It probably can’t boast about having the best weather or food, but London is one of the world’s great centres of art production and exhibition. Its museums are a must-visit for expert and amateur museum-goers, as well as tourists who relish wandering through the kilometres of galleries to admire an Assyrian relief dating back 2,600 years, or paintings by Caravaggio or Turner, Charles Dickens’ original manuscripts or Pop Art silk screen prints by Andy Warhol.

The fact is London has museums for all tastes. From small and medium-sized private collections to the homes of illustrious figures, and large museums where you can spend days on end, if you feel so inclined. What’s more, most of them are admission-free. We toured the city, and here are our findings regarding the ten museums you simply shouldn’t miss.

1. British Museum – A Walk Through Archaeology

Going to London and not visiting the British Museum is like going to Madrid and not having a calamari sandwich. Among the oldest museums in Europe, it houses one of the most prestigious archaeological collections in the world. Here you will find such celebrated artefacts as the Rosetta Stone, the friezes from the Parthenon of Athens and a display of Egyptian art matched only by the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The British Museum is in the district of Bloomsbury, a short distance from Tottenham Court Road and Russell Square, housed in one of the most striking Neoclassical buildings in England.

2. National Gallery – the Temple of Painting

If visiting London without going into the British Museum is like visiting Madrid and not eating a calamari sandwich, then touring the city without setting foot in the National Gallery is like going to Rome and not trying a dish of pasta. Presiding over the immensity of Trafalgar Square, London’s National Gallery is home to some of the most famous canvases in art history, notably Jan van Eyck’s The Arnolfini Portrait, Rokeby Venus by Velázquez or Bathers by Paul Cézanne.

3. Tate Modern – for the Creative

Opened in the year 2000, a former power station on the bank of the Thames houses Britain's national gallery of international modern art, known as the Tate Modern. It is one of the city’s major attractions and boasts one of the most comprehensive modern art collections in the world. Here you can see works by Picasso, Dalí, Mark Rothko or Andy Warhol, while their excellent schedule of temporary exhibitions enables enthusiasts to keep up-to-date with the leading artists of the moment.

4. Wallace Collection – An Oasis in the City Centre

If there was a single word to define The Wallace Collection, it might well beoasis. This erstwhile family residence is located in the heart of London, a stone’s throw away from Oxford Street and Selfridges department store. Much of the original decor remains intact and the mansion houses a collection of art, weapons and objects which the Wallace family bequeathed to the British state in 1897. Works by Rembrandt, Velázquez, Titian, Canaletto and Fragonard rub shoulders with sumptuous chandeliers, vases and chimneys in this must-see landmark. The museum is quiet, admission-free and not too large, ideal for those seeking to avoid crowds and not get museum legs from too much walking. Be sure to have afternoon tea in the museum’s elegant covered court before leaving.

5. Tate Britain – British Style

Opened in 1897, this museum boasts a large collection of historical and contemporary British art. The major draw in the exhibition is the section dedicated to William Turner, one of Britain’s most famous painters, whose life was dramatised in the award-winning 2014 film, Mr. Turner, starring Timothy Spall in the title role. There is a boat service connecting the Tate Britain to the Tate Modern, so there is no excuse not to visit both museums and have a stroll along the bank of the Thames.

6. Victoria and Albert Museum – Art in the Service of Empire

Covering an area of 45,000 square metres, the Victoria and Albert Museum is one of the most spectacular museums in London. Located in the exclusive area of South Kensington, it features a truly amazing collection of decorative art. Items on display range from ivories to oriental textiles, goldsmithery, ceramics, glass and building fragments. The architecture of the building is eminently majestic, too, featuring large galleries and courts containing life-size replicas of Trajan’s Column and the Pórtico da Gloria from the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela – incredible!

7. Charles Dickens Museum – A Literary House

Oliver Twist and David Copperfield are two of the most famous novels of all time, while their author, Charles Dickens, is one of the great geniuses of English literature. Born in Portsmouth, Dickens spent most of his life in London. Although he lived in various houses, the one at 48 Doughty Street in the central district of Holborn is the site of the museum dedicated to this literary figure. Here, the writer lived with his family from 1837 to 1839, a comparatively brief yet fertile period in which some of his most celebrated works were written. Venturing into this Georgian house is like travelling back in time – a highly enjoyable experience, as the rooms have been kept the way they were in Dickens’ time. Rounding off the visit is an exhibition of the writer’s personal belongings and his manuscripts.

