La Casita Verde
Located in a charming valley close to the village of San José in Ibiza, La Casita Verde is a small nature and education centre run by volunteers that opens to the public every Sunday and where visitors can discover, in a direct and entertaining manner, that a more sustainable way of life is within reach of everyone.
The buildings that comprise La Casita Verde are made from such recycled materials as bottles, tin cans and wood. They include such alternative living spaces as a house in a tree, a house made from bottles and house built inside a lime oven. What’s more, the place makes daily use of alternative energy sources, such as the sun and the wind, and grows medicinal plants and herbs. That is why La Casita Verde exists as an educational tool to demonstrate alternative living techniques.
Besides being amazed by a pure hippy atmosphere, visitors will be able to enjoy some of the activities on offer: the chance to observe the preparation of healthy vegetarian food, learn how to prepare natural juices from local products (including aloe vera), take a one-hour tour around La Casita Verde, listen to (often live) atmospheric music, receive “natural beauty” treatments with masks made from aloe vera harvested from its own fields and many other interesting things.
Somewhere well worth discovering for yourself! Check out our flights here.
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On a tour in A Coruña
A Coruña, the city where nobody is an outsider. You hear this a lot in La Coruña as it was the slogan used to promote the city and was eagerly adopted by the local people.
Tapas
One of my favourite places is a small yet typical old-man’s bar with the original decorations from the 1960s. It is called La Bombilla and they serve delicious tapas, empanadilla inflada, croquettes, tortilla, chorizo with potato and milanese-style chorizo at good prices in the city centre; 6 Calle de la Galera. Unmissable.
In the same area, theZona de Vinos, you’ll find a large number of tapas bars with good prices and quality. You could start at the legendary Taberna Olmos at 22 Calle Olmos and continue on down the length of Calle Barrena. The lively atmosphere lasts all night.
Drinks
On Calle Orillamar is one of my favourite bars; Maricastaña. The place offers free concerts by local artists, a relaxed atmosphere and a good time. It is open until 3 in the morning and also serves sandwiches at a good price.
For something a little different and alternative, you could try Puticlú (pronounced as it is spelt). Pop and colour in a mixed and highly entertaining atmosphere.
Mardigras is one of the most iconic music bars in A Coruña. Rock concerts, alternative music and a great time to be had.
Another of the liveliest places for a night out is Orzán, very close to Playa de Riazor and with numerous places to have fun.
Restaurants
I recommend two good restaurants; one with a traditional atmosphere and another more modern. Their traditional dish is the Pulpería A Nova Lanchiña. Great octopus at 30 Calle Capitán Juan Varela. The other, more innovative and stylish restaurant (but equally well priced) is close to the beach in the Riazor area: Utopia at 5 Avenida Buenos Aires.
Museums
Fundación Barrie de La Mazaand the Caixa Galicia Foundation are the two closest. They offer a good collection of resident art and other temporary exhibitions. The Centro de Bellas Artes is also worth a visit.
Walks
One of the unmissable and essential walks is to be enjoyed around La Torre de Hércules, the only oldest lighthouse in the world still working today. There are some wonderful views of the coast and it is very easy to get there because it stands within the city limits of La Coruña itself.
The recently-renovated Parque de San Pedro offers some great views of the city.
Finally, a walk around La Marina to the Castillo de San Antón is very pleasant. If the weather is kind to you, it is a delight to see the typical houses of A Coruña with their white galleries and enjoy a beer or two on a local terrace.
By Marcos La Federica
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Beer Garden Season
Beer is the most popular drink in the gastronomy of Munich and to sample it, you can take advantage of the dozens of Biergärten or beer gardensthat can be found all over the city, where, sharing huge tables in the sunshine, you can enjoy the cheerful Munich lifestyle, try out some Bavarian delicacies or even bring along your own food, but never the drinks!
The Munich biergarten season takes place between Spring and Autumn when the sunshine allows you to enjoy these traditional gardens as well as the many outdoor terraces that together offer in the region of 180,000 al fresco seats
Among the biggest venues are the 8,000 seater Hirschgarten, or 5,000 places at the Augustiner in Arnulf Street and the Paulaner in Nockherberg with space for 4,000.
Other notable meeting places include the biergarten in Viktualienmarkt Square, the one next to the Chinese Tower in the English Garden or the Waldwirtschaft, where jazz music livens up the atmosphere.
Augustiner-Keller
This biergarten overflows with tradition. With more than 5,000 seats under the shade of 100 magnificent chestnut trees, it guarantees the most authentic experience of them all. 45 of these trees are protected species and are duly numbered. The Augustiner-Keller itself appears as a beer store on a map of the City of Munich dated 1812. The cellar belongs to the oldest brewery in the city and is a perfect example of traditional Munich conviviality and its legendary hospitality.
www.augustinerkeller.de
Arnulfstraße 52 80335 Munich
Biergarten in the Viktualienmarkt Square
You can buy anything you feel like for your tea and eat it straightaway washed down with one of Munich’s famous brands of beer that take turns supplying this beer garden situated in the very heart of the Bavarian capital.
www.biergarten-viktualienmarkt.de
Viktualienmarkt 80331 Munich
Biergarten at the Chinese Tower
After a little sunbathing or having enjoyed a stroll around the English Garden, your visit to the park can be rounded off next to the Chinese Tower with “tea” accompanied by a fine beer in the shade of the chestnut trees. On Sundays the atmosphere is enhanced with live music from a wind band.
www.chinaturm.de
Englischer Garten 80538 Munich
Biergarten at the Staatliches Hofbräuhaus
The congenial Hofbräuhaus beer garden is a surprise, away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, where you can enjoy the world famous beer and culinary delights of Munich in a truly welcoming environment.
www.hofbraeuhaus.de
Platzl 9 80331 Munich
Why not take a trip to Munich? Have a look at our flights here!
more infoTenerife, Cadiz, Venice... let’s go to the carnival!
Europe’s most popular carnivals are a great excuse to get away in February. Where do you fancy going? Cadiz, Tenerife, Venice, Basel...
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