Bergen’s history goes back 900 years. In all that time it has been characterised by the hospitality of its people towards visitors. Nowadays it is known for being the true cultural hub of Norway. In fact, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ever since the intrepid King Olav Kyrre entered the harbour and founded the city in 1070, Bergen has attracted people from all over the world. Some came and then left, while others chose to make Bergen their home. Bergensers have traditionally travelled overseas a lot; indeed, their flair for trading has always earned them long-standing ties with other lands, while drawing a number of different cultures to the city over the centuries. Hence, it was once Norway’s most important city, its first capital and seat of the royal family. The old city, Bryggen, lies just twelve kilometres from the airport – well, a short walk away!

Cruising among Fjords and Mountains

Enjoy an all-encompassing experience by going on a cruise among the fjords, mountains and waterfalls. It lasts three hours and takes you to Osterfjord and the picturesque Mostraumen, a spot so narrow the ships can hardly get through the sound. The cruise starts at Zachariasbryggen, next to the Fish Market. The first stretch of the trip affords nice views of the city of Bergen. You then sail under the Nordhordalandsbrua and on the Osterfjord. As you approach Mostraumen, the fjord begins to narrow and it is thrilling to find yourself hemmed in beneath steep mountains. The route also takes you past several waterfalls and you can even collect some water from them to drink. Have your smartphone cam ready, as it is easy to spot seals, goats and eagles during the crossing. More information here.

Strolling Along the Quayside

The old quayside saw its period of splendour in the 13th century when the erstwhile confederation of merchant cities in the north of Germany, set up to promote trade between the country’s major cities, opened one of its four European kontors here. Its architectural design is unique and is perhaps one of the images of Norway that most springs to mind. Bergen grew up around its colourful harbour which was the hub of trade, navigation and the craft industry.

The Fish Market

Bergen’s picturesque Fish Market is one of Norway’s most widely visited open-air markets. Fruit, vegetables and souvenirs are also sold here, but its mainstay is clearly the sale of fish. It is magnificently sited in the heart of the city, among the fjords and Bergen’s seven mountains. In the summer season (from 1 May to 30 September), the market opens from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the week. In winter, however, it only opens on Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Children relish a visit to this market as live shellfish is displayed in large fish tanks.

Award-Winning Panoramas

The best views of Bergen are to be had by taking the Fløibanen funicular railway which takes just 8 minutes to run up Mt Fløyen. Located on the summit is a stunning park with numerous attractions for children. Another option is to go for a walk on the top of the mountain. The funicular is one of Norway’s most famous draws. The ride begins in the city centre, just 150 metres from the Fish Market and the Bryggen. Mt Fløyen is about 320 metres above sea level and atop it you can soak up the fine views and take in the urban landscape in detail, as well as panoramic vistas of the sea and fjords of Bergen.

Edvard Grieg Museum

The current Edvard Grieg Museum was the famous composer’s home for 22 years, and it was in this quaint cabin set in a garden that he composed many of his most emblematic works. The museum is housed in Bergen’s Troldhaugen which, in addition to operating as a museum, also hosts exhibitions related to the creator of the famous Piano Concerto in A minor. It also features a café and a small concert hall which includes a cabin dating from 1885.

Bergen has a lot to offer, whether in the city proper or its surrounding area. We can recommend a visit to Stegastein, a viewpoint set 30 metres above the fjord and 650 metres above sea level, which affords some incredible views! Hurry and discover all this now – check out our flights here.

Images by Bergen Tourist, Sverre Hjornevik, Bergen Reiselivstag, Teje Rakke and Dag Fosse

Despite its location on the shores of the icy North Sea, Hamburg is an ebullient city – and Germany’s second largest – while St. Pauli is its hottest quarter. It is articulated around a main avenue, the Reeperbahn, a risque, bacchanalian precinct, site of the red light district and a trove of highly recommendable temptations. From the iconic Schmidt Tivoli theatre to the Millerntor-Stadion, home to the endearing FC St. Pauli, we lift the veil on all the allurements of Sankt Pauli.

