region’s wine culture. In addition to a wealth of music, the festival programme includes wine tastings, wine cellar breakfasts and more.

6. Wine Therapy?

After all this hustle and bustle, take a well-earned rest and try the treatment offered by the Lavida spa hotel in which the benefits of wine are applied to skin care.

Don’t miss the chance to discover this land of wines – book your fare now!

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Photos by Ruta del Vino Ribera del Duero

Our main reason for visiting Iceland’s capital was to uncover the city’s musical melting pot. Reykjavik has continued to churn out musical icons ever since the initial boom in the early 1980s, as reflected in the documentary and double LP, “Rokk í Reykjavík”, featuring such Icelandic bands as Baraflokkurinn and Tappi Tíkarrass – the latter was Björk’s first serious music project. When talking of Iceland, the first thing that springs to mind are the two most popular names on the international scene – Sigur Rós, and the aforementioned Björk. However, there is an amazingly long list of artists distributed across the length and breadth of the land, as well as countless bands, soloists and collectives that often share their members, regardless of each group’s musical style.

All of these have at some time performed in Húrra, Reykjavik’s leading concert hall, previously known as Harlem. When we were there, we were impressed by the varied setlists scheduled for the following days – an extreme metal festival, a reggae group (Hjálmar, very popular in Iceland)  and a tribute group to the Sex Pistols which hails from the continent. Húrra really acts as a downtown music hub, covering all the musical genres. For starters, it is one of the customary venues for the popular music festival, Icelandic Airwaves, which is held at the beginning of November at various settings in the city, including the marvellous Harpa, a musical and cultural activities centre which has fairly galvanised the local scene in the last few years.

Needless to say, we had to finish off the night with a beer. There are myriad Icelandic brands, including the ubiquitous Viking, in addition to some imported varieties. We ended up at Kaffibarinn, also known as KB, owing to the fact that Damon Albarn from Blur is one of its proprietors. The downstairs hall is comfortable, cosy and features a good, ongoing soundtrack, principally pop and electronic. But, remember not to bother the DJ – not for nothing is there a metal plaque near the crockery which reads, “No requests accepted”. If you want to smoke, which is not allowed inside the premises, they have an open-air interior patio where you can smoke and still keep up a conversation with friends and acquaintances. But, at midnight, everything changes and the upstairs area at KB becomes a dance club which operates until the early hours.

The local scene is clearly both extensive and surprising. Apart from groups with a proven track record, notably Of Monster And Men, Sólstafir, Amina, FM Belfast and Sin Fang, it is the new generation that is shaking the very foundations of the city. We could start with Retro Stefson, a pop group which has been migrating toward electronic and has recently shot to the number one slot in Iceland thanks to their new single, Skin, a preview of their upcoming album, Scandinavian Pain. In fact, it was their vocalist and guitarist, Unnsteinn Manuel Stefánsson, who acted to some extent as our host during our fleeting visit. After inviting us to see his new studio, which is bound to become one of the most active in the city, he took us to have a coffee in Sæmundur í Sparifötunum, a hipster gastro hotel where he introduced us to two of Iceland’s best known rap stars, the upcoming talent, Gísli Pálmi, and the veteran Emmsjé Gauti, the author of a single called precisely Reykjavik. He talked to us about the female collective Reykjavíkurdætur, currently on a meteoric roll, and remarked how one of the leading lights of Iceland’s parliament, Óttarr Proppé, has played in various bands, among them HAM, which was very popular in the early nineties. He also revealed that his favourites included the very young singer (aged sixteen) from R&B and trap music, Aron Can, and the pop singer, Sturla Atlas. Truth be told, Manuel – of Portuguese and Angolan extraction – is also the brother ofLogi Pedro,one of the most celebrated hip hop producers in Iceland and the composer of much of the bass and rhythms for some of the aforementioned artists.

When it came to discovering new artists, we were also lucky enough to have the assistance of the writer, Sigurjón Birgir Sigurðsson, who goes under the stage nameSjónand who collaborates closely with Björk. He recommended the DJ, Flugvél Og Geimskip, and the trap duo, Úlfur Úlfur, whose popularity is on the up and up and who feature among Iceland’s best known current stars.

