The Alsace Wine Route is speckled with numerous wine cellars where you can taste the famed wines of this French region. And, if you’re travelling with family, friends or your partner, you can opt to discover the world of winemaking through a series of leisure activities in a number of delightful towns and villages, some of them regarded as among the most beautiful in France. You will also come across an endless array of restaurants, from Michelin-starred establishments to the typical winstubs, a kind of bistro offering traditional cuisine from locally sourced products in a relaxed setting. And, seated at a terrace café, to wit. Take note of these venues, which we can highly recommend.

La Nouvelle Auberge
This former post office is located between the cities of Colmar and Munster. The ground floor features a bistro offering market cuisine at moderate prices. The first floor is given over to an acclaimed, award-winning gourmet restaurant, with the subtle creations of a chef who combines cutting-edge technique with simple Alsatian recipes, conditioned solely by seasonality and in line with the slow-food movement, of which La Nouvelle Auberge is a member. They offer four tasting menus with different dishes every day, depending on what the freshest produce from local producers happens to be. Some of their specialities include snail soup with garlic and parsley, oxtail consommé, smoked river fish fillet in red wine sauce and snail paté on toast, all paired with local wines. The interior design is that of a traditional, half-timbered Alsatian home, while the establishment boasts a pleasant, quiet, shady terrace set in natural surroundings.

Avenue 294
A comfortable, inviting establishment with refined decor where the chef crafts new suggestions every day, over and above a menu which is both contemporary and traditionally inspired. Special mention goes to the homemade desserts – watch out for the seasonal fruit tarts – and their wine list, extensive and with acclaimed local wines. As soon as the morning sun peeps through, they open a terrace behind the lovely red house that is Avenue 294. They have comfortable easy chairs and a plant-fringed area suited to having a last drink, for example. Pleasant ambient music accompanies the experience. A gourmet venue in a perfect setting you won’t want to leave.

Hôtel Beauséjour
A five minutes’ walk from the centre of the picturesque city that is Colmar – also known as “Little Venice” for its canals – you can relax in the garden-terrace of this establishment, owned by the Keller family, the fifth generation of restaurateurs. Their cuisine, based on seasonal products, is refined and very Alsatian, as evinced in the homemade foie gras with Gewürztraminer wine gelatine, or their organic five-meat sauerkraut. However, the standout feature of this restaurant-hotel is the interior patio, sited in a garden full of trees and flowers, totally cut off from the rest of the city.

Wistub Brenner
A genuine old-time Alsatian winstub located in the heart of Colmar. They offer the authentic – most compelling – local dishes, including sauerkraut, onion tart, Munster cheese salad and duck magret, cream cheese and potatoes and beef tripe with Riesling. We loved their beautiful, flower-filled urban terrace where you needn’t hesitate to spend a long after-meal sipping those fabulous white wines from Alsace, served in glasses with a green foot.

Le Cerf
Marlenheim, the first town you come to on the Alsace Wine Route if you start off from Strasbourg, has some great wine cellars and a great restaurant – Le Cerf. This establishment, which doubles as a hotel, has been run by the Husser family since 1930. It combines rustic interior design with avant-garde cuisine, which has earned it a Michelin star. Theirs is top-drawer cuisine, featuring regional dishes crafted using contemporary techniques, attested by the likes of sauerkraut or bouchées à la reine (stuffed vol-au-vent), and such international dishes as ravioli au foie gras or oxtail sashimi ramen, served up amid surrounding vineyards. Their terrace is a central patio where local red geraniums lend a touch of charm.

Book your Vueling to Basel, an hour and a half from the start of the Alsace Wine Route, and be sure to soak up the views in some of these magnificent terraces while tasting their delicious cuisine.

Text by Laia Zieger de Gastronomistas

The Top

La Mamounia is one of the world’s legendary hotels, where actors, royalty, politicians and countless other famous people have stayed. With its majestic palace ambience and imperial gardens stretching across 8 hectares, this dream enclave looks like something from A Thousand and One Nights. Here you will find luxury and splendour in their pure state, an area devoted exclusively to cuisine and mixology, and exclusive service. Be a daredevil and cross the hotel threshold, but make sure you have donned your best attire to avoid sticking out like a sore thumb amid so much glamour. And, enjoy the bar terrace with its views over a majestic natural oasis. The best time of day to sip your cocktail – they’re priced around 15 euros, but are well worth the treat – is at dusk, when the light and temperature bring out the magic of the moment and enchant even the most sybaritic.

