Eating in the street is all the rage. It is becoming more popular by the day and Restaurant Day, which emerged in Finland but is celebrated in various cities around the world, contributed to it in large measure. The event takes place every three months and is a magnificent expression of urban culture, as its origins lie in volunteering and citizens’ own initiative. Any person, or group of people, can open their own pop-up restaurant, an expression fast gaining currency – you choose a spot, set up your stall, impress, sell and dismantle it, all in a single day. It could be in a park, on a street corner, in a courtyard or even an apartment or office. What is the goal? To promote a culinary experience and, above all, to have a good time in community… and all for a modest price. One’s imagination is the limit!

Any individual or group of friends can come together for a few hours to prepare and offer one, two, three… five or up to ten different dishes. Sweet or savoury, whatever catches one’s fancy or, to be sure, whatever you can do best. The better the product you make, the more portions you sell and the more business you do. And, apart from the pleasure involved in the culinary experience, it goes without saying that nobody wants to lose money. You can even make money!

Restaurant Day is a veritable gastronomic experience for those who set up their own pop-up restaurant and also, apparently, for the thousands of potential customers who, in a matter of minutes, can savour dishes from the five continents. It is common to find youngsters selling Mexican dishes alongside another group making sushi, and a nearby family preparing a scrumptious paella, accompanied by various potato omelettes.

The driving force behind Restaurant Day is the Finn, Timo Santala, who decided to launch this initiative after a trip to Thailand, where street food is a common practice. It is also a way of cutting down on the bureaucratic red tape involved in opening a restaurant. The first Restaurant Day, or Ravintolapäivä, was held on 21 May 2011. Just 45 pop-up restaurants took part, distributed between thirteen towns in Finland. The second time around, the number registering for the event rose to 200. The last edition, held on 16 May 2015, saw the participation of nearly 2,500 restaurants in 34 countries. From Finland to Italy, Portugal, France, Spain, Germany, Denmark, Britain, Poland, Hungary, Russia, Belgium and the Netherlands. The fact is that people are taking a greater interest in the venture day by day, and becoming more open to preparing and tackling new cuisines and new flavours – restaurants serving foreign cuisines are always the most readily accepted everywhere!

In short, Restaurant Day is a great way for making people aware that they are the real citizens and owners of the towns they inhabit. The thinking behind this growing movement is that it is up to them to make the towns they live in a much better place. Despite attempts by administrations, particularly in Finland, to control the level of street-food hygiene and to levy taxes on the initiative, they were forced to back down due to the popularity of the event. Thus, the organisers have managed to maintain the civic spirit of the original proposal. It is therefore a great opportunity for anyone wishing to fulfil their dream of opening a restaurant, even if just for one day!

There is now even an app which enables you to find the nearest spot for a pop-up restaurant linked to theRavintolapäivä. The next stagings of this event are scheduled for 16 August and 21 November 2015, and Budapest will be one of the cities with greater participation of Europe. 

Check out our flights here.

Text and images by Marc Carol and Jordi Casino (Barcelonahelsinki)

Situated just 25 kilometres north of Marseille lies this, the former capital of Provence. Its original settlers were drawn to the site on account of its numerous natural springs, while nowadays it is a magnet for university students and tourists. This must-visit stopover on any Provence itinerary is a city best defined by the word “elegance”. Some have even ventured to compare it with Paris, albeit on a much smaller scale. Here, then, are some of the keys to discovering Aix-en-Provence.

Cours Mirabeau, the Old Quarter and the Quartier Mazarin

Sandwiched between the Old Quarter to the north, and the Quartier Mazarin to the south, Cours Mirabeau is Aix’s major landmark. This pleasant thoroughfare with its moss-lined fountains, canopy of plane-trees and magnificent Renaissance mansions invites visitors to stroll along and stop at any of the many cafés and terraces on the avenue, veritable vantage points for soaking up the amazing atmosphere. One of the most popular such cafés is Deux Garçons, once frequented by Paul Cézanne, Émile Zola and Albert Camus.

