Many comments have been made following the post we created on 21 June entitled Enjoying tapas in Granada 
on the Facebook page of Vueling People. You have suggested various places and other cities besides Granada for enjoying tapas in style so we thought it would be a good idea to gather all this information and try to create a tapas trail around Granada for Vueling People. Without further ado, here is the first trail you have created with your comments. More will surely follow. Your contributions are always welcome and we will try to publish them on myvuelingcity.com; the website for discovering the well-kept secrets of Vuelingdestinations.

Ardilla Feliz has suggested Borsalino of Granada. In Borsalino, they give you a free tapa when you order a bottle of beer – standard practice throughout Granada. Very close to the bus station, the residents of Borsalino (the name given to the patrons of this bar) remember this place for the quality of its tapas and the friendly welcome from its owners.

RM López Rodríguez has suggested the Velilla Cafetería Celeste and Los Diamantes. Los Diamantes is another of those bars packed with people but where they offer some amazing ‘pescaíto frito’ or ‘fried fish’. Located on Calle Navas, it is a classic among tapas-lovers in Granada and one of the establishments with the longest history behind it. This is corroborated by Cristina Jimenez, who also says that “for some tapas in great surroundings, the Albaicin district (Plaza La Larga, Plaza de San Nicolás, Torcuato, Mascarones…) and the city centre has millions of places with good Spanish ham and good wines, like Casa de Enrique “the Elephant” next to the cathedral…”. Casa Enrique is at first-sight a rather humble bar but is known by everyone for having some very good cold meats, including Spanish ham.

Cunini is another of the famous places suggested to us by Esther Arribas. It can also be found in the historic city centre, close to the Cathedral, and features an excellent offer of fish and shellfish. Just like most places in Granada, it is usually full and hard to get a table – but if you do, your stomach will certainly thank you for it!

Still in the centre of Granada, Antonio S. Zayas recommends the Bodegas Castañeda in the area near Calle Elvira. Many people rate its tapas and cold meats among the best in Granada but absolutely everyone agrees on the quality of its wines, some of which are home-made such as the “castañeda” and the “calisacas” not to mention its vermouth.

Africa Alemán sends us to the bars in Plaza del Aguaor and Begoña Benito says we really shouldn’t miss La Bella y La Bestia or El Reventaero in Granada, on Camino de Ronda. “Reventaero” means “bursting in Spanish and with such an abundance of tapas it is easy to see why.

Both Consuelo Martos and Anna Calero point us in the direction of the Bullring where we can find La Ermita; a restaurant with a fine selection of reasonably-priced tapas and good Spanish ham, just as it should be.

We will conclude this Vueling People tapas trail around Granada with the recommendation made byManuel Bega to discover the bars of Gran Vía in Granada and to explore other town in the province of Granada, such as Motril.

Many of you have suggested various places throughout Spain, such as Zaragoza, Almeria, Leon (particularly, el Húmedo), Barcelona (Ca l’Arturet in Castelldefels), Avila, Seville (el Eslava is apparently unmissable) and Linares.

Ramón Torregrossa reminds Shiro Takiki of a great place for tapas in Madrid called Bar Scrum at 7 Calle del Sol and Vicent Stronger recommends the Viña district of Cadiz.

We will soon be bringing you another Vueling People tapas trail around another one of our destinations. Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. Catch you later and bon appétit!

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Only an hour’s drive from Lisbon, we discovered an area little known in Portugal, but one that is certainly worth visiting. It’s a place to get lost in whilst taking in the incredible landscape. Alentejo has become a refuge for celebrities such as Valentino, Christian Louboutin and Sarah Ferguson. Even Spain’s Queen Letizia has been spotted around these parts.

In Portuguese, Alentejo means ‘Beyond Tajo’. It was the furthest point reached beyond the Tajo River during the reconquista. It’s a beautiful region blessed with endless planes, heavenly beaches and lots of sunshine. It is the perfect place to escape from the hustle and bustle and enjoy its local food and unique character.

With well-maintained historic streets and dozens of incredible shops where you can purchases artisan products, Évora is the most visited city in Alentejo. If travelling to Alentejo from Spain via Badajoz, the first city you encounter is Elvas, which is also well worth visiting. Builton high ground, its old military fortifications remain, reminding us of Spanish-Portuguese skirmishes over the centuries. Between Elvas and Évora lies Évora Monte, a tiny yet utterly charming village. Other destinations for the visitor include Portalegre, Monsaraz and Marvão, as well as the fascinating Estremoz and Vila Viçosa. It’s here that we make a stop to seek out the highly recommended Joao Portugal Ramos winery.Famous all over Europe, this bodega houses a number of wines of exquisite quality, and here you can see how they are made.South ofÉvora, in lower Alentejo, take a detour to Beja, Serpa, Moura, and above all the incredible town of Mertola.