Popular

A steep red staircase leads up from Bab Fteuh Square to the rooftop of building no. 21 – hold onto the handrail to avoid stumbling, and mind your head! Chez ZaZa is a popular eatery with a friendly atmosphere frequented by Marrakechians. This small, colourful rooftop café offers tasty, well presented traditional dishes – chicken pie, charcoaled meat, an assortment of tagines and spicy, hot vegetable salads, all for an average price of under 10 euros. By day, the terrace affords views of the entertaining bustle in the souk down below; in the evening, you can contemplate the sun setting over the rooftops of the Medina.

International

If your thing is an idyll full of hustle and bustle, this is your spot. The Palais Lamrani is a former riad refurbished by a French couple which offers guests an exclusive ambience. The beautiful gardens in the inner patio form one of the most enchanting terraces in the city. There you can enjoy a relaxing, romantic meal amid leafy vegetation and the pleasant sound of the fountain in the centre. They serve Moroccan and international cuisine based on fresh produce (the menu changes each week). You can also visit just to have a coffee, cocktail or drink. This spot, known as La Table du Palais, is truly delightful.

Authentic

Jamaa el Fna Square transforms into a hive of activity at night, particularly on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It is one vast stage where locals and tourists gather to soak up the festive atmosphere, to listen to live music and watch folk dancing. They come to buy clothes and all sorts of objects from street hawkers, to take part in improvised family games or to fall spellbound to story-tellers, snake charmers and medicine men. But, family and friends also descend on the square to have a weekly feast, seated around large tables shared with strangers. Dozens of food stalls are on hand for you to try national dishes, like barbecued lamb’s head, charcoaled tripe, vegetable soup, seafood or Arab confectionery. However, beware – while the festive atmosphere and authenticity can be hypnotic, the food requires a rugged stomach!

Solidary

The Amal Center is a non-profit organisation which seeks to empower disadvantaged Moroccan women and enable them to become independent and integrate in the workplace. It is headquartered in Marrakech’s Semlalia quarter and providesa programme of restaurant training for women, where they learn to cook and serve meals professionally. It boasts a beautiful terrace with jazmine and orange trees with flowers that give off a heady scent. There you can try their Moroccan creations (mechoui, tagine, couscous…) and internationally-inspired dishes. “Everything is homemade except the water”, they explain. The price is 8 euros per head.

Famous

The Hôtel de France is a veritable institution in Marrakech. Locals and tourist flock to its terrace restaurant, with magnificent panoramic views of the Jemaa el Fna Square and the Medina quarter. Have a seat there, and sip leisurely on one of their very sweet mint teas as you calmly soak up the fascinating atmosphere in the square, accompanied by the beat of the drums and the Koranic chants that ring out at prayer time.

Intimate

Access to this terrace, with deck chairs and pool included, is reserved solely for guests of the Riad Abracadabra. There you can have breakfast, a drink or simply chill out. Just for that alone, it is worth staying in this hotel, its interior design worthy of an editorial in a design magazine. Peace and quiet, and good taste, reign supreme. A not-to-be-missed destination in the heart of the Medina.

Relaxing

The terrace of the Kasbah Café, sited opposite the Saadian Tombs in a typically Moroccan setting, is ideal for enjoying a pleasant lunch in the open air with views of the stunning Koutoubia Minaret. You will take away memories of the warm, friendly service in this café, as well as of their simple, light, traditional cuisine. An ideal spot for taking a breather during your sightseeing of nearby places of interest – the Bahia and El Badi Palaces, the Saadian tombs and the Jewish quarter.

Ready to visit the rooftops, gardens and patios of Marrakech? Book your Vueling here.

Text and photos: Laia Zieger of Gastronomistas

When you first set eyes on Versailles, you realise why it was the jewel in Louis XIV’s crown. Starting with what had been his father’s hunting lodge, the Sun King had Europe’s largest palace built. The opulent interiors and splendid gardens could accommodate up to 20,000 people. The king had the leading artists and architects at his disposal – Louis Le Vau and Hardouin-Mansart designed the building; Charles Le Brun, the interiors, while André Le Nôtre remodelled the gardens. Everything was ready to receive the court.

