5 tips to enjoy the gastronomy in Vigo
1. - Seafood, seafood and more seafood
Vigo is a paradise for the senses but, especially, for the taste of gourmet travellers. There is no doubt that the main product here is fish and seafood, which you can find in its diversity at the old fisherman’s quarter of O Berbés or around O Pedra market.
One of the most interesting places is Fish Street, which offers a unique spectacle when ostreras tirelessly open oysters on the street while preparing the dishes. You can buy oysters directly to them, give them a squeeze of lemon and you eat them accompanied by a good Albariño. There is no such a better pleasure!
But, although oysters are one of the products Vigo is better known for, we cannot forget mussels, modest and versatile. You can try them in many different ways at the mejillonería Tarugo (C/Carral, 9). Affordable portions and rare options are available, like the curry or beer mussels.
In order to eat the best seafood you should go to Bar el Puerto (Rua Arenal, 30). More than 50 years of experience attests to the recognition of this restaurant. When you seat at your table, you will find out there is no menu; the waitress will tell you directly the fish and dish of the day. Other well-recognized seafood restaurants in the area are Follas Novas or Casa Marco but, generally speaking, any option around here is worth going if you are looking for good seafood, at a reasonable price.
Furthermore, Vigo celebrates many food festivals and events during the year and is possible your visit coincides with one of these activities. The most popular is Fiesta del Mejillón (Mussel party) in Vigo, happening in September. In the same month, there is a party dedicated to seafood at the harbor in Vigo and another celebrating the best seafood cuisine at Bouzas quarter.
2. - Appetizers time
Visitar Vigo es una excelente oportunidad para disfrutar de un ritual inevitables como el aperitivo de tapas y cañas a los que los vigueses tienen una férrea devoción, especialmente los sábados y domingos por la mañana: el paseo y el aperitivo de antes de comer.
One of the most famous places to take an appetizer is the Don Gregorio café. The tables are full of icing must (mosto con guinda), which is what everyone orders here.
You can also go for an aperitif to Puerta del Sol or anywhere at Plaza Constitución and its surrounding.
3. - Terraces in Vigo
The people from Vigo are always aware of the weather to go to pleasant terraces when the sun shines. It is always a great pleasure in this city.
One of the nicest terraces are Grettel (Plaza de la Constitución, 10), right in the old historic quarter of the city, where you can enjoy a refreshing drink under the stone porch.
You can also sit at the terrace in Detrás do Marco (C/Londres), a bit hidden by the Principe street, to relax a bit, away from the crowd in she shopping area.
4. -Come up to a Furancho
Furanchos are venues or private homes in which buy excess wine or try on the spot accompanied by a good home cooked meal. Usually, served with tortillas, empanadas, meats, sausages and cheeses in a family atmosphere at a great price.In the area of Vigo ther is over a dozen to choose , in which attention is always exquisite!.
5. - And when night falls…
The best option is to visit one of the modern pubs and terraces in the city. For example, Albatros is a cozy and modern place with a nice view by the estuary. You can find it at the rebuilt seaport.
A place well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.
more infoAsturias – Your Ski Destination This Season
Two ski stations – Fuentes de Invierno and Valgrande-Pajares – promise exciting days of skiing, as well as good food in a cosy, family environment. They are ideal for families, and for those who want to get away from it all, eager to seek out tranquil, more relaxing destinations.
Fuentes de Invierno – The Last Glacier in the Cordillera
Located in the municipality of Aller, Fuentes de Invierno boasts the most up-to-date ski lifts of all stations in the Cordillera Cantábrica. It is the ideal resort for enjoying the white sport in tip-top conditions. The rugged mountain terrain, combined with small clusters of forest and cabins dotted across the lower reaches of the resort, make this diminutive skiable tract (8.7 km) one of the most picturesque spots in the Principality of Asturias.