8. Handel & Hendrix – A House of the Baroque… and Rock, Too

What do the guitarist Jimi Hendrix and the composer Georg Friedrich Händel have in common? Well, they both lived in the same house, although with a 200-year separation in time. To be more exact, Handel resided at 25 Brook Street, while Hendrix lived at number 23. Two adjoining houses which can be visited together. Handel lived here from 1723 until his death in 1759. Four of the rooms have been re-constructed, including the bedroom and dining-room, and some of the composer’s music and personal items are on display. If you’re lucky, you might also be in for one of the concerts organised there from time to time. The home of Jimi Hendrix, where he lived in 1968 and 1969, features an exhibition highlighting the musician’s important role and influence in 1960s London.

9. The Queen’s Gallery – In Queen Elizabeth’s Home

The British love of monarchy is well known, so before leaving London, it is worth getting a feel for the esteem in which Elizabeth II is held by the people. And, the best way to get to know someone is by visiting her home. The Queen’s Gallery is located at one end of Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s official residence in London, where temporary exhibitions of items from the Royal Collection are held. If you’re due to be in London in summer, check out the events calendar beforehand. The Gallery opens for a few weeks and is a veritable experience.

10. Saatchi Gallery – In Line With the Latest Trends

Avant-garde and ground-breaking, the Saatchi Gallery is one of the great cutting-edge exhibition centres in Europe. Opened in the early eighties to display the art collection of the publicist and art collector, Charles Saatchi, it was bequeathed to the British government in 2010. It is one of the most frequently visited museums in the world and the ideal spot to become familiar with artists and art movements. Even those not moved by art will be impressed by this museum. It is located in the heart of the Chelsea district, an area frequented by London’s elite, so you will feel like a celebrity when you visit.

Text by Aleix Palau for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

What do an architect, cross-country skiing and a search for efficiency and sustainability have in common? I told you how I discovered the Engadin Ski Marathon after seeing the documentary, “How much does your building weigh, Mr. Foster?”. This film, which premiered in 2010, describes how the designs of Britain’s renowned architect, Norman Foster, evolved into sustainable and more efficient buildings. This documentary opens with epic scenes from the Engadin Ski Marathon, then cuts to feature a surprisingly athletic Norman Foster doing cross-country skiing, after which it fades to black and shows him calm and pensive, on the balcony of one of his works, Chesa Futura, which crowns St. Moritz. In its beginnings in 1969, just over 900 people took the start in the race, while this last time, 47 years after its inception, I was one of the nearly 14,000 participants. The experience was incredible and, if you’re curious, I can give you a few tips to get a better view of the race. By the way – St. Moritz is only 203 kilometres from Zürich.

1. Distinguishing classic from skating. It is important to know that cross-country skiing comes in two varieties. In the classic style you ski along a marked trail, while the skating technique involves skiing off-trail. The equipment and technique are different, too. In the skating or freestyle technique, you glide on the whole ski using longer poles, while in the classic style traction is provided by the base of the ski (waxed or wax-less scales). In some trials you can only ski in the classic style. Engadin allows both, the skaters keeping to the left, and the classic skiers to the right.

2. Prepare your technique to adapt to the terrain. The ski run is very pleasant because much of it is along a false flat, and the rises, although tough and technical, are also short. There are only a couple of downhills in the forest which can become taxing on account of the crowding. It is an approachable course on the whole, but you need to be an intermediate to really enjoy it.

3. It is not a course but a line race, and public transport is good. You don’t need to stay over in St. Moritz; neither do you have to drive there. Public transport takes you across the whole valley and is good. You only need to secure accommodation and commute to the villages traversed by the run.

4. Use the occasion to try out all types of skiing. You are in the Alps and it is easy to try out everything here. You don’t have to limit yourself to St. Moritz either, as there are ski stations on the way to Zürich such as Lenzerheide, which we went to. These are more accessible, less crowded and ideal for skiing both on the runs and off-piste.

5. Check the weather forecast for the day of the race and allow for it. If it’s sunny, as it was this year, a single layer is enough, and on top of that a waistcoat, at the most. It is essential to keep hydrated and use sun block.

6. Head for the ski run with the minimum. On the day of the race, they will give you a bag to leave at the start, depending on your number time. Arrive with your ski boots on, your skis out of the bag, fastened with Velcro and keep your gear to a minimum.

7. Warm nourishment. There are fueling stations along the whole course, but you are advised to bring your own flask in a hip pack typically used for cross-country skiing. The race is sponsored by ISOSTAR but, beware – the drink they give you is warm, like tea.

