Celebrate Halloween in one of the cities that we suggest in this post. If you love dark tourism and all things spooky, don’t miss these fang-tastic plans for 31 October (and the days around it!).

As a destination loved by many, misunderstood by others and unknown to the vast majority of mortals, Ibiza is paradise of lemon and carob trees, figs and salt. A gastronomic island eager to share everything it knows about what the land and sea have to offer in the way of cuisine. Just a stone's throw away - or a flight away with Vueling.

Yet another year has passed and Galician cuisine is still on the ascendancy, having earned recognition in the Michelin Guide, one of the most prestigious and demanding in the world. Twelve restaurants in Galicia have earned that distinction, a tribute to their culinary talent. But, we’re going to focus on three of them, which happen to be in A Coruña. We’ll talk about the rest another time. Some overlook the sea; others, the green countryside. Some are inspired by cutting-edge trends; others, by tradition. All of them however, have a unique flavour – a markedly genuine, Galician flavour.

Alborada
(Paseo marítimo Alcalde Francisco Vázquez, 25. 15002 A Coruña)
Chef: Iván Domínguez

This restaurant is located on the seaside promenade skirting A Coruña, halfway between the Tower of Hercules and the Castle of San Antón. It is done out in modern, elegant fashion, with two dining-rooms overlooking the Atlantic, and a third, more secluded, private one. The decor is a blend of fine woods, cork and ironwork, as befits the luminosity of the spacious interior.

The fare on offer at Alborada is based on local Galician produce, particularly fish and seafood, prepared using current techniques. This is haute cuisine, which was awarded a Michelin star in 2010. The menu always features the day’s fish and seafood, accompanied by tasty vegetables in season. Lobster, crayfish, scallop, sea bass, hake, sole… the star is the sea. There are two menus of the day – the “classical” menu, featuring dishes that chart the restaurant’s evolution, and the “tasting menu” spotlighting the chef’s latest, most surprising creations. To round off the experience, Alborada also offers a wine list with over 600 items.

Árbore da Veira
(San Andrés, 109 bajo. 15003 A Coruña)
Chef: Luis Veira

Árbore da Veira is just a few paces from the water’s edge, so ideally you should let yourself be enveloped in the sea breeze. The ambience is warm, relaxing and spacious. There are few tables, light wood finish and furniture inspired by Nordic design. The tables are sans tablecloths and the crockery is stunning, with unique, handmade pieces. This is a happy world. Their chef, Luis Veira, takes you on an alluring culinary adventure. Drawing on the most innovative techniques, the gastronomic experience is designed for the pleasure of the senses. Veira’s motto is to forge ahead, and to integrate new techniques and produce, particularly if it comes from the sea. The result is an array of splendid, signature-cuisine dishes, albeit grounded in the Galician tradition.

A word of advice: here there is no à la carte, but a dynamic offering of two new and attractive menus of the day – “Raíces” (Roots), which includes 8 snacks, 10 main dishes and 8 desserts, and “Árbore”, made up of 8 snacks, 15 main dishes and 8 desserts. Quite a mouthful! In the end, you’re looking at some 30 culinary creations to be consumed in one session. And, the produce is in season, especially from the sea (6 of the dishes are based on seafood) and estuaries of Galicia – oysters, crayfish, scallop, periwinkles and codfish offal. As an alternative, the chef likes to offer the odd meat dish, with Galician beef and porco celta (Celtic pork ham) being his mainstays. The dishes – or “mouthfuls”, as Luis tends to call them – vary in terms of the market and his inspiration. When it comes to the wine list, Árbore adheres to the same approach – around 250 items which include 30 DOs (designation of origin), both Spanish and international, although Galician wines are dominant. The selection, renewed every three months, is impeccable and designed to combine with the chef’s stunning dishes. There are two matches proposed – in the mouth with 8 wines and on the palate with 12.

A Estación
(Estrada da Estación, 51. 15660 Cambre, A Coruña)
Chefs: Beatriz Sotelo and Xoán Crujeiras

This restaurant lies 15 km from the centre of A Coruña and is striking for its siting, as it occupies the canteen and storeroom of an erstwhile train station. We found the refurbished interior captivating, particularly for its lighting. During the day, the dining-room is bright and lively, with glazed fronting on both sides, as in the old train coaches. By night, the salon turns intimate and elegant, with small points of light evocative of the dinner atmosphere on the Orient Express.