We could go on about contemporary figures well worth watching, including Sin Fang, who has just worked with Jónsi of Sigur Rós on the latter’s new album. Then there is the electropop group, Gangly, and Alex Somers, the hyperactive writer of American soundtracks who resides in the city and who, together with his boyfriend, the aforementioned Jónsi, recorded under the name Riceboy Sleeps.

And, of course, a must-visit is to the best record shop in town, Smekkleysa, associated with the Bad Taste label (which is what “Smekkleysa” means in Icelandic), and originally related to members of The Sugarcubes. In short, this venue is the basic driving force behind the burgeoning Icelandic scene, due largely to its promotion of such internationally acclaimed projects as Fufanu, Gus Gus, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Minus, Mugison, Múm and Sigur Rós itself.

You will be dazzled by the huge variety of musical offerings to be had in Reykjavik. Don’t pass up the chance to venture into the city’s music scene – check out our flights here.

Text by Joan S. Luna (Mondo Sonoro)

Images by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Some months ago we wrote about five must-visit restaurants in Gijón: Los Pomares, where the fabada is a winner; El Quinto, a wine tavern with globe-trotting tapas; Casa Trabanco, a cider mill with guided visits laid on and dishes based on ingredients from their own market garden; El Candil, which boasts the best fish in town, and La Bolera, a grillroom acclaimed throughout Spain.

Should the list not make the grade – it does, I can assure you – Gijón also hosts several gastro-events which provide an excellent pretext to visit.

Flavours of Arcu Atlánticu

Billed as a culture festival featuring a blend of literature, performing arts, fine arts, music and cuisine from the Atlantic regions of Spain, France, Portugal, Ireland and the United Kingdom, the festival also features star chefs in action. Graced with awards by the city of Gijón, they cook on an enormous stage in the Plaza Mayor before more than 1,000 people, flanked by giant screens, as if a rock concert were being staged. This year, it will be held on 1 August. The event has already hosted such celebrities as Elena Arzak, Eneko Atxa, Andoni Luis Aduriz and Dieter Koschina, the chef at the Vila Joya restaurant, until recently the only Portuguese eatery with two Michelin stars.

Natural Cider Festival

In the week from 22 to 28 August, Gijón tastes only of cider. Around thirty cider mills set up their cider-serving stalls in two urban settings – the Plaza Mayor and the marina (alongside a sculpture known as “The Cider Tree”, made up of bottles from 80 Asturian cider mills). For a token fee, visitors get a commemorative glass they can fill up free-of-charge at any of the stands throughout the day at the so-called Mercadín de la sidra y la manzana (cider and apple market). There are various activities during the week. The bus de la sidra or “cider bus”, which visitors can take to the local cider mills, cursos de escanciado (courses in cider-pouring) and cancios de chigre (cider tavern songs) when hundreds of people gather in the Plaza Mayor to sing the most popular songs of Asturias, while on Poniente Beach there will be an attempt to break the Guinness simultaneous cider-pouring record. Set in 2014, it brought together 8,448 cider pourers.

Gijón de sidra

The Gijón de Sidra festival is held for eleven days each October (this year, from 6 to 16 October), during which cider mills from all over Asturias are twinned with emblematic cider taverns in the city. Each tavern then offers a bottle of cider from the mill they represent, in addition to a homemade portion of food served in a cazuelina, all at a moderate price, accompanied by the singing ofcancios de chigre(cider tavern songs).

Gastronomic Workshops

You can always join some gastronomic workshop around the time of the traditional fiestas. The celebrations of Antroxu (Carnival), with pote (hotpot), picadillo (mince) and frixuelos (flour fritters); those of Holy Week, the Asturian de Pinchos contest (in February), the pinchos (meat on the skewer) contest at the Gijón Sound Festival (last held from 15 to 17 April), and the Pinchos de Gijón championship (in November).

The Cider Route

A good way of learning everything you need to know about cider, the Asturian beverage par excellence, is by indulging in it. Depending on the ticket you purchase, you can learn the secrets of cider making, visit outlets where it is sold, take part in tasting sessions or eat candies made with apple. (There are four types of ticket, which are sold at the Gijón Tourist Offices or online). Available throughout the year.

Gijón Gourmet

Epicureans have the chance to lunch or dine at seven of the best restaurants in Gijón (Casa Gerardo, Agua, Bellavista, El Candil, La Salgar, Casa Víctor, Ciudadela) at an attractive price – 50 euros in the case of Michelin-starred eateries and 45 euros in the others. The menu comprises two starters, two main dishes, dessert and wine. When booking, all you need to point out is that you want a Gijón Gourmet Menu (only tables of up to 8 diners are eligible for the offer).

