Imagine, for example that we have a few free days to escape to any of our destinations Vueling. So why not visit Minsk?

The capital of Belarus is maybe one of the most unknown destinations that we could choose. However, it is a mesmerizing town, full of culture that will surprise almost everyone, quite sure!

Minsk is the cultural epicenter of the country. Its first theaters and libraries were built in the mid nineteenth century and today we find eleven theaters, museums sixteen, nine libraries - among which is found the National Library of Belarus- and a wide range of concert halls.

The best way to get around the city is using its modern metro, which was built in the 80s and that consists of two lines that connect the center with the periphery of Minsk. Or using a still current transport as trolleybus or tram to quietly contemplate the city and feel like the protagonist of a film set in the Cold War. Remember also that Minsk is considered one of the cleanest and safest cities in Europe.

For dining, Minsk has a strong influence both Ukrainian and Russian. Undoubtedly, the typical dish of the city are mushrooms combined with many sauces as you can imagine. Plus Borsch, beetroot soup served with a sour cream called smetana with pieces of meat. Special mention to typical local fish like herring, or the more expensive and luxurious product from sea world: caviar. On the other hand, the Vodka, the Bela-Cola and Kefir are the most common drinks.

Let's review some of the most emblematic places of the city, that you should visit if you are in the Belarusian capital city:

1.-Victory Square

Minsk's main square. Located in the city center and dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. It is the place where the most important events in the capital are celebrated, as well as parades and concerts. In the center there is an 40 meters high obelisk . It is prism-shaped and on the bottom there is an eternal flame in honor of the soldiers of the Soviet Army and the partisans of Belarus.

2.-National Museum of History and Culture

Issuing the largest collection of material and spiritual culture of the Belarusian people, from 40,000 BC to this day. There we can see from ancient manuscripts, archaeological finds, to costumes and heraldic collections.

3.-Cathedral of the Holy Spirit

Built between 1633 and 1642, it is one of the few historic buildings of the city. Currently works as an art gallery and includes a superb collection of Orthodox icons such as Mother of God, discovered in the sixteenth, that work is thought by San Lucas.

4.-Island of Tears

Across the river Svisloch we find a small island where stands a monument dedicated to Belarusians soldiers killed in Afghanistan. It consists of four altars with the names of the 771 soldiers engraved on them. According to tradition, the newlyweds of Minsk should visit the monument.

5.-National Library of Minsk

It is certainly one of the most modern architectural projects of the city. A building of 72 feet tall and 22 floors diamond-shaped, modernist and futurist. At night, becomes one of the most emblematic of the city thanks to its dramatic lighting.

6.-Museum of Great Patriotic War

Second World War Museum was the first museum to open during the course of the war commemorating the German-Soviet battle after the end of the Nazi occupation. Inside we can see from a model of concentration camp until a section devoted to the Belarusian resistance. 7.- Park Chelyuskinites The Amusement Park of Minsk. Its appeal lies in the essential conservation thereof, dated 1932 In addition to all kinds of attractions, you can also enjoy the beautiful botanical garden next to it.

Imagen de Monk - Ihar Mahaniok

Por Jordi Herrero

A place well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.

When you first set eyes on the formidable Neuschwanstein Castle, you are bound to feel enveloped by the air of romanticism it gives off. For a moment, you could well be in some setting from a knightly novel or a fairy-tale. This is how we think Walt Disney must have felt, as it inspired him in his design of the castle for the cartoon version of The Sleeping Beauty.

The artificer of this colossal architectural undertaking of medieval inspiration was Ludwig II of Bavaria, as a tribute to his childhood home, Hohenschwangau Castle. Situated in Schwangau, the latter was a ruined fortress rebuilt by his father, Maximilian II of Bavaria, thereafter becoming home to this unusual figure in Bavarian history.

Solitude, Romanticism and Wagner

The biography of Ludwig II of Bavaria, the son of Maximilian II of Bavaria and Princess Marie of Prussia, was clearly a product of the times, with the king’s reign in decline as protagonist, and romanticism and historicism as the backdrops to a king who yearned to have reigned in former times and who ended up alone and isolated in a permanent state of nostalgia, during which he fritted away the family fortune on building huge castles or acting as the patron to Richard Wagner, his great friend and icon.

