A new Lisbon rises from the old
Words by Rita Branco
To begin your journey we invite you to take a closer look at an almost forgotten side of Lisbon: Braço de Prata. Located between Santa Apolónia and Oriente, it’s not the most charming area in the city, but in recent times it has become a place where new things find a start. Pioneers in recycling forgotten buildings, the cultural center Fábrica Braço de Prata was created back in 2007. Formerly a factory where war materials were manufactured, it is now a place to cultivate new ideas: since it replaced gunpowder with books, this special spot locks up between its doors countless proposals: from live music to art exhibitions, poetry sessions, dance meetings and other gatherings. Due to its variety of rooms, there is always something happening. It has twelve doors in total, all hiding secrets and each one with its own purpose: four exhibition rooms, another one for film projections, other for musical performances, a bookstore and a couple of bars. A place of leisure filled with a young and dynamic crowd.
Moving to one of the oldest neighborhoods in the heart of Lisbon, Anjos, there’s a place called Taberna das Almas, another cultural association born out of a deactivated glass factory. With two floors and three different rooms, this place made out of wood and full of personality, wants to revitalize the area by promoting and supporting all sorts of cultural projects. Since 2012, every road leads to Feira das Almas on the first Saturday of every month: this alternative market presents sixty projects every new edition, from vintage shopping and handicraft to brand new designers and labels, always accompanied by live music. Being the place where online shops gain a temporarily physical space, big traveling bags are turned into showcases and young artists exhibit their work, Feira das Almas brings a fresh idea into traditional business.
To the occidental side, Príncipe Real is a stylish area on its own. Full of old buildings being renovated and with a young population moving in, this rich neighborhood is becoming a serious shopping spot surrounded by gardens. Built in 1857, Ribeiro da Cunha Palace, was not only part of the New University of Lisbon once, it was the stage for a French TV show also. Right in front of Príncipe Real Garden, the brand new fashion bazaar opened its doors for the first time in early September, 2013. This stately Neo-Moorish building has been recovered and turned into a place where art, business and lifestyle meet, and gathers fifteen entrepreneurs shops over two floors. From fashion to beauty, furniture to music, a restaurant and a space dedicated to temporary art exhibitions, this commercial area combines tradition with innovation and creativity, keeping its interiors intact, where every room has a story to tell, and giving an opportunity to the labels to be in direct touch with their customers.
Extending south of Príncipe Real, there’s the bohemian Bairro Alto. At number 59 of Rua da Barroca, ZDB pops up. Zé dos Bois is an art center living in an eighteenth century palace that was abandoned for ten years: Baronesa de Almeida Palace, a place where writer Almeida Garrett once lived, lodges a non profit organization since 1997 and it has been existing as a space for creation and promotion of contemporary art and the alternative scene, with a special attention to experimentation and exploration of emerging artistic languages. Hosting more than 150 art events per year, including residencies and educational programs, spreading emergent visual art proposals and with a diversified schedule of live music performances, ZDB also has a bookstore, a bar and a terrace where film projections happen periodically.
Moving towards occidental Lisbon, right in front of Estrela Garden, you will find A Montra, which will be occupying number 132 of Calçada da Estrela until October, 2014. During an entire year, this cultural intervention will rehabilitate an abandoned street shop and will turn its window into an art gallery. Every month, an artist is going to produce an art work for that particular place, a feast for the eyes that is available at any time of the day.
To put an end to our journey, LX Factory seems to be a good choice. Once one of the most important manufacturing complexes in Alcântara, it is today a factory of experiences and ideas. Although the mechanical environment is still alive, its residents are now very different: creative people and original companies have been reviving the complex since 2007. LX Factory is to everyone and for everyone, this creative island of fashion, advertisement, communication, fine arts and music has a lot of different commercial and gastronomic spaces, and it also organizes the LX Market every Sunday, a fair for handmade pieces, small DIY brands and second hand opportunities.
From the oriental to the occidental side of Lisbon, here are six bets on the Portuguese new cultural scene. Six different places with a mutual goal: give Lisbon a new dimension and bring life to the city, promoting all sort of arts and entrepreneur ships as a unifier, and using the old to create a better new.
So you feel like visiting Lisboa, do you? Book your flights here!
Imagen de Ricardo Junqueira
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11 Things to See and Do in Nantes
By Marlys Schuermann Easy Hiker
Nantes is one of the many charming and interesting small French towns you have to discover. You can easily spend a leisurely week-end there and keep yourself busy sight-seeing the town, either on foot or renting a Bicloo (the equivalent of a Velib in Paris.)
What to See and Where to Go
1. The Castle of the Dukes of Brittany and Nantes, which is now a museum. If the weather is fine, you can even settle yourselves on the grassy moat surrounding the castle, either to picnic, play or just to soak in the sun.
2. Make sure you go inside the castle and perhaps look into that well and make a wish.
3. The gothic Cathedral, famous for being the most beautifully restored cathedral in France.
4. Enjoy a stroll at the Place Royale, where right and left, you will find open-air cafes for your coffee break.
5. Bike to or take the tramway line no. 1, to the Gare Maritime to catch a Navibus (river boat) to bring you to the old fishing village of Trentemoult.
6. There are no more working fishermen in Trentemoult but it is worth the while to see the quaint houses and ruelles still surviving.
7. The Ile de Nantes, where “Le Jardin des Machines” is located, is one destination you cannot and would not want to miss, mainly to see and perhaps take a ride on its most popular attraction, the Giant Mechanical Elephant.
To savour the spectacle, I would recommend for you to stay on the ground and just watch the mechanical pachyderm trumpet out steam and slowly stroll around the park.