Europe’s Largest Palace

The main rooms in the residence were on the first floor. There we find the Chambers of the King and Queen, arranged around the Marble Court, the latter set behind the last railing in the access to the palace from the street. If you have seen films like Marie Antoinette, by Sofia Coppola, or the television series, Versailles (we can wholeheartedly recommend both), you will know that their chambers were anything but private. The queens of France used to give birth before the court, while the kings went through the daily waking routine known as le lever du Roi (the king’s rising), attended by courtiers and family members, who came to see the monarch getting up.

The king had areas where he worked, including the Council Chamber, where he received his ministers and family, or the room known as the Louis XVI Library, characterised by the sovereign’s globe of the world and its priceless Neoclassical panelling. The chambers of the king and queen are connected by the Antechamber or Oeil-de-boeuf(Bull’s-eye)Roomon account of the large round window. The story goes that, on the night of 6 October 1789, when a group of revolutionaries stormed the palace in search of Queen Marie Antionette, she fled through this room to her husband’s chamber and safety. The following day they abandoned the palace forever.

Also on the first floor, on the side of the palace giving onto the gardens, are the State Apartments. The most famous of these is the 73-metre-long Hall of Mirrors, with its views over the gardens, where major official ceremonies were held. It was there that in 1919 the Treaty of Versailles was signed, marking an end to World War I. Other rooms well worth seeing include the War Drawing Room, located next to the Hall of Mirrors and featuring a large relief of Louis XIV on horseback trampling his enemies under foot, the Apollo Drawing Room and the Hercules Drawing Room, which houses the monumental painting, Feast in the House of Simon, by Veronese, a gift from the Republic of Venice to Louis XIV.

Household Chapel and Opéra Royal

Also on the first floor is access to the Royal Chapel, used by the king and his family, and to the Battles Gallery, the outcome of a renovation by Louis-Philippe on former apartments used by nobles. It was turned into a gallery of historical paintings housing works by the likes of Delacriox and Gérard.

A must-visit site on the ground floor are the priceless Apartments of the Mesdames Adélaïde and Victoire, the daughters of Louis XV, who never married and lived here until the time of the Revolution.

Another grand edifice in the Palace of Versailles is the Opéra Royal. This theatre, built in 1770 to mark the engagement of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, is not open to the public. It does, however, host an interesting opera season which is the perfect excuse to spend an evening there and feel like a regular courtier.

Gardens, Fountains and Lost Palaces

After a visit to the palace, the best thing is to wander around the huge gardens and enjoy the fountains. Various shows are staged on different days, so it is worth checking out the programme before planning your visit.

The gardens are laid out in formal fashion, with geometrically-shaped pathways lined with tree groves, hedges, flowers, fountains and ponds. Fountains such as Neptune, Latona, the Colonnade and the Dragon Fountain provide some of the most impressive sights. It is rewarding to stroll among them and end off by heading for the Trianon, one of the jewels of Versailles. Here you will find two buildings – the Grand Trianon, a palace commissioned by Louis XIV as a retreat from court life and to host his mistresses, and the Petit Trianon, built for Louis XV but which became Marie Antoinette’s favourite retreat. She also had a quaint little theatre built in it. Be sure to also visit the Queen's Hamlet, where Louis XVI’s wife had an estate of twelve buildings modelled according to the aesthetic of a rural village, peasants and farm animals included. She would seek refuge here to get away from the demands of court life.

Book your Vueling to Paris and head for Versailles, which is just a half-hour’s train ride away. You won’t regret seeing such a splendid palace and feeling like a king for a few hours.