8. The after race has been invented and it is called Après Ski. In my last post about Ironman Lanzarote you will have noticed I am a stickler for preparing ahead. But, in St. Moritz, I would say you don’t need to organise much. Either you hang around for the party they throw at Zuoz, or go straight up to St. Moritz and eat in the sun on a terrace and have a drink while listening to music afterwards. I am not talking about clubbing, but about chilling out.

After spending those days in Switzerland, I realised they love sports but, if skiing is not your thing, don’t worry, because I have these other plans which are a good excuse for coming along anyway.

- 19 April: Zürich Marathon, where you can either run the whole marathon or in a team.
- 9 May: Sola Race, where mixed teams of at least 2 women and a maximum of 8 team members run a distance of 116 km in 14 legs.
- 19 July: Ironman Zürich. Swimming in Lake Zürich. The course is beautiful, which means that entry tickets to the race run out fast.
- 19 August: Swimming Across the Lake. A 1,500 m race, from Mythenquai to Tiefenbrunnen. The date varies, depending on the weather.
- 26-27 September: Freestyle.ch. Artificial snow ramps for BMX, skiing, motor acrobatics and snowboarding freestylers.

While man does not live by sport alone, and I am not one given to visiting monuments, I would recommend you stroll around the town centre and try one of two “dinner + drink plan” options. Or else, the world’s oldest vegetarian eatery, HILTL, dating from 1898, or the Widder Bar, which doubles as a hotel. They’re open as a restaurant and club. They are good, less touristy options than visiting the train station – while it is stunning, you won’t see any Swiss people walking about there.

Looking ahead, the next Engadin Ski Marathon is on 13 March 2016. Come along to discover Swiss-style sports. Book your flight here.

Text by Raúl Casañas

Images by Pello Osoro, Andy Mettler, Nigel Young / Foster + Partners

The Englischer Garten is the biggest park in the city and as the weather was fine we decided to spend the morning there, along with what seemed to be most of the residents of Munich. At the entrance to the park there is a bridge over the River Eisbach on which surfers take advantage of the strong current and resulting waves to practice their sport. It’s great fun watching them, seeing how they organise themselves, waiting for their turn to jump in and do their balancing act.

The park has huge boulevards and other areas full of trees criss-crossed by streams so it’s very relaxing to going for a walk around and crossing the bridges. In the middle of the Englischer Garten you find the Chinese Tower Biergarten. People can take their own food along to the beer gardens but as we didn’t take anything we bought sausages from a stall.

We carry on walking through the park and head for one of the side exits. There we find another small biergarten that caught our attention because they had put a ski lift cabin on their terrace in which you sit to have your coffee. We thought it was a really original idea.

We took Hohenzollernstraße; we wanted to go to a place we’d been recommended by Laurel Robbins on monkeysandmountains.com. This is a restaurant in which they serve potatoes with more fillings that you could possibly imagine.
You can find all types of shops in Hohenzollernstraße: fashion designers, antique shops, shoe shops… The Lili & Milou shop window is full of really original children’s clothes and games.

Unfortunately Kartoffelhaus was closed, more than likely because we had spent too long wandering in the park. We were still not used to German eating hours and the time at which we arrived was probably far better suited to having dinner rather than lunch.

Luckily, we found a place very close by that we really liked, the Schwabinger Wassermann at No. 82 Herzog Street. The idea of being in a street dedicated to the Munich director and producer Werner Herzog also really appealed to us because we’re huge fans of his films. This man drove his entire team mad as a result of his strong character. For the film Fitzcarraldo, he had a 320-ton steamship hauled up a hill rather than resort to special effects.

As we didn’t really know what the German words on the menu meant, we ordered a Thai dish by pointing to what the girl at the next-door table was eating. It looked really tasty and the end result was really hot but incredibly tasty.

The photo shows the dish we were served garnished with red chilli pepper. One thing we will remember the next time we eat something with chilli in it is to make sure we don’t rub our eyes after handling it. The sting in the eye is just the same as on the tongue with the inconvenience that you can’t have a drink to relieve the pain.

Next day, we decided to pay a visit to the centre of the city. The Marienplatz square stands at the heart of Munich with its impressive City Hall, the Peterskirche and the Frauenkirche with their characteristic green cupola adorning the church towers.

The Viktualienmarkt market is very close to the historic centre and its spectacular colours make you stop at each little stall. On one of the side streets are butchers selling all sorts of German sausages and delicious smoked meats. Stalls are distributed all around the maypole in the square offering attractive displays of fruit, vegetables, cheeses and Christmas decorations.

The most popular stall in the entire market was a small log cabin where they served Glühwein Haferl, hot wine with cinnamon and lemon served in little Christmassy china cups. Hand on heart we have to admit that the first sip didn’t go down too well but the taste grows on you as you drink more, apart from the fact that it also warms you up.

