A walk around Rennes, the capital of Brittany, takes you back to medieval times. A large number of houses with wooden framing are still preserved in the streets of the historic centre. Wood was a popular building material in this region until the mid-17th century, when it was replaced by stone after the large fire of 1720 that burnt down more than 900 houses in the city centre. However, these old wooden buildings can be seen in the streets running from Rue de Chapitre and Champ-Jacquet square, with a statue of John Leperdit, the mayor of Rennes during the French Revolution.

Rennes has some beautiful spots, one of my favourite being the Place des Lices, where terrace cafés are jam-packed with the arrival of the good weather. In summer, evenings in Brittany are endless and the sun doesn't go down until after 10 p.m. Some centuries ago, this place was the setting of medieval jousts. Nowadays, its market is the second most important in France, bringing together more than 300 local and regional producers.

Two of the symbols of Rennes' medieval past are the Duchesne tower and the Mordelles Gates –Portes Mordellaises– which were part of the city walls in the 15th century. The Neoclassical Cathedral of Saint-Pierre is close by, as is the Basilica of Saint-Sauveur, both landmarks of the city's religious architecture.

The fires of the early 18th century marked a turning point in Rennes' urban design. After that, constructions were built in stone, notably the city hall, by the royal architect – Jacques Gabriel – who designed it to be immortal.

Another must-see is the Palace of the Parliament of Brittany, with lavishly decorated rooms representative of 17th-century French pictorial art. This building is an emblem of the historical region of Brittany, which has a culture and a language of its own. Some street names in Rennes are in Breton, as well as in French, the former being the only surviving Celtic language outside the British Isles.

Contemporary art has a notable presence in Rennes. Examples of this are the Parmiggiani fountain, the Cap Mail building, by the prestigious Jean Nouvel, Quai Ouest by Christian Hauvette, and Champs Libres by Christian de Portzamparc. The Champs Libres premises are divided into three areas: the Musée de Bretagne – with a surface area of 2,000 square metres – a six-floor library, and an area devoted to science, with a planetarium. Rennes also has a great art gallery in the Museum of Fine Arts, an old university palace designed by Vincent Boullé, featuring works by Rubens, Veronese and Picasso, among others. In music, the city is well known for Les Transmusicales de Rennes, a festival that has been offering new and eclectic music for its last 32 editions.

Finally, Thabor Park, a very pleasant spot, is one of the most important green areas of the Breton capital. This 10-hectare French-style garden, which used to belong to the monks of Saint-Melaine– features a rose garden, an aviary, statues and greenhouses, amongst other attractions. Musical comedy and dance performances are held here on Sundays in the months of May and June; many people attend these entry-free events.

Rennes is a city with lots of charm and can be easily discovered in a single weekend! Check out our flights here.

Text by María Jesús Tomé

Images by María Jesús Tomé / Oficina de Turismo de Rennes

The Galician district of Salnés, in the province of Pontevedra, has the honour of being the cradle of one of Spain’s supreme varieties of white wine – albariño. Made from the grape variety of the same name, these wines are young, fresh and fruity, with the right touch of acidity, making for a delightful experience on the palate and pairing to perfection with one of the region’s main products – seafood. Apart from the wines, touring this grape-growing region is packed with enticements as the land is redolent with spectacular scenery, dominated by the presence of the Arousa estuary and its typical country homes, known as pazos, as well as its hórreos (granaries raised on stilts), its cuisine and, needless to say, the affable character of its people.

You are bound to have a host of experiences in the numerous wine cellars you will encounter on your way. The Pazo de Rubianes is the most spectacular example by far. Designated a “Garden of International Excellence”, and with a history going back 600 years, this priceless country manor is surrounded by gardens likely to enchant any nature lover. For its part, the magnificent example of 16th-century Galician stately home that is the Pazo de Señoráns will take you back in time. In the town of Sanxenxo stands the Adega Eidos, built in a far more modern style than the preceding ones as its facilities date from 2003. It affords some excellent views of the Pontevedra estuary. Also built in more contemporary style is Paco & Lola Wine Cellar and Vineyards, founded in 2005, with over 22 hectares given over to vineyards and wines increasingly more in vogue.

