Innovation and tradition combine perfectly in the city of Vigo. All neighborhoods have a special charm, historic streets, weekly outdoor markets, nature trails, shopping and cultural acitivities. From the Cies Islands to Mount O Catro, Vigo is a perfect urban destination for your holiday.

Here are some tips so you don’t miss the essence of Vigo.

1.- Food Festivals

It is going to be strange visiting the city and not matching any of its food festivals. The annual calendar is full of them, like Vigo Mussel Festival, which is held every September in the park of Castrelos or The Seafood Festival the second weekend in September at the Port of Vigo, which sold more 40 different varieties at affordable prices.

Ria de Vigo has excellent characteristics in terms of water temperature, which makes excellent seafood! A curiosity: did you know that the best seafood’s season in the Ria de Vigo begin September to April?. Do you know how you can remember the best months to consume seafood? They are the months that contain the letter “R”.

2.- Aperitif time

Visit Vigo is an excellent opportunity to taste the best Ria’s seafood at great pricing, like in the appetizers full of tapas and beer which have a fierce devotion between the people in Vigo, especially on Saturday and Sunday morning: a walk and an apperitif before lunch.

3.- Statue de Julio Verne

One of the best options in Vigo is to walk before the appetizer down to the yachthabour enjoying the ocean breeze, and get to the bronze statue of Jules Verne, opposite the Club Náutico de Vigo. The city has paid tribute to French writer because in his famous novel “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” dedicates an episode to the Ria de Vigo and to Rande Treasure’s legend .

4.- Learn how to cook  productos of the Ria

If you also want to learn how to cook seafood, join this exciting initiative; a gastronomical workshop that shows you how to buy and cook the best products with the advices of the city’s top chefs, who will help you in everything. After selection of the best raw materials and shopping at O Berbés market or at the port’s shellfish nurseries, you can prepare the typìcal sailor dishes yourself and enjoy them along with some glasses of wine of Rias Baixas.

5.- Try out the oysters on the street

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!

6.- 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!.

We’ll be there. If you want to come too, check out our flights here.

Alongside the perennial pubs, Dublin has a profusion of cafés, eateries specialising in particular bites, and signature cuisine gastrobars where you can spend hours on end. If, however, you have only a few hours to spare in the city, here are some spots no food or drink devotee should fail to visit.

The best coffee. 3fe lavish extreme care in making and serving it up in their two premises – one of which offers market cuisine, too. Their coffee comes from a variety of sources and they feature a huge selection of flavours and aromas to suit the customer. You can taste some on the premises or buy it as a takeaway. You will also enjoy excellent coffee at Kaph, a large café with good pastries.

The best chocolate. To be had at Cocoa Atelier, bang in the city centre. They offer it in slabs, as chocolates or as a hot chocolate beverage to drink, take away or gift. These are craft products and largely creative, judging from the combinations they propose. The shop alone is well worth the visit.

The best burger. In terms of great value for money, you will jump at the hamburgers in Bunsen. All their eats fit on what is virtually a calling-card-type box, served up with sauces and chips – also homemade. The fires burn around the clock in a venue which is always crammed with customers.

The best brunch. The most popular custom in these climes and the most practical option for locals; so, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Many establishments serve brunches beyond Sundays and the classic is to be had at Odessa, where you will taste the purest Irish tradition.

The best views. For a table with great views, even outdoors, go for Sophie’s. A 360° panorama over the capital with open kitchen, a stately bar counter for your aperitif, post-prandial liqueur or afterwork cocktail, and a rooftop terrace with heaters, just in case. They dish up generous helpings of Mediterranean-style food. Ideal for a date, a get-together among friends and even a Sunday brunch.

The best tea. We had one at Clement & Pekoe, where they also show you the proper way to make it. Variety, nuances, homemade pastries to go with it and a convivial atmosphere in the city’s most commercial precinct.

The best author cuisine. Both Forest Avenue and Forest & Marcy have a charm of their own, grounded in a common philosophy. These bistronomic restaurants seat few, far removed from the fast food concept and the classic pub, so it is essential to book in advance. An establishment on the outskirts of town, Heron & Grey, stands out for its haute cuisine and Michelin star, but you won’t get a table before next September. Another interesting option is the gastropub, The Old Spot.

The best cocktail. You can grab a pint anywhere, and anyone can even quaff one in the middle of the street without waiting for nightfall. But, if you’re looking for something other than the clichéd black ale, head for the bar counter at refurbished The Pichet and order one of their signature cocktails in the heart of Temple Bar, before moving on to the very crowded The Ivy.

Get ready to delve into Dublin’s culinary facet – book your Vueling here.

Text by Belén Parra of Gastronomistas

A visit to the Colosseum, a stroll through the Vatican Museums or enjoying long walks along the Tiber riverbanks are some of the must-do activities on a Rome getaway. And, if you’re also keen on Italian food, you can taste all kinds of pizzas and pasta, and go crazy on the huge variety of Italian desserts, in any of the countless osterias and trattorias the city has to offer.