Angie’s Nightclub
Located on the upper floor of the Schmidt Tivoli is Angie’s Nightclub, one of the most popular clubs of Sankt Pauli’s night scene. Founded by the soul singer Angie Stardust in the 90s, the resident band features a different guest vocalist every night, often a leading figure in Germany’s music scene or on the international arena. Next you may proceed to Mojo Club, a live music venue tucked away amid the underground of Sankt Pauli’s iconic Dancing Towers, or to either the Klubhaus or Golem, two multi-space locales with an invariably interesting entertainment schedule crammed with concerts, movies and theatre plays. To round off your evening, you could head for the Golden Pudel Club (currently undergoing repair work after being ravaged by fire). Set on the banks of the Elbe, not far from the Fischmarkt, on the outside it looks like some unassuming fairy-tale house but it is actually the temple of electronic music where the dancing goes on until dawn.

Davidwache
At the intersection of the Spielbudenplatz and Davidstraße, hard by the Reeperbahn, stands Davidwache, probably the best known police station in Europe, with its own fan club! And, for its location, one of the busiest in Europe, too. Dating from 1840, the building has appeared in countless films and television series, while its cells have seen both small-time crooks and celebrities of the calibre of Paul McCartney and Pete Best held in custody.

Landungsbrücken
The Landungsbrücken, also known as theSt. Pauli Piers, is Hamburg’s old harbour terminal, situated on the banks of the river Elbe. It was once northern Europe’s port of departure to the New World and some five million people are estimated to have set sail from here, bound for a new life in America. Not far from here stands the Fischmarkt or fish market. In winter, it opens at 7 a.m. and in summer at 5 a.m. and immediately fills up with locals, tourists and hawkers as the fish auction gets under way. The brunch served on Sundays at various restaurants in the Fischmarkt is simply wonderful.

Millerntor-Stadion
The modest yet great FC St. Pauli is a reflection of the neighbourhood spirit and a last refuge of grass-roots football. Their principles advocate against xenophobia, fascism and sexism and the team is a favourite among both Germans and all over the world. They come out onto the pitch brandishing the Jolly Roger as their banner, with Hells Bells by AC/DC played over the PA system, while Song 2 by Blur sounds out whenever the side scores. Watching a match at the Millerntor-Stadion is truly an experience that goes beyond that of just a sporting event.

Reeperbahn
This is the main thoroughfare running through Sankt Pauli and one of the most ribald avenues in the world. Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, it has two faces. By day, crowds jostle about doing their shopping or going out for a coffee. By night, the neon signs of the discos, night clubs, cabarets and sex shops light up. Mid-way between Barcelona’s Las Ramblas of the 1980s and Las Vegas, whatever transpires in Reeperbahn stays put within the neighbourhood. Local curiosities include the Beatles Platz, a square commemorating the passage of The Beatles through the city in their early years, when they performed at such venues as Star-Club, Kaiserkeller, Top Ten and Indra. Then there is The Reeperbahn Festival, which has been held each year at the end of September since 2006. Its programme features hundreds of concerts and the festival is a beacon for the music industry on an international level.

Schmidt Tivoli
With its old-world, slight seedy charm, the Schmidt Tivoli is the variety theatre par excellence in Hamburg’s red light district. Be sure to get tickets to the midnight show, when the ambience is more risque than during the afternoon or evening sessions. If you can’t get hold of a ticket, there are many other theatres and cabarets in Sankt Pauli to choose from, including the Operettenhaus, which specialises in musicals, the more conventional St. Pauli Theater, which has been operating since 1841, and the Imperial Theater.

Superbude Hotel Hostel
With its colourful designer rooms done out in fully recycled furniture, the Superbude is Hamburg’s hipster hotel for those who like to stay the night and be able to boast about being a trendy. A more conventional option is the EAST, housed in a former factory. Its stands out for its aesthetic, combining strains of the Far East with a Western industrial look. Be sure to have a meal in their restaurant, one of the best in St. Pauli.

Book your Vueling to Hamburg and revel in a district with possibly the liveliest night life in Europe.