Wandering through Aix’s Old Quarter is another of the pleasures held out by this city. Here, you can stroll around the pedestrian precinct, enjoy the shopping areas and uncover half-concealed enclaves which are ideal for whiling away the time – the Place d’Albertas is a case in point.

Unlike the Old Quarter, the Quartier Mazarin is more neatly laid out. Here, you will come across its striking hôtels particuliers – the name given to large mansions that once belonged to the nobility and the haute bourgeoisie. This area was designed in the 17th century on the initiative of Archbishop Michel Mazarin. Among its leading landmarks is the Granet Museum, housed in a former Knights of Malta priory, featuring an exhibition of the paintings of François Granet, in addition to Italian, French and Flemish works, and an excellent collection of modern art.

On the Cézanne Trail

The other great icon of the city is the Post-Impressionist, Paul Cézanne, who was born and died here and who captured the landscapes of Provence in many of his works. We recommend you head for the Atelier Cézanne, on the north side of the old quarter, where you can see how the artist approached his work. You won’t however, see a single Cézanne original. If you’re feeling sprightly enough, you can walk up to the Terrain des Peintres (Painters’ Park), a small, quiet park which attracts a large number of artists and the spot where Cézanne painted his multiple versions of Mont Sainte-Victoire.

The Vasarely Foundation – Op-Art in its Pristine State

Located on the outskirts of Aix, the Vasarely Foundation is well worth the effort visiting for its highly original architecture, based on conjoined hexagonal cells, and the exhibition it houses of the pop-art oeuvre of Victor Vasarely. All the exhibits here are large-format. They draw the viewer into the unusual world of this genuine artist, featuring optical effects guaranteed to impress.

Book your Vueling to Marseille and discover Provence – one of France’s most beautiful regions – by visiting some of its most evocative towns, as Aix-en-Provence most certainly is.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by vasse nicolas,antoine, Milena, Sjaak Kempe, Connie Ma, Andrea Schaffer

The Marseillais are fortunate. Although they inhabit the second most populated city in France – after Paris – with all that entails, right on their doorstep they have a haven of peace in the form of a nature reserve which can be negotiated on foot or by kayak, and where they can swim and splash about in summer. Living with the Mediterranean lapping at your feet does have its advantages.

The spot we are referring to and which we recommend touring and experiencing first-hand is the magnificent Parc national des Calanques. This nature reserve starts at the port of Pointe Rouge, south of Marseille, and stretches for 20 kilometres along the Mediterranean coast, up to the small fishing port of Cassis. But, what secret does this area hold in store?

Les Calanques is an area of granite and limestone buttresses jutting into the sea and forming a winding coastline with deep inlets and numerous cliffs, between which nestle various coves or calanques, which the reserve takes its name from. Some of these coves can only be reached by sea. The turquoise blue of the sea strikes a marked contrast with the arid terrain, with little (stunted) or no vegetation, the result of the warm Mediterranean climate and the properties of the local soil.

Visitors to Les Calanques will enter a magnificent area, conducive to hiking in search of the picturesque coves. They will also find the perfect spot for rock climbing as it is teeming with cliff faces where the more adventurous can try out their skills on the sheer walls.

Things get even more interesting, as this nature reserve also extends out to sea, where the biodiversity lies in its waters, featuring a large number of different species. It is thus a very attractive destination for divers, too.

What to Bear In Mind When Visiting

When planning an excursion to Les Calanques, take into consideration that the area is protected, which means access is limited at different stages in the year. Summer is when it is at its most vulnerable, owing to fire hazards, so that motor vehicles are banned from the area in this season and even access on foot is controlled. So, if you are unable to visit the park in spring or autumn, the best time of year to venture into it, take into account that you have to pay to park your car and then walk in the summer sun. Remember to use sturdy footwear and to take a hat and a good water supply.

Of the many coves you will come across in this stretch of coastline, the most popular ones are Calanque de Port-Miou, Port-Pin, the Calanque d’En-Vau and Morgiou. These are closest to the town of Cassis and can be reached in the course of a pleasant walk along the coast. The larger Calanque de Sormiou is also among the most popular coves.