We continued on our way to Vits in Rumfordstraße 49, a delicious coffee shop recommended to us by Laurel. They say they serve the best coffee in city here and they aren’t wrong!

Of all the bars in Munich, the recommendation had been not to visit the famous Hofbrauhaus; it’s the one the Germans don’t go to because it’s too touristy. However, as we passed the door – to be honest by chance – we could not resist the temptation of going inside. Sitting at one of the shared tables near the door, we watched groups of tourists going into a small room in which regular clients left their beer glasses, kept under lock and key. When these clients went to the bar, they collect their glass and give it a rinse. It’s easy to tell who the regulars are as they generally come decked out in characteristic Bavarian hats and lederhosen.

In the Odeonsplatzse we found the Tambosi coffee shop, one of the oldest in town. The weather had already turned chilly and on the terrace, where a classical music concert was taking place, people were sitting outside wrapped up in red blankets.

They say that if you touch the noses of the lions on the door of the Münchner Residenz, the former royal palace of the kings of Bavaria, you will have good luck, but only if your touch is light, almost a stroke. If you touch them for too long, you will get the opposite effect. Normally these types of superstitions are usually only observed by tourists, but we can assure you that in this case, the people of Munich themselves are the most rigorous followers of tradition.

Munich was home to the Olympic Games in 1972 and it’s worth paying a visit to its Olympic Village, the Olimpiastadion with its irregular-shaped glass canopy.

Apart from being a sports venue, the Munich Olympic Stadium hosts lots of concerts and many of the artists that have performed there have left their signatures in the cement, just like the Hollywood Walk of Fame. You can find signatures from Metallica, REM, Kiss, Genesis, Aerosmith, Bryan Adams, Carlos Santana and Roger Waters just to name but a few of those that we can remember. It’s a walk through the history of music.

By Mónica Hidalgo on seriebcn.net

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The sun always shines on Naples, and the city thrives on its warming rays.  Neapolitans –gentile napolitani–are famous for their good cheer and vitality. When a Neapolitan is happy about something he will often order a coffee and pay for two, his own and that of the next customer to order one –a tradition known as the caffè sospeso or “pending coffee”.  What can you expect in a city with traditions like this? Generous portions, for one thing!

Pizza
The classic pizza napoletana consisting of tomato and mozzarella cheese on a thin soft dough is famous everywhere, and is available in a dazzling range of variants in the city of its birth.  Legend has it that popular Margherita version, spiced with basil, was first concocted by a local pizzaiolo in honour of Margaret of Savoy (1589-1655), Duchess of Mantua and Vice-reine of Portugal. But visitors to Naples should also sample the surprisingly wonderful fried pizza served at La Masardona, an ancient family-run establishment now managed by Enzo Piccirilo.  It resembles a no-frills doughnut shop, where rock-bottom prices and high quality food make it a unique dining, lunching, or snacking experience. For a superb exponent of the more classic Neapolitan pizza, try Da Michele, where part of the Julia Roberts film Eat Pray Love was filmed. At once dauntingly historic and warmly welcoming, it serves as juicy and tasty a Margherita as you can find anywhere in the city. But more adventurous palates may enjoy La Notizia, where master chef Enzo Coccia’s highly creative and unorthodox pizzas have made it the first and only pizza parlour to win Michelin stars. Unless you count Edoardo Trotta’s newly opened pizza unit of the famed Palazzo Petrucci, which also has a Michelin star. Try his tasty, huge ripieno al ragú (folded pizza stuffed with meat sauce). Another good choice is 50 kalò, managed by Ciro Salvo, though you may have to queue. The extra-long fermentation (rising) of the dough, and the carefully selected local ingredients make for a pizza that many Neapolitans regard as well worth the wait.

La Masardona
Via Giulio Cesare Capaccio, 27
Tel. +39 081 28 10 57

Da Michele
Via Cesare Sersale 1/3
Tel. +39 081 55 39 204

Pizzaria La Notizia
Via Michelangelo da Caravaggio, 94
Tel. +39 081 19 53 19 37

Palazzo Petrucci Pizzeria
Piazza San Domenico Maggiore 5/7
Tel. +39 081 55 12 460