Text by Oriol Rodríguez

Images by Heiko S, Wojtek Szkutnik, Itti, Reading Tom, David Coggins, abbilder 

Walpurgis Night – the night of witches or, in German, Walpurgisnacht– is held at the transit from 30 April to 1 May in much of central and northern Europe. May 1 is the feast of St Walpurga, the patron saint of countrywomen and servants, and patroness of conjurers. Legend has it that this is the last time witches can celebrate their heathen festivals after the darkness of winter, and they have the whole night to do so.

One of the most popular sites for this ritual is Brocken, the highest summit in the Harz Mountains (some 50 km from Leipzig, Germany). This peak is often shrouded in dense fog, endowing it with an air of mystery. It even gives rise to an unusual effect known as the Brocken Spectre – an optical illusion that can appear in any fog-clad mountains, by which an enlarged shadow of the observer, surrounded by an iridescent halo, is reflected onto the clouds. The effect is actually created by the diffraction of cloud droplets. This also helped to magnify the legend of the witches in the place mentioned by the German writer, Goethe, at the beginning of his best-known work, Faust, when he describes the scene of the witches’ night celebration on the slopes of the Harz mountains. On Walpurgisnacht, participants assemble at Brocken around a large bonfire and spend the night singing and dancing. The festive ritual is purported to drive off evil spirits. Witches’ night is celebrated at all villages in the Harz Mountains, where the inhabitants dress up as witches and demons, while street markets, fireworks, parades and concerts are organised. Check out the programme listing all the Walpurgis Night activities in Harz.

The Harz Mountains – Following in the Witches’ Footsteps

Accounts from the Harz are not limited to witches. This mountain range in Lower Saxony is an impressive nature reserve featuring some of the really beautiful spots. The mountain trails wind their way between steep cliffs and valleys, ash forests, and networks of villages, palaces and castles dating from the time of the Saxon Dynasty. It is northern Germany’s resort of choice for cross-country skiing and hiking, traversing the natural habitats of the red brocket, deer, lynx and wild boar, as well as the white-throated dipper, black stork and peregrine falcon.

The Harz is criss-crossed by a network of over 8,000 kilometres of well-signposted nature trails, making it a paradise for hikers. While the Harz National Park itself is practically uninhabited, you will come across a few hamlets and restaurants offering genuine, typical German cuisine – the stellar dish of the region is roast potatoes with spices. One of the trekking routes, known as Harzer Hexenstieg (Witches’ Route), is a trail running some 100 kilometres from Osterode, through Brocken, as far as Thale. Halfway along the trail, at a place called Torfhaus, the witches’ trail forks along a stretch known as “Goethe”. Indeed, the poet and playwright walked this same route some 200 years ago.

Fairytale Villages in the Harz Region

The Harz Mountains are also dotted with some charming 16th-century villages, rich in history and legend. Of these, we have highlighted the following:

Goslar. At the foot of the Harz range lies this picturesque medieval town, known as the “Rome of the North”. It was the residence of German kings and emperors until 1253. The historic town and the old Rammelsberg mines, situated on the edge of the town, are listed as World Heritage sites. Also listed by UNESCO is the nearby Upper Harz Water Regale (Oberharzer Wasserregal), one of the world’s largest and most important pre-Industrial Revolution energy-management systems. Its 107 dams and reservoirs and over 300 kilometres of water channels provide a stunning backdrop for the Harz mountain hiking trails.

Wernigerode. This, the nearest town to Brocken is noteworthy for its striking hilltop castle and its medieval houses elaborately adorned with wood carvings.

Thale. Situated in the picturesque Bode Gorge, overlooked by the Hexentanzplatz, a lofty hilltop which can be reached by cable car. Hexentanzplatz, meaning “witches’ dance-floor”, was once a place of worship in Saxon times, sacred to the forest and mountain goddesses. Here you will find various landmarks associated with witches’ legends, in addition to the Walpurgishalle Museum.

Quedlinburg. Just 10 kilometres from Thale lies Quedlinburg, the first capital of Germany and an important town during the Middle Ages. It currently holds the largest concentration of half-timbered buildings in the country. An interesting fact is that this town was ruled by women for 800 years.