8. After all that excitement with this circus, you can go back to the mainland and visit the Passage Pomeraye, a 3-level 19th century shopping arcade.
9. See the objects the chocolatiers of Maison Larnicol created out of chocolate – a lady’s stiletto, a handbag, two giant lipsticks and a replica Jaguar.
10. Right near Nantes central train station is the famous Tour de LU. It was in Nantes that the biscuit factory of LU had its main site but has since been turned into a theatre/museum.
On your visit to the old fishing village Trentemoult, you must have seen their sign, too.
11. And where to eat when in Nantes? At the Brasserie La Cigale, of course (4, Place Graslin.) This restaurant has served good food for almost 115 years. Be part of their history. Best to reserve if going for dinner or go after 14h00 to be sure of getting a table. They’re open all day (07h30-00h30)
To help you go and see more of Nantes, check out their Tourism Bureau’s advice HERE.
Image: Dyhorus
By Marlys SchuermannEasy Hiker
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Territorios Sevilla Essentials
The team behind the Territorios Sevilla Festival tells My Vueling City about some of the most modern venues with the greatest tradition in the cityso that visitors from afar can leave Seville with lingering memories. This route includes some of the best options for transforming the festival into a non-stop 48 hours in Seville.
Food and Tapas
Sol y Sombra (151 Calle de Castilla). Immerse yourself in tradition at this cosy place with typical Andalusian tapas at excellent prices and very close to the festival. The bull-fighting atmosphere runs deep in this traditional district of Triana.
La Bulla (28 Calle Dos de Mayo). At the heart of Seville, only 150 metres from the Torre del Oro, the Cathedral and the Maestranza Bullring, La Bulla is the perfect place to discover and enjoy the best gastronomy in the city.
Pura Tasca (5 Calle Numancia). Good tapas and great taste in the Triana district at a place with a 1970s theme.
Traditional Seville
Casa Vizcaíno (27 Calle Feria). A legendary wine bar if ever there was one. The carpet of peanut shells on the floor confirms this place as one of the most traditional bars in the Andalusian capital that simply must be seen. It is perfect for tapas and wine on Thursdays when a second-hand market is organised. This is the most bizarre, authentic and oldest such market in the city as it has been held all the way back to the 13th Century.
El Mariano (3 Plaza del Pumarejo). Great for a lunchtime beer washed down with their emblematic tapas dish of the season: snails.
Popular Places
Enjoy an afternoon coffee (or something stronger!) in the city centre on the Alameda at Central (64 Alameda de Hércules), Habanilla (63 Alameda de Hércules), El Corral de Esquivel (39 Alameda de Hércules) or Café República (27 Plaza de la Alameda de Hércules).
Unmissable and Underground
The place also offers somewhere to have a drink and mingle with the Bohemian culture scene in Seville.
Shopping & Culture
SohoBenita is an initiative from the businesses on Calle Pérez Galdós, Calle Santillana, Calle Ortiz de Zúñiga and Calle Don Alonso el Sabio, in the heart of Seville, where visitors will find shops, hotels, places to eat, tapas bars, galleries, etc.
Image: Jebulon
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Vienna’s 5 best clubs
By listening Vienna, comes to mind the Strauss Waltzes or famous Philharmonic, ringing in great baroque churches. But the Austrian capitalhas other great temples: the electronic music ones, found along the Danube Canal, under the Riesenrad, in the Gürtel or in the backyard.
Since the Vienna Sound emerged in the early nineties from the hand of duo Kruder and Dorfmeister Dj, who created an international sound that has evolved musically to reach great strength.
Here are some clues to follow the Viennese sound:
1.- Flex
The Flex has one of the best sound systems in Vienna and this is something that should now already know all across Europe. In the old premises of the U-Bahn, turned to a club with no volume problems, which, as a rule, encourages international Djs invited to the house as DJ Hell, Trentemøller or Carl Craig, and makes possible their best performances on the decks. Tuesdays and Saturdays are a fixed date for electronic lovers. And on the cozy terrace looking directly at the Danube Canal can kick off the relaxed nights.
Donaukanal – Augartenbrücke 1010 Wien
2.- Club Fluc
Cerca de la Noria Gigante, se ha establecido en la entrada del Prater un local subterráneo. El Fluc y el Fluc Wanne en el sótano están imbuidos por la electrónica y su repertorio abarca desde actuaciones Noise vanguardistas hasta desenfadadas fiestas disco de estilo Indie.
Club Fluc
Praterstern 5 1020 Wien
3.- Pratersauna
A little further, in the Prater, the Pratersauna is one of the hottest clubs in the city dedicated to electronic music. The Pratersauna is also the center of this genre’s festivals. Grelle Forelleen the Spittelauer Lände is also causing quite a buzz lately in the world, offering a high-class DJ’s lineup during the whole weekend.
Pratersauna
Waldsteingartenstraße 135 1020 Wien
4.- Rhiz
Although at first glance, Avenue Gürtel is not one of the most picturesque places in Vienna, under the suburban’s arches have been established new local music. Venues as rhiz has been a reference for years, with sessions and performances daily live. A completely transparent venue in which brings together fans of electronic music.
Rhiz
Lerchenfelder Gürtel, Stadtbahnbögen 37-38 1080 Wien
5.- Elektro Gönner
Despite being located in a somewhat hidden in the backyard of the Mariahilfer Straße shopping street, the Elektro Gönner has become a popular meeting point. A minimalist space, which had been an old electronics store, where art installations and video are projected. Frequented mainly by architects, artists and musicians, it is a place to put the finishing touch to the night thanks to its late closing time.
Elektro Gönner
Mariahilfer Straße 101/1 1060 Wien
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