And, in between moving from one wine cellar to the next, we recommend stopping off at the Cambados Wine Museum where you can learn about the history, art, geography, grass-roots culture and all viniviticultural aspects of the Rías Baixas DO.

A Pause Along the Way
Man does not live by wine alone and at some point you will need to refuel, so your best option is to do so in the typical ambience of a local pazo. One such manor that is well worth visiting is the Pazo Carrasqueira, a fine example of typical Galician architecture. Built in the 18th century, it has now been turned into a nine-room hotel, with its own albariño cellar of course. Another interesting option is Lagar de Costa, a family winery with lodgings that offer a tour of their vineyards and the island of A Toxa.

The Festa do Albariño in Cambados
Each summer the heartland of albariño wine production is given over to the Festa do Albariño in Cambados.Designated a Tourist Interest Site in 1990, this is the crowning event related to albariño wine-making. What started out in 1953 as a contest between wine producers, promoted by Bernardino Quintanilla Álvarez and Ernesto Zarate, is currently a full-blown festival, with concerts and all kinds of activities suited to all audiences. This year the festival takes place from 2 to 6 August and provides the ideal excuse for tasting the great local albariños in an incomparable setting and ambience, a great final fling after a route through this spectacular wine-growing region.

Book your Vueling to Santiago de Compostela, less than an hour away from Cambados, and gear up to tour this viticultural region dotted with pazos and homesteads full of charm and great wines.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

To see such homes, you no longer need to wrack your imagination or resort to infographics or 3D mock-ups. The small town of Granadilla de Abona in Tenerife already boasts some fully ecological buildings. While we still resort to electric radiators and vitroceramics, such dependencies have been eliminated in the Iter futuristic homes. Available to prospective tenants is a catalogue of over twenty bioclimatic homes, each with its own name (La Estrella, La Duna, El Cangrejo…), allowing clients to choose whichever suits them best. And, they all come with the best gift of all – a resplendent starry sky, which has turned the town into a prime Starlight tourist destination (a UNESCO listing for destinations with optimum conditions for gazing at the night sky).

A Visionary Idea

The revolutionary idea was first implemented through an international tender put out by the Cabildo Insular de Tenerife (Tenerife Island Council) and the Instituto Tecnológico y de Energías Renovables – Institute of Technology and Renewable Energy (ITER), which owns the land where the development has sprung up – endorsed by the International Union of Architects. The objective was to set up a laboratory of bioclimatic homes adhering to the principles of bioclimatic architecture and adaptation to environmental conditions, capable of energy self-sufficiency. And, the experiment has been successful and the results obtained will be used as a blueprint for future sustainable construction initiatives.

Of the 397 projects submitted for tender, 25 were selected and now form part of the development. Each of the homes is different from the others in terms of design, materials, techniques for harnessing natural resources and the architectural integration of thermal and photovoltaic solar energy. So, every single home is the outcome of full dedication by architects from all over the world, backed up by the labour of local interior designers, who have personalised the interior of each building. They have developed eclectic living spaces characterised by a blend of classical contemporary design and local craft elements. The result is surprising and engaging, each home redolent with its own character and style. This makes the development a unique enclave in the world, as it is living proof of the direct application of highly diverse bioclimatic techniques.

Everything has been thought out, down to the last detail. Each of these houses is fitted with sensors to detect certain common parameters, and others specific to each building, in accordance with its distinctive features. Another essential criterion for choosing the winning projects is related to environmental impact – the distribution and orientation of each home was carefully surveyed to ensure full integration in the landscape, while special attention was devoted to designing a microclimate around the homes. As for gardens, indigenous vegetation was used as far as possible, reinforced by a watering regime suited to its structural features.