You aren’t scared, are you? Come and see it for yourself. Check out our flights here.

Text by Scanner FM

Images by Olli Henze | Σ64 | Mundus Gregorius | GerturdK | Mathias Liebing |  JuTe CLZ | Marco Hamersma

There’s a lot more to Munich than the Oktoberfest beer festival and a legendary football team –this city of 1.5 million people is one of Europe’s most important cultural centres, while also boasting a very complete menu of entertainment and recreational options, every day of the year. Here are a few proposals for a weekend getaway to this liveliest of German cities.

Amongst it many attractions, Munich is easy to get to and to get around in, thanks to its huge international airport, excellent rail connection, and the super-modern public transport systems serving the city and its outskirts. Most of the key places for sightseers are concentrated in a relatively small area, and the city is thronged with visitors all year round. Keep in mind that the Alps are nearby, and the city is a staging point for skiers in winter and for climbers, hikers, mountain bikers, and paragliders in summer.

The city’s cultural life is intense, and no tourist should neglect to visits the cluster of three classical art museums collectively known as the Pinakothek –a show of El Greco is now in progress in one of them and will remain open until 12^th April. Not far away is the Brandhorst museum of modern art. On the bank of the Isar river is the fascinating Deutsches Museum of science and technology. It has a branch in Schleissheim to the north of the city that specialises in airplanes, and another in Theresienhöhe dedicated to every imaginable type of land transport vehicle. You may also enjoy the recently opened ZNT, New Technologies Centre, with its focus on nanotechnology and biotechnology. Car aficionados will love the BMW Welt museum –BMW is a Bavarian brand, afer all! To learn more about Munich itself, and its long and curious history, check out the Stadtmuseum, and don’t miss the permanent “Typically Munich” exhibition. For insights into the Bavarian people, there’s the incredible Residenz, the old palace of the Bavarian royal family, located in the city centre, and Germany’s largest urban palace. Today it is one of Europe’s leading museums of decorative arts, and its richly furnished and adorned spaces evoke many centuries of history under the Wittelsbach dynasty (1180-1918). At a short distance is the dynasty’s first Munich home, the Alter Hof, later used as law courts, and now the site of the Bavarian Museums Information Office and of a small museum devoted to the Wittelbachs, whose most famous king, Ludwig II, was born in the Nymphenburg castle standing in the western part of the city, next to the entrance to the Nymphenburg park. But just two hours southwest of Munich is one of Germany’s most celebrated castles, Neuschwanstein, at the foot of the Alps, which was Walt Disney’s inspiration for the castle in the cartoon classic Sleepìng Beauty.

Munich, by the way, has three top-ranked orchestras, numerous music festivals in many genres, and dozens of concert halls.

Design
Design is something else Munich is famous for, and this is evident in the way people dress –in style and good taste, like the people of Milan. The city centre is the best place to shop for designer clothes and decorative items, for antiques, and for books. For luxury goods, jewellery, silverware, etc., look for shops labelled as Königlich Bayerischen Hoflieferanten, or “suppliers to the royal household of Bavaria”.

A Bite to Eat, Sports…
It’s almost impossible not to eat well wherever you go in Bavaria, and Munich’s dining is unrivalled for quality and variety. Local specialities include the famous Weisswurst or veal sausages, accompanied by a salty soft or crisp pretzel and sweet mustard; a ration of pork or beef with mash; and a spicy Obatzder cheese sauce with black bread. When it comes to eating, the locals prefer the biergärten –especially in summer—and the friendly beer halls found throughout the city.

For the sports-minded, we recommend a tour of the Olimpiastadion stadium where the main events of the 1972 Olympic Games were held, a milestone in stadium architecture, and still in almost continual use, as is the Allianz Arena, built for the 2006 World Football Cup, and now home to FC Bayern -a team with five Champions League titles to its credit- and the less well-known TSV 1860.

Munich awaits! Check out our fares here!

Text: Isabel y Luis Comunicación

Photos: Deutschland Tourismus, Haydar Koyupinar/ Museum Brandhorst