The beginner slopes, halfway up the resort (1,650 m), and the areas of La Llomba and Entresierras for the more seasoned enthusiasts, will appeal to all skiers, whatever their level. At the end of the day, make sure you stop off at one of the villages near the resort, such as Felechosa or El Pino, where a large number of restaurants offer the finest Asturian cuisine (pote, fabada, picadillo, carnes roxas), as well as succulent dishes typical of Aller. You are certain to find game on the menu – plentiful in this part of the Montaña Central – in addition to such confectionery delicacies as cuayá or panchón.
Valgrande-Pajares, the Oldest of the Cantabrian Resorts
Inaugurated in 1954, the Lena resort of Valgrande-Pajares has had skiers on its pistes for over 60 years. It is considered one of the benchmark ski stations in the Cordillera Cantábrica. With a skiable tract of 21.5 km, it is strategically located at just over half an hour from several major cities (Oviedo, Gijón and León), and is equipped with snowmaking systems to guarantee hassle-free skiing throughout the season. The ski lifts that connect the whole resort start out from the base station (1,350 m), where all the main facilities are located.
At its highest point (1,870 m), towered over by the Cuitu Nigru,Cellón and Tres Marías peaks, you can see out across the landscape of the Cordillera Cantábrica range, and even catch a glimpse of the sea on clear days. Depending on your level of expertise, from this point you can access the beginner’s area, traverse the main axis of the resort – the Valle del Sol – or get to the crown jewel – El Tubo – the only officially sanctioned competition piste in Asturias.
Whether you’re reluctant to try out skiing, or have skied your heart out and need to regain your strength, make sure you head for the Cuitu Negro café and indulge in a veritable culinary tribute. Their tripe and the meat stew are some of the hallmarks of the house.
The ski resort’s ease of access and its accommodation capacity of 150 at the foot of the ski slopes make Pajares the perfect destination for those eager to do sport as well as spend time visiting the main cities and towns in the vicinity to enjoy other activities – cultural tours, shopping, cinema, concerts, theatre…
In short, both Valgrande-Pajares and Fuentes de Invierno are ski resorts with charm. Their friendly service and family atmosphere are paramount, and you can enjoy skiing starting at €24 – peerless prices for a winter getaway.
Here, then, is our advice, if you are undecided about where to head this winter. Check out our flights here.
Text and images by Turismo Asturias
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A Walk Through the Music of Barcelona
• Rumba Catalana. This musical genre was developed by the Catalan gypsy community in Barcelona from the 50′s in Raval (calle de la Cera), Gracia and Hostafrancs neighborhoods.
• Gran Teatre del Liceu and Palau de la Música. Two great music temples of Barcelona where you can listen to opera and classical music in a privileged environment.
• Music day in Barcelona. On June 21st takes place the music day celebration involving music labels and music stores as BCore or Revolver that hold live shows in their shops.
• Heliogábal. Reference site for the stimulation of the artistic life in Barcelona. Most musicians has played here as a way to promote their music.
• Serrat and el Poble Sec. Joan Manuel Serrat is also known by the nickname of El noi del Poble Sec (the child of Poble Sec, the neighborhood where he was born). Serrat is one of the city’s most international artists.
• Carmen Amaya. One of the most important flamenco figures, Amaya was born in the now defunct Somorrostro, which became part of what we know today as Barceloneta. In the gardens of Joan Brossa we can find a statue of the iconic singer and dancer.
• Antonio Machín statue in Plaza Vicenç Martorell. In the district of Ciutat Vella is honored the singer of boleros considered “the most Cuban of Spanish and the most Spanish of Cubans.”
• Pau Casals. Although he was originally from El Vendrell, with 13 years old he began playing at Cafe Tost in Gracia neighbourhood three hours every night. Pau became one of the best cellists of all time.
• El Paralelo, music and theater. The famous Paralelo Avenue was the hub of the theater and night life in Barcelona for many years. A street full of theaters and dance halls.