The master-chef tandem base their approach on a combination of technique and creativity, passion and delicacy, sea and mountain. They also share a preference for sourcing local produce, but with a view to the future. The dishes at A Estación point to a harmony of culinary experience, knowledge and recollections. The menu features dishes for snacking and sharing, with starters, fish and meat in season, and tastings that may optionally match wines and are renewed each month. Produce here is always in season, traditional, organic, proximity produce sourced from local cooperatives or small producers.

A Coruña offers a host of incentives to captivate you and one of them is their cuisine. Come and taste the creations of their leading chefs. Check out our flights here.

Text by Turismo A Coruña

Images by Alborada, Árbore da Veira

Lovers of good food will be especially impressed with Lisbon. Here, tradition and the avant-garde coexist in mutual harmony and quality. At times, they even fuse to create the coolest, most delectable foodie experiences. Take note of these five venues well worth visiting, and deserving more than just a bite.

An Unforgettable Brunch at Chafariz del Rei

An unassuming alleway to those who don’t suspect what lies in this quaint 13th-century building, breathing the luxury of bygone times, behind its imposing, locked door. Visitors have to ring the bell and wait. And, as they hear the key turning in the lock, the mystery deepens. Inside lie stately rooms with unusual, meticulous interior design. You have come to Chafariz del Rei, a place which is surprising and captivating from start to finish. It is ideal for enjoying a brunch (18 euros per head), comprising tea or coffee, natural fruit juices, homemade buns, bread, homemade jams, eggs any style, fruit salads, a cheeseboard, sausage and dessert. The best place to enjoy this food is of course on the terrace, bathed in sunlight, with the murmur of a fountain and a relaxing view. A divine moment you will never forget. But, you have to book in advance.

A Traditional Bill of Fare at the Cova Funda Intendente

The cantinas, an old Lisbon favourite, are still going strong. These genuine, popular eateries, replete with surly waiters, parties who talk (too) loud and paper place mats, where the menu is cobbled up by the family’s grandmother and two diners can wolf down food like there was no tomorrow for under 30 euros. With wine, coffee and dessert included. Take, for instance, the Cova Funda Intendente. Their speciality is – naturally – codfish, cooked to a thousand different recipes. Special mention goes to this fish done à brás (a sort of hashed codfish with egg, garlic, courgette, olives, onion and potatoes). The dish is as tasty as it is addictive. It is impossible to stop eating it, even when you’re about to burst. But, don’t even think of ordering one dish per person, as here the helpings are gargantuan. One helping is for two or more diners. As a first course, they make a superb bread soup (a vegetable broth with egg and sliced bread).

Original, Inimitable Pastéis de Belém

As soon as you set foot in the airport, your mouth will water by simply catching a glimpse of the pastéis de Belém, the country’s best known confectionery. And, you come across it all over Lisbon. But, in this case, I make no excuses for being a purist – the originals are inimitable. To try them, you have to go to Belém and wait patiently in the queue that forms on a daily basis in front of the Casa Pastéis de Belém and goes around the block. Here, where they make about 10,000 tarts a day, the confectionery was first invented. It’s worth waiting for. A mere bite into one of these custard tarts, eaten freshly baked and dusted with castor sugar and cinnamon, is simply divine.

A Cool Market for the Modern

Something has changed. Something is simmering here. Something is happening in Lisbon and the ferment smacks of a commitment to tradition, but with a modern touch. Tried and tested favourites always endure, but they adapt to an audience eager for new culinary experiences. This is what strikes you at the Mercado da Ribeira, now converted into a cool market boasting the best street food stalls in the city. Here you can feast on anything – local sausage or cheeses, internationally-inspired delicacies (pizza, prawn-and-beef hamburgers), traditional dishes (seafood grill, croquettes, rices…), preserves, cocktails, pastries, ice-creams, etc. The prices do, however, soar in comparison to the street stalls in the city centre, but a visit to this gastronomic market, which draws hundreds of people sharing tables each weekend, comes highly recommended. Mercado da Ribeira: Avenida 24 de Julho 50, 1200-109, Lisboa.

Charming Restaurant, Lisboan Fare

Typically Lisboan cuisine which gives a nod to the present, served in a priceless, modern establishment full of charm – the former premises of the Real Fábrica da Seda. What’s on the menu? Pastéis de bacalhau (cod fritters), duck with rice and octopus feijoada, a seafood stew with beans. The average price is 30 euros per head.

Come on! I’m sure your mouth was watering as you read this post. Check out our flights to Lisbon and feast on their culinary delights.

Text and images by Laia Zieger (Gastronomistas)