Gijón Goloso

Gijón Goloso works in a similar way. Considering it is one of Spain’s cities with the most confectionery shops, sixteen of them were selected to make a special sweet which visitors can taste after buying a ticket online or at the Infogijón offices. Five tastings costs 7 euros, while 10 tastings costs 13 euros. The offer lasts all year long, so you have ample time to prepare your trip, as sweet-toothed tourists will never be short of their candies.

Text and photos by Ferran Imedio of Gastronomistas.com

Formentera is known to be pricey. But, while the bill may be steep in some restaurants, it can also be really affordable in others which are well worth the visit. Following is our varied selection after a visit to the island – sea-facing, in the island’s hinterland, in a hotel… Which one would you pick?

Casbah
I stayed at the Casbah, a quaint three-star hotel of small huts scattered about a pine forest just five minutes from Migjorn Beach. The restaurant serves traditional cuisine using cutting-edge techniques. It is inexpensive and there are some outstanding dishes, like the octopus croquettes, served with black-olive mayonnaise, the very tender grilled octopus and fish of the day. The meat dishes are tasty, while soupy lobster rice is one of the standouts. The average price is 40 euros per head, while there is also a tasting menu of six dishes and dessert for 60 euros, without drinks, and 80 with a pairing. They open from March to December.

Caminito
A benchmark on the island for its seniority (36 years) and the quality of its Argentine, American and Australian meat. Hence, this Argentinian venue is a catwalk of stars (Medem, Ramazzotti, Mariscal, Custo, Iniesta, Messi, Buenafuente, Dalma, Guardiola…) yearning for South American and Mediterranean dishes, like the delicate prawn cannelloni and simmered egg with potato, codfish and spring garlic sauce. The indoor swimming pool is an eye-opener, with several dinner tables set around it. Open from May to October. The average price is 50 euros.

Fonda Platé
In Sant Francesc Xavier, an inland village, you will find Fonda Platé, a popular watering hole where you can just as well go for a barrido –an assortment of breakfast, lunch, simple burger-type dinner dishes and salads – or a fregao (cocktails, music…). The terrace with its grapevine pergola is enchanting and the interior gives off a well-worn air reminiscent of the period when the tavern first opened. In the nineteen eighties, the current owners swapped their yacht for this establishment. Average price: 20–25 euros.

Sol Post
As its name suggest, Sol Post, in the Hotel Cala Saona, is one of the most picturesque spots to watch the sun setting. Lunch ushers in traditional Balearic cuisine – take note of the steamed mussels and their rices, like the unbeatable fish and seafood Paella del Senyoret, both reasonably priced. At dinner they serve up more modern, Mediterranean cuisine. Open from May to October, the average price is 30-35 euros for lunch, and 45 euros for dinner (with two tasting menus without drinks for 32 and 58).

Es Jardí des Marès
All in fine taste, sober and elegant, at the Hotel Marès (Sant Francesc Xavier), replete with art exhibits which lead into the restaurant, featuring elaborate, innovative dishes based on quality produce all sourced locally in Formentera. The terrace, once the garden of the neighbouring convent, is the setting for tasting playful, entertaining and modern dishes like colt carpaccio, the revamped country salad, sea bass with wild asparagus and kalamata olives and sweet potato crisps… Average price from 35 to 40 euros, while the tasting menu of five dishes and dessert, without drinks, costs 50.

Es Caló
Another Formentera benchmark. Traditional island cuisine (country salad, fish stew, rices, fried lobster with egg…). The excellent produce is served on several terraces – one of them a chill-out – with marvellous views of the turquoise blue sea and the green La Mola mountain. The lobster is fried with potatoes and green peppers; when the customer has finished ladling the food, the remaining pan oil is used to fry up some eggs. Open from Holy Week to the end of October; average price from 35 to 40 euros.

Sa Sequi
Ideal for enjoying a sunset with views of neighbouring Ibiza. At Sa Sequi, you can have a drink and small, cold or hot dishes in the chill-out, or full dishes on the restaurant terrace. There, the staple is fresh fish at more restrained prices than in the adjacent area of Ses Illetes. Open from May to November. Average price, 50 euros.

Text and photos by Ferran Imedio of Gastronomistas.com