One of the major reasons to visit this gorgeous part of the world is the beaches. In reality, they are an extension of Algarve, but a lot less crowded.Alentejo has remote beaches, where you can sunbathe, surf or simply get lost. Vila Nova de Milfontes isknown as ‘The Princess of Alentejo’ for its crystalline waters and sand dunes. It is a place you won’t want to leave. Instead, lose yourself in this slice of paradise.

WHERE TO SLEEP

If you do come to Alentejo, take the opportunity to sleep in one of the famous Pousadas Portugusesas and especially the Pousada Flor da Rousa in Nisa. This beautiful town is famous for its ceramic work, cheeses and local stew. But it also has a curious connection with France (in fact it is named after the French city of Nice). In 1199, after the conquest of the Sancho I and the Templars, a fort was built where Nisa now stands. Its first inhabitants came from Nice, and still today French culture seeps throughout this beguiling town.

If travelling from Lisbon, the Pousada da Nossa Senhora da Assunção in the village of Arraiolos, the Pousada Convento dos Loios in beautiful Évora or the Pousada Raínha Santa Isabel in Estremoz are good options. All are reasonably priced and all possess a certain type of magic.

GASTRONOMY

Alentejo's local food is not complicated. On the contrary, it’s simple, somewhat humble, yet delicious and abundant. It tends to be flavoured with herbs and other earthy produce. A good example of this is the typical açorda alentejana – a dish made with breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, coriander and olive oil. It’s an explosion of flavours that everyone loves!

In Alentejo you will find exceptional bread, very good olive oil and mouth-watering pork. There is also a certain Arabic influence in the local cuisine, a sign of the long Moorish occupancy in the region. This can be appreciated in dishes such as migas à alentejana (paprika-spiced pork with breadcrumbs,) lamb stew and in the soups and local bread. Fish is also on the menu, best enjoyed at the fishermen’s bars situated close to the beaches.

Standout desserts include Pan de Rala from Évora or Sericaia con la Ciruela, a local speciality in Elvas. Or really any one of sweet treats from ovens of the local convents – abundant in this region! If you like good food, Alentejo is the place for you.

So there you have it, a fantastic plan for a short break. What are you waiting for? Book your seat now with Vueling.

Text : Tensi Sánchez www.actitudesmgz.com
Photography : Fernando Sanz

1- El Caminito del Rey (King’s little road)

Known by fans of extreme sports for being one of the most dangerous roads in the world . It is a 3-kilometer pedestrian walkway with sections just 1 meter wide that gets to hang up to 100 meters above the river and is located between the villages of Alora and Ardales. King Alfonso XIII had to cross it in 1921 to inaugurate the prey to Conde del Guadalhorce, hence the name.

Only from that grace so typical of Malaga can be understood that an idea like this was born. Taking advantage of the promotion of Smurfs 3D movie , the village was painted blue and, after a popular consultation, it was agreed to extend the painting of the facades. The town of Juzcar became the first Smurf Village in the World on June 16, 2011. Thanks to the original proposal, it has become a leading destination for family holidays.

This strange construction, which pays tribute to Columbus and the Discovery of America, is located in Benalmadena and is a compendium of architectural styles as diverse as Moorish, Romanesque and Gothic, that give the monument an air somewhat bizarre .

On the inside you can visit which is considered by the Guinness Book of Records as the smallest chapel in the world , with just 1’96 square meters. On the few occasions on which Mass is celebrated in the chapel, Christian believers should listen from outside.

Of Frigiliana is said to be one of the most beautiful and best preserved villages in Spain . With just 3,000 inhabitants, is situated in the eastern part of Malaga’s province, between the Sierra de Almijara and the Mediterranean Sea. Its streets of medieval-Moorish style’s architecture and its old town has been awarded prizes such as the Improvement and Embellishment of Towns of the Province, the Beautification of the people of Spain or the First Prize of National Award Competition improvement and Embellishment of Towns of Andalusia.

There is another curiosity in the beautiful town of Ronda. Its Iglesia de la Merced maintains what they callSanta Teresa de Jesus’s incorrupt hand. About ten months after the saint’s death , in 1582, her remains were exhumed, and the Catholic Church claims that her body was found incorrupt. Now this relic has being protected by a gilded silver glove embedded with precious stones.

Facing the beach El Bajondillo in Torremolinos, this beautiful Neomudejar style building has survived property speculation. The simple fact of surviving Costa del Sol’s fierce land speculation, is in itself something extraordinary. It is also one of the most beautiful and emblematic places with interior decor inspired by the Alhambra in Granada. The house was declared a Historic Landmark by the Department of Culture of the Junta de Andalucía in 1991.