• Sala Apolo and Razzmatazz.. They remain the city ultimate party rooms where concerts are scheduled daily and parties are held every night (tourists love them).
• Sónar and Primavera Sound. The two most international music festivals were thousands of people from all over the world gather to enjoy three days of live music . Sónar is a reference in electronic music, Primavera Sound does not close doors to any style but focuses on the most modern and independent music acts.
• Plaça Reial. Barcelona’s hot spot and an iconic square downtown, next to Las Ramblas, venues like Jamboree where you can see the best live jazz, Sidecar, Ocaña or Glaciar, terraces, people wandering through the square, the palm trees, all in together create a special atmosphere to this place.
• Taller de Músics, with his own record label, workshop production and jazz club. Every musician ever will pass by the Taller de Musics, either to join one of the jam session or to learn to play an instrument, the options are endless.
• Bar Vinilo. Located in the heart of Gracia, vinilo is a bar where you can enjoy good music and great atmosphere. Very often musicians and artists pass by to have a drink and listen to good music.
• Calle Tallers. For many years has been the main records and instruments shopping avenue. Today there are still some shops that always attract music lovers and musicians.
So you feel like visiting Barcelona, do you? Book your flights here!
Illustration: Mónica Hidalgo
Text: Fran Arnaiz de scannerFM
The Amalfi Coast Sublime Campania
We’ve often been asked by friends and acquaintances to recommend a getatable romantic destination for some special celebration with their partner. We always give them the same answer – the Amalfi Coast, in Italy’s Campania region. Indeed, you cannot help but fall in love with this slice of coastline, bathed by the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, with winding roads concealing some of Italy’s sublimest, most picturesque villages.
The best spot to start out on your itinerary is Sorrento. While not strictly on the coastal route, it is still a charming destination whose luxury hotels have attracted the big names in opera, notably Enrico Caruso and Luciano Pavarotti, acclaimed for his memorable interpretations of Torna a Surriento, one of the best known Neapolitan songs in the world. The balconies so characteristic of the seafront of this Neapolitan town afford some of the best views of Mt Vesuvius, a volcano which has scored the history of this land with fire.
Positano is the first village we come to on the Amalfi Coast or Costiera Amalfitana. Before driving into it, there are some wonderful viewpoints affording vistas of the village, with its houses clinging to the hillside, providing one of the most elegant and iconic picture postcards in Italy. Picturesque and unique, Positano is a must-visit spot on the Amalfi Coast and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997. Its steep streets are lined with fashion boutiques and shops selling typical products, while some of its “almost affordable” hotels are veritable backwaters of peace and quiet where many a couple have uttered their “Yes, I do”. This is the case with the Hotel Poseidon, run by the Aonzo brothers, who pamper their guests as if they were true friends.
We still recall how Marco kindly let us use one of his collector cars, a crimson red Alfa Romeo Spider, which we drove like celebrities of the Italian Neorealism to visit other legendary villages on the Amalfi Coast –Amalfi and Ravello. The former, after which this stretch of coastline in the Gulf of Salerno is named, is noteworthy for its flamboyant Piazza del Duomo and the staircase leading up to the Cathedral. Amalfi is the ideal place for shopping along its crowded streets, as well as for sitting down in some secluded restaurant with sea views to lunch or dine on some of the local specialities, notably fish in acqua pazza, washed down with a fine white Fiano di Avellino wine. The final gastronomic flourish is provided by the local queen of liqueurs, limoncello, made from the large, aromatic lemons grown in this area.
Another renowned village on the Amalfi Coast is Ravello, which has a gem in its Villa Cimbrone gardens, which are open to the public, and the marvellous Villa Rufolo, a spot that has enchanted poets, artists and musicians and has helped turn this part of the Italian coastline into one of the ideal places to get married.
Book your Vueling to Naples and make a tour of the Amalfi Coast.
Text by Tus Destinos
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