Be sure to also make a point of visiting Cassis and its picturesque harbour, characterised by its fishing boats and colourful houses. Painters of the calibre of Signac and Derain were understandably captivated by the light and colour of this town.

Don’t miss your own adventure to this magnificent corner of the Mediterranean – book your Vueling to Marseille here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Frédérique Voisin-Demery, Amanda Snyder, Thomas Barthelet, maarjaara

Bayonne, capital of the French Basque Country, is one of the most surprising cities in the new French region of Aquitaine-Lemosín-Poitou-Charentes. Basque from head to toe, this city located at the confluence of the rivers Nive and Adour is well worth strolling through, as you will discover buildings that stand out for their colourful facades and traditional half-timbering. This reveals the Basque influence and indeed Bayonne is part of the historical territory of Labourd – Lapurdi, in Basque. One of the most widely visited spots in the city is the Basque Museum, which features one of the most important ethnographic collections in southern France. Their culture is present in some local businesses, such as the shops selling typical Basque fabric, in such sports as pelota – very popular among the Bayonnais – and in the language, as French and Basque coexist in Bayonne.

Bayonne, in the department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, has long been unjustly upstaged by the thermal baths and glitter of neighbouring Biarritz, located less than 10 kilometres away. The historic centre of this locality in Aquitaine is made up of three quarters – Grand Bayonne, Petit Bayonne and Saint-Esprit. Prominent in the first of these is the Cathedral of Sainte-Marie de Bayonne, with its wonderful 13th-century cloister, the Château-Vieux (Old Castle), built in the 12th century by the Viscounts of Lapurdi, and the Spanish Gate, which the old main road leading to the border once passed through. In the Grand Bayonne you can also make out the three walls that encircled the city in former times – one, of Roman origin, a second from the period of King Francis I (early 16th century) and the last one designed by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban in the second half of the 17th century.

Petit Bayonne, for its part, is a secluded quarter presided over by the Château-Neuf (New Castle), built by Charles IV in the 15th century. Sited in this area is the aforementioned Basque Museum, on the Nive riverbank, housed in a 16th-century palace known as the Maison Dagourette. Inaugurated in 1922, it is a veritable ethnographic gem, boasting displays ranging from traditional burial sites to houses, furniture and craftwork. Lastly, on the far side of the river lies Saint-Esprit, with the citadel and train station as its major landmarks. That is where Spanish and Portuguese immigrant Jews lived after fleeing from the Inquisition.

Gastronomy in Bayonne

Bayonne market is an ideal place for trying the city’s typical dishes, like the tasty Gâteau Basque,in addition to cured ham, accompanied by peppers from the neighbouring town of Espelette, and chocolate, brought here by the Jews from the Iberian Peninsula who settled in Bayonne. Apart from the market, one of the streets treasured by lovers of the cocoa derivative is Rue Port Neuf,home to a number of craft workshops such as L’Atelier du Chocolat, where a delightful spicy chocolate is made, and Chocolats Cazenave, an establishment which has been running for one and a half centuries and counts among its specialities water-based chocolate and mousse.

Bayonne Mini-Guide

Sleep at…

The Hôtel & Restaurant Les Basses Pyrénées, a central hotel located just a few minutes from the Cathedral and Spanish Gate.

For a meal, be sure to visit…

La Karafe (25, Quai Jaureguiberry), with typicalpinchosand sausage.

Brasserie du Trinquet (4, Rue du Jeu de Paume), sited next to a court where Basque pelota is played on Thursdays.

You can shop at…

Tissage de Luz (3, rue Port de Castets) who sell tablecloths, bags and bedclothes bearing the typical Basque hallmark, as well as other more modern types in bright colours.

The airport of San Sebastián lies 40 kilometres from Bayonne. Book your Vueling here and discover it for yourself!

Text by Tus Destinos

Images by B. BLOCH - CRTA y tuvemafoto-OT Bayonne