David Bowie moved to the German capital looking for anonymity in the atmosphere of Berlin during the Cold War, when he was interested in the local music scene of the city at that time, with bands like Tangerine Dream or Kraftwerk, and also focused on his detoxification.

"Low", "Heroes" and "Lodger" are three albums comprising the Berlin trilogy, three fundamental titles on David Bowie’s discography, recorded with Brian Eno’s contribution on the 1970’s and bathed by the influence and power of a city and a time unique on history.

To follow the key locations from the stay of Bowie in Berlin we should start by going to Hauptstraße 155, the address of the building where the British genius lived. Curiously, you should know that his partner on parties and also a rock star, Iggy Pop, lived here in the same building but, contrary to popular belief, in a different apartment.

Bowie & Iggy were regulars at the nightlife in Berlin. One of the venues they visited the most is the second stop on this route: Neues Ufer café. Previously known as Anderes Ufer, this place is one of the first openly gay bars in Europe. That is the reason for its name, which means “the other side of the shore”.

If we take the metro in Berlin, it’s mandatory to stop at Neukölln station. We encourage you to bring a MP3 music player with you to tribute the instrumental song "Neuköln", included in the album "Heroes" (1977).

After this tribute, we can stop at Potsdamer Platz, right where the Wall crosses the square. In the song “Heroes” Bowie sings “I, I can remember, Standing, by the Wall, And the guns shot above our heads, And we kissed, as though nothing could fall”. Besides being the spot where Bowie sees the wall, this song is about lovers kissing. At that time, Bowie said it was just inspiration but later on it was known that the lovers were Tony Visconti, Bowie’s guitarrist, and one of his backup singers, who were having a love affair.

Bowie was looking at this lovely scene by Visconti from the next stop in the route: Hansa Estudios. The place where they were working in what later became a trilogy beyond comparison on music’s history.

Last stop in the route is in front of Brandenburg Gate looking at the Republic Square. This square, in front of the German Parliament, is where Bowie returned for a show at the Berlin Festival, in 1987.

Image from Jean-Luc Ourlin

We’ll be there. If you want to come too, check out our flights here.

Bilbao BBK has been with us for twelve years now – that’s quite a feat. A well consolidated festival which manages to compete with some all-powerful musical events in Barcelona and Madrid within a similar timeframe. The reason for its success is simple – its lineup of artists has been steadily growing in prestige and popular appeal. BBK, which is held this year from 6 to 8 July 2017, features some awesome names. The lineup of markedly varied musical styles is headed by Depeche Mode, Phoenix, Fleet Foxes, Die Antwoord, The Killers, Two Door Cinema Club, Justice, The Avalanches and Brian Wilson, among others. If you want to attend the concerts, there are still available some 3-Day Tickets and room in the campsite, should you prefer to steer clear of hotels and instead be more adventurous.

One of the hallmarks of this festival is the grounds it is set in. Monte Kobetas (also known as Kobetamendi), is one of the city’s iconic playgrounds. This elevated, forested area affords spectacular views of Bilbao, apart from acting as one of its lungs and a spot where Bilbaines do sport and go for picnics. However, the precinct is off limits to the general public for the duration of BBK, when it is repurposed solely to music. Access to Kobetamendi is a simple matter; in fact, a couple of free bus lines are laid on for the event by the organisers, facilitating access to the festival precinct for all attendees.

Over and above the musical offerings, BBK provides the perfect excuse for getting to know other places in Bilbao, too. Here are a few proposals for early risers eager to explore the city on foot.

The Best “Pintxos”

It’s a cliché, but it’s actually true – if you visit Bilbao, you simply have to eat pintxos more than once. It is an unwritten norm. And, Bilbao happens to have some of the best bars serving up this culinary speciality. To score a bull’s-eye with your pintxos, the best thing is to head for the city’s historic centre, an area crammed with restaurants of tried and tested quality. Four of them we can highly recommend are Gure Toki,Txiriboga,Motrikes and Askao Berri.

A Touch of Art

As luck would have it, BBK coincides with one of the pictorial exhibition highlights of the year, which is still on in the Guggenheim Bilbao, namely Paris, Fin de Siècle, an exhibition showcasing the work of the most prominent late-19th-century French and European painters. It would be unthinkable not to dive into the museum to see paintings by Toulouse-Lautrec, Signac and Redo, among others, before going up to the Kobetamendi precinct to soak up the festival. Oh, and while you’re about it, make sure you don’t miss the museum’s permanent collection, featuring works by the likes of Robert Motherwell, Yves Klein, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, James Rosenquist, Anselm Kiefer and Gerhard Richter.

Power Records – Bilbao’s Temple of Vinyl

When in Bilbao, dropping in on Power Records is almost as important as eating pintxos if you’re a music aficionado.This legendary store has over twenty-five years’ history behind it. Located on Calle Villarías, near the Old Town and the Nervión estuary, this establishment has a mind-blowing selection of vinyls, both second-hand and imported. This is a veritable sanctuary for music lovers hunting for rare records by their favourite groups. Apart from second-hand albums, Power Records is also dedicated to CDs, reissues and the latest releases. So, if that seven-single by Depeche Mode, or a vinyl of “Pet Sounds” by Brian Wilson has been eluding you, you’re probably going to find it here.

Book your Vueling to Bilbao and let yourself be swept away by the music waves of one of the standout festivals in Spain.

Text by Xavi Sánchez Pons

Its white and fine sand, the calm and clear waters and the proximity to downtown make of il Poetto Beach one of the most important of the Italian island of Sardinia. This is the most extended beach in Italy, with more than 7 kilometers in length ranging from Sella del Diavolo (the Devil’s Chair) to coastal Quartu Sant’Elena..

The beach is very popular during the day and night because it’s very well connected from the dowtown by a regular buses line from Via Roma. During the day tourists flock both Clagiari residents to enjoy this paradise and in the evening you can dine in one of its many restaurants or enjoy accessible music and live concerts from the bars.

Why not take a trip to Cagliari? Have a look at our flights here!

What better way to discover a city than aboard this colourful tram? The Ebbelwei-Express will take you to all the most interesting sites of Frankfurt on a psychedelic vehicle that could well have been inspired by the Beatle’s yellow submarine.
While enjoying the journey, passengers will listen to music and be served cider (the city’s traditional beverage) and the typical pretzels (savoury biscuits in the form of a knot).
The journey lasts about one hour. Departing from the zoo, the route passes by the Modern Art Museum, the Cathedral, St Paul’s Church and the central station before ending up at the municipal library – Der Portikus.
Passengers can get on and off the Ebbelwei-Express as they please along the way, meaning that the fun is guaranteed.

Picture by  Labanex

A perfect plan for a trip with friends! Check out our flights and get going!