Text by Aleix Palau for Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Neve Tzedek, which in Hebrew means “home of justice”, was the first Jewish quarter to be built beyond the walls of the ancient port of Jaffa, twin to the still inexistent city of Tel Aviv (which emerged in the 1880s). From the outset, it was a place of refuge of the some of the most illustrious figures of Israeli culture. Now, a century after it was founded, its bohemian atmosphere is still in full swing. Some of the houses in this quarter are veritable monuments, built in such styles as the Bauhaus or Art Deco, while its streets are studded with cultural centres, restaurants, shops, cafés and bars you simply must visit on your stay in Tel Aviv. Here are some of the standout venues:

Suzanne Dellal Centre for Dance and Theatre
A must-visit spot on any art tour of Neve Tzedek. Fronted by a large mural by David Tartakover, one of Israel’s leading artists, the Suzanne Dellal Centre for Dance and Theatre has four spaces which host performances by some of the foremost national and international dance companies. It is also the headquarters of the highly acclaimed Batsheva Dance Company. If you aren’t much moved by dance, you will certainly by stunned by the mesmerising interior plaza, the surrounding gardens or the Suzanne Café, one of the best spots in the neighbourhood to while away the afternoon chatting over a steamy cup of coffee. Suzanne Dellal Centre for Dance and Theatre, 5 Yechieli Street.

Dallal
It is important not only to replenish your energies, but to do so where eating is raised to the heights of pure pleasure. In Neve Tzedek, Dallal is such a place. Located in the heart of the quarter, the cuisine at this restaurant draws inspiration from both nearby Jaffa and its Arab roots, and the Mediterranean. Sheer bliss on the palate. Make a point of getting there early and have a cocktail in their enchanting outside square. Dallal, 10 Shabazi Street.

Chelouche Gallery
Dating from 1886, this was the first building to be erected in Neve Tzedek. Aharon Chelouche, a landowner, jeweller and moneychanger, was one of the leading figures in Jaffa’s Jewish community in the late 19th century. A co-founder of this neighbourhood, together with Shimon Rokach and others, the erstwhile home of Chelouche is now one of the city’s paramount art galleries. While the works on its walls are fascinating, no less so are the views of the quarter to be had from the roof terrace. Be sure to go up to the top. Chelouche House, 32 Shlush Street.

HaTachana
At the end of Shabazi Street, the main and most crowded thoroughfare in Neve Tzedek, stands HaTachana, the Hebrew name for Jaffa’s old railway station. Built in 1892, HaTachana eventually fell into disuse and was closed for years. In recent times it was restored and renovated to house a number of cafés, bars, restaurants, shops and markets, turning the former train station into one of the liveliest points both in the district and the whole city. HaTachana, 1 Kaufmann Street.

Jajo
This small wine bar, with a capacity of hardly 14 people, is sophisticated yet inviting and boasts an excellent wine list. Its standout items are imported from Spain and France, and it also features an exciting list of cocktails. It is the ideal spot for ending off a day’s sightseeing in Neve Tzedek. Jajo, 44 Shabazi Street.

Carmel Market
Carmel Market (in Hebrew, Shuk Ha'Carmel) is a must-visit landmark for anyone arriving in Tel Aviv. Located on the edge of the Neve Tzedek quarter, it is a blend of a regular market, street market and souq, and is divided into two sections. The first houses stalls selling clothing, footwear, electrical appliances, etc. often at laughable prices. The highlight of the second and far more attractive section is an area of florists’ stalls, but it also has food stalls (fruit and vegetables, meat, cheeses, breads…), and those selling spices, which provide a fascinating explosion of colour, textures and aromas. 1 HaCarmel Street.

Nachum Gutman Museum of Art
Nachum Gutman, an Israeli painter and sculptor of Russian origin, was a cardinal figure in endowing Israeli art with a style of its own. Indeed, he departed from the European influences of his masters, which he regarded as inadequate for portraying the uniqueness of his country and its landscapes. His works are on display in various public buildings in Tel Aviv and, of course, in the Nachum Gutman Museum of Art as well. Nachum Gutman Museum of Art, 21 Shimon Rokach Street.

Rokach House
The journalist Shimon Rokach was the founder of a neighbourhood which at the end of the 19th century was part of the old city of Jaffa. Built in 1887, the Rokach family home is now an interesting museum devoted to that period. It is also the home of Lea Majaro-Mintz, Shimon’s granddaughter and one of the most widely acclaimed painters and sculptors in Israel. Rokach House, 36 Shimon Rokach Street.

Be sure to discover Neve Tzedek – book your Vueling to Tel Aviv here.

Text by Oriol Rodríguez

Images by Israel Photo Gallery, Amos Gil, israeltourism, Julien Menichini