50 Kalò
Piazza Sannazzaro 201/B
Tel. +39 081 19 20 46 67

Sweet Stuff
The flaky sfogliatelle (filled shell-shaped pastries), and the babà (rum-drenched yeast cakes) are Naples’ most typical sweet offerings, but the sweet-toothed visitor will also appreciate the torta caprese, originating on the island of Capri but adopted long ago in Campania. A sign on Naples’ most celebrated bakery, Giovanni Scaturchio, boasts of the “Babà, sfogliatella, la caprese e il famoso 'ministeriale'. Sinonimo de napoletanità e di dolcezza” (“synonymous with Neapolitaneity and sweetness”). Some people say they find it a bit old-fashioned, but trade is always brisk there. The ‘ministeriale’ by the way, is a traditional chocolate medallion filled with a cream liqueur made from a secret formula. Then there’s Crostata (fruit pie),and cassata (ice cream with dried fruit and nuts) –the list goes on and on, but Naples is dotted with sweet and pastry shops, so you can always indulge your cravings. Not to mention the ice cream parlours. The latest of these to open its doors is the Rol Gelateria, managed by Olga Nigro and Roberta Rubino, already the most popular place to have a gelato on the Lungomare seafront promenade.

Giovanni Scaturchio Pasticceria-Gelateria
Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, 19
Tel. +39  081 55 17 031

Rol Gelateria
Via Partenope, 12/m
Tel. +39 081 76 48 393

Bar Pasticceria Il Capriccio
Via Carbonara, 39
Tel. +39 081 44 05 79

Sfogliatella Mary
Via Toledo, 66 (esquina Galleria di Umberto I)
Tel. +39 081 40 22 18

Gay Odin
Via Vetriera, 12
Tel. +39 081 41 78 43
(several outlets in the city)

Pintauro
Via Toledo, 275
Tel. +39 081 41 73 39

Views
Many have tried, but few photographers have been able to resist the magnificent, stunning, glorious Naples sunsets. The best vantage point would be the precincts of the Castel dell’ Ovo (Egg castle), a lovely fortress on the islet of Megaride in the Gulf of Naples. The Roman poet Virgil is said to have placed a magical egg under the building’s stone foundations to prevent its destruction. So far, it seems to have worked. And as the locals say, “Se non è vero, è ben trobato” (“even it it’s not true, it’s a good story!”)
Another good spot for snapping the evening skies is any room with a view in the Grand Hotel Parker's, a classical five-star hotel featuring a roof garden overlooking the sea, a buffet breakfast with home-made Neapolitan pastries made fresh each day, and many, many stories about wine. The owner, Maria Ida Avallone, also owns the Villa Matilde cellars, dealing only in local vintages that respect Neapolitan traditions. It is one of Grand Hotel Parker of 520 Independent Hotels Integrated into Small Luxury Hotels of the World ™ ( SLH ), a selection of charming establishments in 70 countries worldwide, from design hotels vanguard one palatial mansions of the seventeenth century, Sanctuaries from the center of some Private citeies islands, from Historic houses idyllic resorts.

Grand Hotel Parker's
Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 135
Tel. +39 081 76 12474

Villa Matilde
S.S. Domitiana, 18
CAP 81030 Cellole (CE)
Tel: +39 08 23 93 20 88

Wines and Liquors
Did you know that in Naples it’s a tradition to wash down your last bite of pizza with Marsala wine?  Not that it is by any means the only notable variety of wine in the Campania region, which is rich in vineyards and wineries, thanks to the winning combination of volcanic soil and abundant sunshine. The traditional Falanghina variety of grape is king, and is the basis of the dry, light whites made in the Falerno di Massico DOC. Other whites worth trying are from the Greco di Tufo DOC and the Fiano di Avellino DOC, while the best local reds are from the Taurasi DOC, while the Lacrima Cristi del Vesuvio DOC is noted for whites, reds, and both smooth and sparkling rosés, as well as sweet white dessert wines. For stronger drinks, the local limoncello should be sampled, and also the cream of limoncello prepared at Limonè. Another unusual liqueur is nocillo ornocino, made with walnuts, and a speciality of E’Curti, managed by Enzo d’Alessandro.

Limonè
Piazza San Gaetano, 72
Tel. +39 081 29 94 29

E'curti
Via G. Garibaldi, 57
Sant’Anastasia (NA)
Tel. +39 081 5312797

La Campania
One of the most famous products of the Campania region is mozzarella cheese made from the milk of water buffalos. One of the best places to sample –and stock up on– local cheeses, pastas, eggs, tomatoes, olive oil, drinks, and even pannetonne sweet bread, is Campania Mia, run by Rino Silvestro as a showcase of the best local products. The shop is also the nerve centre of Naples’ “slow food” movement, and from time to time special food tasting sessions are held in the streets adjacent to the shop.

Campania Mia
Via Belvedere, 112
Tel.+39 32 88 56 24 66

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Report by Carme Gasull and Belén Parra / Gastronomistas