7.- How to order a coffee in Málaga

This video comes to be a useful guide in how to order coffee in Malaga, with the measurements invented by the Central Cafe Malaga. There are 10 different ways to ask for it and many visitors might wonder where their nomenclature comes. Began in 1954 in postwar times, when coffee was more expensive. The owner of the Café Central, José Crespo Prado had to choose between throwing coffee or do another again, to suit all tastes. To avoid wasting coffee, identified 10 possible amounts of coffee and named them, so you always have a measure that would suit your tastes.

 Finally, some interesting facts related to the movies. For example, the final scene of the movie “Milennium. Men Who Hate Women”, in which Lisbeth leave the car with a briefcase, was shot in the Malagueta beach, on the Paseo Marítimo Pablo Picasso. Apparently, this area showed perfectly the idea that its director, Niels Arden Oplev, was to represent the Cayman Islands.

In Málaga, movies like Michelangelo Antonioni’s The Passenger , starring Jack Nicholson and Maria Schneider, Jacques Feyder’s Carmen that starred Raquel Meller or San Luis Rey’s Bridge , starring Robert Of Niro and Geraldine Chaplin
The most common scenario for shooting was Finca de la Concepción because of the lush botanical garden that reminds exotic countries such as Cuba, the Philippines and India. Here was filmed, for example, The latest of the Philippines or the Adventures of Barber of Seville.

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

Often we believe that to discover great landscapes in the world we must go to remote places, far from our borders, beyond Europe… We believe the more exotic the country is, the easier it will be to find that stunning landscapes, full of life, that we only see in the movies or in our dreams. But nothing could be further from truth because close by, in Cabo de Gata, we can find one of the most important natural ecosystems in Spain, 37k terrestrial hectares and 12k sea hectares of protected area.

We talk about unspoilt white sand beaches, cliffs, caves, coves, desert and mountain range, all in the same spot. The UNESCO declared it a biosphere reserve, it occupies 63 kilometres of coastline and the seabed is listed among the richest in the Mediterranean. This is a fantastic place with endless activities to enjoy nature in Almeria. Here is a list of the most remarkable places in Cabo de Gata.

BEACHES AND COVES

At Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park we can find spectacular cliffs, amazing nature beaches, urban beaches and beautiful coves. The most popular are listed bellow:

Genoveses beach: Located at Campillo Genovés, it is part of the most beautiful bay in the park, situated in a valley which has not being built on, has a fine extension of 1 km of dunes of sand. This is a virgin beach with stunning panoramic views.

Mónsul beach: With a volcanic origin, the Mónsul beach is surrounded by ancient lava flows eroded by the wind and the water during the years until formed the stunning landscape we can see nowadays. This is, no doubt, the most famous beach in the area, as it was featured in several movies such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Playazo beach: surrounded by the mountains in one side and the San Ramón castle by the other, we can find one of the most beautiful beaches in the park and, at the same time, one of the most accessible and comfortable. Furthermore, not far from here and following a short path we can reach the cove Bergantín.

Enmedio cove: One of the most wild and unspoiled coves in the area, it’s surrounded by fossilized dunes and has great views to the Agua Amarga town, in the other side of the bay, and right behind, the Mesa Roldán hill with its lighthouse and castle. As a case in point, New York Times featured the beauty of this cove in a recent article.

Los Muertos beach: The beach with bluer and clearer water in the area. From here you can also access El Peñón and Las Salinicas coves. This is a beach that is difficult to access to, it is also a quite dangerous one, because of hard east winds, and that’s where the name comes from.

TOWNS AND PLACES

El Cabo de Gata is one of the most arid areas in Spain and on of the driest in Europe, but it has a long-standing tradition of fishing, with old charming little towns. The average annual temperature is around 18 and 20 degrees. This is a place to be explored in order to understand the natural wealth in this country.

La Isleta del Moro: A fishing village full of charm, years ago was the cradle of Arab and Berber pirates. This place is perfect to enjoy Mediterranean seafood.

San José: It is considered the capital town for the nature park; San José is also the biggest town inside the park, perfectly located as beaches, coves and nature surround it.

Los Escullos: The writer Pérez-Reverte used this stunning location for his book “The Nautical Chart”. The San Felipe castle, the beaches and fossilized sand dunes surrounding this place should not be missed.

Níjar: This town was able to preserve the tradition of whitewashed houses, keeping the vestiges of Arab heritage. This place is perfect to purchase crafts.

Las Sirenas reef: One of the most photographed and iconic sightseeing places in the park because, in addition to its great beauty, the lighthouse at Cabo de Gata is the exact point where the southeastern part of the peninsula ends.

Image from Emilio del Prado

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