Born in 1845, he was crowned king at the early age of 18, long before he was able to fulfil his dreams. The tensions at the time between Austria and Prussia and the end of the Bavarian Alliance led to a progressive decline in his power and his interest in politics. In 1886, his eccentric behaviour and melancholic bent prompted him to be declared unfit to rule. The day after he was deposed, he died in strange circumstances while strolling in the vicinity of Lake Starnberg in the company of Dr Gudden, his psychiatrist.

A good way to learn more about the life of this enigmatic figure is by watching the film ,Ludwig, by the great Luchino Visconti. It traces the life of Ludwig II and also features a stunning Romy Schneider as the Austrian Empress Sissi, his beloved cousin and close friend, who ended up nicknaming him “Mad King Ludwig”.

The “New Swan Stone”

During his reign and in keeping with the family tradition of building castles, Ludwig II of Bavaria commissioned a total of three castles – Linderhof, Herrenchiemsee and Neuschwanstein. The latter became the most popular of them and it is there he ended up living during the latter years of his life, although it hadn’t actually been completed. Sited near Füssen in the Pöllat Gorge and very near his childhood residence, it was originally named “New Hohenschwangau Castle”. After the king’s death, the name was changed to Neuschwanstein, meaning “New Swan Stone”.

Incredible as it may sound, particularly on account of its size, the castle was originally built as the king’s refuge, a place where he would live in solitude and give free rein to his passion for the Middle Ages, stories and Wagner. That makes it more of a fairy-tale stage than a residential palace. Who could have possibly told Ludwig II of Bavaria that the work he would end up being deposed for was to eventually become Germany’s most widely visited monument, chalking up 1.4 million visitors a year?

Neuschwanstein Castle is a landmark on one of Germany’s best known tourist routes, the Romantic Road (Romantische Strasse).The itinerary features a number of fantastic medieval castles, beautiful scenery, enchanting villages, splendid vineyards and a delicious cuisine. It starts at Würzburg, about 110 kilometres south-east of Frankfurt, and ends in Füssen, 82 kilometres south-west of Munich.

If you prefer to avoid doing the whole route and would instead like to just visit this wonderful castle, your best option is a getaway to Munich, which lies 120 kilometres away. Book your Vueling and discover this fairy-tale castle.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Cezary Piwowarski

Who would have thought that, when they made their debut on stage at the Café Bizarre in New York, the young Lou Reed and John Cale would end up being the stars of an exhibition paying tribute to their band in Paris? That was back in 1965 when, having first called themselves The Warlocks and then The Falling Spikes, they had finally settled on a name that would identify and enshrine them for posterity. Incidentally, The Velvet Underground was the title of a book on sado-masochism written by Michael Leigh which had fallen into their hands by sheer chance. Nothing unusual, however, considering that drugs, prostitution, transvestism and homosexuality were rife in their New York haunts and would become the subject of many of their song lyrics, a fact which rattled more than one music producer.

Andy Warhol, a great one for moving in the New York underground and absorbing it into his parties and his works, particularly in the film pieces he shot with Paul Morrissey, was enthralled with the music of this upcoming band and added them to the prevailing fauna in The Factory. What’s more, he even took the bold step of taking over as manager of the group and in 1967 released his first production, The Velvet Underground & Nico, for which he did the cover design. Indeed, I am referring to the famous cover with the banana sticker, a veritable icon in the art world. But, the album’s value lies not only in its wrapping. Its content includes some genuine musical pearls like Sunday Morning, I’m Waiting for the Man, Venus in Furs and Heroin.One of the upshots of their collaboration with the pop artist par excellence were the videos he recorded with them, which ranged from ghoulish to arty, in which he enveloped the band in light and colour.