While best known for its millennial history and exquisite culinary tradition, Rome is also renowned for being one of the best places in Europe to eat ice-cream. The idea that ice-cream is only for the hot weather is now rather outmoded. Indeed, thousands of tourists and locals flock to Italian ice-cream parlours all year around, eager to enjoy the unique flavour of genuine Italian gelato.One, two or up to three flavours, and the irresistible touch of a panna (cream) topping, suffice to yield an unforgettable experience.

Finding a good ice-cream in the city is quite straightforward, but the choice is overwhelming and there is also the likelihood of being scammed. To play it safe, we recommend the following five essential ice-cream parlours in the big, beautiful and eternal Rome.

1. Giolitti
A classic among classics, this centrally located and famous ice-cream parlour is responsible for Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck having eaten ice-cream in the film, Roman Holiday. Open to the public since the year 1900, this spot is easy to find as it is always crammed with customers. Their ice-creams are made using 100% natural ingredients, and it shows. Via Uffici del Vicario, 40

2. Old Bridge
The English name of this establishment is no more than an excuse to try one of the most traditional ice-creams in Rome. No frills and additive-free, the ice-cream at Old Bridge is well known. You are likely to emerge from the parlour holding a three-flavour cone topped with a good dollop of homemade cream. Viale dei Bastioni Di Michelangelo, 5

3. Otaleg
At Otaleg you can see them making ice-cream using craft methods in their open-plan workshop. The sophisticated decor makes for the perfect all-enveloping environment where you can enjoy both classic flavours and more daring offerings, like a cheese and pepper ice-cream. As well, be sure to try their melon and raspberry ice-cream before leaving. Viale dei Colli Portuensi, 594

4. Gelateria della Palma
This ice-cream parlour is backed by more than thirty years of exquisite labour. With its menu of over 150 flavours and their loyalty to top-quality fresh ingredients, the Gelateria della Palma never fails to please. What’s more, apart from ice-cream, we also recommend you try their cassata (a traditional Sicilian cake of ricotta, sponge, marzipan, glace fruit and castor sugar), chocolates and famous tiramisu. Via della Maddalena, 19-23

5. Da Quinto
Next to the Piazza Navona, Da Quinto has been operating since 1915 and is one of the best known ice-cream parlours in town. The walls of the establishment are plastered with photos of famous people who have been there. One of their specialities is chocolate and orange ice-cream. Simply delightful! Via di Tor Millina, 15

Book your Vueling to Rome and get ready to try their magnificent ice-creams.

Text by Aleix Palau

Alicante is a synonym for Mediterranean cuisine and is not in vain that one of the best chefs worldwide, Ferran Adrià, said Alicante is, without question, the Spanish province where you eat better.

We love Mediterranean cuisine and this is why we want to offer a selection of 5 products that you have to try in Alicante, and we also advice you where to try them. Some of the products and restaurants might be missing, but take this approach to the gastronomy from Alicante as a starter. In this situation, a local would tell you: “anem a fer una picaeta” (a tradition from the little town of Alcoi, based in a round of tapas, toasts and little sandwiches).

Rice: The rice grows in Valencia and cooks in Alicante, or so it goes in a popular saying. If we want to fully discover the cuisine from Alicante, we must try paella at Restaurante Casa Riquelme. In paellas you can find all kind of ingredients, from fish and seafood to fresh products grown in the fields of the country, accompanied by chicken, rabbit or even snails. Eating at Casa Riquelme (Vázquez de Mella, 17), any midday from Wednesday to Sunday, is a synonym for fine dining. Find more information in this link

Wines: With its own protected designation of origin since mid-20th century. In Alicante you can taste a wine that mixes two kind of grapes, original from the region: monastrell and moscatel. The mistelle wine is original from this land. At Bodega de Meyos (Avenida Condomina, 40) in Alicante we can taste wine by the glass and accompany it with good food, all for a very fair price. We can also buy wine bottles; in fact this was originally a wine shop. 

Horchata: In hot weather, is common to see locals tasting a horchata in any terrace. This precious beverage made of tigernuts (chufas) is one of the most exported products. Don’t forget to go to Horchatería Azul (Calderón de la Barca, 36) to drink this refreshment and accompany it of fartons or the delicious almond pastry (coca de almendras). It’s closed on winter, but is considered for many people the best horchatería in Alicante, a traditional place.

Nougats: Another product Alicante is well known for. This is one of the main products to eat on Christmas, in Spain, and is always in the dinning table with the own local varieties: Jijona nougat and Alicante nougat. If you are in Alicante, try them at Espí (Avenida Alfonso X el Sabio, 4) and, if you want to make a very good impression, buy some as a gift for the upcoming Christmas time.

Pastry: cocas de tonyina (a fine pie stuffed with tuna) are very typical food for the Hogueras de San Juan, on the summer solstice. We can eat them at La Ibense (Calle de Portugal, 38), not only on summer. In this place you can also try delicious pizza portions or the traditional pastry (coca de mollita) with chocolate.

We could continue with other typical products of the region, like the worldwide known stuffed olives from Alcoi o the chocolate Valor, but we can keep that for upcoming gastronomic visits.

For now, as locals in Alicante say: “que aprofite”!!!!

Image from Les Haines

Why not take a trip to Alicante? Have a look at our flights here!