New Eating Experiences

Here, things are anything but conventional, and cuisine is no exception. When it comes to food, various options are available in this development. Thus, for instance, there is an organic basket made up of produce from neighbouring farms, an option to go to the fishing village of El Médano just 10 kilometres away, and an à la carte menu booked a day in advance and delivered to the home.

What to Expect

The bioclimatic homes, located facing the sea and alongside the Montaña Pelada Natural Monument – an ancient, dormant volcano – form a bioclimatic development with energy self-sufficiency and zero CO2 emissions. It is a unique enclave conducive to peace and calm.

The development lies between the sea and the mountains. It encompasses 45,000 m2 covered in indigenous vegetation which regales the area with sweet-smelling plants. The home surroundings are embellished by streaks of water, ponds and channels, making up a breathtaking scenic composition.

The are also several scarcely frequented sandy beaches within a short walking distance. What more could you ask for? Why wait to discover it for yourself? Check out our flights here.

Text by Turismo de Tenerife

Images by Iter

In this part of France two cities hog most of the visitors – Strasbourg, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in France, and Colmar, capital of the wine-producing region. However, the little known jewel in the newly created region of the Great East is Mulhouse, once an independent republic, located where three counties meet – France, Germany and Switzerland. Possibly on account of that privileged position, Mulhouse is now one of France’s most active cities in terms of creativity and culture, also partly driven by its importance in the 19th century as a textile centre, which has endowed the city with an interesting industrial heritage.

Mulhouse is the City of Art and History, the first city in the Alsace to be awarded this distinction. One of its major reference points is the Place de la Réunion, the heart of its historic centre, where the easily recognisable standout feature is the pink-coloured old Town Hall. Another landmark in the square is the Protestant Church of Saint-Étienne, with a campanile affording stunning views of the city. Permission is required to go up it.

Mulhouse was one of the first major centres of the textile industry in France. This is attested in the Museum of Printed Textiles, which each year hosts a thematic exhibition linked to some well-known designer. Likewise, the Wesserling Park - Textile Ecomuseum which offers dramatized tours and fashion shows. Other major draws include the examples of industrial architecture (reconditioned former brickwork factories), and the street art and contemporary art to be had in the city centre.

Another venue worth visiting is the Cité de l’Automobile (featuring the Schlumpf Collection), situated just five minutes from downtown Mulhouse. Considered one of the leading automobile museums in the world, it showcases over 400 vehicles, prominent among which is a large collection of Bugattis. The Automobile City, divided into five distinct areas, is a truly interactive museum. Interesting audiovisuals about the automobile industry are screened, while a number of simulators enable visitors to experience what it feels like to drive a racing car.

On the outskirts of Mulhouse, the town of Ungersheim is home to the Alsace Ecomuseum, the largest of its kind in France. Here you can learn about the traditional divisions of the Alsace, what their schools used to be like and what the leading trades were. The most important craftsmen were blacksmiths, cartwrights and potters. It is also amazing to see how they used to cook in earlier times, and how they distilled local spirits. Additionally, you can taste some authentic, traditional dishes like celery gelatine, potatoes with nettles and basil sorbet.

Lastly, if you want to try Alsatian cuisine, we recommend you head for a winstub, the equivalent of a pub in the Alsace – the Restaurant Le Cellier is an ideal example. There you can taste such local specialities as fleischschnakas, an exquisite dish of noodle dough stuffed with meat, flammkuchen or tarte flambée, thinly rolled out bread dough with a topping of raw onion, bacon and single cream, and sauerkraut, accompanied by delicious Alsace wines. And, the best place to go for a drink at night is Le Gambrinus where the atmosphere is welcoming and the craft beer is excellent (bière du Bollwerk).

Mulhouse lends itself to a weekend tour. The EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, shared by France, Germany and Switzerland, is just 30 minutes away from the city centre. More information on the flights here.

Text by Tusdestinos.net