While the album was not a super-hit – only some 30,000 copies were sold – the band decided to  break with the core of Andy Warhol and The Factory to pursue their career as musicians. The Velvet Underground remained active until 1973, when differences between the leaders were responsible for precipitating a break-up – John Cale having had a more academic music training, while Lou Reed had followed a more rebellious line. They actually started moving in and out of the band, until they eventually decided to break up altogether.

Despite their short career and meagre success, at least as far as album sales is concerned, The Velvet Underground was one of the most influential bands of New York. Heirs to the beat generation legacy, they played a crucial role in New York’s counter-culture, far removed from the psychedelic hippie culture of the seventies that reigned in San Francisco, the other major hub of creativity in the United States. Among those who inherited their destructured sound and coarse lyrics were Ramones, The Voidoids, Dead Boys, The Heartbreakers, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, Bauhaus, The Contortions, Bush Tetras, Teenage Jesus and The Jerks, DNA, Sonic Youth, Spacemen 3 and Nirvana.

The Philharmonie de Paris is hosting a tribute to this band in the form of an exhibition entitled, The Velvet Underground. New York Extravaganza, which runs until 12 August. Audiovisual material has been carefully curated, with six films being purpose produced for the occasion, also featuring television file pictures, photos and portraits of the band members, objects from private collections and works by contemporary and later artists who were seduced by the charms of the band. This whole ensemble is designed to recount the story of the group and its lasting legacy. But, there is more – the exhibition will be supported by a parallel set of activities, including conferences, screenings and concerts.

Go back down memory lane and relive one of the outstanding rock bands of New York’s counter-culture by taking a getaway to Paris. Check out your Vueling here.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Gateway to the Atlantic and trade with Africa, Porto has a special beauty that you perceive walking the streets. Despite their current romantic decay, the  early-century modernist buildings that rise  on the sides will take you to better times when the city had its maximum commercial splendor.

Enjoy  the terraces and restaurants of lively Ribeira

The historic center of Porto is also one of the most beautiful and colorful areas, a labyrinth of narrow medieval streets and alleys.
The Ribeira Square is in front of the Chapel of Our Lady of Ô, surrounded by bustling cafes. Come to eat to the traditional restaurants in Rua da Fonte Tauria. here you can take the Funicular Guindais aka Dos Guindais, or go up to the highest part of town in the district of Batalha.

The most emblematic of the six bridges of Porto is the Luís I, which crosses the city and Gaia, where the cellars of the famous port wine are. It was designed by a disciple of Eiffel,  Belgian engineer Teofilo Seyrig, so the two metal structures are works very similar in style

It can be crossed to visit Gaia, a town full of wine cellars the boardwalks of its two floors. On the top floor passes the subway line and on the lower one, passes cars and other vehicles.

Porto Wine Cellars

Crossing the bridge, you get to Gaia. Here is where port wine gets older, right next to the city, and you will find most wineries that are producing it. But do not stay only with the idea of ​​their wine; Porto is very interesting to try sardines, fresh saloios cheeses or Cabreiro  and some of their delicious desserts.

Another interesting option is to cross the Douro River on typical Rabelo boats, formerly transporting Porto wine. You will be fascinated by the magnificent views.

Livraria Lello. One of the most beautiful in Europe

It is no wonder that it chose to this library to film some scenes from the Harry Potter saga. It breathes a magical atmosphere. Its art deco details and neogothic style, the access ladder to the top floor, the large stained glass windows of the roof or the wooden bridge that crosses it, make this place more than a simple library to buy books.

The Livraria Lello e Irmao, called Livraria Lello to simplify, located in the Centre of the city in a beautiful building of neo-Gothic style, it is considered one of the most beautiful in Europe and is, with the bookstore Bertrand in Lisbon, one of the oldest in Portugal. Located in the Centre of the city, in a beautiful neo-Gothic style building.

Maus Hábitos

Maus Hábitos or bad habits is not a conventional place. Since 2001, year when Porto was European Capital of Culture, this mix of restaurant, bar and art gallery gives adequate room for the expression of all kinds of artists and organises workshops. Additionally, you can enjoy a mix of traditional and modern Portuguese cuisine overlooking the old town or you can relax in its gorgeous courtyard garden.

Image: Małgorzata Kaczor

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